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HANDLING QUESTION: is the 4c safe? forgiving?

12K views 45 replies 30 participants last post by  B-T 
#1 ·
Have been lurking the forum for a while, love the 4C ever since its release. I recently test drove a 4C spider and found it surprisingly easy to drive (the lack of power steering requires more effort only at slow speeds, once the car is moving it's not bad at all) and I love the design. I believe it will be an incredibly fun little car to take around canyons. So I have started shopping for one, but only signed up today for a question. From all the talks at cars and coffee in the past few years, I heard some owners described the car as having a lot of feedback at slower speed, but once it's up to speed the steering is too light and so it's a bit sketchy to drive. Some said it's very unforgiving (from short wheel base? skinny tires?) Most said it's probably the best driving machine they have and these guys have over a few mil dollars of cars in the garage. So dear owners, what's your impression of 4C's handling characteristics in comparison to some other cars? is it sketchy to drive at speed? particularly canyons and tracks. Is it a safe car for the average driver?
does it have snap oversteer like a s2000? vs stable modern porsches (cayman boxster 911s)? forgiving and playful like modern midengine ferraris? Appreciate any experience and insight into this from current owners
 
#2 · (Edited)
First off, welcome!

The 4C is NOT an axe murderer with headlights.
It definitely has some unique handling characteristics out of the box. As a handmade vehicle, with questionable QC of the alignment on some earlier cars, there are some simple solutions.
A good alignment is key - sounds like the one you drove had that.
If this does not sufficiently resolve any problems, Alfa Workshop in the UK (member jamiealfa here) makes a set of alignment shims which further improves handling without deadening steering feedback. It basically tames the tramlining and bump-steer experienced by some owners (myself included). These are not a terribly tricky install, and his shipping is virtually instantaneous, should you need to avail yourself of the product.

The rear suspension arms of the car are held to the chassis by bolts through rubber bushings. These have some play and (with extreme forces from track driving or canyon carving, especially on sticky rubber) can create passive rear steering. Unpredictable steering. And that can bite you. Most owners will never experience this, but if you do, there are some solutions here - again, Alfa Workshop has replacement arms with different bushings (essentially plug and play). And another member here, Gale, has a replacement set of steel uniballs. These are not so easy to install, and there have been a very small number of reports of sizing issues (of the holes in the arm, not of the uniball product). But they are brilliant (I have them, so I can say so).

Steering does become light at speed, but at speeds I've been up to (185Km/hr) not dangerously so. It is essentially what many (especially mid and rear engine) cars experience, if you were to take away the electronic / hydraulic feedback that you get from those systems. Only it is not hidden from you by trickery. And yes, a light car without an engine over the steering wheels has every right to feel that way.

The 4C, like many performance cars and especially those with engines behind the driver, rewards smooth inputs and thoughtful driving. Snap lift-oversteer is easily achievable if you are ham-footed. in fact, throttle steering the car is pretty easy at almost any speed. Especially on the poor stock tires. They're OK for parking, not great for driving.

The best part about the 4C is that you can enjoy it at any speed (from standing still in the parking lot on up) without needing to get into loose-your-license velocity like you might in a high power exotic or muscle car. It's best trick is making every-day driving an exotic experience. As long as you don't need to haul a large sheet of drywall!!!
 
#3 ·
I'm not sure I can add more to 4Canada's comments....

Steering:
First, I learned to drive on older (no power steering) cars/trucks. So I know you have to use a little arm muscles at slow speed, and the steering will get lighter at higher speeds. This isn't bothersome at all, and has really gotten blown out of proportion by youtubers that are ONLY use to highly assisted power steering. The original cars (2015 model year) were poorly aligned at the factor and had a very nasty habit of following every groove on a road. I remember the first time I got stuck in a rain storm on grooved pavement, WHITE knuckled drive that was.... A good alignment (with some front toe in) helps a lot, and possibly installing the Alfa Workshops spacers makes it MUCH better. The car DOES have a fast rack, in other words, a minor change in wheel angle = big change in car direction. I'm not sure if its is faster or slower than the Porsche GT3/GT3RS or not, but it is quite quicker than most drivers are use too. Second, the car IS lightweight so will change direction QUICKLY, the 500 to 1000 lb difference a big difference on agility. In other words, fast rack + light weight = VERY AGILE and SENSITIVE Car. It is something you have to get use to... As for "weight" of the steering, I find it nice. It is light on the straights, but loads up nicely mid-corner so you actually have to work to drive the car. It is a decent balance, so it is just something you have to get use to.

