While we will never offer you advice on these pages for which cars to buy, it’s sometimes hard to ignore our own urges when writing about a vehicle that’s up for sale. This 2002 Maserati Coupe GT is equipped with the rare 6-speed manual transmission that makes this car the closest thing to owning a gated-manual Ferrari for under (potentially – it is an auction, after all) $25,000. Now, you don’t get an actual gated shifter, but you do get a true manual transmission paired to a Ferrari-derived 4.2L V8 delivering 385 horsepower and a positively evocative engine note. Find this Coupe GT here on Hagerty Marketplace where it’s currently bid to $2,600.

Now, like almost every car from Maserati, the depreciation hit on this model is massive. While I sometimes think cars like these are unfairly maligned, the stench of high maintenance costs and not enough appreciation of them by the marketplace is hard to ignore in the case of Maserati. They just never get out of doldrums (unless it’s a highly limited-production supercar like the MC12). The lower-tier models like this – which still costs a ton to buy new, mind you – seemingly get hit with the depreciation stick early on and never recover. It’s a shame, too, because they are still beautiful cars with a stunning drivetrain.

Speaking of, if you’re an Italian car fan for whom the cost of a genuine Ferrari and the associated upkeep costs keeps it out of reach, the Coupe GT makes a ton of sense. You’re going to have to spend money and time on maintenance no matter your income level when it comes to a Maserati or a Ferrari, but at least you can get into a car like this for a reasonable sum, making the maintenance budget more palatable. The thing is, it’s hard to to find a manual and you definitely want the manual as the paddle-shifted automatic is known to be somewhat troublesome, and certainly less fun to drive. Having a conventional three-pedal setup will also make hustling that naturally-aspirated V8 far more enjoyable.

While you may look at this and see a surprisingly bland interior, I look at it and say, “Thank goodness it doesn’t have acres of leather and wood that will crack and fade over time.” Yes, the switchgear is cheap, but it’s also fairly easy to live with, and really, the interior comfort and features have very little to do with why you might be bidding on a car like this. The seller has listed it because it belonged to his father, who passed away and now the car is rarely used. This is a brilliant decision on the seller’s part, as I can’t think of very many cars that will suffer more due to lack of use than a vehicle with a Ferrari-built engine. You won’t do much better than this for massive thrills on the cheap, and I’ll bet the values tick upwards before too long. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Araknid78 for the tip.