599 from GT3 -recommendations

[SL550M]

Having a tech 'senior moment' I think. Can't seem to start a new topic and not even sure these photos are uploaded correctly. Maybe I'm still giddy from collecting my new 599 GTB HGTE today!! Drove 3 hours home in glorious sunshine from Dick Lovett Swindon (they've been great) to my home in Bucks. Slightly surreal, thinking this is my car, but I think I can get used to it. Anyway, thanks to everyone out there who took the time to give me advice on these wonderful cars. I'm a very happy boy!

[F12MAD]

Congratulations, a great car. I'm sure it will give you many a rewarding drive. Well done you !

[d16rr]

SL550M said:

Having a tech 'senior moment' I think. Can't seem to start a new topic and not even sure these photos are uploaded correctly. Maybe I'm still giddy from collecting my new 599 GTB HGTE today!! Drove 3 hours home in glorious sunshine from Dick Lovett Swindon (they've been great) to my home in Bucks. Slightly surreal, thinking this is my car, but I think I can get used to it. Anyway, thanks to everyone out there who took the time to give me advice on these wonderful cars. I'm a very happy boy!

Congrats, but 3 hours from swindon did you get lost hehe !!!

[SL550M]

d16rr said:

Congrats, but 3 hours from swindon did you get lost hehe !!!

Obligatory visit to parents' house on the way home
At least that's my excuse. The truly shameful admission is I only managed to get 2 shift lights on the steering wheel lit. But I promise I'll work on that!

[bp81]

How are you finding the car sl550m ? You must be familiar with the car now, I am looking at one at present and would love to hear your thoughts.

[SL550M]

bp81 said:

How are you finding the car sl550m ? You must be familiar with the car now, I am looking at one at present and would love to hear your thoughts.

Hi bp81. Yes, thanks. I'm about four months into 599 ownership and roughly 2500 miles covered. It really is a spectacular car and the enjoyment factor is pretty much off the scale. I love everything about it. Looks are subjective, but to my eyes it looks superb and has real presence. The interior is a delight and for me I'm glad I held out for a car with the Daytona seats (black with red inserts) as they look beautiful.
Before I bought one, some people commented on the size of the 599, but honestly I haven't found that to be an issue. The performance is astonishing and getting the shift-lights on the steering wheel lit-up in 2nd and 3rd gear, with that epic V12 howling, is one of life's better moments to say the least! I drive it in Sport mode all the time and find the F1 box works well. You don't have to lift off as you change gear; the computer does that for you. The car defaults to auto mode every time you start it up, but I cancel that straight away as the auto mode doesn't suit the car and the up-shifts can be a little bit ponderous. I guess it might be helpful in town, in stop-start traffic, but that's not how I use it anyway. Long distance touring is, as you'd imagine, an absolute joy. Luggage space is plentiful. Mine has the full retro-fit HGTE package, but other than the better-sounding exhaust and sexier wheels, I can't offer advice on differences to the standard car because I've never driven one. People who can drive a lot better than me say the handling of the HGTE car is a bit sharper, with no appreciable loss in ride quality. I certainly find it rides well and it has no problems negotiating those loathsome speed bumps.
Honestly, I can't find fault with it and it is by a country mile the best car I've ever owned. Obviously it's thirst for premium unleaded is prodigious. Best not to even try to calculate the mpg. I haven't. You'll be having too much fun to care, anyway. I can wholeheartedly recommend them and at £120k-£130k it really is a lot of car for the money. A fellow PH-her on here, Anjum, said having a 599 in the garage is like Christmas Day every day. He was right!! Good luck with your search. Feel free to email or PM me with any questions.

[Supercar Owners Circle]

Congratulations on the new acquisition. The 599 is an amazing car. I never had major problems with mine besides some issues with the electronics in the instrument panel. My tip for every new owner, especially if you are used to drive a Porsche: never use it on a track. It can be very costly, because the car is simply not made for it.

[Doppelkupplung]

Supercar Owners Circle said:

.... My tip for every new owner, especially if you are used to drive a Porsche: never use it on a track. It can be very costly, because the car is simply not made for it.

You crashed your Ferrari on the track?

[willy wombat]

I've used my 599 on track a fair bit. It does use up the tyres and brake pads and I've just replaced the two front dampers at 14k miles (£2k per corner - ouch) but I don't know why anyone would say it is not suitable for track use. The track lets you do things you wouldn't, or at least shouldn't, do on the road.

[bp81]

thanks sl550m, it sounds like a fantastic purchase, for me an excitable driver with little to no skill I am not sure the hgte pack would be used other than for ensuring a strong resale, do you know what the costs are for a retro fit? I own a few cars and have been thinking of a ferrari for a little while, just waiting on a sensible offer to come along on one of my cars to use as the deposit. This is the 599 that I have been thinking about long and hard about

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

I am also considering a f430 spider which is obviously cheaper and just thinking about if I need to get out of the car in 1 years time how hurt might I be in each on resale. I am being a bit of a baby I know but I am unfamiliar with buying and selling ferraris the way I am with some other cars.

Any comments greatly appreciated!

