OV9

Sold - Giulia Quadrifoglio.

A brilliant car, but not a 'Sunday' car. I think if I'd have had it as an only car I'd have had a very different opinion of it, but it just went very quickly, very easily with very little drama - and required pushing way past what is safe/acceptable on modern roads to exploit 500bhp and lots of rubber.

Positives were it was a brilliant looking car, not BMW/RS shouty, but still had presence, even more so with the Comp Red paint. Interior was well designed, if a little cheap in places (improved in MY21). Steering was super sharp and as a daily car it was just a very nice place to be, with a beautifully smooth engine and gearbox. Which is also my critique because....

Negatives were that it lacked that 'drama' - firmness, feedback, noises, madness. Harry described it as a "Velvet Glove" which is pretty much spot on. In fact, I recently re-watched Harry's video and I pretty much agree with everything he says. "It's a 9/10 car....but doesn't feel as special as a £70k Alfa needs to feel"

If I needed a 4 door saloon, the Giulia would absolutely be my choice, and would happily recommend one. But I'd go with a well-specced Veloce. Still got all the looks, but 300bhp is more than enough, yet still get all the other nice bits (dampers, LSD) and cuts out a lot of the big bills (active aero, big brakes, expensive services).

Picture for prosperity.

i get where you’re coming from, my M2 was great as my only car, but i don’t think it would be exciting enough to be a second car. it was just too easy and capable - which sounds like the alfa too.

obvious question - what’s next?

Yeti finally completely fixed. To remind you all, the clock spring failed a few weeks ago. Normally that's £400+fitting+coding, so £500-£600 or so. Sod that. So I found an OE ribbon cable on ebay for £85, took the clock spring apart myself, fitted the new ribbon cable, put it all back together and that restored functionality to the steering wheel controls. However, the SRS system needed resetting before the airbag would work again. Luckily there's a bloke on my estate who runs a VAG specialist garage a mile up the road, so I went up there this morning, gave him £20 cash and he plugged in his computer to reset the SRS system. 10 minute job. All done - Airbag warning light extinguished.

It'll need new boots and an alignment before its MOT this summer. The next job is to find someone to so the dent on the wing where my wife hit the pole in the Tesco carpark.

Matty wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 8:10 pm Sold - Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Well I wasn’t expecting that.

Although I knew you weren’t 100% on it as your “focussed car”.

Roll on the replacement

Rich B wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 8:48 pm i get where you’re coming from, my M2 was great as my only car, but i don’t think it would be exciting enough to be a second car. it was just too easy and capable - which sounds like the alfa too.

obvious question - what’s next?

Lotus - as I knew I should have done instead of buying the QV. Probably Evora, although I'm currently debating Elise/Exige (despite my recent comments). Maybe it's time for "What Lotus Pt2" thread....! 60 pages!

mik wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 9:58 pm Well I wasn’t expecting that.

Although I knew you weren’t 100% on it as your “focussed car”.

Roll on the replacement

TBH it was on the cards after I drove the 400 last year. Like a dirty affair, I liked what I had at home but not as much as I enjoyed the soggy session behind the airfield in Essex.

Shocked by that announcement @Matty , but also excited y the prospect of a what’s next! Have you already decided/bought, or do we have an anti-Scotta (aka fun police) possibility of a car purchase related discussion to look forward to??

IanF wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:16 pm Shocked by that announcement @Matty , but also excited y the prospect of a what’s next! Have you already decided/bought, or do we have an anti-Scotta (aka fun police) possibility of a car purchase related discussion to look forward to??

For shits and giggles I'll make an Evora 400 vs Exige 350 vs Elise <something> vs Emira discussion, because I am debating the first three. However spoiler alert, I can't afford an Emira.

Matty wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:19 pm

IanF wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:16 pm Shocked by that announcement @Matty , but also excited y the prospect of a what’s next! Have you already decided/bought, or do we have an anti-Scotta (aka fun police) possibility of a car purchase related discussion to look forward to??

For shits and giggles I'll make an Evora 400 vs Exige 350 vs Elise <something> vs Emira discussion, because I am debating the first three. However spoiler alert, I can't afford an Emira.

