RE: PH Heroes: Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Discussion
As a child of the mid sixties this was one of my wish list cars, ever since seeing, and hearing one on trade plates being hooned around Milton Keynes, probably by a Newport Pagnell test driver. Recently I have had the chance to drive one, and also the Zagato version. Its still a fabulous looking thing, and I would still have one in my fantasy garage just to look at and sit in. But sadly, the driving experience was one of the biggest disappointments of my life. I have also learned that handbuilt cars are rarely as dependable these days as their mass produced cousins.
Hey guys dont be cruel we Vantage owners have got feelings you know I have to agree they cost plenty to keep right all I would say is buy the best you can check the sills and usual bits and then fall deeply in love be it for the looks or the drive
I think most people expect them to be a tyre shredding experience they are not like that the power delivery is progressive but thumping in every gear and there is little point over reving them to enjoy the engine or the car but they are magical
The handbuiltness if thats a word is light years ahead of TVR etc and its so nice to look behind panels etc and find a hand signature or chassis number in chalk still there
If you own or end up owning one you will be smitten and I for one could not be parted.
LOL
Tim ( not Dalton);)
I think most people expect them to be a tyre shredding experience they are not like that the power delivery is progressive but thumping in every gear and there is little point over reving them to enjoy the engine or the car but they are magical
The handbuiltness if thats a word is light years ahead of TVR etc and its so nice to look behind panels etc and find a hand signature or chassis number in chalk still there
If you own or end up owning one you will be smitten and I for one could not be parted.
LOL
Tim ( not Dalton);)
Took my Vantage Volante for a nice drive last Saturday and it was another great experience.
There are only 160ish cars like that in the whole world and this makes driving them something special each time. Sure the reliability can be an issue but only if a) you bought a bad car and/or b) you do not "invest" in keeping it right and c) you do not drive it enough.
To expect 21st century feelings from a 70s car is plain nonsense IMHO.
This is a time capsule and you get the driving experience you would have got then. There are no electronics on the Vantage... just the air-conditioning
When I bought my VV I had to forget for a second how it was to drive a modern car and let the car "talk" to me.
I spent few pounds in getting it "right" where I want it and, in all fairness, the only REAL problem is to find the right people to look after your Aston. Once you have done that then you are fine. I was extremely unlucky in the very beginning because I was spending thousands of pounds and not getting anywhere. Luckily I was finally introduced to Rikki Cann and the whole Aston experience has gone from strenght to strenght.
The "junk" comment can only come from an upset owner getting the car badly serviced: it is NOT his (the owner) fault, it is the garages fault in not spotting the problems and fixing them (well unless the owner is told to repair the car and he/she does want to run the car on the cheap - that is another matter). They take good money and they do not deliver. Hence the sense of total and utter frustration and anger. There are good Aston garages out there... get the car inspected, buy the best you can, service it properly and drive it.
I love mine, I will never sell it. It is now part of our family.
There are only 160ish cars like that in the whole world and this makes driving them something special each time. Sure the reliability can be an issue but only if a) you bought a bad car and/or b) you do not "invest" in keeping it right and c) you do not drive it enough.
To expect 21st century feelings from a 70s car is plain nonsense IMHO.
This is a time capsule and you get the driving experience you would have got then. There are no electronics on the Vantage... just the air-conditioning
When I bought my VV I had to forget for a second how it was to drive a modern car and let the car "talk" to me.
I spent few pounds in getting it "right" where I want it and, in all fairness, the only REAL problem is to find the right people to look after your Aston. Once you have done that then you are fine. I was extremely unlucky in the very beginning because I was spending thousands of pounds and not getting anywhere. Luckily I was finally introduced to Rikki Cann and the whole Aston experience has gone from strenght to strenght.
The "junk" comment can only come from an upset owner getting the car badly serviced: it is NOT his (the owner) fault, it is the garages fault in not spotting the problems and fixing them (well unless the owner is told to repair the car and he/she does want to run the car on the cheap - that is another matter). They take good money and they do not deliver. Hence the sense of total and utter frustration and anger. There are good Aston garages out there... get the car inspected, buy the best you can, service it properly and drive it.
I love mine, I will never sell it. It is now part of our family.
havoc said:
DB PHiL said:
jhoneyball said:
mine -- the one in the youtube video being "driven like ya stole it..."
Beautiful (in a manly sort of way!) 
One of my all-time favourite motors, in the perfect colour.You can just imagine it saying "Ferrari? Poof of a car...I'd 'ave it...bring it on!"
If anyone needs further persausion, Ray Northway the independant Porsche specialist in Reading had several including an X Pack.
And, still in America, Dudley Gershon mentions in his book about demonstrating the V8 around the US. At some lights a gang of kids in the car next to the Aston called out, "What kind of a foreign car is that?"
"It's not foreign. It's British."
rev-erend said:
Always liked those.. it did look a bit American though..
in some kind of way.
Stylist Bill Towns wasn't ashamed to say he borrowed the lines from the sixties Camaro.in some kind of way.
And, still in America, Dudley Gershon mentions in his book about demonstrating the V8 around the US. At some lights a gang of kids in the car next to the Aston called out, "What kind of a foreign car is that?"
"It's not foreign. It's British."
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