[LongBeachJim]

At long last, my Abarth arrived at noon today on auto transport, shipping from North Carolina to Long Beach, California. It was filthy but in great condition. Long trip, but I just wasn't able to find what I wanted locally: Gelato white, red seats, auto, Luxury Package. I also wanted the Brembos, but that was becoming impossible. I'll have the brakes added, as well as the Heritage stripes and red accents.

Today I set the tire pressure (mine were only 33 psi, as opposed to the 50 psi reported by others), gassed it up, and washed it. A few minutes ago I took it for a sunset drive along the beach with the top down. I love the Sports Mode and already I predict that I'm leaving that puppy on most of the time. I'm in love.

 

[relayer]

Congratulations! Love that color myself...

 

[kjcolv]

Love the red seats. I'm having to have mine shipped from NJ!

 

[LongBeachJim]

More pics from this morning's beach drive...

 

[jalanjalan]

Beautiful. That's exactly the car I want (with brembos). Enjoy!

 

[Greg]

The car looks fantastic. The standard brakes are darn good, you might find them satisfactory, although for serious duty, the Brembos are better.

Greg

 

[LongBeachJim]

Lol, so then I had to do a SUNSET drive an hour ago. The LED's look great.

 

[ForzaFiata]

Looks really good man!! I'm happy for you

 

[Orion ZyGarian]

Wow, the car looks marvelous in white! Congrats on finally getting yours. If it werent for white being so difficult to keep clean, I'd probably prefer it to my silver!

 

[Amante]

Beautiful car, beautiful weather, and OMG that garage! More pix of your garage please!!

My garage is filling up with "artwork" as well. I think I'll start a garage thread - you can post more pix of your garage there!

 

[LongBeachJim]

Beautiful car, beautiful weather, and OMG that garage! More pix of your garage please!!

My garage is filling up with "artwork" as well. I think I'll start a garage thread - you can post more pix of your garage there!

The garage is evidence of my madness. I just ordered an 18" x 36" Abarth banner. Since I have absolutely zero wall space remaining, I might need to start an automotive Sistine chapel thing on the ceiling.

If you start the thread I'll contribute.

 

[LongBeachJim]

It was really foggy at the beach this morning. One thing I noticed (unlike my Corvette), is that you have to change the headlights from "auto" to "manual-on" in order for the fog lights to work.

 

[kpoling]

Actually, if you line up the "auto", the fog light on position and the arrow, the fog lights will turn on.

 

[darrelross]

Beautiful!!

 

[LongBeachJim]

Actually, if you line up the "auto", the fog light on position and the arrow, the fog lights will turn on.

Kapoling, I checked it again. In clarification, your suggestion works only if it is night. When driving in daytime fog you have to manually turn on the headlights in order for the fog lights to work. In my last car the headlights & fog functioned independently.

 

[bffmike]

Yay! Hope you like your car as much as I like mine! Didn't know that about the fogs. Also, I can't seem to figure out how to change speeds on the intermittent wipers. I've tried setting it to Low and twisting the speed handle speed doesn't seem to change.

 

[LongBeachJim]

Yay! Hope you like your car as much as I like mine! Didn't know that about the fogs. Also, I can't seem to figure out how to change speeds on the intermittent wipers. I've tried setting it to Low and twisting the speed handle speed doesn't seem to change.

I haven't tried the rain sensing wipers yet. Supposedly, you leave them set on Auto and they will sense the rain, turn on by themselves, and manage the speed for you. Still, I'd like a little more control than that for when we have our classic L.A. torrential downpours.

I went on my longest drive yet today: semi-foggy Pacific Coast Highway for 12 miles (great ocean views with top down) and returning on the asphalt jungle San Diego freeway just so I could check freeways off my list.

 

[oliverpull]

Nice. It looks great in white with the black exterior trim, red accents, and red upholstery. I found the exact same car (except mine's a stick) in Las Vegas last week and made a deal for it. I'm headed there after Thanksgiving to drive it home to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. I was also looking for Brembos, but the suspense was too much for me.

 

[LongBeachJim]

Congratulations Oliverpull! Sounds like a scenic road trip once you get to Northern California. Hopefully the weather will allow you to keep the top down. Check the tire pressure in case the dealer hasn't. There are reports here of overinflation at 50 psi, and an assumption that this is done for cargo shipping. Post pics.

 

[oliverpull]

Will do. With Bixby Bridge, Big Sur in background! And maybe at some rainy beach in Oregon. Thanks for the tip on tires. I'll pack my gauge.