Ownership Review - 600LT 17K Miles Maintenance/Cost Tracking
Discussion
Alias_23 said:
There has been an overwhelming volume of cracked hinges and logical arguments to define the part as a safety device to which Mclaren generally now perform the work as a gesture of goodwill at no charge to owners. Im unsure how long this goodwill period lasts but a number of owners have been able to get this completed. I have no warranty as per the post im self-warranty.
It would be interesting to see the result if challenged in a court or with an official body.Am I correct in saying that the previous line was "sorry, the hinge is not covered as we consider the hinge to be bodywork?"
TBCTBC said:
It would be interesting to see the result if challenged in a court or with an official body.
Am I correct in saying that the previous line was "sorry, the hinge is not covered as we consider the hinge to be bodywork?"
Correct this was the initial response many owners with cracked hinges received from dealer and extended warranty. Due to the volume of issues, and the challenges made that it is a safety device as defined by many auto 'regulations', my understanding is Mclaren direct have taken on the responsibility and on approval providing a gesture. As I say for how long, and what this means for those who have previously paid for the work, I do not know. Am I correct in saying that the previous line was "sorry, the hinge is not covered as we consider the hinge to be bodywork?"
Bear with folks as I can't just easily paste an external link to the blog I have to manually copy and paste. Latest instalment as follows.
May 2023: The first half of the year included two track days one at Donington and the other at Silverstone.
The car performed very well with zero issues. As always general maintenance checks before and after track help to ensure the car is in tip top condition.
We used the two days to test a new brake pad setup from Endless. We'd heard the Endless compound was another step up from the typical Pagid's, kinder to the carbon discs, and better stoping power. We had high hopes and if anything the Endless pads went beyond expectations!
Stopping power is phenomenal, soo much so that our typical braking points completely changed! This really did mess with the head, when you're so used to a certain point to start braking then find your going way too slow when you come out of the braking zone, it takes time to re-adjust the brain to brake later.
For sure for those with a track bias there is no better pad than the Endless setup, you can brake soo much later and enjoy consistent brake performance through out the day. It's been a challenge but we have now become a stockist of Endless in addition to Pagid.
June 2023 and its time for a road trip into Wales. The last two years I've really enjoyed the road trip experiance and the Mclaren allows you to do this with ease vs my previous Lotus Exige V6 which lacked some of the creature comforts that make such a trip a little more enjoyable and comfortable.
I had the pleasure of joining a Mclaren and Lotus group as we navigated our way through Wales over the course of two days.
A little photo dump now!
Its crazy to think that the Mclaren 675LT came out in 2015 and still looks like something that could be launched in 2023 as a new car. In all manner its just an amazing piece of kit.
This specific example has the Ti harness bar setup but with the rare option of being covered in alcantara. Such a nice touch and got me thinking of following the same path when I eventually get round to designing a setup for the 600LT.
The 720S remains in my opinion the ultimate GT car and as expected lofted through the whole trip with the owner enjoying heated seats and all lol
One point to note about Wales is the availability of Super Unleaded! It should not be assumed it is widely available even at stations such as BP and Shell. A few of us were close to dry after visiting a number of stations we expected would have 98/99 octane and finding it wasn't in stock. Typical Wales, you find a local small independant station selling 98 octane and with old school service and fill up's by the station staff!
Of all the trips into Wales, its often you find some of these old ways and I love it! Don't be surprised if every time you stop you find a group of people come say hello and wanting pictures, the Welsh really are some of the most welcoming of people to cars such as Lotus and Mclaren. Its a real shame the government seems keen to control the region with an ever increasing number of average speed cameras and patrols as such road trips make Wales a great destination and petrolhead destination which in turn helps with tourism in the region.
For those interested after a few trips the common route taken looks a little like this:
Basically head towards Bala lake which has some great roads and then head towards Llanberis which will take you past Snowdonia and Snowdon peak.
As a tip at Bala lake there's a great 'back to basic' cafe over looking the lake at the boat club which is worth checking out for a breakfast. Just park at the top road and walk down, suggest not to drive down to it as its got some nasty pot holes and not a clean flat surface.
Post Trip Check Over
On return from Wales I started to keep smelling petrol, and on inspection under the car I noticed a fuel leak. Obviously the panic starts to kick in what with not being under warranty! This is the first time I admit that I started to freak out a little on the fact of not renewing the extended warranty.
A bit of research and I found out in 2020 Mclaren actually did a recall on the Senna, 720S, 570GT, and GT for a fuel leak issue. Details can be found quite easily via Google.
