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Why is Maserati so expensive to Buy or Rent for Road trips
Maserati automobiles are ultra-high-end luxury automobiles. Their prices are high for a variety of reasons, including “Brand, Quality, Manufacturing Methods, and Exclusiveness and safety”
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But the main reason for their high price in comparison to their competitors is that they are only second to Rolls Royce Cars in terms of customisation.
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Because it’s a high-end brand, you essentially buy the emblem.
It is a premium car due to the high quality of the materials used and the meticulousness with which the job was completed.
But, in most situations, when purchasing such high-end items, you are purchasing the brand, the emblem, and the pleasure of owning and driving the vehicle in question.
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Why is Maserati so expensive to own?
1. Luxury
Luxury brands are thought, leaders. Style, fashion, innovation, art, science, technology, progress, and even culture are all things they set the pace for.
A luxury brand that sells products must ensure customer satisfaction.
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The product must be of high quality, but the emphasis is on the delivery, maintenance, and repair services.
To achieve client happiness, it must deliver top-notch service that encourages them to return for more items or services. If it fails to do so, the brand is untrustworthy.
This isn’t to say they aren’t still a high-end brand. It’s just that there isn’t one that is good.
In fact, if we ever used dependability as a criterion for luxury, all European luxury automobile brands would not only be deemed unreliable but would also be deemed un-luxurious.
Perhaps this is where the issue with luxury automobile brands producing faulty junk automobiles lies.
If that were the case, only Japanese and Korean luxury automobile companies would be considered the best in the world.
And, to be honest, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
Luxury automobile brands will continue to create faulty automobiles until there is either a revolution or an innovation that says “until you are reliable, you are not luxury.”
2. Reliability
The reliability of a Maserati is not particularly good.
Due to the fact that they are exclusive, they do not have the infrastructure for mass production as many of their other competitors do, which contributes in some way to an improved level of dependability.
This also means that they are costly to fix, and finding the necessary parts may take a significant amount of time and effort.
Having said that, all of this is included in the deal.
If you get a vehicle that is of such a high level of exclusivity, then the cost of repairs will be rather high, and the bespoke nature of the vehicle may cause you to experience complications in the future.
In the end, though, if you purchase a Maserati, it is not because you are searching for a dependable automobile in which to do your monthly grocery shopping.
You purchase a Maserati because it is one of the most exclusive automobile brands available, in addition to the fact that it looks nice and has incredible performance.
However, if you are searching for a dependable sports car, the Maserati is a better choice than either the Aston Martin or the Ferrari.
3.Customisation:
Maserati cars are ultra-premium luxury cars.
Their price come at a high price for a number of reasons like “Brand, Quality, Manufacturing Methods etc.
But the topmost reason for them to be so steep a price compared to their competitions is that they are second to only Rolls Royce Cars in the category of Customisation.
4.Exclusiveness:
Maserati is a small company building cars in small quantities competing in the high end of the market.
For comparison, Maserati builds about 50,000 cars annually whereas Ford’s production of its F-150 truck alone is over 1,000,000 units annually.
Exclusive vehicles with limited numbers produced allow high premiums to cover manufacturing. “Why are Maserati cars so expensive?”
5.Demand for Exclusiveness
Because they can sell it at that price. Everything is worth what people are willing to pay for it, no less, no more.
And since there is demand for super luxury cars… They would be stupid leaving that money on the table.
6.Expensive Insurance
A used Maserati is still a high-performance automobile, despite the fact that it costs less.
As a consequence of this, the costs associated with insuring fast cars are significantly greater than those associated with the average vehicle.
The annual cost of insurance for a GranTurismo 2010 ranges from approximately $1,500 to $2,500, depending on your age and previous driving record.
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7.Maserati Parts are harder to get
Only around 120 Maserati dealerships can be found across the entirety of the United States at this time.
As a point of contrast, Other car companies like Ford has around 3000 dealers across the country and If you have ten times fewer dealers than you did before, it may be difficult for your clients to find a location nearby.
Because of this, it is now more difficult to obtain replacement components, and repairs that would normally be completed in a matter of days could take up to a week.
