buying your first supercar with no experience

[sir humphrey appleby]

Question for you...

If someone was to buy a Huracan, 458, Aventador, FF or anything like that and it was their first seriously quick motor car, would it not be wise to at least do a supercar experience or similar prior?

Surely it wouldn't be a good idea to drive off the forecourt in something that has the power and potential for an awful lot of damage, when you have absolutely no experience?

Or, as I have heard, modern supercars nowadays are as simple to drive in auto form that you would be able to jump in straight away be able to handle it?

It's odd the things you think about when you are supposed to be working...

[av185]

Supercar experience days are generally pretty crap and you won't learn much.

Reading/ self tuition best route esp atm.

[SL550M]

I should be working also! But I'm happy for the distraction thank you OP.

I bought my Ferrari 550 without ever having test-driven it or indeed any other supercar. This was 2007 so I guess the 550 was classed as a supercar back then. I'd had a couple of 911s before that, but the Ferrari was obviously a big step up and felt quite intimidating (and insanely exciting) when I drove it out of the showroom at Maranello in Egham. As long as you don't do anything idiotic, you quickly get acclimatised and gradually you learn to push on a bit and enjoy the car without the risk of going backwards or sideways into a hedge.

Saying that, today's supercars have about 200-odd more BHP than my old 550 so I guess there's greater scope to get it horribly wrong on early acquaintance. Steady as she goes would be my (not very original) advice.

[r o n n i e]

Just don’t drive like a d ckhead from the off and you will be fine.

There’s nothing like learning and experiencing in your own first supercar.

Respect all cars - abused in the wrong conditions they are killing machines.

[andrew]

one of my insurance company's first questions was about prior experience
stepping up from an mr2, then elan, then 911 appeared to ease their angst

[BigR]

SL550M said:

I bought my Ferrari 550 without ever having test-driven it or indeed any other supercar. This was 2007 so I guess the 550 was classed as a supercar back then. I'd had a couple of 911s before that, but the Ferrari was obviously a big step up and felt quite intimidating (and insanely exciting) when I drove it out of the showroom at Maranello in Egham. As long as you don't do anything idiotic, you quickly get acclimatised and gradually you learn to push on a bit and enjoy the car without the risk of going backwards or sideways into a hedge.

Pretty much this. I picked up my Huracan - previously had a C63 and GranTurismo, so powerful but quite in the Huracan territory. You find your way as long as you basically don't behave like a dick. It's slightly intimidating when you pick it up, but so long as you take your time, it should be fine. In my few years of it - and one or two other things along the way - I've avoided any kind of accident / putting it in a ditch. In fact, my wobbliest moments were in the C63, inadvertently putting in a little bit too much power in the wet and going somewhat sideways as a result.

[willy wombat]

As others have said, it's fine as long as you don't act like a dick e.g. feeling the need to leave two long black stripes as you leave the dealership - try that and you'll probably leave a long brown one instead. Ease into the car, initially DON'T turn off the traction control and if it's raining when you pick it up, if the car has it use the "wet roads" setting. Take it easy till you get the hang of it and you'll be fine.

[yellowtr]

Modern day supercars are so easy to drive you will have no issues unless you are a terrible driver. As others have mentioned Insurance companies will very likely ask you your experience of driving these cars before insuring you on the car-get a quote before you buy!

[Spindoctor]

Most modern supercars (like most everyday cars) carry a load of tech designed to stop you binning the car. But as said, if you behave like a dick behind the wheel you'll end up finding its limits. Or if you turn off all the driver aids.

Experience days are not much use, its all about getting familiar with the car over time and behavng like a grown-up. When I first drove my Noble a decade ago I was distinctly nervous. Its actually very user friendly despite having no traction control, ABS etc, but it would be dead easy to overdo it even after 10 years of driving it.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

As others have said, just buy the car you want and take it easy if you don’t have experience with performance cars.
Whatever people like to pretend with regards supercars being incredibly fragile or ‘this car is impossible to insure’ etc, they are just cars.
Driving foolishly most modern cars can cause trouble.

[anonymous-user]

I went from an XKR-S (550bhp) to a 720S. The Jaaaaag was an animal - always wanting to put me into a hedge when on damp roads. By comparison, the 720S is a piece-of-piss to drive - I always feel safe in it. The electrickery and trick suspension employed by McLaren to keep the 720S on the road is black magic.

Just don’t drive like a knob and all will be fine. In fact, it’s other road users you need to be careful of. White van man driving very close up your arse to take photo’s is a common occurrence.

[crimbo]

Just buy it, have your head screwed on and respect the fact it can get you into trouble fast. Respect others on the road and always think of who maybe coming the other way or pulling out of a field on a blind corner. Treat it like a bike. You will have Road awareness from your previous cars etc

You can get yourself into easily as much trouble in a slow car in terms of causing an accident.

