First time Ferrari owner - bought a Cali 30
Discussion
Took the plunge before going electric in 2 years time and bought a California 30. I've had it a week now (although was at the detailers for 3 days - can highly recommend James at Deluxe car care in Ascot). Kids love it and just want to go for a drive in it with me. I have to admit its incredible, from the engine start up to how it looks and drives and the noise of acceleration. It's a masterpiece. Putting a smile on my face every day and every second of driving it.
There are two niggles -
1) The insanely loud lock/unlock car alarm sound
2) The chap who ordered white stitching on the dashboard, didn't realise it reflects in the windscreen when driving it.
However as I said,
1) It looks gorgeous, double stacked exhausts are classic
2) Start-up is a melody I can listen to all day. The kids are already asking me to switch it off when I get to school, so they can hear it starting up again when they get out
3) Driving back to my house last night, past a small kid with his mum, and he started yelling "Ferrari mum, Ferrari, look a Ferrari" which was awesome and wholesome.
4) The convertible aspect is awesome, so nice to drive in the sunshine over the weekend
5) The auto box makes this car a dream to drive normally and a beast when you switch to the paddles
6) The up change noise for the exhaust is highly addictive.
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/HW1XoP2Z.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/HW1XoP2Z" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/HW1XoP2Z.jpg)
There are two niggles -
1) The insanely loud lock/unlock car alarm sound
2) The chap who ordered white stitching on the dashboard, didn't realise it reflects in the windscreen when driving it.
However as I said,
1) It looks gorgeous, double stacked exhausts are classic
2) Start-up is a melody I can listen to all day. The kids are already asking me to switch it off when I get to school, so they can hear it starting up again when they get out
3) Driving back to my house last night, past a small kid with his mum, and he started yelling "Ferrari mum, Ferrari, look a Ferrari" which was awesome and wholesome.
4) The convertible aspect is awesome, so nice to drive in the sunshine over the weekend
5) The auto box makes this car a dream to drive normally and a beast when you switch to the paddles
6) The up change noise for the exhaust is highly addictive.
Terrific looking thing. I love the stacked exhaust and the shape generally, much more distinctive than the later Portofino with its family look at the front and lower rear.
I find you can judge how thrilling your car is to look at by how much bystanders turn their body to watch when you go past: just their head, the upper torso, or a full body rotate. The Cali is a full rotate. Shouting excitingly is a bonus...
I find you can judge how thrilling your car is to look at by how much bystanders turn their body to watch when you go past: just their head, the upper torso, or a full body rotate. The Cali is a full rotate. Shouting excitingly is a bonus...
Very nice indeed....and good to hear that you're enjoying it !
Far too many people seem to be only too happy to knock the California but I always take that with a pinch of salt as I suspect that most of them are just tripping out lines that "serious" journos posted many years ago when they just didn't "get" what the California was all about and were comparing it with the 360 & 430.
I've had mine for 5 years now and it still gives the same tingle evey time I take it out.
As for the passengers aspect...my boy is now 11 and still comfortably fits in the back. With me at 6'2" though I have to admit that it is in reality a 3-seater rather than 4. That said, I've been seen to run with 4 adults in the past (not my optimum driving position) when doing charity rides with the Sporting Bears...so it is possible !!
Absolutely get your comment about the white stitching on the dash too...looks lovely but reflects really badly in the screen. Fortunately mine has black stitching but was a big negative on a Portofino that I drove a couple of years back.
Hope that the sunny weather keeps up and you get to enjoy even more of that lovely V8 !!
Far too many people seem to be only too happy to knock the California but I always take that with a pinch of salt as I suspect that most of them are just tripping out lines that "serious" journos posted many years ago when they just didn't "get" what the California was all about and were comparing it with the 360 & 430.
I've had mine for 5 years now and it still gives the same tingle evey time I take it out.
As for the passengers aspect...my boy is now 11 and still comfortably fits in the back. With me at 6'2" though I have to admit that it is in reality a 3-seater rather than 4. That said, I've been seen to run with 4 adults in the past (not my optimum driving position) when doing charity rides with the Sporting Bears...so it is possible !!