Handling:
The 4C is NOT easy (in stock form) to drive FAST (ie. 9/10 or 10/10) as it does not cover up your mistakes. Too quick on steering, car gets upset... Too aggressive on brakes, car gets upset.... However this is NORMAL for a very mid-engined, lightweight car! This car WILL teach you about car dynamics! So many modern cars, modern sports cars included, make you look and feel like F1 driver due to modern driver aids. They can (and do) save many drivers.. What you have to learn as a 4C driver is to calm your inputs and work WITH the car to go fast together. As 4Canada noted, the rear bushings do cause you to feel not as secure with the back end as you could, but a cheap and easy fix is available. It is NOT anymore tail happy than any other high horse powered rear wheel drive car.s on the market I would even argue that it is less tail happy than a Corvette or Mustangs, as the weight is over the rear wheels. Any rear wheel drive car will step out (spin) if you hammer it on a corner! Now have I spun the car?, YES, yes I have.... I did it one time on the street, and the next day I signed up for DRIVERS EDUCATION on track. I have never spun the car on the road again... I have on track, but I'm still a novice on the track.

Misc:
I will COMPLETELY agree with 4Canada about the best part about the 4C is that it is usable and FUN on the street. The gears are short enough to slam around on the street, not like a standard Porsche. Mine car basically lives FOR the track, and about 75% of my drive time is on the track. It is fast and fun, and I have ZERO regrets buying the car almost 3 years ago.
 
#4 ·
4Canada has a pretty good write up above. The car is a long way from being a difficult car to drive or tricky. The few upgrades he mentioned are just suggestions, not necessary. In fact if you just make sure the car has a good alignment you will be fine. Earlier cars sometimes came with questionable alignment from the factory but all new ones should be fine as that was addressed...at least here in the US. The one thing to be aware of is that the stock PZero AR tires are just so-so. They have stiff sidewalls and people tend to put TOO much air in them....often they are over inflated at the dealerships. That can make tramming more obvious. Get a good tire pressure dial gauge (not one of those cheap pen types or one designed to measure a huge range of pressures). Don't put more than the recommended pressure in the tires....29 rear and 26 front when cold. Once the stock tires wear out you will find several tires that will give a much better ride, wear, and performance. Michelin tires work wonders on the car. They and a good alignment will improve the car and mostly eliminate any tramming. The car is quite comfortable to drive unlike a lot of cars that are really harsh riding and beat you up.....and that is even with the 4C Sports suspension which I have.

The car has manual steering and since you don't have power steering to dull the feedback you will feel more of what the tires are doing (a very good thing). You have already stated that the difficulty of turning at low speed isn't an issue....I agree. Only an issue for parking sometimes.

Left in stock form the car is just fine....of course like any car a few minor mods can knock any remaining rough edges off. There is much here on the Forum about these....but it is easy to get carried away too. Since it is mid engine, has non boosted brakes, and manual steering rack, it will feel different than cars that you may be used to. I call those cars the rolling sofas with lots of cup holders.

OK....in case you haven't figured out the negatives in your short ride.....
-There is no sound proofing and if you have the Sports exhaust will be on the louder side.That is part of the design parameters to make it a light car....even has slightly thinner window glass for that reason. Any radio in a 4C is mostly useless once on the freeway due to this glorious sound.
-The car is a bit less convenient to get in but not as bad as some cars. I am 71 years old and have no problems getting in or out.
-The car has a small trunk but some judicial packing will let you deal with it. This is not a family car but many owners do use it as a daily driver. And some of us take very long trips in it also.
-You will always be late for appointments in a 4C ;-) That is because every time you stop people will want to take pictures of it and talk about it!

