McLaren 720S and 765LT buying guide

The 720S coupe came first, with a 710 hp twin-turbo V8. The Spider followed, sold 2019 to 2023, with a retractable hardtop. evo says no structural rigidity is lost, because it comes from the carbon tub, and Carcollector International says the roof costs little in performance. You can browse used 720S Spiders or used 720S coupes.

Evo recommends the Spider highly. It carries a premium, but it arrived after the coupe's early production problems had been sorted out. The same source finds no discernible difference between model years, though the earliest cars tended to have the most issues. If you buy an early coupe, ask what was fixed and when. Our 720S price guide shows how prices run by year.

Specification matters. Evo says cars with carbon trim, inside or out, and bucket seats carry a premium. Carcollector International puts warranty status, service history and MSO specification at the top of the list, plus evidence that early electronic or hydraulic problems were resolved.

Avoid tuned cars. Evo warns that the standard conrods in the 4.0-litre engine don't stand up well to extra boost. For the 765LT, see our 720S vs 765LT comparison.

Specialists agree on a short list of weak points, led by the suspension and the cooling system.

Suspension accumulators

The Proactive Chassis Control accumulators are a wear item. Evo says they need refurbishing around every five to six years, and Foreign Automotive gives a typical life of 50,000 to 80,000 km, with a harsh, choppy ride, cornering lean or limp mode and a warning light as the signs. CarChecker notes McLaren excludes accumulator wear from warranty.

Coolant leaks

Hoses and crossover pipes can crack or leak, showing as a sweet smell, a low-coolant warning or white residue. Running low on coolant can warp the cylinder heads, so treat any sign seriously. Evo also calls water pump leaks common on McLaren V8s.

Infotainment faults

720smanual.com calls the infotainment system the most common failure point on the 720S, and replacement is costly. Foreign Automotive lists frozen screens, a dead reverse camera, Bluetooth dropouts and navigation crashes, mostly cured by a reflash.

Door hinges and struts

The gas struts and dihedral hinges are a common failure point, according to Foreign Automotive. The door drops, pops or sags at its rear edge.

Brake caliper issues

Carbon ceramic calipers can develop sticking pistons, and the pad sensors can give false readings.

Spider roof faults

The roof can stick mid-cycle because of the hydraulic pump, a misaligned microswitch or low fluid. The rear window mechanism can also fail.

Flat battery

If the car sits unplugged for more than two weeks the battery goes flat, and the doors won't open. Use a maintainer.

Turbo inlets and heat shields

CarChecker calls the turbo inlet design a weakness and suggests silicone inlets. Evo says the downpipe heat shields on the V8 cars are prone to failure and expensive to replace. Evo also says dual-clutch gearboxes are known for input shaft bearing wear, which causes a fluid leak.

Servicing is annual or every 16,000 km, whichever comes first, per McLaren as relayed by Foreign Automotive. Luxury Cars Guide puts major services at up to $8,000 and starts its annual service range at $2,000. Kelley Blue Book lists McLaren's 3-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and a 10-year anti-perforation warranty.

Evo, using UK prices, puts accumulator refurbishment at £2000 per corner, a top-end rebuild at £8k to £15k, a gearbox rebuild at around £10k and a respray of bubbling paint at about £1200 per panel. Front big brake rotors run $800 or more each, according to 720smanual.com.

Buy a 720S Spider if the budget stretches, since evo recommends it for arriving after the coupe's early kinks were fixed. Otherwise, a later coupe with a continuous specialist history is the safer choice. Evo calls the 720S the best all-round McLaren, and CarChecker rates the engine and gearbox as fundamentally sound, particularly in cars that are driven regularly.

Skip tuned cars and anything with gaps in its history. Insist on a specialist inspection, a module scan, and proof that the accumulators and cooling system have been looked after. Budget for accumulators on any car near five or six years since the last refurbishment.