Worth the Pain? 1986 Maserati Biturbo Spider – $3,500

The Maserati Biturbo has been much maligned throughout history, long considered an epic failure by the car-loving public. However, in this era of Radwood-approved specimens, will the Biturbo undergo a renaissance of sorts? This clean 1986 Biturbo Spider here on Craigslist near Philadelphia has just over 73,000 original miles and is said to run and drive, listed with an asking price of just $3,500. Checking the Hagerty Insurance Online Valuation Tool confirms this private seller has beaten the “Fair” estimate by a healthy margin, as the folks at Hagerty think one in this sort of condition should bring $4,500. It’s a gamble, but a gamble with a twin-turbocharged V6 under the hood. If you’re feeling lucky, get in touch with the seller by emailing him here.

When Maserati introduced the Biturbo, it represented a significant shift from the supercars that preceded it. The Biturbo swam in the wake of the iconic Merak and Bora, some pretty big shoes to fill following management’s decision that the Maserati lineup needed a cheaper option to become more appealing to the social-climbing masses. Even so, you still had to have somewhat deep pockets to account for the iffy quality control attributed to the carburetor and the turbochargers. Combined with a weak dealer network that only served to enhance a perception of the Biturbo being a car that was difficult to own, and it’s of little surprise the Maserati enjoys the reputation it has today as being a risky buy in anything other than time-capsule condition.

The seller claims to not know much about the Biturbo’s history, or Italian cars in general. That’s a bit of a red flag considering this is the kind of car you should definitely purchase with ample records for any amount of cash other than free. Still, if you focus on the good, the seller mentions that it’s still got a good amount of snort under the hood, even if he vaguely references the need for a “tune up,” and I’m guessing not of the Italian variety. The A/C still blows cold and there’s no evidence of rot underneath, but be forewarned this Maserati comes with a reconstructed title, which the seller believes may have to do with a windows-out repaint performed prior to his ownership. Could it be worth the gamble that this Biturbo Spider has been loved despite the lack of a papertrail? Only you can decide that. Good luck with the purchase!

Here’s the seller’s description:

“Selling my 1986 Maserati Bi-Turbo convertible. Has 24 valve, dual turbo V6, really goes when you stomp on it..Not super knowledgeable about these cars so this is all I know:

-Runs and drives ok, has 73,674 miles and odo works fine. Would benefit from a tune up
-I cant close the hood the whole way because I have wrong battery, too high, will get the correct one for you, it lines up perfectly when closed all the way.
-Sold on a reconstructed clear PA title, cant find any body/frame damage , however the whole car had a “glass/trim” out paint job done to a very high quality.
-AC blows ice cold on max air, not so much on the regular air setting, Very comfortable on low fan setting.
-Manual convtible top jams for some reason and won’t go all the way down, probably just don’t know the Italian procedure.
-Frame and uni-body is very solid with no rot. The body is laser straight with no dings.
-Has newer cooper tires with full tread.
-Does not leak or smoke.
-No books of records.

Just looking to pass this along to someone who knows these cars.”

Do you have a Maserati Biturbo story you’d like to share?  Comment below and let us know!