4c prices dropping....?

[DeltonaS]

mikEsprit said:

A 4C shows up in the USA on ebay. Claims to be the first in the country.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Alfa-Romeo-Other-Launch-Ed...

What is notable to me is that it doesn't have the spider eyes. I didn't know that styling quirk had been resolved, but it needed to be.

So it doesn't have the 4C Spider eyes ;-)

More notable is another styling/techical feature which the EURO version doesn't have...

[Plipton]

DeltonaS said:

So it doesn't have the 4C Spider eyes ;-)

More notable is another styling/techical feature which the EURO version doesn't have...

Jeez - quite a lot of differences. - hole in the body just fore of the left rear wheel, rear bumper cut-out for reggy plate, front bumper vents, front lights, what looks like a flap in the top of the door liner (airbag??), stitching on dash... probably loads more I have missed.

[thegreenhell]

It also weighs 100kg more due to the different crash structures required to pass the federal safety regs.

[errek72]

Elderly said:

Yes, they are colour sensitive but that is SO very personal.

I think that it's a brilliant little car on track,
but with its tiny luggage space and very small fuel tank
I'm not sure about it for real life use on the road.

On colours, to each his own but some LE's in frozen white are extremely beautiful but also the paint is extremely hard to maintain.
Mine is black and Alfa Nero paint is notoriously soft and prone to chipping... but after 6000km not a chip or scratch in sight.
It all depends on where and how you drive it.

The 4C is an Italian X-bow with a roof. If you would take that as your everyday car fine, otherwise I'd agree to suggest this is not for "real life" use. Unless part your life is getting up early on sunday morning to have a life confirming blast. It is for me and I kept the Giulietta for shopping etc. The limiting factors are luggage space and ground clearance. And no, the non-sport suspension will not matter more than an inch.

Buying second hand : note that Alfa says if there has been a shunt at the rear, because of the carbon tub, there may be damage because of it at the front, and vice versa. So good luck with that.

On residuals : the UK market is a special one because people tend to actually believe what journo's write, so for a car with strong residuals, you will be forced to follow whatever they say as they steer people's behaviour and therefore the market. Currently that means small wheels, no sports exhaust etc.

[Plipton]

errek72 said:

Buying second hand : note that Alfa says if there has been a shunt at the rear, because of the carbon tub, there may be damage because of it at the front, and vice versa. So good luck with that.

Yep, indeed my dealer told me a shunt was likely to require the car to take a trip back to Italy to have the tub inspected / replaced. Probably explains the insurance group being so high for a 1750CC car.

errek72 said:

Currently that means small wheels, no sports exhaust etc.

I chose small wheels, comfort suspension and 'quiet' exhaust but not because of what the press was saying (although I did spec just about every other option).

I was lucky enough to see 6 4Cs in the flesh (and got to drive one!) before committing to mine. I found the sports suspension too hard for British roads and the sports exhaust was too loud for my liking. The other car I heard running had the standard exhaust and to my ear it sounded fruity enough without being too loud (personal opinion - others will disagree)

The 18/19 wheels look beautiful, but there is woeful lack of rim protection and living where I do, they'd last a week....tops.

[Richard-G]

,

errek72 said:

Elderly said:

Yes, they are colour sensitive but that is SO very personal.

I think that it's a brilliant little car on track,
but with its tiny luggage space and very small fuel tank
I'm not sure about it for real life use on the road.

On colours, to each his own but some LE's in frozen white are extremely beautiful but also the paint is extremely hard to maintain.
Mine is black and Alfa Nero paint is notoriously soft and prone to chipping... but after 6000km not a chip or scratch in sight.
It all depends on where and how you drive it.

The 4C is an Italian X-bow with a roof. If you would take that as your everyday car fine, otherwise I'd agree to suggest this is not for "real life" use. Unless part your life is getting up early on sunday morning to have a life confirming blast. It is for me and I kept the Giulietta for shopping etc. The limiting factors are luggage space and ground clearance. And no, the non-sport suspension will not matter more than an inch.

Buying second hand : note that Alfa says if there has been a shunt at the rear, because of the carbon tub, there may be damage because of it at the front, and vice versa. So good luck with that.

On residuals : the UK market is a special one because people tend to actually believe what journo's write, so for a car with strong residuals, you will be forced to follow whatever they say as they steer people's behaviour and therefore the market. Currently that means small wheels, no sports exhaust etc.

I've just purchased a red LE and due to the limited nature of the supply, the market is full of BS at the mo. You've got dealers advertising cars with low low prices but refusing to sell cash, you've got certain dealers trying to buy up all the used stock so they can control the prices and keep them high and you've got prices changing by the day on the same car. I've even seen one car advertised at three different prices on auto trader, their own website and ph classifieds.

Saying that, now the white le at a dealer in Yorkshire (proper cowboys) has gone the market has strengthened and they all seem to be climbing again.

Great car but it's a faff to get in one at the mo.

