ferrari or mclaren

Author
Discussion

bordseye

Original Poster:

1,975 posts

191 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
yes I know this is the aston bit of the forum but if I ask my question on either the ferrari or the mclaren bit , I will get a biased answer depending mon which car they have.

So the question is this. I have a budget of about 100k to buy a toy car that I will keep for 5 years or so. Having had a 430 before I have a soft spot for Ferrari likely the 360 manual spider but I do rather fancy a 540 or 570 mclaren. Question is which?

Being well into pension age, capital to buy one is not an issue but I need to be comfortable with reliability and parts and service costs. Ferrari has lots of independants which McLaren does not. But McLaren do seem to be reliable once past the early 12C cars. McLaren depreciate more to start with like Astons I guess but how long can the Ferrari price bubble last? 328s which once were 20k cars are now 80 k cars - how realistic is that?

Not hung up on the manual gearbox but the F1 in the 430 I had is a £4k clutch bill waiting to happen so the thought was that a 360 manual would get round this to some degree and at the same time avoid the bad manifolds issue that the 430 has.

All thoughts appreciated but I do want a mid engined car so that rules out Aston for me

Edited by bordseye on Monday 21st January 08:40

justin220

5,331 posts

203 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
Which one actually excites you more when thinking about owning?

They are both quite different cars, both great in their own way. Ferrari has the prestige of the badge etc and sound superb.

The Mac's are probably better in every other measurable way.

But when buying one of them, you are better off going for the one that actually gets you going. Which would you rather was sitting behind your garage door?

AlexT

470 posts

235 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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Have you considered stretching your budget a smidgen further and considered a used Lambo Huracan? With the new facelifted model (EVO) about to be released that will put further pressure on the used market of Huracans but I don't think to a great extent as the standard Huracan appeals on many fronts.

In this class, especially in terms of reliability, it is the best.

LiamV12V

89 posts

87 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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If you’ve ticked the Ferrari box before I’d maybe try a 650S over a 540 / 570.

cayman-black

12,625 posts

215 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
100k obviously my first choice at under this figure would be a 6 speed V12Vantage. Love the 430 and think that a12C is a lot of car for the money so one of those.

spareparts

6,777 posts

226 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
Neither.

For £100k, I would go 550 Maranello with a manual gearbox. NA V12 + manual gearbox + appreciating. The V12V is the only other car of this format, and they aren't making those anymore either. 550 is a beautiful and classic Ferrari and will always have kudos, even if it is not the latest/greatest.

360 is not that 'nice' a F-car compared to either the 355 or 430 that followed.

Turbo'd cars are boring, especially when McL release new models every quarter. Emperor's new clothes and all that.

bordseye

Original Poster:

1,975 posts

191 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
Thanks but it has to be mid engined and the benefit of the 360 is that I can get a spider. Yes it isnt quite as good a car as the 430 though the real world differences are small and limited to powertrain and electronics. But sadly I cannot cough up the necessary for a 458 and still sleep at night.

As for Lambo, well its a personal feeling but to me they are chavvy.


AMVSVNick

6,990 posts

161 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
bordseye said:
Thanks but it has to be mid engined and the benefit of the 360 is that I can get a spider.
So why not a 355?


Jon39

12,782 posts

142 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all

bordseye said:
Being well into pension age, capital to buy one is not an issue, but I need to be comfortable with reliability and parts and service costs.
Ferrari has lots of independants, which McLaren does not.
Do you perhaps have a little place in the country, named Sandringham ?

bordseye said:
All thoughts appreciated, but I do want a mid engined car so that rules out Aston for me.
Only about three years to wait, for your dream of a mid-engine Aston Martin.







davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
I think you're comparing apples with oranges.

My 360 has probably averaged £2-3k a year in maintenance in the 5 years I've owned it - and is probably worth about 50% more than I paid for it. I'd love a McLaren, but I can't make the numbers add up.

Most people say you need a warranty - that's up to ~£5k depending on the age of the car. Insurance for all of my cars cost me just under £2k last year - when I got a quote for a £100k MP4-12C a few years back, that alone would have cost me over £2k.
I reckon that with warranty, insurance, servicing etc. - a McLaren would be costing me ~£8k a year. And that's without the depreciation - add that, and I reckon you're looking at £15k+ a year to own one. That's too much for me.

