Collecting my new 488 from the factory.....

Image Unavailable, Please Login So here is today's update....don't worry not that many more to endure as will be back home in the UK on Friday!

Today's Trip..
So,we had a change of plan after looking at the route finder and have come over to see my friend in Como instead, and will go to,CERN on Wednesday or Thursday now...
So we have arrived in lake como or to be more precise Mennagio after a detour to Fox town!

The Car...
So,this is what you all want to really hear about I hope...

Snow- yes have been driving in snow today quite thick in places and had to use the snow boots for 10 minutes or so on 1 particulary bad bit. So yes we have been driving in snow on summer tyres, and that will horrify some...but I'm a fairly experienced driver and all I can say is that the car performed flawlessly even on the summer tyres...Yes we were taking it easy in wet mode and not being silly but the car was absolutely usable - see the pics for an idea of conditions up on the mountain today..

Options....Now this comes up a lot in this forum and I think I got my car specked right for me, so a few thoughts...

Folding mirrors- you absolutely need these in Europe in my opinion, hadnthe mirrors folded most of the way round the lake today, without that I would have lost a mirror I'm pretty sure. Also back in the UK definitely need them for going down the single track lanes where I live.

Front lift - Definately need it have used it 6-8 times already it works perfectly.

The adaptive lights are poor compared to my merc that has high been assist adaptive xenons but you have to,have them with the lift kit.

Standard Radio - absolutely fine..in this type of car I think you would be wasting money having an upgraded unit.

Sports seats - Looooovvve Them, tneynlook good and ar practical. I will get my socket set out when I get home and raise them up one hole. Once set you won't need to move them,so no point in having the seat lifter.

Front and rear parking sensors work fine and better than expected - again a must for me, I don't have the rear camera, don't see that it offers much over the sensors.

Yellow tach - love it yellow during the day and it turns black at night very easy to read day and night

Red lower dash and centre tunnel and red belts...add a pop of colour to,the interior without overndoing it, very pleased

The Thick Grigio stitching on the black matches the aluminium trim perfectly as domthe stitched horses which was what I wanted it to match.

Stitching - I have grey on most of the black, with black on the top,of the dash to,avoid reflections and Red on the read leather lower panel and centre tunnel to match the leather and not have any clashes in the car.

paddles.......Way to short for me and how I hold the wheel...will be ordering some extended panels as soon as I get home! These should be a factory option...

Carbon wheel with Leds - I will be controversial here and say that I really like the contrast between the leather and ten carbon when using it, it feels like more of an event driving it...but that maybe just me as I have always had full leather wheels in the past.

LEDs they are both Kool and functional- but I may change them to coloured ones as of a previous thread in this section as I think it makes more sense...

Some pictures not sure why they haven't all appeared together...

The snow ones were in Switzerland this morning
Then one of my car and lake Como in the background
And last one is my car tucked up in my mates underground garage...that was hairy getting it in there...no lie three or four inches either side going down the slope!


Regards

Michael
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Hi RossoCorsa

No regrets at all, I drive around 50k miles a year as it is in all weathers and also a couple of times a year to Europe so the driving for me is no issue, and inadvertently I'm hoping my thread will inspire more people to grab their keys and go out for a drive!

Yes you need to be careful driving across Europe and if you saw where I lived these roads and conditions are fine! I live right out in the countryside in Devon and our roads are very poor...have cracked 2 rims and burst probably 10 tyres in the last couple of years in my merc!

The other bit that is interesting his that these cars are all tested around Maranello on these roads and then go through a car wash - yes a car wash at the factory, it was funny seeing them coming in dirty to the car wash!

The only bit that bothers me a bit is I have no PPF until I get home on Monday when it's being done ...but minor in the big scheme of things...

Whe I get it home I will give it a bloody good wash and clean top to bottom get the PPF done.

These cars are very solid a drop of rain and snow is no different to having a car wash as far as harming the car...

I don't like seeing it dirty, but I'm not washing it now till I get home...

Hope that helps?

Regards

Michael

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Just leaving mennagio on our way to CERN in Geneva and managed to get a guided tour booked ass well.

Pictures above are
Driving out of my mates underground garage

View across the lake this morning

And for the history buffs the pic is of the car outside the house where Mussolini was hiding after WW2 and then got killed by the locals....

Car is running good..a few bits for you

Starts easy in the cold started straight away after being left overnight at -4degrees

Notices the brakes squealing a bit when cold but goes away when heat in them.

The navtrack system works well. Set the alarm off by accident and they phoned immediately.

Regards Michael

Sent from my SM-G935F using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

Hi RC

Lake como is my most favourite place to visit particularly mennagio.

Although the roads are grim particularly in summer in a wide car!!! Lucky the roads were fairly quiet this week!

Regards Michael

Sent from my SM-G935F using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Had a great day driving the car today , had lots of clear roads where we could stretch its legs......

The only bit of traffic we have had on the whole trip was driving around Geneva today, almost as bad as driving round London! But the car did very well in the heavy traffic..

Found a couple of quirks in the sat nave when you are changing country, but nothing really worth worrying about...


The Car
Seats- The main thing I wanted to say was about the seats.....we did a 5 hour straight drive today only stopping to pay the toll at the Mont Blanc tunnel, so a really good test of the comfort of the sports seats....So taking into account not many will do a 5 hour journey very often, I must say the seats are very comfortable and caused no fatigue at all, yes it would be nice if they were heated, but we were driving again in as low as -2degrees again today so again in normal conditions not an issue, so a big thumbs up for the sports seats.

Tyres-So my car has the Michelins on it, and yes I know I should be using winter tyres......that said I have been driving in temperatures down to -5degrees, heavy Rain and Modertae Snow, and they have been perfect, no issues at all..I'm sure that winter tyres may give a bit more grip, but I haven't had any difficult moments with these tyres in these temperatures, I know they will be even better in the warm, but they have also been fine in all weathers that I have used them in.

The Trip
So today we got to visit CERN, and managed to get on a tour, taken by a scientist there. Pretty amazing place really, and great to see the first accelerator that has now been decommissioned first hand.....See pics below... Couldn't get into the Tunnels today as they were running electrons in the tube today, but will try and get in the tunnel on the next visit...the scientist haves us some tips on getting tunnel access which was Kool.

Off to Reims tomorrow then home....

A few pictures ...
Car with the cern visitor centre this evening
The first particle accelerator at cern
CERN control room
And some nice clear roads to stretch its legs.....



Regards

Michael

 

Thanks Bernie - it has been really good fun!

Regards

Michael