2002 Maserati 4200 SPYDER

With just two previous owners and in the care of the vendor for the past 11 years, this gorgeous dark blue over cream leather Maserati 4200GT Spyder was first registered on the 27th of September 2002. It has covered only 35,000 miles and is in simply superb condition.

The owner saved long and hard to buy his dream car, and has been meticulous in its maintenance and upkeep. Almost all of the car’s mileage in his hands has been racked up on the continent, and both he and the car’s previous owner used for their respective sons’ weddings in Italy…

He tells us that “problems have been sorted out immediately to prevent them escalating” and it has never been used in the winter, remaining in his garage on SORN. In fact, he’s pretty certain the car has never been stored outside in its life, something its condition tends to support.

He told us that while the time has come to let it go, he will miss it enormously: “It’s been my favourite ever car and I never get tired of driving it – or even just looking at it.”

Dark blue is a classic colour for a sporting GT, and this metallic hue looks absolutely fabulous on the flowing lines of a Maserati 4200 Spyder – and nor is it just the colour because the panels are straight and free of ripples, the shutlines are immaculate, and the overall fit ‘n’ finish is bloomin’ miraculous.

The roof is in good shape too, being taut and completely free of damage. As you can see in the video, it folds away quickly and neatly, yet is almost coupé-like in its weather-sealing when raised.

The two safety hoops are present and correct, and a wind-deflector spans the gap to help ensure ruffle-free hair at any sane speed.

The 15-spoke OE alloy wheels are still in a great condition, and while three of them look very good the nearside front does have the odd kerbing scuff on its outer rim.

The tread depth of the tyres incurred a comment from the last MOT tester too, so we can see the new owner might want to get the one wheel refurbished at the same time as fitting new tyres all round. They’re legal but won’t be for long and there’s no point in skimping on your rubber, is there?

Of course, there are a few stone chips and minor marks here and there but there’s nothing to worry about as it presents beautifully.

The vendor is a self-confessed obsessive when it comes to his cars, saying “I’m a bit nerdy about what I let people wear in it”. This means the cream leather interior, which was cleaned and treated a year ago, is fresh and vibrant and missing the sort of wear and tear that comes butt cheek-in-butt cheek with a less fastidious owner.

So, the heated front leather seats are still firm and comfortable and look terrific with almost no colour loss and only gentle patination. They adjust as they should too, and have a two-position memory switch in case you fancy letting your significant other drive your new pride and joy.

The door cards are like new, as are the carpets and the leather-trimmed dashboard. Even the pedal rubbers still look like new and, more importantly, we’re told that it all works.

The whole thing looks sensational, and the tiny gear-lever and analogue Maserati clock all add to the sense of theatre that is part ‘n’ parcel of living with a car like this.

And the boot? Well, it’s one of the cleanest and tidiest we’ve ever seen but then the owner is a self-confessed nerd, remember?

Work to do is minimal, and probably limited to ignoring a few scuffs on the interior button for the door lock.

The Maserati has been serviced by Giallo since it was two years old, so they know the car well. The servicing regime, taken from the stamped service history booklet, reads:

21.11.2003 and 2,630 miles

02.12.2004 and 4.702 miles

24.08.2006 and 8,069 miles

03.07.2007 and 8,783 miles

26.05.2009 and 15,012 miles

17.03.2010 and 5,921 miles (presumably, the mileage has been recorded incorrectly)

12.05.2011 and 21,210 miles

28.09.2012 and 24,756 miles

02.05.2014 and 27,009 miles

24.06.2016 and 29,721 miles

31.07.2018 and 32,650 miles

Other significant work includes having the air-conditioning re-gassed in April 2010 and a clutch fitted in 2012 (£2,200). Enthusiasts will know that the 31,000-mile service is the big one, so it’ll be a relief to see that the vendor has had it carried out.

He tells us that it is running well and he is happy to pass the details of his contact at Giallo to anyone who inspects the car in person if they would like to talk to the garage regarding its condition.

In the meantime, why not crank the volume up to 11 and listen to the engine and exhaust note while you watch the roof fold away; that combination has to be worth £20,000 of anyone’s money, surely?

The engine bay is neat and clean and stuffed full of a Ferrari V8 engine, so ticks pretty much every box any petrol head could ever hope to have fulfilled.

The Maserati’s brand-new MOT certificate expires in June 2021, and the only advisory points were for the tyres, which will need replacing soon. Other than tyres, the only advisories it’s ever had were for a split in the steering rack gaiter in 2009, and for a registration plate lamp not working in 2015. That’s not bad for an Italian supercar, is it?

It also comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it over the years.

It also still has its original owner’s handbook, book pack and wallet plus the original invoice and two keys.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a exceedingly good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please contact the owner and ask if he can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like him to concentrate on.

We think the car’s condition and service record, along with the incredible online MOT history, go to the heart of why you should buy this particular car; simply put, these are honest and straightforward cars to own as long as you maintain them properly and use them regularly – and this car has had both.

Somewhat unusually, the Spyder is starting to command a premium over the Coupé, which means we think this one will sell for somewhere between £17,000 and £23,000 – and that’s an awful lot of car for your money and easily the most cost-effective way of driving a Ferrari V8-powered convertible that’s also reliable enough to waft you down to Modena on a pilgrimage.

And, while most of you will appreciate this already, driving a modern classic is where an awful lot of the smart money in the classic car world is going these days, largely because they’re still analogue enough to be fun to drive and easy to repair, yet modern enough to be safe and reliable.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller in Speldhurst, Kent; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ near Abingdon, which means we have had to rely on the seller’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the seller themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.