A return to form: Say hello to Banana MK2, the Italian Prancing Horse (Ferrari 458 Italia)

BallisticGT3 said:
Yes, I got a good deal on the red one (the colour I was really after) at Leven Specialist Cars in Edinburgh (great company to deal with) and it was delivered two days ago. I don't plan on using the car until at least Easter, once all of the salt has disappeared from the roads.
I can't really comment on what it's like yet, but I was blown away by the test-drive I had in one so I'm sure I've made the right choice. I tried a 488 which was a very different experience to the HP, but it just didn't do anything for me.
Maybe we will bump into each other (not literally) at Donington one day. I sometimes pop over and was there last Saturday for the SCD meet.
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That is good to hear!

Yep for me after driving all the cars it came down between 458 vs Huracan Performante as I loved the looks of both, I loved the sound of both the difference was the drive. The HP is such a super planted car, it literally just begs you to go faster and it really makes you very very naughty, the grip is never ending but it feels in another world compared to a regular Huracan, its neutral and far more communicative and though the Huracan is also bloody quick in a straight line, the HP is ballistic. My only real gripe with the HP was though it was engaging you were always going ballistic in it, at legal speeds it was all a bit calm on a b-road, great if driving around town is your thing though as nothing seems to pull a crowd more than a bright loud Lamborghini. :D

In the end I went with the 458 I found it was more challenging, more fun at legal speeds and I felt it was a far safer place to put my money and I was right on that because at the time the HP's were all 200k plus, whereas now I can similar car for mid to high 160's so I'd have taken a 30-40k hit in a year, whereas the 458 had a buy back offer last month at 139k from Ferrari, so I've lost basically 10k if I took the trade price offer, no plans on selling, will be taking it to Donnington this year and have another Scotland trip (NC500) planned. :)
Like you 488 did little for me, for me the slower 458 is more special and fun to drive.
 
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BallisticGT3 said:
Yes, I got a good deal on the red one (the colour I was really after) at Leven Specialist Cars in Edinburgh (great company to deal with) and it was delivered two days ago. I don't plan on using the car until at least Easter, once all of the salt has disappeared from the roads.
I can't really comment on what it's like yet, but I was blown away by the test-drive I had in one so I'm sure I've made the right choice. I tried a 488 which was a very different experience to the HP, but it just didn't do anything for me.
Maybe we will bump into each other (not literally) at Donington one day. I sometimes pop over and was there last Saturday for the SCD meet.
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Congratulations :)
Is SCD worth the money?
 
A cold start video:


Autobrite wish to make a video advertising their new range of product and asked if I'd like to loan my car for a few days for them to give it a total wash, polish, wax and video made with their new products, free of charge, hence of course I agreed to this, you can find the products here:
https://www.autobritedirect.co.uk/s...yFrMFc0WLgwkXmomb7wopzXyKu7Q7azRzHW6OQqvjc_I4


@kindai the owner asked if you'd be willing to loan your car for similar treatment? ;)

Photograph of it in the wash bay at Autobrite:


AB_458.jpg




They are also going to do some machine polishing and apply a coat of Autograph amongst other get it proper shining, then I shall collect it on the next dry day. :)

Big thanks to the owner there for the offer, means the car will be properly shiny ready for Summer.

For those of keen hearing the butterflies when valves open have a rattle noise when the car is not used regular, which goes after a few minutes of running as things just need to heat up, but thought I'd do a cold start as I don't recall posting one before.

Though the conditions are were pretty cold and very wet this car amazes me with how much mechanical traction there is on the PS4S and how flat and on rails it feels even in such conditions, but I also thoroughly love the fact that a big does of right foot will bring the rear end around in beautiful drift fashion, I swear this things slides just as progressively and controllable as my M3 did, which based on the weight balance (mid-engine) I am pleasantly surprised by and so happy.

Anyway as they send me more photos over the week I shall post them up and hopefully the video in coming weeks. :)
 
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BallisticGT3 said:
Yes, I got a good deal on the red one (the colour I was really after) at Leven Specialist Cars in Edinburgh (great company to deal with) and it was delivered two days ago. I don't plan on using the car until at least Easter, once all of the salt has disappeared from the roads.
I can't really comment on what it's like yet, but I was blown away by the test-drive I had in one so I'm sure I've made the right choice. I tried a 488 which was a very different experience to the HP, but it just didn't do anything for me.
Maybe we will bump into each other (not literally) at Donington one day. I sometimes pop over and was there last Saturday for the SCD meet.
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You’re very lucky and could possibly be one of the last cars supplied by them. They went bust last week. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-51063412
 
MissChief said:
You’re very lucky and could possibly be one of the last cars supplied by them. They went bust last week. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-51063412
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Not surprising, given how the top end of the market has collapsed.

You look in the trade groups right now and people are trying to dump their maccas, hurracans, gtrs, astons etc for stupid money. I keep having lambo Leicester ringing me about a green hurracan theyve been trying to sell for months, https://www.sytner.co.uk/lamborghin...1300926-lamborghini-huracan-lp-610-4-2dr-ldf/

Been watching it drop £1k a month for the last 6 months, and thats just list price.
 
Chris1712 said:
Please tell me those doors are held open with something, had a similar thing catch the wind and dent my 330e whilst leaving the office.
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There are metal cylinders drilled into the ground on the left that the bolt drops into. The one of the right is hooked onto the brick wall as is the mid door on the garage itself. So the doors are locked into that position.

kindai said:
Not surprising, given how the top end of the market has collapsed.

