750s or...?

[964Cup]

I've learned from my dealer that apparently the 750 uses the lighter weight battery from the 765, so 28 days is all there is, but the visual gauge (as opposed to the day count) isn't properly calibrated - their demo also does the same thing. I am the MTC on the 3rd, so will ask questions then. I may try to get the full-size battery installed (since I assume they haven't changed the size of the battery compartment) since I am so so not interested in saving 5kg in exchange for even less battery life.

Sorry to hear about your wheel, but I'm impressed you've managed 300 miles. I think I have 76 on the clock including the 7 with which it was delivered, and I've had mine nearly a week longer.

I have a fruit phone being delivered tomorrow, having tested Carplay with my wife's phone. It does seem to solve most of the issues - apart from the lack of dash integration - and you can still have an actual phone connected by BT at the same time, so I can just leave the fruit phone in the car all the time. There are also apparently wireless bridges that convert wired Carplay into wireless Android Auto. I might have a look at those too.

[964Cup]

Pistaaah said:

So a question for you two 750s owners - is it worth the premium over the 720S? My 720S Coupe is 3 years old in March and I’m thinking, stick or twist? At low to mid £300’s, it seems like a massive jump, for not a massive gain?.

For context I’ve also got a Pista and a DBS, so have different stuff, but if I want to change the 720, then it feels like MC20 is pretty much it, as I’m not a Lambo fan or a track day nut

Decisions, decisions…

Here's what I posted on McLarenLife in response to the same question (hence the currency):

964Cup_elsewhere said:

Worth the upgrade if your current 720 is to your spec? Probably not. It is the only way to buy a new Super Series, though, which is why I bought it. If I'd been able to find a perfect condition 720 spider in a dark metallic blue with a light luxury interior, I might have done that instead. I do think it looks better than a 720, and it certainly drives better, but the marginal return doesn't "justify" the $215,000 cost to change. Thankfully I don't think cars have to make sense, and I could afford it.

[Pistaaah]

964Cup said:

I may try to get the full-size battery installed (since I assume they haven't changed the size of the battery compartment) since I am so so not interested in saving 5kg in exchange for even less battery life.

You might not when you see the price - a new Lithium battery for my Pista costs over £3k - ask me how I know

[br d]

964Cup said:

I've learned from my dealer that apparently the 750 uses the lighter weight battery from the 765, so 28 days is all there is, but the visual gauge (as opposed to the day count) isn't properly calibrated - their demo also does the same thing. I am the MTC on the 3rd, so will ask questions then. I may try to get the full-size battery installed (since I assume they haven't changed the size of the battery compartment) since I am so so not interested in saving 5kg in exchange for even less battery life.

This is great info thanks, I will also look at this. I'm a pretty regular driver of my cars so 28 days would probably be enough though.

964Cup said:

Sorry to hear about your wheel, but I'm impressed you've managed 300 miles. I think I have 76 on the clock including the 7 with which it was delivered, and I've had mine nearly a week longer.

Yeah. I live alone and Christmas is a stty time for me so I went out and did a couple of long runs just for the sake of it. Mine had next to nothing when I picked it up, 0.3 or something, never had a new car be so low.

964Cup said:

I have a fruit phone being delivered tomorrow, having tested Carplay with my wife's phone. It does seem to solve most of the issues - apart from the lack of dash integration - and you can still have an actual phone connected by BT at the same time, so I can just leave the fruit phone in the car all the time. There are also apparently wireless bridges that convert wired Carplay into wireless Android Auto. I might have a look at those too.

That sounds like a good idea but I can't get on with Apple stuff at all, I'll look at y9ur second suggestion there.

Are you babying the car? I know a lot of people don't run in at all and I know these days we're told they don't need it but I always do 900 or so before opening her up. Probably unnecessarily.

[br d]

Pistaaah said:

So a question for you two 750s owners - is it worth the premium over the 720S? My 720S Coupe is 3 years old in March and I’m thinking, stick or twist? At low to mid £300’s, it seems like a massive jump, for not a massive gain?.

