I think I am ready to die now!!!

I think I am ready to die now!!!

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Discussion

ninja_eli

Original Poster:

1,525 posts

273 months

Saturday 18th May 2002
quotequote all
Finally got my 355 spider this friday. An less than hour into ownership, I am driving on the M1 heading for London when this plank of wood starts to aim at my car, and its not predictable in the direction its heading. I swerve but it hits my wing mirror and makes a f***ing hole.

Look!!!! I wanted to cry at first but I was just so glad it wasnt any part of the bodywork proper.

""

Anyway, here are a couple of pics of the car.

""



I have been going through tunnels all day today, and I even had the roof down for a couple of hours. Pure bliss. Totally love the car, except that it started to leak last night!!

Cream leather is just awesome!!!!

I'd like to say thank you to all of you guys for your help and advice, truly appreciated. Thanks especially to McNab(2 am in the morning looking through dealer websites with me!!), Kevin, Bertie and Snarl.

I would be ready to die now, but for one thing...

I still need to see Flashers Tamora, Bennno's 456GT and Kevins 360 in the flesh!!

Yet to "do" Hatfield tunnel, but came across a thought... do it with all the above cars (and my 355)at the same time!! What a noise that will make!!!! I look forward to a PH meet soon!!

Thanks and Regards

(I'm off to play with my 355!!)

>>> Edited by ninja_eli on Saturday 18th May 21:09

>>> Edited by ninja_eli on Saturday 18th May 21:13

>>> Edited by ninja_eli on Saturday 18th May 21:16

>>> Edited by ninja_eli on Saturday 18th May 21:18

gazz

11 posts

269 months

Saturday 18th May 2002
quotequote all
quote:
I swerve but it hits my wing mirror and makes a f***ing hole.



This iz wicked!!!
Need to fit one in me Novah, too!!

Just tink of them burds! Thell luv it!!

gazz

>> Edited by gazz on Saturday 18th May 22:04

sipow

14,700 posts

273 months

Saturday 18th May 2002
quotequote all
Ninja,

The spider looks absoulutly luverly,sorry to hear about the mishap with the wing mirror,bet that hurt.
U gotta do the hatfield tunnel.
Prehaps there should be a PH meet just to get the most loud cars going through hatfield at the same time ,could u imagin the noise it would be deafening but well worth it.

All the best with your new toy.

Simon

Roadrunner

2,690 posts

273 months

Sunday 19th May 2002
quotequote all
Looks beautiful on your drive there. Real nightmare with the accident though. Enjoy to the max!

456mgt

2,505 posts

272 months

Sunday 19th May 2002
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Ninja,
What a beautiful car; you lucky, lucky man. I'm genuinely delighted for you. All those months of homework and deliberation finally came to fruition, just in time for summer. Lovely.

Sod the wing mirror- it can easily be replaced/repaired. Get it in perspective and enjoy the experience. There really is nothing like it. Well done mate. We'll definitely have to get together for a 'tunnel fest'!

Cheers

Kevin

domster

8,431 posts

276 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
Hangar Lane underpass is also good.

Sadly, when I had the loan of a 355 F1 Spider there wasn't a tunnel in sight - still sounded fantastic in the open air though... amazing noise.

My Porsche 964RS (cat bypass) will arrive in early June and that engine is meant to be a screamer if you want another car for the Hatfield flypast!

Rgds
Domster

ninja_eli

Original Poster:

1,525 posts

273 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
Cheers guys,

I did around 8 runs through hatfield tunnel before I started to feel a little embarressed. The sounds it can make are just amazing. I have been through nearly 4 tanks of petrol since getting it and I've done nearly 600 miles already.

Kevin, I am definitely up for a "Hatfield Fest" and I would love to see and hear your 360 and your 456. I look forward to it, and I am prepared whenever everyone else is. I think there is a Ferrari meet coming up in June but I think I have deleted the email. Do you know of it and are you going?

Domster, I think that the Porsche would be great and I look forward to hear it! Like I said before I am ready any time.

nevpugh308

4,410 posts

275 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
GORGEOUS 355 .... wantonewantonewantone !

Pity about the wood, but like you say, it didn't hit the "real" bodywork.

Nev

mr_tony

6,339 posts

275 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
fantastic looking car ninja, bet it sounds awesome!

I've got a 348 on the way this week (can't wait!) So I'll be over to Hatfield at the weekend at some point (sure I can find an excuse!)

bertie

8,566 posts

290 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
Well done, knew you'd love it.
Brace yourself however as the bodyshop told me when I scraped my mirror comming out of the garage (how annoying) that I was lucky as a new one was £700 un-painted.