You look in the trade groups right now and people are trying to dump their maccas, hurracans, gtrs, astons etc for stupid money. I keep having lambo Leicester ringing me about a green hurracan theyve been trying to sell for months, https://www.sytner.co.uk/lamborghin...1300926-lamborghini-huracan-lp-610-4-2dr-ldf/

Been watching it drop £1k a month for the last 6 months, and thats just list price.
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As I put earlier in this thread, I am very relieved I did not buy a Performante, I'd have lost 40-50k now, likewise on a 570S or 720S, a similar dramatic loss.
The other car I thought might be safe was the 991.2 GT3 Manual, but nope also shedded 20-30k in same period.

The only car that has held rock solid which was on the list as was the dream car was the 991.1 GT3 RS, they were 150-160k, they are still trading hands in same region and more.

Regular Huracans have faired better though, around 10-20k loss, pretty similar to the 458, but if the Performante keeps falling they could be 150k soon and I truly think that is the bottom as for me its the best of the Huracan range, its only downfall really is it is just too good as in you feel rarely challenged on the road unless you absolutely disregard speed limits by huge amounts.
 
Gibbo said:
In the end I went with the 458 I found it was more challenging, more fun at legal speeds and I felt it was a far safer place to put my money and I was right on that because at the time the HP's were all 200k plus, whereas now I can similar car for mid to high 160's so I'd have taken a 30-40k hit in a year, whereas the 458 had a buy back offer last month at 139k from Ferrari, so I've lost basically 10k if I took the trade price offer, no plans on selling, will be taking it to Donnington this year and have another Scotland trip (NC500) planned. :)
Like you 488 did little for me, for me the slower 458 is more special and fun to drive.
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You've done well with your 458. I can see 458 values for well kept low mileage cars in the right spec overtaking 488 values soon.
I know that HP values have fallen dramatically over the last year, which now made the deal affordable for me. I'm hoping that soon the residuals will level out, I mean, like the engine in your 458, it's one of the last great NA engines, it's the end of an era, they will never be repeated, surely they must start to be collectable and sought after at some point. Even if they fall some more, I was going to loose a lot if I'd kept the R8, and I know which car I'd rather be in.
 
daz said:
Is SCD worth the money?
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IMO it all depends on what you want from being in a Supercar club. For me, being as I don't mix in supercar circles, I was looking for an opportunity to meet people with a shared interest and go to some of the events. The calendar is quite full with at least one event per month on somewhere in the UK. Some of the events, like dealer and manufacturer events are quite exclusive and there's also some European tours. There's also an excellent quarterly magazine that features some of the club members cars.
 
BallisticGT3 said:
Wow, unbelievable, that was a close shave. I went up there just before Christmas to view the car and there was no hint that the group was struggling and in difficulties.
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Well your fine Lamborghini warranty your car not that particular deal but maybe why you got a good deal.

My uncle had a letter from Aston Martin as the dealership we got the Vantage from was part of this group and letter was just saying about warranty being unaffected and if anything fails to just let them know directly and they can fix / repair or cover the bills at a specialist, good service from Aston.
 
BallisticGT3 said:
You've done well with your 458. I can see 458 values for well kept low mileage cars in the right spec overtaking 488 values soon.
I know that HP values have fallen dramatically over the last year, which now made the deal affordable for me. I'm hoping that soon the residuals will level out, I mean, like the engine in your 458, it's one of the last great NA engines, it's the end of an era, they will never be repeated, surely they must start to be collectable and sought after at some point. Even if they fall some more, I was going to loose a lot if I'd kept the R8, and I know which car I'd rather be in.
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In fairness dealers are pushing 488’s hard when I got my 458 they tried very hard to put me in a 488 to the point of reducing a car up at 179k down to 164k but I stuck to my guns and negotiated hard on the 458.

Few weeks ago had a letter requesting if I’d sell it them back as they had buyers looking for good spec cars on 2012 or later places no doubt because the late 2012 models got the revised suspension which made car 1-2s around their test track.

After a phone call with them their offer was 139k which I felt was quite strong as a trade offer as means they had a buyer around 155k no doubt.

But yes 488’s have come down for sure, 458’s have dropped a little too but I think in a few more years you are right.

Only down side for 458 Italia is that it was sold in large numbers, positive side is the cars that fetch the big money are ones in my spec in red or yellow and in as late as plate as possible.

You did right getting the HP as I don’t see them losing much more money now and even if they do bottom at 150k I think it’s fair to say 5-10k year depreciation on a Lamborghini super car is great going, I would take Performante over EVO anytime only thing is Lamborghini never end the line on a cooking model so their is bound to be an EVO Performante version but probably not called Performante but it’s well know it is likely coming and it’s then the last of that glorious V10.

Big capacity high revving NA cars are so special and so exciting, enjoy them whilst we can. :)
 
The guys at Autobrite are going over the car with absolute precision, getting it absolute spotless in preparation for their new ceramic products:


ABwash.jpg


I cannot wait to see the finished result in a few days time. :)
 
Gibbo said:
Well your fine Lamborghini warranty your car not that particular deal but maybe why you got a good deal.

My uncle had a letter from Aston Martin as the dealership we got the Vantage from was part of this group and letter was just saying about warranty being unaffected and if anything fails to just let them know directly and they can fix / repair or cover the bills at a specialist, good service from Aston.
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It was still much to close for comfort. My car was only collected the day before Leven went into receivership. The car was paid for. I shudder to think what a mess I'd be in if the car was still there now awaiting collection.
 
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