Thanks

[SL550M]

bp81 said:

thanks sl550m, it sounds like a fantastic purchase, for me an excitable driver with little to no skill I am not sure the hgte pack would be used other than for ensuring a strong resale, do you know what the costs are for a retro fit? I own a few cars and have been thinking of a ferrari for a little while, just waiting on a sensible offer to come along on one of my cars to use as the deposit. This is the 599 that I have been thinking about long and hard about

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

I am also considering a f430 spider which is obviously cheaper and just thinking about if I need to get out of the car in 1 years time how hurt might I be in each on resale. I am being a bit of a baby I know but I am unfamiliar with buying and selling ferraris the way I am with some other cars.

Any comments greatly appreciated!

Thanks

bp81, I’m very nervous about offering an opinion on values and depreciation, because my track record isn’t particularly distinguished in that department. So I’ll move swiftly on!

The car you’re looking at is remarkably similar to my car externally, save for the fact mine hasn’t got the Scuderia wing badges. Clutch wear is reasonable. Ask for the same on the brakes. Price-wise, hard to comment as there are so few HGTE cars for sale at the moment and those that are seem to be £150k-plus at main dealers where you do get a 2-year warranty, which does help you sleep at night.

For me, the HGTE pack was a no-compromise issue, I’d set my heart on that and I wouldn’t have bought one without it. I believe the full retro-fit was in the region of £15k, although I stand to be corrected on that point. The only difference from a factory fit HGTE was the seats, but you could argue the Daytona seats look nicer. Anyway, the HGTE car looks better and it also drives (marginally) better and it sounds better, so you’d have to assume it will be more sought-after in years to come. That’s me guilty of another crystal ball moment, though!

Having driven a 430 (really lovely car though it is) the 599 is simply on a different planet. That colossal V12 is seriously addictive and there’s really nothing else like it. The 599 also appears to be a fairly robust car, with evidently fewer mechanical maladies than the 430. All the 599 owners that I spoke to prior to purchasing said they’d had no significant problems, aside from the occasional electrical gremlin.

Not sure what else I can add. Someone on here said to me you have to define your no-compromise parameters and don’t deviate, which I think is good advice. I’d say go and drive one…but you’re in big trouble then! It’s really hard to walk away. If there’s anything else you need to know, feel free to PM me via this forum.

[F355GTS]

willy wombat said:

I've used my 599 on track a fair bit. It does use up the tyres and brake pads and I've just replaced the two front dampers at 14k miles (£2k per corner - ouch) but I don't know why anyone would say it is not suitable for track use. The track lets you do things you wouldn't, or at least shouldn't, do on the road.

+1 done many many miles on track, amazing car

[F355GTS]

bp81 said:

thanks sl550m, it sounds like a fantastic purchase, for me an excitable driver with little to no skill I am not sure the hgte pack would be used other than for ensuring a strong resale, do you know what the costs are for a retro fit? I own a few cars and have been thinking of a ferrari for a little while, just waiting on a sensible offer to come along on one of my cars to use as the deposit. This is the 599 that I have been thinking about long and hard about

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

I am also considering a f430 spider which is obviously cheaper and just thinking about if I need to get out of the car in 1 years time how hurt might I be in each on resale. I am being a bit of a baby I know but I am unfamiliar with buying and selling ferraris the way I am with some other cars.

Any comments greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Do you low which elements of the HGTE pack it has fitted other than the wheels? the exhaust looks std rather than HGTE, low mileage for a 2008 and looks like one of my old cars but mileage doesn't stack up

[Davetherave95]

bp81 said:

thanks sl550m, it sounds like a fantastic purchase, for me an excitable driver with little to no skill I am not sure the hgte pack would be used other than for ensuring a strong resale, do you know what the costs are for a retro fit? I own a few cars and have been thinking of a ferrari for a little while, just waiting on a sensible offer to come along on one of my cars to use as the deposit. This is the 599 that I have been thinking about long and hard about

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

I am also considering a f430 spider which is obviously cheaper and just thinking about if I need to get out of the car in 1 years time how hurt might I be in each on resale. I am being a bit of a baby I know but I am unfamiliar with buying and selling ferraris the way I am with some other cars.

Any comments greatly appreciated!

Thanks

I've got a standard 56 plate 2007 599 GTB and an 06 F430 Spider both in red. They are both fantastic cars in their own ways. Personally i think the f430 spider has the edge on exhaust sound and looks. With the 599 i find the engine needs to be revved quite highly before you appreciate that v12 where as the V8 in f430 burbles and barks at all revs all the time. The 599 is certainly more comfortable on a long run and better for a weekend away. Its size gives it real presence.
Cost wise there is not a lot of difference in the servicing or warranty of these cars. Given the pedigree of these vehicles, i think the maintenance costs are not bad. Just make sure you check the brake disc and clutch wear is ok for the age, and make sure its had a recent comprehensive service/inspection. And if you can get one from a franchised dealer the 2 year warranty cover is ideal. Not had to use mine at all on either cars.
I think if i was choosing between the 2 i would probably go for the f430 spider, such an amazing car for the money.

Edited by Davetherave95 on Saturday 25th June 05:22

Edited by Davetherave95 on Saturday 25th June 05:24