675LT - use case
Discussion
Dear McLaren owners,
I’m looking to scratch the McLaren itch and pull the trigger on a 675LT.
Before doing so, I wanted to check owner experiences to see if it’s going to fit part of our use case of longer European tours on the continent. A 650/720/750s would make the better tourer no doubt, but is the 675 too stripped back and hardcore to tour in?
I’d really like to get an LT over a standard super series model, it’s widely revered by owners and reviewers as the best modern McLaren produced.
I’m certainly not expecting Bentley or Vanquish levels of long distance comfort, but is the LT still doable to cover big distances in, without getting an angry wife?
For reference we’re currently in Tuscany having driven down in a AM V12 Vantage S which is fairly stiffly sprung and produces a decent amount of tyre noise and a manual for cities and jams and no complaints from either of us.
I’m looking to scratch the McLaren itch and pull the trigger on a 675LT.
Before doing so, I wanted to check owner experiences to see if it’s going to fit part of our use case of longer European tours on the continent. A 650/720/750s would make the better tourer no doubt, but is the 675 too stripped back and hardcore to tour in?
I’d really like to get an LT over a standard super series model, it’s widely revered by owners and reviewers as the best modern McLaren produced.
I’m certainly not expecting Bentley or Vanquish levels of long distance comfort, but is the LT still doable to cover big distances in, without getting an angry wife?
For reference we’re currently in Tuscany having driven down in a AM V12 Vantage S which is fairly stiffly sprung and produces a decent amount of tyre noise and a manual for cities and jams and no complaints from either of us.
Have had mine a few months now (came from a 600LT), the car is outstanding with remarkably compliant suspension. Obviously that can be dialled up but in normal mode it just absorbs the imperfections in our road surfaces with ease. I ve been to Germany in it and couldn t complain I find the P1 buckets v nice to sit in. The sills are noticeably higher than in later models so it s not the easiest to get in and out of. The car is a weapon though the cracks on up and down shifts are grin inducing. I say go for it one of the best cars McLaren has produced and probably not going to lose much if anything given where they are priced now.
RSbandit said:
Have had mine a few months now (came from a 600LT), the car is outstanding with remarkably compliant suspension. Obviously that can be dialled up but in normal mode it just absorbs the imperfections in our road surfaces with ease. I ve been to Germany in it and couldn t complain I find the P1 buckets v nice to sit in. The sills are noticeably higher than in later models so it s not the easiest to get in and out of. The car is a weapon though the cracks on up and down shifts are grin inducing. I say go for it one of the best cars McLaren has produced and probably not going to lose much if anything given where they are priced now.
Out of interest what was your overall impression of 600LT ownership?200Plus Club said:
Out of interest what was your overall impression of 600LT ownership?
I had a great couple of years with it and at the price point its hard to look past it, mine was a Spider which I'd really recommend given you can drop the rear window and hear the top mounted exhausts v clearly. Overall the one I had was pretty reliable beyond the usual stuff like hinges and paintwork, never let me down mechanically/electrically. There are lemons out there however so v hard to know if you've gotten a good one or not until you've had it a few months. The main area I see the diff to the 675 is the suspension and the top end where the 675 pulls really hard...latter point prob not so relevant to road driving tbh...all great cars !
RSbandit said:
I had a great couple of years with it and at the price point its hard to look past it, mine was a Spider which I'd really recommend given you can drop the rear window and hear the top mounted exhausts v clearly. Overall the one I had was pretty reliable beyond the usual stuff like hinges and paintwork, never let me down mechanically/electrically. There are lemons out there however so v hard to know if you've gotten a good one or not until you've had it a few months.
The main area I see the diff to the 675 is the suspension and the top end where the 675 pulls really hard...latter point prob not so relevant to road driving tbh...all great cars !
Cheers! Had a 570S and at some point considering a 600LT potentially The main area I see the diff to the 675 is the suspension and the top end where the 675 pulls really hard...latter point prob not so relevant to road driving tbh...all great cars !
RSbandit said:
Have had mine a few months now (came from a 600LT), the car is outstanding with remarkably compliant suspension. Obviously that can be dialled up but in normal mode it just absorbs the imperfections in our road surfaces with ease. I ve been to Germany in it and couldn t complain I find the P1 buckets v nice to sit in. The sills are noticeably higher than in later models so it s not the easiest to get in and out of. The car is a weapon though the cracks on up and down shifts are grin inducing. I say go for it one of the best cars McLaren has produced and probably not going to lose much if anything given where they are priced now.
Thanks bandit much appreciated. Everyone raves about the suspension compliance and this is the most important factor in covering big distances for me. Think I need to get the Mrs to sit in the buckets for the final seal of approval. Generally she is not a fan but you can’t buy an LT without buckets… I recently sold my 675LT spider after around 4.5yrs of ownership.
