First McLaren, still lost on models

[Kent Border Kenny]

I’m running two “sports” cars at the moment, an R8 Plus, and an SLK63, and am wondering if there’s a McLaren which could replace both.

The SL63 was intended to replace the Audi, but great though it is, it’s a dragster / cruiser, not really a sports car. I love it, but couldn’t bring myself to not have a “proper” sports car.

The problem is, the R8 is too firm to enjoy on a long journey, so it gets very little use, so what I’d like is a very serious sports car that is a little more compliant when it wants to be, and which is convertible.

Despite reading the reviews, and asking questions here, I still don’t know which, if any McLaren fits the bill.

It seems that a 650s or 720s Spider are likely the right two choices, dependent on budget, is that fair to say?

Are either of them like a big, fast Elise?

[Kent Border Kenny]

Yes, and I’m not really sure what I am getting extra with the 720s, to justify doubling the price.

On the other hand, I am sick of switching cars so often, so if the 720s is the right one, I maybe don’t want to buy a 659s then switch a year later.

[Kent Border Kenny]

justin220 said:

I'd recommend trying a 570S spider, and a 650S spider.

A very fast elise is actually how I described my 540C when I originally got it. Albeit with better access, comfier etc

What’s the difference between a 570s and a 650s?

[Kent Border Kenny]

Thanks. I definitely need to try a 720s, but am unlikely to get to try a lot of different models, so need to work out which of the others to try.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Thanks all. 659s Spiders seem to be fownbunder £90k now, so I’ll try one of those and a 720s.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Looking around more, the 650s seems a real bargain, given the performance.

I’ve my quite silly 650bhp RR Sport to go to the shops, the wife’s (quite silly) 140bhp Smart ForFour Brabus if it’s some small shopping, and a couple of bikes too.

This means that the McLaren will be high days and holidays, so every day usability isn’t top of the want list.

There’s a beautiful, ludicrously coloured Spider for sale in London, but I need to sell the R8 first.

[Kent Border Kenny]

I think that if I was going to be happy with a coupe then the 720s would be top of my list, but I know if I do that I’ll then not sell the SL, which is really the whole point here, getting an SL and R8 in one car.

Unfortunately the Spider is too expensive, so I think I’ll look for a 650s Spider for a year or two, and then decide if I should move up.

[Kent Border Kenny]

This one looks nice.

If it was at a dealer I’d have been over already, but I won’t buy another car without getting rid of one first.

Car

[Kent Border Kenny]

I’m heading over to Ascot McLaren on Friday for a chat.

No test rides until you’ve agreed a deal, which I suppose I do understand, a bit, but it does mean that there’s a decent chance that I go through the rigmarole first, then decide within five minutes that actually, it turns out a reversing camera is a necessity, so thanks but this one’s not for me.

They aren’t going to be interested in the R8, and it’s going to be a genuine wrench, selling on a 540bhp normally aspirated 5.2l V10 for what is likely to be South of £60k at 22k miles, but I have to stop hanging on to cars just because the next one, despite being better, lacks that one “special” feature, such as the engine in mine.

It helps that they still make them the same today, so I can go back if I want.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Bispal said:

Me.... On a very hot day you need the roof up and AC on, you can only take too much hot sun without burning up and sweating. I love convertibles and have 2 of them but they work best in Autumn and Spring IMHO. Also In my opinion, and its just that, my preference, the coupes look so much better and have a lot more interior space which is why I prefer McLaren coupes.

Apparently the reason that convertibles sell so well in the UK is that it’s not too hot here.

I’ve French family in Antibes, and they think that I’m crazy to want a convertible.

I suppose, of course, that I can keep the SL (last of its kind) and get a 720S Coupe...

[Kent Border Kenny]

I drove over to Ascot today, and had a look at a few cars, but by the time I got home I’m confused again.

The R8 needs to go, it’s just too firm, and I want a convertible, so I’ll sell it anyway, but then I’m torn on which McLaren.

The 650S in black looks quite dated, so that particular one’s not for me, and the salesman said that in his opinion the extra development time between the 650s and 570s means that the newer car is dynamically on a par with the older super series. If that’s true, what is the 650s getting me over the 570?

I then had a good look around a 720s Spider, and it was lovely, but over £200k, which I think is too much to spend.

So now I am wondering just how much the convertible matters, and if I should get the coupe.

But if I do, I know I’ll never sell the SL...

[Kent Border Kenny]

Thanks again everyone.

I think that the issue with the 650 that I saw is likely that the relatively flat black colour does it no favours.

I need to drive both, so will find which dealer can accommodate, and go there, but from what people write the 650 does sound more like what I am looking for.

