McLaren warranty for cars approaching 5 years old
Discussion
I have been considering a 12c but had a guy from the service department at McLaren tell me that he cannot renew warranty on early cars.
What plans do the owners of 2012 and earlier cars have when they get to the end of the current warranty? Has anyone been using a 3rd party warranty co with a McLaren?
I don't think I would want to buy a 12c without a warranty...
Thanks
What plans do the owners of 2012 and earlier cars have when they get to the end of the current warranty? Has anyone been using a 3rd party warranty co with a McLaren?
I don't think I would want to buy a 12c without a warranty...
Thanks
Mclaren London say this of their 2011 12C: Please note that this 12C Coupe is being sold as part of the McLaren Qualified programme and therefore benefits from an unparalleled level of preparation and a 12 month McLaren Warranty.
I think there was a recent discussion about this suggesting Alistair Bols had a sensible warranty too - 2011 12C : the car comes with extensive and comprehensive warranty until January 2017
I think there was a recent discussion about this suggesting Alistair Bols had a sensible warranty too - 2011 12C : the car comes with extensive and comprehensive warranty until January 2017
Edited by johnnyreggae on Monday 29th August 17:53
johnnyreggae said:
Mclaren London say this of their 2011 12C: Please note that this 12C Coupe is being sold as part of the McLaren Qualified programme and therefore benefits from an unparalleled level of preparation and a 12 month McLaren Warranty.
I think there was a recent discussion about this suggesting Alistair Bols had a sensible warranty too - 2011 12C : the car comes with extensive and comprehensive warranty until January 2017
Yes apparently a dealer can sell an approved car with a warranty, this is not an issue. Renewing a warranty after this for a car over 5 years old is where the issue is.I think there was a recent discussion about this suggesting Alistair Bols had a sensible warranty too - 2011 12C : the car comes with extensive and comprehensive warranty until January 2017
Edited by johnnyreggae on Monday 29th August 17:53
I picked up a Qualified Program 2011 12C from McLaren Bristol last Thursday 
. Before signing I asked at what age they'll still warranty the cars and was told 10 years. I've checked elsewhere since and was given the same answer. Probably wouldn't have bought if it had been 5 years.
Incidentally, I was shown the current warranty blurb which only mentions cars up to 5 years old. Apparently it's being updated.
. Before signing I asked at what age they'll still warranty the cars and was told 10 years. I've checked elsewhere since and was given the same answer. Probably wouldn't have bought if it had been 5 years.Incidentally, I was shown the current warranty blurb which only mentions cars up to 5 years old. Apparently it's being updated.
ian365 said:
I picked up a Qualified Program 2011 12C from McLaren Bristol last Thursday . Before signing I asked at what age they'll still warranty the cars and was told 10 years. I've checked elsewhere since and was given the same answer. Probably wouldn't have bought if it had been 5 years.
Incidentally, I was shown the current warranty blurb which only mentions cars up to 5 years old. Apparently it's being updated.
I saw the Car advertised Ian. Congrats!. Before signing I asked at what age they'll still warranty the cars and was told 10 years. I've checked elsewhere since and was given the same answer. Probably wouldn't have bought if it had been 5 years.Incidentally, I was shown the current warranty blurb which only mentions cars up to 5 years old. Apparently it's being updated.
I had an email from someone at McLaren a couple of weeks ago which confirmed no warranty for cars over 5 years but what your saying would make sense!
xjay1337 said:
I haven't owned one, but a friend of mine knew someone who owned one and apparently the McLaren warranty was barely worth the paper it was written on.
For example water ingress into headlights. Not covered under warranty. Things like that.
I've owned 3 to date and covered in excess of 50k km in them. I disagree with the person who a friend of yours knew and I have found that McLaren stand behind their warranty and have never rejected a claim.For example water ingress into headlights. Not covered under warranty. Things like that.
The headlights on my 2nd 12C were replaced without question when they started showing signs of mould inside the lenses (this during the original 3 year warranty rather than the extension though).
xjay1337 said:
I haven't owned one, but a friend of mine knew someone who owned one and apparently the McLaren warranty was barely worth the paper it was written on.
For example water ingress into headlights. Not covered under warranty. Things like that.
If water leaks into the headlight but it still works.....well it's annoying but i can see why it isn't replaced till it fails.For example water ingress into headlights. Not covered under warranty. Things like that.
The warranty has variously covered for some people i know, a new gearbox amongst other things which imo is far more important than water showing up in headlights.
On the OP, afaik the warranty will be available again to 7 years when the extended one comes to an end. My car comes to the end of it's warranty shortly so will be able to confirm for sure but at the moment I'm fully expecting to be able to extend it another two years.
Edited by isaldiri on Monday 29th August 22:57
xjay1337 said:
I haven't owned one, but a friend of mine knew someone who owned one and apparently the McLaren warranty was barely worth the paper it was written on.
For example water ingress into headlights. Not covered under warranty. Things like that.
I had mist in one of my rear lights. They replaced all of them as a courtesy. For example water ingress into headlights. Not covered under warranty. Things like that.
Not sure where the negative comments come from but Mclaren are the only manufacturer AFAIK that warranty you through track days, for example.
There are indie alternatives as well. But the expectation is that the Warranty will be available beyond 5 years and some already have that.
