[roundincircles]

I am getting tired with the number of people who, when they learn of my future Mclaren delivery, suck their teeth and predict doom and gloom.

' You won't be able to park that anywhere. It will get vandalised, scratched, dented, covered in paint and so on and on and on'

It seems every Albatross and Condor will use it as a toilet target.....yes they will migrate to find MP4-12C's wherever they are

Of course I also get 'Wow, fantastic, thrilling, wicked.....even a 'what fun'

But it is amazing how the Doom Mongers are so knowledgeable despite having never owned a Mclaren

So what is the reality?

Respray every month, no shopping trips to Morrisons only Waitrose?

It has even got to my wife as I am planning a trip to the Alps, Italian Lakes and Dolomites and she said ' book Hotels with garages as we will be in the Mclaren........ahhhhhhhh

 

[TTM0TION]

I'm not sure of your particular area but I am in the NYC/Long Island area and this isn't the case in my experience. I must admit I, or any of my friends, do not have a Mclaren yet but none of the Ferraris or Maseratis have had any problems. The only time anyone has messed with any car was a turd found in the gas cap of an H2. Damn green freaks!

 

[scottishxj220]

I personally don't think it has that problem - people are more likely to wonder what it is. Ferraris and Lambos have a certain reputation that I don't think McLaren has. But I guess it has a lot to do with location where I like there is a wide-spread love/fascination with car, as a rule.

 

[roundincircles]

I'm not sure of your particular area but I am in the NYC/Long Island area and this isn't the case in my experience. I must admit I, or any of my friends, do not have a Mclaren yet but none of the Ferraris or Maseratis have had any problems. The only time anyone has messed with any car was a turd found in the gas cap of an H2. Damn green freaks!

I'm in the UK just north of London. Vandalism can be a problem when the Pubs shut at the weekends and you do have to exercise common sense.

 

[bruce]

Had F cars for 12 years and now the Macca

No issues especially as its British and soooo rare. What you have to remember is that there are F cars everywhere so as to speak 308 348 etc so the entry level is say £15k but with the Macca it is so much rarer and entry level £200k. i have encountered more positive responses with the macca than the Fcars. I love showing people the car and just talking and I think that helps . All that said I wouldnt park it in downtown Lewisham but thats barely Britain is it

 

[brotherharry]

Not having ever owned patently exotic before, I'm actually really looking forward to testing out the whole 'you can't use it in the real world' thing. Having had a thrilling weekend in a Cayman R which absolutely nails it's 'fast enough' colours to the mast, I'm really intrigued/excited to see just how livable / frustrating it will transpire to be navigating UK roads in something so much more capable.

The realist in me also recognises that the car probably will attract attention and the optimist hopes that it will be of the positive kind as opposed to the key scratching kind.

Think any owner needs to be prepared to share their passion and spread a little petrolhead joy to liven up people's days. If those of us who love driving and cars don't try and inspire the future generation, we'll be sitting in the back seat of robo-Toyotas before you know it. It's therefore our duty to maximise the exposure of engineering wonders like the 12C to as many people as possible - this cannot be achieved by leaving it under a gosling feather covers and tiptoeing around on Sunday afternoons.

A little common sense certainly applies, but the exhibitionist in me quite likes the idea of rocking up to the KFC drive thru or doing the weekly shop for the sheer absurdity of it and challenging the doom mongers. Yeah it costs more than my mortgage, yeah the insurance will buy a reasonably priced car, no I can't fit golf clubs in it - but I still chose to redline my passions and live!

 

[roundincircles]

brotherharry.

Yeh, bring it on!

And what's insurance for. Sod the key scratchers.

 

[6th element]

Think any owner needs to be prepared to share their passion and spread a little petrolhead joy to liven up people's days. If those of us who love driving and cars don't try and inspire the future generation, we'll be sitting in the back seat of robo-Toyotas before you know it. It's therefore our duty to maximise the exposure of engineering wonders like the 12C to as many people as possible -

+1000 Well put, Bro Hank!

 

[andy c]

No problem yet,only thumbs up and photos,and i do park it in morrisons aswell as waitrose and it does help if you open the doors for the junior petrolheads.You just have to spend a bit of time answering the age old questions,it might get tiresome every so often if your in a hurry,but it makes their day
Oh sorry just repeated what Brother harry said!

 

[brotherharry]

Nice work Andy. Have you been brave enough to park in with the runarounds yet (photo evidence please) or are you still parking out in free air?

 

[Senna]

Im careful where i park, but dont go out of my way to avoid people. Everyone one is interested in the car and lots of pictures and positive coments. I dont give it to the valet, just ask them if i can self park. But for sure there are parts of LA where i wouldnt leave it (or any other car for that matter), same goes for London.
I guess its the same for any big city.

 

[zippycar]

Yeah it costs more than my mortgage, yeah the insurance will buy a reasonably priced car, no I can't fit golf clubs in it - but I still chose to redline my passions and live!

Are you sure about the golf clubs, as that's what I'll be using mine for most?

Talking of mortgages and my moan for the day, when is a 5 year fixed rate mortgage not a 5 year fixed mortgage?

When it's with Barclays and runs for 5 years and 2 months - conning little bar stewards, screwing me for another two months before it drops by 75% !!

Small print, its all in the small print so why call it 5 years in the big print?

Gripe over and only three more sleeps and three get ups until my big day, everything crossed.

 

[brotherharry]

Are you sure about the golf clubs, as that's what I'll be using mine for most?

Well unless you treat your clubs as a passenger and strap 'em in tight, I'm pretty sure the front luggage compartment is entirely the wrong shape for golf bats.

 

[jlMP4]

It definitely helps to be in a friendly mood when you go out in it. I've had a few gas stops, lunch trips and store visits that lasted much longer than usual. But people are always polite, so far, down here in SoCal. You just need to plan time to answer questions and let a few fellow petrol heads sit in the driver's seat.

As for parking, many of the panels are essentially advanced plastics, so they'll take dinging a lot better than their Ferrari equivalents. But with all my cars I'm usually choosy about where I'll park. I don't always park far out in the lot, but I do carefully select the cars I park next to (usually try to park next to nicely maintained four door cars, if I can). I also don't park under places that birds will roost.

Really sad thing is the only ding I have in my Ferrari in three years is the one I put there myself. That hurt for a day or two.

My two cents: Drive it a lot. If you get a ding, feel bad for a day and then move on. You can always fix it and you'll have more fun enjoying the car if you can keep from worrying too much about it.

John

 

[andy c]

Are you sure about the golf clubs, as that's what I'll be using mine for most?

Talking of mortgages and my moan for the day, when is a 5 year fixed rate mortgage not a 5 year fixed mortgage?

When it's with Barclays and runs for 5 years and 2 months - conning little bar stewards, screwing me for another two months before it drops by 75% !!

Small print, its all in the small print so why call it 5 years in the big print?

Gripe over and only three more sleeps and three get ups until my big day, everything crossed.

I hope its dry for you this weekend,dont forget only 5500 rpm and not over 150mph

 

[andy c]

Nice work Andy. Have you been brave enough to park in with the runarounds yet (photo evidence please) or are you still parking out in free air?

yes i do,but i look to go inbetween new reg cars and not the family shoppers

 

[brotherharry]

Nice tactic. There's a whole thread here somewhere on 'cars one should steer well clear of' on the road or in the car park.

 

[roundincircles]

Volvos as Volvons drive in a cacoon of safety blissfully unaware of other road users

 

[brotherharry]

Citroen Picassos are my bete noir...

 

[HyperMac954]

I stay clear of Prius' like the plague.