Discussion
Having said that it wasn't for me due to alcantara interior - and maybe a tad pricey when it appeared a few months ago, I saw this last week and collected today : https://www.alastairbols.com/cars/mclaren-650s-spi...
It is stunning - better than the one I crashed last year, which considering that was fully painted by McLaren in my ownership (and had full PPF) that's saying something.
The contrast stitching breaks up the alcantara well - although the yellow is a tad eye catching occasionally! I can definitely live with the interior - not sure yet whether I'll live with alcantara steering wheel.
Alistair Bols lived up to his well deserved reputation and was an absolute pleasure to buy from. There was a very slight scratch on the tip of the LHS exhaust - I saw it when I viewed the car, and made a passing comment today that I'd need to get it sorted because it was the kind of thing that would annoy me. 5 mins later, Alistair is touching up the silencer with heat proof paint - excellent job, and it's barely visible now.
So, how does it feel....
A tad familiar in most ways, which means the whole 'new car' excitement isn't really there. However, there are a few surprising differences.
First thing I noticed was the exhaust. My previous 650 and this 650 have sports exhaust, but with the first car I never really noticed a difference in sound when changing modes. In this one, it's very obvious when you switch between normal and sport - sport is definitely louder.
My suspension in the previous 650 did definitely feel different between modes, but guess the accumulators are in better condition on this car - very obvious change.
The most surprising difference - and a very positive one - is the lights. The lights on my previous 650 (on main beam) were awful. Every summer I forgot how awful until it became winter and dark - and then I hated them again.
The lights on this are excellent. No idea why - did they change between 2014 and 2016? Whatever the reason, it's a big positive.
Although I've bought it, I'm still in two minds how long I will keep it. But I figured that I'd be ready for warmer weather and if I decided I wasn't enjoying it, I think it will sell fairly easily in a couple of months.
Not much opportunity for photos today, so just a quick one when I arrived home.
It is stunning - better than the one I crashed last year, which considering that was fully painted by McLaren in my ownership (and had full PPF) that's saying something.
The contrast stitching breaks up the alcantara well - although the yellow is a tad eye catching occasionally! I can definitely live with the interior - not sure yet whether I'll live with alcantara steering wheel.
Alistair Bols lived up to his well deserved reputation and was an absolute pleasure to buy from. There was a very slight scratch on the tip of the LHS exhaust - I saw it when I viewed the car, and made a passing comment today that I'd need to get it sorted because it was the kind of thing that would annoy me. 5 mins later, Alistair is touching up the silencer with heat proof paint - excellent job, and it's barely visible now.
So, how does it feel....
A tad familiar in most ways, which means the whole 'new car' excitement isn't really there. However, there are a few surprising differences.
First thing I noticed was the exhaust. My previous 650 and this 650 have sports exhaust, but with the first car I never really noticed a difference in sound when changing modes. In this one, it's very obvious when you switch between normal and sport - sport is definitely louder.
My suspension in the previous 650 did definitely feel different between modes, but guess the accumulators are in better condition on this car - very obvious change.
The most surprising difference - and a very positive one - is the lights. The lights on my previous 650 (on main beam) were awful. Every summer I forgot how awful until it became winter and dark - and then I hated them again.
The lights on this are excellent. No idea why - did they change between 2014 and 2016? Whatever the reason, it's a big positive.
Although I've bought it, I'm still in two minds how long I will keep it. But I figured that I'd be ready for warmer weather and if I decided I wasn't enjoying it, I think it will sell fairly easily in a couple of months.
Not much opportunity for photos today, so just a quick one when I arrived home.
justin220 said:
Fantastic Dave congrats. I was expecting you to end up in a 720S
I thought I would too - in fact my original plan was to go to to Leeds to see one this weekend. When I was driving to view this, I was 90% sure I wouldn't buy it. But I was really quite taken with it when I saw it, and it was a pretty easy decision. Didn't want to wait a week and then find it had sold to somebody else.Convertible roof and £50k less than a 720 coupe always made the 650 Spider the 'sensible' choice I guess
I may have bought the wrong colour car............
As she was reversing onto the drive in the dark yesterday - and even she would admit her reversing isn't the best (she reversed into her fence a couple of months ago) - the g/f commented : This colour is a lot harder to see in my mirrors than your orange one
We have now discussed the option of putting some matting down so the McLaren can move onto the grass next to the drive, with a longer plan to extend the driveway!
As she was reversing onto the drive in the dark yesterday - and even she would admit her reversing isn't the best (she reversed into her fence a couple of months ago) - the g/f commented : This colour is a lot harder to see in my mirrors than your orange one
We have now discussed the option of putting some matting down so the McLaren can move onto the grass next to the drive, with a longer plan to extend the driveway!
That does look very nice - shame it wasn't there when I collected mine.
I've not really used mine much. Poor weather, combined with things being a bit busy in my personal life at the moment means it's only done a couple of short trips. But it was sunny yesterday, so although it's not something I'll generally use it for I did take it to the gym with the roof down, which was quite pleasant!
I must admit I think I am getting fairly attached to it. Should be good when it gets slightly less wet!
I've not really used mine much. Poor weather, combined with things being a bit busy in my personal life at the moment means it's only done a couple of short trips. But it was sunny yesterday, so although it's not something I'll generally use it for I did take it to the gym with the roof down, which was quite pleasant!
I must admit I think I am getting fairly attached to it. Should be good when it gets slightly less wet!
Use the car at the local coronation celebrations at the weekend - car procession along the high street (100 cars) then a mini car show as part of loads of other stuff at a local park.