In addition, because of the restricted number of Maserati dealerships (and automobiles), there are not a lot of skilled Maserati technicians spread out across the United States.
This applies to both the official dealerships and the independent garages that service Maseratis.
Maserati is a luxury brand, but it isn’t as exotic as it once was.
Maserati is a high-end automobile manufacturer.
Maserati is, in reality, regarded as Italy’s flagship top national luxury automobile manufacturer, has given and continues to provide state cars for Italian heads of state for decades, from Mussolini to the current Prime Minister of Italy.
It was also regarded as a racing brand for much of the twentieth century. It has been owned by French and American auto firms through the years and has been in various states of financial health as a result.
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It was once associated with Ferrari, and when it was, it was regarded as an exotic brand as well.
Ferrari provided whatever power units they replaced in their Grand Prix and retail portfolio of sports cars to Maserati so they could use them in their grand touring coupes and occasional saloons.
If a Ferrari is too small and restricted for you, a Grand Turismo would be a better fit.
However, since Ferrari and Maserati split ways, the relationship has ended, and others argue that Maserati’s image as an exotic brand has also faded.
It’s now just another premium car brand, no longer unusual, as it once was.
Also Read: Is Maserati a Luxury Car?
Is Maserati owned by Ferrari?
The Maserati and Alfa Romeo Group under Fiat Group
Maserati’s “Trident” badge
The Maserati and Alfa Romeo group, under FIAT Group, started in 2005, when Maserati was split off from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo. On 9 June 2005, the 20,000th Maserati, a Quattroporte V, left the factory. In the second quarter of 2007, Maserati made a profit for the first time in 17 years under FIAT ownership.
Ferrari. In July 1997, FIAT sold a 50% share in the company to Maserati’s long-time arch-rival Ferrari (Ferrari itself being owned by FIAT). In 1999, Ferrari took full control, making Maserati its luxury division.
Founder: Alfieri MaseratiPredecessor: Officine Alfieri Maserati S.p.AProducts: Luxury vehiclesKey people: Davide Grasso CEOSource: Wikipedia
Is it expensive to own a Maserati?
In terms of real bucks, I would say that owning a Maserati is quite costly.
When compared to other carmakers that produce similar vehicles, it might not be that far off (BMW, MBZ, Porsche).
Of course, the total cost of ownership includes depreciation, maintenance, and consumables in addition to repairs.
I think the low cost of entry on older used cars makes ownership seem much more expensive since maintenance/repair costs are a greater percentage of the purchase price.
Do I believe Maserati ownership is expensive? Yes… Yes, I do.
From my current experience, it has been quite a low cost compared to what some others have experienced, but still a lot more than my Mercedes and past BMW’s I’ve owned.
Also Read: Maserati Vs Porsche – Which Car is Better, Which is more Expensive to maintain(Full guide)
Is Maserati considered a luxury brand that can compete with Mercedes-Benz or Rolls-Royce (considering their rumored unreliability)?
Yes, they are. Car culture-wise, Maserati is within Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar’s league, although they have a bit more sporting image, just like Bentley and Aston Martin.
They are not ostentatiously luxurious like Rolls Royce, who has their own way of designing cars.
Reliability-wise, I don’t think it matters for people who are among the target market.
Maserati never appeals to the luxury masses as Lexus, Audi, or BMW do.
They are more for people who sort of know what they are dealing with, or simply able to part with $250,000 just like when the normies buy discounted airline tickets with no cancellation clause.
Also Read: What’s better Mercedes Benz or Maserati?
Also Read: Why are oil changes so expensive in Maserati?
Why do some people refer a Maserati as a poor man’s Ferrari?
Mainly because a Maserati has these characteristics compared to a Ferrari:
- lower price
- lower horsepower
- lower performance
The Maserati GT might have a similar Ferrari engine in it, but horsepower is only around 450–455, and torque is even lower. The cheapest Ferrari is well over 500 horsepower, which is more than the GT.
It could be also due to the misconception that Maseratis are less expensive than Ferraris to own, which they are not.
