911 to a GT?

Author
Discussion

Paulsd

Original Poster:

217 posts

95 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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I currently have a 992 C4S - it's my only car, work from home (once a month in the office currently).

I was invited to a supercar drive event by my dealer's parent group yesterday and drove an Artura and a Roma. Loved the Artura and hated the Roma (for the really petty reason that the foot rest was very uncomfortable). I only really went for the opportunity to drive something different.

This got me thinking and while talking to the sales person after, she suggested a GT could be a worthwhile swap as an only car. Rest of family have multiple cars so I'm not completely out of options for a tip run.

Reviews seem mixed on the GT but I like the idea of something like this.

I want something reasonably new and it must be reliable. Would this be a really silly swap?

Edited to add - I do 10-12k miles per year and it won't be garaged.

Edited by Paulsd on Friday 2nd June 14:38

justin220

5,347 posts

205 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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I had a pretty long test drive (almost all day) in a GT a while back and posted a review here -

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Absolutely superb car, and I'd argue probably the best looking car McLaren make. It felt very grown up but a little less sharp, compared to my 540C, in fact I think I likened the comparison to an Evora vs Exige. So I'd say the GT would be more similar to the 911.

davek_964

8,826 posts

176 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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Paulsd said:
Rest of family have multiple cars so I'm not completely out of options for a tip run.
You wouldn't be anyway - used my 650 for a tip run once!

Paulsd

Original Poster:

217 posts

95 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
quotequote all
justin220 said:
I had a pretty long test drive (almost all day) in a GT a while back and posted a review here -

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Absolutely superb car, and I'd argue probably the best looking car McLaren make. It felt very grown up but a little less sharp, compared to my 540C, in fact I think I likened the comparison to an Evora vs Exige. So I'd say the GT would be more similar to the 911.
Excellent - thanks for that!

Paulsd

Original Poster:

217 posts

95 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
quotequote all
davek_964 said:
You wouldn't be anyway - used my 650 for a tip run once!
Haha! It would definitely be used for the Asda shopping trip and maybe the odd tip run smile.

This isn't looking good - no one has come along to tell me I'm an idiot biggrin

PinkHouse

858 posts

58 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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There's a couple of insightful ownership threads on here which are worth searching for.

It's a no-brainer as they're broadly similar money and the GT is an infinitely more special car compared to the 992

Paulsd

Original Poster:

217 posts

95 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
quotequote all
PinkHouse said:
There's a couple of insightful ownership threads on here which are worth searching for.

It's a no-brainer as they're broadly similar money and the GT is an infinitely more special car compared to the 992
Thanks - will have a search. I think you might be right on the price and experience side.

ex-devonpaul

1,192 posts

138 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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Another vote for going for it.

There might be the odd time you regret it, but I bet there'd be a lot more times you'd regret you didn't.

DRZ

163 posts

153 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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Reviews are mixed because McLaren have no idea how to market the car they've made, reviewers are often on a completely different planet when it comes to what people look for in a car (or, less politely, talk a load of old bullocks) and also people only get a short-ish test drive unless they are extremely lucky or have a ridiculously strong relationship with their dealer.

The GT is a totally fantastic machine. Not perfect but as I saw someone write once, it is the best compromise out there and one that really really works in the real world. My ownership thread is here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Happy to field any questions and if you're local to me I'm happy to show you around mine sometime smile

David W.

1,912 posts

210 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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Paulsd
I also drove one, the one without glass roof. Very impressed on the route we had to drive. Suspect it would do the fast flowing stuff well without question too. It made my 991 seem hard riding on the way home! I also tried the Vantage cab which was ok but not worth the £20k more than they were asking for the GT! Haven’t taken to the GT in pics but it (they) looked good in the flesh. Checking around it seems it’s a well sorted model.
There was also a dark green/tan Emira in the car park. It looked fab for minimum half the cost of most of what was on display.