I have owned many cars in my life including American cars, other European and Japanese cars and a couple of older ALFAs, even a SCCA ALFA race car....but ALFAs are really special.
 
#6 ·
Welcome to the forum no401k,

That first post of yours is going to stir the pot on here.
@4Canada "The 4C is NOT an axe murderer with headlights.” :grin2: Don't tell people that on a forum that goes all around the world - we want the people reading the posts to think that all 4C drivers live life on the edge >:)

OP - if the 4C was the killer that some of the people you have been talking to seem to think it is, then many of the people on this forum would not survive their daily commute in their 4C's. They commute at really high speed and don't plant their cars on the roof due to twitchy handling. Equally, most drivers will not drive their 4Cs anywhere near the limit on the road, so for the average person, an enthusiastic drive is not going to end in tears.

Alfa Romeo have done a great job in making the car just scary enough to make it fun. If you don't like living life on the edge, it has a DNA switch. Keep it out of race mode and it will let you do some really cool things without getting too wild.

The car really comes alive at speed, and by that, I mean that it becomes a thought process to apply gentle pressure to the controls of the vehicle and it responds to your touch in ways that most other cars cannot match.

The 4C sits low enough on the road, that it appears to rush up at you as the speed increases. It's a good view and you had better be paying attention if you intend pushing the car along at a decent pace. You had better be paying attention to the road surface, reading the road camber, judging the level of grip, planning your braking points, setting the line up through the corner, selecting the right gear, apexing at exactly the right point in the curve, squeezing the throttle exactly the right amount at exactly the right time, feeling the balance of the chassis and weight transfer as the tyres bite and you take on Newton's laws of motion. If you do all of that just right, the 4C will launch out of the turn, making rapid progress towards the next corner as you grab another gear and smile.

Is it a car for normal drivers? Probably not. But it is a car for enthusiasts and it will reward a good driver once they learn how to get the most out of the little engine and chassis.

Cheers,

Alf
 
#34 ·
I have always been a "Porsche guy". I was on my way to Rusnak Porsche to drive a 718 Cayman S (I already owned a Cayman S)--but first I went to drive an Alfa 4C because I was always intrigued. Five minutes into the test drive I knew the Alfa was going home with me, I didn't even bother with the 718. If you truly love driving, there is no modern car that compares.
 
#9 · (Edited)
For me the rear end felt a little vague. I had the rubber bushes on the rear suspension arms replaced with uniballs and now have real confidence in what the rear end is doing. You can accelerate early out of a corner and feel the outside rear tyre biting the bitumin. It’s brilliant.
My Sud has more snap oversteer than my 4C and surely you wouldn’t be afraid of that. You just need to be respectful of her, especially in the wet. Light weight and masses of torque (420Nm if you have Jamies’ ecu) can have things get out of hand really quickly. That’s why there’s an all-weather mode. A couple of 4Cs have been written off by drivers ambition exceeding their ability in the wet. All said, the 4C makes every drive so much fun. There hasn’t been a better moment in history than now to be an Alfista with a 4C in the garage.
 
#10 ·
Maybe it's just me, but I find my 4C very confidence-inspiring when pushed on the street. I always have the car in Dynamic, and it'll happily break the rear loose without ever feeling close to losing control. Sure, it demands a bit more attention than other cars for everyday driving, but I feel it's pretty playful when you drive for fun. It's really a sweetheart to drive compared to cars like the S2000 mentioned up top, which I think requires a bit more precision and poise to drive fast. I would say the only caveat is driving in wet weather, it's very easy to get into trouble there.
 