Absolutely get your comment about the white stitching on the dash too...looks lovely but reflects really badly in the screen. Fortunately mine has black stitching but was a big negative on a Portofino that I drove a couple of years back.
Hope that the sunny weather keeps up and you get to enjoy even more of that lovely V8 !!
Gnevans said:
Great car. What age kids can realistically fit in the back or is it really three max?
My 9 year old is quite comfy in it when his 13 year old sister or my wife (both 5foot 6) are in the front. The 13 year old is happy to be in the back if the seat is all the way forward for the 9 year old as she’s only in there for 15 mins on the way to his school and then she can jump in the front for the 15 mins to her school. 
jon66 said:
Very nice indeed....and good to hear that you're enjoying it !
Far too many people seem to be only too happy to knock the California but I always take that with a pinch of salt as I suspect that most of them are just tripping out lines that "serious" journos posted many years ago when they just didn't "get" what the California was all about and were comparing it with the 360 & 430.
I've had mine for 5 years now and it still gives the same tingle evey time I take it out.
....
Hope that the sunny weather keeps up and you get to enjoy even more of that lovely V8 !!
Thanks jon66,Far too many people seem to be only too happy to knock the California but I always take that with a pinch of salt as I suspect that most of them are just tripping out lines that "serious" journos posted many years ago when they just didn't "get" what the California was all about and were comparing it with the 360 & 430.
I've had mine for 5 years now and it still gives the same tingle evey time I take it out.
....
Hope that the sunny weather keeps up and you get to enjoy even more of that lovely V8 !!
I don't understand how people can knock it, sub 4 seconds, fantastic handling and an engine note that God blessed an Italian town to recreate.
Looking forward to sunshine and everything other than snow to drive it in
Mattjevans said:
Agreed, I’ve never understood the knocks.
My own view is that the detractors don’t really know what Ferrari is about. They think a Ferrari should be a red, mid-engined two-seater with huge power. They forget or never knew that some of the great Ferraris of history have been elegant front-engined GTs, and that this is a form that Ferrari has always been brilliant at. So they moan that ‘they’ve gone soft’ or that ‘it isn’t a real Ferrari’ without any idea of what a real Ferrari is, or having experienced the huge pace and delicacy of handling that the Cali has compared to nearly anything else you can buy.
I put these people in the same bucket as those who trot out that Lotus stands for “Loads of Trouble, Usually Serious” without having owned or driven one, or spoken to an owner who has had one in the last 20 years.
Congrats - I had one for 2 years and I used to get comments from supercar drivers that it wasn’t a real supercar etc etc . I just used to point out that I didn’t want a ‘real supercar’ but a fast fun convertible to use daily. Also, I never used to see them out in their supercars as they were afraid of scratching them . . it’s an awesome car. I bought a newer California T which is better in many respects but doesn’t have the sound . . Even with sports pipes ! So enjoy the car and the sound , have a great summer in it - use it all the time ( I did more miles in one year than it had done in the 5 previous)
The California 30 is a super convertible, use it all the time and if you are ever in South Wales - message me and we’ll meet up for a cruise !
The California 30 is a super convertible, use it all the time and if you are ever in South Wales - message me and we’ll meet up for a cruise !
67Dino said:
Mattjevans said:
Agreed, I’ve never understood the knocks.
My own view is that the detractors don’t really know what Ferrari is about. They think a Ferrari should be a red, mid-engined two-seater with huge power. They forget or never knew that some of the great Ferraris of history have been elegant front-engined GTs, and that this is a form that Ferrari has always been brilliant at. So they moan that ‘they’ve gone soft’ or that ‘it isn’t a real Ferrari’ without any idea of what a real Ferrari is, or having experienced the huge pace and delicacy of handling that the Cali has compared to nearly anything else you can buy.
I put these people in the same bucket as those who trot out that Lotus stands for “Loads of Trouble, Usually Serious” without having owned or driven one, or spoken to an owner who has had one in the last 20 years.
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