[markow]

.....over MP4-12C or F458 or porsche GT3 991.
i like the MP4-12C a lot and i have a good offer for a new car, model year 2012 (why has it been in the showroom for so long?) with all the 2013 updates. there are issues that make me worried: the car does not have a front lift system, and residuals in central europe are a big unknown (at least to me, maybe someone can shed light on this).
the GT3 costs mush less but it seems a very hardcore car, very track oriented, comes with cup tyres and porsche is threatening the loss of warranty if one puts street tyres on. there are serious issues with aquaplaning....
the f458: an engineered sculpture but a bit on the ostentatious side.
another issue: i am a satnav junkie and iris seems rather poor. it failed once during a one hour test drive.
anybody here went through the same agony?
peter

 

[andy c]

.....over MP4-12C or F458 or porsche GT3 991.
i like the MP4-12C a lot and i have a good offer for a new car, model year 2012 (why has it been in the showroom for so long?) with all the 2013 updates. there are issues that make me worried: the car does not have a front lift system, and residuals in central europe are a big unknown (at least to me, maybe someone can shed light on this).
the GT3 costs mush less but it seems a very hardcore car, very track oriented, comes with cup tyres and porsche is threatening the loss of warranty if one puts street tyres on. there are serious issues with aquaplaning....
the f458: an engineered sculpture but a bit on the ostentatious side.
another issue: i am a satnav junkie and iris seems rather poor. it failed once during a one hour test drive.
anybody here went through the same agony?
peter

The car has superior tech in every way,but if Satnav is your thing it would drive you crazy I'm sorry to say.
But if you class it as a GT3 spec car with no satnav,but with the advantage of everyday use ,and hyper car performance ,then it is the car for you.!!
You have a difficult call,but in the end you will get the buzz out of driving the quickest A to B car that has yet to be produced ( that is until you get lost )

In the end this car is all about driving !! Just go out and get one !!

 

[JamesP]

Done the GT3 a number of times 996,997 and RS.

The 12c in track mode will give you all the feel you want, IRIS, I don't even bother using it. Tom Tom on the iPhone suits me. I'm sure sooner or later they will get it fixed but I don't really care either way.

I would not buy a 458 on principal, customer cars don't deliver the numbers, they look great, handle and sound amazing, but the power, downforce and weight are all questionable.

I bought a 12c because I wanted something a bit more civilised on the motorway but also something that at a touch of a button would turn into an animal. I love it.

 

[Wtdoom]

Pick up used 12c while you wait for the GT3 RS 991 .

 

[Markjayw]

Pick up used 12c while you wait for the GT3 RS 991 .

You will lose your ass. Decide on which car you like, then buy it. Unless depreciation means nothing to you.

 

[extremeride22]

Go out and test drive them all and when that is said and done, we will see you back here discussing your ownership and love of the MP4-12C. Cheers....??

 

[jkheit]

Go out and test drive them all and when that is said and done, we will see you back here discussing your ownership and love of the MP4-12C. Cheers....??

This is the best advice. These decisions are HIGHLY subjective. All these cars are amazing. There is no wrong/bad answer.

That said, I went in to test drive a 458 and a Mac (the Mac Phili dealership had 2 new 458s at the time and I LOATHE with the hate of 10mil burning suns, the douchebag ferrari dealers--awful POSs--those cars sell despite their awful dealers--spitting on the earth in spiteful effigy). Anyway, I drove the 458 first. AMAZING CAR.

I drove the Mac, and it started out weird. It was disturbingly soft, like driving on marshmellow soft, in normal mode. When I opened her up, just in sport, it was obscene how fast the car was. It wasn't close, performance wise, to me. The interior of the Mac was a way nicer place too, to me.

That said, pure performance is not the only measure, but the back to back test drives were very compelling. If there is a Mac dealer with a 458 in the lot (and I suspect that to be likely because of all the trade-ins), I'd call up and do a back to back drive. Make sure the dealer is out in the boonies somewhere where you can open each of the cars up a bit.

Good luck and no matter what you get, congrats!

 

[Wtdoom]

You will lose your ass. Decide on which car you like, then buy it. Unless depreciation means nothing to you.

i have only one life , depreciation means nothing to me

 

[Pete]

i have only one life , depreciation means nothing to me

+1

Agreed, its just money, you can't take it with you, leave your kids $XXX-0.1 rather than $XXX. At least its not like being a Ferrari owner where you can't f*** your girlfriend enough cos you're saving her for the next guy.

