Ted Baldwin

.............I hinestly don't mean to start a big bedate but I need your opinions. I have 300Ce and a ClK. I am finally not fiddling with my CLk. My plan had always been to continue with the MB coupes and pourchase a CL500. However, I recently looked into the Maserati coupe and I wonder what people on this forum think about Maserati vs the CL500. The maserati sells for 90k and someone thought that there will be less of it on the road etc and it will be more exclusive and more of a head turner. What do you think?


Ted

Ted Baldwin

....typos......honestly, big debate, purchase

MBZman

I'd definately go for the Maserati, you already have experienced MB's, go for something different and fairly exclusive.

Tezta

The maserati will be more of a head turner than the CL IMO. I am not sure about the reliability of the car, it might have problems since it's Italian. I read good reviews on the maserati's performance and handling in CAR magazine.

absent

If you can stretch,try new CL55 or CL600,but go with Maser instead of CL500.

Ebrigham

From the subject header and my sig, you can tell what my vote is. In terms, of performance, the Maserati beats the CL500 easily. It will also handily beat older CL55s and CL600s (up to the 2002 models). IMO, it's much more of a looker too, and there are fewer of them on the road for now.

Both are fantastic luxury sport coupes, with the MB leaning a bit more toward luxury, and the Maserati a bit more to sport. For me, the only downside is unproven reliability, and the back seats are smaller than even my previous CLK.

Ted Baldwin

............Thanks for the responses. It appears that the Maserati wins over CL500. "Absent" also suggested that I stretch to CL 55 or CL600. This will give me a car with sim,ilar performance as the Maserati but will cost nearly $30, 000 more. I will really love to have a CL55 though. But how much is too much to spend on a car?

Ted

Ebrigham

Everyone's definition of "too much" is different. Some people love cars, while some think that even $50k is too much to pay for a depreciating asset. Frankly, once you are spending $100+k, does another $30k really make a difference? Probably not. My personal rule of thumb is to pay cash. If I am not 100% comfortable doing that then it's probably "too much" for me. But others may differ, particularly if they can get 0% financing.

The 2003 CL600s and 55s are truly beasts, and certainly worth a substantial premium over the Maserati. Since I was leaning more toward "sport", I woud have opted for a 911 TT for that kind of coin, or an SL 55 (gorgeous car). I also wanted my car sooner rather than later and would have had to wait 12 mos for a 55.

Another factor not mentioned is time. You can get a new Maserati in two - three months time, a fraction of the wait time for the 55 and 600.

Bilal

If you can afford a new CL500, then you "should" be able to afford an S500 or SL500. No personally I would get the SL, but for you I would recommend the CL, trust me NO other brand gives you "that" feeling of driving such a car. The class, the respect, the admiration, the sheer joy and above all the comfort and reliability of a Mercedes is almost unquestionable.

Do yourself a favor, If it were me I would get the CL, but test drive both and then choose, after all its your money

PhucNguyen57

If you are not getting the 55 or the 600 forget about the Benz. I saw the Maserati a couple weeks ago, very impressive, slightly rare, and my girl loved it.

Bilal

Maserati's, are not well built have a cheap feel, the handling is rubbish, and they are very poorly built.

I saw a review of them last week.

Stick with the benz

Tezta

30K at least. Don't forget the wait and or the Premium markup.

absent

One more thing,remember you live only once,if you can do it, get the car you'll enjoy the most.There may be no tomorrow!?

Lionel

I changed my CLK55 for a Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa 4 months ago. The reliability is excellent. It is sportier than the MB and the interior is very luxury, leather up to the ceiling, very confortable seats. The engine is incredible... as the two-modes suspension... as the F1-type gear-box... (get a software upgrade 1 month ago). Only bad note: the sound-system is not at the level of the other parts.
I tested the 996tt. I choosed the Maserati for the following reasons: as fun as the Porsche, can be very comfortable for cruising (lot of torque, no turbo), a lot better handling than any MB, more luxury interior like a MB but with italian style, more discret (a wolf disguised in a sheep), only a few same cars on the road and... the SOUND: it is a real sport car.
It is an excellent car for the money (with 4 years of garanty).
If you have any question...

Tezta

I watched a video of the maserati on turbo.fr and YES the car sound awesome, almost like a 360modena! BTW i read reviews that the F1 shifter is not quite up to par. What are your opinions on the cambiocorsa?

