Hello! .... Granturismo advice

Parisien

Parisien

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There are cheaper option now ratbag........Noor and one of the guys at ADG had done some research for alternatives


P
 
c4sman

c4sman

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safrane said:
If the battery is not 100% you may find the cold and damp will kill it...are you able to fit a battery conditioner to it?
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Thanks.

I might be able to if I can run a long lead from the garage. Something I can look into before purchasing.
 
c4sman

c4sman

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ratbag said:
I find the discs start to rust quite quickly if left unused for a few days in damp weather.....set of discs/pads £3k..................also handbrake can bind on like the 4200 again if left for long in damp weather...
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Someone should invent a wheel cover to protect the brakes when a car is standing in damp weather as outdoor car covers cause more harm than good IMHO if you are pulling on and off on a weekly basis. I will invent one and next year Rodney.....
 
hodroyd

hodroyd

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Brake Discs will always get a film of rust on them on any car, you could always keep a can of brake cleaner handy..??
 
Blu Elettrico

Blu Elettrico

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c4sman said:
So gents, one of the things I haven't asked about is Auto versus MC Shift. When I first started planning for buying a car next year I convinced myself that I had to wait until I could afford the new Sport with MC Auto. This was because it had the sound of the MC Shift but without the supposed hassle, complexity and high maintenance cost of the MC Shift. I managed to get a back to back drive of a new auto Sport (admittedly it was a cabrio) against a slightly older S with MC Shift. To my surprise, although the sound of the auto was pretty much the same as the MCShift (providing you had pressed the sport button and selected manual), I really enjoyed driving the older MC Shift more. It seemed much more"sporty", engaging and was more like driving a manual. This was because to drive it smoothly you had to modulate the throttle, think about your changes and really drive it in manual mode to get the best from it. With the Sport auto, it felt a bit too normal and easy, so made it less of an event to drive, (but equally made it very smooth and hassle free). The MC Shift also seemed to have a slight edge on a few more pops from the exhaust,which was also nice. This has led me to being happy to go for the S instead of the Sport which means I can get the car in 2014 vs waiting for the Sport to drop into my budget in 2015/2016. Finally, I kind of prefer the less sporty front end of the S to the more aggressive Sport as I think it is more in keeping with its grand touring role. Interested in thoughts on all of the above from those of you who own (or have owned) the cars in question and what led you to your choices?
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Personal preference c4sman. Although the auto is very good (including the 2013 Sport) it always still felt like a slush box to me compared to the more agricultural MC box. Although old tech now I still think it gives a feeling more akin to a traditional manual stick shift, something I much preferred. It is also a little more effort to master. Even in town I don't find it a pain but I've never even driven mine in auto mode so no idea how good or bad that is. The only time it's a pain is parking.

I'm with you on the look of the "S" compared to the Sport, although I'm probably biased! The front treatment on the Sport doesn't seem to work as well as the Stradale, which has a black splitter all the way across the front instead of colour coded bumper going round the front grills, but again personal preference. Open your search options though! Keep looking!
Cheers Blu
 
Blu Elettrico

Blu Elettrico

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c4sman said:
So, the first real step happened over the weekend toward GT-S ownership. I sold my wife's Golf 1.4 and handed over the keys to my Merc CLS to her as her main car. So, the driveway space has been cleared, roll on the search in the new year!

On that note, when the GT-S is found, it will be living outside on the drive and probably only used once or twice over the weekends. Any views on whether this will be ok or do these cars suffer more than others if kept outside?
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Hi C4sman,
Well done on making preparations for the forthcoming GTS!
FYI mine has never been garaged in nearly 18 months, used roughly once a week but sometimes stood for 2 weeks. Never had a problem with flat batteries (kiss of death now!).
I have installed an outside weatherproof box with a power supply and room for the trickle charger but never used it yet!

Handbrake can stick but if you manually disconnect it's ok. (turn ignition off, handbrake engages, turn ignition on, manually turn off handbrake then turn off ignition).

Cheers Blu
 
B

bigbob

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8,972
c4sman said:
Thanks.

I might be able to if I can run a long lead from the garage. Something I can look into before purchasing.
Click to expand...

