12C issues

[ChrisW.]

baronbennyt said:

I bought my pre-owned (2011) McLaren 12C from McLaren Ascot in December '16 and I couldn't be happier. So far so very good.

The only minor irritant is with the opening mechanism for the doors which requires a smooth stroke with the fingers which I can't get the hang of! However, I understand you can open the doors with the key fob which I do now.

I got to like this aspect of the car -- although it sometimes misbehaved when the car was wet and as you say, the key fob button is foolproof.

If I took my time with the swipe it always worked perfectly.

If I ever worried that it might not work and rushed it, it didn't.

It was almost as if the car was listening to me and telling me to be cool ... !!

[100 IAN]

[quote=baronbennytNext on the list is to take it to McLaren Ascot for the fitment of Paint Protection Film (PPF). Then its weekend road trips and track days for the summer...
[/quote]

McAscot will only farm it out and charge you for the privilege. Have you considered taking it to GVE detailing?, or they'll collect it from you if you prefer.

Cian at GVE Detailing is ex-McLaren so knows the cars very well. He's doing my 430 Scuderia at the moment.

Here's a 12C that he did https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgrzXiB0KKc

[baronbennyt]

SimonOcean said:

baronbennyt said:

I bought my pre-owned (2011) McLaren 12C from McLaren Ascot in December '16 and I couldn't be happier.

Congrats. I like the colour as much as I can tell from the photos. Is that standard blue?

baronbennyt said:

...I bought the car for £113,000...

Would you mind telling me the mileage of the car when you bought it? I am trying to assess mileage sensitivity to the valuation.

Thanks in advance.

The blue is a standard colour but super rare so it took me an age to find one in this hue. The car had done 17,000 miles. When it came up at McLaren Ascot I snapped it up.

[SimonOcean]

baronbennyt said:

The blue is a standard colour but super rare so it took me an age to find one in this hue. The car had done 17,000 miles. When it came up at McLaren Ascot I snapped it up.

Thanks.

[baronbennyt]

Some more pictures of my blue 12C

[baronbennyt]

100 IAN said:

[quote=baronbennytNext on the list is to take it to McLaren Ascot for the fitment of Paint Protection Film (PPF). Then its weekend road trips and track days for the summer...

McAscot will only farm it out and charge you for the privilege. Have you considered taking it to GVE detailing?, or they'll collect it from you if you prefer.

Cian at GVE Detailing is ex-McLaren so knows the cars very well. He's doing my 430 Scuderia at the moment.

Here's a 12C that he did https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgrzXiB0KKc

Thanks for the advice, will look into it.

Edited by baronbennyt on Friday 3rd February 21:42

[baronbennyt]

ChrisW. said:

I got to like this aspect of the car -- although it sometimes misbehaved when the car was wet and as you say, the key fob button is foolproof.

If I took my time with the swipe it always worked perfectly.

If I ever worried that it might not work and rushed it, it didn't.

It was almost as if the car was listening to me and telling me to be cool ... !!

[DarrenKMC]

Just to add, I'm not aware of Race by Design but don't go for any half panel/bikini cut kit, such a waste of money these days. Not suggesting you are but their website gears towards that until you read deeper into the text.

Film technology is so good now it looks like paint until you get very close, half kits were only popular years ago when the film would become yellow and opaque, pointless protecting half a panel now only for it to get chipped on the unprotected area.

[baronbennyt]

DarrenKMC said:

Just to add, I'm not aware of Race by Design but don't go for any half panel/bikini cut kit, such a waste of money these days. Not suggesting you are but their website gears towards that until you read deeper into the text.

Film technology is so good now it looks like paint until you get very close, half kits were only popular years ago when the film would become yellow and opaque, pointless protecting half a panel now only for it to get chipped on the unprotected area.

Agreed. I got Race by Design to fit the 3M PPF to my Porsche GT2, Audi R8 and Aston Vantage V12 and was very happy with the results. I do quite a few tack days (although I'm fastidious with checks and servicing) so it's vital. I've asked them to wrap the Lotus 3-Eleven completely. Will probably ask Ascot to do the same with my 12C.

[isaldiri]

baronbennyt said:

The blue is a standard colour but super rare so it took me an age to find one in this hue. The car had done 17,000 miles. When it came up at McLaren Ascot I snapped it up.

Standard blue is a great colour. Always liked it and sometimes wish i had got that than the bluish-black of sapphire black. Think a PHer had a 12c in that colour, can't remember who he was though. Wonder if the car was his.

