Do you drive your 599/612 on wet roads? | FerrariChat

Do you drive your 599/612 on wet roads?

Discussion in '612/599' started by LWR550, Nov 25, 2020.

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  1. LWR550

    LWR550 Formula Junior

    Nov 8, 2003
    304
    East Sussex
    I've convinced myself that to drive my nice cars (599 and others) in the wet is a waste of mileage. And, I hate putting them away dirty

    Don't get me wrong, if I get caught out in a rain shower, I don't get upset. Just don't deliberately drive them in the rain or on wet roads.

    I just think the journey in the wet isn't as special. The power is much hard to use, and best saved for a dry day.

    That means I did 3,000 miles last year. Do I need to change my thinking on how I use these cars?
     
  2. m5shiv

    m5shiv Formula 3
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    Feb 25, 2013
    1,259
    SF Bay Area
    Full Name:
    Shiv
    I search for rain to practice my skills.
     
  3. jimshadow

    jimshadow F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 19, 2006
    5,745
    Indiana
    Full Name:
    JIM
    I believe that these cars are meant to be driven. Damn the miles! I drive my cars in 2 ways:

    1. Shorter spirited drives almost exclusively in the dry
    2. Longer road-trips with a destination in mind

    For #1 above, if I get caught in the rain, so be it but I won't go spirited driving with this much power on wet roads....too much to risk
    For #2, I just get in and drive. Weather is part of the journey and the cars role is to get me to the destination in the most enjoyable way possible.

    FWIW, YMMV

    Jim
     
  4. brogenville

    brogenville Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 24, 2012
    2,005
    UK
    Full Name:
    Robin
    There speaks the Californian!

    I'm in Scotland, so in a different bag. Contrary to popular opinion, we do occasionally get nice weather, but its also true to say that driving in the wet is just something you need to make peace with if you want to get some decent miles out of the car. My garage complains that the suspension components are dirty when it comes to service time, but frankly I'm not doing anything with the car that it wasn't deigned for.
     
  5. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    Buy an FF it’s meant for that;)


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  6. m5shiv

    m5shiv Formula 3
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    Feb 25, 2013
    1,259
    SF Bay Area
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    Shiv

    At the end of the summer, I leave my worn rear tires on for quite a while !!
     
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  7. MRY

    MRY Formula Junior

    May 14, 2015
    384
    Monterey Peninsula



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  8. Aurora 75

    Aurora 75 Rookie

    Oct 30, 2020
    8
    Full Name:
    Ajmer Somal
    I drive my 612 in the dry if l can, it is however designed to be driven in all weather. If it rains whilst driving then so be it, that's nature.
     
  9. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    I drive my 612 in the rain. It's not my first choice for a rainy day car, but if I have a reason to drive it, I do. I do try to avoid snow and ice, though.


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  10. kahrl

    kahrl Karting
    Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 19, 2009
    74
    Hudson, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Bob Kahrl
    I agree with your sentiments. I prefer to drive my 612 in dry weather. But I decided after trying to preserve my previous Ferrari from all rain that this time I was not going to worry about whether it "might" rain during my next out-of-county drive. I am driving about 3000 miles per annum just as you are. If I get caught in the rain, the only significant penalty is that I have to wash it again.
     
  11. LWR550

    LWR550 Formula Junior

    Nov 8, 2003
    304
    East Sussex
    I like this thinking... and it aligns my thinking.

    A few months ago I had to go make a 100-mile round trip to London to have dinner. Drove to the restaurant, parked right out front. Felt almost Steve McQueen cool. I guess that's my "Longer road-trip with a destination in mind" scenario. Yes it rained on the way home, but it was still the perfect car for the perfect evening.
     
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  12. Mor

    Mor Karting

    Oct 14, 2017
    95
    I’ve only Porsches and Fcars so I’m sriving them daily, even winter. So it’s no problem for me.


