Mclaren 750S into Europe, the usual nonsense!
Discussion
This car is the first McLaren that has Apple carplay. Let that sink in.
I have 20 grand vans at work with carplay and android auto but this thing - which cost me the price of a house - has only got carplay.
I have always been android, just can't get along with apple stuff, completely lost in that world. Last few years I've been slapping a big phone cradle on the windscreen under the dashcam which means there's a lot of space-taking-up crap in my forward view.
So I realised if I buy an iPhone, stick a giff gaff in it then hide it in the cubby hole between the seats I can use that for waze and music and I wont need to mount anything on the windscreen.
Brilliant.
I initially got this all wrong but after some good advice from another PH'er I managed to get it all working. My own phone still works for calls and audio books and the carplay on the screen does everything else.
My guys at work turned off everything I don't need and the iphone will last 5 or 6 days in the car before the battery runs out so it's perfect for this trip.
You'd think.
I have 20 grand vans at work with carplay and android auto but this thing - which cost me the price of a house - has only got carplay.
I have always been android, just can't get along with apple stuff, completely lost in that world. Last few years I've been slapping a big phone cradle on the windscreen under the dashcam which means there's a lot of space-taking-up crap in my forward view.
So I realised if I buy an iPhone, stick a giff gaff in it then hide it in the cubby hole between the seats I can use that for waze and music and I wont need to mount anything on the windscreen.
Brilliant.
I initially got this all wrong but after some good advice from another PH'er I managed to get it all working. My own phone still works for calls and audio books and the carplay on the screen does everything else.
My guys at work turned off everything I don't need and the iphone will last 5 or 6 days in the car before the battery runs out so it's perfect for this trip.
You'd think.
Sway said:
No safe words here for you Brad...
Mate, I start acting like a cock, you tell me I'm acting like a cock.
I couldn't be happier with that. This stuff isn't about what I do, it's about your reactions to what I do. There's no point otherwise.
Shall I actually talk about the f
king car now? 
No! You can all f
k off now!I'm going to tell endless stories about how super interesting I am and how when I told a joke in the bar everybody clapped!
So, there I was in the Discotheque car park when this Supermodel lent across the bonnet of my Ferrari, ran her fingers suggestively down my bicep and whispered "You never get really tired do you?" I took a long pull from my Gauloises, glanced at my Rolex and said...
So, the giff gaff was supposed to be 40g a month, 5g roaming.
When I left Locarno waze wouldn't work. It's bloody impossible to prop up my normal phone and use that because my eyes are rubbish and it just keeps falling over.
I drove for an hour or so then pulled in a service station to try to sort it. I didn't have a clue, lost on iPhones, so I called some of the people at work and they had a look, giff gaff online said I'd only used 1g so should have been loads left but you can't phone anyone so they just put more money on it and it started working again.
But this little bit of inconvenience worked in my favour.
When I left Locarno waze wouldn't work. It's bloody impossible to prop up my normal phone and use that because my eyes are rubbish and it just keeps falling over.
I drove for an hour or so then pulled in a service station to try to sort it. I didn't have a clue, lost on iPhones, so I called some of the people at work and they had a look, giff gaff online said I'd only used 1g so should have been loads left but you can't phone anyone so they just put more money on it and it started working again.
But this little bit of inconvenience worked in my favour.
I can't see the little figures on waze that tell you how long you've got left and how many K's it is, unless I put my glasses on but then looking forwards is like swimming without goggles on so that's a bit iffy. So I always make sure the route is correct before I go and just follow along.
Not for the first time I'd forgotten to get the vignette and I'd also forgotten you have to tell waze you've got it. I get back on the journey which should have been about 5 hours but it takes me off the motorway and starts winding through these little towns. I'm thinking it's odd but I just trust waze. After half an hour of this I get nervous, pull into a car park and get my bins on and the route is now saying 12 hours!
I'd forgotten to enter the vignette and it's taking me out of Switzerland.
I reset that but now I'm off the beaten track and my best route is now the Gotthard Pass.
That was a touch!
At this point I still haven't stretched the cars legs and this was my last day in the Alps.
So up we go.
Not for the first time I'd forgotten to get the vignette and I'd also forgotten you have to tell waze you've got it. I get back on the journey which should have been about 5 hours but it takes me off the motorway and starts winding through these little towns. I'm thinking it's odd but I just trust waze. After half an hour of this I get nervous, pull into a car park and get my bins on and the route is now saying 12 hours!
I'd forgotten to enter the vignette and it's taking me out of Switzerland.