For context I’ve also got a Pista and a DBS, so have different stuff, but if I want to change the 720, then it feels like MC20 is pretty much it, as I’m not a Lambo fan or a track day nut

Decisions, decisions…

I'm probably the wrong person to ask, I don't make particularly well thought out decisions when it comes to cars. See it, like it, buy it. I would be a much richer man if I ever stopped to think.
A 720S is pretty much peak anyway isn't it? How much more does anybody need, especially with the other great stuff you own?

I am glad I've gone for the 750 because a large part of my decision was that it's the last full ICE car, nothing against Hybrid and I'll end up in one no doubt but for now I wanted a brand new, batst performing petrol supercar to hooligan about in before they assign a personal police drone to every car.

I'm normally only a one nice car at a time person but AB still has my 720 and it may sit there for another couple of months, I'm quite tempted to get it back so I can hoon them back to back and do a proper comparison.

[964Cup]

br d said:

That sounds like a good idea but I can't get on with Apple stuff at all, I'll look at y9ur second suggestion there.

I'm no Apple fan either, but my plan is to treat it like part of the car - add a data-only SIM, set it up with the apps I need for the car and then leave it alone. Essentially just another ECU.

My hesitation with the gateway boxes is that the phone needs to be connected by BT to them; I don't know if it will also connect to the car. Also they're mostly generic Shenzen $99 FOB Shanghai kit so I'm not sure how much I'd rely on them. I suspect there's an ICE installer out there who knows far more, though - Ricky @ REP or someone at V Engineering will probably have a contact from all their work on Audis.

br d said:

Are you babying the car? I know a lot of people don't run in at all and I know these days we're told they don't need it but I always do 900 or so before opening her up. Probably unnecessarily.

Opinions vary, as you say; Grange seemed to think 1000km of classic running in was a good idea; the factory seems less concerned. I'm doing a kind of middle ground (to the extent that I've driven it at all). Not revving it out, trying not to spend too long at constant speed. However REP for one seem to think the opposite - that you need to push aluminium liner block engines hard in order to get the rings to bite (I'm repeating his words before anyone flames me or goes into pedant mode). I suspect that (once the weather is less utterly disgusting) I'll just drive it and let the vagaries of British traffic take care of it for me. It's not as though I'm likely to go WOT or hit the rev limiter in January in Britain on the public roads anyway.

[964Cup]

Pistaaah said:

You might not when you see the price - a new Lithium battery for my Pista costs over £3k - ask me how I know

I'm somewhat hoping that the shiny new 765 battery already in the car has some residual value...

[macdeb]

964Cup said:

br d said:

That sounds like a good idea but I can't get on with Apple stuff at all, I'll look at y9ur second suggestion there.

I'm no Apple fan either, but my plan is to treat it like part of the car - add a data-only SIM, set it up with the apps I need for the car and then leave it alone. Essentially just another ECU.

My hesitation with the gateway boxes is that the phone needs to be connected by BT to them; I don't know if it will also connect to the car. Also they're mostly generic Shenzen $99 FOB Shanghai kit so I'm not sure how much I'd rely on them. I suspect there's an ICE installer out there who knows far more, though - Ricky @ REP or someone at V Engineering will probably have a contact from all their work on Audis.

br d said:

Are you babying the car? I know a lot of people don't run in at all and I know these days we're told they don't need it but I always do 900 or so before opening her up. Probably unnecessarily.

Opinions vary, as you say; Grange seemed to think 1000km of classic running in was a good idea; the factory seems less concerned. I'm doing a kind of middle ground (to the extent that I've driven it at all). Not revving it out, trying not to spend too long at constant speed. However REP for one seem to think the opposite - that you need to push aluminium liner block engines hard in order to get the rings to bite (I'm repeating his words before anyone flames me or goes into pedant mode). I suspect that (once the weather is less utterly disgusting) I'll just drive it and let the vagaries of British traffic take care of it for me. It's not as though I'm likely to go WOT or hit the rev limiter in January in Britain on the public roads anyway.

