A return to form: Say hello to Banana MK2, the Italian Prancing Horse (Ferrari 458 Italia)
What a car and what a day to pick it up on! Have to agree that the yellow with black accents looks amazing on the car. Following both Gibbo and Kindai from the dealer to Caffeine & Machine was the first time I have just turned the stereo off in the M3, and left it off for the whole journey - and it was a good 30-40mins! Quite frankily the M3 reasserted that it sounds it a bit pants, and totally rubbish in this company!
a pic when the dirty blue heap was allowed to gate crash the official photo session
Might be dirty, but its cool and its fast!
Thanks for coming along buddy, was good to catch up.
Weekend no chance, even yesterday the car park was nearly full, so I feel its really a no go, we'd be better off meeting at old Powerstation Pub, great roads around it and a huge car park and I suspect on a week day place be empty considering we generally got by OK even at weekends. C&M is nice but unless we could exclusively book it the risk of members being turned away would be very sour.
I doubt they would do exclusive bookings because that then means then turning anyone away who is not part of the meet.
If you are local not bad, if you done over 100 mile round trip you'd be very upset about getting turned away.
True, wet day, still a Ferrari day, but oh my does it light the tyres up, crazy how its such an event to drive even at low speeds, not willing to really find its limits in such conditions and on Pzero's which are pretty much refusing to take any heat, yesterday the front tyres were 48c, today struggling to get them beyond 20c and you can feel the lack of grip at both axles.
Very easy to light up the tyres, even in 4th, but it also rewards for modulating the throttle and dialling it in yourself. Am hoping the Pzero's maybe wake up a little or maybe its just a losing battle!
Oh and the fuel tank, £100 to fill it up!
Yep seemed to a drained a tank already nearly, but finally its got Vpower99 in there.
Also checked the paper work folder:
On 31st January car was purchased by Ferrari from owner and had to have following done for approval for used sale/power warranty:
- New front & rear pads - £1100
- Clutch/gearbox/diff oil - £644
- New wipers - £84
- Two wheels re-painted - £287
- Front bumper removal, repaint and refit - £2021
- 4 wheel alighnment: £240
- 2yr Power warranty: £5600
So it had about 10k worth of work.
They also made me an offer for new ceramics, disc and fitment, £10,000, still crazy money but half the price so something to consider but as per original plans I shall fit repairing pads and see how they go as 1k is less than 10k.
Car shall be taken for its annual service April/May and I shall take it back to supplying dealer for the simple reason off if they try and say oh it needs this and this, that's a £3000 bill I shall be like eh only just purchased you can pay.
On 31st January car was purchased by Ferrari from owner and had to have following done for approval for used sale/power warranty:
- New front & rear pads - £1100
- Clutch/gearbox/diff oil - £644
- New wipers - £84
- Two wheels re-painted - £287
- Front bumper removal, repaint and refit - £2021
- 4 wheel alighnment: £240
- 2yr Power warranty: £5600
So it had about 10k worth of work.
They also made me an offer for new ceramics, disc and fitment, £10,000, still crazy money but half the price so something to consider but as per original plans I shall fit repairing pads and see how they go as 1k is less than 10k.
Car shall be taken for its annual service April/May and I shall take it back to supplying dealer for the simple reason off if they try and say oh it needs this and this, that's a £3000 bill I shall be like eh only just purchased you can pay.
Yes, 458's I believe could either come with Pzero K, MPSS K and I think there was also a Bridgestone tyre too but supposedly that is worse.
I spoke with Ferrari about PS4S and if they would allow fitment, they said the PS4S was actually designed for the car but as car went out of production the PS4S was never approved, but as such the fitment of them is fine for both warranty and insurance purposes and they did say they do transform performance and sometimes fit themselves on used vehicles.
I shall get a price on PS4S from Ferrari but doubt they can compete with £850, but if they offer £1000 fitted, I will go with them as I suspect the Ferrari TPMS sensors are sensitive or maybe have some calibration programme, again if I can't get on with the Pzero I shall aim to get them to do it when they service the car.
Mustang was no different, on Pzero it was lethal in cold wet conditions, Ferrari is not much different. Fitting MPSS was a transformation, also went from new PZ4 Pzero on SVR to new PS4S and even on an AWD car the difference was staggering.
