After nine months waiting - the first drive

[Marwood]

So…finally got the car.

£100 petrol in. Pointed it at some countryfied A and B roads and kept going. And grinning.

Immediate impressions…

Controls are light, especially the steering. Doesn't feel wide and potters happily at normal speed. Engine has a lovely inertia-free feel - spins up beautifully. Needs 4, 4500 to go and then progresses, er, very nicely. Officer. Ahem. Easy (and fun) to spin along between 4 and 7. After convincing myself it would be a pain I really enjoyed the gearbox too. It's very satisfying getting getting the timing of a slight toe-lift right and smoothing low speed changes. Going quickly, just kept my foot in and it was fine. The hill-hold works nicely. Got stuck in 30 minutes of stop go traffic and there was a bit of clunking - need to work on slow down change technique. And, hilariously, forgot to press the brake whilst in neutral so couldn't get a gear…sat, numpty like, for a minute with an empty road ahead, but remarkably, no one hooted. Sorry about that folks.

Can't say I've attacked a sequence of bends with any great gusto yet but the turn in is lovely - quick, direct, feels planted. The car feels smaller than I thought and light on its feet. The ride is much lumpier than expected, even in 'normal'. On Sussex A road, at decent speed, was bouncing around a fair bit, to the point where I backed off. I don't mind so much - I used to think Ducati's were comfortable - but the wife is going to hate it ("Is it a bit like a Jaguar?", she asked. "We'll, sort of. You know. Its got four seats and is very practical" I replied. That's going to come back and bite me). Steering wheel and rear view mirror was shaking too - not something I've remember experiencing in Germans, but then the tyres are 1mm deep and the roads crumbly horrors. Until someone tells me I have a cracked sub-bush-under-frame-holder or something, I'll assume its normal and file it under 'character'.

After three hours I stopped for a tea and stood in a car park looking at it. It was only then that I realised how absorbed I'd been. Its less of a GT cruiser than I thought it would be, much more of a sports car. Which is what I wanted, really. A biker came up and said 'Lovely car that.' I think he's right.

 

[BennyD]

He is! You are right where a lot of us have been; at the start of an irrational love affair with a temperamental Italian mistress. You will learn to accept the 'flaws' (which we call character) and embrace them within the whole driving experience. They really are fantastic cars and I, for one, will never sell my spyder. Welcome to the madness!

 

[Felonious Crud]

Good write-up, Marwood, I enjoyed reading it - thank you.

The thing I like about the Italian love affair is that it doesn't seem to subside. I'm normally bored of a car after a year, but not this one. It's a keeper!

 

[CliveP1]

He is! You are right where a lot of us have been; at the start of an irrational love affair with a temperamental Italian mistress. You will learn to accept the 'flaws' (which we call character) and embrace them within the whole driving experience. They really are fantastic cars and I, for one, will never sell my spyder. Welcome to the madness!

amen to that...

 

[Emtee]

Welcome to the club Marwood. Stopped smiling yet?

 

[dickygrace]

So glad you finally got one Marwood, sorry I couldn't quite find what you were after. Great write up and so pleased you've found a good one.

 

[drewf]

Inspiring read! Making me look forward even more to driving this weekend, when I'm told the weather is finally going to warm up

Have fun this weekend - sounds like you will be visiting the petrol station again...

 

[SimonCC]

Hi Marwood and welcome!

Great reading your initial thoughts - takes me back to my when I returned home in mine for the first time. As per above posts, it never gets 'normal' and always puts a smile on the face. Enjoy!

p.s. where in Sussex were you driving?

 

[CatmanV2]

Nice one Marwood. Been hammering my 4200 over the past couple of days. Aware the fuel must be running low, and felt that she deserved a full tank before I parked up.

We're all mad

C

 

[dem maser]

You dont forget your first drive!!

 

[dem maser]

Oil light came on, took her back and an hour later off i went.....next day went back for oil sender unit....still loved it...im mad

 

[philw696]

He is! You are right where a lot of us have been; at the start of an irrational love affair with a temperamental Italian mistress. You will learn to accept the 'flaws' (which we call character) and embrace them within the whole driving experience. They really are fantastic cars and I, for one, will never sell my spyder. Welcome to the madness!

Welcome to the joys of our world.
Couldn't put it better than Ian has.
Phil.

 

[CatmanV2]

You dont forget your first drive!!

