Living with a McLaren 650s Spider as an (almost) daily

[davek_964]

RT964 said:

To maybe help gel with the car, you should consider doing a day's one on one driver training. I can highly recommend the guy I used - Mike Cooper (drivertuition.com). We spent the day out doing a number of loops around the Berkshire/Wiltshire countryside learning to get more from the car I had at the time (M4 Competition), and it made a big difference to how I was able to use and enjoy the car. He also does track based driver training if you want to take things in that direction and I've done a couple of those days too when I switched to a 991 GTS.

Thanks for the suggestion. I was actually planning something like that - somebody on MOC is highly recommended, but thought I'd wait until Spring next year

[jtremlett]

davek_964 said:

...My current feeling is that perhaps it should go to B&C to investigate - and then I may or may not decide it needs to go back to Ascot depending on what they find...

Yes definitely. If you're even slightly concerned that you may not get an unbiased response from one place then take it to another. Particularly if part of the concern might be that a previous fix may not have done the job. Obviously where you then take it to will certainly charge for the investigation but at least you will then have a second opinion to guide you as to whether the job was done properly before or not and, possibly, ammunition for a better fix.

[davek_964]

jtremlett said:

Yes definitely. If you're even slightly concerned that you may not get an unbiased response from one place then take it to another. Particularly if part of the concern might be that a previous fix may not have done the job. Obviously where you then take it to will certainly charge for the investigation but at least you will then have a second opinion to guide you as to whether the job was done properly before or not and, possibly, ammunition for a better fix.

Yep - it's booked into B&C on the 12th October. I will see what their initial diagnosis reveals and then make a decision about what happens next.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Thanks for the thread. I came across it through a search as I'm looking to change my garage around a bit at the moment, and replace a couple of other cars with a 650s Spider.

I've a question which might seem like heresy / idiocy to some, but it could be helpful to me.

There's not much storage in the cabin, and I can't see how I'd mount my phone to use Waze, where I can store some change, stick some money and so on; have you found any useful hildres, storage things, good places to mount a phone etc to make it all work conveniently?

For some reason my R8 has good places for all my bits and pieces, but my Range Rover looks like a tip once the sunglasses, house keys, Airpods etc are dropped in there, and I'd quite like the McLaren to look clean inside, not full of junk.

Any mainstream model will have all sorts of neat things on eBay, but McLarens are very much harder to source bits for.

[davek_964]

One of the annoying things about the car is that there is virtually nowhere to put anything. In fact, it's very hard to make the car look untidy, because there is nowhere to leave stuff!

There is a compartment with a lid between the seats - I keep sunglasses in there. I also have a charger cable in there for the phone which runs from a multi-socket box which is tucked into the netting in the passenger floor well (and that plugs into the lighter socket just behind the cup holders).

There is virtually nowhere else to put anything - other than cup holders. No door pockets, no glove compartment, no tray in the middle.
I have parking change in a small purse type thing tucked between the lighter socket and the first cup holder. If I don't have a jacket, I tuck my wallet into the drivers side door handle.

I keep my phone in my pocket when driving - but I have seen posts on MOC of a few different phone holders people use.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Thanks. I'm only average height, so can possibly fit a soft folder or the like behind the driver's seat.

Like I said, I know that many will think this is missing the point, but I don't like seeing crap everywhere.

[12pack]

Kent Border Kenny said:

Thanks. I'm only average height, so can possibly fit a soft folder or the like behind the driver's seat.

Like I said, I know that many will think this is missing the point, but I don't like seeing crap everywhere.

I’m 5’10”. Yes room behind the driver’s seat. There also a net between the seats for small items.

[justin220]

Does the 650S not have any door bins?

Small one on each door on my 540, which are incredibly handy. Ideally they'd be a bit bigger.

I've also got a couple of nets in the foot wells which are handy for wallets etc.

For my phone, I bought a magnetic mount, VPOW I think is the brand

[Valgar]

Why do I feel like I'm witnessing the start of a break up?

[Bispal]

Kent Border Kenny said:

Thanks for the thread. I came across it through a search as I'm looking to change my garage around a bit at the moment, and replace a couple of other cars with a 650s Spider.

I've a question which might seem like heresy / idiocy to some, but it could be helpful to me.

There's not much storage in the cabin, and I can't see how I'd mount my phone to use Waze, where I can store some change, stick some money and so on; have you found any useful hildres, storage things, good places to mount a phone etc to make it all work conveniently?

For some reason my R8 has good places for all my bits and pieces, but my Range Rover looks like a tip once the sunglasses, house keys, Airpods etc are dropped in there, and I'd quite like the McLaren to look clean inside, not full of junk.

Any mainstream model will have all sorts of neat things on eBay, but McLarens are very much harder to source bits for.

You need the coupe, that's one of the reasons the 2 McLaren's we have had have been coupes and not convertibles. So much space for bags, coats, even suitcases and shopping on the parcel shelf. The 2 cup holders are quite large and you can put stuff there and my phone always goes on a mount and my wallet and keys fit in the central storage box fine, never had an issue. You can buy stick on netted footwell storage which I have in my Exige and that works really well too.

