Living with a McLaren 650s Spider as an (almost) daily
Discussion
PCC makes more sense - next time will put my glasses on!
This morning's highlight is.... I stole my car. I had a text from Tracker this morning saying that the battery in the Tracker fob was getting low. Looked up the instructions and changed the battery.
However, the instructions I found said that after the changing the battery I should switch it on - hold the button, the LED would flash and when it stopped flashing I should release the button.
My LED came on constantly when I held the button, but after about 6s went out. Job done I thought.
What I didn't check is that the LED was now flashing. What I'd actually done was switch it off. Lesson learned, and for anybody else who needs to do it - 4s seems to be the right time, and release the button before the LED goes out. And make sure it's flashing!
Apart from that, it was a decent drive although not the long drive I had planned. No problems with audio, so think that's solved - and no error messages.
I am slightly concerned that I've had the car since Saturday and just filled up for the 3rd time - and think I've only done 300-400 miles. Guess it's got a small tank - although I haven't been letting it get too low.
This morning's highlight is.... I stole my car. I had a text from Tracker this morning saying that the battery in the Tracker fob was getting low. Looked up the instructions and changed the battery.
However, the instructions I found said that after the changing the battery I should switch it on - hold the button, the LED would flash and when it stopped flashing I should release the button.
My LED came on constantly when I held the button, but after about 6s went out. Job done I thought.
What I didn't check is that the LED was now flashing. What I'd actually done was switch it off. Lesson learned, and for anybody else who needs to do it - 4s seems to be the right time, and release the button before the LED goes out. And make sure it's flashing!
Apart from that, it was a decent drive although not the long drive I had planned. No problems with audio, so think that's solved - and no error messages.
I am slightly concerned that I've had the car since Saturday and just filled up for the 3rd time - and think I've only done 300-400 miles. Guess it's got a small tank - although I haven't been letting it get too low.
justin220 said:
What mpg are you seeing, calculated and indicated?
Not sure how the fuel tanks compare to the sport series but I usually get 250-300 miles per tank
When I filled up today, it was indicating 13.4 I think - and I did zero it last time I filled up. But there has been a fair amount of seeing how fast it goes some collection, and that's reducing now.Not sure how the fuel tanks compare to the sport series but I usually get 250-300 miles per tank
I'd be happy with 250 miles from a tank although the amount of petrol it took today makes me doubt that. I had about 1/4 tank left on the fuel gauge, and it only took ~£65 of V Power.
I didn't pay attention to how many miles I'd actually done.
12pack said:
Well, its a 72 litre fuel tank - how many miles you get will depend how you drive it. Doubt you'll get 200 miles if you drive it like it was meant to be driven...
I think I'm doing it right then 
McLaren say the fault is most likely due to low suspension fluid - monitor it, and if it does it again, take it in.
MDL111 said:
Are dampers covered by warranty or a consumable on McLarens?
Yes...covered.My Nov '15 650 spider with extended warranty goes in for a replacement shock shortly which is covered by the warranty...which is handy as its just over £3k job parts and labour.
Also have a very, very small oil leak that they couldn't detect its location...the sort of size of leak that outside warranty you would probably just keep an eye on...but they are also going to remove air brake, decklid, determine leak and sort at whatever cost for parts and labour.
Makes the £3700 cost for extending the warranty an absolute no-brainer.
MDL111 said:
IMI A said:
MDL111 said:
Not a McLaren, but stuff that lights up one or more warning lights and then disappears once I turn off the car/disconnect the battery happens on a regular basis on the FF - I figure that is one of the joys of buying a relatively modern - i.e. lots of sensors - non-German car 
I have 2 warning lights that come on and stay on regularly since I bought the car 4 years and 60k km ago - hasn't self-destructed so far ...
Yep annoying. I think a lot of it has to do with how much you drive them. Battery always needs to be kept charged in my view. Those guys that use their cars like they stole em have very little problems from what I see.I have 2 warning lights that come on and stay on regularly since I bought the car 4 years and 60k km ago - hasn't self-destructed so far ...