I reset that but now I'm off the beaten track and my best route is now the Gotthard Pass.
That was a touch!
At this point I still haven't stretched the cars legs and this was my last day in the Alps.
So up we go.
The car is mental as anything as you would expect.
There were some cobbled road bits going up that I had to go slow on, a couple of sport bikes flew past, then on to the tarmac.
I know on paper it's only a couple of points quicker than a 720 and I'm no driver so would I even notice a difference on these mountains?
It felt like a difference.
It's savagely quick, way too much to keep your foot down on these roads but even a 2 second blip just launches you up the mountain.
I think I can feel the shorter gearing, perhaps that's in my head but the steering is noticeably better, it's just nuts. It was bright and dry and I could just throw anything at it, as much as I had the recently operated on balls to try anyway.
I came into what I thought was just a slight left hander but it went straight into a right hairpin (you'd think I would be aware of bends like this now) and I was carrying too much speed, I started to brake and aimed it round and it just gripped like a motherfker and stayed on its line, very little to do with me, I st myself, oversteered a little on the way out and had to do a snap correction.
I never manage to look cool driving these cars.
I've no idea how much I was pushing, felt to me like 8 tenths, it was probably nearer 5 but it's completely down to how much nerve I have, the car just isn't bothered, it does whatever you want. And it sounds so good too, especially when you're near the rocks.
And that airbrake dancing in the rear view mirror is a joy too.
I was fking blasting through the tunnels too, really enjoying it but it
is Switzerland and I was way over the signage, might not be going back there next year!
Dropping down is trickier because you just can't floor it, with the momentum the car is already carrying it's like an on/off switch it just blasts forward and you get much too quick.
It was fun just throwing round the bends on the way down though and hanging on.
I didn't even use the nutter settings, I had it on comfort for handling and sport for power. If I'd had it on Track/Track they would've been scraping me off the mountain! With a smile on my face!
It sounds much better in sport anyway.
I haven't had the weather to properly enjoy it over here but that was a start, I'm way out of the mountains now and of course it's glorious sunshine.
I've have been over thrashing since I've been in germany, got 3 camera flashes, might not be coming here either next year!
Tbf I think a couple of those I was only marginally over, they don't have lines on the road though so even though I've only seen a single flash each time I think that's still a nick.
There were some cobbled road bits going up that I had to go slow on, a couple of sport bikes flew past, then on to the tarmac.
I know on paper it's only a couple of points quicker than a 720 and I'm no driver so would I even notice a difference on these mountains?
It felt like a difference.
It's savagely quick, way too much to keep your foot down on these roads but even a 2 second blip just launches you up the mountain.
I think I can feel the shorter gearing, perhaps that's in my head but the steering is noticeably better, it's just nuts. It was bright and dry and I could just throw anything at it, as much as I had the recently operated on balls to try anyway.
I came into what I thought was just a slight left hander but it went straight into a right hairpin (you'd think I would be aware of bends like this now) and I was carrying too much speed, I started to brake and aimed it round and it just gripped like a motherf
ker and stayed on its line, very little to do with me, I st myself, oversteered a little on the way out and had to do a snap correction.I never manage to look cool driving these cars.
I've no idea how much I was pushing, felt to me like 8 tenths, it was probably nearer 5 but it's completely down to how much nerve I have, the car just isn't bothered, it does whatever you want. And it sounds so good too, especially when you're near the rocks.
And that airbrake dancing in the rear view mirror is a joy too.
I was f
king blasting through the tunnels too, really enjoying it but itis Switzerland and I was way over the signage, might not be going back there next year!
Dropping down is trickier because you just can't floor it, with the momentum the car is already carrying it's like an on/off switch it just blasts forward and you get much too quick.
It was fun just throwing round the bends on the way down though and hanging on.
I didn't even use the nutter settings, I had it on comfort for handling and sport for power. If I'd had it on Track/Track they would've been scraping me off the mountain! With a smile on my face!
It sounds much better in sport anyway.
I haven't had the weather to properly enjoy it over here but that was a start, I'm way out of the mountains now and of course it's glorious sunshine.
I've have been over thrashing since I've been in germany, got 3 camera flashes, might not be coming here either next year!
Tbf I think a couple of those I was only marginally over, they don't have lines on the road though so even though I've only seen a single flash each time I think that's still a nick.
ess said:
Great that you are still posting these summer events Brad.
Keep up the good work sir !
I’m just catching up; the last one I followed was pre-pandemic. (Thanks @B'stard Child for providing the links to previous years)
Clearly you have been through some traumatic times since then, and I wish you all the best.
