Options for 458??

IMO:

For a minimum:

Shields
20 wheels
CF driving zone with LEDs
Back up sensors
Power seats (possibly daytona)
Stitching in color
Painted calipers

After this I would say Sat radio, Nav, and homelink.

 

I think you nailed it.

 

I went over the biggest speed bump I've ever seen this weekend and I had no problems without the lift. But I think there can be times when it can be helpful if you have to negotiate a steep incline.

I have not missed it.

 

Did I go overboard? I don't think so. Love the car!
Here are the specs for my 2012 458:
Rosa Corsa Exterior
Beige Interior
Tan Carpet
Fender Shields
20" Limited Edition 10 Spoke Wheels #PN70001936 with Red Centers
Red Brake Calipers
Daytona Style Full Electric Seats with Home Link
Seat Piping in Red
Special Stitching in Red
Carbon Fiber Lower Rocker Panel
Carbon Fiber Front Wings
Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
Heat Insulating Front Windshield
Front Suspension Lifter
AFT Headlight System
Front & Rear Parking Sensors
Rear Parking Camera
Tachometer in Yellow
Carbon Fiber Drivers Zone with LED Steering Wheel
Carbon Fiber Dash Board
Carbon Fiber Upper Tunnel
Carbon Fiber Lower Cabin with Carbon Fiber Central Console
Leather Headliner in Beige
Leather Rear Shelf in Beige
Leather Upper Zone in Beige
Leather Central Tunnel in Beige
Seat Belts in Red
Premium Hi Fi Sound
Satellite Navigation System
Satellite Radio
Cruise Control
Steering Wheel Grips in Red
Cavallino on Seats Stitched in Red

 

The grigio corsa wheels....supposedly limited to 300 sets or so. They wouldn't let me order it with the car and i had to order it from the parts dept.

BTW necessary is subjective, because none of the options are necessary to drive the car. However some enhance the sensation and ideal is all you can really go for, know i went overboard and ordered my perfect car.
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WOW.......sounds amazing. Overboard, IMHO no....just expensive.

 

I decided against the lift system, nav, rear camera and CF other than the steering wheel. Got pretty much everything else. In the end, I went with standard seats fully electric and special contrast stitching.

 

I am with you...except that I like the standard wheels. I got the leather rear shelf and headliner, but, I could have done without in retrospect. I also like the full sensors (front and back).

 

Of all the exotics I've owned, it seems that the options that mean the most in the long run are those that enhance the actual performance driving experience. Sure, its nice to have nav, back up cameras, parking sensors and sat radio in my Lexus (LS460L, daily driver), but I avoided these on a car like the 458 which I will use purely for the occassional blast on my favorite canyon road.

Frankly, i think the sensors in the front and rear bumpers of the 458 are out of place on the car and spoil the surfaces. The tack-on bump on the roof (its either for sat nav or sat radio) also clutters up the design. As I've mentioned before, the use of carbon fiber as a cosmetic treatment (as opposed to genuine structural advantage or weight savings, like the a arm on an F-1 car) is a trend that will some day become passé. Its like the non functional hood scoops and vents on a car from the 80s.

The wonderful thing about the 458 is that most of the features that enhance the performance driving experience are not options, they are built into the car. Carbon brakes, adjustable ride and shift mapping, a fantastic engine. Accordingly it seems to me that the first and most important option would have to be the seats. I ordered the race seats with alcantara inserts simply because its no fun to drive on a twisty mountain road or a track when one is sliding all over the cockpit. Beyond that, I was hard pressed to come up with any other truly desirable options. I chose a few cosmetic goodies like the shields and diamond finish wheels, but that's it. I grudgingly added cruise because I've heard over and over again how sensitive the throttle is. After all, I do have to drive it to and from the track.

The only hesitation I had was the led wheel. Certainly, it can be argued that the lights might help one shift at redline without looking at the tach. However, I decided that I would probably end up turning the lights off after awhile out of sheer annoyance, so I decided against it.

 

Back up sensors are only out of place into you crash the rear into a pole you can't see.

The huge dent in your rear will be a lot more "out if place".

 

I agree with you, race seats are a must, especially when they look so good. Actually the highest priced 458's currently have some of the highest asking prices, so may help with resale. I agree about the parking sensors, total waste and another electronic item that will probably just fail over time.

 

Do not skimp on the seats. Many of us that won't be buying new, but will wait until the market settles a bit, will want the Daytonas at a minimum. It really isn't that much of an add compared to the overall price, but if you ever try and sell later, you will appreciate this advice.

For example, take a look at Ferrari of Seattle's inventory. Look at how many nice cars they have with the stock seats, and guess what, they are not moving.

 

This, then, begs the question: what kind of driver backs his Ferrari 458 into a pole? Moreover, it will take much more than a back up sensor to protect this guy from himself.

 

Could not agree more with you.

 

I also agree the race seats look great.

 

I TOTALLY agree! They protect me with things I can't see either.

 

+1

Not on a Ferrari, but backup sensors saved me one time when there was a little kid (without parents of course) messing around behind my car.

 

Agreed. I don't even like them on larger sedans in darker shades because you can always see those "zits" on the bumpers. It really distracts your eyes from the lines of the car.

Ah, that's what I THOUGHT I was going to do with mine. After my first one, I realized how much I loved driving it so I spec'ed my second one to be more friendly for more frequent use. While it's not a daily driver at this point, it does go everywhere if I picked it for the day. With that said ...

The throttle IS sensitive and is especially uncomfortable for the passenger (wife, in my case). The engine is so responsive to minute throttle changes that it's really hard to keep it at a particular pace. My use case requires it to be driven in low-performance environments, like going through neighborhoods with 35mph speed limits. It works all the way down to 20mph if the situation requires it. I have found the cruise control option to be a blessing for those situations because having it allows me to use the car MORE.

Such is the predicament of wanting to have this beast of a machine, yet having to use it in mundane suburban environments before unleashing it on the racetrack or a lonely mountain road.

 

I did get the lifter because I hate having scraps on the front of my exotics; however, there is a downside. The car can't be lowered more than 1/4" in the front. I was going to lower the car because the US cars seem to be much higher than the Euro spec. Even if that is not the case, the car is still way too high for might taste. It is now not worth lowering for 1/4".

I did put the skid plates on the bottom of the bumper, so perhaps I could have gotten away without getting the lifter. The other annoying thing is that you are forced (by US law) to get the adjustable headlights with the lifter option.

+1 on getting racing seats!

G

 

I agree that front and rear sensors are a must IMHO.

 

Regarding the sensors, I stand by my opinion that they are out of place on the car and are woefully inconsistent with the design. An Italian exotic with sensors? Really? I own a Ford GT which has relatively poor reward visibility and its about as likely that I would back it into a pole as lobster crawling out of my ears. When I'm in the GT, my level of focus is elevated, to say the least. Remember those funny old wire curb feelers that used to extend from the wheel wells of grandpa's Buick? Well, the sensors on the 458 are the modern equivalent...

Now, I am willing to concede that others may not share my opinion, nor my circumstance. I understand that there are those urban 458 owners who have to negotiate tight parking spots, or even, heaven forbid, parallel park their cars. Last time I was in Paris, I saw a 458 parked in spot that I would't have tried with a Smart car. For those who are so afflicted, I admit that the sensors are a practical necessity. Just glad I don't order 'em on my car. I could park a tractor trailer at my place and not have to worry about hitting anything. I used the sensors on my 430 a grand total of never, and hated the way they looked from the beginning.

Having said that, don't think for a minute that if it turns out I'm wrong and actually do back my $260,000 car into a pole, that I'll admit here on Fchat