#11 ·
thank you all for the thoughtful and thorough feedback...takes some time for an average driver to digest through what you meant lol
and that's even more exciting to hear. It sounds like the car needs a bit of practice/feel/alignment/slight modification to get it right, and driver involvement is really what i am looking for in a 4c (other than that gorgeous italian design). I started getting into cars only a few years back, and only have experience with high performance cars that are already brilliant right out of the box, with lots of driver aids to make you feel like a driving god when in fact I know nothing (i have also never owned a 6mt car, so i can never get to enjoy that engagement). But I got addicted to driving, so started going to autocross, marquee experience events, porsche experience centers and learning how to drive in the canyons....so i am now trying to own more "purist" type of cars, and 4c definitely sounds like one!
Thank you all again, I need to read more into that uniball thing...and perhaps should look for no older than a 2016 to be safe (to avoid the earlier alignment issue cars)?
And this sounds like a very active forum, great place to stay around! cheers~
 
#12 ·
Last minute $0.02:

Great write-ups by everybody and I have to agree with everything written, except I want to point out one thing about spinning the 4C:
I don't know about in the rain (I'd rather not drive the 4C in the rain :D ) - but as long as I'm in Dynamic mode and not "race" mode, the stability control keeps the car from spinning out - or at least in the ways I've intentionally attempted to test limits in a large parking lot. :)

I was concerned about the handling too - we flew 700 miles from home, bought a 4C and spent 3 days taking the long way home. The only thing I found that wasn't fun was the ruts that tractor - trailers make on asphalt highways. Driving 80 mph on I-70W and hitting those ruts just took more attention and a bit of finesse.

No big deal.

I would highly suggest doing a fly and drive - great way to break in the car and get acquainted.
 
#14 ·
Great write-ups by everybody and I have to agree with everything written, except I want to point out one thing about spinning the 4C:
I don't know about in the rain (I'd rather not drive the 4C in the rain :D ) - but as long as I'm in Dynamic mode and not "race" mode, the stability control keeps the car from spinning out - or at least in the ways I've intentionally attempted to test limits in a large parking lot. :)
Oh, you CAN spin in the rain even in dynamic mode...



I spin going 56mph on a complex corner. It shifts from a quick left hand corner to a long right hander. The trick with this corner is that its is not smooth and the transition is off camber. In the dry I usually take it at 70 mph, in the wet, not so fast.... The back end stepped out (in dynamic mode) and my correction didn't save us....
 
#13 · (Edited)
no401k, If you want a purist car, then the 4C is exactly what you are looking for! So many "purist" get hung up on a manual transmission, but I don't miss it one bit. Plus, many people say they want a "pure" car, but the reality is that they really don't (They want comfortable seats, polite handling, easy to drive, etc).

The 4C IS VERY good "out of the box". Very few cars can handle >30 minutes on track without issues, and the 4C can do this in the ultra hot Houston weather without any issue "stock" and keep up with those high horse power cars in the process (Corvettes, Mustangs, etc). The two main "weaknesses" that we have named, alignment and rear bushings , only come into play under two different use modes. On track, the the sensitive alignment isn't an issue, works just fine (for a stock tire car). It is only for crappy road surfaces, that a more civilized alignment is desired. The bushings is only really an issue when you put on stickier tires. Where I really noticed the change in bushings is the "feel" in ONE corner at my track. It is a 80-90 mph curve that has some surface oscillations. In this corner, the back end never felt planted when really pushing it as the combination of speed, load, and shifting track surface made the bushings flex. Since making the change, my trust in the car on this corner has greatly increased mostly due to the change in the "feel" of the car sticking. Once you put really sticky tires on the 4C (i'm talking Trofeo R type tires), it becomes much more noticeable. Neither of these issues is really a problem for the "average" user. Historically, track junkies have looked at Porsche with desire and lust due to their almost legendary track worthiness. A few of us have "discovered" just how good the 4C is on track. The carbon fiber tub is extremely strong and stiff with excellent power to weight (for a $70k car). The tweaks that we listed (along with tires and brake pads) makes the car truly exceptional on track.

I wouldn't worry about getting a 2016 or newer. It is a simple thing to "fix" the alignment, and you will save far more $ then the alignment is going to cost you. For any track use, you are likely going to do a custom alignment to get more camber anyways. The Alfaworks spacers just make that easier...

