Maserati Ghibli Reliability – EVERYTHING You Need To Know
For those of you who have set their hearts on owning a Maserati, the exciting prospect of actually possessing one of these exotic Italian automobiles, can make your pulse rate climb. Rather than going for the ordinary and commonplace, you have dared to dream “outside the box” and reach for something very few can attain.
You eagerly open the door and settle yourself into the luxuriant leather of the driver’s seat. Gripping the leather steering wheel and pressing the starter button, engaging the engine and pressing the gas pedal as you roar away, amid a raucous engine note, into the sunset. Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? And if only that’s all you had to think about – but it’s not. The reality is more sobering, down-to-earth and downright expensive when you realise you need to consider the Maserati Ghibli reliability, but not to worry, read on and we’ve covered what you need to know.
The Potential Maserati Ghibli Reliability Nightmare
Before committing to a purchase of the iconic Maserati trident, you need to understand what Maserati Ghibli reliability entails. If you were expecting that, for your six-figure sum, you would be getting an ultra-reliable sedan, then think again. If reliability and affordable repairs are your priority, then buy a Toyota. The Maserati (and any other luxury / exotic brand, for that matter) will give you heartache, palpitations and a cold sweat – not to mention a gaping hole in your wallet, if you’re one of the unlucky few.
When a car company produces millions of the same car from a robotic manufacturing line, you can be sure that it will function. However, if a vehicle manufacturer is producing something more bespoke and specialized, as well as on a much smaller scale, then reliability becomes more of a lottery. Similar to any handcrafted item, individual flaws and variations may be seen between the items produced. This is not so important to a piece of blown glass or a leather belt but, for a motor car, this can be devastating.
Unfortunately, the facts don’t lie as the ‘Reliability Index‘ rankings found out. This survey looks at 40 auto brands and ranks them accordingly – Maserati came last in 2019 and the Maserati Granturismo sits in last place for 2021 as well. But many other luxury brands fared badly in the survey too.
Maserati Ghibli reliability can be extremely hit and miss. Since its arrival, in 2013, consumer reviews have been varied. While many have experienced no excessive issues, other than the expected faults that the Maserati possesses, there are several others who have had an absolute nightmare with their model.
Common issues reported, that affect the Maserati Ghibli reliability, involve the brakes and the battery draining too quickly.
A Warranty is Warranted
So, whether you are deciding to purchase a brand new or second-hand car, including a warranty is essential to help put the odds in your favour with the Maserati Ghibli reliability. This will help to alleviate the coat of parts for the scheduled servicing (maintenance costs are not though) as well as replacement of some major parts that have warranty coverage. One owner needed a new bell housing that cost US$10,500 but all covered through the warranty.
With such a temperamental automobile, it is highly recommended that the warranty lasts as long as possible. While the regular warranty will last up to four years, it cannot be stressed how better it is to spend the extra money on the extended warranty. This will last for a total of six years which means for each year the mileage is covered through 12,000, 25,000, 37,500, 50,000, 62,500 & 75,000 miles.
Know Your History
The price of older models is very attractive, on the face of it. In only a few years, the value of the Maserati Ghibli will drop more than 50% and make it comparable with many economy sedans. Though you might be able to buy an old Toyota (or other mass produced brand) from the guy down the street, this is not recommended for buying a Maserati.
The Toyota might need a few things to be fixed and replaced, this will not cost you that much overall. But taking possession of a privately owned Ghibli could prove hellishly expensive. Going into a purchase like this could set you back by $1,000’s and an extended time in the garage.
A Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) model is the only way to go about this, safe in the knowledge that the car in question is ready to drive out of the lot and has a full repair history. A further benefit to you would be to lease the model from the dealership which will ensure you will have a (relatively) stress free time with the car until you upgrade to a newer one.
Maserati Ghibli Cost of Ownership
The true cost of ownership can be very diverse and mitigated by what model year you buy. The older models had a variety of factory defects that required to be altered for newer models while issuing recalls to fix the existing ones. To give an example as to how many there have been, since 2015 to 2019, there have been 28 recalls in the UK alone.
This begins to paint a picture that Maserati Ghibli maintenance costs are quite prohibitive. Without any coverage they would be astronomical. But, with a structured Maserati Ghibli maintenance schedule, this can be managed more appropriately. As mentioned above, this can be purchased up to six years coverage. If leasing your vehicle, the cost will be reduced as some of it is covered within the monthly fee.
Year One Service
After the first year, or 12,000 miles, your Ghibli will require its first service. Maserati anticipate this will cost about $510 – $1,175 for the work. The extent of the work is as follows:
- Replace engine oil and filter
- Replace AC cabin filter
- Check engine coolant level, brake fluid, windshield, and windshield fluid
- Inspect belts
- Inspect engine for leaks
- Inspect brakes system
- Inspect lines, calipers, connections, and parking brake operation
- Inspect bonnets, hinges, doors, and seats (operation and linings status)
- Inspect Maserati tire condition and pressure control
- Check operation of exterior lights
- Check operation of seats and seat belts
- Run diagnostic
Year Two Service
After two years, or 25,000 miles, the second year service will be needed. Maserati expects the total costs will be approximately $905 to $1,365. The extent of the work includes everything that was done during the first year, as well as replacing the cabin air filter and flushing the brake fluid.
Year Three Service
On the third year, or 37,500 miles, the spark plugs will be replaced and a repeat of Year One’s service. This should cost in the region of $1,275.
Year Four Service
After four years, or 50,000 miles, Maserati will charge you $1,700 to perform the Year Two service again while additionally replacing engine air filters and belts.
Year Five Service
On the fifth year, or 62,500 miles, Maserati will perform the Year one service at a cost of around $510 – $1,175.
Year Six Service
On the last year of the warranty, or 75,000 miles, at an estimated cost of $1,490, Maserati will perform both the year Two and Year Three services.
Mitigating Maserati Ghibli Reliability Risk
No matter which way you look at it, any car you purchase will have a certain element of risk. Obviously, the more bespoke a car is the higher the likelihood there could be more issues that arise and the costs associated with them would exceed what you’d spend on a more basic car. But with great risk comes great reward, in a sense. Our best advice to you is to ensure you do your research before committing to a purchase, this includes researching the specific Ghibli you’re looking at as well, you want to know everything you can about the car and the best way to do this is through a qualified mechanic doing a pre-purchase inspection, a few hundred dollars here can save thousands on issues that an untrained eye can’t spot.
Read through this article multiple times, make sure you understand what you could potentially be in for, especially with the non-negotiables like the Maserati Ghibli maintenance costs.
If you’re on the market to buy, make sure you try your best to get the newest Maserati Ghibli with the lowest mileage, spending a little bit extra now could save you from massive headaches in the long run. If you follow what we’ve suggested, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of having poor Maserati Ghibli reliability.
I’ll leave you with this last piece of advice, regardless of the cost, a Maserati is a car built with passion and you’ll feel that every time you get behind the wheel, if you set aside a small budget each year to maintain this exotic machinery from Italy, you’ll never be left disappointed and will always enjoy your Maserati.