[DarrenKMC]

baronbennyt said:

Agreed. I got Race by Design to fit the 3M PPF to my Porsche GT2, Audi R8 and Aston Vantage V12 and was very happy with the results. I do quite a few tack days (although I'm fastidious with checks and servicing) so it's vital. I've asked them to wrap the Lotus 3-Eleven completely. Will probably ask Ascot to do the same with my 12C.

Perfect, you'll notice a difference in the Xpel vs the 3M, alot better, the Suntek film is visually better than both with the same self healing abilities as the Xpel.
Track car I'd use Xpel, road car with a bit of track/tour use I'd mix SunTek with Xpel on the bumpers/sills.

[baronbennyt]

DarrenKMC said:

Perfect, you'll notice a difference in the Xpel vs the 3M, alot better, the Suntek film is visually better than both with the same self healing abilities as the Xpel.
Track car I'd use Xpel, road car with a bit of track/tour use I'd mix SunTek with Xpel on the bumpers/sills.

[GT Two]

I have just added carbon mirrors and wanted to get them covered in PPF as I have it on the rest of the car, I was going to use Race by Design in Horley but the talk of different quality has got me thinking.

The last thing I want on carbon is the PPF going milky or less than clear.

Is there anyone in the southeast that has SunTek?

[baronbennyt]

GT Two said:

I have just added carbon mirrors and wanted to get them covered in PPF as I have it on the rest of the car, I was going to use Race by Design in Horley but the talk of different quality has got me thinking.

The last thing I want on carbon is the PPF going milky or less than clear.

Is there anyone in the southeast that has SunTek?

I used Race by Design to apply 3M PPF to my Porsche GT2, Audi R8 and Aston Vantage V12 and was nothing but super pleased with the results. They are now using Xpel which is an even better product I understand. I'm going to have Race by Design cover my Lotus 3-Eleven in Xpel and I'm going to have McLaren Ascot cover my 12C with SunTek. Both are great products from what I'm told.

[GT Two]

baronbennyt said:

GT Two said:

I have just added carbon mirrors and wanted to get them covered in PPF as I have it on the rest of the car, I was going to use Race by Design in Horley but the talk of different quality has got me thinking.

The last thing I want on carbon is the PPF going milky or less than clear.

Is there anyone in the southeast that has SunTek?

I used Race by Design to apply 3M PPF to my Porsche GT2, Audi R8 and Aston Vantage V12 and was nothing but super pleased with the results. They are now using Xpel which is an even better product I understand. I'm going to have Race by Design cover my Lotus 3-Eleven in Xpel and I'm going to have McLaren Ascot cover my 12C with SunTek. Both are great products from what I'm told.

Thanks.

Very similar cars that we have owned. GT2 and V12V and 12c.

[MarkM3Evoplus]

foxsasha said:

I'm told that McLaren said they stopped supply of rebuild components because they decided that it wasn't possible to repair the gearbox to original build standards.

Edited by foxsasha on Wednesday 1st February 09:23

If McLaren build is so good, why did the gearbox only last 4K miles? Is it just a seal that failed or something more significant?

[The Surveyor]

MarkM3Evoplus said:

If McLaren build is so good, why did the gearbox only last 4K miles? Is it just a seal that failed or something more significant?

From my understanding McLaren don't make the gearboxes, these are bought in from Graziano in Italy as a 'sealed' unit and any warranty claims are sent back to them.

The common reported failure is mainly on cars which have done very few miles and it relates to a failed oil-seal. circa 4k miles on a 6 year old car is going to create as many problems as normal use so it can't be a huge surprise, but it does sound unreasonable for McLaren to stop Graziano supplying replacement seals to other gearbox specialists, especially those who service and repair other Graziano gearboxes as used on other cars.

[squirejo]

isaldiri said:

Standard blue is a great colour. Always liked it and sometimes wish i had got that than the bluish-black of sapphire black. Think a PHer had a 12c in that colour, can't remember who he was though. Wonder if the car was his.

Mine. Spider. Love the colour.

[squirejo]

Spider man it seems. Dunno how that works!

[isaldiri]

squirejo said:

Mine. Spider. Love the colour.
]

Yours is sapphire black! same as my car, I did have a look that time you were at Silverstone. Mb1 perhaps i think was the PHer with the standard blue car now that I think about it.....