She's a keeper, I think

montravia

Member
Messages
1,618
On other threads, I've hinted about the internal debate that I've had on whether to keep my '57 Granturismo, or swap for a younger filly.

I'm not bothered about 4.7, certainly happy with the auto box.
20170408_113711edit.jpg
However, if I kept her I'd probably do the following.

I think I've got the costs about right, but would anyone wiser put me right with what I've estimated, as best as I can recall from conversations here.

Of course I've excluded normal annual's, and she had a brim-full 4 year service last year.

Discs: I've been 'low' on discs since I've had her. That'll be two years come her annual breath-over service in August. I must be very light on my feet: I reckon about £2,000 MD if I recall.
Variators: I've done 14,000 miles since I've had her, so she's just nudged past 40,000 miles. No sign of variator rattle. I'll probably never encounter it but I think I'd set aside about £2,500 for MD fix.

Now both of those are semi-capital semi-running cost items.

The next are 'improvements'.

Exhaust: She's the standard 4.2. No exhaust valves. I adore how her low moaning howl, and the subtle 'boom' on the change up. However, Jacquie does remind me that La Ragazza doesn't sound like the one's that made her turn her head while around London, and hate to disappoint her (hmm, who's kiddin who). So I'd love valves on me exhaust, as fitted to the 4.7S, and vacuum controlled. I know that Larinini/FD et al do make a four pot (I do like my four pots, it adds that little more confusion to tailing Audi's as to which exhaust they're trying to crawl up) vacuum set of tail pipes and a control kit. I recon they're all about £3,000 before fitting. The control kit takes a few hours, so let's say £3,500. Not bothered about X/H pipes, decats or whatever. Value the low hum on long legged jaunts.

Paint. She's getting quite a few stone chips, usual front, her lower side protectors and three light but significant (they're too deep) keying from France last year (despite parking in secure Hotel/Chateau car parks). Looks like most panels, + light marks on the rear bumper. Sound like a re-spray to me. £2,000 but no idea, and I'd be really pleased (I mean really really pleased) if anyone knows of a decent non-rip-off paint shop near Cheltenham/Worcester/Gloucester/Stratford-upon-Avon.


Ceramic coating? At the moment, she's certainly not a hangar queen, so probably could do with max protection. What say, again no idea. Body £900, wheels £50 a corner.

Wheels: One has had a poor refurbishment, probably needs stripping, and powder coating. All probably could do with a consistent re-fresh. I've had wheels shot blasted and powder coated before, but it's ages ago, so real idea. Let's say £1,000

NIT: It's not a secret that a few of us behind the scenes have been fiddling with our NITS. Later models were fitted with BT and USB. Mine came with an Apple connector (foooo weee), but Ha! it doh werk, or at any rate I recon it only charges. Intermediate age models sometimes came without BT/USB, but had the Hardware capability, but not connected or software activated. The earliest, don't have the hardware capability. I have the lattermost, v7 Software, and it cannot be upgraded to USB/BT. It just annoys me that it has less capability than me crappy but adorable FIAT 500. Not that it should: I've a SIM in the car, and if I can be bothered, I can divert incoming calls to the car from my mobile. Maps are all up to date as I wish them, which is not a lot since no-one bothers with in car NAV. Music? Well I've a selection, and can add via CD (yawn), but the number of times we listen to anything other than 8 round things slipping up and down their sleeves is very low. Don't think we switched it on during three weeks touring France.
HOWEVER, it just bugs me: I'm not going to fork out £3,000 - £4,000 for a new NIT. I'll watch out for a wrecked one, no cost, probably never happen, and don't care if the disk head crashes, 'cos I know a man who....


Soooooo

what does that totty up to:-

£9,600 without variators
£12,100 with variators

I recon that about near what I'd be out of pocket with a swap.

In any event, I'd be grateful for correction on costs, where to source and so forth.
 

iainw

Member
Messages
3,386
1000 for wheel refurbishment?
I think you just answered your question in that post- Sell it and put the extra 10k into a 4.7 with pristine wheels, good paintwork, valves, new discs and one that doesn’t have variations issues :)
 

montravia

Member
Messages
1,618
Quite marginal isn't it. I'm sure that I'd have other issues, but I'll take a look. A few Blu Oceano around with cream interior, but not many.
 

BigR

Member
Messages
447
£1000 for wheels? I'll do them for £800... Or you could get them done for significantly less.

Regardless, quite a gap - but would you then just end up doing things such as the paint protection on a new car - so you're net no better off. And would any of that apply to any other car you bought?
 

jamesc69

Junior Member
Messages
495
£1000 for wheels? I'll do them for £800... Or you could get them done for significantly less.

Regardless, quite a gap - but would you then just end up doing things such as the paint protection on a new car - so you're net no better off. And would any of that apply to any other car you bought?

+1, The Wheels Specialist Franchise approx. £400 4 wheels, done in a day, 12 month no quibble guarantee.

James
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,749
Although its good to go with worse case... you could go out of the MD network and save quite a bit on those costs. After all as the car ages most would steer away from paying for the flash showroom and the stunner on the front desk.