Discussion
I've done something rather rash and impetuous. Have put a deposit on a 4C, and am giving back my lovely 997.2 C4S.
Having owned, in the last 5 years, an E46 M3, 996 C4S, 996 Turbo, Ferrari 360 and now the 997, it will be interesting to see how it compares.
I should never have sold the 360, and whilst Porsche's are great they lack soul, character IMHO. But a 4C, with far cheaper running costs, rarity value, looks, noise and presence it was a almost a no brainer. Especially with my advanced man maths/logic.
I know people are split on the car, but for me driving is not about pure speed or precision, I want to smile whilst driving and feel special in the car. As this is a weekend car I can live with a few 'character traits'. Probably nothing compare to the various Ducati's I've owned over the years!
I will post a full report as to my thoughts when I pick her up on Saturday - Rosso Competizione, racing and luxury pack, 700 miles.
Having owned, in the last 5 years, an E46 M3, 996 C4S, 996 Turbo, Ferrari 360 and now the 997, it will be interesting to see how it compares.
I should never have sold the 360, and whilst Porsche's are great they lack soul, character IMHO. But a 4C, with far cheaper running costs, rarity value, looks, noise and presence it was a almost a no brainer. Especially with my advanced man maths/logic.
I know people are split on the car, but for me driving is not about pure speed or precision, I want to smile whilst driving and feel special in the car. As this is a weekend car I can live with a few 'character traits'. Probably nothing compare to the various Ducati's I've owned over the years!
I will post a full report as to my thoughts when I pick her up on Saturday - Rosso Competizione, racing and luxury pack, 700 miles.
Brilliant choice. Not many new cars available now that aren't sanitised to some degree. Will be interesting to get your feedback. I think there may be a recall on the suspension and also possibly the gearbox software - have a look somewhere on http://4c-forums.com/index.php
Perhaps some update on that "recall" : it is actually an update that is based on inspection and not per se a parts swap or rework. It is only for a limited number of cars, very likely the first of the Limited Editions. I have a standard car delivered to me early last year and mine is not included. I will be getting my first maintenance now and that will include tightening of the bolts and software updates.
Note that the mentioned forum was a great place to be until the first Americans got their cars and now every other sentence ends on "recall".
(You know that big simple bloke on Game of Thrones? Let's just say that I am starting to understand where the writer got his idea from. Just replace "hodor" with "recall" and you get my gist...)
Note that the mentioned forum was a great place to be until the first Americans got their cars and now every other sentence ends on "recall".
(You know that big simple bloke on Game of Thrones? Let's just say that I am starting to understand where the writer got his idea from. Just replace "hodor" with "recall" and you get my gist...)
Well I picked her up on Saturday and already done 200 miles, motorway and A and B roads. First impressions:
Well simple really, she's epic.
I was genuinely close to pulling out and keeping the 911 but so glad I didn't. It is such a different car, but as something to admire, enjoy and get the juices going the 4C in a different league. It's not too bad getting in and out, it's not as wide as people seem to indicate (sounds silly as the width is the width but had no issues or squeaky bum moments), the noise is something else - especially induction, and it has so much presence. It encourages quite a lot of attention but so far all good - people want to know more about the car as opposed to asking if I have any coffee beans. The steering is fantastic, yes it can move with the road but it is really not as bad as people make out in reviews. Suspension, even the sports, is hard but not painfully so. It's remarkably comfortable on anything except for heavily potholed roads.
It's also damn fast. I mean really, really fast. Because of the noise and the low seating position it probably seems faster than it is and it is addictive. The whole package feels raw, immersive and special. I can't see why the 4C is any group test - it really is one of a kind. If I wanted precision and engineering I would have stayed with a Porsche, if I wanted a track toy I would have gone Lotus. The 4C is not as good on the road as a Cayman or 911, not as good on the track as an Exige. But I don't care one bit. Neither make me feel the way the Alfa does.
Now, bad points. Sorry, character traits. Yes, the radio is crud, there is no storage, the boot is tiny, you need allan keys to add windscreen washer fluid, have to park in particular places as you need to open the door wide enough to get in and out (and I dread the day come back to find someone has parked to close...), and there is not huge amount of soundproofing. The latter is not really a problem but at 75/80 the sports exhaust emits a drone that is a little tiring after a while.
But none of that matters. When I park the car I can't stop looking back at it; when I get home I just want to go out for a drive. It's that addictive.
If you are thinking of buying one, just do it.
If there' something particular you want to know be delighted to help. She'll be at Goodwood on Sunday (and they class it as a supercar
)
Well simple really, she's epic.
I was genuinely close to pulling out and keeping the 911 but so glad I didn't. It is such a different car, but as something to admire, enjoy and get the juices going the 4C in a different league. It's not too bad getting in and out, it's not as wide as people seem to indicate (sounds silly as the width is the width but had no issues or squeaky bum moments), the noise is something else - especially induction, and it has so much presence. It encourages quite a lot of attention but so far all good - people want to know more about the car as opposed to asking if I have any coffee beans. The steering is fantastic, yes it can move with the road but it is really not as bad as people make out in reviews. Suspension, even the sports, is hard but not painfully so. It's remarkably comfortable on anything except for heavily potholed roads.