[tony h]

is £52k for the two recent LE's with 1k and 3k miles the right price?

[Charliesum]

My local dealership have a new mother of pearl white registered in November and have it listed poa.
I emailed to be told it's a £55k car so with the wait we want £60k +
The reviews haven't been that kind in evo and autocar, maybe that's got something to do with it

[Richard-G]

tony h said:

is £52k for the two recent LE's with 1k and 3k miles the right price?

i purchased the one with 1k (the red one, number 328) and id say the price was a little under what the market is demanding (however the car was parked under a tree and the paint is fubard, that will need to be sorted!)

at the end of the day its a 58k car with a two year waiting list and a load of BS from the alfa dealers so you've got to say the cars are work 55k plus.

Edited by Richard-G on Wednesday 10th December 13:25

[errek72]

Charliesum said:

The reviews haven't been that kind in evo and autocar, maybe that's got something to do with it

Could very well be. I wonder if that is also true for higher price range cars. Saw the Huracan review by Autocar, crazy really but I'm sure a lot of people will be henceforth convinced it has terminal understeer. (honestly..)

[Plipton]

Richard-G said:

however the car was parked under a tree and the paint is fubard, that will need to be sorted!

That's a pity. Is it really beyond saving?

[Richard-G]

Plipton said:

Richard-G said:

however the car was parked under a tree and the paint is fubard, that will need to be sorted!

That's a pity. Is it really beyond saving?

no it's fixable it will just need a very good claybaring or the extensive use of one of these: http://www.halfords.com/motoring/cleaning-products...

ive just purchased one of the above mitts and will give it a go on Saturday. If the above claybar/claymitt sesh, polishing and sealant route wont sort it i will need to take it to a professional detailer for a 'correction'. I then want to get the front wrapped in a paint protecter asap as Alfa red (so i hear) is quite soft and prone to chips.

Took me a good hour last weekend to get all of the spiders webs, spider st and tree seeds, twigs and general much and crap out of the engine compartment, boot shuts, door shuts etc

[errek72]

Richard-G said:

no it's fixable it will just need a very good claybaring or the extensive use of one of these: http://www.halfords.com/motoring/cleaning-products...

ive just purchased one of the above mitts and will give it a go on Saturday. If the above claybar/claymitt sesh, polishing and sealant route wont sort it i will need to take it to a professional detailer for a 'correction'. I then want to get the front wrapped in a paint protecter asap as Alfa red (so i hear) is quite soft and prone to chips.

Took me a good hour last weekend to get all of the spiders webs, spider st and tree seeds, twigs and general much and crap out of the engine compartment, boot shuts, door shuts etc

I would suggest a professional detailer be let loose on it, and have it finished off with a paint sealant.
Had mine done and insects etc wipe right off. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=8078394925627...
Note there is some paint protector on the sills from the factory.
Did not get around having mine fitted (planning to have Xpel self-healing clear wrap done) but so far not a scratch.

Cleaning the carbon tub at the start of the engine compartment remains a royal pain though. My arms are too short and I'm not a midget.

[Plipton]

errek72 said:

I would suggest a professional detailer be let loose on it, and have it finished off with a paint sealant.

+1. If it's the one I think it is (looking at the end of the reggy I think it is) then you got an absolute bargain so a few quid to make it 100% is money well spent.

errek72 said:

Note there is some paint protector on the sills from the factory.
Did not get around having mine fitted (planning to have Xpel self-healing clear wrap done) but so far not a scratch.

I was quoted £499 inc VAT for a clear front kit (fitted). I declined the offer, but may change my mind on that one yet. Alfa paint seems to be a bit soft and one car I saw before buying mine looked like it had been painted by a 5 year old. In all 3 of the 6 4Cs I saw had quite badly chipped paint (the white LE was the worst by miles, and the chip protection in front of the rear wheels had turned yellow).

errek72 said:

Cleaning the carbon tub at the start of the engine compartment remains a royal pain though. My arms are too short and I'm not a midget.

It certainly is. And as it appears to be unfinished (i.e. not gel coated) it's rough as guts too, so everything stick to it. Ho hum!

[V6Alfisti]

The 4C's are lovely things and I can't see them dropping like the 'standard' range.

There is just too much demand for the cars, more similar to an 8C level of depreciation rather than 159!

[DeltonaS]

V6Alfisti said:

The 4C's are lovely things and I can't see them dropping like the 'standard' range.

There is just too much demand for the cars, more similar to an 8C level of depreciation rather than 159!

In absolute or relative terms ??

Didn't know Einstein was a regular on Shedheads.

[Richyboy]

I saw one and it looked like the widest car I've ever seen. Maybe values dropping because people realise they aren't that great on the roads as a small wide sports car.

[errek72]

It looks wide because it is very low. In overall use the width is not an issue - not much wider than a Guilietta - but the ride height is, as with any car of this type. The only car worse I have driven was a lowered 75 V6. At least with the 4C you don't hit the sump or exhaust. Still some speedbumps are an issue.