In essence on these models a padding was placed between the under tray and bottom of the fuel tank to help reduce noise and vibration. This padding could trap and retain moisture which overtime could leak to corrosion of the fuel tank and cause a fuel leak.
The 570S and 600LT where exempt from the recall as this padding was not used, however knowing a number of components are shared between the various Mclaren models there was a hypothesis that the recall and my problem could be linked.
With this in mind I reached out to Mclaren Guildford, if there was a link, it would be best to pursue via a dealer vs an independant.
Mclaren Guildford ushered the car into their workshop in a matter of days arranging collection and keeping me informed of progress. On inspection they found a leak.
What was surprising was the placement of the leak was not at the bottom of the fuel tank as per the 2020 recall but at the top.
The picture above is not my tank but shows the position of said leak. It would appear to be some form of corrosion or defect. However as it was not on the bottom my hypothesis that it may be linked to the 2020 recall was basically dead.
The dread kicks in, the replacement cost was circa £3K, which would be on me due to my warranty state. Obviously my decision is my own and I bear the risk, however something just stuck that the situation did not feel right.
A fuel tank is a safety device it shouldn't corrode within such a short period of time, further unlike say a bushing, suspension, or anything that is mechanically moving or changing the fuel tank is static. It's simply a container and therefore as a static safety device should just work and not degrade. This thinking continued to stick in my mind so I decided to write to Mclaren.
I was very honest about my warranty situation, I was clear in the facts and provided evidence and asked if they could review and provide some form of response.
Within 48 hours I had a response, and credit to Mclaren, they stood back, reviewed what I had shared, and took the issue seriously. Another 48 hours or so later I was informed that they would be requesting the tank back for inspection as they hadn't seen this issue before in this placement. Further, as a gesture they would cover the cost of replacement.
WOW wow WOW - We hear soo many complaints about Mclaren support and quality, but for me this stands out as a clear example of them taking the situation seriously, listening to an owner, and doing the right thing. Let's be honest they could easily have ignored and declined. They didn't and kudos to them!
I do think there is a lot of trolling and complaining about the brand which has fear, uncertainty, and doubt all over it. However, what with my hinge situation previously and now this I have huge respect for them. My experience is if you have just cause and not just moaning, can present facts, reasonable rationale, and push to get your cause raised to the right people in Mclaren - Things happen.
Thank you again Mclaren.
May 2023: The first half of the year included two track days one at Donington and the other at Silverstone.
The car performed very well with zero issues. As always general maintenance checks before and after track help to ensure the car is in tip top condition.
We used the two days to test a new brake pad setup from Endless. We'd heard the Endless compound was another step up from the typical Pagid's, kinder to the carbon discs, and better stoping power. We had high hopes and if anything the Endless pads went beyond expectations!
Stopping power is phenomenal, soo much so that our typical braking points completely changed! This really did mess with the head, when you're so used to a certain point to start braking then find your going way too slow when you come out of the braking zone, it takes time to re-adjust the brain to brake later.
For sure for those with a track bias there is no better pad than the Endless setup, you can brake soo much later and enjoy consistent brake performance through out the day. It's been a challenge but we have now become a stockist of Endless in addition to Pagid.
June 2023 and its time for a road trip into Wales. The last two years I've really enjoyed the road trip experiance and the Mclaren allows you to do this with ease vs my previous Lotus Exige V6 which lacked some of the creature comforts that make such a trip a little more enjoyable and comfortable.
I had the pleasure of joining a Mclaren and Lotus group as we navigated our way through Wales over the course of two days.
A little photo dump now!
Its crazy to think that the Mclaren 675LT came out in 2015 and still looks like something that could be launched in 2023 as a new car. In all manner its just an amazing piece of kit.
This specific example has the Ti harness bar setup but with the rare option of being covered in alcantara. Such a nice touch and got me thinking of following the same path when I eventually get round to designing a setup for the 600LT.
The 720S remains in my opinion the ultimate GT car and as expected lofted through the whole trip with the owner enjoying heated seats and all lol
One point to note about Wales is the availability of Super Unleaded! It should not be assumed it is widely available even at stations such as BP and Shell. A few of us were close to dry after visiting a number of stations we expected would have 98/99 octane and finding it wasn't in stock. Typical Wales, you find a local small independant station selling 98 octane and with old school service and fill up's by the station staff!
Of all the trips into Wales, its often you find some of these old ways and I love it! Don't be surprised if every time you stop you find a group of people come say hello and wanting pictures, the Welsh really are some of the most welcoming of people to cars such as Lotus and Mclaren. Its a real shame the government seems keen to control the region with an ever increasing number of average speed cameras and patrols as such road trips make Wales a great destination and petrolhead destination which in turn helps with tourism in the region.
