I've been pondering my next car purchase, as I always do.......... And I've really started to lean heavily towards McLaren. For a while I was pretty set on a Lamborghini Murcielago, but judgement got the better of me. Purchasing a 10+ year old Lamborghini V12 with a single clutch paddle shift that requires an engine out for that service alone is probably not the wisest move given I'm not a billionaire and money still has meaning for me 
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I'm a huge Ferrari fan. I PVR all F1 events (practice, qualifying, pre-qualifying, grid walk, race.....etc.) But, there's no question after my research, and my brother's terrible experience with his 360 a few years ago, that I simply wouldn't be able to tolerate the lack of reliability Ferrari brings to the table, or the fear I would have every time I mash the go pedal down. The 458 is still priced a little out of my budget, and I fear the reliability issues with it, regardless of it's age, mileage, etc.
The Lamborghini Huracan is supposed to be an amazing machine, but again, it's still a little steep in the price department.
That brings me to the McLaren. Although they experienced reliability issues with the first year of the MP4-12C (2012), they seemed to have picked up their game since then, and from all accounts things really improved in 2013. It's a beautiful car with just under 600hp, spyder, active aero, and the Volcano Orange really does it for me. The Mantis Green of the 650S and the Sky Blue of the 540C, as well as the Ventura Orange of the 570S are all right up my ally. Clearly I'm huge on colour, which in my mind is absolutely crucial. I have to enjoy looking at the car a lot. I mean a lot!!!! When you are shelling out the kind of money these cars demand, if looking at the car doesn't make you weak in the knees, then you've chosen the wrong car. I love my Torch Red Z06
Anyway, moving on...... I have also found out that McLaren offers factory backed extended warranties on all their cars for 12 years after the 3 year warranty runs out at a cost of about $6500 per year in Canada (or $12,000 for two years as per T.O. McLaren). I also understand that their maintenance program runs about $3000 per year and covers everything you need done. So, for about $9000 - $10,000 per year, you can drive the crap out of the car for the next decade and never worry about that $15K repair bill that is pretty much inevitable with a Ferrari.......... I believe they are the only company that does this, and it's huge in terms of my willingness to lay down a load of cash on a used supercar.
McLaren prices have also taken a serious hit due to mistakes they've made (growing pains) in these first few years. The name of the MP4-12C which has been described as an off brand DVD player or FAX machine was just the beginning. Then, they suffered reliability issues, and decided it would be wise to bring out a new model car about every six months with the exact same 3.8 twin turbo power plant, which looks pretty much exactly the same as the previous model: MP4-12C---->650S----->675LT------570S---->570GT------>540C--------600LT............ I'm leaving out the Senna...... So rather than using names like Murcielago, Aventador, Italia, Modena, Huracan.........they came up with a this????? I've noticed that a good MP4-12C can be picked up for in the $170K Canadian price range now, and I expect that a little haggling and a little more depreciation will result in something around $150K by next summer. That's a big deal for you guys out in B.C..............cough.....cough..........26% TAX!!!!
So, this brings me to my question, and the topic of the thread. With prices on used "exotics" dropping, and incentives such as a factory backed warranty, which is basically an insurance policy to cover the exorbitant repair costs these cars are capable of incurring, will the C8 Corvette be "exotic enough" or "exclusive enough" or "fast enough" to compete with Lambo, Ferrari, McLaren, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, for our dollars? If you have $150K-$180K you are willing to spend on a sports car (less trade in etc.), will you give your hard earned cash to GM for an undoubtedly reliable, easy to maintain, new, fast, perhaps even somewhat practical, high volume Corvette? Or, will you buy something from Europe/UK that's beautiful, exclusive, less practical, will cost more money to operate/maintain, but will feel........."special"? And, do they offer it in "your colour"? LOL....................
Will GM be able to pull $$$ away from those manufacturers? Are Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, etc. concerned about a right hand drive C8 hitting their shores? Thoughts?
.I'm a huge Ferrari fan. I PVR all F1 events (practice, qualifying, pre-qualifying, grid walk, race.....etc.) But, there's no question after my research, and my brother's terrible experience with his 360 a few years ago, that I simply wouldn't be able to tolerate the lack of reliability Ferrari brings to the table, or the fear I would have every time I mash the go pedal down. The 458 is still priced a little out of my budget, and I fear the reliability issues with it, regardless of it's age, mileage, etc.
The Lamborghini Huracan is supposed to be an amazing machine, but again, it's still a little steep in the price department.
That brings me to the McLaren. Although they experienced reliability issues with the first year of the MP4-12C (2012), they seemed to have picked up their game since then, and from all accounts things really improved in 2013. It's a beautiful car with just under 600hp, spyder, active aero, and the Volcano Orange really does it for me. The Mantis Green of the 650S and the Sky Blue of the 540C, as well as the Ventura Orange of the 570S are all right up my ally. Clearly I'm huge on colour, which in my mind is absolutely crucial. I have to enjoy looking at the car a lot. I mean a lot!!!! When you are shelling out the kind of money these cars demand, if looking at the car doesn't make you weak in the knees, then you've chosen the wrong car. I love my Torch Red Z06
Anyway, moving on...... I have also found out that McLaren offers factory backed extended warranties on all their cars for 12 years after the 3 year warranty runs out at a cost of about $6500 per year in Canada (or $12,000 for two years as per T.O. McLaren). I also understand that their maintenance program runs about $3000 per year and covers everything you need done. So, for about $9000 - $10,000 per year, you can drive the crap out of the car for the next decade and never worry about that $15K repair bill that is pretty much inevitable with a Ferrari.......... I believe they are the only company that does this, and it's huge in terms of my willingness to lay down a load of cash on a used supercar.
McLaren prices have also taken a serious hit due to mistakes they've made (growing pains) in these first few years. The name of the MP4-12C which has been described as an off brand DVD player or FAX machine was just the beginning. Then, they suffered reliability issues, and decided it would be wise to bring out a new model car about every six months with the exact same 3.8 twin turbo power plant, which looks pretty much exactly the same as the previous model: MP4-12C---->650S----->675LT------570S---->570GT------>540C--------600LT............ I'm leaving out the Senna...... So rather than using names like Murcielago, Aventador, Italia, Modena, Huracan.........they came up with a this????? I've noticed that a good MP4-12C can be picked up for in the $170K Canadian price range now, and I expect that a little haggling and a little more depreciation will result in something around $150K by next summer. That's a big deal for you guys out in B.C..............cough.....cough..........26% TAX!!!!
So, this brings me to my question, and the topic of the thread. With prices on used "exotics" dropping, and incentives such as a factory backed warranty, which is basically an insurance policy to cover the exorbitant repair costs these cars are capable of incurring, will the C8 Corvette be "exotic enough" or "exclusive enough" or "fast enough" to compete with Lambo, Ferrari, McLaren, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, for our dollars? If you have $150K-$180K you are willing to spend on a sports car (less trade in etc.), will you give your hard earned cash to GM for an undoubtedly reliable, easy to maintain, new, fast, perhaps even somewhat practical, high volume Corvette? Or, will you buy something from Europe/UK that's beautiful, exclusive, less practical, will cost more money to operate/maintain, but will feel........."special"? And, do they offer it in "your colour"? LOL....................
Will GM be able to pull $$$ away from those manufacturers? Are Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, etc. concerned about a right hand drive C8 hitting their shores? Thoughts?
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