Indeed. Sitting at the side of the road in north London with the hazzards on as I couldn't get her in gear
Friday rush hour LOL
C

 

[Marwood]

Tearful scenes on Saturday night when I had to confess to my wife that I've fallen in love….with third gear.

So, first weekend with the car over: its now outside, filthy and with kid's crisp droppings on the back seat. Christened then. I like it even more than I thought I would…but am surprised (pleasantly so) by the differences between what I expected, having read the forums for a year, and the reality.

For example: the gearbox. I really like it. There are odd occasions when I found myself waiting on the next gear but it was still way faster than I would be with a stick. Most of the time, it was a hoot.

Ease in traffic: did a miserable three hour stop-go crawl in Kent traffic yesterday back into town. Would be unpleasant in a Golf, never mind something with 400hp and a funny gearbox, but no issues. Temperature gauge moved hardly at all. Nothing starting binding or clunking. It just got on with it. As a pre-car newbie this was the thing I was dreading most. Not an issue (until the clutch bill comes I guess!).

Size: it feels more like a two seater, less like a Jag than expected. Darty, nimble and chuckable. Compact. Have fresh tyres on the front and get absolutely no understeer. At all. It eats corners in a way that had me laughing…and my bravery ran out long before I got near the limit around the Camber bends. The steering is light and I need more miles (maybe a track session or two) to say what the feedback really is…At this point all I can say is, phew.

Bumpy: yes. Very. Even in normal. Because its been described as a GT so often I was expecting a bit more give…like a quick Beemer maybe. Not so. Happily my pregnant wife didn't mind too much, though she was sat on a thick foam cushion (my eight year old survived two hours of A272 antics before admitting that he felt a bit sick in the back. Not unreasonable…!). It doesn't seem to come up on the forum often but I think it would be even quicker down A roads if it was a tad more compliant (and that bit of plastic inside the grill probably wouldn't have shaken loose…). The precision when the road does smooth out is fantastic though.

Event: it is one. I'm sure those members with Lambos and GT3s might find it a bit ordinary but to me it feels every bit as special as hoped. I went to bed on Saturday properly tired but stoked, and woke up wanting to jump straight back in. So I did.

Apologies to the environment. Thank you, Shell, for the discount card. Will be making use of that. And thank you third gear.

 

[CatmanV2]

For example: the gearbox. I really like it. There are odd occasions when I found myself waiting on the next gear but it was still way faster than I would be with a stick. Most of the time, it was a hoot.

I know people claim the CC is slow, and it may well be compared to modern DCT, but I'm with you. I'm sure I cannot shift faster than the CC, if you measure it properly. It *seems* slow because all you're doing is hitting that paddle.

C

 

[drewf]

I don't think it's really the speed of change that's the biggest issue - for me it's the inability to finely feather-in the clutch when in traffic. Fully agree the current crop of double-clutch fancy gearboxes are in a different league, but I've never worried about the actual speed of change on mine.

 

[allandwf]

Great write up, sounds like you've bonded with the car already. First drives are always memorable. Mine was fly to Gatwick drive 570 miles home in the dark and rain! Thankfully had an overnight and bright skies the second day.

 

[BennyD]

The firm ride isn't helped by the 19inch wheels and rubber bands on the GS. The 4200 rides a bit better on the 18s but you will learn to live with it and accept it as 'normal'. It's all part of the 'madness'!

 

[Marwood]

Thanks Dickie. Shame it didn't happen - we got close a couple of times - but I remain grateful for the support and encouragement.

I hope I've got a good one…guess time will tell. I saw the spec I wanted and full service history and just gambled.

As you can read, love it so far and only one bit has fallen off! Just as importantly Mrs Marwood went 'wow'…and (foam cushion at the ready) didn't complain too much about the ride (which is definitely on a par with one of my more uncomfortable Ducatis. Seems Italians of a certain vintage didn't really do springs…).

Sure we'll meet up one day and you can have a look.

 

[hodroyd]

Welcome Marwood,
Congratulations on your car, pictures would be nice when you get a minute..!! The GS is a great car, but can be a bit lumpy on bad roads, I try and drop out of sport if the road is full of potholes, then drop back in to sport when the surface improves..!! Check that the tyre pressures are correct and not too hard..!! Dry good roads on full power gives you a permanent grin, just plant your foot and keep changing, don't lift off, the changes will be lightning fast and progress will be rapid. These are Supercars and as such are built to perform, not just go fast in a straight line. Carry on with the love affair, easier now the wife knows about it..!!
Cheers
R