TurboLlew
Honorary ///Member
Nearly another year since I last did an update. I am closing in on 6 years of ownership on it.
Infamous Oil Service:
After nearly switching to Motul 300V, the unique way pricing of compatible oil for this car seems to work led me to carrying on with the Selenia OEM oil.
I happened to talk to the dealer about another part that I needed which was on back order and complained about the oil pricing (as one does LOL) and they said it had recently been reduced slightly in price. They managed to fit me in to have it done at very short notice. The more exotic stuff I will still do at Autopitstop but I technically still have FSH at agents too this way. It ended up being around R6000 for the service.
Costs over the year have been minimal. With a light car, even with track use it isn't terrible keeping them going. My original-from-factory pads (which I anticipated changing ages ago with the track and breakfast run uses) are still at over 60% (estimated by APS and Alfa) so nothing to change yet - maybe I must do more of these in a year. I still change fluid frequently with Motul RBF660
I had to do the suspension torque procedure as well (by time and based on my use) which was approximately R3K. This is necessary on any carbon tub car and is really more of a 'double check' than actual work. This service has actually come down in price from years past. I think it is also part of their drive to keep people coming into dealers as opposed to just being put off by absurd pricing. I don't think they are sharing the improved parts pricing with their independent workshop customers though....
Other than that it has just been fuel, track costs, licensing, insurance and general stuff like balancing and alignment.
What went wrong
I did have a tiny Hella electronic solenoid fail. This controls the exhaust valves that open or close in different drive modes. Fortunately the valves default to 'open' in this state so I am not missing my Akrapovic x Novitec exhaust note
but I am rectifying this either way. It is a DIY fix and the part is common across many many brands and is a common failure point. Since nobody has it locally (Across Alfa, Porsche and VW which all use it, some for different applications) I am probably going to just order it off Amazon when it's in stock again. It's a sub R1000 part and can be accessed fairly painlessly
How much did I use it?
In terms of mileage, I did just over 3500km which isn't bad for this sort of car and my sort of total mileage. I did note that insurance costs have gone up around R200 this year which was the only materially higher expense. The car now runs mostly with OB1 which I source from Takealot. Takealot is somehow cheaper than most of the places that stock it (when you can find it anyway). I plan to use it a bit more this year too so the quiet mode will need to be back in action for taking calls in the car. There is no drone or anything like that - it is just LOUD. I did a photoshoot not long ago and one of my mates drove the F90 to the venue and it was surprising loud (and burbly) to me vs sitting in the car driving myself... then he drove the Alfa back and it was even more surprisingly loud to me listening from the F90. LOL
What's coming up?
I have been putting off tyres until I do the new custom forged rims. Firi even has the designs and specs, but unfortunately between water tank projects, plumbing issues, maintenance projects, travel for business and my wife being retrenched, the money and time keeps finding other uses. Anyway that's life and we have to be responsible in order to keep having nice things so it is what it is... still hopeful to have this done within this year.
Either way before the end of the year I need to have Potenza Race or P Zero Trofeo R tyres on it. This is because the Cup 2s (date coded 2020) have completely degraded at this point and this is especially evident in the cold weather where both traction and braking are now definitely in the 'poor' category. With some temperature they are OK-ish but the last track day I did took their remaining useful life as a performance item out of them for sure. Plenty of depth on the treads, but functionally useless.
I have a set of Alpine Type X speakers that I have test fitted and have 3D printed car specific adapters for. These will go in within the next few weeks running active off a Match DSP. Took some time to amass the parts. This isn't adding toooooo much weight vs. crossovers and large amps etc. There's an argument to be made for the exhaust note being the music, but I also want actual music too...
@Neven finally got to drive the little Alfa (as well as a few others over the course of this year). I think we both have challenges in terms of upgrading our fleets without a powerball win. If anyone would like to buy me a 488 Pista or GT2 or 720S then I can share my banking details . Jokes aside, I do think it was different to what he was expecting but he can comment with impressions if he spots this post too.
I don't think anyone is quite prepared for how low and wide it is in real life
I am finding as time goes on fewer and fewer people know what this car even is and that will only continue. A few youtube vids and listicles have mentioned it in the past while so maybe it will double again in value. Who knows LOL. The few that have come up for sale, even at eye watering prices considering what most of us paid for them, haven't lingered for very long (unless they had some kind of history). anyway even then I am not sure I would be able to bring myself to part with it. Maybe that is part of the Alfa-owner psychosis? That said Ferrari will give me a nice round 7 figures as a trade in which would be amazing if there was anything sub R4M that was an actual upgrade for the things I am looking for. I am still very much looking to add something rather than to replace the 4C.