For those interested after a few trips the common route taken looks a little like this:
Basically head towards Bala lake which has some great roads and then head towards Llanberis which will take you past Snowdonia and Snowdon peak.
As a tip at Bala lake there's a great 'back to basic' cafe over looking the lake at the boat club which is worth checking out for a breakfast. Just park at the top road and walk down, suggest not to drive down to it as its got some nasty pot holes and not a clean flat surface.
Post Trip Check Over
On return from Wales I started to keep smelling petrol, and on inspection under the car I noticed a fuel leak. Obviously the panic starts to kick in what with not being under warranty! This is the first time I admit that I started to freak out a little on the fact of not renewing the extended warranty.
A bit of research and I found out in 2020 Mclaren actually did a recall on the Senna, 720S, 570GT, and GT for a fuel leak issue. Details can be found quite easily via Google.
In essence on these models a padding was placed between the under tray and bottom of the fuel tank to help reduce noise and vibration. This padding could trap and retain moisture which overtime could leak to corrosion of the fuel tank and cause a fuel leak.
The 570S and 600LT where exempt from the recall as this padding was not used, however knowing a number of components are shared between the various Mclaren models there was a hypothesis that the recall and my problem could be linked.
With this in mind I reached out to Mclaren Guildford, if there was a link, it would be best to pursue via a dealer vs an independant.
Mclaren Guildford ushered the car into their workshop in a matter of days arranging collection and keeping me informed of progress. On inspection they found a leak.
What was surprising was the placement of the leak was not at the bottom of the fuel tank as per the 2020 recall but at the top.
The picture above is not my tank but shows the position of said leak. It would appear to be some form of corrosion or defect. However as it was not on the bottom my hypothesis that it may be linked to the 2020 recall was basically dead.
The dread kicks in, the replacement cost was circa £3K, which would be on me due to my warranty state. Obviously my decision is my own and I bear the risk, however something just stuck that the situation did not feel right.
A fuel tank is a safety device it shouldn't corrode within such a short period of time, further unlike say a bushing, suspension, or anything that is mechanically moving or changing the fuel tank is static. It's simply a container and therefore as a static safety device should just work and not degrade. This thinking continued to stick in my mind so I decided to write to Mclaren.
I was very honest about my warranty situation, I was clear in the facts and provided evidence and asked if they could review and provide some form of response.
Within 48 hours I had a response, and credit to Mclaren, they stood back, reviewed what I had shared, and took the issue seriously. Another 48 hours or so later I was informed that they would be requesting the tank back for inspection as they hadn't seen this issue before in this placement. Further, as a gesture they would cover the cost of replacement.
WOW wow WOW - We hear soo many complaints about Mclaren support and quality, but for me this stands out as a clear example of them taking the situation seriously, listening to an owner, and doing the right thing. Let's be honest they could easily have ignored and declined. They didn't and kudos to them!
I do think there is a lot of trolling and complaining about the brand which has fear, uncertainty, and doubt all over it. However, what with my hinge situation previously and now this I have huge respect for them. My experience is if you have just cause and not just moaning, can present facts, reasonable rationale, and push to get your cause raised to the right people in Mclaren - Things happen.
Thank you again Mclaren.
Nuttbelle said:
Wonder if the fuel tank leak is an unlucky one off or they will issue a campaign to double check everyone's given the nature of the issue
I suspect a one off... Mclaren I doubt would issue a recall unless it hit volume which I believe is not the case, other than what was officially a recall on the Senna and 720S as described earlier and well documented online but that was on the bottom and related to NVH fluid retention. Alias_23 said:
Its crazy to think that the Mclaren 675LT came out in 2015 and still looks like something that could be launched in 2023 as a new car. In all manner its just an amazing piece of kit.
This specific example has the Ti harness bar setup but with the rare option of being covered in alcantara. Such a nice touch and got me thinking of following the same path when I eventually get round to designing a setup for the 600LT.
I have owned my 675LT for 3.5 years now.
Here is a list of what has gone wrong in 3.5 years and 13k miles of my ownership.....
errr....
Let me think?
No, cant recall anything..
here are some more pics from Wales instead :-)
mOrtt said:
40mpg?! Jesus! The most I've seen is 25mpg and that's sat on the motorway for hours doing 70(ish). No idea how anyone is getting 30+ in a 600LT 
On a motorway cruise without traffic jams sitting at 65-75mph I see 39-41mpg and if I sit around 85mph it hovers around 35mpg.Just gone up the M6 from Stoke to Liverpool all within speed limits and then through Liverpool traffic and once arrived at the docks was on 34.3mpg.