Fantastic car for short drives to the shops or for 6hour solid drives.
I had P1s and also also had a set of comfort seats.
The comfort seats are the same as were in my 650 and were magnificent in that, however I had mclaren take the P1s out fit the comforts, and within 30miles I was back having the P1s fitted; the P1s are magnificent and regardless how long i sat in them never felt discomfort.
There are faster McLarens, but the 675 shall be viewed as the bench mark; its peak McLaren and if you are in the position to have one, do not hesitate.
I loved every minute of it.
Fantastic car for short drives to the shops or for 6hour solid drives.
I had P1s and also also had a set of comfort seats.
The comfort seats are the same as were in my 650 and were magnificent in that, however I had mclaren take the P1s out fit the comforts, and within 30miles I was back having the P1s fitted; the P1s are magnificent and regardless how long i sat in them never felt discomfort.
There are faster McLarens, but the 675 shall be viewed as the bench mark; its peak McLaren and if you are in the position to have one, do not hesitate.
I loved every minute of it.
Wheelspinning said:
I recently sold my 675LT spider after around 4.5yrs of ownership.
Fantastic car for short drives to the shops or for 6hour solid drives.
I had P1s and also also had a set of comfort seats.
The comfort seats are the same as were in my 650 and were magnificent in that, however I had mclaren take the P1s out fit the comforts, and within 30miles I was back having the P1s fitted; the P1s are magnificent and regardless how long i sat in them never felt discomfort.
There are faster McLarens, but the 675 shall be viewed as the bench mark; its peak McLaren and if you are in the position to have one, do not hesitate.
I loved every minute of it.
Thanks Wheelspinning, that’s a hearty endorsement of the seatsFantastic car for short drives to the shops or for 6hour solid drives.
I had P1s and also also had a set of comfort seats.
The comfort seats are the same as were in my 650 and were magnificent in that, however I had mclaren take the P1s out fit the comforts, and within 30miles I was back having the P1s fitted; the P1s are magnificent and regardless how long i sat in them never felt discomfort.
There are faster McLarens, but the 675 shall be viewed as the bench mark; its peak McLaren and if you are in the position to have one, do not hesitate.
I loved every minute of it.
I've owned my 675LT for over 6 years. during that time I've used it for many UK trips. During the same six years, for European tours, I've owned 4 Boxster's, including a 981 Spyder & more recently a 718 Spyder.
We usually do one large euro tour, 2-3 weeks, 2 up with luggage for multiple destinations. Plus one or two smaller trips a year.
After 6 years of avoiding the 675LT for Europe I finally did what I should have sold and sold the 718 Spyder to use the 675LT. And I am so glad I did. It has plenty of space, was more comfortable than both Spyder's, just as quiet (can easily chat at motorway speeds) and epically fast! lots of positive comments and chats, never had a single person come up to chat about the Porsches in 37k miles of touring! For my wife that was the largest negative, the attention. In all other aspects, including comfort, she preferred the 675LT. The unexpected benefit is the 675LT MPG, up to 43mpg at 130kph in France. More typically 36-40mpg. Making it the most economical car I've ever owned.
I have also owned a 12C which we did many tours in, it is a little quieter and slightly more comfortable but no where near as exciting and engaging when you get to the Alps or a good road, its like a completely different car.
I have a running report on my car on PH and I wrote a more detailed account of my euro tour this year, with pics, read that too its here :-
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Also check out alpinachris68 on Instagram. He set out in his blue 675LT on 24th Aug to tour Europe with his wife, and they are still going! Currently in the Pyrenees.
Think carefully about coupe 'v' spider. The coupe has a large shelf that can accommodate coats, snacks, bags in the cabin (as long as you don't have a harness bar) which the spider does not. However I am sure the spider makes up for it on a good alpine road. Horses for courses.
So in short, no downsides, only positivity. Go for it
We usually do one large euro tour, 2-3 weeks, 2 up with luggage for multiple destinations. Plus one or two smaller trips a year.
After 6 years of avoiding the 675LT for Europe I finally did what I should have sold and sold the 718 Spyder to use the 675LT. And I am so glad I did. It has plenty of space, was more comfortable than both Spyder's, just as quiet (can easily chat at motorway speeds) and epically fast! lots of positive comments and chats, never had a single person come up to chat about the Porsches in 37k miles of touring! For my wife that was the largest negative, the attention. In all other aspects, including comfort, she preferred the 675LT. The unexpected benefit is the 675LT MPG, up to 43mpg at 130kph in France. More typically 36-40mpg. Making it the most economical car I've ever owned.
I have also owned a 12C which we did many tours in, it is a little quieter and slightly more comfortable but no where near as exciting and engaging when you get to the Alps or a good road, its like a completely different car.
