Every day tips for living with a 599

[cake eater]

Now eurotunnel and off to Pula, Croatia

[cake eater]

We'll be autobahn hunting based on this post
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t...

[akadk]

cake eater said:

Now eurotunnel and off to Pula, Croatia

Legendary

[cake eater]

While on a de-restricted section of Autobahn noticed a steering wheel vibration @ 250 plus.

As Nurburgring was just a few km away decided to visit tyre trade centre to get the wheels checked out. Unfortunately they were fully booked so could not do an alignment but agreed to fit me in to check the wheel balance.



While we waited for the appointment did a quick photo stop tour. Everything was closed.





Up on the ramp



First suspension was checked physically for play. TTC confirmed what MDL had said about the upper wishbone ball joints having a little play. The left steering arm ball joint also had play, maybe this is the source? Wheel bearings okay.

Tyres and rims washed before balancing




Then on the hunter road force balance
TTC said below 150, it's fronts, above it's rear and above 250 it's anything



TTC verbal limits
Rims should be 0.5mm out of round, max 1mm, 100Nm road force

These are the results
FR 1.85mm out of round, 15g out of balance, 20Nm road force
FL 1.27mm, 25g, 75Nm
RL 0.53mm, 35g, 20Nm
RR 0.81mm, 60g, 10Nm

TTC said that 35g out of balance was bad but 60g ...... and obviously the source of vibration.

All wheels were re-balanced.

Tested at 300 and all okay
Unfortunately no opportunity for a higher speed today.

[cake eater]

ANOpax said:

cake eater said:

Hi ANOpax,

Thank you.

I hope it's just the bulb gone.

A single second hand unit is 2.5k on eBay. Might as well get a new one as it's 2.7k on eurospares

Looking at the ScudING instructions, it does indeed look like the incandescent bulb has failed for the side-light/DRL.

While you’re in there, you should definitely upgrade the main beam projector bulb halogens too. Please check which fitting the 599 uses but a quick web search suggests D1S (same as the FF).

Wow! Massive improvement!
Need to get the beam positioned as it's a little high and I'm getting blinded by the glare off sign posts from my own lights!

[cake eater]

cake eater said:

We'll be autobahn hunting based on this post

After a 5 hour delay at the Nurburgring ring, finally made it to our overnight stop in Munich.

To summarise
A3 Frankfurt to Würzburg opened up into a nice fun road.
A81 Würzburg to Stuttgart was pretty much all 120 kph

Had a stop for dinner in Stuttgart. By the time we got out a submarine might have been better

A8 Stuttgart to Munich looked promising but it was more like swimming than driving.

Tomorrow is the final leg to Pula, Croatia. Not much opportunity for autobahn hunting so plan was the grossglockner high alpine road but unfortunately it's still closed

https://alpen-paesse.ch/
https://www.grossglockner.at/gg/de/index

[ANOpax]

cake eater said:

ANOpax said:

cake eater said:

Hi ANOpax,

Thank you.

I hope it's just the bulb gone.

A single second hand unit is 2.5k on eBay. Might as well get a new one as it's 2.7k on eurospares

Looking at the ScudING instructions, it does indeed look like the incandescent bulb has failed for the side-light/DRL.

While you’re in there, you should definitely upgrade the main beam projector bulb halogens too. Please check which fitting the 599 uses but a quick web search suggests D1S (same as the FF).

Wow! Massive improvement!
Need to get the beam positioned as it's a little high and I'm getting blinded by the glare off sign posts from my own lights!

I'm glad to hear that they were worth the effort.

Thank you for the update. I had my fingers crossed for decent wx for you yesterday as the forecast wasn't looking too rosy and there are a fair number of roadworks along your route. At least you're travelling out of season so traffic shouldn't have been too heavy.

[Tom4398cc]

There must be some PH Hero award for this amazing use of 48 hours:
- track day at Donnington;
- pop for some new tyres; and
- then casually point your 599 in the direction of Croatia.

Hats off to you Cake Eater.

[Stedman]

Some miles to Pula for sure

[akadk]

Tom4398cc said:

There must be some PH Hero award for this amazing use of 48 hours:
- track day at Donnington;
- pop for some new tyres; and
- then casually point your 599 in the direction of Croatia.

Hats off to you Cake Eater.

He’s got no room in his trophy cabinet

[cake eater]

ANOpax said:

I'm glad to hear that they were worth the effort.