For what it's worth, bed those rings in as has been said. Don't labour any engine at low revs nor rev it out either. Plus do not take a trip on motorway at any constant speed as this will glaze the bores. Take out and find a straight road and load the engine slightly pushing the rings into the bores, then lift off and repeat many times to the annoyance of other road users no doubt.

[br d]

macdeb said:

For what it's worth, bed those rings in as has been said. Don't labour any engine at low revs nor rev it out either. Plus do not take a trip on motorway at any constant speed as this will glaze the bores. Take out and find a straight road and load the engine slightly pushing the rings into the bores, then lift off and repeat many times to the annoyance of other road users no doubt.

Well that's me out tomorrow thrashing it to death!

Shouldn't they be able to do all this on a test bench though?

[jasonrobertson86]

br d said:

Bit of a report now I've had the car a week.

It's a noticeable improvement over the 720 in the general liveability stuff.
The comfort entry is much crisper, the previous one could be a bit vague and it was easy to miss the slot. The Speedy Kiwi button is a dream, one press sets up everything how I like it. I seem to have lucked out with the Start/Stop thing because whether the button is on or off it never activates so I don't have to faff with that. General dash layout and Iris settings took a bit of adjusting but I prefer how it is now. I can play music from my phone over bluetooth now which I don't think I could before.
The whole system can still sometimes take a minute to wake up which is a pain but not show stopping.
964Cup mentioned the Days of Battery life thing to me and I understand now, mines doing the same, won't go above 28 days when it clearly should do judging by the gauge, if both our cars are doing that then that'll need looking at.
Rear view camera is useless but that's not a McLaren thing, I just don't like them in general.

In driving terms it's a real improvement.
I am very careful with running in so I can't speak to the performance yet but for pootling about it's really good, and the 720 was very good already. The Comfort handling and Power is a joy, it's just so smooth and positive, everything just feels sorted and nailed down. It honestly feels like you're cruising about in a Bentley or something.

In all ways the car just feels like it's been tightened up, like they've worked through the list of niggles from the previous models and sorted each one.

I went for the Louvres just to mix it up a bit. I've had two 720's and it was just a small option to highlight that it's a different model, only for my own perception, I doubt anyone who isn't properly into McLarens will tell this car apart from a 720.
I saw the body coloured Louvres on the demo car and didn't like them so I went CF, I have a fair bit of CF on this one and it just looks right to continue that across the car. Well, to me anyway. I think they really work well with the Volcano Red as well.

From what I've seen of reviews it's going to be a blast when I get to hit the throttle so I'll do another update then if anyone is interested.

And on a dhead note, I had those really flashy Star Wars looking wheels that cost a fortune, I've already managed to munge one of them up on a curb in under 300 miles.
I've been buying these ridiculous cars for years you'd really think I would have learnt to drive by now.

yes please, more upodates, i think you need your own thread as this could get hard to find...

[WCZ]

i'd personally find it hard to buy a 750s when a barely used 765 is around £300

[br d]

WCZ said:

i'd personally find it hard to buy a 750s when a barely used 765 is around £300

I get that but a 765 wasn't on my radar.

[964Cup]

br d said:

WCZ said:

i'd personally find it hard to buy a 750s when a barely used 765 is around £300

I get that but a 765 wasn't on my radar.

You can't order a new 765, so if you want a car that's to your desired spec and/or you want the new car experience including knowing exactly how it's been treated, a 750 is the only option. Also the 765 is a different, more raw car; personally I want something that's slightly more compliant as a tourer.

Put it this way - if they'd never released the 750 and just carried on producing the 720, would you have said the same thing as 765 prices fell below the price of a well-specced 720? People buy new cars because they want a new car; if they didn't there wouldn't be any second-hand cars, after all.

[br d]

964Cup said:

You can't order a new 765, so if you want a car that's to your desired spec and/or you want the new car experience including knowing exactly how it's been treated, a 750 is the only option. Also the 765 is a different, more raw car; personally I want something that's slightly more compliant as a tourer.