Lionel

Me too I read a lot of bad opinions on the cambiocorsa-f1 system. But after some weeks of experience it is a really amazing system. You can shift the gears like a professional and your can put it in auto mode if you are in a city or in a traffic jam. The auto mode is not as good as the real auto gear-box but you have 4 choices : auto, ice (slow auto), normal (manual) and sport (brutal).

Unlike the reviews, I think the cambiocorsa is strength, like other Maserati owners...

nrosoff

I looked at and test drove the Maserati Coupe. Great car.

But.
I saw the Panoz Esparante at the NYC auto show last year.
Dealers don't have any stock so they sent me down to the factory in GA. Danny Panoz gave me a personal tour of the factory! Guess what I bought.

If you want a car that is unique, powerful, fun to drive, and reliable you should really look at the Panoz Esparante. Check out www.panozauto.com

BTW I also own a 2002 CL600.

Neil

Mr. Xristo

The Maserati is timeless, classy, and respectable. . . Light on the badging, and simple. . .

They also have a greater advantage over Mercedes: You can totally customize the vehice.

The Officine Alfieri personalization program:

The OAM Programme

There is a Maserati dealership that recently opened in Ft. Lauderdale, on Federal Highway. I think I may pay them a visit

Ebrigham

I read many reviews on the Maserati before I bought it; C&D, R&T, MT, Automobile, NYT, Edmonds, etc etc etc. Few of them spoke very highly about the Maserati's F1 system. I am glad I test drove it myself and ignored them. The system is certainly "up to par" to say the least. Here are my thoughts:

When used in "sport" manual mode, the acceleration is as good or better than a manual (w/ equal acceleration times). And you are guaranteed a flawless shift every time (provided you don't fat finger the paddle). In this sense, it's as good as anything out there. Overall shifting is smooth too. Considering I don't know/care how to drive a traditional stick, this is enough for me.

Also, the car automatically downshifts at around 1500 rpms. And in "sport" manual mode, as the car matches the revs, the ensuing throttle blip is one of the coolest sounds out there. Even better considering I don't have to do it myself. It also catches peoples' attention at stop lights too, which is good to scare away dumb *** pedestrians that don’t look at signals.

A point that may be lost on the reviewers is that in the "sport" manual mode, shifts are noticeably quicker/better when performed at 5000 RPM or higher. Shifts are very good before 5000 RPM, but after 5000 RPM the shifts are extraordinarily quick and clean. The engine loves to rev, so this make sense.

The Auto mode isn't great I will admit. It short shifts you in every gear and by 40 MPH you are in 6th. Considering how nice the engine sounds post 4K RPM, this is a real shame. Overall, it can be pretty smooth in auto mode and is suitable in stop-n-go traffic. However, stomping on the gas at certain gears/rpms sometimes results in a bucking bronco ride. Scary/annoying for some, but kinda funny for me. Anyway, IMO, if you are prone to gas stomping, you are much better off in “sport” manual. Regardless, the performance in auto-mode means almost nothing to me.

The “ice” mode is quite good (as good or better than in my previous CLK). The transmission really does a good job keeping you out of the torque curve.

The whole system is designed more toward performance. When combined with the skyhook suspension, the two systems’ logic work together quite well. If you envision keeping the car in auto most of the time, you will probably be unhappy, particularly if you are coming from a Benz . But for people like me, it’s really the best fit. I am pretty sure the system in the 360 and Maranello is better, but the Maserati’s only cost $3k versus the $10k in the Ferraris.

I have more opinion, but don’t want to annoy you with more intricacies.

Mr. Xristo

Same holds true for the new M5. It loves to shift at higher RPMs, and it is actually better for the vehicle as this is what it was designed to do.

nrosoff

The name my be timeless but the car is only 2 years old you and I will be significantly older before it is considered timeless

The Maserati is anything by simple - Ferrari made sure of that.

Mr. Xristo

Simple as relating to "looks"...

Ebrigham

SL55, I would certainly recommend taking a hard look at the Maserati. But please don't lose the 55!

nrosoff

http://www.panozauto.com/pa02_102b_spy.htm

Which looks cleaner / simpler?

Ebrigham

Ah yes, the M5, fantastic car. Up until the 2003 E55 and S55/600 were introduced, it was my favorite rocket sedan.

PS. If you get the Maserati, please don't lose the 55!