My first ever Ferrari has arrived, 2019 488 GTB [updated] now 458 Speciale. | Page 4 | FerrariChat

My first ever Ferrari has arrived, 2019 488 GTB [updated] now 458 Speciale.

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by sampelligrino, Jul 10, 2019.

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  1. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    Yeah, I’m now realizing I want a full wheel replacement, won’t do or accept the cheaper refinish option. Question is if my dealer will play ball as I hope. My detailer has found some various marks/imperfections in the paint and he’s working on getting those out, which is cool with me/expected. But the wheel is bothering me


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  2. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
  3. MANDALAY

    MANDALAY F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    May 23, 2013
    11,048
    AUSTRALIA
    Full Name:
    ANGELO

    They screwed you rear number plate holder ? Mine is with double sided tape. I guess you don't see it but weird to see. How about your front plate ?
     
  4. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    Rear is drilled which is cool with me, praise Jesus front is not touched and here in LA I won’t use one :) (knocking on wood)


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  5. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
  6. MANDALAY

    MANDALAY F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    May 23, 2013
    11,048
    AUSTRALIA
    Full Name:
    ANGELO
    I know there are at least 90% people who go for the forge wheel , but the traditional 5 spoke which the standard well is , is plain classy and looks PERFECT.

    Add to that the aluminium calipers and its pure CLASS. For me just don't like the Ronald M look of yellow and red calipers.

    Glad to see someone who agrees with me :)

    Looks GREAT !!!!

    Only difference is we don't have those bumper indicators in Australia. I can tell you im happy with that.

    I know you want to keep it stock but imagine if the were smoke with the orange and red bulbs.
     
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  7. spyder625

    spyder625 Formula Junior

    Jun 16, 2017
    717
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Mike
    beautiful color...
     
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  8. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    Congrats. A very nice spec. You will enjoy that car a lot.

    Good choice on the battery. Why wait to one is stranded somewhere kicking the dirt. Cheap insurance.:)
     
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  9. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 11, 2013
    10,861
    Congratulations on a beautiful car! The 488 is a great car, enjoy it!
     
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  10. sakodik

    sakodik Karting

    Jun 2, 2016
    169
    Santa Clara
    Full Name:
    Dan
    Congrats! I hope to see you around in the south bay.
     
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  11. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    Appreciate the kind words guys! I'm just loving what my eyes see so far, really happy

    And yes Co-Pilota, totally agree. Feel better mentally that the OEM battery is gone after all the research and posts from other FChatters. My detailer noted that my car came in with a newer, different trickle charger compared to other 488s he's seen (mine is a bigger/thicker black box vs a smaller silver CTEK? maybe no difference) so hope that the two will work together well along with some routine mileage to keep her happy

    Grazie! She will be with me mostly in LA, but I hope to find time to drive up, visit my old man, and take the opportunity to drive Skyline again and some other very amazing roads in Northern Cal when I get the chance. Being relatively new to CA also hope to explore Yosemite, Lake Tahoe etc
     
  12. ca_scud

    ca_scud Karting

    Dec 15, 2006
    79
    California
    Interesting note about the charger. I wonder if it is based on the CTEK 7002. Could you post a picture for us whenever you get a chance?
     
  13. Melvok

    Melvok F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 25, 2008
    14,101
    Amersfoort, The Netherlands, Europe.
    Full Name:
    Mel
    Congrats !

    Take your time to get to know your Ferrari … it takes a while, believe me.
     
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  14. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    No problem, once this wait is over!


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  15. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    Tint done (huper optik 60 ceramic) and full film wrap nearly complete (Suntek Ultra Defense)
     

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  16. SoCal to az

    SoCal to az F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 25, 2012
    14,209
    Arizona
    Awesome Sam! Looking good!
     