Shop day in the 458? Might nip in on the way home to have a perv!
Aye, shall be used more or less everyday, I will just avoid use on freezing days due to ice, salt etc. Also whilst Clio is poorly I've no option as I stuck the M3 round my uncles with the Aston. Will have go get it back because if it goes cold again I'll take the M3 as I am happy to do skids in that, I am not so keen on skidding the Ferrari as I've got no idea how it will handle once beyond grip, what I will say it is super sensitive to tyre temperature, stone cold the front tyres have zero grip, though they do seem to be gripping within a minute or two. But no doubt again Pzero as again on Mustang the first corner at bottom of my road was always a brown pants moment as pulling off and torque just spun the back wheels up unless you pulled away without throttle (just release clutch).
I am sure it is excellent, but I don't want my first experience to be on open road just in case I mess it up.
All I will say this morning on cold tyres I turned into a roundabout a bit too quick and it understeered but before I had chance to ease off or put some weight transfer on the front, I could feel the car grab an inside brake and pull things back into line.
The amazing thing is the feeling of how it feels like a stripped out race car one moment, then the fact comfy and chilled out. Does feel mega light!
So many brands fit Pzero, they are not terrible you could do far worse but maybe its just a case Michelin are in another league. Of course Michelins look better too as they have chunkier walls.
I thought I posted it, but SVR was just shy of £800 with Admiral, this was an extra £380, all factory options declared and insured to full value, no other policy changes so was happy with that and they offered to insure the Clio for £152 a year also with mods declared.
What front plate?
Pzero is a tyre designed for the road, the latest variant is PZ4, these are dated 2017, not sure if PZ4 as not looked.
From my experience I find Pzero are a tyre that are so sensitive to temperature, they are totally useless under 15c and really need hot 20c plus dry days, then they seem to offer better grip. Under 10c they can just be lethal, particular in wet.
Wet ratings show them as A, many reviews rave about them but I've had them on several cars now, well I simply cannot get along with them in the cold wet they are just so poor, dry warmer days they are not bad.
In comparison Michelins just seem to switch on quicker and easier, just work better in lower temps and generally offer greater wet grip.
Hi there
Really starting to enjoy driving the car, keep finding myself taking trips out, the Pzero's have come back a little but they are almost like driving on a low grip tyre in the wet and in the dry feel almost a little plastic, but they have improved a little.
I've spoken with a couple of owners of 458's who have basically said the Pzero's grip falls off massively once they are a year old irrelevant of tread depth left, they just fall of the cliff as to speak, my tyres are dated 2017 so are over a year old. I've spoken with Ferrari and they are happy for me to order a set of PS4S and have them delivered directly to them and they shall fit them in April/May when the car is in for its service, manage to find a full set from Camskill for £790, so mega cheap for what is best tyre on market. Owners say the PS4S is like a transformation over the Pzero and even a big step up from MPSS, especially in cold wet conditions.
Still even with low grip, the car is great fun, front-end has no grip, once you use brakes a little the front-end starts to bite but the car rewards a smooth driving style, very much how the 911 was, but there is great feedback from steering and though I am keeping it safe by keeping the car in its wet mode, if you get on power on exit you can feel rear axle grip well and if you over power it a little (all I have tried so far) you can feel the E-Diff, F1 Trac and slip control doing their thing seems to really maximises every last bit of mechanical grip out there and you can feel it working underneath and with you.
It is a lot of fun! Even had one guy who was so taken by the car walking the street, he proceeded to nearly trip over himself.
Really enjoying learning the car, I've had it in race mode but upshifts are so brutal in a straight line it spins the tyres up if your being lead footed, the car rewards you hugely for modulating the throttle and not just stomping the go pedal.
P.S. Paid the tracker subscription today, £304 for a year, seems reasonable.
Really starting to enjoy driving the car, keep finding myself taking trips out, the Pzero's have come back a little but they are almost like driving on a low grip tyre in the wet and in the dry feel almost a little plastic, but they have improved a little.