You know the right answer sir. <cough...400...cough>

I look forward to it.. also, it’s interesting that we seem to be siding now with the opinion that you can’t get a do-it-all car any more, but need a specific car for specific reasons. Scotta, Jobbo, Rich B, and now Matty, plus serial car buyers Harry and Steve all seem to be leading the way on this revoluçion!

Matty wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 8:10 pm Sold - Giulia Quadrifoglio.

What!? Nooooo!

That car looked pretty close to perfection for something relatively practical, but I do totally understand, if you don't need practical then there's better options. It's hard to beat a Lotus! Hurry up and get it done, still 5 spaces on the 18th March!

I have got a car in discussion, but very unlikely to be turned around by then

IanF wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 11:26 pm I look forward to it.. also, it’s interesting that we seem to be siding now with the opinion that you can’t get a do-it-all car any more, but need a specific car for specific reasons. Scotta, Jobbo, Rich B, and now Matty, plus serial car buyers Harry and Steve all seem to be leading the way on this revoluçion!

I mean, haven't we all been that way for a while I think the last do it all car I had was the VXR8, and that's going back!

If my commute was better, or I worked from home for the majority, I probably would just have one car, but having a cheap car for tatting makes more sense.

IanF wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 11:26 pm I look forward to it.. also, it’s interesting that we seem to be siding now with the opinion that you can’t get a do-it-all car any more, but need a specific car for specific reasons. Scotta, Jobbo, Rich B, and now Matty, plus serial car buyers Harry and Steve all seem to be leading the way on this revoluçion!

For the record, I don't think I've EVER advocated a one-car solution ! I think the last time I had one car must be nearly 30 years ago, and that was only because I was fresh out of Uni and couldn't afford more.

I thought the rule was always n + 1

Mito Man wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 8:49 am I thought the rule was always n + 1

That rule was originally for bicyclists - rule 12: https://www.velominati.com/
But as a car forum it's perfectly applicable here. The running costs of multiple bikes don't grow in quite the same way of course.

Matty wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 8:10 pm Sold - Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Oh, and

Every now and again I see one around - there was a blue one which went past us twice as we were going into the Regal in Evesham last week - and they just look and sound amazing burbling in town. I can see exactly why they're not just a weekend car; been there, done that with my Boxster. Was using it every day not a real option?

Multiple cars is something I've done ever since I divorced by first wife. She was more resistant so I only had multiple cars for limited periods while I was with her. But if you have the space, it's impossible for car people to resist buying things.

Matty wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:19 pm

IanF wrote: Wed Feb 19, 2025 10:16 pm Shocked by that announcement @Matty , but also excited y the prospect of a what’s next! Have you already decided/bought, or do we have an anti-Scotta (aka fun police) possibility of a car purchase related discussion to look forward to??

For shits and giggles I'll make an Evora 400 vs Exige 350 vs Elise <something> vs Emira discussion, because I am debating the first three. However spoiler alert, I can't afford an Emira.

Go for the exige!

I see one in the work car park every time I go there and think how nice they look, and I was behind one that did an emergency start at the old Reims circuit a few years back which sounded epic.

Will £20k buy a non-shit one?

tim wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 9:55 am I see one in the work car park every time I go there and think how nice they look, and I was behind one that did an emergency start at the old Reims circuit a few years back which sounded epic.

Will £20k buy a non-shit one?

Values for Elise's and Exiges appear to have risen since the Elise-Exige-Evora range was replaced by the Emira. Cheapest V6 Exige currently listed on AutoTrader is a Roadster asking for £37k.

tim wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 9:55 am I see one in the work car park every time I go there and think how nice they look, and I was behind one that did an emergency start at the old Reims circuit a few years back which sounded epic.

Will £20k buy a non-shit one?

Youve not played this game for a while have you...Have you lost your Timculator?

mik wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 10:04 am

tim wrote: Thu Feb 20, 2025 9:55 am I see one in the work car park every time I go there and think how nice they look, and I was behind one that did an emergency start at the old Reims circuit a few years back which sounded epic.

Will £20k buy a non-shit one?

Values for Elise's and Exiges appear to have risen since the Elise-Exige-Evora range was replaced by the Emira. Cheapest V6 Exige currently listed on AutoTrader is a Roadster asking for £37k.

I'm done with wheelie-bins. I was talking about a Quadrifoglio