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  13. randkin

    randkin Formula 3
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    Aug 2, 2015
    1,497
    Somis, CA
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    Randy
    I also have Porsches and a Ferrari 612. But 3 of the Porsches are all wheel drive and the 612 isn’t so if I expect rain then the all wheel drive cars gets the mission usually the Cayenne or Pano. The other cars I often hand wash myself so a bit more reluctant to gets those cars in wet/dirty conditions.
     
  14. cgt000

    cgt000 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    May 2, 2014
    732
    Northeast
    I put all season tires on my 612 so that I could drive mine in rain and very cold weather. I have cars with summer performance tires and they don't like very cold weather.
     
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  15. tomc

    tomc Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 13, 2014
    25,865
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    Tom C
    Which all seasons did you go for?
    T
     
  16. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,348
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    When I'm local I generally wouldn't take my 612 out when it's raining. Mainly because then I'd have to wash it. However, we've taken two trips to Florida and three to Canada with it, and one trip to Arizona, so you get the weather you get.

    One time we went to FL for the Cavallino Classic. As we were on the NJ turnpike it started snowing. It was collecting on the grass but not on the highway. I had an anxious 1 hour there until we drove out of it. If it had started to collect on the highway I would have gotten off and waited it out.
     
  17. cgt000

    cgt000 Formula Junior
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    May 2, 2014
    732
    Northeast
    Bridgestone RE980AS
     
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  18. Mor

    Mor Karting

    Oct 14, 2017
    95
    Ok, to be clear, all my cars are rwd


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  19. George Vosburgh

    George Vosburgh F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    I generally only drive the 599 in the rain when coming or going or at a car show. When I take it on the road I try to keep it as dry as possible.
     
  20. randkin

    randkin Formula 3
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    Aug 2, 2015
    1,497
    Somis, CA
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    Randy
    All my Porsche’s are turbos and 3 are all wheel drive so just different alternatives. But the ones I hand wash I try not to drive in poor weather just because I am lazy about hand washing my cars. The fact I have bad knees and back enters in the decision matrix as well.:D:D:D
     
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  21. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,348
    Weston, MA
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    Paul
    I hear ya!
     
  22. spirot

    spirot F1 World Champ

    Dec 12, 2005
    14,501
    Atlanta
    Full Name:
    Tom Spiro
    I don't usually go out on rainy days just because I hate to have to dry the car off when I get it back in the garage. but if it rains when I'm out... that is ok too. I've been caught coming back from the beach this year in monsoon like conditions and I was surprised at how well the car handled... those wide tires on Ga. Highways with lots of ruts worried me. but it ran great - I did put it in low grip mode to be sure. my only complaint is the wiper system has a mind of its own... super fast when the rain is not as bad... and then it slows down when it's pouring ... then speeds up it's weird. I had the light sensitivity too high it would switch lights on and off depending on how dark the clouds were... this was really strong rain in Middle Ga... like 6" an hour stuff... I was a bit worried about flooded roads at one point but it was not an issue... however cleaning the car afterward is a nightmare....
     
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  23. LWR550

    LWR550 Formula Junior

    Nov 8, 2003
    304
    East Sussex
    I can't speak for whether the wiper sensor in my 599 is erratic or not, but if I do get caught in the rain, I always love how marvellously engineered the wipers are on the 599!
     
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  24. Makuono

    Makuono Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 15, 2014
    998
    Full Name:
    Ricardo
    Usually I don't go out if its raining or the weather forecast is predicting rain.

    However, for a couple of times, I already drove the 612 during pouring rain on the way back after a road trip. I was cautions and adapted the driving style... felt as safe as on any other car - except near trucks due to the low height of the car.

    My car is on Michelins and is a pre-oto, so it has no wet mode (that I know of).

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  25. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 5, 2002
    23,988
    Portland, Oregon
    Full Name:
    Don
    There is no "wet mode" on the OTO, but the traction control does do a pretty good job of keeping you out of trouble.

    Personally, I like my 612 to have a protective coat of dirt and dust, but that's just me.
     

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