RSbandit

2,612 posts

133 months

Friday 2nd June 2023
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Had a 45 min test drive in one last autumn …I can somewhat see the appeal in these …it’s rapid (as you’d expect from a McLaren), handles well, looks v nice especially the rear end. It had more up to date graphics on the dash and infotainment also. Area I found to be a let down was the noise especially inside the car, it’s v muted compared to other McLarens but i guess that’s the point given it GT moniker. Certainly a lot more interesting than a 992 Carrera both in looks and performance potential.

Paulsd

Original Poster:

217 posts

95 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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Thanks everyone!

DRZ - I read your thread and it was really interesting. Exactly what PH is for so extra thanks to you. I agree on the reviews - mainly complaining about it being marketed and then reviewed as something it probably isn’t.

I really do the like the idea of it. Going to see one tomorrow, then it’s time for a small amount of number crunching in part-ex, etc.

The chairwoman of the investment committee is onboard, in fact it was pretty much her idea (same as when changing to the 992) biggrin

justin220

5,347 posts

205 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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Sounds like a done deal!

Interestingly I found the GT sounded significantly better than my 540C, but believe it had some sort of active exhaust on it.

JerryEXE

525 posts

100 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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I’ve got a GT with the standard exhaust on it. In my opinion, they’ve got it just about right on the noise … very obviously a turbocharged V8 when pressing on in active/sport mode but not overly intrusive when just pottering about which is what you want in this car.

I had 12Cs and a 650S all with the inconel sports exhaust and the sound was very different. Less turbo noise and a more feral exhaust note which suited those cars but would probably not be appropriate for a GT.

If I could only pick one then it’d probably be the standard GT exhaust … but I’m a lot older now than when I first started the McLaren journey and my preferences have changed.

OP, all I would add further is buy the car which works for you. If I had been influenced by the internet I most likely wouldn’t have ended up with a GT … but I’m glad that I did.

MannyLon

1,680 posts

207 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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JerryEXE said:
I’ve got a GT with the standard exhaust on it. In my opinion, they’ve got it just about right on the noise … very obviously a turbocharged V8 when pressing on in active/sport mode but not overly intrusive when just pottering about which is what you want in this car.

I had 12Cs and a 650S all with the inconel sports exhaust and the sound was very different. Less turbo noise and a more feral exhaust note which suited those cars but would probably not be appropriate for a GT.

If I could only pick one then it’d probably be the standard GT exhaust … but I’m a lot older now than when I first started the McLaren journey and my preferences have changed.

OP, all I would add further is buy the car which works for you. If I had been influenced by the internet I most likely wouldn’t have ended up with a GT … but I’m glad that I did.
The inconel exhaust you mentioned were aftermarket ones, right?

David W.

1,912 posts

210 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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Think the only thing that would stop me making the move is my 3 grandchildren fit in my C4S cab. Roof down, sports exhaust on is what childhood memories are made of (mine too).

MannyLon

1,680 posts

207 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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911 bit boring compared to McLaren tbf smile

Paulsd

Original Poster:

217 posts

95 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
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Well, went to see one today and was very impressed indeed!

Didn’t get to drive it but that can be arranged.

Only issue is that we’re a little way apart on the part-ex for the 911 - bought it in October ‘21 so just about at the top of the market. That’s what happens when you get excited I suppose!

Looking at other options for selling that and also at some tweaks to financing. Fingers crossed!

Thanks again for all the replies clap

MannyLon

1,680 posts

207 months

Saturday 3rd June 2023
quotequote all
Paulsd said:
Well, went to see one today and was very impressed indeed!

Didn’t get to drive it but that can be arranged.

Only issue is that we’re a little way apart on the part-ex for the 911 - bought it in October ‘21 so just about at the top of the market. That’s what happens when you get excited I suppose!

Looking at other options for selling that and also at some tweaks to financing. Fingers crossed!

Thanks again for all the replies clap
Porky dealers usually look for 10-15k markup..

JerryEXE

525 posts

100 months

Sunday 4th June 2023
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MannyLon said:
The inconel exhaust you mentioned were aftermarket ones, right?
Nope, the McLaren supplied 12C and 650S sports exhausts are made from inconel. If my memory serves correctly, they first started using titanium with the 675LT?