Take it steady and enjoy

[456mgt]

Very consistent advice here! I went from a Ford Sierra 1.8GL to a Ferrari 456, and the only real problem I had was insurance in that they like you to have had powerful cars before. Not a 90BHP repmobile. It's just a car, and it's performance regulated by your right foot, so approach it a bit judiciously. The best experience in my opinion is karting; you develop a feel for the limit of grip, and not to panic when you lose traction. My experience is that performance cars are easier to drive safely, since they're all over-engineered for day to day duties, and handle far more crisply than the average stuff on the road.

[Pioneer]

First one I bought was a 2008 Gallardo from HR Owen about 10 years ago. Remember pulling off the forecourt into 'real' traffic with every sphincter tightened. Had plenty of fast cars before but nothing quite as fast or worth as much which was more concerning for me, esp. as I used finance! Was a joy learning to use eGear through the narrow residential roads of Pangbourne. Will teach me for using a supercar's sat nav. When I eventually got to the mway I managed to stop clenching my teeth and smile. Light on the accelerator to start and by the time the good weather is here you'll have enough miles under your belt to push on if you wish.

[Drclarke]

I remember picking up my then new 328GTS from Maranellos in Egham and nearly pirouetting it on the roundabout outside as I tried to nip in front of a slow moving lorry. The key is to take your time and don’t be a show off.

[Zarco]

I've never driven a Supercar but I think a good thing to keep in mind is they have very wide tyres so it is easier to start aquaplaning in the wet. There are no driver aids that can prevent that.

[john_1983]

SL550M said:

I should be working also! But I'm happy for the distraction thank you OP.

I bought my Ferrari 550 without ever having test-driven it or indeed any other supercar. This was 2007 so I guess the 550 was classed as a supercar back then. I'd had a couple of 911s before that, but the Ferrari was obviously a big step up and felt quite intimidating (and insanely exciting) when I drove it out of the showroom at Maranello in Egham. As long as you don't do anything idiotic, you quickly get acclimatised and gradually you learn to push on a bit and enjoy the car without the risk of going backwards or sideways into a hedge.

Saying that, today's supercars have about 200-odd more BHP than my old 550 so I guess there's greater scope to get it horribly wrong on early acquaintance. Steady as she goes would be my (not very original) advice.

Very similar to me - I went from a JCW Mini & 3.0 Z4 to a 550. The biggest thing was getting the insurance, as they ask what you've had before that was similar.

And I went very sideways twice on the drive home in January on greasy roundabouts, which was a bit of an eye-opener when I wasn't really trying to push the car

[MingtheMerciless]

I think you'll be fine. You have the right attitude. A modern supercar is designed to help drivers who are not using the throttle or the brakes as triggers. Just buy it, enjoy it and take it easy until you have a better feel for what goes wrong and when. Again, unless you are being a twit, they are designed to break traction fairly progressively so you will have time to react. Do try it on a civilised track day so you can explore closer to the limits, which will help you judge it on the road. And when you think you have confidence in your abilities, give it another couple of months. Also, all the rules change with a mid engined supercar when it is wet and particularly if it is cold also. A hint of icy puddle will leach all the heat out of your tyres just like that and you go from grip grip grip to NO GRIP in an instant. It's best to not be traveling too fast then.

I can also say, with respect to my 458, that when I let my friends drive it, the universal reaction beforehand (for those who hadn't drive it or similar before) is - I'm nervous of this much power and in an expensive car, so I'll be taking it handy enough. Give it 30 minutes and they are deep into bends almost braking only at the apex on some bumpy leafy road whooping with abandonment of all forms of self preservation and restraint as I sit grimly clenching buttock cheeks in the passenger seat. Some of them I won't even pax with anymore. So you'd be surpised how quickly one can acclimatise. As to which, see the give it another couple of months comment.

[BelfastBoy]

To extend the OP question,how about if the step up is more sudden/dramatic?Let's say somebody is used only to totally ordinary cars as daily drivers,like non-hot hatchbacks,MPVs etc.They'd be experienced only with manual or auto cars,not paddle-shift gearboxes.But they suddenly come into money,such as a large inheritance or lottery win.They don't need to work any more,and it's time to buy some performance cars.If they drive,say,a diesel Seat Leon but want a Ferrari 488, Porsche 911 Turbo,Lambo Aventador,would the dealers be nice,and how steep would the learning curves be?(Assume that the hypothetical buyer here is sensible,mature,prepared to respect the cars capabilities.)

[Lee Jones Jnr]

BelfastBoy said:

To extend the OP question,how about if the step up is more sudden/dramatic?Let's say somebody is used only to totally ordinary cars as daily drivers,like non-hot hatchbacks,MPVs etc.They'd be experienced only with manual or auto cars,not paddle-shift gearboxes.But they suddenly come into money,such as a large inheritance or lottery win.They don't need to work any more,and it's time to buy some performance cars.If they drive,say,a diesel Seat Leon but want a Ferrari 488, Porsche 911 Turbo,Lambo Aventador,would the dealers be nice,and how steep would the learning curves be?(Assume that the hypothetical buyer here is sensible,mature,prepared to respect the cars capabilities.)

No idea what you mean by ‘would the dealers be nice’ but the same applies, it’s just a car, take it easy whilst you get used to it.