Looking aat a 2018 570S Spyder with low mileage - anyone have a history with this model McLaren?
theduck
Friend of my brothers has/had one. When I talked to him it had been in the shop for the majority of the first 18 months of ownership. New engine and other issues. All covered under warranty however the car dropped in value over that time by over $100,000 and he barely even drove it. Beautiful car but that definitely turned me off to it. Even if it is under warranty, so what if you can't drive it.
I wish there were more people that expressed their success stories of Mac’s. I know plenty. I know a few with horrific issues like above. They are the best sports car when they work. I think they have a bad rep, somewhat deserved on their part, but numbers-wise, no worse than Ferrari.
have a friend who moved to a 570s spider from an r8. He didnt have any issues for 15k miles or so. According to him the 570s is probably the most reliable of the mclaren lineup, with the traditional suspensions vs the hydraulics of the others. It appears really hit and miss with macs, have friends with zero issues and then you also get friends with blown transmission and engines despite low miles...only way to find out is to own them and see for yourself.
However one thing is for sure, the market doesnt seem to value the brand as much (unlike ferraris and the buyers with old money) and so u always gotta deal with depreciation and they are not easy to unload when it's time to sell...they have always been bargains, so perfect for those who just want to pile miles on and not think about depreciation. Recently a friend have been trying to sell his 600lt; a fantastic machine, I was astonished at the trade in value after a year of ownership (80-100k loss and he bought it used)...he's still trying to deal with a 50-60k loss through consignment
However one thing is for sure, the market doesnt seem to value the brand as much (unlike ferraris and the buyers with old money) and so u always gotta deal with depreciation and they are not easy to unload when it's time to sell...they have always been bargains, so perfect for those who just want to pile miles on and not think about depreciation. Recently a friend have been trying to sell his 600lt; a fantastic machine, I was astonished at the trade in value after a year of ownership (80-100k loss and he bought it used)...he's still trying to deal with a 50-60k loss through consignment
9 months into 720 spider ownership and zero issues. Great car. Not cheap to run (warranty) but stunning.
Mclarnlife.com is a great forum and certainly gives a balanced view on issues and ownership experiences.
Certainly issues with some cars and modded cars especially.
Generally on the internet there are lots of stories from “ friends brother’s milkman who heard from someone they are unreliable 😀”
that said, the new Artura does appear to have issues. First sold cars appear very suspect and largely around software
Mclarnlife.com is a great forum and certainly gives a balanced view on issues and ownership experiences.
Certainly issues with some cars and modded cars especially.
Generally on the internet there are lots of stories from “ friends brother’s milkman who heard from someone they are unreliable 😀”
that said, the new Artura does appear to have issues. First sold cars appear very suspect and largely around software
I had a McLaren 12C for about 4 yrs. Loved the car. It was quite reliable, although sometimes there are electrical gremlins which clear up with a reset. Like turn the car off and leave it off till it reset. They do have some quirks, but generally it was a great car. Extremely fast and great handling. I do hear the occasional horror story, but I think in general, owners like them and they are as reliable as a supercar gets. My Ferraris haven't been perfect either. Like the transmission on my F12 had to be replaced after only 13k miles!
We're truly spoiled with the R8: looks, sound, handling / performance, and reliability in a single package. I've said it before, but it bears repeating less we take it for granted - this is NOT a typical formula for a supercar. Audi pulled a rabbit from a hat. Compromise is usually just part of the ownership experience, and it's easy to forget that when you live with an R8.
Aside from an outlier event (engine replacement - which I don't consider at all typical), I've had a grand total of ZERO repairs in 9+ years with the R8. Knock on wood it continues that way - but I know at some point it needs to change. Most cars I've owned have their first issue 1 - 2 years into ownership - forget about 9.
Aside from an outlier event (engine replacement - which I don't consider at all typical), I've had a grand total of ZERO repairs in 9+ years with the R8. Knock on wood it continues that way - but I know at some point it needs to change. Most cars I've owned have their first issue 1 - 2 years into ownership - forget about 9.