They are relatively less expensive to buy but are certainly up there in maintenance/running costs (in typical Italian fashion). Interestingly, Ferrari owned about a 50% holding stake in Maserati from 1997 to 2005.
That period brought about a significant change in the operating framework of Maserati, and not to mention, their product line-up. Some people could be referring to these influences.
Maserati MC12’s engine and chassis were based on Ferrari’s Enzo (F60).
A Maserati is not a poor man’s Ferrari in my opinion. Instead, it’s a more practical Ferrari. They now produce sedans and SUVs.
Even a Ferrari is more practical than a GT. It’s not by much, but it’s there.
Consider the GT as a car that you can use to go on a road trip every few days.
Consider the Ferrari as a car that most people drive once a month at the absolute least.
Ferrari is, without a doubt, superior in terms of quality.
For years, the interior of the GT has been dated, but Ferrari’s interiors have always been up to standard. In addition, the Ghibli is powered by a V6 engine that is unrelated to Ferrari.
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What is Ferrari’s relationship with Maserati?
Both cars are owned by FIAT. A lot of Ferrari parts are used in Maserati vehicles. The Maserati MC12 is based on the Enzo Ferrari.
Before there was such thing as Ferrari, Maserati was leading motorsport.
- Enzo Ferrari, the founder of Ferrari, used to race for Alfa Romeo and was competing against Maserati.
- Enzo Ferrari later formed the racing team “Scuderia Ferrari” and it was a heavy competitor to Maserati.
- Enzo Ferrari built a production company called “Ferrari S.pa” and the models competed with Maserati’s production cars.
- After Maserati was handed to different ownerships, it ended up in Fiat Group.
- Fiat later sold Maserati to Ferrari (Fiat owned 99% of Ferrari’s shares). Maserati’s arch-rival is now its parent company.
Ferrari took full control of Maserati, including the replacement of the 1940s factory, introduction of Maserati Coupe and Maserati Spyder (which use the Ferrari engine), the newer Maserati Quattroporte (also use Ferrari engine).
The Maserati MC12 is a re-bodied version of Ferrari Enzo.
-For the first time ever Maserati became profitable thanks to Ferrari.
Ferrari is also credited for bringing Maserati back to the USA. Many newer Maserati dealers are often attached to Ferrari dealers.
-Fiat split off Maserati from Ferrari and partnered with Alfa Romeo, which produced the Maserati GranTurismo, Maserati GranCabrio, newer Maserati Quattroporte, and the Maserati Ghibli.
-Today, all Maserati models are at lower segments than Ferrari models, so they’re not a direct competitor anymore.
Also read: How much should I earn to buy a Maserati
Are Maserati Overrated?
In my opinion, this is the best way to describe it.
There is no such thing as a “Maserati” because each year and model has its own story.
Most people think the automobiles are unreliable, and that further incorporation into the Fiat universe rather than the Ferrari universe justifies the devaluation of the brand even more so.
Each car, on the other hand, has a unique backstory.
It’s been a positive experience for me. For example, the first 18 months to two years of my Quattroporte experience were a joy.
It was unquestionably the world’s sexiest four-door sedan.
The Quattroporte carved out a unique position of style with a magnificent Ferrari engine while BMW and Mercedes were plodding grandfather machines who were hunting for an identity.
As the hours ticked away, I saw that I was still having minor issues.
I won’t go into specifics, but they included faulty back-up sensors that would have cost me close to $400 to fix had I not been under warranty.
Owners, in my opinion, have a disproportionate number of issues of this nature. Some people don’t think so.
Regardless of how well-known a brand may be, I believe that getting service on a car while it is still under warranty will be a pleasant experience. In order to trade in before the warranty expires, you must do so.
What makes owning a Maserati better than owning other luxury cars?
- Looks fantastic (Most of the times)
- Sounds great
- Most of the time, the driving experience is better than that of competitors in the same segment.
- People won’t realise you’re driving something with half the interior parts from a Jeep Cherokee until they see the “full-exotic” badge.
- The FCA corporate infotainment system is actually good.
