Bodywork

Rust protection was not a strong point in the 70's and many cars from all marques suffer from rust.  You should carefully check the condition of the body as original parts can be very hard to come by.   Typical rust areas include the front wheel arches, the leading edge of the bonnet, the bases of the doors and the rear wheel arches.  It is the later that is most troublesome as it is a difficult area to work on, the wings have a complicated surface design and are not generally available.  The steering on an SM takes a bit of getting used to, and as a result a number of cars may have had front end events.  Front wings can be quite easily repaired but the front headlamp assembly is a different matter.  The stainless steel bumpers are very difficult to work on and the plastic headlamp carriers are simply not available.  The glass sections covering the headlamps are, but they are expensive.  Small trim pieces are notoriously difficult to find so check that it is intact.

The chassis is very strong and although it can rust it is relatively easy to repair.  The undertray is smooth (good for the aerodynamics) which also assists if sections need to be replaced. You should check the front subframe - the five bolts can come loose.

Engine and Transmission

Opening the bonnet of an SM has been known to drive a grown man to tears; there's just so much of it!  But it isn't quite as bad as it looks.  The Maserati engine is reliable if it has been regularly and properly serviced, you should always check for a history of bills on any car you look at.   Don't be put off by hisses and clicks from the hydropneumatics but the engine itself should not make any noises.  If it is breathing heavily this is a sign of tiredness.  Most parts are available or can be remanufactured.  Again try and find a car that has not been thrashed, the sodium filled valves can fall off when this happens leaving a trail of shredded aluminium under the body and you with a second mortgage!  Listen for rattles from the later EFi models this could be from the butterflies.  There are stories of faulty injectors causing under-bonnet events (fires) so carry a fire extinguisher - this should be normal practice for any vehicle you cherish.

A well known problem is with the chain tensioners and the fact that an automatic system was not fitted.  This was an oversight by Citroën but mainly because they didn't expect owners not to service them!   These should be religiously checked every 10,000 miles and changed when worn out.   Failure to do so can cause the engine to explode so try to find a bill which mentions when this work was last done!

The air conditioning system can also give problems.  When originally fitted there was no switch to turn it off.  Most cars now have this fitted as this is linked to the timing chain.  If the air conditioning goes down the tensioners can expire - nasty mess.

The original contact breaker ignition was a bit of a joke.  Most cars have had electronic ignition fitted, it's worth the investment if you intend to use the car properly.

The gear box was derived from the DS design of 1957 and was used in the Lotus Esprit until 1987, so it's fair to say that it seems to have been reliable.  Listen for any whines though.

Suspension Steering and Brakes

If you never driven an SM the steering comes as a bit of a shock at first.  Two turns lock to lock, variable power against speed and self centring.  Within a day or two though every other car will seem odd and heavy!   Corrosion can occur on the high pressure pumps, fluid leaking can cause the system to fail.  If you see the car in its normal place of residence look for evidence of green stuff on the floor - not alien blood but LHM fluid!  When started the car should promptly assume its normal ride height.  Move the suspension height control (to the left of the driver's seat) to all positions and make sure the ride height changes.   It won't be instant but it should be prompt.  Check for wear in the front ball joints resulting in the front suspension rattling.  Because the steering always returns to straight on check that it has been set up properly, it's a small adjustment to put it right.  The LHM mineral oil used in the braking system does not corrode pipes as conventional systems can so these shouldn't give any problems.  It's wise to fit genuine Citroën pads as the car is heavy and takes some stopping.  Tyres are available although the early size are more difficult but of course they are expensive.  Michelin designed the tyres for the car.

Unleaded Fuel

The oil crisis contributed to the demise of the SM and it is thirsty for four star.  As yet no trials have been completed on lead replacement fuels with the car.  However there are quite a few SMs in the USA and they have been running on unleaded for a number of years.

In the UK a number of additives have been passed as suitable lead replacements. These tests were carried out on an A-Series engine as fitted to numerous classics such as the Mini and MG Midget.  Whilst this is a very different engine to the V6 fitted to the SM it does have very soft valve seats.  The engine was run at 3,800 rpm for 50 hours then at 5,500 rpm for 20 hours using leaded, low lead, unleaded and the twelve products.  The substitutes that passed are as follows:

	Millers VSP-Plus	Manganese based additive that boosts the octane rating as well.
	Car Plan Nitrox	Potassium based additive.  Also available in an octane boosting version based on Manganese..
	Red Line Lead Substitute	Sodium based additive.  Sodium has been shown to cause corrosion problems especially to turbochargers.
	Superblend Zero Lead 2000	This product, based on potassium was the overall winner.  It is said to have bettered the required standard by a factor of eight.
	Valvemaster	The makers of this product, which is based on Phosphorus, claim that it will be the most widely available.  Octane boosting version available.

Remember that none of these products have been specifically tested on a Maserati engine.  If you decide to use an additive you should remain faithful to a particular brand as the mixing of additives can accelerate wear.

Parts & Spares

These vary from the inexpensive (accessory switches come from the 2CV!) to the virtually impossible.  Suffice to say it is wise to keep your distance from the car in front.  A front bumper can cost in excess of £1,000!  Original tyres are still produced by Michelin and can be ordered for approx. £250 each (Modern tread pattern tyres are approx. £90 each). Various specialists exist details of whom can be found on the Links page on this site.

Keeping it Going

The SM is made up of thousands of moving parts.  The worst thing you can do to a car, any car, is not use it.  They weren't designed as static museum pieces.  If you want something like that why not by a model?  Regular exercise will keep the car healthy.  Exercise is best on the motorway where the car is most at home (they complain a lot if taken for a short trip to the supermarket - it's rather below them).  And remember you're not on your own, SeMantics is here to help in whatever way it can.  If you have any further questions either send us e-mail or post a message on our notice board.

You're in Good Company!

Famous and infamous SM owners include U2's Adam Clayton, Six Million Dollar Man Lee Majors, Battlestar Galactica/Bonanza's Lorne Green, the author Graham Greene, Russia's Leonid Brezhnev, Ethiopia's Hailie Salasie, footballer Johan Cruijff and ... Uganda's Idi Amin (who had two).