I mount my phone to the right of the steering wheel, on the windscreen, and run a cable behind the instrument binnacle then down to the area where the cup holders are. Facing forwards in the cup holder zone (very tricky to spot) is a 12V socket and I plug my phone in there. All works great.

Edited by Bispal on Saturday 17th October 08:24

[Kent Border Kenny]

Bispal said:

You need the coupe, that's one of the reasons the 2 McLaren's we have had have been coupes and not convertibles. So much space for bags, coats, even suitcases and shopping on the parcel shelf. The 2 cup holders are quite large and you can put stuff there and my phone always goes on a mount and my wallet and keys fit in the central storage box fine, never had an issue. You can buy stick on netted footwell storage which I have in my Exige and that works really well too.

I mount my phone to the right of the steering wheel, on the windscreen, and run a cable behind the instrument binnacle then down to the area where the cup holders are. Facing forwards in the cup holder zone (very tricky to spot) is a 12V socket and I plug my phone in there. All works great.

Edited by Bispal on Saturday 17th October 08:24

Thanks. Did you have to remove anything to route the cable?

[650spider]

My samsung phone fits nicely on the iris screen if I am using it for navigation purposes; it doesn't slip or fall of during driving as I have a non slip case on it.

Very simple solution on the 650, but maybe not all phones would fit.

[Bispal]

Kent Border Kenny said:

Bispal said:

You need the coupe, that's one of the reasons the 2 McLaren's we have had have been coupes and not convertibles. So much space for bags, coats, even suitcases and shopping on the parcel shelf. The 2 cup holders are quite large and you can put stuff there and my phone always goes on a mount and my wallet and keys fit in the central storage box fine, never had an issue. You can buy stick on netted footwell storage which I have in my Exige and that works really well too.

I mount my phone to the right of the steering wheel, on the windscreen, and run a cable behind the instrument binnacle then down to the area where the cup holders are. Facing forwards in the cup holder zone (very tricky to spot) is a 12V socket and I plug my phone in there. All works great.

Edited by Bispal on Saturday 17th October 08:24

Thanks. Did you have to remove anything to route the cable?

No you can see the cable for a few inches but its fine.

[supersport]

justin220 said:

Does the 650S not have any door bins?

Small one on each door on my 540, which are incredibly handy. Ideally they'd be a bit bigger.

I've also got a couple of nets in the foot wells which are handy for wallets etc.

For my phone, I bought a magnetic mount, VPOW I think is the brand

We recently tried a 720. My son put his mask in the door bin. He forgot to get it when we got back. We both found it highly amusing that he had to get back in close the door to open the bin.

[dank]

650spider said:

My samsung phone fits nicely on the iris screen if I am using it for navigation purposes; it doesn't slip or fall of during driving as I have a non slip case on it.

Very simple solution on the 650, but maybe not all phones would fit.

recently discovered this in my 12C, very handy tip!

[anonymous-user]

supersport said:

justin220 said:

Does the 650S not have any door bins?

Small one on each door on my 540, which are incredibly handy. Ideally they'd be a bit bigger.

I've also got a couple of nets in the foot wells which are handy for wallets etc.

For my phone, I bought a magnetic mount, VPOW I think is the brand

We recently tried a 720. My son put his mask in the door bin. He forgot to get it when we got back. We both found it highly amusing that he had to get back in close the door to open the bin.

Done that many times, but also left the door bin open when opening the door and watched the contents empty over the tarmac.

[djangoW]

Many thanks for writing this thread and all contributors. It was greatly enjoyed. As a kind of tribute I recently purchased a 650s spider after many months of research all over, www, magazines, garage visits and man maths... After just a few days I am loving it and have no regrets. I hope this will continue. I note likely ongoing warranty and maintenance costs and various reported quirks so have my eyes open. I'll check back and maybe write a few thoughts

[650spider]

djangoW said:

Many thanks for writing this thread and all contributors. It was greatly enjoyed. As a kind of tribute I recently purchased a 650s spider after many months of research all over, www, magazines, garage visits and man maths... After just a few days I am loving it and have no regrets. I hope this will continue. I note likely ongoing warranty and maintenance costs and various reported quirks so have my eyes open. I'll check back and maybe write a few thoughts

Congrats and enjoy.

Thats a fine choice you have made there...i loved every minute of my 650 spider.

Pics would be great...

[Kent Border Kenny]

Bispal said:

No you can see the cable for a few inches but its fine.

Any chance you could stick up a couple of pictures to avoid me accidentally butchering my new car?

[Bispal]

Kent Border Kenny said:

Bispal said:

No you can see the cable for a few inches but its fine.

Any chance you could stick up a couple of pictures to avoid me accidentally butchering my new car?

There you go. only wire you see is by the mirror adjuster. Doesn't bother me, out of line of sight and easy to use phone in that location too. I use a magnetic phone mount as well.