458 Looking Back - 4 Years in a 458 Italia

My love of all things Ferrari began whilst I was a young lad. My mates were into American muscle cars in the 70’s and 80’s, but I only dreamed of Ferrari’s. They were far out of reach for me back then, but I dared to dream…

I spent my adult life in SonderKlasse Benz variants. They were very reliable cars for my career in sales and I owned a plethora of them through the years. Ferrari was however, always in the back of my mind.

When I reached my mid-fifties, I started thinking about retiring early. A few years later, I pulled the plug and retired. One of the first things I did was to start researching Ferrari’s. Although I have always loved V12 GT’s, I wanted to start out with a mid-engine V8.

After lots of research, I found a 2015 458 Italia with the spec I wanted at a Ferrari dealer in Atlanta, Georgia. I booked a first class seat on United straightaway and I was off to the Waldorf Astoria in Atlanta.

It was bitterly cold when I arrived at the dealership the next morning. She was parked out on the forecourt and as soon as I saw her, it was “Amore a Prima Vista.” They already had her warming up for me, as I had an ~876 mile trip back home.

After signing some papers and verifying the wired funds, I headed out in short order to my waiting 458. As I settled into the heated drivers seat, I remember thinking to myself, “You just bought your first Ferrari mate, you’re dreaming… WAKE UP!”

It was all I ever dreamed it would be and so much more… I soaked it up like a man dying of thirst in a never ending desert, finally finding an oasis of ice cold water…

The aerodynamic sensual curves of the body, the precise handling, the engine “music” of her glorious NA V8, the intoxicating scent of the leather, the heated full electric seats, the ocean of carbon fibre accents, the special Ferrari Collection rims and the Schumacher contributions to the racing inspired steering wheel and more.

Four years after that first mind blowing ride home, my pulse still races every time I catch a glimpse of her in the car park. “Giada” (named after the famous Italian chef, Giada De Laurentiis) has 24,235 smiles on her now and she has been flawless in every respect.

She passed a CPO inspection when I acquired her in 2019, annual inspections every year since and two in-depth MainPower15 warranty inspections in the last two years with flying colours… I have contributed 15,571 smiles to her total in the last four years of my stewardship.

Driving my 458 is simply epic! It connects with you down to your DNA… The “music” created by the naturally aspirated V8 engine is seductive and utterly addictive…The stars aligned when the 458 was created. It is a very special “Moment in Time” car that I’m blessed to have in my stable.

I’m looking forward to many more “smiles” in the future. She is a definite keeper for me, but she will not be the only Ferrari in my stable. An 812 GTS is on my radar, so I can experience a V12 Spider from the gods at Maranello.

I’m reading a 968 page book now about Enzo and the history of Ferrari. I want to learn everything I can about Enzo, his amazing life and his intense passion for racing. It’s the icing on the cake for me, as I continue the stewardship of my epic 458!

No matter what model/s of Ferrari you are passionate about, I wish you many more awesome miles of enjoyment and exhilaration! Best wishes to you and yours for a healthy, happy and Ferrari filled New Year!

Cheers!

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It seems to defy time, it’s such an amazing car!

Cheers!

 

Thanks for your comments. I’ve never felt this way about any of my cars… The gods at Maranello reached for the stars with the 458 and the result of their efforts were epic!

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Thanks for your comments… Ferrari really knocked it out of the park with the 458!

Cheers!

 

Thanks, the 812GTS will complete my stable…

I purchased this book on Enzo from Amazon…

Luca Dal Monte

Enzo Ferrari: Power, Politics and the Making of an Automobile Empire


Cheers!

 

I could not have said it better myself… Thanks for sharing!

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Thanks so much!

When I originally drove it straight home from the dealer in Atlanta, it took about 17.5 hours…

As soon as I arrived, I wanted to take it for another spin… It’s utterly addictive!

Cheers!

 

Thanks… It’s such an awesome experience driving a Prancing Horse!

Cheers!

 

Bravo, well said! The 458 has lovely lines and it looks very provocative from every angle. I can’t get enough of those beautiful curves flowing from one body line into another…

I always dreaded detailing my SonderKlasse Benz cars… It was two to three days of hard graft to complete the task. As much as I loved them, it was not something I looked forward to at all.

Having said that, I look forward to detailing the 458… I love getting stuck in with the fiddly bits and the time seems to just melt away. I can spend three days on her and it’s a treat… I feel honoured to do it!

Some of the swabs I use have 1.5mm ball ends. I use a magnifying headset to ensure proper cleaning of the tiny crevices. All of that would drive some blokes nutty, but I look forward to it. Four years later, I’m still in awe of my 458…

Cheers!