Most cars were classic - loads of original minis etc - but there was a 'supercar' class, despite there only being about 6 supercars (mine, 570, Lambo and a couple of Ferrari). I was sure I was the clear winner, but the judges thought otherwise - seems 355s are still popular.....
The car is causing me a bit of a dilemma.
I was hesitant to buy another one for a few reasons - one of which is the hassle if anything goes wrong. The Achilles heel on this one seems to be the air brake. It got stuck fully raised a month ago but cleared a day or two later.
Two weeks ago, it came up with a fault as soon as I started the car and wouldn't clear. V Engineering recalibrated it which cleared it - but warned me that one of the sensors was giving a value close to the limit when the air brake is raised.
Sure enough, when I started the car to leave the park on Sunday it immediately threw the air brake error again. Maybe it's a bad loser....
It's booked at V next week to be properly fixed.
The dilemma is because this sort of stuff is a pain (although I'm sure it's minor, and my last 650 rarely went wrong) which does make me very tempted to call it a day and find better (non car) things to blow £100k on. But..... The car is bloody brilliant.
When the air brake faulted a couple of weeks ago it was when we were leaving to go for a 'fun' drive. I may have had a minor strop, but the g/f told me to continue with the drive anyway - and I was smiling by the end of it.
I was dubious about buying another 650 because it would be the same as one I'd already had for 3 years / did 18.5k miles in. Although it's familiar in many ways, it really doesn't feel the same at all. The driving / steering just doesn't feel like the same kind of car at all and feels so much better. Which it really shouldn't - I put PS4s on my last 650 and this is still on the original 7 year old P Zeros.
I have no idea why it feels so different. I did have alignment done on my last one towards the end of my ownership and it did make a massive improvement. But this one still feels a level above that - I love how it steers, which is something I'd seen other owners say often but something I never understood. Now I do.
I'll see how I feel when I get it back from V. Some nicer dry weather would help its case but I'm still unsure if I'll keep it through the summer. It does have the g/f on its side though which is a pretty strong argument....
Most cars were classic - loads of original minis etc - but there was a 'supercar' class, despite there only being about 6 supercars (mine, 570, Lambo and a couple of Ferrari). I was sure I was the clear winner, but the judges thought otherwise - seems 355s are still popular.....
The car is causing me a bit of a dilemma.
I was hesitant to buy another one for a few reasons - one of which is the hassle if anything goes wrong. The Achilles heel on this one seems to be the air brake. It got stuck fully raised a month ago but cleared a day or two later.
Two weeks ago, it came up with a fault as soon as I started the car and wouldn't clear. V Engineering recalibrated it which cleared it - but warned me that one of the sensors was giving a value close to the limit when the air brake is raised.
Sure enough, when I started the car to leave the park on Sunday it immediately threw the air brake error again. Maybe it's a bad loser....
It's booked at V next week to be properly fixed.
The dilemma is because this sort of stuff is a pain (although I'm sure it's minor, and my last 650 rarely went wrong) which does make me very tempted to call it a day and find better (non car) things to blow £100k on. But..... The car is bloody brilliant.
When the air brake faulted a couple of weeks ago it was when we were leaving to go for a 'fun' drive. I may have had a minor strop, but the g/f told me to continue with the drive anyway - and I was smiling by the end of it.
I was dubious about buying another 650 because it would be the same as one I'd already had for 3 years / did 18.5k miles in. Although it's familiar in many ways, it really doesn't feel the same at all. The driving / steering just doesn't feel like the same kind of car at all and feels so much better. Which it really shouldn't - I put PS4s on my last 650 and this is still on the original 7 year old P Zeros.
I have no idea why it feels so different. I did have alignment done on my last one towards the end of my ownership and it did make a massive improvement. But this one still feels a level above that - I love how it steers, which is something I'd seen other owners say often but something I never understood. Now I do.
I'll see how I feel when I get it back from V. Some nicer dry weather would help its case but I'm still unsure if I'll keep it through the summer. It does have the g/f on its side though which is a pretty strong argument....
RSbandit said:
Weather not conducive to top down fun at the minute hope that’ll change . I was considering a 650s Spider after the 570s coupe as the cost to change wasn’t that much, went for the 600LT in the end which is hilarious on the noise front. How does the 650s sound with the back window/ roof down?
I've always found that it sounds much better with roof up, window down that with roof down. But do tend to have roof down wherever possible.My air brake fault should now be sorted - I visited V Engineering after work yesterday, fully intending to leave the car with them (as we'd agreed when I booked it in). But by the time I'd said "Hello" to Paul, the car was in their workshop with the spoiler being removed.......
Swapping the sensors proved that the sensor was good, and the poor readings stayed on the same side of the spoiler - it was determined that it was actually play in the pin / shaft that the sensor mounts on.
I assumed that meant I needed a new part - but somehow Stephen modified the part within about 5 mins and problem solved - perfect readings from both sides, and I was driving home an hour later.
It's nice to know the car is now sorted, so hopefully I'll get to use it a bit as the weather warms up and decide it's staying for a while. It was handy seeing it up on a ramp - bottom of the engine is very very clean, so clearly hasn't been used on any salty winter roads.
Each time I use V, I'm more and more impressed.
Swapping the sensors proved that the sensor was good, and the poor readings stayed on the same side of the spoiler - it was determined that it was actually play in the pin / shaft that the sensor mounts on.
I assumed that meant I needed a new part - but somehow Stephen modified the part within about 5 mins and problem solved - perfect readings from both sides, and I was driving home an hour later.
It's nice to know the car is now sorted, so hopefully I'll get to use it a bit as the weather warms up and decide it's staying for a while. It was handy seeing it up on a ramp - bottom of the engine is very very clean, so clearly hasn't been used on any salty winter roads.
Each time I use V, I'm more and more impressed.
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