"yellow warning light" - ignore
"red warning light" - stop and call assist to get the car (only happened once, gearbox had packed it in)
davek_964 said:
When I filled up today, it was indicating 13.4 I think - and I did zero it last time I filled up. But there has been a fair amount of seeing how fast it goes some collection, and that's reducing now.
I'd be happy with 250 miles from a tank although the amount of petrol it took today makes me doubt that. I had about 1/4 tank left on the fuel gauge, and it only took ~£65 of V Power.
I didn't pay attention to how many miles I'd actually done.
You’ll be looking at 250 miles on a full tank with envious eyes...I'd be happy with 250 miles from a tank although the amount of petrol it took today makes me doubt that. I had about 1/4 tank left on the fuel gauge, and it only took ~£65 of V Power.
I didn't pay attention to how many miles I'd actually done.
But likely a big grin 😉
355spiderguy said:
MDL111 said:
Are dampers covered by warranty or a consumable on McLarens?
Yes...covered.My Nov '15 650 spider with extended warranty goes in for a replacement shock shortly which is covered by the warranty...which is handy as its just over £3k job parts and labour.
Also have a very, very small oil leak that they couldn't detect its location...the sort of size of leak that outside warranty you would probably just keep an eye on...but they are also going to remove air brake, decklid, determine leak and sort at whatever cost for parts and labour.
Makes the £3700 cost for extending the warranty an absolute no-brainer.
Desert Dragon said:
This glitchy stuff would drive me nuts. If you were doing 150mph on the autobahn and you lost your power steering through a turn its could be curtains. Really don't know how this can be happening on a 720s let alone a 650s. So off putting. Embarrassing in a £265k car.
Only 'glitch' i have had on my mac was a temperamental airbrake and requiring reset...no issues with iris, sat nav, dab power steering etc..all have performed as they should and sound from upgraded meriden is outstanding.355spiderguy said:
Desert Dragon said:
This glitchy stuff would drive me nuts. If you were doing 150mph on the autobahn and you lost your power steering through a turn its could be curtains. Really don't know how this can be happening on a 720s let alone a 650s. So off putting. Embarrassing in a £265k car.
Only 'glitch' i have had on my mac was a temperamental airbrake and requiring reset...no issues with iris, sat nav, dab power steering etc..all have performed as they should and sound from upgraded meriden is outstanding.Desert Dragon said:
355spiderguy said:
Desert Dragon said:
This glitchy stuff would drive me nuts. If you were doing 150mph on the autobahn and you lost your power steering through a turn its could be curtains. Really don't know how this can be happening on a 720s let alone a 650s. So off putting. Embarrassing in a £265k car.
Only 'glitch' i have had on my mac was a temperamental airbrake and requiring reset...no issues with iris, sat nav, dab power steering etc..all have performed as they should and sound from upgraded meriden is outstanding.A few years back, I overtook somebody in my reliable Cayenne - on a short straight before a tight bend. When I got to the bend, I had no PAS and the car did not want to go around the bend. AUX belt had snapped and that drove the power steering pump.
I certainly don't feel that I'm driving a fragile death trap in the 650.
davek_964 said:
Desert Dragon said:
355spiderguy said:
Desert Dragon said:
This glitchy stuff would drive me nuts. If you were doing 150mph on the autobahn and you lost your power steering through a turn its could be curtains. Really don't know how this can be happening on a 720s let alone a 650s. So off putting. Embarrassing in a £265k car.
Only 'glitch' i have had on my mac was a temperamental airbrake and requiring reset...no issues with iris, sat nav, dab power steering etc..all have performed as they should and sound from upgraded meriden is outstanding.A few years back, I overtook somebody in my reliable Cayenne - on a short straight before a tight bend. When I got to the bend, I had no PAS and the car did not want to go around the bend. AUX belt had snapped and that drove the power steering pump.
I certainly don't feel that I'm driving a fragile death trap in the 650.
Let’s hope the inauspicious start to your ownership experience improves and the car becomes trouble free.
It looks amazing!
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