Ownership Perspectives..... 6 months in.

So I have owned my 599 since Christmas week 2019. Overall its been a great experience. just thought I'd give my 6 month in perspective:

I came from "classic Ferraris of the 80's 308's 328 for over 25 years. while these cars were not anywhere as fast as the 599 - they required you to be totally engaged in the car and driving. The 599 does not demand that until you are doing stupid speeds... really stupid speeds. I have watched Jeremy Clarkson's Top Gear review of the 599 -and I have to agree...to a point.

the 599 is so usable, so easy to live with and drive that there is not the same sense of engagement... its not "special" in terms of quirks or issues. ( SO FAR ) ... its hard to compare, but the 308/328 series cars made you work and kept you engaged in the driving .... they also always needed "something" ... the 599 has needed nothing so far. I've had a couple of warnings that pop up, had one check engine light and two stalls... both of which were from hitting the brakes super hard to avoid a bump or squirrel... the F-1 system could not figure out what to do so it stalled.

So while I continue to love the 599- its unbelievable power and speed - the sound it makes in 2nd -3rd gear in sport or race mode... there are some times it just seems like a normal car - you forget you are in a Ferrari... where as the 328 - always reminded you were in a Ferrari. I miss the stick shift of my 328, I miss the classic beauty of mid engine - rear cars. I miss the ability to tinker with the 599... don't get me wrong I don't want something bad to happen... because I know It can... but I liked the ability to take things apart, do my own oil, etc.. on the older cars.... I cant for the life of me figure out what Ferrari were thinking when they make an oil change so difficult on the 599 to get right... even for Factory Trained people... anyway I'm surprised that I'm as nostalgic for the older cars as I am. Today- with 89% humidity and 90F out side I'm totally loving that the 599 has ice cold air, comfortable seats and a great Bluetooth sound system... I love turning the key, wait for the blue check ok light and hitting the red start button... I love the bark when you start it... the sense of occasion when you back out... trying to not tear up the clutch... I love that moment when you have a free & clear highway and can jump on it 3rd gear and the lights light up in the wheel... and the terror to realize you are in go to jail speed instantly... the brakes are amazing ... and I'm amazed and love no brake dust... I hate the stone chips you get on the wide nose. I hate the plastic LED strip in the steering wheel.... I love the seats, they are comfy, supportive and I like all the auto adjustment. its just a completely different animal to a 328 series from the 80's... that is what is so hard to get over.

But there are similarities - delicate switches - mirror switch. sticky buttons, radio cover that stays at an odd angle... why do you have to press a button to open the glove box? rattles from the seat belt on the carbon door ... hate that. I love the documents holder, and love the key!

so I guess I have matured into a modern Ferrari owner - still happy/ grumpy after all these years.

 

It sounds like you leave the F1 in Auto if you want to get a better driving experience more engaging try putting it in manual mode and then use the steering wheel less to run the rpms up .. IT WILL you a completely different feel and still have all the
comfort of a modern car ..,..
nice write up by the way ...

 

Could have written the same with my FF vs my old Testarossa! Miss her!


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The feeling of blasting down the highway in my '77 308 GTB and having the master cylinder give out. That great feeling of having the car so hot that the starter refuses to engage. That feeling of going so fast that the front end starts to get really light. The power windows that are such a joke you don't want to run them when anyone can see. That great feeling of coming up next to an 18 wheeler and looking at his axels as you go by and hoping he doesn't move. And then of course there is the over heating, of which on my car I fixed.
No, I don't miss any of that. The 599 is a car to be respected. She has her issues and when they come up they are not cheap. I like being in car that is considerably safer than the 308. I also feel the build quality is far better than than the 70s, 80s, and 90s cars. There is more technology than I would like and look out if it breaks. But other than that, the 599 is an awesome machine.

 

Great write up! Thank you. Is the F1 transmission a step backwards after you've owned a newer DCT machine?
T

 

Boy, I agree with everything you said. I traded in my Testarossa a couple of years ago for a 612 OTO. In every respect the 612 is a superior car. It's too early to say that it's more reliable because it is very complex, much more than the TR, and the TR was 21 years old when I acquired it, so I should have expected more problems to arise than with a six year old car (when I bought the 612). But notwithstanding all that, I miss the gated shifter and the little steering wheel and the relatively simple controls and the fact that people would run up to me in the parking lots and say, "I had a poster of that car in my bedroom!" I was driving down the Turnpike one afternoon in the TR and a panel van pulled around me and when it got parallel to me, the side door slid open and some guy pointed a movie camera out the door and started shooting my car. That's what owning a TR was like. No other Ferrari has ever been so iconic, so recognizable by so many people. So weird, so exotic compared to the cookie-cutter designs of today. The rear end of that car is so much more intimidating than that of any other Ferrari. So I miss all that. But I DO NOT REGRET for one minute making the trade. Hey, if I want to work on my car, I can go out and buy a Triumph TR3 and work on it every afternoon. Indeed, I would HAVE TO work on it every afternoon.