I have no doubt that they are much more advanced cars, and hence that justifies the cost somewhat - but like I said, apples and oranges.

Regarding depreciation - the rise in 360 prices over the last few years would make me nervous anyway. Funny that you say you couldn't consider a 458 - I think that's probably the safest place for your money at that kind of budget.

RobDown

3,803 posts

127 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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What the McLaren forum won’t be quick to tell you is:

1. The warranty cost post three years is £5k per annum. This on top of the depreciation makes them an expensive ownership prospect.

2. If you buy a 540/570 then the dealer will almost certainly not buy it back from you when you want to sell it - I have several friends sitting with cars and they can’t sell them. It’s a function of McLaren producing so many new models so regularly

3. There’s a thread over in the McLaren forum on servicing issues. It sounds patchy, in large part because McLaren won’t support independents

That’s why the used values are eye watering for anyone buying new (ouch if you bought a 720S)

I’m sure Ferrari might suffer from problem 1, but have no experience of that

Now having said all that, if you can find a sorted McLaren they are by all counts fabulous cars (I might be interested in a 650S once depreciation has inflicted more pain and if we see independents springing up). See Justin’s write up above. But if you want to buy one, go into it with your eyes open and haggle hard, it’s definitely a Buyers market.

Agent57

1,631 posts

153 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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F355 with a manual gearbox.

cayman-black

12,625 posts

215 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
bordseye said:
Thanks but it has to be mid engined and the benefit of the 360 is that I can get a spider. Yes it isnt quite as good a car as the 430 though the real world differences are small and limited to powertrain and electronics. But sadly I cannot cough up the necessary for a 458 and still sleep at night.

As for Lambo, well its a personal feeling but to me they are chavvy.
The 360 is a great choice!

bordseye

Original Poster:

1,975 posts

191 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
Agent57 said:
F355 with a manual gearbox.
Some Ferrari models get sprinkled with fairy dust whilst others get left out. Thats the case with the 328 the 355 and the 458 - the 308, 348 and to a degree both 360 and 430 get left out. The Cali is likely to be added to that list. I guess what I am saying is that I dont see the premium on the 355. Why is a decent 355 worth more than a decent 360. By any rational measure , it isnt.

Agent57

1,631 posts

153 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
355 looks fantastic, 360 looks awful.

cayman-black

12,625 posts

215 months

Monday 21st January 2019
quotequote all
Agent57 said:
355 looks fantastic, 360 looks awful.
Good job we all like different things then.

AMTony

1,074 posts

166 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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Go for a 911 if you are looking for safe and fairly cheap running. - says the guy with an Aston biglaugh
I have a 355 for sale if of interest though - F1 spider in black with just over 7000 miles......mint!

macdeb

8,492 posts

254 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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cayman-black said:
100k obviously my first choice at under this figure would be a 6 speed V12Vantage. Love the 430 and think that a12C is a lot of car for the money so one of those.
^^^^ yes

Edited by macdeb on Monday 21st January 20:33


Edited by macdeb on Monday 21st January 20:34

kbooker

728 posts

138 months

Monday 21st January 2019
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I've had an F430 and Scuderia and urge you to try a V12V manual as part of the elimination process, it's a vastly better road car and they are mid engine, it's just in the front not rear, good luck...

davek_964

8,796 posts

174 months

Tuesday 22nd January 2019
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bordseye said:
Agent57 said:
F355 with a manual gearbox.
Some Ferrari models get sprinkled with fairy dust whilst others get left out. Thats the case with the 328 the 355 and the 458 - the 308, 348 and to a degree both 360 and 430 get left out. The Cali is likely to be added to that list. I guess what I am saying is that I dont see the premium on the 355. Why is a decent 355 worth more than a decent 360. By any rational measure , it isnt.
Rational? If you want to be rational, you should probably stick £100k in an investment somewhere and buy a sensible car!

For me, the 355 is one of the prettiest Ferrari's out there - even by todays standards - and the 458 is probably the first Ferrari that compares looks wise. Plus, the 458 is obviously much better in just about everything than a much older car, plus it's the last N/A which makes a difference to some people.
With cars like this, I think subjective stuff like "Oh my god, that's gorgeous" count.