Fully agree with you about the nose on the Sport. I would pass on buying a GranTurismo now given that look.

Gearbox choice is personal and depends on use etc. My preference is clear as I have never liked the CC/MC box but plenty do.

A battery tender is really necessary unless your last run is always a long one as it takes a lot of power to start the car. If you use it weekly you should be fine though. Tell us what you get.
 
Felonious Crud

Felonious Crud

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c4sman said:
So gents, one of the things I haven't asked about is Auto versus MC Shift. When I first started planning for buying a car next year I convinced myself that I had to wait until I could afford the new Sport with MC Auto. This was because it had the sound of the MC Shift but without the supposed hassle, complexity and high maintenance cost of the MC Shift. I managed to get a back to back drive of a new auto Sport (admittedly it was a cabrio) against a slightly older S with MC Shift. To my surprise, although the sound of the auto was pretty much the same as the MCShift (providing you had pressed the sport button and selected manual), I really enjoyed driving the older MC Shift more. It seemed much more"sporty", engaging and was more like driving a manual. This was because to drive it smoothly you had to modulate the throttle, think about your changes and really drive it in manual mode to get the best from it. With the Sport auto, it felt a bit too normal and easy, so made it less of an event to drive, (but equally made it very smooth and hassle free). The MC Shift also seemed to have a slight edge on a few more pops from the exhaust,which was also nice. This has led me to being happy to go for the S instead of the Sport which means I can get the car in 2014 vs waiting for the Sport to drop into my budget in 2015/2016. Finally, I kind of prefer the less sporty front end of the S to the more aggressive Sport as I think it is more in keeping with its grand touring role. Interested in thoughts on all of the above from those of you who own (or have owned) the cars in question and what led you to your choices?
Click to expand...

We followed the same thought process, by the looks of things. I'm delighted with my MC. Regarding the noise, in Stealth mode it's as quiet inside as any car but with a muted V8 rumble. From the outside it's probably a different story - the insulation is excellent! It can be a nuisance in town but driving in town is unpleasant anyway. As for parking, my car is allergic to multi-stories (brings it out in a terrible case of kerbed alloys) and I don't enjoy parking by the road where other people can bash it while they parallel park.

ratbag said:
I find the discs start to rust quite quickly if left unused for a few days in damp weather.....set of discs/pads £3k..................also handbrake can bind on like the 4200 again if left for long in damp weather...
Click to expand...

Yup! Unless you park on a slope you can leave the handbrake off.

bigbob said:
A battery tender is really necessary unless your last run is always a long one as it takes a lot of power to start the car. If you use it weekly you should be fine though. Tell us what you get.
Click to expand...

It takes a 20 to 30 minute run to replenish the charge list from starting. Also a run of anything less than 20 to 30 minutes is a terrible waste. I use a conditioner from time to time - stick it on for a day until the CTEK is lit up like a Christmas tree and take it off again.
 
c4sman

c4sman

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1,261
AdamN said:
It takes a 20 to 30 minute run to replenish the charge list from starting. Also a run of anything less than 20 to 30 minutes is a terrible waste. I use a conditioner from time to time - stick it on for a day until the CTEK is lit up like a Christmas tree and take it off again.
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Thanks AdamN, that should be very doable as I could put it in the garage occasionally where i have a battery conditioner permanently installed on the wall that plugs into the cigarette lighter, (I think it is a CTEK unit re-branded by Porsche).

What is the reality of trying to park an MC Shift car. The one I played with in the dealer seemed OK when I reversed it but I didn't have a go at flicking between 1st and reverse under pressure which is the reality of parking sometimes. Can it get stressful and if so, how?
 
Felonious Crud

Felonious Crud

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c4sman said:
T

What is the reality of trying to park an MC Shift car.
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Pierce of cake but better out of Sport because it makes the throttle response a bit less lively that way. I don't believe that the 1st / reverse / 1st etc dance is any slower in an MC than a normal manual.
 
c4sman

c4sman

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So, like all my best laid car related plans, they fell apart today. All my plans for a spring purchase of a GT-S have been cancelled...
 
M

MAF260

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Phew! You had us all feeling sorry for you there. Congratulations - post some pics when you get her.
 
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