It's also damn fast. I mean really, really fast. Because of the noise and the low seating position it probably seems faster than it is and it is addictive. The whole package feels raw, immersive and special. I can't see why the 4C is any group test - it really is one of a kind. If I wanted precision and engineering I would have stayed with a Porsche, if I wanted a track toy I would have gone Lotus. The 4C is not as good on the road as a Cayman or 911, not as good on the track as an Exige. But I don't care one bit. Neither make me feel the way the Alfa does.
Now, bad points. Sorry, character traits. Yes, the radio is crud, there is no storage, the boot is tiny, you need allan keys to add windscreen washer fluid, have to park in particular places as you need to open the door wide enough to get in and out (and I dread the day come back to find someone has parked to close...), and there is not huge amount of soundproofing. The latter is not really a problem but at 75/80 the sports exhaust emits a drone that is a little tiring after a while.
But none of that matters. When I park the car I can't stop looking back at it; when I get home I just want to go out for a drive. It's that addictive.
If you are thinking of buying one, just do it.
If there' something particular you want to know be delighted to help. She'll be at Goodwood on Sunday (and they class it as a supercar
)
Nero44 said:
Well I picked her up on Saturday and already done 200 miles, motorway and A and B roads. First impressions:
Well simple really, she's epic.
[...]
The steering is fantastic, yes it can move with the road but it is really not as bad as people make out in reviews.
[...]
It's also damn fast. I mean really, really fast.
[...]
When I park the car I can't stop looking back at it; when I get home I just want to go out for a drive. It's that addictive.
Well that matches 100% with my experience - and great spec btw.Well simple really, she's epic.
[...]
The steering is fantastic, yes it can move with the road but it is really not as bad as people make out in reviews.
[...]
It's also damn fast. I mean really, really fast.
[...]
When I park the car I can't stop looking back at it; when I get home I just want to go out for a drive. It's that addictive.
So is it just me, or are you also feeling those reviews in UK press are just a steaming big pile of horsesh#t, bordering on the jingoistic and written by people that likely have not even driven the car for more than 5 minutes?
Not sure I'd call it horseprevebial - I just don't think the 4C has many direct competitors, it's a somewhat unique car. If I'd just spent time in a new TT or Cayman I'd probably hate a lot about the 4C. It does move with the road, it is sparse in the cabin, the steering wheel and stereo could both be improved. It's not as good as an Exige on the track.
But, if you are so inclined, and I clearly am, that doesn't matter. It is, as an overall proposition, a wonderful piece of kit. I'd rather have fun than chase lap records or be cossetted in leather and luxury. I don't need to carry huge amounts of luggage.
Best summary is this. I used to ride on the road. The 'blade and the R1 were faster, more reliable and cheaper. But I always wanted to ride the Ducati. It's the same with the 4C - a TT might be faster point to point but that's not really the point. If you don't see that then the 4C is probably not for you. Or as someone said to me once - a Porsche is your loving and stable wife. The Alfa is your young, hot headed girlfriend. She'll drive you mad but then it's good it's awesome. (He did then describe the C63 AMG as the dirtiest mistress possible, so perhaps the metaphor is off point
)
All IMHO
But, if you are so inclined, and I clearly am, that doesn't matter. It is, as an overall proposition, a wonderful piece of kit. I'd rather have fun than chase lap records or be cossetted in leather and luxury. I don't need to carry huge amounts of luggage.
Best summary is this. I used to ride on the road. The 'blade and the R1 were faster, more reliable and cheaper. But I always wanted to ride the Ducati. It's the same with the 4C - a TT might be faster point to point but that's not really the point. If you don't see that then the 4C is probably not for you. Or as someone said to me once - a Porsche is your loving and stable wife. The Alfa is your young, hot headed girlfriend. She'll drive you mad but then it's good it's awesome. (He did then describe the C63 AMG as the dirtiest mistress possible, so perhaps the metaphor is off point
)All IMHO
Hi, I also have a 4C and Porsche Boxster, so agree the 4C and Boxster are completely different driving machines. Not sure if yours is new or used, but you may be interested to hear I received a recall letter today from Turin! The recall gives software updates to engine and gearbox, new front shock absorbers (maybe sorting out the steering with a mind of its own!) and replacement larger battery. Anyway, if yours is used best to check out with Alfa. If it's new it may already be done!
Enjoy the mad Alfa!!
Enjoy the mad Alfa!!
Ullers said:
I received a recall letter today from Turin! The recall gives software updates to engine and gearbox, new front shock absorbers (maybe sorting out the steering with a mind of its own!) and replacement larger battery.
