[Noe]

Now i've had my wheels for coming upto 3 weeks end of this week ....

i've not yet stonked out my lambo best of 314km but sense its coming ...... way more planted, in my opinion, than the lambo (gallardo and superleggera) and fezza (458) ...... it can easily outstretch lambo friends when pulling rev's to the red ..... it really shifts

On small / country / tight mountain roads i find it feels very much like a lotus - its like a body glove - the car fits you and is part of you rather than you 'sit in the car' and you don't feel connected ... lotus in feel/handling and tightness BUT not in engine obviously - bar the 2-11 for small short bursts !

3 issues i've come up with are :

- condensation in both headlight units. Bottom sections. they clear but have found them 'misted up' for the bottom quarter twice now. Is this normal? its both ....

- inside rattling - dash, left passenger side and closer to 'under the windscreen' - i've tried prodding and tapping but no joy. Though its in Noone1's thread already so this will be for the dealer too

- underside of lifted door : front section there is a black plastic 'deflector' or air dam (?) - i've found this is collection stones / road grit and insects ..... is this something of a design flaw or normal? ok i know its not going to rot but having a build up of dirt there can't be good


Otherwise i now know why all the comments people on the threads have made that 'it must be driven before comment' ... its a great car ...... just why these magazine journo's still choose the fezza 458 ??!! fezza is fine but the macca is way more better feeling


* spelling proviso : gremlin infestation

 

[andy c]

Now i've had my wheels for coming upto 3 weeks end of this week ....

i've not yet stonked out my lambo best of 314km but sense its coming ...... way more planted, in my opinion, than the lambo (gallardo and superleggera) and fezza (458) ...... it can easily outstretch lambo friends when pulling rev's to the red ..... it really shifts

On small / country / tight mountain roads i find it feels very much like a lotus - its like a body glove - the car fits you and is part of you rather than you 'sit in the car' and you don't feel connected ... lotus in feel/handling and tightness BUT not in engine obviously - bar the 2-11 for small short bursts !

3 issues i've come up with are :

- condensation in both headlight units. Bottom sections. they clear but have found them 'misted up' for the bottom quarter twice now. Is this normal? its both ....

- inside rattling - dash, left passenger side and closer to 'under the windscreen' - i've tried prodding and tapping but no joy. Though its in Noone1's thread already so this will be for the dealer too

- underside of lifted door : front section there is a black plastic 'deflector' or air dam (?) - i've found this is collection stones / road grit and insects ..... is this something of a design flaw or normal? ok i know its not going to rot but having a build up of dirt there can't be good


Otherwise i now know why all the comments people on the threads have made that 'it must be driven before comment' ... its a great car ...... just why these magazine journo's still choose the fezza 458 ??!! fezza is fine but the macca is way more better feeling


* spelling proviso : gremlin infestation

Hi Noe,the condensation is perfectly normal,all due to different moisture levels,so it will happed to almost everyone at sometime in the year,as long as it clears within 10 minutes or sooner then there is nothing to worry about.
As for the stone collection,there are a number of points on the car that do collect stones,you just have to be aware and tidy up when you see them,i put it down to the more aero efficiency of the car sucking stuff up,but thats probably wishfull thinking.

 

[Mikeyb]

great write up Noe... its brilliant that it seems everyone who gets to drive the car for extended periods comes up with the same feeling about it compared with other cars... its really that good... !

 

[roundincircles]

Noe, have you started talking to it yet? That's when it gets under your skin,........

I walked out of the garage yesterday after a 250 mile non-stop return home with my wife......and said, 'that was great fun, thanks, see you tomorrow'.........my wife asked where I was going that night!

On the Ring I forgot to press the Active button and asked what was wrong with you, bad petrol? But it kinda made me realise you have to interact with a 12C and then it's......warp speed Mr Zulu.

 

[andy c]

Noe, have you started talking to it yet? That's when it gets under your skin,........

I walked out of the garage yesterday after a 250 mile non-stop return home with my wife......and said, 'that was great fun, thanks, see you tomorrow'.........my wife asked where I was going that night!

On the Ring I forgot to press the Active button and asked what was wrong with you, bad petrol? But it kinda made me realise you have to interact with a 12C and then it's......warp speed Mr Zulu.

Just wondered how many of us have pressed the Stop/Start button instead of the active button
Thank goodness it doesn't turn the engine off !!!!!! (yes,if you haven't done it it just gives you are warning on the dash telling you not to be an arse!!)

 

[Champagne612]

Noe

The MP4 doesn't screw around like other exotics - never driven a Lotus but the feel of the Mac offers an extreme amount of confidence ... go crazy and you won't be disappointed!

It amazes me how many 1500 mile and under examples are for sale - no idea what the first owners were thinking but unless they opted for a spider they simply didn't "get it".

Any pictures?

Andy - close on many occasions

 

[Noe]

RIC's - haha. great !!! always talk to my cars .... a chatterbox .... i struggled with who to talk to first though. Myself or the cars !! .......... i can often be seen walking around in the mountains babbling ..... babbling in the cities too.... conversations with Jaguars are always the toughest. Its like talking to a politician .....

The buttons and interaction is such a good point. i have found its a car you jump in but then sit there for a few moments ....... first off getting the human movements right " brain, arm, finger, push " ..... almost like a pre-flight check !


Andy C
- thanks for comments on the 'condensation'. shall take a watch on it and see how it goes.
- the button pushing is the good part. so far this is my achilles heel. i have found when backing out of my parking i do not have the wheel 'dead on'. However when i start up (and the body movements have gone through their motions of brain, arm, finger) i select active BUT then have to hit R to back up. Then when i go to move forward the wheel is all opposites and i am figuring where the paddle has gone ... perhaps also the brain .... though not much different from the fezza wheels functions(but not as bad) .......... in short when the passenger sits and looks, laughs and then always asks " do you actually know how to drive? " " no "

Doug - Lotus i don't class as an exotic but i strongly recommend anyone never have driven one to give them a try - they are not an exotic and anyone that can buy anything 'why have a lotus' .... but point is they different feeling to other cars (personal feeling proviso) ....... though not on expressways but in/on small and twisty roads and roads you'd usually not take an 'exotic'. They are a different experience - simple, basic - but just make you feel like you are ' a part of the car' .... on track, tight tracks, they are great too. The best car i've still ever had was the 2-11 ... massively compromised as a road car (because it is pretty much only for the track!) but for pure driving sensation and feeling it was right there ... better than xbow, caterham, radical etc ....... however ........ i feel the Macca is going to take that title with a little more time.

Photos are under the other post for Fresh Yellow

 

[Walt of Destiny]

Yes. To all of it.