My business partner has the 570s Spyder. I've driven it but at 6'3" it's not comfortable for me - which is why I'm looking for a 6mt R8. He purchased it used and didn't get a second key, believe the 2nd key [after the fact] cost him way too much and he ships it from Upstate NY to a dealer out of state for oil changes and service as he doesn't trust a non-McLaren dealer [which we have none close, except Toronto]. I wish it had a more accommodating cabin and would be in line to buy it after he's had his thrill.
I signed up to drive a McLaren 720S at Exotic Racing in Nevada.
I was told they have 5 but 4 were broke and the one I did get to drive had all kinds of idiot lights on the dash lit up that my instructor told me to ignore.
The car drove great but not the kind of experience I want at that price point.
They're are other, more reliable fun cars at their price point, without the stress, fear and aggravation.
I also met a guy at a track event who said he bought an R8 because his McLaren was parked at the dealer to be fixed more that it was parked in his garage.
I was told they have 5 but 4 were broke and the one I did get to drive had all kinds of idiot lights on the dash lit up that my instructor told me to ignore.
The car drove great but not the kind of experience I want at that price point.
They're are other, more reliable fun cars at their price point, without the stress, fear and aggravation.
I also met a guy at a track event who said he bought an R8 because his McLaren was parked at the dealer to be fixed more that it was parked in his garage.
3 years just oil change. You are right very dependable cars and yes how much do we enjoy driving them. Same here hope I didn't jinx it.
@theduck I moved from my 2010 R8 5.2 to a 2018 570 Spider a little over 3yrs ago. I bought the McLaren with about 3k miles on it from the original owner. I currently have a little over 18k miles on the car. I drive it a decent amount but its a little much for normal daily school pick up, grocery store runs etc so that keeps some of the miles focused on fun drives. I have had the car in all sorts of weather conditions, road trips, canyon drives and a couple light track days. This car is an absolute blast!!!!
ZERO issues with my McLaren... well, truth be told I did have the seat sensor reflashed when I first bought the car. the sensor didn't allow the comfort seating to perform properly. After the flash it was fine (over 3yrs ago now and it hasn't been a problem). I have only had regular maintenance for service. While the car was in warranty I would service this at McLaren BH. Out of warranty I use an Indy shop that has the McLaren computer should they need it for anything. Deal service is WAY more than my R8. I would pay $500-600 for oil changes on the R8 and the occasional $1500 or so if my car needed more service. McLaren is around $1700 for annual service on odd years and $3200 for even years. They do more than just oil changes but its still a rip off. This is part of the business model that was pitched to the deal as a way to profit from thinner sales margins. This is also one of the reasons for the initial depreciation hits in the companies early years. Now that we have some solid Indys people are not as scared of these cars anymore.
Here are some tips for a McLaren owner (I have seen people NOT do these and complain when they have issues)
-Drive the Car. These cars do not like to just sit. If they sit you will end up with leaky coolant pipes etc (easy fixes) but avoidable if driven often to keep fluids moving
-Keep the car on a charger when you are not using it. These cars are voltage sensitive. They use a small lithium ion battery that is super price to change AND the electronics can get a little funky if the voltage dips. The car comes with a charger when you buy it for a reason... use it!!!!
-Let the car warm up. McLaren uses a similar motor across their line up (3.8-4.0 depending on model and year) These cars NEED to warm up before you start to flog them. There is a really solid video from Thorney Motors in the UK talking about this very topic. I see too many people jump in a cold car and just mash the throttle or try to shoot flames (insert 600LT here). this is a good way to introduce an engine problem. (goes for just about any make and model really).
-Dont skimp on service... if the car is only driven 2k miles in the year it still needs to have the oil changed (annually or 10k miles). Lots of 2-3yr owners with literally no service history because they dont drive often.
Here is my quick comparison from owning both for a number of years (3+with the 570 and over 5 with the R8)
-R8 has a beautiful engine note that i miss but the 570 is not bad (mine has a fabspeed exhaust so it sounds a bit better)
-McLaren feels so much better to drive. the car has an amazing steering feedback (the best in the industry in my opinion)
-McLaren Handling is AWESOME. the car "Feels" much lighter than the R8 even through curb weight is really not that drastic
-McLaren has a bit more presence. The doors are fun but they can be a bit much if you are simply running an errand on the way home from a good drive. At times I would prefer the Black R8 over my Orange Mclaren to be a little more subtle.
