Anyone cross shopping Maserati Ghibili against M3

[ss134]

I have a few thoughts:

1. It looks horrible.
2. Here in Europe the 430 hp version costs $25000 more than the M3
3. It's Italian so it will break

My last thought is NO!

[TunedM2C]

There was already a thread on this.

[IEDEI]

i saw one in person for the first time last week....on the freeway. firstly it looked a lot better in person than in the photographs and secondly i think it's more on par with the size of the 5-series than of the F80.

I am sure the Ghibli is a nice car to drive and own.....it has that italian enthusiasm that you can never find in German cars. That being said, if you are more concretely dedicated to driving dynamics, the Ghibli would be a more passive experience rather than an overly active one.

[dhoggm3]

BMW reliability is middle-of-the-road. Maserati's not so much. Would never work as a DD.

[/// M sa]

Originally Posted by dhoggm3

BMW reliability is middle-of-the-road. Maserati's not so much. Would never work as a DD.

Never had any issues with my e90 granted it has 27k miles on it but I would never keep a car passed warranty expiration date or 50k miles.

[BMWJ]

ugly

[Carl L]

Don't like Maseratis. They generally sound nice but that's not enough.

[Black Gold]

Originally Posted by stressdoc

Meh, reasonable comparison to F80; it would be interesting to see which is fastest around Green Monster.

I would be floored if they were even close in anything but straight line performance

[darkalley]

The Ghibli really competes w the CLS, A7 and 6-series Grand Coupe if you speak within the industry. Last month it beat all 3 models in monthly sales. Yes 5-Series and E-class buyers might defect but it's that new class of sedans that the Ghibli targets. For a car that starts at $67k I think it's compelling for the luxury sedan buyer. Let's face it a huge part of the population buys on brand/ exclusivity vs technology. I can't be the only guy that bought their girlfriend/ wife a $3,000 purse based on label only to say "seriously I'm over paying by $2,700"

[brianeck]

The interior has a ton of parts taken from Chrysler, which a few people have mentioned. Its the same Uconnect/touchscreen nav setup as in my dad's new 14' cherokee summit. In fact, a lot of the parts in the car are similar. It's not "super tacky" but it definitely doesn't have the fit and finish of its true maserati brethren.

I drove one in December, its really nice to be behind the wheel of and the exhaust sounds AMAZING. Way better than any of the videos I've seen of the m3/m4 so far.

This video is way too long but just listen to the revs at the beginning, its pure sex. . .

[darkalley]

Originally Posted by brianeck

The interior has a ton of parts taken from Chrysler, which a few people have mentioned. Its the same Uconnect/touchscreen nav setup as in my dad's new 14' cherokee summit. In fact, a lot of the parts in the car are similar. It's not "super tacky" but it definitely doesn't have the fit and finish of its true maserati brethren.

I drove one in December, its really nice to be behind the wheel of and the exhaust sounds AMAZING. Way better than any of the videos I've seen of the m3/m4 so far.

This video is way too long but just listen to the revs at the beginning, its pure sex. . .

Let's take the "enthusiast" out of the equation and let me ask you what you think is more of a complaint or concern of the average luxury car buyer- 1--- The Maserati Ghibli having the same, user friendly NAV as a Dodge Dart or the same Window Controls as a Chrysler 300 (keep in mind the Ferrari California shared the infotainment system with a Chrysler Minivan!)

OR

2--- The 3 and 5 Series are almost indistinguishable from each other inside and out, the C-Class looks like a "mini S-Class" or Audi's entire product line looks the same just in different sizes?

What's the bigger concern of most people looking for exclusivity when buying a premium car? The interior parts bin/ platform sharing OR the exterior package?

[Alpine F31]

Originally Posted by brianeck

The interior has a ton of parts taken from Chrysler, which a few people have mentioned. Its the same Uconnect/touchscreen nav setup as in my dad's new 14' cherokee summit. In fact, a lot of the parts in the car are similar. It's not "super tacky" but it definitely doesn't have the fit and finish of its true maserati brethren.

Wow you are right. We have a '14 Grand Cherokee Overland Ecodiesel. The start stop button in the Ghibili is the same, the "comfort access" is also the same. Even the horn sounds exactly the same! All that being said, I love our Jeep with it's Italian engine, German chassis and German transmission. If the Ghibili is as good as our Jeep it's probably pretty good, but I wouldn't cross shop it against an M3. I think it's aimed at E Class and 5 Series buyers.

