Unregistered 458 Italia for sale
Discussion
I understand from speaking to an F dealer that this is not the case in general, and this is why some cheaper RHD cars turn up from time to time. Anyway, definitely worth checking by reference to VIN of specific car if you can. Or get it in writing if proceeding. It does seem like a bit of an onion though, every time you ask more questions another layer unfolds. Over to you if you like it enough (and why wouldn't you) and if the price is good enough - sounds like there is more negotiation in there if you ask me. I assume you get the warranty and servicing from date of first registration?
You would need help from within the F network. I did so on one occasion when trying to buy one from a non F dealer with a poor reputation and tried to walk away but had to involve solicitors to get my deposit back - but that's another story.
I think if you are proceeding, and you can't get someone in the network to give you a hand by checking, you need to get it in writing that this is a UK specific RHD build car and not a car built for Asian markets and specifically not a car built to Malaysian or non UK RHD spec. I have been told that there is definitely a difference but of course I haven't verified that. If he can't give you this (or confirm that there are no differences at all) then there is a reason and you have more onion peeling going on. If it is UK spec car it looks very nice and if you like it just buy it to enjoy (you won't fail to do this) if you want it now and don't have an alternative available and don't worry too much about a few pounds either way. I regret spending 6 months looking around for my 458 (and meeting all sorts of shady characters and dismal dealerships) rather than going straight to an F dealer, getting 5% off and giving them my money. Mind you I love my car which is in ideal spec for me so it's only the time I regret.
I think if you are proceeding, and you can't get someone in the network to give you a hand by checking, you need to get it in writing that this is a UK specific RHD build car and not a car built for Asian markets and specifically not a car built to Malaysian or non UK RHD spec. I have been told that there is definitely a difference but of course I haven't verified that. If he can't give you this (or confirm that there are no differences at all) then there is a reason and you have more onion peeling going on. If it is UK spec car it looks very nice and if you like it just buy it to enjoy (you won't fail to do this) if you want it now and don't have an alternative available and don't worry too much about a few pounds either way. I regret spending 6 months looking around for my 458 (and meeting all sorts of shady characters and dismal dealerships) rather than going straight to an F dealer, getting 5% off and giving them my money. Mind you I love my car which is in ideal spec for me so it's only the time I regret.
Ask to see a print or screenshot of the data card from Modis, this will tell you the market where the car was initially supplied to, if it is Malaysia, Singapore etc then the car isn't 'UK spec'.
It may appear the same from the outside but there are some subtle technical differences, in particular the NIT and NAV units are different and would need to be changed, the car would also need a patch written from the factory to tell it that it's now a 'UK' car, if its come to the UK via the factory reclaiming it they will usually subsidise the dealer to do this anyway as part of the deal.
Also this will clarify the warranty, a Malaysian car would have a 3 year warranty not a 4 year, this can be topped up by the dealer so not the end of the world but this would show in future that it was a warranty extension not a factory supplied 4th year warranty.
Its becoming more and more common to see cars from the east turn up here as 'new' a year or two after production, Malaysia and India in particular are markets that have had a huge downturn, or in India's case just never lived up to its projections, while the North Europe/UK area continues to gain momentum.
It may appear the same from the outside but there are some subtle technical differences, in particular the NIT and NAV units are different and would need to be changed, the car would also need a patch written from the factory to tell it that it's now a 'UK' car, if its come to the UK via the factory reclaiming it they will usually subsidise the dealer to do this anyway as part of the deal.
Also this will clarify the warranty, a Malaysian car would have a 3 year warranty not a 4 year, this can be topped up by the dealer so not the end of the world but this would show in future that it was a warranty extension not a factory supplied 4th year warranty.
Its becoming more and more common to see cars from the east turn up here as 'new' a year or two after production, Malaysia and India in particular are markets that have had a huge downturn, or in India's case just never lived up to its projections, while the North Europe/UK area continues to gain momentum.
Davetherave95 said:
What's the spec on your 458?
It has (not sure of the technically correct names):Leds/carbon driving zone*
Carbon backed race seats * (black) with big red stripes in the middle and other red stitching around the place
carbon centre console and all dashboard inserts
carbon sills
20' gun metal forged alloys*
shields *
ipod connection
nav
reversing cams
parking sensors f/r
hi power stereo
yellow rev counter
TPMS
leather headliner and shelf
Of these the only ones I would really have as near essential are marked * but you usually find cars with these have extra bling added at vast expense. I think the extras on mine were £35k.
Just to go off topic I'm told that the average cost of extras on a new F car is approaching £40k and F really really don't want to process orders for "base" cars or cars with only a few extras.
MingtheMerciless said:
Just to go off topic I'm told that the average cost of extras on a new F car is approaching £40k and F really really don't want to process orders for "base" cars or cars with only a few extras.
Dealers are targeted for an average options per unit, a dealer actually makes little profit from options but the end of year bonus for achieving this is huge. I don't know the current figure but it is somewhere around this figure for sure.
footsoldier said:
Not worth the hassle, IMO. It's a 2 year old car that has a strange back story, imagine explaining that to the next guy when you sell it.m if you're keeping it for a long time and don't care, just get a cheaper 2 year old car that has few miles.
I agree with this. One wonders why it hasn't already sold if they're offering that amount off the sticker price. Either you're a very lucky guy who is the first to find it, or others have come before you and discovered the same curious backstory and thought "nah, too many questions". There's probably nothing wrong with it at all, at least mechanically, and the warranty should protect you, but at the end of the day it will always have an odd provenance. Odd can quite easily be tricky to sell on.
Edited by Durzel on Wednesday 16th November 12:43
MingtheMerciless said:
Davetherave95 said:
What's the spec on your 458?
It has (not sure of the technically correct names):Leds/carbon driving zone*
Carbon backed race seats * (black) with big red stripes in the middle and other red stitching around the place
carbon centre console and all dashboard inserts
carbon sills
20' gun metal forged alloys*
shields *
ipod connection
nav
reversing cams
parking sensors f/r
hi power stereo
yellow rev counter
TPMS
leather headliner and shelf
Of these the only ones I would really have as near essential are marked * but you usually find cars with these have extra bling added at vast expense. I think the extras on mine were £35k.
Just to go off topic I'm told that the average cost of extras on a new F car is approaching £40k and F really really don't want to process orders for "base" cars or cars with only a few extras.
Also do you know if there's much difference in the jbl sound system compared to standard?
Edited by Davetherave95 on Wednesday 16th November 15:50
Davetherave95 said:
mwstewart said:
The eighth digit of the VIN is the market code and the UK is ‘C’, but it is shared with some other RHD markets. Australia is separate and is 'D'.
What’s in the 458 VIN?
I asked them but yet to get a response. After much pondering I've decided to leave it and keep an eye out for nice spec used one over winter, you never know I might even get a bargain over winter What’s in the 458 VIN?
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