-Piggybacking on the previous point... the Mclarens presence does make it more exciting to drive (for me personally)
-Ride quality goes to the McLaren. The Mac is really comfortable. My R8 never felt right but that could have been the leaky mag ride and H&R springs that I was remembering
-R8 is less to maintain and insure
All this to say... the R8 is a FANTASTIC car. one of my personal favorites and I would consider one again in the future. If mine were a manual I would have never sold it. Zero Regrets with the Mac. I was SUPER nervous about jumping in the Mac.... too many horror videos on youtube almost scared me away. Im glad I didnt listen to them. The Mac is AWESOME.
Here are a couple pics of the pair together.
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ZERO issues with my McLaren... well, truth be told I did have the seat sensor reflashed when I first bought the car. the sensor didn't allow the comfort seating to perform properly. After the flash it was fine (over 3yrs ago now and it hasn't been a problem). I have only had regular maintenance for service. While the car was in warranty I would service this at McLaren BH. Out of warranty I use an Indy shop that has the McLaren computer should they need it for anything. Deal service is WAY more than my R8. I would pay $500-600 for oil changes on the R8 and the occasional $1500 or so if my car needed more service. McLaren is around $1700 for annual service on odd years and $3200 for even years. They do more than just oil changes but its still a rip off. This is part of the business model that was pitched to the deal as a way to profit from thinner sales margins. This is also one of the reasons for the initial depreciation hits in the companies early years. Now that we have some solid Indys people are not as scared of these cars anymore.
Here are some tips for a McLaren owner (I have seen people NOT do these and complain when they have issues)
-Drive the Car. These cars do not like to just sit. If they sit you will end up with leaky coolant pipes etc (easy fixes) but avoidable if driven often to keep fluids moving
-Keep the car on a charger when you are not using it. These cars are voltage sensitive. They use a small lithium ion battery that is super price to change AND the electronics can get a little funky if the voltage dips. The car comes with a charger when you buy it for a reason... use it!!!!
-Let the car warm up. McLaren uses a similar motor across their line up (3.8-4.0 depending on model and year) These cars NEED to warm up before you start to flog them. There is a really solid video from Thorney Motors in the UK talking about this very topic. I see too many people jump in a cold car and just mash the throttle or try to shoot flames (insert 600LT here). this is a good way to introduce an engine problem. (goes for just about any make and model really).
-Dont skimp on service... if the car is only driven 2k miles in the year it still needs to have the oil changed (annually or 10k miles). Lots of 2-3yr owners with literally no service history because they dont drive often.
Here is my quick comparison from owning both for a number of years (3+with the 570 and over 5 with the R8)
-R8 has a beautiful engine note that i miss but the 570 is not bad (mine has a fabspeed exhaust so it sounds a bit better)
-McLaren feels so much better to drive. the car has an amazing steering feedback (the best in the industry in my opinion)
-McLaren Handling is AWESOME. the car "Feels" much lighter than the R8 even through curb weight is really not that drastic
-McLaren has a bit more presence. The doors are fun but they can be a bit much if you are simply running an errand on the way home from a good drive. At times I would prefer the Black R8 over my Orange Mclaren to be a little more subtle.
-Piggybacking on the previous point... the Mclarens presence does make it more exciting to drive (for me personally)
-Ride quality goes to the McLaren. The Mac is really comfortable. My R8 never felt right but that could have been the leaky mag ride and H&R springs that I was remembering
-R8 is less to maintain and insure
All this to say... the R8 is a FANTASTIC car. one of my personal favorites and I would consider one again in the future. If mine were a manual I would have never sold it. Zero Regrets with the Mac. I was SUPER nervous about jumping in the Mac.... too many horror videos on youtube almost scared me away. Im glad I didnt listen to them. The Mac is AWESOME.
Here are a couple pics of the pair together.
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