A 720 Spider isn’t on the cards this year. If Tesla ever refund my £95k then I may use it to upgrade in a year.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Bispal said:

https://www.alastairbols.com/cars/mclaren-650s-spi...

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/9700914

:-)

Thanks. I’ve dropped Bols a message. If I can arrange a test drive I’ll try to get up there tomorrow with a view to buying straight away.

Any views on the price / haggle room on that one?

[Kent Border Kenny]

tyrrell said:

That car is a stunner, get it bought.

There don’t seem to be many options listed. Is there anything that is an unusual omission?

[Kent Border Kenny]

tyrrell said:

It’s not got much exterior carbon, depends whether that’s important to you, it’s in beautiful condition though.

No, that’s not such a concern. I’m more thinking radar cruise, electric seats, reversing camera, good stereo etc, the things that make life easier when I’m just traveling in it, as opposed to being out for a drive.

[Kent Border Kenny]

Would anyone offer an opinion on these?

https://tinyurl.com/y66j4vfn

https://tinyurl.com/y3joswyt

https://tinyurl.com/y4fhgase

[Kent Border Kenny]

Unfortunately, having called the independent that everyone recommends, there's no way that they can let me try the car, even if I was willing to pay for it in full before taking it out for ten minutes.

I can't buy a £100k car without so much as seeing what the model is like, so I don't think that I'm going to be able to buy one.

[Kent Border Kenny]

TB993tt said:

There are plenty of people who buy expensive cars without testing (don't think anyone gets to test drive a 765LT before ordering) but this is obviously not the way you like to buy your cars so maybe time to move onto a brand which suits your testing criteria, please don't start slinging mud at the likes of AB plenty of customers are happy with the way he does business.

I’m not slinging mud, and you are being ridiculous suggesting that I am.

You’re coming across here as someone trying to act as gatekeeper to the brand, I think that you need to wind your neck in.

Actually, reading some of your other posts, you come across as a real d who seems to think that owning one nice car buys you the right to talk down to people. I’ll leave you to it, everyone else here seems really nice, friendly and helpful.

Edited by Kent Border Kenny on Monday 12th October 10:29

[Kent Border Kenny]

AstonExige said:

A lot of the independents that sell these high end cars don’t own them, they’re selling on behalf of people, so it’s not that uncommon to only allow test drives in very specific circumstances.

McLaren dealers own their stock and in my experience are ok with test drives.

If I hadn’t have been able to test drive the 720s that I ended up buying, I’d probably be in a Ferrari or Lambo now. I’d never driven a 720 before, looked great, but so did most super cars. But the 720’s usp, any McLaren in fact, is the way they drive and the sensation you get from that brutal acceleration. I imagine a lot of would be McLaren owners are ending up elsewhere as Ferraris, Lambo etc are a lot easier to buy on a whim, it’s less of a leap of faith.

Yes, it'd be different had I driven any McLaren previously.

The 911 that I bought after a test drive of a couple of miles up and down the A40 in traffic showed me the dangers of not getting to feel how the car steers and feels before buying; that was £106k wasted.

I think that I'll likely still jump in, as it seems that with COVID-19 there are no 650s' available to try. I'm not criticising anyone who is uncomfortable with exposing themselves to risk, but am a little disappointed that McLaren themselves aren't able to accommodate.

I had a Ferrari dealership email me this week following a chat last year, asking if I'd like to come down and try a Portofino and a 488, so it's definitely something that could be done if a dealer wanted to.

[Kent Border Kenny]

davek_964 said:

Sorry if you've already stated it - but what dealers have you tried? Admittedly it wasn't during Covid, but I had no problems with a test drive at Ascot - in fact, I had two before I decided to buy.

I didn't know that AB didn't provide test drives - in fact, as somebody that keeps thinking about selling, I was nervous to consider him because I didn't like the idea of people taking my car out if it didn't sell and I had it back. Knowing that he doesn't allow test drives makes it more likely I'd use him in future, so handy to know.

Personally, I agree that you do need to drive one. I was very surprised when I test drove mine - it was not what I was expecting at all - and actually, if you didn't like Porsche, I wonder if you'll get on with McLaren. Although it is much much better - I would say my test drive felt more Porsche than Ferrari - and it changed my view about which car I was part exchanging.

It was Ascot that I visited, and (which is fair enough) they aren't going to let a new customer out on their own, and at the moment don't want to be sitting in a car alongside me either.

Had I claimed I was trying with a view to making an immediate deal, they would have let me agree a price, arrange and demonstrate finance, and then be allowed a drive before signing, but I decided that I didn't like the one that they actually had, and I wasn't going to be a dick by pretending that I'd be buying it if I wasn't.