 

Hi:
Actually I drive mine in F-1 all the time ( except after getting Starbucks ) so the paddles are fine, I sometimes forget to keep my foot on the brake so when I go to start out - huge rev up... kind of embarrassing... I've been fortunate enough to have driven all the F-1 style cars since they have come out thanks to a friendship with the dealer here in Atlanta... so its kind of natural. I do admit sometimes still reaching for the stick shift when on the Highway... then realizing its paddles...

I love the 599.. .I'm happy to have it. its just so different.

 

the 599 F-1 vs. modern Tributo ... is completely different. there is a noticeable lag in change in the 599 - way faster and smoother than doing it on your own, but compared to an F8 -or 812 - Portofino etc... it seems like a huge lag. the F-8 is so smooth and almost imperceptible when you change gear... unless you are at full throttle and then its almost violent in race mode... ( I just cant see how that is good for a transmission - but it is an amazing experience ).... I'm not sure how different it is from DCT but would say that there is a noticeable pause in the 599 ( .5 sec max) 2nd gear is the one you notice the most... change up and down from all other gears - in race mode is very fast... and can be brutal on the track. Race mode is best handling - but roughest ride... I drive in town in slippery surface mode mostly so the changes are a slower.

 

I agree with you. The 308 / 328 "Is that the Magnum car?" is what you would get all the time. and people always stared at you... but I guess I'm so used to it that I don't really notice any more... my wife says people still stare at the 599... but not as much.... but I do notice many more people wanting to "race" you on the highway... people in Chargers especially or BMW's... they just come charging buy... it makes me a bit nervous. I notice guys in Porsche's stay away...?

 

someday....

 

I would wholeheartedly agree with these sentiments. After 4 years, the more I drive it, the more I like it. These have lost a good bit of value and probably have more to go, it is a massive amount of car and presence for the money.

I view all those guys blowing by me in Chargers as my early warning system!

 

I've had some hairy moments with wildlife in the 612 but never experienced a stall. I had a leak from the F1 actuator cover which resisted resealing, but turned out to be the gearbox breather. They do run quite hot in general.

 

Porsches stay away because they know the black horse does not play--12 cylinders is a bigger johnson

 

Nearing five years with the 599 and it has been nothing but joy. A special car that has presence unlike most exotics, stunning design, and one of the all time great motors. We are undergoing a bit of elective surgery at the moment and will share the results in a couple weeks - but still focusing on the car after several years validates a couple prior posts about growing affinity over time.

Not much can replace a 599 - it sits alone between the culmination of the vintage V12 evolution and the V12 revolution starting with the F12. That space has the merit of being at the intersection of the limits of modern technology without being overwhelmed with it. I also find new cars do nothing for me anymore, so take my perspective with a grain of salt.

 

Have you had an opportunity to compare your 599 with an F12? I love the look of the 599 but feel like the overall size of the car would be a limiting factor on the roads where I live. You live nearby me where do you drive the car to enjoy it. Thanks

Stan

 

Stan- The size is a problem compared to the SUVs and pick-ups all over the same roads?

 

I would imagine driving differently than a pickup or SUV.

 

Still takes up less room as long as you can keep her in one lane.

 

Very helpful. Thank you

 

Frankly, I'm sensitive to the size issue. The attached pictures are from my 40 or 80 mile loop that starts three blocks from my garage door. Generally, I like to run early Sunday morning when traffic is light. However, imagine driving these roads with packs of bicycles riding two abreast around blind corners. In one of the shots, I was driving a Cayman S loaner that had 350 hp. My style today is to strafe the corners, but back it down in the straight sections. I used to drive my 550 on these roads. It was fun, but it occasionally got tight. While I'm thinking of a F599, I wonder if it would be too much.

Thoughts?

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Do it Tex! [emoji2]

Seriously though, I share your concerns given how wide modern F cars are, especially navigating through urban areas. Out in the country, roads tend to be wide with generous shoulders here in our neck of Texas. How are they in your part of Texas?

T

 

They're fine as long as the bicycles stay off them.

 

599 would be fine. Not as small or nimble as the Cayman, but would still be a lot of fun. It drives "smaller" than it looks.

 

Chester County. The size is a misnomer - have never even thought about it. The only activity to be extremely mindful of is parking, you must be aware of where the nose is. That said, this one is lowered a good bit, which requires a bit of caution. Personally, I think it's largely conventional wisdom regarding size of the V12s. They are small cars, especially relative to the size of modern sports cars (992 for example).

I haven't driven an F12, so can't compare apples-to-apples.

 

I've driven the 812, superfast and F-12 - they are all smaller feeling ... they just seem tighter all around and when you park it next to the 599 - you see they are a smaller more compact package. the Superfast is an amazing car... as is the f-12 and 812... all are amazing but for the money - the 599 comes way out on top. I think the 812 is probably the better looking of the modern front engine V12 Ferrari's... the 599 is pretty classic in its shape... very understated.

I had the opportunity to punch the 812 hard in 4th gear - WOW it goes from sleeping beauty to raving beast ... my only complaint is the steering wheel is too crowded to figure out what you need to do while driving quickly... I hate the turn signal things on the wheel.