To save you some hunting...
EBAY Uniballs
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ALFA-ROMEO-4C-RACE-REAR-ARM-UNIBALL-BUSHINGS-GMS-GaleMotorSport/153116022389?hash=item23a66d1675:g:EJ0AAOSw9L1ZtGdT

AlfaWorks Spacers
http://live.alfaworkshop.co.uk/synergy/4C.php#lastPage2/6
 
#15 · (Edited)
^^^Dr. Pyro2K, you said "bearings" a few times when you meant bushings.

I'm not getting this "easy to get oversteer" stuff. On public roads in either N or D, I can feel stability control ease on if I do something dumb, like lift in a turn near the limit. Unlike my Ford GT, which has no nannies (ABS only). Lifting in a turn near the limit WILL make the rear end become the front end. You learn that even if you think you're too fast for the corner, you absolutely DO NOT lift. Your brain is screaming LIFT!!!, but if you do you are gone. Just hope there is some shoulder to drift, countersteer and recover.

I find the 4C to be totally unthreatening. Less understeer than a typical front engine car, but no threat of snap oversteer on dry road conditions. I'd call the 4C one of the most neutral handling cars I've driven and that is a compliment.

Adverse conditions are another thing. I drive in rain a lot, but I drive like the road may be slippery. Same in corners where there might be gravel on the road. Or when the tires are cold. High performance tires can be like hockey pucks when the temp is below 50F or so.

Understeer is intentionally built into almost all cars, because it offers a feeling of security. Perhaps adjusting to the 4Cs lack of understeer is what makes some people think it is a bit of a handful. I'm speculating, because I can't replicate the borderline white knuckle stuff that people report. Maybe I'm just used to rear mid-engine cars.
 
#16 ·
Argh... Bushings, not bearings... Sorry, my bad! Corrected it...

I understand your point about the 4C "spinability". I would put the 4C between most Porsche and some of the older cars (like your GT). It is not a hard car to drive and IS very approachable, and is loved by almost everyone. As you noted you do need to adjust how you react to "mistakes" due to the midengine dynamics and some of these are counter intuitive to most front engined cars. I have only spun once (because I was STUPID) on the street, and have only stepped out a few times (mostly in the wet) but nothing major.

I apologize if I made the 4C seem like "The Widowmaker". It is NOTHING like that! My point is that this car may be one of the users first mid-engined cars and you have to be aware of that fact. Learn the car and how to properly handle it.
 
#17 ·
i think the bottom line is if you have good/great roads around you will find the 4C to be the most amazing car you have ever driven. No tugging on the steering, just pure joy. This is what i experienced in Eastern Tennessee. One little story about the 4C's handling capabilities which for the most part is greater than most of our abilities. My friend and i were out on a spirited Sunday morning drive on some of Eastern Tennessee's best roads. i was having a very casual conversation with my friend while running hard and as i approached a hairpin turn i noticed the 25 mph speed limit sign. Even though i felt very comfortable with the sensation of my speed as i was entering the hairpin i happened to glance down at the speedometer and noticed i was doing 93 mph!!!!!!! Let me tell you up front i'm a good driver but not a great one. i didn't panic as i touched the brakes to settle the chassis (which are the best brakes i've experienced in any car) and continued around the corner at over 80 mph without even a tire squeal. The 4C proved to me that day that the handling is far superior to most anything out there.
 
#19 ·
I found the rear a bit spooky in high speed transitions so I needed the rear suspension bushings swapped and went with Rudi’s. That fully resolved it for me. Jamie has an option that would work well too and would be essentially foolproof where Rudi’s could be challenging to install if your rear suspension happens to be at the end of the manufacturing tolerance range. You’d get an alignment if you install rear bushings so don’t worry about the year if you get to get those.

I find the 4C very intuitive and much more prone to understeer at the limit than I expected. Safe and confidence inspiring relative to my expectations. I’m an intermediate track driver though, and my last few cars were Porsches and it’s far more intuitive on track than a 997 generation 911. You have to recognize that it is a mid-engined sports car and that has some implications, but as far as that class of cars goes it’s certainly no widowmaker.

