355 F1 may be in my future...

As for Robb get an F1 you know you wont be dissapponted plus after you own it for 5 years and g t all the bugs out of it you can sell it for a proffit.

No so for the mclarren although it does look really really nice.

My problem is I am a Ferrari guy. First and last car I will ever own will be one.

Only mcclaren I would own is an F1 purely because of the seating. It is just too great.

 

I agree that you should get something different than a 355. They're great cars but why not try something else?

I would not buy a McLaren without a warranty, especially when the little A/C screen is like 3k or something like that. Thing is a 12C is way more expensive than 355 F1 so what's your budget? If you want something that's more of a track car and has a non-stick transmission, you can consider a 4C maybe for around 50k. Drive it a few years and then sell it for something with more power. They feel faster than the numbers let you on.

 

Some of us are die-hard 355 fans. Robb is one of those guys and he clearly wants to try something else, an F1

I'm a die hard Ferrari fan. Other stuff is cool but IMO it does not have the passion of Ferrari.

Cuneo's Mac is perfect - I like the fact it's not the normal neon colors Mac seems to be pushing these days.

For me, the future would be the addition (not replacement) of a 458 and 599

 

I actually liked the 458 when it came out and the 488 I hated.

Niw I like both, why is that??

Its like they need to grow on me I guess, kinda weird.

The 458 with aftermarket exhaust sounds very good.

 

They are like fungus

 

Yeah and with the 720S just out I'm sure they will dip below 100k in the next few years.

Amazing performance but I'd still likely go with the 458 because it's more dramatic and I'm not gonna push either car past 85-90% of their potential anyway.

 

Have been inbith the maclaren and 458 and I dont think 60% on any normal road can be attained without really scaring yourself.
Especially the mac with all their computers really hold the road well.

 

I'm pretty sure the costs he quotes are legit, but from memory that car was part of a rental fleet and likely hammered on by kids. I read quite a bit about the 12c on Maclife and that was the only rack failure I could find.
Batteries last around 8-10 years fwiw. The headlights do cloud up and suffer from water ingress but there is a simple cheap fix. Just took my car out today, totally unbelievable...the power and handling is insane. Have no idea where the 'boring and soulless' reviews come from! The factory sport exhaust sounds pretty mean too but nothing close to the 355 Cap.

Check one out Robb, they're quite a bit safer than a F355 with the carbon tub. Easy wife sell...

 

Oh come on Robb, you already have multiples of the most expensive car to maintain in the world!

If you can put 30k a year into each F355 to keep it on the road (source-youtube) a McLaren should be cheap in comparison.

 

^^^ Sarcasm aside, he's right you know

 

Alright, here comes the cavalry! Didn't you put around 12,000 miles on your 12c in 2 months or something insane like that? How are you liking the car and how is it holding up?

 

Awesome! Looking forward to another visit. So sorry to hijack your F1 thread...

 

Is it just me or can I see bits of the Testarossa / 348 design language in the 12c?

Venetian blind rear lights and the flat top to the rear arches. It seems like Mclaren took over from where LDM left this design, firmly in the 90's.

The 12c looks how I imagine the 360 or 430 would have looked if the design language had continued in favour of the return to the iconic afterburner rear lights.

 

Yep! Car showed up and I immediately took off for two months driving around the country. The only issue was the hydraulic accumulators wore out and had to be replaced when I got back. That's a wear and tear item though, and most people don't put 12,000 miles on their cars in 20 years, let alone 2 months. It performed flawlessly, was truly the most comfortable car I've ever driven, and was a blast to drive. I've pretty much been converted to an obnoxious McLaren evangelical.. I can't shut up about how good it is. They really do have to be experienced.

Aside from the accumulators the only thing I've had to do was the annual service before hitting the road, then new tires when I got back. The annuals are only a couple thousand bucks which isn't a big deal.

I do miss the looks and sounds of my old 355, and there's a blue one for sale locally that I really want. Unfortunately I think of it like trying to date an ex gf. Been there, done that, not worth trying again. Especially considering that in the 8 years I had mine, it spent about 2 years in the shop and cost me almost as much as I paid for it. That's the only reason I can think of for having more than one... gotta have a spare to drive while the other one is being serviced

There are a couple of guys on the McLaren board who have had disaster cars but they're few and far between, and the ability to extend the warranty out for 12 years pretty much makes it a non-issue. So yea, I have a feeling that if you let Robb drive yours a bit he might become a convert. If not, I'll be passing through AZ in November and will try again with the spider.

 

Awesome! Glad to hear it's been a great experience as mine has been. I've only done 6k miles
in 6 months with only a couple warranty fixes and a few very minor upgrades.

Yes, pretty sure Robb will be shopping for one after he drives mine!

Thanks for the reply, glad to hear you're still enjoying the car. I still have my 355, but it kind of feels like a toy after driving the 12c... Can't let it go though!