Your 599

These feels kind of familiar : Speedsterr's two recent threads are good starting point and somehow I suspect there are many more

 

I purchased my 2008 599 a month ago. It had 15K miles when I bought it, and I've put over 600 miles on it in the month I've had it. I will only drive it enough over the winter to prevent the tires from flat spotting; otherwise I plan on driving it around 5000 miles per year.

By way of background, this is my first Ferrari. My daily driver is an 11 Panamera Turbo. Wife has a Range Rover HSE that I drive occasionally (generally when I am towing my E36 M3 track car). The car I traded for the Ferrari was a 2010 GTR (Switzer P600) that I drove for 2 summers. Previous cars include C63, S63, ML63, C32 (can you tell I have a thing for AMG?), Infiniti FX45, Saab 900SE, Lexus ES300, and various junkers before that.

My first driving impression of the 599 was ". . . this is kind of weird." The F1 transmission is ... well ... different. You will not mistake it for a modern dual clutch like the PDK. It is truly an "automated manual" gearbox that sounds, feels and acts like a "real" manual. When it shifts, you know it. Feathering the throttle while shifting improves driving comfort. Letting the car shift itself in "auto" mode is awful. Reverse is also awful.

The car is comfortable to drive on the highway. Firm, but not jarring. Taut, but not rigid. No shakes, shimmies or drama. Cabin noise is somewhat greater than I am used to. (The Panamera is like driving a coffin in comparison.) Throttle response is very, very good. The power of the engine seems ever-present but not overbearing. The car is ready to run when you are. Power delivery is strong, linear and seemingly never ending. Whereas acceleration in the GTR was like getting hit in the back of the head with a 2x4, the 599 is more like being shot out of a cannon.

I had a very hard time finding a comfortable driving position with the GTR. Tracking with a helmet was nearly impossible. The 599 fits like a glove. Literally. I have the full power Recaros in Daytona trim, and they have seemingly infinite adjustment. Head room is also very good (I am 6'1"). Exterior mirrors are larger than normal, which I happen to like. I feel like I could drive 1000 miles in the 599 without ever taking a break.

The cabin ergonomics are not quite on par with the highest-end luxury cars. No cruise control, no cup holders, no fancy nav screen. The stereo (only Ferrari could get away with calling it "hi fi") is adequate but not great. Climate control is loud. Radio buttons are small and difficult to access without taking your eyes off the road. If this stuff is important to you, buy a Lexus. Fit and finish, however, is superb. I haven't seen a better presentation of carbon fiber, fine leather and aluminum.

Having driven the car about 600 miles now, I feel like I am starting to gain confidence with it. Like a new lover, we are learning each other. Wherever I want to be, I point, shoot, and there I am. Steering and brakes are the best I have ever experienced. Put it in Race mode . . . full throttle . . . 2d gear seems to arrive before my foot is to the floor . . . WHAM! . . . 3d gear . . . WHAM! . . .4th gear . . . "can I handle another upshift?" . . . WHAM! 5th gear. I would tell you how the story ends, but I haven't hit 6th gear yet driving this hard. The GTR was quicker and faster, but just doesn't deliver with the same penache.

The sound of the car is intoxicating. There is nothing quite like a high revving V12. Lots of guys put aftermarket exhausts on. I think the factory exhaust is almost perfect. I say "almost" because I would like it to be just a little louder above 4500 RPM. To that end, I plan on adding the Fabspeed cat delete pipes in the very near future. The Ferrari tax for a full Tubi or Capristo exhaust just doesn't seem worth it, IMO.

Parking the car can be challenging. Long nose and huge rear blind spot. The front and rear parking sensors are invaluable.

The car has a much larger magnet than most. If you don't know what I mean by "magnet," watch Borat. I think the Ferrari logo might actually be made of magnetic material.

Hope this helps. Good luck with whatever you decide.