FWIW we have a spare family car (luxury SUV) that I can drive at any time, so the practicality is moot. For an only car, a Porsche offers a better overall proposition for the vast majority enthusiasts.

Rent one on Turo for a day. You’ll figure out really quickly if it’s a good car for you. I really enjoy it. Much more fun than my prior sports cars. (S2000, 370Z nismo, 997 911 GTS, 991.1 911 turbo)
 
#20 ·
If you ride a sport bike motorcycle, you will end up loving the 4C transmission in manual mode and won't misss the left foot clutch pedal.
It's truly awesome.
Everything else is just driver connected to car.

Just drive it with both hands on the steering wheel. A stock car on stock tires can be pulled by road noise, but with 2 hands on the wheel, it won't be an issue.

After reading your posts, I think the OP is going to love the 4C.
You have to pay attention and put some thought and muscle into the car, but it rewards you when you do.
Also, while the steering gets lighter at higher speeds, it still responds fine at 100+mph speeds
 
#21 ·
Something I recommend to any car owner (not just 4C) is to take the car on a parking lot in the rain and play with it. Corner and hit the try different things such as hit brakes hard, accelerate hard when starting to turn, corner and trail brake. This exercise will let you see how the car reacts at a much slower speed than when dry and without putting you in any danger (just stay away from light poles in the lot) but will be exaggerated compared to the same thing on the street.

This will teach you how the car responds but also will reward a smooth transition in cornering, braking, accelerating. One of the best pieces of advice I got came from a pro rally racer. He said to drive like you had eggs under your feet. What he meant was to feel what the car was doing....not just jam on brakes and floor the gas.

Best learning experience is to go to an autocross....those are excellent for doing the same thing and won't endanger you or the car. Some times you will get lucky and they will have an autocross when it is raining. Many autocross's will have instructors who will be more than happy to work with you to learn and improve your skills.

The 4C has plenty of power and torque is excellent from down low so you can use that to your advantage in an autocross and the car responds to "steering" with your gas pedal. Try in D mode and than in R mode to see difference with and without the nannies. Again it is perfectly safe for you and the car but not the cones ;-)
 
#22 ·
Forgot to add that any car sold in the US will be fine. The cars that needed some tweaking were the earliest European ones and they were corrected under the Pit Stop program. Also...any issues or upgrades are done by the dealers when the car is brought in for normal service intervals.These are called TSBs (Technical Service Bulletins) and information about them is available in the Forum technical section. Generally these were firmware upgrade flashes of the transmission computer, minor tweaks to suspension, etc. Overall the 4C has been free of recalls here in the US.
 
#27 ·
* Dry roads = excellent handling.
* Wet roads = a handful.

:surprise: I can confirm the wet road part. Even in All weather mode the tail was twitching with too much gas coming out of a roundabout. Stab the accelerator and you can be in a whole world of trouble.



Understanding where the limits are is what's needed and ideally practised other than on public roads.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Great thread and so interesting to read comments from more experienced drivers, particularly the ones that track the car regularly and have taken it to the limit.

In my case I am still getting used to it, having driven it only or twisty roads around here but never on track so far.

As a very quick summary, I love the reactiveness of the car and super quick steering that now makes my 993 feel a bit slow (not talking overall speed, just mean car reaction to inputs; of course the 4C is a much faster car) but have driven it on wet surface a couple of times (not pouring rain but wet tarmac) and found it difficult to feel when the front end starts sliding due to the light steering; I really had to pay attention to tell what is happening under the front tires. On dry tarmac on the other hand the front end grip is amazing and you get much clearer feedback, at least in my opinion.
 
#30 ·
As long as any 4C has had the alignment confirmed, there is no difference in suspension or handling between the different cars including the LE...at least here in the US. This assumes you have the identical suspension....either stock or the Sports version. I have a 2015 LE that is still stock but with confirmed correct alignment and tracks fine. With the stock tires there was just a tiny bit of residual tramming after alignment....with new Michelin PSS tires the remaining tramming went away.

