At $5,950, Is This 1985 Maserati Biturbo The Cheapest Exotic Money Can Buy?

While nearly 40 years old, today’s Nice Price or No Dice Maserati has apparently only covered a little more than 20,000 miles. Let’s see if its price proves just as appreciably low.

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Based on the comments, there was little discord surrounding the desirability of yesterday’s impeccably clean 1993 Honda Accord LX wagon. A similar level of consensus was reached regarding its $17,500 asking price. However, that accord proved not quite so positive, as evidenced by the sizable 88 percent No Dice loss that it suffered.

It’s often said that winning or losing isn’t anywhere near as important as how you play the game. In the case of this 1985 Maserati Biturbo, still being in the game is quite the feat. The reason for that is that these cars have long held a reputation for issues with durability and under-engineering. That has led to many of the cars having fallen by the wayside simply because the onus of keeping them on the road is not reflected in their overall value.

Why is that? Well, the Biturbo was the brainchild of Alejandro de Tomaso, who, in the mid-1970s, bought a controlling interest in Maserati and planned to leverage the marque’s venerated name in a down-market model that would trade brand exclusivity for a more mass-market appeal and, hence, moolah. The resulting car debuted in coupe format in 1982, featuring excellent, timeless styling—sort of a melding of the BMW 3-series and Monica Bellucci. Those good looks were backed up by some impressive mechanical specs in the form of the world’s first production automotive twin-turbo engine.

The Biturbo also had a number of notable features that weren’t so great. First off, those two turbos? They feed a pressure cooker plenum where a Weber DCNVH two-barrel is housed atop the all-alloy V6 engine. The Italians are generally marvelous cooks, but in this instance, that can be a recipe for disaster. The cars also fall victim to two other Italian traditions: rust and poor build quality. Positioned as a semi-premium car, they typically spent as much time in the shop as they did on the road, and the peaky and torque-adverse motor didn’t exactly live up to the marque’s performance heritage.

In this ’85 Biturbo, that 2.5 liter mill should put out something in the range of 185 horsepower and 205 lb-ft of torque, should everything be working correctly. Transmission duties on the car are handled by a ZF-sourced automatic, which routes the power back to the independent trailing arm rear end.

As already addressed, the Biturbo has always been a handsome car, and this one, wearing a black coat with contrasting pinstripe, seems to have aged very well. The factory wheels show their age but are wearing brand new Riken Raptor tires in compensation.

While elegantly appointed, the interiors of these old Bitirbos also tend to age poorly. That’s not the case with this car, though, since its cabin looks to be in terrific condition. It’s swathed in elegant burlwood and baseball mitt-colored leather that all looks untouched by the sun. It also sports a period-correct AM/FM/cassette stereo and an HVAC control unit that will make all the Mopar fans very happy.

Under the hood, we can see the infamous V6 with its pressurized carburetor wart and related plumbing, which is all intact. These early cars suffered from overheating issues, but if treated with care and proper maintenance, they can do the job. An important question that any practical buyer must ask is how long it has been since the timing belt was changed. These are interference engines, and with three valves per pot, that’s a lot to go wrong should the belt give up the ghost. It also might be of benefit to ask why the battery is disconnected in the under-hood pic.

The car’s mileage is claimed to be a mere 20,049, and it is being offered with a clean title and an accident-free history. At $5,950, it may very well be the cheapest running and driving Maserati on the market. Is it, however, a car that anyone might want at even that price?

What do you think is $5,950 a good deal for this Biturbo as it’s presented in its ad? Or does that price and the meager description have you saying “bye” instead of “buy”?

You decide!

San Diego, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!

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