I've spoken with a couple of owners of 458's who have basically said the Pzero's grip falls off massively once they are a year old irrelevant of tread depth left, they just fall of the cliff as to speak, my tyres are dated 2017 so are over a year old. I've spoken with Ferrari and they are happy for me to order a set of PS4S and have them delivered directly to them and they shall fit them in April/May when the car is in for its service, manage to find a full set from Camskill for £790, so mega cheap for what is best tyre on market. Owners say the PS4S is like a transformation over the Pzero and even a big step up from MPSS, especially in cold wet conditions.
Still even with low grip, the car is great fun, front-end has no grip, once you use brakes a little the front-end starts to bite but the car rewards a smooth driving style, very much how the 911 was, but there is great feedback from steering and though I am keeping it safe by keeping the car in its wet mode, if you get on power on exit you can feel rear axle grip well and if you over power it a little (all I have tried so far) you can feel the E-Diff, F1 Trac and slip control doing their thing seems to really maximises every last bit of mechanical grip out there and you can feel it working underneath and with you.
It is a lot of fun! Even had one guy who was so taken by the car walking the street, he proceeded to nearly trip over himself.
Really enjoying learning the car, I've had it in race mode but upshifts are so brutal in a straight line it spins the tyres up if your being lead footed, the car rewards you hugely for modulating the throttle and not just stomping the go pedal.
P.S. Paid the tracker subscription today, £304 for a year, seems reasonable.
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How well did they paint the front bumper? I image that paint would be very hard to match, even if ferrari did it themselves.
My old orange lotus had the bonnet done, and it was a nightmare in the sun.
PPF it! and don't drive into any fences
Its spot on in the sun, in the shade I can't see anything, cameras pick something up but every other yellow Ferrari on camera shows the same so more down to how paint reflects light.
Jaguar painted front bumper on SVR, cnould not tell either.
Difference between a body shop that paints the cars often and knows the colours, guarantees a good match, also why they charge what they do. Take it to a random bodyshop for a £500 job and would probably stand out a mile.
Its spot on!
Taken the cars for a few drives today!
Simply wow, it reminds me most of the 911, same kind of communication and feedback but with a totally incredible sound track and vastly much more of an event to drive, plus once rolling it not only accelerates seriously quick but it feels silly fast too, removing the need to do crazy speeds on the road.
It certainly feels like it has huge ability even on tyres with no grip, loving it!
Simply wow, it reminds me most of the 911, same kind of communication and feedback but with a totally incredible sound track and vastly much more of an event to drive, plus once rolling it not only accelerates seriously quick but it feels silly fast too, removing the need to do crazy speeds on the road.
It certainly feels like it has huge ability even on tyres with no grip, loving it!
Awesome car mate. I remember when you sad the prelude
Thanks mate!
Indeed only feels like yesterday that I got the Prelude, was fitting Lexus style real lights and alloy wheels.
Though not much changes I've already purchased some mods for the Ferrari, though they are basic, nothing major:
- Valve controller as I like the stock exhaust, but at same time if I use wet the exhaust is quiet so ordered a valve controller that allows me to either set ECU control or bypass that and have valves always open or always closed.
- Titanium wheel nuts, every kilo counts, won't notice it but hey why not, thankfully I did not pay the £2000 Ferrari insist, got a set for $299 from USA.
- Shall fit a set of PS4S, well Ferrari will when I take it for service April/May along with a set of repairing brake pads.
It always defaults to ECU control, so valves will get plenty of exercise, have to use the fob to open or close with car running.
Incredible car.
Black wheels though...why
Because that is how it comes, I dislike black wheels, but in the case "it just works" so they are staying.
Here ya go:
Excuse the fact is was filmed in portrait.
That is to around roughly 7500-8000rpm, once it is dry or its got better tyres on I shall see if I can get a flyby done, but at present it is pointless as it just tries to kill me as spins up.
Can't wait to have sticky rubber onboard, warmer weather and try the launch control!
Keeping this one, WTF shall have to have a rest for a while as M3 has an M3 plate, and the Clio can't really be bothered throwing a private plate on that.
I must have watched every video before my purchase:
But this is one I missed and I can't wait to gel more with the car as I don't have the balls or skills to drive like that in Winter conditions, but he is at least on Michelins.
But this is one I missed and I can't wait to gel more with the car as I don't have the balls or skills to drive like that in Winter conditions, but he is at least on Michelins.