I Hate Harold

I as going to post this ages ago but frankly I needed to cool off a bit first. I was vexed. Very vexed. Very Very vexed. Here is why.

A little while ago, I took the F360 to a well known car accessory store which we will call Harold’s. Harold’s has a branch located in an out of town retail estate in Chelmsford which is near where I live.

So I rocked up to Harold’s in the F360 and went up to the childseat counter. Got ignored for about 10 minutes and then an assistant did the usual reluctant ‘ do I really have to help you ‘ greeting and ‘buzzed’ for a ‘specialist’ to help me…

I told the very spotty very bored, very indifferent young specialist that I wanted to buy a booster seat for my 5 year old and that I wanted him to bring the booster out to my car to make sure that the thing fitted the Ferrari’s rather perfectly formed Daytona seats.

This is where Harold’s messed up big style. The conversation went like this.

Harold’s specialist: “what sort of car is it”?

Me: “it’s that grey Ferrari”

HS: “is it going in the front or the back” (we were pretty much next to the at this stage)

Me: “We’ll it’ll probably have to go in the front as these Ferrari’s don’t have back seats”

HS: “You shouldn’t have a child in the front and you have to get the air bags deactivated first. It’s illegal to have the airbags ‘on’ and a child in the front seat”

Me: “No, it’s not”

HS: “Yes, it is”

Me: “No, I really think it isn’t, I think it’s just advisory and besides the latest research says that older children are better off with the airbag operational provided they sit far enough back”

HS: “I’m the child seat specialist and I can tell you it’s illegal and I won’t sell you a child seat unless the airbag is turned off”

Me: “OK then, the airbags are deactivated”

I opened the car up  - HS looks visibly offended  - like I’d popped a poo in his lunch box. I placed the booster on the passenger seat and said to the ‘Specialist’ : “It doesn’t fit especially well does it? – I mean it’s OK but can I see if there is anything narrower because Ferraris always have narrow seats.”

HS: “They’re all pretty much the same size (not)”

Me: “Really? I’m not really super happy with the fit”

HS: “Well you shouldn’t have a Ferrari then should you”

I was a little taken a back this to say the least. The spotty grumpy little youth then grabbed the booster and took it to the desk while I locked the car and followed him in.  At the stage I would normally have told the nasty little spotter to stick the child seat up his arse, or even to place my heal on the back of his neck (with his face in the tarmac) and make him beg for forgiveness but I was in a hurry and had to pick my son up from school, hence the uncharacteristic acquiescence.

By the time I got to the cash desk I had composed myself and was able to relay the conversation to the more mature and sympathetic person at the desk. I suggested that the acne afflicted MCP, that didn’t help me fit the booster to my Ferrari, might do better in an alternative area of employment. Perhaps stacking shelves or flipping burgers or anything where he doesn’t have to speak to people.

It’s a shame really because I used to by lots of car care bits at Harold’s but no more. I’ve got a little list….and they are on it.

New Arrival

I did tell you that I had a new toy in mind didn't I ? well now is have to spill the beans and confess all.

After many years of resisting the urge I have finally bought a Ferrari. The 'why' is difficult to explain. I can try and justify that prices are going in only one direction on the 360 modena and that it's the first lower maintenance Ferrari and so on. Utter crap. I just really really wanted one.

I started looking in October and thought I would be a higher mileage 1999 or 2000 car...yeah and so did everyone else. Within a couple of weeks the market was bereft and all that was left was the expensive stuff. So I had to find some more money down the back of the sofa and take a deeper breath...

...and then I found it, a lovely 2003 car in dark grey with burgundy leather, at Simon Furlonger in Kent. Now I know that Rosso Corsa is the colour of choice for most fans but for me it's all too much. Ferraris are inherently flashy so they don't need a flashy colour too. I would have ideally liked Tour de France blue but there are so few UK cars in that colour.  Dark grey was second choice for me.

My experience with Simon Furlonger was really positive. The car is very straight, they serviced it and made sure it's mechanically A1. They did the dreaded cam belts and fitted a Stradale rear anti-roll bar and did the geo too. And when we found out that the tracker didn't work any more, they simply got it replaced. No fuss and no messing about.

So what's it like to drive ? amazing. Simple as that. It's like a cross between a luxurious lotus elise and a Saturn V rocket. I love it. We drove about 350 miles over the bank holiday weekend and the car was comfortable, plenty of storage space and even reasonably quiet. The only problem is the lack of a decent stereo and no Sat Nav.

Ooops, I lied, there is another problem. It likes a drink. I mean REALLY likes a drink. If you are making fast progress on B roads then you can watch those bars on the fuel gauge disappear before your very eyes. I don't know what it does with the stuff. Perhaps it uses the fuel to make the nice noise or perhaps to keep the cam covers extra red. I dunno. Small price to pay for such enjoyment (at the moment anyway).