599 from GT3 -recommendations

[willy wombat]

I would just add (in my opinion)avoid the "run flat" tyres as they make the ride far too harsh. I bought a 6 month old 599 in 2008 and immediately changed the "run flats" for P zeros. Its like chalk and cheese. I personally prefer the GTB to the HGTE but try and drive both. We have other Ferraris which come and go but we will never sell the 599.

[Doppelkupplung]

Anjum said:

OP - if you can do it - then don't miss out! You will love it!

Make sure the car is well maintained - and has all correct updates and stamps in the book!

Life is for living - do not have any regrets! You will wake up every day like a child on Christmas day!

What updates are there?

[GrahamPM]

Doppelkupplung said:

What updates are there?

That'll be the F12

GPM

[SL550M]

The F12 is undoubtedly EPIC in every way and I'd give my right arm for one. Sadly my right arm isn't valued at 100 grand, which is about what you need in order to bridge the gap in price of an F12 over a 599.

[GusB]

I spent a long time looking at a range of cars between £100k and £175,000 and went with my heart and bought a Grey HGTE 599 (2010 / 8k miles) in 2012 for £125k and haven't regretted it for a moment. I considered / drove V12V, SLS, Porsche Turbo and various others and kept coming back to the 599. I even tried a 458 Spider, Aventador and Hurracan this year as I thought they may tempt me out as I was being told it "must be time to change" by dealers / friends etc and I still haven't found a reason to...

It does everything I want in a car and don't find it's size a problem, just park it behind a 675LT to compare as it will look skinny...

Feel free to PM me if you want to have a chat about it as I have been through the process...

GusB

[SL550M]

Thanks GusB. Much appreciated. Will drop you a line, as I have a few additional questions and would value your input. Glad to hear you're loving your car. Your experience, and the great comments previously on this thread from Anjum and others, reminds me of the old adage: "in life you never regret the things you do, only the things you didn't do'. That's the case with me and NOT buying a 599 when I was seriously tempted in 2012/13. Hoping to rectify that very soon!

[SL550M]

Anjum said:

OP - if you can do it - then don't miss out! You will love it!

Make sure the car is well maintained - and has all correct updates and stamps in the book!

Life is for living - do not have any regrets! You will wake up every day like a child on Christmas day!

Well, a second resurrection (if there is such a thing!) of an old post, but just thought I'd chime in and report that thanks to the sage advice of my fellow PH'ers I have placed a deposit on a 599, with the retro-fit HGTE pack and my number one choice black Daytona seats with red inserts. I test drove it at the weekend and was completely and utterly blown away, an epic machine. I'm picking it up next week. Excited is obviously something of an understatement. As Anjum said, I'm now looking forward to "waking up every day like a child on Christmas Day!" Photos will follow in due course.

[Anjum]

Congratulations SL550M ! Get ready to unwrap every day!

[GusB]

Congratulations mate. GusB

[F355GTS]

Congratulations

[Doppelkupplung]

Excellent choice. Enjoy those 620 horses!

[_Superleggera_]

Superb. Top work.

[willy wombat]

Congratulations - I'm sure you won't regret it. I think you may be surprised by just how well it handles once you get up to a decent speed. Mine has saved me from my incompetence on more than one occasion, for example on Alpine passes where I hadn't realised quite how tight a bend was and famously at Brands Hatch when I arrived (with a passenger on board) at Druids at what seemed far too high a speed. On those occasions I just turned the steering wheel when there was no more road/track left and prayed and the car took the bend without complaint (although my Brands passenger still refers to it as his near death experience).

[SL550M]

Thanks gents. Very kind.
Glad to hear of your experiences willy wombat. My wife seemed quite alarmed to see a grab handle (beautifully hand-stitched though it is) on the passenger side and I think was immediately conjuring thoughts of a few 'near death experiences' of her own, but I can now reassure her that all will be fine!

[willy wombat]

My wife loves the grab handle. We've done a number of Ferrari events in the 599 including the Mille Miglia Tribute and that grab handle has had a lot of use (and my wife complains bitterly about the lack of a similar handle in our 458 Spider).

[Slickhillsy]

Wanta996Gotta said:

I think a years Power warranty is £2500-£3000 for the 599 compared to your GT3's £1250 and you need to get it serviced at Ferrari or void your warranty(similar to Porsche i guess). If your planning to actually use it then be prepared i guess.

Edited by Wanta996Gotta on Thursday 20th October 11:17

Not quite correct sir. I have my Scud serviced at Foskers while it's still within power warranty and Ferrari are fine with this. Just so long as approved parts are used (and the relationship to Ferrari is positive).

[Slickhillsy]

lotuselan7 said:

Hi all
Currently got 997 GT3 210. To be honest it's not what I expected and a little to noisy and raw.

Mark

Have you not considered a 991 GT3 as these do have a higher level of refinement yet still give you that GT3 buzz. I have a gen 1 997 GT3 before my Scud and if I'm honest just cant get the driving experience out of my head! Absolutely loved it as a drivers car, at a push I would say even more so than my Scud...

[cgt2]

Slickhillsy said:

lotuselan7 said:

Hi all
Currently got 997 GT3 210. To be honest it's not what I expected and a little to noisy and raw.

Mark

Have you not considered a 991 GT3 as these do have a higher level of refinement yet still give you that GT3 buzz. I have a gen 1 997 GT3 before my Scud and if I'm honest just cant get the driving experience out of my head! Absolutely loved it as a drivers car, at a push I would say even more so than my Scud...

Similarly, I have driven many many cars, but a Gen 2 997 GT3RS above 5000rpm created memories that will stay in my head until I am old. It was truly one of the most outstanding cars ever. 991 GT3 is nowhere in the same league for pure thrills, incredibly good though it is.

[GusB]

Congratulations mate. GusB

[AyBee]

Pics