'Mr. Bean' actor gets $1.4 million car repair bill
LONDON (AP) - Everyone who's had a fender bender knows the cost of repairs is going up. But few cars can be as costly to fix as "Mr. Bean" actor Rowan Atkinson's rare McLaren F1.
It took more than a year - and more than 900,000 pounds ($1.4 million) - to get his supercar up and running after a 2011 crash that left Atkinson with a badly damaged shoulder.
The high-performance car makes extensive use of carbon fiber and needed specialist care - it took weeks just to get a proper insurance estimate.
Ben Stagg, specialty insurer with RK Harrison, said the quality components used to make an F1 are one reason the repair costs were so high.
"All modern supercars are predominantly carbon fiber - most Lamborghinis, most Ferraris - and the smallest ding in carbon fiber is a big repair job," he said. "And part of the engine bay is gold, that's the best heat conductor. It's the materials they used compared to everyday cars that make it so expensive."
He said many owners baby their expensive cars, driving them only a few times a year in perfect weather conditions, but Atkinson actually drives his McLaren extensively.
The unusual repair job, thought to involve one of the largest car insurance settlements in British history, is extensively documented in Classic & Sports Car magazine, with a picture of the burgundy McLaren on the cover.
Atkinson, last seen by many playing piano as Mr. Bean during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, told the magazine he believes supercars should be used, not sequestered in garages.
"It depresses me when great cars are hidden away," he said. "It's a crime not to use it."
Magazine editor Alastair Clements said Atkinson should be applauded.
"He let us do the story because he wanted other enthusiasts to know that he loves it, that he isn't just some celebrity with an expensive car, that he's owned it for 15 years and loved it for 15 years," he said. "He's put it back exactly as it was. He's a bit of a hero. It's much more than the value."
Of course, the value is there - Stagg said the last used McLaren F1 sold on the open market went for about 3.5 million pounds.
It took more than a year - and more than 900,000 pounds ($1.4 million) - to get his supercar up and running after a 2011 crash that left Atkinson with a badly damaged shoulder.
The high-performance car makes extensive use of carbon fiber and needed specialist care - it took weeks just to get a proper insurance estimate.
Ben Stagg, specialty insurer with RK Harrison, said the quality components used to make an F1 are one reason the repair costs were so high.
"All modern supercars are predominantly carbon fiber - most Lamborghinis, most Ferraris - and the smallest ding in carbon fiber is a big repair job," he said. "And part of the engine bay is gold, that's the best heat conductor. It's the materials they used compared to everyday cars that make it so expensive."
He said many owners baby their expensive cars, driving them only a few times a year in perfect weather conditions, but Atkinson actually drives his McLaren extensively.
The unusual repair job, thought to involve one of the largest car insurance settlements in British history, is extensively documented in Classic & Sports Car magazine, with a picture of the burgundy McLaren on the cover.
Atkinson, last seen by many playing piano as Mr. Bean during the opening ceremony of the London Olympics, told the magazine he believes supercars should be used, not sequestered in garages.
"It depresses me when great cars are hidden away," he said. "It's a crime not to use it."
Magazine editor Alastair Clements said Atkinson should be applauded.
"He let us do the story because he wanted other enthusiasts to know that he loves it, that he isn't just some celebrity with an expensive car, that he's owned it for 15 years and loved it for 15 years," he said. "He's put it back exactly as it was. He's a bit of a hero. It's much more than the value."
Of course, the value is there - Stagg said the last used McLaren F1 sold on the open market went for about 3.5 million pounds.
Just find me a car with out Crap added to it, I don't need a freaking GPS, a fancey stereo system, jsut something with out all the computer crap. I want a Car not a damn house on wheels..but t hen again I could use the 50 kv power plant in the Prius to power a few things other then the car.
Ha ha ha, this guy cracks me up.
That car has the worst paint job I've ever seen.
@xthc2012 looks like it was buffed out.... with steel wool.
I wouldn't spend $1 for one. But to each their own.
@Mikey I would. Then I would sell it and use the money to buy a Cirrus SR22Turbo.
@Playanekes  That Cirrus is definitely a cool ride,  my dream ride is a Lancair Evolution turboprop..... 320ktas cruise
@kramr I want an Ariel Atom, something about a street legal go cart just sounds fun.
@Playanekes Personally, I would go old school and trade if for a P-51D or a Corsair!
Meanwhile, 25000 people (mainly children) died a slow, agonizing death of hunger in the past 24 hours, because they couldn't get 10 cents of rice.
Â
It only takes so much to live. The rest is just for showing off. I always greatly applaud people that practice large acts of philanthropy, and live humbly.
 @Improprietous It isn't a crime to purchase and take pride in having nice things. Just because you spend a lot of money and buy nice things doesn't make you a bad person. Look at Bill Gates for instance - he and his wife are some of the biggest philanthropists in the world, but that didn't stop him from buying his entire neighborhood so his family could have privacy. That seems a little excessive, but he certainly isn't a piece of crap because of it.
Â
 @Improprietous  Quote from any wealthy car enthusiast:
"Those are just poor people-- But *this*, now, **THIS** . . . . this is a CAR!"
@Gravity Works! @Improprietous how much was the iPad or smartphone that you just typed that garbage up on? Practice what you preach, instead of just trying to tell people what to do with the money they earn.
Cry me a river Mr. Bean. Â
You have no idea how hard it is to get repairs done to a '75 Pacer.
@Kushfan he's not crying... He wrecked a car you'll never be able to afford and he'll fix it, replace it or move on. I met a guy last weekend who bought his son a jet for his 18th birthday. There's a social strata that you and I will never see.
 @Playanekes Oh yeah? Well I saw a jet take off once.
 @Kushfan  I watched one crash, once. Not a pretty sight.
 @Kushfan It STILL runs...? Whoa! ;-)
Â
 @Mikey  @Kushfan Downhill.
He's worth 130 million and can well afford it. It's all perspective.
Â
Why is this news? To show us commoners how poor we are as we struggle daily to make ends meet?
 @RalphCramden To show us commoners how stupid we are to keep paying more and more and more to see these people perform. I don't care HOW good an actor is, they're NOT worth $20M for a single movie. Same with professional athletes. But apparently it's what the market will bear...so it will keep going up until either people get fed up with it, or everyone starves to death just so they can see their favorite celebrity.
@Mikey @RalphCramden they claim that the movie prices pay the salaries for all the grips, gaffers, caterers, projectionists... While make more money in one movie than any of these folks will ever see. Total agreement there.
Bravo to him for driving it. I really like those cars just from what I've read about them. (no one will let me test drive theirs)
 @old_dollor It is unusual, isn't it?
@Mikey @old_dollor So stupid fast... How many years did it hold the worlds record for fastest production car?