Put it this way - if they'd never released the 750 and just carried on producing the 720, would you have said the same thing as 765 prices fell below the price of a well-specced 720? People buy new cars because they want a new car; if they didn't there wouldn't be any second-hand cars, after all.

Yep to every word here.

[dsl2]

Wow Brad that's a sensational spec!

[br d]

dsl2 said:

Wow Brad that's a sensational spec!

Thanks mate, probably went a little higher than I originally planned but why not!

[dsl2]

br d said:

Thanks mate, probably went a little higher than I originally planned but why not!

Ha yes indeed why not, you've earn't it!

From what I've seen of the various car's & hilarious touring stories you've been good enough to share on PH you have never struggled too much selling yourself the man maths to make it happen, enjoy your travels in her!

[br d]

So, a month in.

I haven't run it in yet so I'm still not thrashing it but so far everything is looking good.

I'm honestly struggling to find anything wrong. I have a 720 and it has some issues but the 750 doesn't seem to have inherited any of them.
Even though the instrument panel has been simplified I think it's still better than before. It's cleaner.

The car just feels more planted, and more sorted. I can definitely notice the improved gear ratios.

I saw a CarWow drag race and the 750 beat the 296 in a quarter mile race when they all got off together, exactly as I expected, Macs always perform better than the figures show.
Although to be fair the 296 came out on top over a half mile.

So far I've got no regrets. I'll know more when the weather gets better

[964Cup]

br d said:

So, a month in.

I haven't run it in yet so I'm still not thrashing it but so far everything is looking good.

I'm honestly struggling to find anything wrong. I have a 720 and it has some issues but the 750 doesn't seem to have inherited any of them.
Even though the instrument panel has been simplified I think it's still better than before. It's cleaner.

The car just feels more planted, and more sorted. I can definitely notice the improved gear ratios.

I saw a CarWow drag race and the 750 beat the 296 in a quarter mile race when they all got off together, exactly as I expected, Macs always perform better than the figures show.
Although to be fair the 296 came out on top over a half mile.

So far I've got no regrets. I'll know more when the weather gets better

Glad it's working for you. One thing I've discovered is that the new ratios make the Pirelli problem worse. Picture lane 3 of a damp, greasy, cold M4 on a dismal January morning. Imagine you have come up behind someone doing 60 who has finally deigned to move over. Possibly due to the frustration engendered by quite how long it has taken them to notice that they are holding everyone up, you squeeze the throttle a little rather than merely tickling it - we're not talking any kind of foot to the floor action here, just enough - it turns out - to get comfort comfort auto to kick down. At which point the car immediately loses traction and snaps sideways. The stability control is clearly napping, lulled into a false sense of security by the monotony of the British motorway. The resulting fishtail is caught and corrected and no harm is done, but a) new pants and b) Michelins, which have now arrived at Grange and will be fitted next week. Be careful...

[br d]

964Cup said:

Glad it's working for you. One thing I've discovered is that the new ratios make the Pirelli problem worse. Picture lane 3 of a damp, greasy, cold M4 on a dismal January morning. Imagine you have come up behind someone doing 60 who has finally deigned to move over. Possibly due to the frustration engendered by quite how long it has taken them to notice that they are holding everyone up, you squeeze the throttle a little rather than merely tickling it - we're not talking any kind of foot to the floor action here, just enough - it turns out - to get comfort comfort auto to kick down. At which point the car immediately loses traction and snaps sideways. The stability control is clearly napping, lulled into a false sense of security by the monotony of the British motorway. The resulting fishtail is caught and corrected and no harm is done, but a) new pants and b) Michelins, which have now arrived at Grange and will be fitted next week. Be careful...

Yeah mate I'm always aware of the Pirellis in our damp months, I generally swap to P4's. I'll keep these for now because I'll be doing a euro trip when the weather improves and they are a good tyre in hot conditions, I'll swap them out when I get back from that.