How much risk is to much for a flip? Mclaren MP4 Content.

Got offered a MP4-12C today with a leaky transmission, its a sealed unit my sources say 18-21K for a replacement and another 2K or so for the programming at the dealership. Was a trade in really cheap. Figure I can get the car sold around 130-135K. Its not a good color combo but not atrocious.

How cheap is cheap enough, offered then 85K cash which would put them ahead from what they paid. Needs tires and a service as well which would be another 5K my cost. They turned me down on that number. Thinking I am pretty glad they passed but worth digging my heels in and chasing the car down.

What's the experience of owning one worth to you vs. how quick do you want/need to turn a profit? Seems like you could make money on it eventually, but is it a car you'd like to own/drive, or just a flip?

petegossett wrote: What's the experience of owning one worth to you vs. how quick do you want/need to turn a profit? Seems like you could make money on it *eventually*, but is it a car you'd like to own/drive, or just a flip?

This is a cash play, I want to own one for a while but not in this color or option package. Just was an off the cuff offer today.

In reply to wearymicrobe:

Then it sounds to me like you'd be taking on more risk than you should.

That's what I am thinking might be 15K in the deal for me if everything goes perfect and break even at something else needing to be fixed. If the box was not sealed I would do it in a heartbeat if I could get the parts but nobody is doing that sort of repair right now.

How is it sealed?

Without a clear source for the parts and repair expertise for the gearbox outside the dealer, the potential for a quick flip is murky at best. If all it needed were tires and service, then it would a different story.

Type Q wrote: Without a clear source for the parts and repair expertise for the gearbox outside the dealer, the potential for a quick flip is murky at best. If all it needed were tires and service, then it would a different story.

Would not be a deal if it was just tires and service. As for the transmission I have been told that it is sealed as in non repairable and parts are not sold. Little oil leak has the same repair as hole in the casing, complete replacement.

I wonder you could be done with some well placed, properly cured JB-Weld?

wearymicrobe wrote: Would not be a deal if it was just tires and service. As for the transmission I have been told that it is sealed as in non repairable and parts are not sold. Little oil leak has the same repair as hole in the casing, complete replacement.

To me that sounds like "McLaren can't be assed to offer support for this part, but they'll happily sell you a whole new unit." I bet a high-end race shop would happily fix any problem that can be solved with a new part from Ricardo/Xtrac/Hewland or maybe even if fabrication is required for under half the cost of a new transaxle.

What color combo?

Not a huge market for that car. Might take a while to sell.

LS1/T56/GM supercharger kit. or if its a transaxle, then a vette drivetrain should be less than 20K...

someone had to say it...

-J0N

GameboyRMH wrote:

wearymicrobe wrote: Would not be a deal if it was just tires and service. As for the transmission I have been told that it is sealed as in non repairable and parts are not sold. Little oil leak has the same repair as hole in the casing, complete replacement.

To me that sounds like "McLaren can't be assed to offer support for this part, but they'll happily sell you a whole new unit." I bet a high-end race shop would happily fix any problem that can be solved with a new part from Ricardo/Xtrac/Hewland or maybe even if fabrication is required for under half the cost of a new transaxle.

This. Wasn't it KPAX Racing that ran McLarens? Maybe contacting them might get you some info.

iadr wrote: If it's 21K for a trans in parts, I'd be hugely surprised. Hugely. It's more than that much for an AMG E-class. I'm guessing more like 55-60K with labour incl.

Allegedly its a common unit and a common failure so that was the price quoted.

Pass completely on it way to much money to tie up. Local guy I know has had the same three for sale for the last 6 months with minimal traffic and better colors.

My guess is whoever has it now bought it cheap (you said $85K would put them ahead on the deal) with the exact same plan as you have, cheap fix and flip. They've found that it's not a cheap fix so want to flip for something as they can't afford to fix it.

P.S. It's amazing that GRM is now talking about flipping McLarens, that makes me happy, even if I can't afford one.

HAving said that, I don't see a McLaren advertised anywhere for less than $150K, so that leaves you $50K to play with to make $15K on the deal. What do you think your total cost would be and what are the miles and color?

This is GRM and the transmission isn't filled with Unicorn piss. I promise that you can figure out and reverse engineer whatever it is in terms of hardware. I can't say the same for software, but my gut says that if you keep the same unit, life will still be good.

But if you already passed, oh well.

I'd contact trey Cobb directly (not via Cobb tuning) or flying lizard regarding details on the transmission.

Here's the main issue in seeing north of 100k when selling it though. The McLarens that have come out since the MP are even better, with more models, higher production volume, and less teething issues. The MP may have been the watershed design for the current crop of modern McLaren cars, but not enough so to make it a collector's car. I'd only get it if you were going to modify it (fuel system, bigger turbos and reflash) to S675 performance territory to enjoy for your own use. I honestly don't think there's currently much of a market for these cars north of 100k. In addition to the in house competition from McLaren, you have a currently large market in the 100-150k range of F cars and P cars, both of which are brands with more perceived pedigree to some less informed buyers who may not be motorsport enthusiasts, but are the sorts to fall prey to branding efforts from marketing departments and want to purchase licensed and logoed socks and umbrellas to match their 360 modena.

If you are at all interested I would give either K-PAX or Flying Lizard MS and ask about the trans.

tuna55 wrote: I promise that you can figure out and reverse engineer whatever it is in terms of hardware. I can't say the same for software, but my gut says that if you keep the same unit, life will still be good.

Yep if you're not changing any electronics or actuators (it's theoretically possible that actuator info might have to be programmed in for calibration purposes, like with some DI injectors), it won't make any difference to the computers.

Type Q wrote: I wonder you could be done with some well placed, properly cured JB-Weld?

when i read $20k for a trans for a leak this was my first thought...

Adrian_Thompson wrote: HAving said that, I don't see a McLaren advertised anywhere for less than $150K, so that leaves you $50K to play with to make $15K on the deal. What do you think your total cost would be and what are the miles and color?

Advertised not sold. I could walk in with 120-125K cash and pickup a clean car with less the 15K miles in a good color like volcano orange or white with red interior. Cars are getting cheap. They were ungodly money for a while and when the 650S started to get shown the older cars dropped like a stone. Also the spider is what everybody wants and yeah those are a solid 160-180K with some miles but they are newer. Lot more spiders out there in good color combos then the coupe.

Right now just throwing around some idea's. Wife is getting on my case over the classics that are building up in the garage and if I flipped three of them I would have 80-90K in cash from the sales if I wanted to buy and hold. Would do it under a buddies dealers license though. I am not giving the state of Kaliforniastan 15K in registration and taxes to hold a car for 2 or three years.

Bet in 2 years or so I can get one sub 105K in good condition.

GameboyRMH wrote:

tuna55 wrote: I promise that you can figure out and reverse engineer whatever it is in terms of hardware. I can't say the same for software, but my gut says that if you keep the same unit, life will still be good.

Yep if you're not changing any electronics or actuators (it's theoretically possible that actuator info might have to be programmed in for calibration purposes, like with some DI injectors), it won't make any difference to the computers.

This. Unless they welded the transmission case shut I'm not seeing a problem yanking the box, disassembling and resealing it. But then again I don't travel in those circle$.

Everybody is missing the obvious answer!