Buying a used Biturbo
"We should have checked it
before buying!"
Buying a used Biturbo
"We should have checked it
before buying!"
Generally the Biturbo can be described as having a low entry price and high running cost. It does not break often, but very expensive when it does. Maserati parts prices are ridiculous, and as for all cars with high repair costs and (comparatively) low value, the advice must be: Buy the best one. If you're not convinced it's in top condition, look for another car, or you could end up like the guys above. Some body panels are reasonably priced, so rust and dents can be tolerated if the price is lowered accordingly, provided you can do the work yourself.
It seems that the previous owners of this car often had more money than enthusiasm for the special character of the car. Today they would probably buy a fast, sterile japanese "supercar" that demand little skill and care. Why do I say this? Because most of the used cars I've looked at, bears signs of not being taken care of. It's a pity because they deserve better, as they're so nice to use if they are in good condition. It's also one of the reasons for the low price of the (used) car. And the bad ones will inevitably pull the good ones down with them. So I'm sure that when you find one owned by a caring individual, it can still be had for a reasonable price. He just can't go that much above the average price level and still get rid of it.
You should be aware that in some markets these cars could sit at the dealer for months, even years before they were sold. So when looking for major production changes, you should establish the build year of the car. You should also be aware that the half moon shaped instrument console were introduced first on the Spyder, and last on the coupé. This can sometimes confuse if you don't know it.
And after buying the right car, don't save on service and maintenance. It costs more than on many other cars, but a major engine breakdown may cost more than the value of the car. Do the maintenance and use it with respect, and it should be able to run 200K Km or more.
Oil leaks from the camboxes. Leakage at the rear end of these can in fact
come from the vent hoses going to the air filter box. The soultion to this
is cheap, leaking camboxes are not. Obviously the owner should have fixed
it before selling the car if there is such a cheap solution to the problem.
Always keep this in mind, and assume the worst when you find a symptom that
has one cheap and one expensive fix.
Oil leaks from front and back of engine.
Look for damage on oil tray from hitting objects on the ground. Some broken
ribs are normal, but there should be no cracks leaking oil.
Look for oil in coolant, water in oil and water vapor from tailpipes (check
when engine is up to working temperature). These are the indications of a
damaged cylinder head gasket, and/or a warped head. On early
(<1985) models, the gasket between cylinder sleeve and block could develop
leaks. They were replaced with rubber O-rings that cured this problem.
A small amount of water leakage around head bolts are said to be normal,
but does no harm in itself. If left unattended it can make it diffucult to
get the cylinder heads lifted upon next overhaul.
Valve adjustment is time consuming and therefore expensive. The Biturbo can
loose a lot of power if the valves are out of adjustment.
Timing belt must be changed each 30K miles. If there is no proof when
it was done, do it immediately after buying the car. If it goes, it tends
to cost huge sums.
Make sure a good synthetic oil has been used, and changed at 3K miles or
each year, whichever comes first.
The turbos were upgraded to water cooled units for 1986. If the car has water cooled turbos, you should find two hoses from the turbo to the cylinder block in front of the turbo. One, the oil return pipe goes to the sump, the other, the water pipe, goes to the upper part of the block. Non water cooled turbos will run without problems for up to 100K Km if engine is treated with respect. The water cooled units will last for >200K Km, and require much less cooling down time.
Turbo condition can be evaluated from the boost gauge and oil smoke from exhaust pipe. Run car with engine at 2500RPM, then open throttle fully. The boost gauge should swing over to the beginning of the yellow in ½ to 1 second.
A power measurement on a rolling road is a good way to find problems with the turbos and their control system. Very little smoke should come from the tailpipes when you let it run idle just after the power run.
Injection engines should be preferred over carburetted engines. The carb sits enclosed in a boost chamber, and gets very hot. This makes it prone to develop leaks in the rubber diaphragm of the WOT valve, and the choke vacuum chamber. It is difficult to calibrate the carb to work smoothly under changing boost conditions. A correct adjustment of the fuel pressure regulator is also important. You should have any problems with the carb taken care of at sellers expense, as the cost can be difficult to stipulate.
If it smells petrol or burnt oil after the test run, it probably has a leak.
Clutch is weak on early cars. Should be replaced with the later, sturdy unit
when it breaks down.
Up unntil build year 1994-95 there was no anti-spin diff.
Then came the Torsen diff which is not trouble free.
The Ranger type introduced from 1988 is much better. It can be identified
by a tag stamped "Q9" under one of the bolts. The Ranger will not make itself
felt by any harsh action. When power exceeds grip in a turn, it will be easily
controllable. (Don't try this unless you're used to powerful cars! "Easily
controllable" is assuming you don't overcook it.) The first generation Torsen
diff is said to be more harsh. Maybe someone with experience from both will
comment on this.
The latest upgrade was to install an oil cooler to the diff. You can easily
spot it if you squat down and look in from the rear.
No problems with gearbox. Some clatter in neutral at idle is quite normal,
and it needs some miles to get warm before the synchromesh works smoothly.
The differential has to transfer a lot of power. Maserati have acknowledged
this problem, and continously upgraded the unit;
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Here in Norway the winter roads are salted,
so rust will be more of a problem than in better climate. Any local rust
prevention treatment done to new cars will also influence where and how early
rust appears. In the image above, you will find the rust traps marked in
red.
Along the bottom edge of the door panels. Pinch the bottom lip, and run your
fingers along it. It should have uniform thickness. Door panels are not available
as a part. Complete door is around GBP. 7000 in England. Make sure the drain
holes in the new door doesn't get clogged by paint or vaxoyl.
At the lower corners of windscreen frame. Any bubbles here should be treated
with great suspicion, as it is difficult and expensive to put right.
Rear wheel arches, especially on 4-door models. Not common on Spyders.
Lower edge of boot lid.
Area below headlights. Inspect from engine room side. Remove battery and
lift cables to make you able to see any problems here.
These cars are low, and easily hits sleeping policemen and curbs if you are not aware of the problem. As a consequence, you should always look for damage underneath. It is normal to find some, and should be no problem if you find that the rust proofing has been repaired after such damage. An exception is the lower rear lip of the inner wheelarch. It can be folded back upon being hit, creating a crevice. This should be straightened and rustproofed as soon as possible after damage.
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The windscreen often breaks up in the lamination or gets milky white along
the edges. This last condition has been explained to me as a fungus attacking
the lamination!? In both cases there is no cure but to put in a new one.
Make sure the windscreen fitter knows the special problems with the stainless
trim. Not many can do this properly.
Make sure the analog clock is there
if the model is supposed to have it! It costs close to £500 to get a
new one.
Door stoppers seem to need constant looking after (lubrication), or they'll
break. When in good condition, they should not make noises.
Inspect the top on Spyders. Look especially on the curved part beside the
rear window. The rear part of the frame will try to punch through the top
in this area when folded if it is too tightly stretched after a repair to
the rear window. This is not uncommon, as the rear window is a preferred
point of entrance for thieves, and needs a repair after this. A new top is
very expensive compared to most British soft-tops.
Window lifts are too weak, and often needs a "helping hand". This is more
of a problem on Spyders because the lifter mechanism wedges the window in
it's sliders. The side window is not balanced on the lift because the front
part of the window is shorter, and the lift is not relocated. Adjustment
and new rubber parts will fix the problem as long as the motors are not
burnt.
Air condition and heater functions. Early models had problems with the electrical
system for the aircon.
Weatherstripping around the rear side window are often damaged.
Check for water leaking into the boot. This can come from the rear light
openings, or on Spyders from the petrol filler fulcrum or it's drain hose.
Lower the spare wheel to check the lowering mechanism and state of the spare wheel and rim.
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Look for front suspension tower parting with inner wheelarch. Open bonnet
and look in the wheelarches for light shining through any splits.
Inspect the bracket at the rear of differential for cracks near the bushings
at each end.
Check steering rack for cracked boots, soft rubber mountings and power steering
oil leaks.
The handbrake is adequate only when perfect, so check that it will hold the
car both uphill and downhill. Don't expect it to make much impression on
a running car. It's purely a parking brake, so test it accordingly.
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Check that maintenance as described in the manual has been followed.
Often you will find a car advertised as having a recently overhauled engine although the car has less than 100K Km on the clock. You should ask yourself why. Was this the result of neglect? Was the car run unreasonably hard? If this is the case, other parts may perish soon. Upgrades to later specifications than those of the build year is acceptable, possibly also preferrable, if it is done properly. This should be judged by an experienced Maserati mechanic, or long-time owner with good mechanical knowledge (try your local club). Any major work on the car should be explained to your satisfaction. If it is repainted, ask for pictures from before and maybe also during the job to see it's not an easy way to hide rust.
Join a Maserati club. Preferrably one that has no axe to grind. Some of them are commercial enterprises that cannot be expected to act unbiased. Do offer compensation for expenses and time where appropriate.
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