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  17. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    She's ready for her close-up. Paint corrected, prepped, wrapped, tinted, ceramic coated, full force fielded you name it...not people proof sadly, but happy with where she's at

    Now waiting for wheel resolution since dealer is nearby and I'm leaving on a work trip soon anyways, rather than go down to LA and then right back up to SF

    Thought I'd share a couple final pics that came out cool




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  18. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    #93 sampelligrino, Aug 20, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2019
    Picked her up yesterday at Ferrari Silicon Valley with 41 miles on the odo and a brand new front wheel as requested (another big thanks to all who encouraged me to not accept the chips, and have dealer replace)

    24hrs later I'm home in LA with 622 miles on the odo, a bit tired but with a huge ass grin on my face

    Did ~150mi on a hwy 1 loop from Santa Cruz, Davenport, to Half Moon Bay yesterday afternoon. Amazing. Did the rest today down from SF to LA with a mixed route and it was incredible. Saw temps from 59 degrees to 97 degrees, 101 to wide open roads through oil fields, to canyon sweepers and snakes, to boring but fast I5, to legendary 405 parking lot traffic. I'm shaking my head, what a car... different strokes for different folks but my God the 488 is amazing

    Observations (strictly my own opinion, not fact, not speaking for anyone else):

    - Car is fast. And I mean fast, I had to recalibrate what fast means for me. I love it, but it forces me to be eagle eyed and really pay attention to all surroundings when I hit the throttle. super fun. Apples to oranges but *to me* feels similar to the warp speed feeling you get smashing the throttle in a F12 (sound of course is very different). I'm coming from a 991.2 GT3 and this feels twice as fast, the low down torque is transformative. Just pulls endlessly from any spot in the rev range (only lit up the steering wheel a handful of times as I'm trying to follow a break in period to let components run-in)

    - This car is extremely versatile and I love that. In the canyons I stay in 3rd and 4th bomb it in race mode and acceleration feels explosive and instant. Get shoved in the seat. Get to I5, doing >85mph for an hour+ I don't want drone or too loud of exhaust noise, drop to 7th with bumpy road setting on and it cruises comfortably, can enjoy my music

    - Engine is a masterpiece IMO. Maybe it is worthy of the multiple engine of the year awards. Sound, great. Is it typical F1 or Ferrari higher pitched wine, no but doesn't matter to me I love it. Love the deep booming bellowing sound of the car at low rpms when valves open. It's loud and aggressive, enough for me. Throttle response is insanely good, surprisingly linear vs the more traditional wait for it then massive boost experience. The only way I know it's a turbo engine is if I am at lower RPMs you can faintly here the non-intrusive turbo whistle before the valves open, and then you get rolling thunder. On my 991.2 turbod Carrera I hated the turbo whine on the outside, searched for it on the 488 and don't mind at all

    - Apple Carplay. Worth every penny of the 4200 cost IMO. Game changer for me to have spotify and google/apple maps running on the right screen for this 7 hour drive. Have no need to pair my phone to bluetooth, took calls had nav running and everything through Carplay. Big big believer after having it in my newer 911s and now 488

    - Hifi sound. Actually find the sound quality to be great. Don't have experience with the standard stereo but color me impressed. I always option Bose etc on my cars since music is a big part of the experience for me

    - Race seats. Worth every penny, better than the Porsche buckets and better than the Porsche 18 way sport seats in my 911. Surprised to say my lower back is perfectly fine after almost 600 mi in 24hr, the lumbar positioning is perfect for me, a very comfortable seat. Could not say the same in the 911s

    - She is a thirsty girl. Keeping the car filled up once I hit half tank out of fear for the refilling issue we have at some stations here in CA with the vapor shroud, I had to make quite a few stops. Needed to do the pull the shroud trick at a couple stations, other times the pump worked perfectly fine

    - So cool to see the side intakes in the side mirrors, feels like a fighter jet. Also cool to see the haunches over the front wheels from the driver's seat

    - Speed limiter warning. Scared me first time it came on, thought of turning it off/setting warning to 200 mph. Turns out I love the feature because I switch between oil/coolant temps, TPMS, and oil pressure + batt voltage on the left screen to monitor during the drive. So the only speedo I am seeing is the tiny MPH indicator on the bottom, and with the car being so damn fast I like that it reminds me when I blow past 90 mph

    - Auto start stop, hate it wish my car didn't have it but cest la vie. Sometimes forget to turn it off when I drive off, but it'll become muscle memory

    - Auto mode is useless, car wants to be in 7th @ 40mph. Feels really like there are gears 1-6 which you can flow through and use, and then I only use 7th when cruising on the freeway

    - Driver side front tire typically ~10F warmer than right so the 488 probably has the same heat exchanger situation on the left like the 458

    - The car feels big. I think RWS would be a nice feature on these cars, I loved how much smaller it made my GT3 feel. The GT3 felt more nimble, tossable, lighter (probably because it is). The 488 feels more like a freight train and still new to the car so trying to understand the limits on corners, get a feel for what she likes and doesn't like, and keep tires stuck to the pavement

