What car options strategy in the next 2,4,6,+ years?

[LostKiwi]

What are you guys talking about?

My head hurts now!

Old Minis....
648 and 544 were camshafts - the numbers were the last three digits of the part number (C-AEG544 AND C-AEG648). The 648 was a full race camshaft - inlet and exhaust valves were open 300 degrees out of every 720. Both were open together for 95 degrees of that. Made for very poor low speed driveability.
Small were motorbike carburettors.
45DCOE was a Weber carburettor, 45mm bore, two barrels and fitted with a removable Venturi (also called choke).
48DHLA was an even bigger D'ellorto equivalent with dual 48mm barrels.
HS4 and HS6 were SU carburettor of a single 1 1/2 and 1 3/4 diameter barrel respectively. Usually used in pairs.
8 port heads were a special competition part - the normal mini cylinder head had 5 ports, siamesed inlets and siamesed exhaust for numbers 2 and 3. The 8 port gave much better flow and was also x-flow (carburettors on the front, exhaust on the back).

This was all back in the day when tuning was accomplished mechanically with no sign of a computer....


You did ask...

 

[flowrider]

If it has the ZF fully auto box then it should be good, the semi auto is the one that gives problems as the clutch wears out and is £2k to replace.

Maserati of that era also have many Alfa parts so if you use the owners club you can get good advice

I think the auto box is the semi automatic one so it is really a manual box with an auto option. From my investigations I believe the clutch issue is when the box is used in auto mode and everyone says to ignore the auto option and change gears with the paddles.

 

[flowrider]

Yesterday I parked next to a Maserati GranTurismo, lovely car and swmbo loved it too so maybe something to think about.

 

[bembo449]

I looked at the Grantourismo as a replacement for my 216 till I found out the drivers seat electric motor costs an eye watering 1k to fix

 

[flowrider]

I looked at the Grantourismo as a replacement for my 216 till I found out the drivers seat electric motor costs an eye watering 1k to fix

Costs like that don't put me off. All prestige cars cost money to fix, even run of the mill cars can have expensive issues.

 

[JBell]

I think the auto box is the semi automatic one so it is really a manual box with an auto option. From my investigations I believe the clutch issue is when the box is used in auto mode and everyone says to ignore the auto option and change gears with the paddles.

Any Masser with the DuoSelect gearbox is to be avoided

 

[flowrider]

Any Masser with the DuoSelect gearbox is to be avoided

The 4200 uses a Ferrari gearbox not the Duoselect which I think was used in the early Quottroporte's.

 

[JBell]

The 4200 uses a Ferrari gearbox not the Duoselect which I think was used in the early Quottroporte's.

I wasn't sure which one it was, DuoSelect is a big no no

 

[flowrider]

I looked at the Grantourismo as a replacement for my 216 till I found out the drivers seat electric motor costs an eye watering 1k to fix

On a UK Maserati forum someone was selling a used motor for £45, if the motor had a new cost of £1k I would think the used price would be much higher unless this is a different motor.

 

[bembo449]

sorry flowrider , I was economical with the details , the driver seat wasn't working and it was a grand to fix , I presumed it would be a motor , my bad

 

[Adamki83]

Not sure whether this should start a new thread, might be a short discussion!
Future of diseasels...
So, those of you who have diesels currently what’s your strategy into the next 2,4,6,+ years?
Are you going to ignore the trend and take what (might) be coming in terms of financial penalties
Are you going to change out, and when, and for what?

So, in my case the XC90 is EU6 diesel, it’s leased and has 18 months left before it goes back
For family use, economy, space , driving position for long journeys (especially wife) it’s a great mile cruncher, effortless....
So what next?
Buy it from the lease company is an option, but it’s so full of electronics , lots to go wrong so I’m not convinced. I’m not going another lease as I’m 60 next year with one eye on the exit door to retirement, so next car is a kind of ‘forever’ car
Current thinking is to replace this with a ML350 probably , decent spec not too old ...this of course means diesel...
The i8 will have to go towards retirement time too, so then what to replace that with? Probably something cheap(ish) and cheerful, it’s certainly not a retirement car for sure.
It was, as you might have read elsewhere my last ‘hurrah’
None of this is immediate of course but for once in my car ‘career’ i’d Like to be more planned for the future (wouldn’t be hard )

Discuss.....

From the sounds of things you're gonna be okay for another 4 years or so before they are gonna start trying to force diesels of the road, i still intend on owning a diesel after my E class.
My reasons are that the government cant just suddenly turn round and ban them in 2 years because thats not an economical solution for them and for us.
There mainly coming after cars that dont meet euro 4 regulations (cars with DPF).
So i think with a brand new diesel you're okay for another 5 years! At least i would say!