Discover the new 2017 Maserati Quattroporte - Dick Lovett Launch Event

[MarkMas]

Just had an invitation to the launch of the 2017 QP

You know what you are looking at. You also know that there is a difference between being different and being distinctive. All that remains for us then, is to warmly invite you to the showroom launch of the new 2017 Quattroporte, Maserati's latest interpretation of a luxury saloon with racebred engineering and made-in-Italy craftsmanship. In our showroom will also be the very latest 2017 Ghibli. Come and join us from 9.00am to 5.00pm on Thursday 3rd November 2016 at Dick Lovett, The Copse, Frankland Road, Swindon, SN5 8YW. To attend, please RSVP to xxxxxxxx. Additional insights into the world of our new flagship model may be found at www.maserati.co.uk

Think I might go along, as I am planning to buy a 2017 QP . . . . . . in about 2024.

 

[drewf]

Yep, had one of those last week from Graypaul, who are also keen to sell me a colour-changed Dino for £1/3million. Very kind.

Looked at their invite but they are offering fizzy wine and no food in Nottingham. Didn't think it was really worth going, since they have better offers in the daytime!

 

[Ebenezer]

Ewan said that there was something similar going on at Maranello as well. Debating whether or not I'd be seen as an "imposter" if I asked for an invitation!
Eb

 

[drewf]

Ewan said that there was something similar going on at Maranello as well. Debating whether or not I'd be seen as an "imposter" if I asked for an invitation!
Eb

Turn up on the day - they are looking for new customers, and certainly won't turn you away as a current QP driver. The invitations are only to publicise the event in the first place without placing a fully public advert.

 

[daverichardson]

Event too at JCT 600 November 6th to showcase the QPV1 and a 2017 Ghibli apparently

 

[MAF260]

Got mine today from Ridgeway in Oxford where I bought my Ghibli.

 

[Contigo]

Not going anywhere near this shower of **** brand anymore.

 

[Andyk]

I was just going to say looking at that advert it doesn't move me to come along at all....but Phil....you say it so well....

 

[Contigo]

I was just going to say looking at that advert it doesn't move me to come along at all....but Phil....you say it so well.... ����

You know exactly what has prompted it and they are getting worse. ******* penny pinching, box selling, non-enthusiast with **** all brand passion. Build a car to cope and keep punters happy don't do things to get their backs up.

 

[MrPea]

Got mine today from Ridgeway in Oxford where I bought my Ghibli.

When is the Oxford one? I my drop Simon a line.

 

[rockits]

You know exactly what has prompted it and they are getting worse. ******* penny pinching, box selling, non-enthusiast with **** all brand passion. Build a car to cope and keep punters happy don't do things to get their backs up.

Indeed. All a bit strange to me. Spend 100 years building a fantastic name/brand. Then do your best to ruin it in less than 10 years. Very clever.

 

[Andyk]

You know exactly what has prompted it and they are getting worse. ******* penny pinching, box selling, non-enthusiast with **** all brand passion. Build a car to cope and keep punters happy don't do things to get their backs up.

I do indeed my friend......and next years will be arranged in a different way.

 

[Andyk]

Indeed. All a bit strange to me. Spend 100 years building a fantastic name/brand. Then do your best to ruin it in less than 10 years. Very clever.

Said it before but first time in my life my passion for the marque is wavering. Sad.

 

[MAF260]

In my view it's not the cars that are the issue, it's the change in the company's attitude towards its customers both old and new.

Despite being nowhere near as striking as the model it replaced, the new QP is a good car. Would I buy one? No, I have no need. The Ghibli is an excellent car, I bought one and still love it over a year on. I think it has the Maserati DNA, feels special and it does everything I need it to. Does it fulfill all of my motoring needs? No, it's my daily and performs those duties extremely well. For fun I still have the GS, but I wouldn't want to use that as my daily.
The current line up of models on offer leans heavily towards the saloons as the GT is about to be put out to pasture and there's no replacement looming for buyers to get excited about. The Alfieri could have done that. The Levante also looks to be a great car, I've crawled all over a couple but again have no need for a SUV. If early reviews and sales are an indication then it will sell very well, possibly more than the Ghibli. This should allow Maserati to develop a proper sports car that will hopefully allow us all to get excited, maybe even open our wallets.
This is a cycle for many manufacturers (Alfa?) and Maserati have been here before - look at what was on offer before the 3200 was released. The succession of coupes helped to turn around the perception of Maserati from a manufacturer of troublesome, rusty bi-turbos to a supercar producer.

Where Maserati are really not helping themselves is in the area of customer service and support. We know they are refusing many warranty claims in what appears to be a heavy penny-pinching exercise. We know they are actively looking for any reason possible to refuse claims, even scouring forums including this one to find reasons not to pay out. This is outrageous in my view and could quite easily stop me from buying another new car - where's the security of a warrantied car if there's doubt the manufacturer will honour it?

 

[daverichardson]

That picture on the invitation of the QPV1 looks very nice

 

[Wack61]

They're in business to build cars people buy not buy posters of , Ferrari don't make money on cars , they make it on hats and T shirts

If maserati don't start moving boxes in volume the brand will die as have so many others , if they're still in business at least there's a chance the range will improve.

I got an invite from bowkers but I won't be going , not a cat in halls chance of me having or even wanting to spend 80k+ on any car

 

[drewf]

Fully agree with your comments MAF. I'm very interested in a Levante as a daily driver, but as you say, would they honour any warranty claims? Who knows...

The current adverts are promoting the Ghibli as a '4 door GT'. Seems they realise the brand needs a GT, but they only have saloons going forward.

 

[Contigo]

It's not the cars (well it is a little as none of the current range scream at me "buy me") as you say Mark it is the **** poor attitude towards customers and warranties which puts me off. Can you imagine Porsche tracking what people do with their cars and refusing warranties? It's a Maserati for Christ's sake and should be up to being driven at ten tenths all the time. I'd love to see the small print and what comes down to "improper use". When I spoke to Paul Green about the Wishbone fiasco he basically said speak to the hand because the face isn't listening so that said it all to me. The way they behaved at the Centenary too was poor. You would think they would champion owners of the older vehicles and strive to make ownership as special as some of the cars. The dealerships IMO are cracking it's just a shame that Maserati UK have lost the plot! I'd never buy a new Maserati now not based on forum members experiences of the brand and my dealings with Head office.

 

[StuartW]

Just to get back on topic, for anyone who is interested the Marshall Peterborough launch of the QP is on Monday 14th November @ 5pm

 

[Ewan]

Don't get me started on Porsche warranties. How many engines blew up in the 996 and early 997 ranges (and the early V8 Cayennes). Thousands. And did Porsche ever accept it was their fault? No. They decided that their reputation for engineering excellence would out weigh the bad press, and so it proved. People carried on buying them anyway. Just don't be thinking that Porsche treated their clients with any more respect than most other manufacturers.