540C/570S Buying Advice

540C/570S Buying Advice

Author
Discussion

FrankieV12VS

Original Poster:

757 posts

121 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Hello chaps,

Looking for some advice from the McLaren crew. I have an itch to get into a 540C or 570S. Yes, the signs are all there, I guess you know them. Watching YouTube review videos, looking at what cars are available, checking the value of mine, doing the man maths, measuring the garage to make sure it will fit and even lurking on the forum here to glean snippets of info (who the eff is RamboLambo BTW!)eek The final piece will be thinking of how I can sell it too SWMBO as to why I need to change my car...AGAIN!

I'm currently in an Aston Martin V12 Vantage S and what I'm looking for advice on is:

The Cars

I can use the Aston every day. A previous itch I scratched was an F430. To me, the F430 felt it should be left on the track! The Aston however can be used every day and be taken pretty much anywhere e.g. we can take it into Waitrose car park on a Saturday morning to pick up the weekends rations. I never felt I could do that in the F430, so she languished in the garage...a lot! I realise that might just be me! I do not track my cars BTW. What I don't want to do happen is this itch getting so strong I end up buying a 540/570 and after a few months feeling it is more like the F430 than the Aston. Can any owners give me some real world experience of driving a 540/570 in everyday circumstances?

Dealers/Discounts

I'm going to see Simon at McLaren London in the next few days for a chat and to see the cars in the flesh. Any feedback on which dealers you have had a good buying experience from would be useful. London & Ascot are 35 miles from me and Birmingham 50, so can deal with either. I'm on the lookout for a nearly new/new or dealer stock car. My last couple of cars (Aston & Bentley GT Speed) purchases have been from dealer stock as that's where I found the biggest discounts can be negotiated (up to 20%). My question is what sort of discount could I expect from a dealer stock car and do dealers have many in stock? There's a really nice example of a car at Alexander's here: http://www.alexandersprestige.co.uk/stock/6818176-... What discount would I expect on a new car, specced by me?

I'm up to speed on the spec I am looking for, but would I regret going for the 540 over the 570? Reading reviews there does not appear to be a vast amount of difference in driving the two. I also read that the 540's are more difficult to shift as the price difference between the 570 is circa £17K, would that lend dealers to do more of a discount to sell?

Sorry for all the questions.

Thanks in advance for any useful information you can supply...



tyrrell

1,670 posts

207 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Nothing of a new car and a possible wait for up to six months if speccing new. You may get a few few grand off a poor spec used car though or if it's to high a spec and has been hanging around a while. Happy hunting smile

Sarnie

8,025 posts

208 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
I ordered a new 570s this week.......discounts on new car orders ended with the 650s.

Naturally you may get a discount off a physical car sat on the forecourt costing the dealer money every day to have in stock, but I wouldn't expect anything significant, a few grand perhaps, maybe more if you have a decent PX or use them for finance etc.

With regards to the car, it's much closer to 430 than AM to me..........it's small, compromised space wise, attracts attention etc.......the opposite of an AM in my opinion.....

FrankieV12VS

Original Poster:

757 posts

121 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Thanks guys.

I thought as much regarding discounts, especially as they are new models. I also got the feeling they are more akin to the F430 than the Aston. Going to drop into the London dealership on Monday to get a good feel of the car. Just love that rear end though...

Targarama

14,635 posts

282 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Maybe what you need is a 570GT?

Note: it is very easy spec up a 540C to be more than a 570S with basic sellable spec, and a 570S to be more than a 570GT both with good specs..

RamboLambo

4,843 posts

169 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Good luck getting a discount on a new one. I saved circa £10k by going for a nearly new high spec sub 1,000 mile car but that was more about immediate availability


FrankieV12VS

Original Poster:

757 posts

121 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Thanks for the heads up, great looking car. I think that might be the way I'll go, nearly new or dealer stock car.
What do you think of the price of the car at Alexanders? About right/high/good value?

RamboLambo

4,843 posts

169 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
I'm not so familiar with 540C prices and spec as I was only looking at 570S but it looks like it has quite a few options and is nicely specced.
Like the Blade silver and Bi Colour interior but price wise you are getting into 570S territory.

I have a feeling 540C's being the entry model McLaren are likely to be lowly specced on the whole and further down the line most of the value of the options on higher spec 540 cars will be lost but if you can live with that its a very nice car.

Do you know what it would list price at, £150k ?

Sarnie

8,025 posts

208 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
RamboLambo said:
I'm not so familiar with 540C prices and spec as I was only looking at 570S but it looks like it has quite a few options and is nicely specced.
Like the Blade silver and Bi Colour interior but price wise you are getting into 570S territory.