    - Michelin PSS are nice tires, Cup2s would be nicer for more grip on hot asphalt but I don't track so will probably leave it be

    - Driving position is not as good as in my 911 but maybe just takes some getting used to. Want the steering wheel to be a bit closer to me

    - Cuoio upper dash. Thank God I went for what I wanted, really enjoy the consistent look vs. the popular nero upper dash choice. Glare reflection not an issue at all for me and I was flying through the middle of CA on a cloudless day nearly blinding my eyes with how bright it was (forgot shades). You make some of it out but I'm not paying attention to it, but instead what is in front of me because I'm closing in on it quickly. Also there is a black trim piece between the leather dash and where the windshield meets the front hood which means that the glare is only visible on the upper section of the windscreen where I'm not really looking. I could see how it could bother some people, but 0 issue for me thankfully.

    All in all, I'm jazzed, feel fortunate. Now just look forward to putting more miles on the car. Might even try to make it out onto the PCH tonight for a sunset cruise to Malibu and back
     

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  19. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    This looks like some made in China thing (lol) vs the smaller silver tender I saw connected to other Fcars in the dealer showroom. It had more lights/info etc vs my single icon no text black box

    I'll be driving my 488 regularly and have the aftermarket battery already in, but I might want the silver tender just judging appearances. The other one looks more legit but what do I know


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  20. C50

    C50 Formula 3

    Aug 19, 2016
    1,729
    808
    Very cool
    Nice write up
    I agree with you especially about the versatility of the 488. It’s such a great all-around car.
    Makes me glad I don’t have the autostop/start

    I had planned on skipping CarPlay and the upgraded stereo in my upcoming spec, but your comments have me reconsidering
     
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  21. SoCal to az

    SoCal to az F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 25, 2012
    14,209
    Arizona
    Awesome!! So happy for you Sam. Glad to hear you share my feeling about auto mode. Totally useless. And to think I had someone arguing with me about how great it is- someone who doesn’t own the car and has no miles behind the wheel.

    Good on you! Enjoy it!!
     
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  22. sampelligrino

    sampelligrino Formula 3

    Apr 16, 2017
    1,129
    Thanks fellas, I am like a pig in **** right now!

    IMO just depends on your budget and preference. Both definitely cost a pretty penny but are very much worth it to me now after this long drive, whereas I did not find much value in any exterior or interior carbon other than the wheel (F1 style wheel makes me a wannabe Schumacher) and seats. I'm sure some are the opposite needing the carbon but don't care for tech or audio.

    Back home in 808 I don't know if I'd use CarPlay as much vs just stream bluetooth music since I don't know the last time I used nav there. But for CA where I find myself in new places daily (and where traffic can change the trajectory of a drive), I am always running apple or google maps. Always have music going too. Kind of like the lifter for me, I thought better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it

    Had 0 thoughts towards resale and recouping that cost back, if it's a concern

    Lol it's embarassing... I thought putting it in race mode auto mode would be better, like in the 911/GT3 sport mode changes the mapping for gear changes and is way more aggressive holding onto a gear...nope!

    But it's such an awesome car, I am really impressed. Had concerns about this being a modern Ferrari, lost it's soul, turbo etc... all of that went out the window the moment I feathered the throttle and got shoved into the seat. Maybe ignorance is bliss

    Can only imagine the Pista for you guys :)
     
  23. SoCal to az

    SoCal to az F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 25, 2012
    14,209
    Arizona
    Just keep it out of auto mode and you will love it!
     
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  24. Randyslovis

    Randyslovis Formula Junior

    Jul 7, 2011
    897
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Randall J Slovis
    I have seen 488s in virtually every color/combo.
    Titanium/cuoio by far the best.
    Your car clearly illustrates how less is more with "all stitching in same" and the standard wheel.
    Enjoy!!
     
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  25. MANDALAY

    MANDALAY F1 World Champ
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    May 23, 2013
    11,048
    AUSTRALIA
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    ANGELO
    #100 MANDALAY, Aug 20, 2019
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2019

    A fellow mate here in Aus had his 488 GTB delivered 3 months after mine and he received the same tender as you. Must be an upgrade, or they ran out of the ctek.
     
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