I also went through simultaneous difficult times, personally/professionally.
Dropped out of everything to do with my life and went to hibernate in my mates converted barn in the Ashdown Forest for a while.
It’s only now, 2 years later, that I’m beginning to get it together.
Your adventures keep me inspired
S
Sorry to hear that man. If you needed the break then it's good you took it but I hope your life will come back on track and you find happiness again. Keep up the good work sir !
I’m just catching up; the last one I followed was pre-pandemic. (Thanks @B'stard Child for providing the links to previous years)
Clearly you have been through some traumatic times since then, and I wish you all the best.
I also went through simultaneous difficult times, personally/professionally.
Dropped out of everything to do with my life and went to hibernate in my mates converted barn in the Ashdown Forest for a while.
It’s only now, 2 years later, that I’m beginning to get it together.
Your adventures keep me inspired
S
Some stuff you can't just "get on with it" but as long as you keep putting one foot in front of the other.
Good luck.
Boxster5 said:
I don’t know whether you realise but your annual posts of your trips are a proper tonic for us mere mortals.
You have lots of fans on here.
We are fortunate that we have done our fair share of Euro road trips over the years, admittedly on a more modest budget (think Airbnb accommodation) but in a half decent car that is designed for exactly this kind of trip. My wife loves washing!! so 3 weeks will invariably lead to turning the washing machine on in our accommodation or even a visit to a launderette due to travelling “light”.
Reading your posts are like reading a black comedy - one minute laughing out loud, the next minute crying either with laughter or genuine tears of sadness from some of the sad things that have happened in your life.
I may have to reread them all just to appreciate them again.
I hope you made it to Switzerland - some of the stuff on YouTube around the NW Italian/Southern Swiss border showing the aftermath of the storm is scary stuff.
Look after yourself Brad.
Thank you Boxster, I really appreciate this. You have lots of fans on here.
We are fortunate that we have done our fair share of Euro road trips over the years, admittedly on a more modest budget (think Airbnb accommodation) but in a half decent car that is designed for exactly this kind of trip. My wife loves washing!! so 3 weeks will invariably lead to turning the washing machine on in our accommodation or even a visit to a launderette due to travelling “light”.
Reading your posts are like reading a black comedy - one minute laughing out loud, the next minute crying either with laughter or genuine tears of sadness from some of the sad things that have happened in your life.
I may have to reread them all just to appreciate them again.
I hope you made it to Switzerland - some of the stuff on YouTube around the NW Italian/Southern Swiss border showing the aftermath of the storm is scary stuff.
Look after yourself Brad.
To be honest I'm not looking for fans - I know you don't mean that literally - if I was these trips would be all over social media with everything filmed, scripted and edited perfectly, I have the time if that was my aim, and I'd no doubt get views in the thousands but I really couldn't think of anything worse.
It would be utterly false.
I just want to drive about, get pissed, look at some things and make a joke of it with the few dozen people who follow the trips on here.
Sorry for the deep dive.
These things have been equally absurd and deeply meaningful to me at different times and have helped me enormously to deal with my own issues.
I hope it comes across that there's no agenda here, no "look at me" b
ks.I'm as happy admitting I can't read a map or I've thrown up on a bathroom floor as I am showing off a new car. They are all just events on a trip, it's all just a shared experience, that's what I've always wanted to do with this.
When people post here with "Things have been rough for me but you made me laugh" then I'm happy I post all this crap.
ShortBeardy said:
Keep posting Br d,
I await your yearly trip posting with antic -i- pation. Inspirational, funny and at times moving. Although we've never met you have made me laugh with you, and the other. Thank you for sharing.
Just got back from a week driving up coastal BC and down the Ice Fields Parkway with my daughter in an older 996 cab. Jaw dropping scenery and though I appreciate it's not your typical fare of culture, it's well worth a look. Safe travels,
Short Beardy
That sounds brilliant mate, lovely to do it with your daughter. I await your yearly trip posting with antic -i- pation. Inspirational, funny and at times moving. Although we've never met you have made me laugh with you, and the other. Thank you for sharing.
Just got back from a week driving up coastal BC and down the Ice Fields Parkway with my daughter in an older 996 cab. Jaw dropping scenery and though I appreciate it's not your typical fare of culture, it's well worth a look. Safe travels,
Short Beardy
g3org3y said:
You'll be quite close to the Contra Dam (the one from Goldeneye). Maybe suggest a group bungee jump for you and your friends? 
Oh I would have done it repeatedly but ya know, Doctors orders! 
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