BTW, the U Connect Touchscreen system in our Jeep is light years better than the cumbersome, slow iDrive in my BMW.

[Raja Ventureshield]

dang, you guys are giving the Ghibli a blood bath.
It's not bad, but certainly not a bmw competition IMHO. where is the track record. Last time Maserati left USA was due to poor sale and build quality.

[darkalley]

Originally Posted by Raja Ventureshield

dang, you guys are giving the Ghibli a blood bath.
It's not bad, but certainly not a bmw competition IMHO. where is the track record. Last time Maserati left USA was due to poor sale and build quality.

I think, in general, most consumers really don't put reliability as a #1 differentiator... If they did, the poor reliability scores of BMW would have had a much bigger impact on sales over the last few years.

[Raja Ventureshield]

Originally Posted by darkalley

I think, in general, most consumers really don't put reliability as a #1 differentiator... If they did, the poor reliability scores of BMW would have had a much bigger impact on sales over the last few years.

i think all modern cars have so much tech and frills that shit is gonna break. I don't think you can even buy a car with non-power windows anymore.
You have nav, pdc, adjustable suspension, i-drive, park urself, heads up display and so many more...
the probablity is high of things going wrong. ..

[Bonovox]

I have a deposit on an M4 but recently test drove the ghibli Q4s. Now that the bmw dealer has made a great lease offer on a loaded M5 (sapphire w orange -- live it) I've got a tough decision to make!!

I'm not going to run through all the pros and cons--cars speak to people's needs in different ways. The M5 is definitely the better car than maser. It's a huge improvement over the f10 with smg. But I wouldn't completely dismiss it unless you've driven one. The sound is unbelievable--every head snaps around to look! But the car can also be driven pianissimo, like on date night. The maser is a 4 door coupe, so that's why it takes some getting used to the look. It's between the m3 and m5 size wise, but the weight is right up there with m5. With the sport suspension and 19 inch tires it handles very well, but not in m5's league, and def not in m3/4 league. Maser really gets the color combos right. The interiors are a bit <. The colors are great, but the materials aren't up to m5. Clearly they borrowed Chrysler parts. But that might be okay. Bottom line, the sound and style is intoxicating. But will it work. Had my f10 3 years and I had to take it to shop once other than scheduled maintenance. Awd a good thing here in Boston tho, but this is not a Quattro. Lots more soul than an audi that's for sure.

[darkalley]

Originally Posted by Raja Ventureshield

i think all modern cars have so much tech and frills that shit is gonna break. I don't think you can even buy a car with non-power windows anymore.
You have nav, pdc, adjustable suspension, i-drive, park urself, heads up display and so many more...
the probablity is high of things going wrong. ..

Totally agree and I accept it. What's a great deal on an M5 lease Bonovox?!

[signes]

Originally Posted by darkalley

Totally agree and I accept it. What's a great deal on an M5 lease Bonovox?!

Not bonovox but people are getting ~$1000-1100 for a well-optioned M5 on the lot. Up to $13k off sticker, 61% residual (3 year, 10k miles/yr).

[darkalley]

Originally Posted by signes

Not bonovox but people are getting ~$1000-1100 for a well-optioned M5 on the lot. Up to $13k off sticker, 61% residual (3 year, 10k miles/yr).

Jesus that's nuts!! Is there an M3 vs M5 thread?? Seriously if you were going to lease how could you not step up!

[signes]

Originally Posted by darkalley

Jesus that's nuts!! Is there an M3 vs M5 thread?? Seriously if you were going to lease how could you not step up!

There are several threads although they seem to get moved to the M5 forum...

[GotEM4]

Originally Posted by VAUROS

Not a fan of Maserati

Agreed.

Maserati Ghibili looks like a sports car for grandpas

[AutoArmourSD]

Originally Posted by aajami

The chassis of the F80 is going to be in a different league than the Ghibli's.

Likewise, the luxurious appointments of the Ghibli will be far upmarket of the F80.

Apples and oranges.

Obviously you haven't seen, driven or been in the Maserati. The interior is horrible and doesn't not have a true Maserati luxury feel. Give me an m3/m4 any day of the week. It's a POS compared to the m3.