LE or SE? Mine's an SE but no letter so far. I don't find the steering as bad as the reports. It started out feeling a little twitchy but it seems to be settling down a lot as I get used to it / the tyres wear in a little. 
Plipton said:
LE or SE? Mine's an SE but no letter so far. I don't find the steering as bad as the reports. It started out feeling a little twitchy but it seems to be settling down a lot as I get used to it / the tyres wear in a little.
Mines an SE, registered in September last year. However I'm pretty sure it was built over 4 months earlier. It took a long time to get to the UK.Sounds like yours may have the upgrade as I need 100 % concentration and constant steering wheel correction on anything but a very smooth road. The battery upgrade is to a 60 mili amp, so that may an easy check to see if yours is done.
Nero44 - thanks very much for your post. My 4C should arrive end of May/beginning of June and we seem to have been thinking along the same lines. Last year I sold two of my Porsches (owned 12 over the years) and my Ferrari on the basis that I just wasn't getting anything like proper use out of them. I ordered the 4C and kept my other Porsche, an RS60 Boxster, until last month when I knew the 4C was getting closer.
It's been a nerve racking time as I've never owned an Alfa before but I was loving the 'mini exotic' that it seemed to be. I really wanted something that was less mainstream than a new Cayman but a bit less hardcore than an Elise (I owned one for a few months a few years ago). I was also pretty disappointed by a few of the British road tests, but I've owned plenty cars that I've loved that didn't really stand up to the Top Gear/Evo tests very well. Very much looking forward to getting to know the 4C now!
It's been a nerve racking time as I've never owned an Alfa before but I was loving the 'mini exotic' that it seemed to be. I really wanted something that was less mainstream than a new Cayman but a bit less hardcore than an Elise (I owned one for a few months a few years ago). I was also pretty disappointed by a few of the British road tests, but I've owned plenty cars that I've loved that didn't really stand up to the Top Gear/Evo tests very well. Very much looking forward to getting to know the 4C now!
Ullers said:
Sounds like yours may have the upgrade as I need 100 % concentration and constant steering wheel correction on anything but a very smooth road. The battery upgrade is to a 60 mili amp, so that may an easy check to see if yours is done.
You probably should check your suspension set-up if it corresponds with the factory recommended settings; camber, allingnement etc.; from the 4C forum I understood that the 4C is not setup correctly from the factory (or dealership). Something which is quite a task since they have to remove some of the underpinnings, see link; http://4c-forums.com/14-tires-wheels-suspension/12...
If you read through the forum though, you will see that the vast majority is more than happy with their cars, in fact so far I only saw one where it seems there was an actual alignment issue.
Several of them putting back serious mileage for the type of car it is, stories of driving to Italy in one go with no issue on the steering and arriving relaxed, ... Nothing to get too worried about tbh.
Although if you have an issue, obviously best to have it sorted under warranty. Strangely, the only actual issue I heard about from two actual owners was an issue with doors (both LE's) - but none of that on the forum.
Several of them putting back serious mileage for the type of car it is, stories of driving to Italy in one go with no issue on the steering and arriving relaxed, ... Nothing to get too worried about tbh.
Although if you have an issue, obviously best to have it sorted under warranty. Strangely, the only actual issue I heard about from two actual owners was an issue with doors (both LE's) - but none of that on the forum.
Edited by errek72 on Saturday 2nd May 21:04
errek72 said:
If you read through the forum though, you will see that the vast majority is more than happy with their cars, in fact so far I only saw one where it seems there was an actual alignment issue.
Several of them putting back serious mileage for the type of car it is, stories of driving to Italy in one go with no issue on the steering and arriving relaxed, ... Nothing to get too worried about tbh.
Ofcourse it's not something to be worried about, if it's setup wrong it's fairly easily adjusted. And maybe I should've been a little clearer; what I meant was that it could be a problem with the setup....Several of them putting back serious mileage for the type of car it is, stories of driving to Italy in one go with no issue on the steering and arriving relaxed, ... Nothing to get too worried about tbh.
The alignment issue which I mentioned just surfused coincidentally with a guy changing his suspension for an after market one and saw how out of sink his standard suspension was in camparison both with the data as delivered by Alfa in the manual and the tested by KW (the after market suspension) as the recommended settings. He had some troubles with a wandering/tramlining front end beforhand. Which by the way is something more than 1 owner on the forum noticed with their own car to a greater or lesser extent, some car journo's mentioned the same thing as well.
DeltonaS said:
Which by the way is something more than 1 owner on the forum noticed with their own car to a greater or lesser extent, some car journo's mentioned the same thing as well.
There's a bit of rub there for me. Apart from the one you described which seems legit the rest of the tales of woe seem to be an exact copy of any negative press reports and mostly are posted by profiles disappearing just as suddenly as they have appeared. Whereas the guys that keep posting pics, video's and evidence of track heroics gor monyhs on end don't seem to be having that much of an issue. Although I have to admit I did not read all of the threads - bit much.Gassing Station | Alfa Romeo, Fiat & Lancia | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff