Maserati Merak SS a good sports car?

[audiman08]

Has anyone driven/owned/ knew someone with a Maserati Merak? Every time I see a Merak (or Ghibli, Bora, Khamsin) on Ebay, I want to go for it. I hear they are garage queens, always breaking down and not worth the money. I know they were owned by Citroen for a while, and that may explain reliability issues. Anyway, I found one on Ebay and am just curious what a Merak SS like this is worth and if they deserve their reputation.

Maserati : merak:eBay Motors (item 290365048354 end time Nov-04-09 10:56:43 PST)

[imcarthur]

You might want to do some poking around on Fchat. That appears to be a hangout for older Maser lovers.

See Maserati

Ian

[HardDrive]

I think the Ghibli is one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Photos don't do it justice.

[Langers]

Ask Clarkson

[m21sniper]

The orange one in the link is beautiful.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by langers

ask clarkson

+1 !

[coolngroovy]

Top Gear done a story on old 'supercars'. The Merak was one featured.
There must be a linky to youtube somewhere.

[jluetjen]

I've got some old R&T articles on the Merek and to be honest, while they look like a million bucks, they go like a 911T 2.0. Way too much car weight for the engine. The engine is a 90 degree V8 with two cylinders cut off rather then a 60 degree V6 like Dino 246 -- as a result it's not particularly smooth nor does it rev like a 911 motor from the same era. Basically the engine is a 182 HP 3 liter which pulled the car from 0-60 in 9.2 seconds. How's that knock your socks off???

All of that being said -- I do admit that they look really cool.



BTW - You should check out the Top Gear "Budget Supercar" Challenge before you buy anything. Compared to a Dino/Ferrari 308 GT4... well the Merek looks cool!

[the_webbster]

I was coincidentally watching that the othernight on youtube.
try searching for "top gear 10000 pound supercar challange"
then check the service records for "SS Badge - $29.95"

[URY914]

It is a good sports car.................if you like walking.

[MrScott]

This is the closest thing to Pelican for Maserati: maserati : Discussion list for Maserati automobiles

If I remember right the SS has a lot less 'Citroen' than the earlier version which I think used hydraulics even for seat adjustment. Search "green fluid all over my pants" I know a guy with a Bora but he's a Maserati mechanic...

[willtel]

Cool cars, I don't think people buy them based on performance. A guy a a local cruise in showed up with a Lamborghini Urraco a few weeks ago.

[drcoastline]

I have been in a few Merak's and I love them. Don't buy it and think it is going to be a daily river. It is not. But it is a great car and considering it is the same vintage as an early 308 it is more rare. Therefore more exclusive. The dash is a little bulky and the seats are early Camaro/Mustang but livable. I can not say I care for the orange car on ebay though.

The Ghibli especially the spyder is by IMHO by far the most sexy vehicle on the planet. Even more so then a NART Spyder.

[audiman08]

The Top Gear episode says a lot....but it's still a great looking car. I can't get used to the looks of the Ferrari 308 GT4..ugh. The Lamborghini isn't too shaby. I've heard the Meraks got better once Citroen dropped them. Ah well, some things are better to look at than to own..I'd still take a Ghibli or Khamsin

[rattlsnak]

My uncle had that car in the ealry 80s. It was my first taste of a 'sports car' as i was @ 15 ish.. It was very cool and very good looking in that time until my cousin wrapped it around a pole... But I still remember it clearly...

[haycait911]

very pretty car. FWIW I think the Miura is the most beautiful car ever built. except on odd-numbered days, then it's the 904.

[audiman08]

The Miura is eye candy for sure. I think there are too many exotics to choose a single "most beautiful," but if I had to choose..I would say the Diablo VT is the most beautiful (I know it's not a "classic" really). It's too bad the market is flooded with kit-car phonies of Lambos..I can imagine driving a Diablo and people rolling their eyes thinking it was a Fiero in a new dress

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by drcoastline

Okay, who here didn't picture him or herself in this. Warm summer night, best steakhouse in town, the valet parks it right in front where it belongs. You WILL get laid in this car.

[TRE Cup]

The first meraks were 2.7 and 3 liters. They had the citroen sm dash board, hydraulics with weird mushroom button brake pedal, and a lot of other fun parts that you will pay dearly to find. The SS was more normal and this baby bora's engine did transmit the vibrations from its V6 right through you; smooth it is not at higher rpm.

Still, it is very 70's super car pretty with its design (at least from 3/4 front view imho) and if used as a weekend car it should not kill the wallet

[Schumi]

My uncle owned a Miura. Lime green. Thing was ridiculous. I think he pulled it out of a barn for around 30K$. It was rough, but the body was nice. Interior had seen better days and the electrics were non existent. But he did get it running.

I drove it when I was 18. He lived in the middle of nowhere in Illinois farm country. From what I remember it was hard to see out of, very hot (it was about 90 degrees out and that engine is right behind you)... very smelly. The myriad of smells coming from that things was ridiculous. Oil, stanky leather, gasoline... I don't think there was air filters on the carbs and they would leak fuel.. I kept thinking it was going to catch fire.

We took it out on a sterotypical Illinois highway... kinda rough road, straight as an arrow. I railed it through the gears and man did that think howl. I don't really know how to describe that sound. I hit around 140-150 in it rather easily.



I'd love to own a Miura some day... actually I'd just like to drive one again... not so much own.