Amazes me how frugal it is of course on track it was under 5mpg, drinks it when flying and is more fuel efficient than my GR Yaris and M2 when travelling distance on motorway, can’t complain.
Gibbo205 said:
mOrtt said:
40mpg?! Jesus! The most I've seen is 25mpg and that's sat on the motorway for hours doing 70(ish). No idea how anyone is getting 30+ in a 600LT
On a motorway cruise without traffic jams sitting at 65-75mph I see 39-41mpg and if I sit around 85mph it hovers around 35mpg.Just gone up the M6 from Stoke to Liverpool all within speed limits and then through Liverpool traffic and once arrived at the docks was on 34.3mpg.
Amazes me how frugal it is of course on track it was under 5mpg, drinks it when flying and is more fuel efficient than my GR Yaris and M2 when travelling distance on motorway, can’t complain.
0-60 in 2.7 seconds, quarter mile in 10.3 seconds @ 142 mph, 206 mph and 40.4mpg. I can't think of another car in the world that can match those stats?
mOrtt said:
40mpg?! Jesus! The most I've seen is 25mpg and that's sat on the motorway for hours doing 70(ish). No idea how anyone is getting 30+ in a 600LT
I regularly got very late 30s in my GT, which is a heavier car with a bigger engine. If you're struggling to better 25mpg on a genuine 70mph motorway cruise then you really are doing something wrong, or there's something up with your car...Bispal , those are indeed exceptional performance stats , and the mpg figures have very real world significance for us lesser mortals .
I have never understood those on PH who criticise the discussion of capital outlay or running costs of cars .
Surely this is the first issue that needs to be reckoned with in any sensible ownership discussion….. I know that I would be driving a hypercar of some sort if I could afford to buy and run one ! Sadly that is never going to be the case .
I usually do 2 continental tours a year , each of which is about 5000 miles .
Recently I have taken to doing it in my 981S Boxster ….. I tootle down the motorways at a sedate rate and can get up to 39 mpg , and then when really pushing on in the twisties the mpg rarely falls much below 18 . To get down to the nether regions of Europe means that you are spending quite some time on motorways or dual carriageways, so are getting v good mpg for a good distance of the overall trip .
The fuel cost savings are significant for my pocket …. In a Countach you would be lucky to see 20 mpg on a run , falling to low single figures when pushing it . And a Murcie Roadster is , surprisingly , no better despite being 17 years younger ( NB : heavier and 4WD )
Neither of these V12s have anything like the performance of the 600LT or 675LT , so yes , it is a sign of these cars’ mechanical efficiency and engineering excellence . ( I don’t own a McLaren )
I have never understood those on PH who criticise the discussion of capital outlay or running costs of cars .
Surely this is the first issue that needs to be reckoned with in any sensible ownership discussion….. I know that I would be driving a hypercar of some sort if I could afford to buy and run one ! Sadly that is never going to be the case .
I usually do 2 continental tours a year , each of which is about 5000 miles .
Recently I have taken to doing it in my 981S Boxster ….. I tootle down the motorways at a sedate rate and can get up to 39 mpg , and then when really pushing on in the twisties the mpg rarely falls much below 18 . To get down to the nether regions of Europe means that you are spending quite some time on motorways or dual carriageways, so are getting v good mpg for a good distance of the overall trip .
The fuel cost savings are significant for my pocket …. In a Countach you would be lucky to see 20 mpg on a run , falling to low single figures when pushing it . And a Murcie Roadster is , surprisingly , no better despite being 17 years younger ( NB : heavier and 4WD )
Neither of these V12s have anything like the performance of the 600LT or 675LT , so yes , it is a sign of these cars’ mechanical efficiency and engineering excellence . ( I don’t own a McLaren )
Really enjoyed an insight into your experiences and I too support that McLaren dealers are often very good.
My 600LT is nearing 4 years old and in 18 months of ownership and 9k miles has required the dreaded paint work correction to a wing (more to come I am sure) and driver side hinge. Ascot were helpful and swift with acting. Other than that, nowt to report.
Looking forward to warmer days again and exploring track time in 2024.
My 600LT is nearing 4 years old and in 18 months of ownership and 9k miles has required the dreaded paint work correction to a wing (more to come I am sure) and driver side hinge. Ascot were helpful and swift with acting. Other than that, nowt to report.
Looking forward to warmer days again and exploring track time in 2024.
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