I have nothing negative to say about Jamies blocks though and you may enjoy the changes they give you....mainly that you can get even more negative camber and a bit more caster which will also reduce tramming if that is still a big issue for you. But make sure you do a full alignment after installing them per Jamies directions.
 
#31 ·
I was driving home today from my optometrist and turning right from standstill at the lights my rear end flicked out. I remember reading these cars dont act like a RWD where it can swing out and back as safely due to the weight in the middle. My question is was i close to losing it and spinning? I didnt exactly floor it but i did lose the rear and it self corrected instantlt but still scary.. At what point will i lose the rear end?
 
#33 ·
Man, you've got to start going to autocross events, or at least hooning it in park lots or safe environments. You've got to find that point so you know where it is, and how to come back from it. It's so important in a car with a rearward weight bias that you understand that the throttle is your key to recovery. The best thing I ever did was get some instruction on a track to understand the dynamics of weight transfer. These cars definitely DO NOT have the snap-oversteer tendency that old 911's, NSX's, and 2nd gen MR2's were known for. I had a 91' MR2 and that sucker really like to rotate and keep coming around... The only way it is really going to come around on you is if you have turned off the nannies or if you do something really silly like jump on the brake pedal.
 
#32 ·
Have been lurking the forum for a while, love the 4C ever since its release. I recently test drove a 4C spider and found it surprisingly easy to drive (the lack of power steering requires more effort only at slow speeds, once the car is moving it's not bad at all) and I love the design. I believe it will be an incredibly fun little car to take around canyons. So I have started shopping for one, but only signed up today for a question. From all the talks at cars and coffee in the past few years, I heard some owners described the car as having a lot of feedback at slower speed, but once it's up to speed the steering is too light and so it's a bit sketchy to drive. Some said it's very unforgiving (from short wheel base? skinny tires?) Most said it's probably the best driving machine they have and these guys have over a few mil dollars of cars in the garage. So dear owners, what's your impression of 4C's handling characteristics in comparison to some other cars? is it sketchy to drive at speed? particularly canyons and tracks. Is it a safe car for the average driver?
does it have snap oversteer like a s2000? vs stable modern porsches (cayman boxster 911s)? forgiving and playful like modern midengine ferraris? Appreciate any experience and insight into this from current owners
You're asking good questions. I had a lot of similar concerns because I had read too many reviews and watched too many videos and there is a lot of misinformation our there. Here are a few important points:
1. Is it sketchy or unforgiving? Some of this is relative--a Nissan GTR is really easy to drive fast but not that involving/rewarding; and older air-cooled 911 is really involving/rewarding, but they can be a handful. This car requires two hands on the wheel and constant attention, but taking high-speed sweepers at 70-80 mph it feels totally planted and predictable.
2. I think the steering effort is perfect! The steering weight is accurately correlated to your cornering force so you can feel exactly where the grip threshold is. If someone says otherwise, they have never spent any time in a real classic sports car.
3. The chassis is extremely tune-able and small changes make a big difference because of the 2465 lb. curb weight. When I drove one I loved it, but I knew there were modifications that I would want to make to improve some known quirks--these weren't deal breakers but there were flaws. Well... installing Alfa Works blocks to add caster (and a good alignment) worked wonders to mitigate tram lining and "dartiness" felt on poor quality road. I also down-sized to 17/18 wheels and went with Bridgestone RE-71R 225/45/17 and 255/40/18 tires--Wow, what a difference! More grip, less understeer, better comfort, and suprisingly less steering effort. ???

My opinion is that this is the best driver's car of the last decade. I have zero interest in driving my Cayman S now. I am so glad that I didn't let some unreasonable reviews deter me. If you want creature comforts and a lot of "stuff" this car isn't for you--if you love to drive, and you want every drive to feel special... look no further!!! Just know that you are going to have to dial it in. I think Alfa Works blocks, a great alignment, and new tires are a pre-requisite.

Also... I think we are currently at the bottom of the market. Ten years ago you could buy a Lotus Elise and put 50-60k on it over 6 or 7 years and then sell it for more than you paid. That is where we are right now on the Alfa 4C.
 
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