[texas mongrel]

OK
so now I've had mine for a week, and have put over 900 miles on it, rain or shine, freeways, b-roads and even dirt roads. I've gone grocery shopping in it and generally used it as my only car since last Thursday afternoon. The simple fact that I could do this in a 200+mph supercar shows just what an amazing vehicle this is - absolutely comfortable, civilised, and even fairly economical - I've got around 16 - 18 mpg US (or about 20-ish Imperial mpg). Observations; its my first performance car with the paddle shift etc, and at first I really missed the direct connection with the car via a gearbox and clutch. However the more I drove, the more I liked the Jeckyl and Hyde nature of the 'box - slushy when you feel like it and 'time-travel' when you shift down a few cogs. I find the car very nicely sized for back road driving, although it sometimes feels like J-Lo, i.e. I'm aware of a big butt behind me! I only have two beefs with this machine; 1) the frackkin' dorrs are a PITA - I guarantee that in a years' time they'll rattle like hell because the only way to close them is to slam the s**t out of them! Maybe this will improve as the seals flatten out, but for now its bloody annoying. However, my biggest beef is 2) the radio: It is the most crap piece of junk I've ever listened to. I could go out and buy a $7K Kia and get a better radio. How could McLaren get this so wrong.... and then charge a big premium for a "Meridian" sound system. It's frigging ridiculous to have such a poor piece of hardware in such a technical tour de force!
There,......I feel better now. Onwards to the next week.

 

[Moncho]

You've been a busy boy. Broken-in in 8 days! That must be some kind of a record. Agree 100% on the crap radio.

 

[HyperMac954]

You've been a busy boy. Broken-in in 8 days! That must be some kind of a record. Agree 100% on the crap radio.

5 days... lol.

As for the doors, I've noticed my driver side door is now MUCH easier to close, and seems more fluid, than when I took delivery.

 

[falb]

Congratulations on all the miles!! No door issues here.

 

[Senna]

8 days and only 900 miles ! you're just not trying hard enough you need to find a store you have to go to every day that is much further away.
Radio is shit, but will be fixed I'm sure. The doors can be adjusted and then they work just fine, but you are right until then they are a pain..

 

[texas mongrel]

Quick update: I've been alternating between the Mac and the FGT in my daily drive to work, and its made for some interesting comparisons. The GT is way lower, but has more ground clearance - no need for careful approaches to parking ramps. Believe it or not, the GT is much easier to get in and out of. The GT cockpit is roomier but in the Mac my hair isn't constantly being tickled by the roof. Its so nice to have a functioning radio in the GT. Its nice to be able to put my morning Starbucks in a cupholder in the Mac, rather than in one of those cardboard trays that I have to use in the GT. But all this is minutae; the big issues are ride and speed: The MP is just astoundingly comfortable compared to the GT - no kidney jiggling ride or road noise. And, whilst its fun to play with a gear stick again, and the GT feels more immediate, a look at the speedo tells otherwise - on my normal route, hard down in the GT at a light feels like a solid rush of power that gets me up to around 40 very quickly, but do the same in the Mac and look down at the readout and its saying 65! This is such a deceiving car to drive, way quicker and faster than it feels. I really need to think about installing a top-tier radar detector; any recommendations?

 

[andy c]

Quick update: I've been alternating between the Mac and the FGT in my daily drive to work, and its made for some interesting comparisons. The GT is way lower, but has more ground clearance - no need for careful approaches to parking ramps. Believe it or not, the GT is much easier to get in and out of. The GT cockpit is roomier but in the Mac my hair isn't constantly being tickled by the roof. Its so nice to have a functioning radio in the GT. Its nice to be able to put my morning Starbucks in a cupholder in the Mac, rather than in one of those cardboard trays that I have to use in the GT. But all this is minutae; the big issues are ride and speed: The MP is just astoundingly comfortable compared to the GT - no kidney jiggling ride or road noise. And, whilst its fun to play with a gear stick again, and the GT feels more immediate, a look at the speedo tells otherwise - on my normal route, hard down in the GT at a light feels like a solid rush of power that gets me up to around 40 very quickly, but do the same in the Mac and look down at the readout and its saying 65! This is such a deceiving car to drive, way quicker and faster than it feels. I really need to think about installing a top-tier radar detector; any recommendations?

I knew there would be a speed advantage Tex,but that is just rediculous

 

[texas mongrel]

Andy
To clarify, this is a purely subjective seat of the pants thing; when I feel like I'm up to the speed limit in the Gt, I am. When I feel like I'm up the the speed limit in the McLaren, i'm way over. I think this is maybe why the early criticisms arose; the car simply does not feel like a harsh, fast sports machine, but whilst you are all nice and comfy it is absolutely shredding the scenery!

 

[andy c]

Andy
To clarify, this is a purely subjective seat of the pants thing; when I feel like I'm up to the speed limit in the Gt, I am. When I feel like I'm up the the speed limit in the McLaren, i'm way over. I think this is maybe why the early criticisms arose; the car simply does not feel like a harsh, fast sports machine, but whilst you are all nice and comfy it is absolutely shredding the scenery!

Yes i know what you mean,10 seconds on the loud pedal and youve doubled any legal limit in the world!!! (apart from some parts of germany and the isle of man)

 

[HyperMac954]

I think Tex has hit the nail on the head, inso far as to say the journalists were too busy bitching and moaning to realize they were going 20+ mph than normal in a sportscar.

I showed my friend a couple of corners near my house last week - there is one in particular that has excellent visibility leading into a short straight. If I REALLY whomp on it, I can hit (some number greater than the speed limit) before braking in the Cayman R. I can hit that same speed before I even exit the corner in the 12C. Now the R is nowhere near on par with the 12C in ANY regard, but it is a quick car - a very quick car - and the 12C sort of just laughs at it. And it does it all while feeling super calm and never feeling like a tiny twitch is going to flip me into a ditch.

 

[dennis]

This is such a deceiving car to drive, way quicker and faster than it feels. I really need to think about installing a top-tier radar detector; any recommendations?

I had my dealer install a Passport 9500ci, at an installed cost of $3500. It has all of the bells and whistles, including laser shifting. The components hide very well in the McLaren, and the small display and control fit nicely just in front of the center console storage lid. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

http://www.escortradar.com/passport9500ci-details.php

 

[mac4lyf]

I had my dealer install a Passport 9500ci, at an installed cost of $3500. It has all of the bells and whistles, including laser shifting. The components hide very well in the McLaren, and the small display and control fit nicely just in front of the center console storage lid. I'll post some pics when I get a chance.

http://www.escortradar.com/passport9500ci-details.php

Hey Tex / Dennis, I would have to agree the Passport is one of the tops, just to build on your info Dennis, this site compares other brands and models to the Passport and the Passport comes up on top
http://radartest.com/True-Cost-of-Radar-Laser-Protection.asp