Test Drive a 4C

Author
Discussion

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
I live in York and keep thinking about a 4C, the two dealers near me have "not seen one for two years" and I could do with knowing if certain dealers are 4C specialists. Also are there deals on new ones, or is it best to buy one slightly used.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

_Superleggera_

2,003 posts

196 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
You'll only get a deal on a new one if there is one demo or stock car floating around a dealership.

Try and get in contact with Paul Jones at Stoneacre Chesterfield and see if he can sort you out a test drive.

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

_Superleggera_

2,003 posts

196 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
detee said:
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Just bear in mind that production is ending. I'm pretty sure the last few cars have been signed off now.

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all
Thank you, I have a year old 991.2 GTS manual that I hardly use, so was thinking of something that does not have quite so much cash tied up in it for high days and holidays. The Alpine would be fun I guess, and trying to avoid the Cayman Boxter route.

MattyB_

2,008 posts

256 months

Thursday 10th May 2018
quotequote all

Don't rule out the Lotus options too - especially the Exige V6 (inc. the Roadster variant) and the Evora 400 (and its variants).

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Friday 11th May 2018
quotequote all
Thank you, I have thought about Lotus and will have a look into them, they always look tiny and hard to get in and out of!

GaryG182

288 posts

222 months

Friday 11th May 2018
quotequote all
detee said:
Thank you, I have thought about Lotus and will have a look into them, they always look tiny and hard to get in and out of!

You’ve pretty much just summed up the 4C; “tiny and hard to get in and out of”

Armitage.Shanks

2,251 posts

84 months

Friday 11th May 2018
quotequote all
GaryG182 said:
detee said:
Thank you, I have thought about Lotus and will have a look into them, they always look tiny and hard to get in and out of!

You’ve pretty much just summed up the 4C; “tiny and hard to get in and out of”
Whilst I wouldn't call build quality of a 4C good by Porsche standards I'd surmise if better than Lotus and given the ceased production and limited circulation 4C might have the edge?

Stopped me buying a GT4 is all I can say.

MattyB_

2,008 posts

256 months

Saturday 12th May 2018
quotequote all
detee said:
Thank you, I have thought about Lotus and will have a look into them, they always look tiny and hard to get in and out of!
The Elise/Exige is quite difficult, however the Evora (especially the 400 with it's narrower sills) are much easier, and far more usable. That being said, the Evora is a much bigger, more refined 'proper' car, rather than the Elise/Exige/4C.

blearyeyedboy

6,252 posts

178 months

Saturday 12th May 2018
quotequote all
GaryG182 said:

You’ve pretty much just summed up the 4C; “tiny and hard to get in and out of”
Has Sir considered an Alpine A110?

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Saturday 12th May 2018
quotequote all
blearyeyedboy said:
GaryG182 said:

You’ve pretty much just summed up the 4C; “tiny and hard to get in and out of”
Has Sir considered an Alpine A110?
I most certainly have considered one, but the launch editions are sold out, and delivery dates are hard to come by. In fact any information seems difficult!

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Saturday 26th May 2018
quotequote all
The Alfa network is a mystery, a fellow PHer from here kindly gave me the contact details for a dealer, I spoke to him and he was very knowledgable and had a car coming in. He mentioned a test drive and lending me a car. I have never heard from him again. These cars could be amazing but finding out if that is true is impossible.

DeltonaS

3,707 posts

137 months

Saturday 26th May 2018
quotequote all
GaryG182 said:
detee said:
Thank you, I have thought about Lotus and will have a look into them, they always look tiny and hard to get in and out of!

You’ve pretty much just summed up the 4C; “tiny and hard to get in and out of”
The 4C is def. bigger than a Lotus (in all dimensions) and easier to get in and out of.



Armitage.Shanks

2,251 posts

84 months

Saturday 26th May 2018
quotequote all
detee said:
The Alfa network is a mystery, a fellow PHer from here kindly gave me the contact details for a dealer, I spoke to him and he was very knowledgable and had a car coming in. He mentioned a test drive and lending me a car. I have never heard from him again. These cars could be amazing but finding out if that is true is impossible.
Isn't there a dealer in Harrogate? Further afield in Knutsford have a couple on stock . The white one is used by the dealer principal and for test drives. The 4C chap there knows his stuff (usually only 1 or 2 salesmen are trained up) and doesn't hold back letting you have a go. Convinced me to buy one albeit I did a deal over the phone for one down south. Customer experience is no where near OPC standards so don't expect much so Alfaworks will probably get my servicing business after I explore Mangoletsi which is nearest to me and given the demographics service quite a few of them.

Alfa marketed these cars all wrong and they need to think long and hard about selling their new breed of cars through a bog standard Fiat dealership.

sng45

497 posts

175 months

Saturday 26th May 2018
quotequote all

detee

Original Poster:

627 posts

148 months

Sunday 27th May 2018
quotequote all
That has been there a while, you can get a 2017 spider for 42k so it does not look like value. The only advice Imanaged to get from a fellow PHer is leading me to a late model spider.

_Superleggera_

2,003 posts

196 months

Monday 28th May 2018
quotequote all
Alexander’s are a good dealer but have always well overpriced their 4C’s.

MellowshipSlinky

14,673 posts

188 months

Monday 28th May 2018
quotequote all
DeltonaS said:
GaryG182 said:
detee said:
Thank you, I have thought about Lotus and will have a look into them, they always look tiny and hard to get in and out of!

You’ve pretty much just summed up the 4C; “tiny and hard to get in and out of”
The 4C is def. bigger than a Lotus (in all dimensions) and easier to get in and out of.
Certainly is bigger.

I can easily get a V6 Exige in my garage, whereas the 4C I tried was a massive struggle.

Stuart J

1,301 posts

256 months

Thursday 31st May 2018
quotequote all
DeltonaS said:
The 4C is def. bigger than a Lotus (in all dimensions) and easier to get in and out of.
If your struggling to get in hold the door open button down on the remote and a few seconds and after it’s unlocked the car it drops the windows , makes getting ina lot easier