Thank you for the update. I had my fingers crossed for decent wx for you yesterday as the forecast wasn't looking too rosy and there are a fair number of roadworks along your route. At least you're travelling out of season so traffic shouldn't have been too heavy.

Hi ANOpax,

Weather was marginal to terrible but today could not have been better. Like the lights

Traffic just heavy enough for enforced restraint

[cake eater]

Yesterday was a hard miles day particularly due to weather and traffic. An 0400 hrs start, Eurotunnel, tyre distraction and eventually finishing south of Munich at 2330 after +/- 940 miles.

I had ignored my rule about keeping daily driving hours to 6 max 8.

So today was more about the enjoyment.
Later start, clear skies and dry roads. Set off to Pula. Set two way points of Kitzbüehel and Pontebba and let Google maps sort the route.
https://www.kitzbuehel.com/en/
https://www.alpe-adria-radweg.com/en/16408/pontebb...

And today turned from beautiful and scenic to awesome and epic.

Edited by cake eater on Friday 5th April 22:56

[cake eater]

First off was the A8 south of Munich to Salzburg. This is one to bookmark! 3 lanes, straight smooth tarmac and lighter traffic.

Between two junctions we went up and down 3 times looking for a clear run. I think we need to choose a better time and day, ie early Sunday morning.

Got 201 on the clock and a GPS 197.

Stopped for fuel and a Vignette for Slovenia and Austria and photo bombed a group of Lamborghini huracáns.







According to my passenger the 599 was no longer and expensive donkey but now a fat chip among skinny chips!

I should have left him at the petrol station!

Edited by cake eater on Friday 5th April 22:21

Another photo bomb

Edited by cake eater on Saturday 6th April 07:36

[cake eater]

We travelled in convoy to Austria and split off on the road to Kitzbüehel.

Scenic does not come close

[cake eater]

And from scenic to epic another 480 miles, not including the extra de-restricted runs.

South of Kitzbüehel traffic pretty much cleared. From 4/5th gear A roads to the very tight and twisty SP110. Road surface of the SP 110 is terrible higher up and I'm sure the front rims are at least another decimal out of round.



Even managed a stop to skim stones under the eye of another beautiful castle

Edited by cake eater on Friday 5th April 22:59

[cake eater]

And arrived in Pula 8 hours later.

Beautiful villa


Secure parking



A drink as the sun sets


And a dip in the pool


The water was bloody freezing!

[cake eater]

Great day for trials





And a blatant plug for Alex Vencl
[phone]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/offroadmotoschool/https://www.facebook.com/off.road.enduro.tours/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCorDpIZ5_wfnvJD8G...

Villa La Perla Pula,Kroatien on Booking.com! https://www.booking.com/Share-4bJEYEr

[cake eater]

The left hand external mirror seal is very annoying. It's twisted and always ends up on the wrong side of the window if you drop the window fully down





To put the window up, you need to stick your finger in and pull the seal inside

So I've decided to replace it.


That made me think about the door seals.
On the drive to Croatia there's a little too much wind noise for a GT car, especially when you are in the car for a long time. So I thought might as well do the door seals until I saw the price


That's definitely a nice to have and not essential

[White-Noise]

Decided to have a nose at this thread as it seemed to get a lot of activity wondering what it's like to own a car like this. Seeing your trip is really cool and just a perfect thing to do so keep that info rolling.

Man those trial bikes take me back to when I used to watch dougie lampkin on eurosport before school!

I could offer more 599 ownership tips but I think you're doing exactly what I would anyway although I'd try and detour via fiorano see if it's possible to drive it (and monza and imola and mugello etc etc)

[cake eater]

White-Noise said:

Decided to have a nose at this thread as it seemed to get a lot of activity wondering what it's like to own a car like this. Seeing your trip is really cool and just a perfect thing to do so keep that info rolling.

Man those trial bikes take me back to when I used to watch dougie lampkin on eurosport before school!

I could offer more 599 ownership tips but I think you're doing exactly what I would anyway although I'd try and detour via fiorano see if it's possible to drive it (and monza and imola and mugello etc etc)

Hi White-Noise

I would love to take the 599 around Fiorano! I had a look last Christmas but didn't seem like they do trackdays there. Looks like you can hire a Ferrari on circuit but not sure about your own car.

But generally the 599 is for touring and gentlemanly trackdays like FOC

I also remember watching Dougie Lampkin and I like the low speed control stuff.