Has the Maserati Biturbo finally become a car worth owning after years of being a bit of a joke? I’m going to go out on a very risky limb and say yes – the day has come for the Biturbo to be appreciated for what it is. As enthusiasts of a certain age begin to prop up cars from their youth, even a much-maligned example like the Biturbo can begin to find favor among enthusiast circles. This one like so many others has very low mileage and is listed here on craigslist as a bit of a project for $5,950.
These cars were likely purchased when new as a weekend vehicle or even as a potential collector’s item; hence, the mileage on most examples is quite low, even when found in awful condition. Of course, there’s no denying the obvious mechanical faults which caused many of them to sit for years at a time, and while we don’t know the story of how this example ended up with under 25,000 miles, it’s clear it never fell into a state of outright abuse. The leather interior is in exceptional condition, and as you can see, it’s equipped with the optional automatic.
The Biturbo with a 5-speed manual is the preferred combination, so the fate of this one is a bit unknown. Will a Maserati collector snatch it up as a cheap addition to a collection? It’s entirely possible, especially if the cosmetic condition looks as good in real life as it does in photos. The good news is that as a low mileage car, all of the benefits of owning a little-used example check out, from the interior condition to the crystal clear instrument cluster glass.
The seller notes it still needs some “….fine tuning”, so like all Biturbos, it will need some work. The tires are new, so kudos to the seller for at least throwing on some new rubber. The paint looks decent, and I’ll bet with a solid detailing it will come back to life. I always found the looks to be attractive, and while many of you may be of a certain age where the Biturbo wasn’t worth $1,000 let alone $5,000, I do think times are changing as it relates to the baby Maserati’s fortunes. Is it worth the asking price? Maybe not – but it’s certainly at this point of being worth saving. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for the find.
There’s a healthy user group for these and their original issues have been sorted out. Great fun and a blast to drive. Hold on when those turbos kick in! Can’t beat the swoosh when the gate valves dump; heavenly.
BWAH, HA, HA. HA. these things are junk! When I worked for a towing company I had several clients I routinely picked up. My one customer jokingly said one day. “You know what you need to own these?, a good tow man and a psychiatrist.” My 75 Chevy wrecker wears the scuff plates from one when you open its doors. I scraped atleast a dozen. My other customer had them everywhere and finally gave up and had me haul all of them away for scrap.
I went with my dad to look at a bunch of these in the late ‘80s. I kid you not, the owner would open the garage door and the car would be sitting there, dusty, on low tires because a 4-year-old BiTurbo was so unreliable the owners had stopped trying.
Now that we don’t need to rely on them to get to work in the morning, the tolerance for their ticks and issues is likely much higher. They’re beautiful cars and the interiors are luxurious. — Matt
So, exactly what were the issues that made them unreliable? What broke?
I had one and drove it for about two years. It was a blast to drive and the only issue I had was a valve cover leak.
Bi turbos on anything we’re junk. Just swap them out for 1 big turbo. 1 less problem
Buy this, and you’ll never wonder what you’re going to do on the weekend again…
It’s a well-preserved cadaver for sure…. but considering that the original owner likely bled to death at the Maserati service department….. then hid it in storage just to blot out the bad memories and the stigma. By all means this Biturbo should be preserved…… if only to serve as a warning to others.
I bet that it will not pass the smog check, or the current owner doesn’t want to try. Tempted to grab and restomod it.
I had one for two years and the only problem was a leaky valve cover gasket.
What problems do these cars have exactly?
It was a blast to drive!
Don’t know much about these cars, but they sure appear to be comfy, nice seats, and the angular design looks 👌 beautiful.
Located in solana beach, CA
Like my mother-in-law and likely as reliable … and the older they get the more so …
I think these are beautiful cars. Engine swap for a small block V8 feasible? Probably not.
Maybe a Buick 3.8 v-6? If you can cram one into a Vega, you can cram it into a Maserati.
My dad had three of these back in the early 90’s. Had an original BiTurbo, got another for when that one was in the shop. First one died at about 100k so he bought his third. Cars all ran like stink when the turbos spooled up. Comfortable, fast and completely unreliable. Good times
I took care of one for my employer’s husband – it ALWAYS had some sort of issue (mainly electrical), wasn’t very comfortable and really not all that fast – sort of reminded me of a twin turbo Fiat. Around the same time Chrylser introduced the Chrysler TC by Maserati – there may be enough of both of these cars left in salvage (junk) yards to either assemble one or keep them humming until someone declares them a rare and sought after collectible.
I don’t know but
Every pinto gets a lot of hate for the gas tank
Every mustang II gets a lot of hate even if ford sold 100s of thousands
And every vega gets a lot of hate
But, as car enthusiasts, we should all know that the aftermarket has corrected all of these problems
Hey , detomaso ´s had wiring issues and fuse box issues , you can get a new part and problem is solved
So , does anyone have a clear picture or is it only HOT air ?!
This has been for sale since September of 2022. I looked at and offered to buy this car a year ago when it was up in North Idaho. Seller at the time (not sure if it’s the same seller but I suspect it is) was less than forthcoming about it’s condition and delusional about it’s value.
Missing keys, broken door drivers handle, barely ran, and needed a lot of deferred maintenance. But it was mostly clean; interior and exterior were decent (I think the trunk lid had been repainted)
I’ve always liked these cars but for $6k, this should be fully maintained and properly running, especially with an automatic.
I would advise anyone considering this car to see it in person and verify it’s condition prior to handing over any cash. Good luck!
Ran when parked lmao