Running costs are no more than any other car of this level in my experience and there is no other car that does what the Mclarens do at anywhere near the price point.
There are indie alternatives as well. But the expectation is that the Warranty will be available beyond 5 years and some already have that.
Running costs are no more than any other car of this level in my experience and there is no other car that does what the Mclarens do at anywhere near the price point.
My 12C was 4.5 years old when I bought it from McLaren Birmingham. It had a 1 yr warranty and I extended it to 2 years so effectively to 6.5 years old. At the time I would not have bought without a warranty. The warranty has been great and covered every little niggle imaginable, including the lights.
However knowing what I do now I would not be too concerned. The 2 well known 3rd party warranties provided by Alistair Bolls and the RAC still get full McLaren coverage with a lowered limit.
The McLaren warranty is unlimited, will cover engine and gearbox. AB is £10k and RAC £5k. Its worth noting you can only obtain these through dealers, not privately.
You should only need above £5k for the gearbox as engine has proved reliable (of course there are rare exceptions but you would be very unlucky). The gearbox replacement at McL is approx £27k, this was the last reported cost in the UK. However John Thorne (Thorney Motorsport) Can fix the gearboxes for a few thousand pounds.
Therefore a 3rd party warranty and the comfort that Thorney can fix the gearbox would now suffice for me if I was to purchase.
The 7/10 year warranty has been talked about for a while now but I have not heard of anything official. All we can assume is now the oldest cars are +5 years that McL will have to offer a warranty on these cars for their qualified programme and therefore you would assume this would be purchasable by existing owners.
As SELON mentions McLaren are the only manufacturer who explicitly warrant their cars for track days, you just need pre and post checks which are complimentary at McLaren track days and £300 otherwise but can be tied into services. No other manufacturer does this and it has been covered on many other posts.
However knowing what I do now I would not be too concerned. The 2 well known 3rd party warranties provided by Alistair Bolls and the RAC still get full McLaren coverage with a lowered limit.
The McLaren warranty is unlimited, will cover engine and gearbox. AB is £10k and RAC £5k. Its worth noting you can only obtain these through dealers, not privately.
You should only need above £5k for the gearbox as engine has proved reliable (of course there are rare exceptions but you would be very unlucky). The gearbox replacement at McL is approx £27k, this was the last reported cost in the UK. However John Thorne (Thorney Motorsport) Can fix the gearboxes for a few thousand pounds.
Therefore a 3rd party warranty and the comfort that Thorney can fix the gearbox would now suffice for me if I was to purchase.
The 7/10 year warranty has been talked about for a while now but I have not heard of anything official. All we can assume is now the oldest cars are +5 years that McL will have to offer a warranty on these cars for their qualified programme and therefore you would assume this would be purchasable by existing owners.
As SELON mentions McLaren are the only manufacturer who explicitly warrant their cars for track days, you just need pre and post checks which are complimentary at McLaren track days and £300 otherwise but can be tied into services. No other manufacturer does this and it has been covered on many other posts.
Edited by Bispal on Tuesday 30th August 07:34
Bispal said:
As SELON mentions McLaren are the only manufacturer who explicitly warrant their cars for track days, you just need pre and post checks which are complimentary at McLaren track days and £300 otherwise but can be tied into services. No other manufacturer does this and it has been covered on many other posts.
Happy to be proven wrong, but having read what McLaren say about this, I think it's all smoke and mirrors.Edited by Bispal on Tuesday 30th August 07:34
Track days do not invalidate warranty on any car, unless there is negligent abuse/damage etc. Racing or timed events do, but that's also the same for everyone.
Read the McLaren wording - it excludes things like racing, and cleverly implies there's a need for pre and post track day checks, but nowhere does it say explicitly that not doing so invalidates the warranty. It can't - there are statutory protections.
So, in fact, McLaren does not offer any more than any other manufacturer, but does add unecessary costs to track days by the way it suggests they are necessary.
That's not to say it's not sensible to have checks done now and again, but they are IMO discretionary, and unrelated to the warranty, unless you are repeatedly tracking to excess and not doing any checks. However, that's a different things and even then would be arguable.
Porsche, and Lotus for example do, cover warranty after track, and don't insist on costly checks before and after each one.
Edited by footsoldier on Tuesday 30th August 08:49
Sarnie said:
My car is just over 4 years old....serviced it recently.....they asked if I wanted 1 or 2 year warranty....2 years would have taken the car over 6 years old.........so, service car a few months before 5 years old and take the 2 year warranty option, for just over £6k 
It was the guy that looks after your car from the McLaren service department that said I can add another years warranty, he then emailed me to say that he had heard back from someone at McLaren Warranty to confirm that adding an extended warranty to a car over 5 years old is not possible and he was sorry that he couldn't help.GT Two said:
It was the guy that looks after your car from the McLaren service department that said I can add another years warranty, he then emailed me to say that he had heard back from someone at McLaren Warranty to confirm that adding an extended warranty to a car over 5 years old is not possible and he was sorry that he couldn't help.
Thats why I said extend the warranty before it's five years old, for two years......Bispal on here has a 2011 car that is covered until it's 6.5 years old, having taken a two year warranty when it was 4.5 years old Gassing Station | McLaren | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff