For many gearheads, the dream of owning a Ferrari is just that: a dream. A new Ferrari will cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that’s for an entry-level model without options. Used examples of the legendary brand can be much cheaper, but the maintenance bills for old Ferrari models are downright terrifying.
Even if you can figure out the purchase and maintenance costs of a cheap Ferrari, it may not even be suitable for everyday needs. These are sports cars, so they’re not exactly ideal for taking kids to and from school, or for carrying a few weeks’ worth of groceries. But all is not lost, as answers do exist for the Ferrari-loving motorist who wants Italian thrills on a more reasonable budget.
The answers come in the form of several Maseratis, which share the critical Ferrari DNA. Models like the 4200 GT Coupé and GranTurismo are equipped with Ferrari-derived engines, but these are still sports cars, making them far from perfect for everyday tasks. Then there’s the Ghibli. Not the classic Ghibli, which is as sensitive and sporty as a Ferrari of old, but the stylish four-seater sedan that debuted in the 2014 model year. Under the hood is a V6 turbo engine, assembled by Ferrari itself, giving the Ghibli real sporting characteristics. The real appeal, though, is that an early Ghibli could be yours for only about $12,500, according to Kelley Blue Book’s Fair Buying Price Guide.
Whether or not you should do that, however, is another matter entirely, because – even though this isn’t a full-fledged Ferrari – that exciting Italian DNA comes with a host of wallet-worrying issues.
This is why you might regret owning a Maserati Ghibli
Starting with problems that are widely recognized, early Ghibli models have suffered a few recalls – six for the 2014 model year alone. All six are also quite concerning. These include fire risks due to short circuits in electrical systems, improperly tightened tie rod bolts and the possibility of acceleration problems due to floor mats catching under the pedal.
Plus, these Maserati-designed and Ferrari-built engines aren’t exactly bulletproof. Similar to an issue that saw the recall of 450,000 Nissan and Infiniti models, some owners have suffered total and unexpected engine failure. Repair bills in some of those cases exceeded the current value of the entire vehicle, without a single warning light previously appearing. Others have seen warning lights indicating a drop in oil pressure, with bills in the region of $25,000 to $30,000 as a fix.
Even if you manage to get your hands on a good model that can escape these terrible failures, the running costs can be somewhat worrying, especially if you’re used to something cheaper. According to CarEdge, owners can expect to spend $9,125 on maintenance and repairs after ten years, which is actually marginally lower than other luxury cars in the same segment, but still much more than what you’d spend on a Camry or Accord.
CarEdge also points out that the Ghibli has about a 20% chance of needing a major repair in the first five years. That’s 9% better than the segment it belongs to, but that major repair could still mean a new engine costing more than $20,000. A cheap Ghibli is a tempting proposition, but you have to consider the bills that await you.
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