At $5,800, Is Buying This 1987 Maserati Biturbo The Best Worst Idea Ever?

You are very likely to find today’s Nice Price or No Dice Biturbo on any number of “worst cars in the world” lists, but that’s selling the model short. Let’s see if this later edition makes up for the earlier model’s sins, and hence might be a compelling purchase.

In 1993, the French government enacted “Loi Pain” or the Bread Law regulating the ingredients and production methods of certain bread products, most notably the baguette. In enacting the law, France sought not just to protect the public from poor quality or inauthentic products, but also to ensure the cultural heritage represented in each baguette.

It’s hard to say how many baguettes could fit in the 1982 Renault R5 we looked at on Wednesday, but at $15,500, buying it wouldn’t leave much change for a loaf, so perhaps the point is moot. Quirky, rare, and charmingly cheerful, that supermini really demanded the right buyer, and none of us seemed to fit the bill. Ultimately, that eighty-sixed the R5’s chances, earning it a massive 92% ‘No Dice’ loss.

France’s auto industry is known for fun, sometimes oddball little cars. It has not, however, made a name for itself in the supercar segment of the market. For that, we need to hop over the Alps to Italy, where supercar is spoken fluently.

The thing is, we’re not looking at a supercar today. Instead, falling under our adjudication is a mass-market near-luxury coupe carrying the nameplate of a storied marque once known for super sports cars, but having fallen on hard times by the end of the 1970s. That nameplate is, of course, Maserati, and the car is a 1987 Biturbo Si.

Introduced under Alejandro de Tomaso’s ownership of the marque, the Biturbo was Maserati’s attempt at a mass-market car—an upscale BMW 3 Series competitor, as it were—that could bring in much-needed cash. Initially very successful, sales dropped off precipitously when tales of the model’s reliability and build quality proved to be less than stellar. Early editions of the engine were carbureted, causing all sorts of issues as the carburetor was housed in a plenum fed by the eponymous twin turbos. Maserati solved many of the engine’s problems with the introduction of Weber Marelli fuel injection in 1987, improving reliability and bumping horsepower across the model’s various displacements. In this model, the DOHC intercooled engine is mated to a dog-leg five-speed ZF manual driving the rear wheels.

According to the seller, who implores us to “please read the full description,” there has been a good bit of work that has gone into the engine to ensure no surprises are afoot. That included replacing the timing belts and water pump, along with the ignition leads and spark plugs. A large aluminum radiator has also been installed, solving another of the Biturbo’s problems: overheating.

Now, the car is said to run “like a scalded cheetah,” which is an alarming image. It has a modest 61,042 miles on the clock, and is said to be free of any rust or major bodywork issues. The brakes are claimed to be in good nick, and the tires, on handsome factory alloys, are said to feature plenty of tread. This being the Si, it has a body kit that includes rocker extensions and a sizable rear spoiler on the boot lid. Along with that is matte-finish trim for the windows and Maserati tridents on the rear pillars.

While mechanically sound, this Biturbo does have its quirks and flaws. Per the seller, the A/C (R12) is not functioning, likely due to refrigerant loss. There are also issues with the power windows, although the seller claims to have the motors to fix each. Another electrical gremlin has taken up residence in the sunroof switch, which needs addressing. Happily, the sunroof is closed, so it doesn’t need to be a priority. Lastly, the car needs to sit on a battery tender as something is causing a parasitic drain, but the seller hasn’t tracked that down yet.

The other issues are mainly aesthetic and limited to the cabin. There, the dash and door caps are fading and flaking, as is some of the walnut woodwork. Most egregiously, however, the suede on the driver’s seat bolster is mostly gone, showing the effects of decades of ingress and egress taking its toll. The rear seat looks to be in good condition, and offers a bit of a laugh: while three seatbelts are available, the severe bucketing of the outer positions doesn’t leave much room for the center occupant.

For years, the Biturbo has been the butt of many a joke, and a featured player in the panoply of poor choices in the automotive world. But much of that derision is unfair, and now, as a classic Italian car with a good story to tell, perhaps it’s coming into its own. This one is on the market because the seller says they have too many cars and some need to go. To that end, they have priced it at $5,800, which they say is a fair price based on condition.

We’ll just see about that. After all, that’s why we’re here.

What do you think? Does a $5,800 asking price make a compelling argument for this Maserati’s purchase, warts and all? Or is that too much for what some people think is still a joke of a car?

You decide!

Washington DC, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

Hat tip to Don R. for the hookup!

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