As such the search for more money continues in order to bring this to life
Like and subscribe
Thanks for reading. Until next year!
Infamous Oil Service:
After nearly switching to Motul 300V, the unique way pricing of compatible oil for this car seems to work led me to carrying on with the Selenia OEM oil.
I happened to talk to the dealer about another part that I needed which was on back order and complained about the oil pricing (as one does LOL) and they said it had recently been reduced slightly in price. They managed to fit me in to have it done at very short notice. The more exotic stuff I will still do at Autopitstop but I technically still have FSH at agents too this way. It ended up being around R6000 for the service.
Costs over the year have been minimal. With a light car, even with track use it isn't terrible keeping them going. My original-from-factory pads (which I anticipated changing ages ago with the track and breakfast run uses) are still at over 60% (estimated by APS and Alfa) so nothing to change yet - maybe I must do more of these in a year. I still change fluid frequently with Motul RBF660
I had to do the suspension torque procedure as well (by time and based on my use) which was approximately R3K. This is necessary on any carbon tub car and is really more of a 'double check' than actual work. This service has actually come down in price from years past. I think it is also part of their drive to keep people coming into dealers as opposed to just being put off by absurd pricing. I don't think they are sharing the improved parts pricing with their independent workshop customers though....
Other than that it has just been fuel, track costs, licensing, insurance and general stuff like balancing and alignment.
What went wrong
I did have a tiny Hella electronic solenoid fail. This controls the exhaust valves that open or close in different drive modes. Fortunately the valves default to 'open' in this state so I am not missing my Akrapovic x Novitec exhaust note
but I am rectifying this either way. It is a DIY fix and the part is common across many many brands and is a common failure point. Since nobody has it locally (Across Alfa, Porsche and VW which all use it, some for different applications) I am probably going to just order it off Amazon when it's in stock again. It's a sub R1000 part and can be accessed fairly painlesslyHow much did I use it?
In terms of mileage, I did just over 3500km which isn't bad for this sort of car and my sort of total mileage. I did note that insurance costs have gone up around R200 this year which was the only materially higher expense. The car now runs mostly with OB1 which I source from Takealot. Takealot is somehow cheaper than most of the places that stock it (when you can find it anyway). I plan to use it a bit more this year too so the quiet mode will need to be back in action for taking calls in the car. There is no drone or anything like that - it is just LOUD. I did a photoshoot not long ago and one of my mates drove the F90 to the venue and it was surprising loud (and burbly) to me vs sitting in the car driving myself... then he drove the Alfa back and it was even more surprisingly loud to me listening from the F90. LOL
What's coming up?
I have been putting off tyres until I do the new custom forged rims. Firi even has the designs and specs, but unfortunately between water tank projects, plumbing issues, maintenance projects, travel for business and my wife being retrenched, the money and time keeps finding other uses. Anyway that's life and we have to be responsible in order to keep having nice things so it is what it is... still hopeful to have this done within this year.
Either way before the end of the year I need to have Potenza Race or P Zero Trofeo R tyres on it. This is because the Cup 2s (date coded 2020) have completely degraded at this point and this is especially evident in the cold weather where both traction and braking are now definitely in the 'poor' category. With some temperature they are OK-ish but the last track day I did took their remaining useful life as a performance item out of them for sure. Plenty of depth on the treads, but functionally useless.
I have a set of Alpine Type X speakers that I have test fitted and have 3D printed car specific adapters for. These will go in within the next few weeks running active off a Match DSP. Took some time to amass the parts. This isn't adding toooooo much weight vs. crossovers and large amps etc. There's an argument to be made for the exhaust note being the music, but I also want actual music too...
@Neven finally got to drive the little Alfa (as well as a few others over the course of this year). I think we both have challenges in terms of upgrading our fleets without a powerball win. If anyone would like to buy me a 488 Pista or GT2 or 720S then I can share my banking details
. Jokes aside, I do think it was different to what he was expecting but he can comment with impressions if he spots this post too.I don't think anyone is quite prepared for how low and wide it is in real life
I am finding as time goes on fewer and fewer people know what this car even is and that will only continue. A few youtube vids and listicles have mentioned it in the past while so maybe it will double again in value. Who knows LOL. The few that have come up for sale, even at eye watering prices considering what most of us paid for them, haven't lingered for very long (unless they had some kind of history). anyway even then I am not sure I would be able to bring myself to part with it. Maybe that is part of the Alfa-owner psychosis? That said Ferrari will give me a nice round 7 figures as a trade in which would be amazing if there was anything sub R4M that was an actual upgrade for the things I am looking for. I am still very much looking to add something rather than to replace the 4C.
As such the search for more money continues in order to bring this to life
Like and subscribe
Thanks for reading. Until next year!