I have a feeling 540C's being the entry model McLaren are likely to be lowly specced on the whole and further down the line most of the value of the options on higher spec 540 cars will be lost but if you can live with that its a very nice car.

Do you know what it would list price at, £150k ?
So did you buy the 570s Rambo? smile

RamboLambo

4,843 posts

169 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Sarnie said:
So did you buy the 570s Rambo? smile
Yeah, knew it was a bad idea visiting the candy shop but you only live once and are a long time dead.
TP321 will be gutted

Sarnie

8,025 posts

208 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
RamboLambo said:
Yeah, knew it was a bad idea visiting the candy shop but you only live once and are a long time dead.
TP321 will be gutted
Good work!

Financial impending doom heading your way then according to TP321! smile

Pics of them both!!?!? cool

RamboLambo

4,843 posts

169 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
Sarnie said:
Good work!

Financial impending doom heading your way then according to TP321! smile

Pics of them both!!?!? cool
Out of the country on business at mo but I'm sure I will take some pictures in due course weather permitting

The Surveyor

7,576 posts

236 months

Thursday 26th January 2017
quotequote all
FrankieV12VS said:
Thanks for the heads up, great looking car. I think that might be the way I'll go, nearly new or dealer stock car.
What do you think of the price of the car at Alexanders? About right/high/good value?
I bought my Vantage from them and just happened to call in this afternoon on the way home from a meeting in Leeds for a general look, as I hope to be shopping once my Maserati sells. Their 540c is perfect. Great colour combination and beautifully presented and from my experience, they're nice guys to deal with.

The car does 'feel to be expensive though, it just isn't cheap enough to justify dropping down from a 570s despite it being a great car..

v12v8

1,153 posts

250 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
Rambolambo I salute you. You talk a lot of crap. But then so do I. Respect where it's due. Hope you enjoy your new car. I'll be in the Cotswolds early March with my new steed if you fancy a blast.

Guspro

8 posts

132 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all


I've spent around 37k in options on my spec and don't regret it one bit.

Must haves are subjective however sports exhaust is mandatory, I couldn't not go for the super light weight rims and a touch of cf both externally and internally. Always wanted to spec an alcantara interior but ended up going leather again still looks epic.

Both Simon's at London are great to work with. Enjoy the ordering experience to. ;-)

koorby

175 posts

145 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
Just ordered my 570S from Ascot for September delivery (not in a rush).

Went for the Track Pack, Security Pack, Ventura paint, orange belts and calipers and not much else really. Those two packs make it an epic spec and I intend to track it with Pure McLaren and private track days. Cannot wait to fang it around Spa and the Ring wink

No discount offered, or needed. If you need to haggle when buying these cars then you're not in the market for them really. Options came to £28k including VAT so it's not going over the top spec-wise.

Steve from Ascot is a nice bloke, straight talker, no BS.

Edited by koorby on Friday 27th January 14:31

SFO

5,162 posts

182 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
koorby said:
No discount offered, or needed. If you need to haggle when buying these cars then you're not in the market for them really.
I bet sales folks of all sorts love you

koorby

175 posts

145 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
I've just realised how to get an easy £10,000 discount.

Order the Track Pack for £16,500. Adding all the Track Pack components bespoke costs £26,400.

The Track Pack is a monster option and with a £10k discount it's a no-brainer:

Super-Lightweight Forged Wheels
Stealth Wheel Finish
McLaren Track Telemetry (MTT) with Lap Time Function
By McLaren Designer Interior - Sport Design 3 (Alcantara)
Carbon Racing Seats (Regular or Touring)
Carbon Black Alcantara Steering Wheel with carbon shifters
Carbon Fibre Interior Components (around IRIS display and centre console)
Carbon Fibre Door Inserts
Carbon Fibre Tunnel Sides
Raised Rear Decklid Wing
Sports Exhaust
Stealth Exhaust Finisher
MSO Defined Dark Palladium Roof

Acres of Carbon, Sports Exhaust, Palladium Roof - those alone make it a stand-out spec.

koorby

175 posts

145 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
SFO said:
I bet sales folks of all sorts love you
See my post above, I saved £10k using an option pack. I never haggle for anything really, can't be arsed and it's embarrassing to both me and the seller.

FrankieV12VS

Original Poster:

757 posts

121 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
koorby said:
SFO said:
I bet sales folks of all sorts love you
See my post above, I saved £10k using an option pack. I never haggle for anything really, can't be arsed and it's embarrassing :Dto both me and the seller.
I don't think I have ever paid full price for any car I have owned. Save for brand new models. No embarrassment from either me or the dealer. Breaking news I am in the market!! biggrin
It must be nice to be so flush that you don't need to haggle. I have had dealers falling over themselves to give discounts to sell cars.