There may have been a slight bit of artistic license at work though.

Either way, it's worth it all isn't it!

mattjbatch

1,502 posts

277 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Brace yourself however as the bodyshop told me when I scraped my mirror comming out of the garage (how annoying) that I was lucky as a new one was £700 un-painted.

#
WTF are they made out of Enzo Ferrari's dangly bits!!!!

REV-EREND

21,534 posts

290 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
Eli - your car looks superb .. hope you enjoy it.

Oh, and make as much noise as possible in the tunnel and maybe get a friend in another car to take pictures of the exhaust flames - you could always post them here for us to enjoy.....

Rev

ninja_eli

Original Poster:

1,525 posts

273 months

Monday 20th May 2002
quotequote all
Bertie, believe me it was your advice, among two others, that led me in the right direction. I reckoned that if it was that reliable for you, then I might get lucky aswell.

I do love it and it really is so much more special than any of the other cars that I have driven. I know now what you meant when you said that a Porsche would have not compared to the feeling that this gives. Seriously, thanks for all your help.

But one question: What did you use to wash the Ferrari? I tried the Turtle Wax and it leaves a nasty film. I don't like any of the hand carwashes as they all use the powerjet washers and I don't fancy that against my car (how sad is that?).

Thanks and Regards

bertie

8,566 posts

290 months

Tuesday 21st May 2002
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I used Autoglym car bodywork shampoo and a sponge, Autoglym synthetic chamois and if I'm feeling like it Turtle wax extreme, which I found better and longer lasting than Autoglym Super Resin.

Glad you're enjoying it, they are very special aren't they. It felt special every time I opened the garage door, can't wait for the 360, but I'm gonna have to!!

>> Edited by bertie on Tuesday 21st May 12:22

>> Edited by bertie on Tuesday 21st May 12:22

manu

768 posts

269 months

Tuesday 21st May 2002
quotequote all
Hi Ninja - congrats on your car (I saw you on Ferraridomain.com) chewing over whether to buy one or not and I'm glad to see you have.


Beautiful.... does it have a sports exhaust?

ninja_eli

Original Poster:

1,525 posts

273 months

Tuesday 21st May 2002
quotequote all
Cheers Bertie.

Manu, thanks! No it doesnt have a sports exhaust. I don't think I can add one till the Ferrari warranty runs out. To be honest with you, it sounds fine to me for now! I fall asleep with the sound in my head! If you know anyone who has one, I'd be interested to hear it, maybe I'd change my mind if it was much different... Kevin, suggested the same thing so must be good!


>> Edited by ninja_eli on Tuesday 21st May 17:17

456mgt

2,505 posts

272 months

Tuesday 21st May 2002
quotequote all
Ninja,
We could have some fun here. I'm up for a tunnel fest, the more the merrier.

I've been having a look round and did consider joining the other PHers at Chatsworth House on 9th June. However it's miles away (3 hours drive from me), and looks tunnel free. You can't blast through Dartford unless it's 3am (tempting though) which means getting together somewhere near Hatfield? A weekend works best for me, would it work for you? I don't know Hatfield at all- are there any good pubs nearby where we could meet up? Perhaps someone on this board knows. Just think, a few Ferrari, TVRs, Caterhams; God that would sound just fantastic! The first time I can do is sometime over the long bank holiday weekend (1-4th June). Let me know.

The only FOC event I can find in June is the concours at Cottesbrooke Hall near Northampton, on June 30th. This is worth going to if fields full of Ferrari do it for you. I'll be taking the family in the 456. You have to be an FOC member.

See ya!

Kevin

456mgt

2,505 posts

272 months

Tuesday 21st May 2002
quotequote all
Alternatively we could do the Karting event at Daytona in Milton Keynes (roundabouts!).
www.pistonheads.net/gassing/topic.asp?t=10689&h=0

Roadrunner

2,690 posts

273 months

Tuesday 21st May 2002
quotequote all
lol! I do my local ones early sat morning!

ninja_eli

Original Poster:

1,525 posts

273 months

Wednesday 22nd May 2002
quotequote all
Kevin, I don't know hatfield too well either. I'll have a check for pubs in the area, preferably with good outdoor seating. If any other PHer knows anywhere around there and is up for coming?

The next weekend is fine for me, both Sat and Sunday. We could meet in Hatfield, blast around a bit and then go to the Karting event. Sounds great to me.

Maybe we should post a new topic with title relevant to meeting. Would Manu be up for coming aswell that weekend? It would be great to hear some TVR's aswell.

I have just sent my application form for FOC so I might try and make it.

Regards