Which of the two cars is more luxurious, Bentley or Maserati?
We spoke to a car Lover who owns both these cars , This is What Ben has to say” We have owned a 2007 Maserati Quattroporte and a 2004 Bentley Arnage T-24 Le Mans Edition”
In all honesty, the Bentley is better made and more luxurious, but the original Ferrari-based 4.2L V8 Maserati cars are amazing.
The Maserati had thick, soft leather that was just amazing.
I think the Bentley was definitely more “grandiose.” But the Maserati seemed more “luxurious” to me.
In terms of luxury, the Bentley Arnage was actually nicer, with lambs wool carpets in the back and everything.
So, out of all the cars I’ve owned, the Bentley Arnage is the best, but it costs $30,000 to fix, so I’ll never buy another one.
The total cost to own:
2007 Maserati Quattroporte – 0.5 years
- Depreciation: Bought for $49,900, sold for $29,900 = $20,000
- Insurance: $6,000
- Taxes on the property: $8,000
- $12,000 for repairs
- Cost of ownership for the first six months: $46,000
2004 Bentley Arnage T-24 – One year
- Depreciation: Bought for $69,900, sold for $49,900, equals $20,000.
- Insurance: $6,000
- Taxes on the property: $8,000
- Repairs: $36,000
- The total cost to own it for a year is $70,000.
2012 Bentley GTC – Two years
- Depreciation: Bought for $224,900, sold for $169,900 = $55,000
- Insurance: $24,000
- Taxes on the property: $16,000
- Repairs: $0; under warranty and has a full service contract.
- For 24 months, the total cost of ownership is $95,000.
Maserati GT Convertible
What Is the Price of a new Maserati?
The base Sport variant of the 2019 Maserati GT Convertible costs $150,380 and includes standard features such as a 4.7L V8 engine (454 horsepower), 20-inch wheels, leather interior, and heated front seats.
The MC trim raises the starting MSRP to $162,880, but it also includes certain enhancements such as special 20-inch wheels, chrome exhaust tips, and an adaptive suspension for better handling.
The GT Convertible can then be further customised with optional enhancements, such as:
- Body-colored carbon-fiber hood ($10,500)
- The Nerrissimo Package ($3,500) includes a blacked-out grille, spoiler, and headlights, among other things..
- Carbon Package for the Interior ($1,647)
MC20 Maserati
The Maserati MC20 is a brand-new sports car set to debut in 2021, with pricing specifics still unknown.
However, we do know that the MC20 will have a starting price of roughly $210,000.
It’s unclear whether the MC20 will be available in multiple trim configurations or with different package add-ons, but we expect it to come standard with the following features:
- 621 horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6 engine
- A top speed of more than 200 miles per hour is possible.
- Paddle shifters positioned on the steering wheel
- Wi-Fi hotspot built-in
- Seating for two people
Maserati Levante SUV
The Levante crossover SUV is a popular alternative for those looking for a more practical and reasonably priced Maserati.
This SUV has a lot to offer, with a starting price of $77,500 for the 2020 model.
This covers commonplace items such as:
- 345 horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0L V6
- Air suspension that can be adjusted
- Upholstery in leather
- There’s a navigation system built-in.
- A touchscreen interface with an 8.4-inch display
Also Read: Luxury car wash products you must try on your Maserati
Maserati GT Convertible
MC20 Maserati
Maserati Levante SUV
Final Thoughts
While there are many of luxury cars on the market, there’s something special about a Maserati produced in Italy.
You have choices, whether you want an eye-catching convertible or a more practical SUV.
Maserati automobiles receive great owner reviews on Vehicle History in general.
Out of four owner reviews, the 2020 Maserati Levante SUV has a 5/5 star rating (as of November 2020).
Maserati owners brag about how smooth the ride is, how lovely the interiors are, and how quick and fast the acceleration is.
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About the Author:
Toby Salvanos
Toby Salvanos is a true travel enthusiast, traveller, and Road Trip Guide contributor. Toby is a luxury car salesman and a passionate blogger r at @PEP Travel & Road Trip