I have a running report on my car on PH and I wrote a more detailed account of my euro tour this year, with pics, read that too its here :-
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Also check out alpinachris68 on Instagram. He set out in his blue 675LT on 24th Aug to tour Europe with his wife, and they are still going! Currently in the Pyrenees.
Think carefully about coupe 'v' spider. The coupe has a large shelf that can accommodate coats, snacks, bags in the cabin (as long as you don't have a harness bar) which the spider does not. However I am sure the spider makes up for it on a good alpine road. Horses for courses.
So in short, no downsides, only positivity. Go for it
Do it! Mr. Bols has 4 advertised at the moment, I'd go for the napier green roof scoop coupe...
https://www.alastairbols.com/cars/mclaren-675lt-ro...
https://www.alastairbols.com/cars/mclaren-675lt-ro...
robj4 said:
Do it! Mr. Bols has 4 advertised at the moment, I'd go for the napier green roof scoop coupe...
https://www.alastairbols.com/cars/mclaren-675lt-ro...
That's who sourced me my 675, and also sold it for me SOR.https://www.alastairbols.com/cars/mclaren-675lt-ro...
In all honesty, I would go to AB over any other specialised dealer or main dealer; his attention to detail in second to none, and he shall only offer the absolute best examples, and even then ensure they are in 'like new' condition.
When I decide which mac and spec I'm going to get next, j shall ping him a message to source it for me.
I'm 5 mins from Romans and that's a stunning car. It is LHD though.
Well worth calling Alastair Bols, he knows what cars might be coming up for sale. He has his ear to the ground constantly and knows the 675LT market better than anyone. Other 'true' specialists are Graham Davidson at Autolounge in Aberdeen and also worth calling Paul Saunders at V Engineering. Between them those 3 probably know every 675LT in the UK.
There are 75 coupes in the UK (including 21 with roof scoops & 6 club sport pro's - like mine) and 103 spiders. That's a very thin pool of 178 cars. There are 85 owners in the owners 'chat' group and they are almost all long term owners, none of whom are selling ATM or intend to soon.
So there are around 90 cars that 'might' come to market. My advice would be put the feelers out to those 3 chaps and don't be overly fussy with spec. Wheels / seats can easily be changed and CF bits purchased. Colour change is also a possibility. And don't be put off by higher miles, they are almost always better cars. As most supercars, the more they are driven the better they seem to be.
If you want any advice message me via my Instagram @bispal happy to help if I can.
Well worth calling Alastair Bols, he knows what cars might be coming up for sale. He has his ear to the ground constantly and knows the 675LT market better than anyone. Other 'true' specialists are Graham Davidson at Autolounge in Aberdeen and also worth calling Paul Saunders at V Engineering. Between them those 3 probably know every 675LT in the UK.
There are 75 coupes in the UK (including 21 with roof scoops & 6 club sport pro's - like mine) and 103 spiders. That's a very thin pool of 178 cars. There are 85 owners in the owners 'chat' group and they are almost all long term owners, none of whom are selling ATM or intend to soon.
So there are around 90 cars that 'might' come to market. My advice would be put the feelers out to those 3 chaps and don't be overly fussy with spec. Wheels / seats can easily be changed and CF bits purchased. Colour change is also a possibility. And don't be put off by higher miles, they are almost always better cars. As most supercars, the more they are driven the better they seem to be.
If you want any advice message me via my Instagram @bispal happy to help if I can.
Bispal said:
I'm 5 mins from Romans and that's a stunning car. It is LHD though.
Well worth calling Alastair Bols, he knows what cars might be coming up for sale. He has his ear to the ground constantly and knows the 675LT market better than anyone. Other 'true' specialists are Graham Davidson at Autolounge in Aberdeen and also worth calling Paul Saunders at V Engineering. Between them those 3 probably know every 675LT in the UK.
There are 75 coupes in the UK (including 21 with roof scoops & 6 club sport pro's - like mine) and 103 spiders. That's a very thin pool of 178 cars. There are 85 owners in the owners 'chat' group and they are almost all long term owners, none of whom are selling ATM or intend to soon.
So there are around 90 cars that 'might' come to market. My advice would be put the feelers out to those 3 chaps and don't be overly fussy with spec. Wheels / seats can easily be changed and CF bits purchased. Colour change is also a possibility. And don't be put off by higher miles, they are almost always better cars. As most supercars, the more they are driven the better they seem to be.
If you want any advice message me via my Instagram @bispal happy to help if I can.
The only thing I can add to Bispals comments are the 675 world in the UK is tiny and there are a few 'story' 675s out there....ones that have been bent, ones that were tuned and blown the engine, and ones that may have had a mileage blocker fitted....always ask the 675 guys about any car your going to view.Well worth calling Alastair Bols, he knows what cars might be coming up for sale. He has his ear to the ground constantly and knows the 675LT market better than anyone. Other 'true' specialists are Graham Davidson at Autolounge in Aberdeen and also worth calling Paul Saunders at V Engineering. Between them those 3 probably know every 675LT in the UK.