If depreciation's a big deal, stick to classics or buy and hold. And don't do too many miles

 

[markow]

thanks....

your comments are highly appreciated.
i have driven the F458 for about a week altogether. it felt thrilling even at low speeds but became a bit cumbersome after 6-7 hours. the MP4-12C - i have only driven it for maybe two hours altogether - felt comfortable like my BMW M5 at low speeds (except the seats which i dislike somewhat) but OMG....it is amazing when you press....
the porsche GT3 looks as if it wants to kill you any moment. i have driven the 997 GT3 and it felt a bit too track-oriented for me. but the 991 GT3 is very beautiful in my view.
here in austria the mclaren dealer and the ferrari dealer are both very nice, it is the porsche dealers who are full of themselves. probably the sell enough panameras and cayennes so they don't care about their 911 sales.
still in limbo....
any explanation why the mclaren has been in the showroom for more than half a year? is this typical?
peter

 

[Belg]

They are all great cars and it's up to personnal taste. Me personnally I dion't like Ferrari's... Probably till the day they bring I car that I really like. Out of my modest bunch the mac is the most versatile one but... That's just me

 

[Russell996]

At least its not like being a Ferrari owner where you can't f*** your girlfriend enough cos you're saving her for the next guy.

Oh dear.

 

[Champagne612]

your comments are highly appreciated.
the MP4-12C - i have only driven it for maybe two hours altogether - felt comfortable like my BMW M5 at low speeds (except the seats which i dislike somewhat) but OMG....it is amazing when you press....

I would go with OMG and call it a day

 

[markow]

your comments are highly appreciated.
the MP4-12C - i have only driven it for maybe two hours altogether - felt comfortable like my BMW M5 at low speeds (except the seats which i dislike somewhat) but OMG....it is amazing when you press....

I would go with OMG and call it a day

i like that one---)))
p

 

[Pete]

Oh dear.

So how many miles on your lovely 16M? Do you use it much?

 

[jkheit]

any explanation why the mclaren has been in the showroom for more than half a year? is this typical?
peter

So I think I finally have the official unofficial reason for the 2012 pricing/leftover situation. I was talking to a dealer this weekend (I'll keep region/names out of this) and got the straight poop, and it's went something like...

Initial demand when the 2011 came was insane and the dealers were completely overwhelmed because there was such a backed up queue. When 2012 came along, all the dealers were clamoring for more and more and more beyond the initial allotment. To the point they were making orders of almost random configs, getting "friends" to act as confirmed buys, just to up their allocation for an extended run in 2012. (Almost sounds like the realestate bubble in the US). Anyway, by the time McLaren starts delivering on this extended 2012 allocation, it was too close to 2013 and all the the real/actual buyers wanted to wait for the new 2013 model. So it was bad/fake demand data fed by the dealers that led McLaren down the road to overproduce an extend 2012 run too close to the 2013 model release. Plus, with the pent up demand for the spider, it really deflated demand for the 2012 left over coupes. Anyway, he said that McLaren would not be doing that again, and it's somewhat of painful lesson on inventory control.

Now to be fair, it's a company with barely a 2yr life span, so not dialing in demand perfectly is pretty understandable. It's just considering how perfectly they dialed in the car, I think, we tend to have a bit of a high standard with everything they do (and that's a great thing).

Anyway, in short, take advantage of what's likely to be a 1-time only over-allocation fluke and get the car on the cheap. If you've ever asked for a sign from above, this is about as close as it's going to get.

 

[Champagne612]

Interesting - always felt it was poor dealership choices.

Ferrari salesman forgot how to sell cars the day they started representing Ferrari.

Selling a Mclaren at the same dealer as Ferrari was just too much work.

Regardless if all the dealers were exclusive Mclaren there would never have been extra inventory.

88% of Ferrari guys have Rossa running thru their veins with a matching shirt hat and shoes.

Love my Ferrari and collectibles - simply glad to have both

 

[jkheit]

Interesting - always felt it was poor dealership choices.

Ferrari salesman forgot how to sell cars the day they started representing Ferrari.

The cars are great. They sell themselves despite their atrocious dealers (I'm sure there are some exceptions, but all 3 that I visited gave me a visceral desire to take a bat to the douchebags working there).

That's why I thought I was going to buy one from the Mac dealer that had 2 new 458s--just not to deal with the ferrari dealers/salespeople. Basically, my Mac purchase was accidental as I started out dead set to get the 458.

 

[Champagne612]

The cars are great. They sell themselves despite their atrocious dealers (I'm sure there are some exceptions, but all 3 that I visited gave me a visceral desire to take a bat to the douchebags working there).

That's why I thought I was going to buy one from the Mac dealer that had 2 new 458s--just not to deal with the ferrari dealers/salespeople. Basically, my Mac purchase was accidental as I started out dead set to get the 458.

I agree Ferrari's are wonderful cars - Mclaren will only make them better.

Was headed on the path of a 599 HGTE - but once I saw the my Mac on the dealers website 300 miles away that also services my 16M the decision was made which really helped solidify our relationship.

 

[ergoproxy]

The Ferrari dealer I worked with was great. Easy test drives, low pressure, short wait for a build, special favors.
A Lambo salesman told me "when the economy gets tough, the uppity develop personalities."

One site selling both Ferrari and McLaren is a weird position for seller and consumer. Blessing or curse, I don't know.