Every day tips for living with a 599

[WCZ]

you can't beat RMA days imo, I did them for many years

they are expensive and the standard of driving is high which at first was intimidating (I did my first ever track days on them) but well worth the money imo

[FFinally]

I bought a one year old F8. I need to work on my username! Lovely thing to drive but not driven it in anger yet.

[FFinally]

Unfortunately the timing of the FOC trackday events clashes with existing commitments - was really tempted by Goodwood. Am aiming to head to the FOC event at Sywell in early June.

[cake eater]

WCZ said:

you can't beat RMA days imo, I did them for many years

they are expensive and the standard of driving is high which at first was intimidating (I did my first ever track days on them) but well worth the money imo

I agree with everything you said. My preferred TDO.

[cake eater]

FFinally said:

Unfortunately the timing of the FOC trackday events clashes with existing commitments - was really tempted by Goodwood. Am aiming to head to the FOC event at Sywell in early June.

I'm also tempted by the Goodwood event but will depend on work commitments. I've never driven the circuit before. Looks very fast and fun.

Edited by cake eater on Tuesday 12th April 13:42

[cake eater]

FFinally said:

I bought a one year old F8. I need to work on my username! Lovely thing to drive but not driven it in anger yet.

Congratulations! What an awesome car! What did you have before? I had a GT86 and a Caterham.

Can I recommend Colin at https://catdrivertraining.co.uk/
He is IMHO the best car skills instructor and of the different places I have tried, the best school of them all.
You can spend a day with him at Millbrook, away from any perceived trackday pressure, you'll be the only car on 'circuit' and try the car in anger covering a wide range of scenarios from high speed lane change in different Manetino settings, over grip limit on the steering pad, threshold braking etc.

He'll also go with you on circuit but I'd actually recommend Andrew Bentley http://andrewbentley.co.uk/
For the circuit driving skills.

Anyway, I'm sure you have this all covered and I wish you all the best with the F8 (I'm only a little jealous)

[FFinally]

Thank you for the tips! My prior car was an Alfa Giulia Q so this is a bit of a step up… i decided that life is too short and that I’d spent enough time looking at them and should fulfill a dream that started with a Testarossa poster about 37 years ago…

[cake eater]

FFinally said:

Thank you for the tips! My prior car was an Alfa Giulia Q so this is a bit of a step up… i decided that life is too short and that I’d spent enough time looking at them and should fulfill a dream that started with a Testarossa poster about 37 years ago…

I was the same. A few major life changes. If not now then never. But now I want a V8 to go with the V12. An expensive donkey needs a stable partner!

[cake eater]

Spent the afternoon washing then polishing the 599. It's really nice how the sunlight picks out the metallic silver in the paint.


Flat light to show the difference

[cake eater]

When the cottage you booked for the Easter weekend is down a half mile of gravel track and your expensive donkey does more off road than the average Chelsea Tractor

[cake eater]

Not so random millage pic

[cake eater]

So today I took the 599 to MDL Specialist Cars http://mdlferrari.co.uk/ to have a check over prior to going to Germany for a WWII tour as well as car control training with Gedlich-Racing https://gedlich-racing.com/ at Sachsensing and Nordschleife





I also wanted to get new pads installed as well as GTO spec ARBs

The GTO spec ARBs are quite a bit thicker than the standard GTB and have made an immediate improvement to the body control without any discernible reduction in ride quality.


I had a search on the internet for pads as I have never been happy with the standard pad feel. A chat with Leo at Madeno Racing http://www.madenoracing.com/ recommended both Endless and the GTO spec ARBs. After at chat with Mel at R53 engineering http://www.r53engineering.com/ she recommended two pads and I chose the more road oriented pad MX72

"MX72 - €352 (EIP184) / €545 (EIP185)

MX72 is the ultimate street ceramic-carbon-metallic compound developed for extreme speeds and power. MX72 is developed with lots of technology and effort in it to cope with the demands of an extreme street compound. It is suited for use in a power brake system with or without ABS and EPS. The MX72 is a high heat resistance compound which can also be used for circuit racing, like a sports car club race day, so there is no need to change pads for such an event. The initial

bite and response is excellent even at very high speed like 250-300 km/h and so also the pedal feel and brake balance.

Friction: 0,37-0,47?

Heat levels: 50-700°C"



Side by side Endless vs OEM


Old pad, in terrible condition and not picked up at the previous service


CCM and calliper with old pads


CCM and calliper with new pads


Immediate impression has been very favourable with much more feel. I am not sure if a new OEM pad would have had the same improvement as the old pads were in very bad shape and probably contributed to my poor impression of the OEM.