There are 75 coupes in the UK (including 21 with roof scoops & 6 club sport pro's - like mine) and 103 spiders. That's a very thin pool of 178 cars. There are 85 owners in the owners 'chat' group and they are almost all long term owners, none of whom are selling ATM or intend to soon.
So there are around 90 cars that 'might' come to market. My advice would be put the feelers out to those 3 chaps and don't be overly fussy with spec. Wheels / seats can easily be changed and CF bits purchased. Colour change is also a possibility. And don't be put off by higher miles, they are almost always better cars. As most supercars, the more they are driven the better they seem to be.
If you want any advice message me via my Instagram @bispal happy to help if I can.
Wheelspinning said:
Bispal said:
I'm 5 mins from Romans and that's a stunning car. It is LHD though.
Well worth calling Alastair Bols, he knows what cars might be coming up for sale. He has his ear to the ground constantly and knows the 675LT market better than anyone. Other 'true' specialists are Graham Davidson at Autolounge in Aberdeen and also worth calling Paul Saunders at V Engineering. Between them those 3 probably know every 675LT in the UK.
There are 75 coupes in the UK (including 21 with roof scoops & 6 club sport pro's - like mine) and 103 spiders. That's a very thin pool of 178 cars. There are 85 owners in the owners 'chat' group and they are almost all long term owners, none of whom are selling ATM or intend to soon.
So there are around 90 cars that 'might' come to market. My advice would be put the feelers out to those 3 chaps and don't be overly fussy with spec. Wheels / seats can easily be changed and CF bits purchased. Colour change is also a possibility. And don't be put off by higher miles, they are almost always better cars. As most supercars, the more they are driven the better they seem to be.
If you want any advice message me via my Instagram @bispal happy to help if I can.
The only thing I can add to Bispals comments are the 675 world in the UK is tiny and there are a few 'story' 675s out there....ones that have been bent, ones that were tuned and blown the engine, and ones that may have had a mileage blocker fitted....always ask the 675 guys about any car your going to view.Well worth calling Alastair Bols, he knows what cars might be coming up for sale. He has his ear to the ground constantly and knows the 675LT market better than anyone. Other 'true' specialists are Graham Davidson at Autolounge in Aberdeen and also worth calling Paul Saunders at V Engineering. Between them those 3 probably know every 675LT in the UK.
There are 75 coupes in the UK (including 21 with roof scoops & 6 club sport pro's - like mine) and 103 spiders. That's a very thin pool of 178 cars. There are 85 owners in the owners 'chat' group and they are almost all long term owners, none of whom are selling ATM or intend to soon.
So there are around 90 cars that 'might' come to market. My advice would be put the feelers out to those 3 chaps and don't be overly fussy with spec. Wheels / seats can easily be changed and CF bits purchased. Colour change is also a possibility. And don't be put off by higher miles, they are almost always better cars. As most supercars, the more they are driven the better they seem to be.
If you want any advice message me via my Instagram @bispal happy to help if I can.
OP, I cant offer LT ownership experience, but will give you my 2p on your question.
I notice all the models you refer to are Super Series with all the interlinked chassis benefits that brings, I get that too. I also get the revered / peak / best modern day McLaren reputation, and see it a bit like the 2.7RS reputation. I find my wife who is very tolerant of my auto interests is a great judge of the comfort of a car. When I wanted a 650S she said don't sell the 12C.
If we were headed to Tuscany the 12C would be the transport mode of choice.
If the LT is the most revered model, the 12C is the most overlooked. A blindingly capable tool.
If we accompanied an LT, it would not open up 20 yards through the gears at any point. If we want LT levels of NVH put it in track mode, let the windows down and your there minus the last 30% of aero.
Do what you consider best, but I'd drive a 12C and get a second opinion from your wife.
Oh, and if exclusivity matters, the UK population of good RHD 12C is not dissimilar.
Decisions decisions
I notice all the models you refer to are Super Series with all the interlinked chassis benefits that brings, I get that too. I also get the revered / peak / best modern day McLaren reputation, and see it a bit like the 2.7RS reputation. I find my wife who is very tolerant of my auto interests is a great judge of the comfort of a car. When I wanted a 650S she said don't sell the 12C.
If we were headed to Tuscany the 12C would be the transport mode of choice.
If the LT is the most revered model, the 12C is the most overlooked. A blindingly capable tool.
If we accompanied an LT, it would not open up 20 yards through the gears at any point. If we want LT levels of NVH put it in track mode, let the windows down and your there minus the last 30% of aero.
Do what you consider best, but I'd drive a 12C and get a second opinion from your wife.
Oh, and if exclusivity matters, the UK population of good RHD 12C is not dissimilar.
Decisions decisions
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