Edited by cake eater on Thursday 21st April 00:52

Edited by cake eater on Thursday 21st April 00:55

[cake eater]

Some general pics of the car from below


With the undertray / floor removed (front)


With the undertray / floor removed (rear)


These are the cleaned up bolts securing just the rear undertray


Front undertray


Rear undertray was full of gravel so was powerwashed

[cake eater]

Rear CCM, calliper and pads were in good shape




tyres were interesting as they showed very little wear however the outside edge / shoulders were badly worn


this picture shows the size of the fronts compared to the rear and perhaps one reason why understeer is a problem (along with managing the weight transfer)

[cake eater]

Fluid levels were checked and decision made to change the gearbox oil. From the look of the oil it has never been done before and the sump plug was thick with gunge (sorry, no pic of this)

Coolant, power steering and brake fluid were all good

however when the engine oil was checked it was over filled. What was also concerning was the aeration evident on the dipstick
|https://thumbsnap.com/HJ5bkjru[/url]

I had complained to GreyPaul before but was told I probably didn't use the correct procedure however Lee at MDL was also concerned and 250ml of oil was syphoned out. You can see clearly that the oil is in very bad shape, not just discoloured but very foamy.
[url]

The oil check procedure in the manual is detailed and a little in depth. I had followed this as well as checked this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgTyhEocHSU


Air filters were also checked and found to be contaminated with oil



This contamination is probably a result of the previous over filling of oil. When the repair was carried out the air filters were not changed at the time. They are also dated 2018 so 4 years old and well due replacement

I have contacted GreyPaul and will see what they say. If they don't give me a satisfactory response I will contact Ferrari Europe. If anyone has a contact there it would be much appreciated.

[cake eater]

An Englishman, Irishman and West Indian when to Germany in a German, Italian and British for a WWII tour.

Morning photo op


On the train


Stopped for fuel - this has happened a lot!!


A couple things of note.
The McLaren get the most attention. The 599 uses the most fuel. Almost double the McLaren and about 50% more than the GT-R

[F355GTS]

cake eater said:

Fluid levels were checked and decision made to change the gearbox oil. From the look of the oil it has never been done before and the sump plug was thick with gunge (sorry, no pic of this)

Coolant, power steering and brake fluid were all good

however when the engine oil was checked it was over filled. What was also concerning was the aeration evident on the dipstick
|https://thumbsnap.com/HJ5bkjru[/url]

I had complained to GreyPaul before but was told I probably didn't use the correct procedure however Lee at MDL was also concerned and 250ml of oil was syphoned out. You can see clearly that the oil is in very bad shape, not just discoloured but very foamy.
[url]

The oil check procedure in the manual is detailed and a little in depth. I had followed this as well as checked this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgTyhEocHSU


Air filters were also checked and found to be contaminated with oil



This contamination is probably a result of the previous over filling of oil. When the repair was carried out the air filters were not changed at the time. They are also dated 2018 so 4 years old and well due replacement

I have contacted GreyPaul and will see what they say. If they don't give me a satisfactory response I will contact Ferrari Europe. If anyone has a contact there it would be much appreciated.

Ferrari released an updated oil level procedure, somewhat complicated as I recall but apparently stopped the frequent overfilling

[cake eater]

F355GTS said:

cake eater said:

Fluid levels were checked and decision made to change the gearbox oil. From the look of the oil it has never been done before and the sump plug was thick with gunge (sorry, no pic of this)

Coolant, power steering and brake fluid were all good

however when the engine oil was checked it was over filled. What was also concerning was the aeration evident on the dipstick
|https://thumbsnap.com/HJ5bkjru[/url]

I had complained to GreyPaul before but was told I probably didn't use the correct procedure however Lee at MDL was also concerned and 250ml of oil was syphoned out. You can see clearly that the oil is in very bad shape, not just discoloured but very foamy.
[url]

The oil check procedure in the manual is detailed and a little in depth. I had followed this as well as checked this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgTyhEocHSU


Air filters were also checked and found to be contaminated with oil



This contamination is probably a result of the previous over filling of oil. When the repair was carried out the air filters were not changed at the time. They are also dated 2018 so 4 years old and well due replacement

I have contacted GreyPaul and will see what they say. If they don't give me a satisfactory response I will contact Ferrari Europe. If anyone has a contact there it would be much appreciated.

Ferrari released an updated oil level procedure, somewhat complicated as I recall but apparently stopped the frequent overfilling

Do you have a screen shot of the revised procedure that you can send me? Or know who might be able to give it to me? Main dealer has been vague about their process.

Thanks

[johnnyreggae]

There's a selection of procedures on Ferrarichat - try looking in the 599 section for 'oil level' & I guess choose the most recent !

eg https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/checking...

[cake eater]

johnnyreggae said:

There's a selection of procedures on Ferrarichat - try looking in the 599 section for 'oil level' & I guess choose the most recent !

Hi JohnnyReggae,

Ferrarichat and clubscuderia have the same two procedures. Damaged MAF as a result being a common problem on both forums.
1. as per the handbook (this gave level 300ml high)
2. warm with engine at idle (this gave level at max)

Both forums mention the revised procedure and even state 2009 as the revision year but I can't find it and a google search isn't much more help