What´s your experience of V8 Vantage S as a trackday car?

What´s your experience of V8 Vantage S as a trackday car?

Author
Discussion

thom1010

Original Poster:

3 posts

118 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
I live in Germany and bought my first Aston in September 2012. A V8 Vantage S. Have been driving AMG's for many years but problem with overheating engine and engine failure I decided to go for an Aston. Why? I use my cars only to drive on trackdays on Nordschleife/Nurburgring. Aston has a great racing heritage and the management is race fans.

POSITIVE THINGS
- The building quality is much better than any other German carmaker.
- The gearbox Grazziano 2 is a true racingearbox. It,s is excellent fast.
- The handling is outstanding
- The engine is working perfectly, no cooling issues

The car have now 45.000km and 35.000km on Nordschleife/Nurburgring. That's about 1.600 laps in 2,5 years.

MINOR ISSUES
- A sensor in the gearbox was broken
- A parking sensor failure

UPPGRADES
- Tyres, Micheln PS2 Cup. Front 265. Back 305
- Suspension. Bilstein MDS GT4
- Aerodynamic package, spitters front, wing back

Aston have got some criticism that the cars is old school. but what is wrong whit that? Old school works and that what matters.

And what,s your experience? Sorry if my English is not perfect


Omaruk

611 posts

158 months

Saturday 6th September 2014
quotequote all
Sounds interesting, I would have thought standard car is way too heavy as a regular trackday tool. However, you have clearly put that argument to bed given the considerable Kms of track you have covered, at a pretty unforgiving location! clap


We need photos!

Edited by Omaruk on Saturday 6th September 21:07


Edited by Omaruk on Saturday 6th September 21:08

W1111AM

942 posts

128 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for the post and sharing the success of your track endurance in your V8Vs, what does you car look like with the rear spoiler? Photos please... Have you stripped out any weight from the car?
Was there any reason you did not buy a GT4, this would have been the same price and faster?
I highly recommend you change your exhaust downpipes, 200 cell cats etc. Maybe you have done this already? I have done this on my car, unrecognisable performance change.

mikey k

13,011 posts

215 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
You've done well there bow
It is a heavy old hector for track work
How many tyres, discs, pads and clutches have you used?

thom1010

Original Poster:

3 posts

118 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
W1111AM said:
Thanks for the post and sharing the success of your track endurance in your V8Vs, what does you car look like with the rear spoiler? Photos please... Have you stripped out any weight from the car?
Was there any reason you did not buy a GT4, this would have been the same price and faster?
I highly recommend you change your exhaust downpipes, 200 cell cats etc. Maybe you have done this already? I have done this on my car, unrecognisable performance change.


This is how the car looks.

GT4
- GT4, it,s not road legal in Germany. You need a road legal car to participate in track days.

CLUTCH
- Not a big issue, have changed it 1 time.

TYRES
- Has be to be replaced 3-4 times per year. Go for wider tyres in the front 265 and 305 in the rear. The grip is outstanding. Michelin PS 2 Cup

BRAKES
- Pads
I recommend Endless long distance brake pads or Dixcel endurance racing pads. You will save money.

- Discs
The original discs are excellent, no need to upgrade

THE WEIGTH
- The weight of the car is not a problem

SUSPENSION
- It,s too soft in the front. Bilstein MDS GT4 is a better option

GEARBOX - GRAZIANO SPORTSHIFT 2
- It,s a great gearbox on the track. No issues

It's great car,………...





Omaruk

611 posts

158 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
Looks fabulous, very purposeful and sinister in a good sense too.

Omaruk

611 posts

158 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
Looks fabulous, very purposeful and sinister in a good sense too.

Omaruk

611 posts

158 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
What sort of lap times are you achieving?

hashluck

1,611 posts

274 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for sharing your experience. Very encouraging for those who have got a Vantage S even if only for road use.

I had meant to mentiom on my update that the brakes are exceptional. The brake dust on the other hand is a PITA

SFO

5,162 posts

182 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
great to hear about the Vantage S being so durable and capable on track.

roughrider

975 posts

185 months

Sunday 7th September 2014
quotequote all
Great feedback. The car looks fantastic.....

IanV12VR

2,749 posts

154 months

Monday 8th September 2014
quotequote all
What a great story and what a fantastic looking Aston. Congratulations on your efforts.

W1111AM

942 posts

128 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
thom1010 said:
W1111AM said:
Thanks for the post and sharing the success of your track endurance in your V8Vs, what does you car look like with the rear spoiler? Photos please... Have you stripped out any weight from the car?
Was there any reason you did not buy a GT4, this would have been the same price and faster?
I highly recommend you change your exhaust downpipes, 200 cell cats etc. Maybe you have done this already? I have done this on my car, unrecognisable performance change.


This is how the car looks.

GT4
- GT4, it,s not road legal in Germany. You need a road legal car to participate in track days.

CLUTCH
- Not a big issue, have changed it 1 time.


TYRES
- Has be to be replaced 3-4 times per year. Go for wider tyres in the front 265 and 305 in the rear. The grip is outstanding. Michelin PS 2 Cup

BRAKES
- Pads
I recommend Endless long distance brake pads or Dixcel endurance racing pads. You will save money.

- Discs
The original discs are excellent, no need to upgrade

THE WEIGTH
- The weight of the car is not a problem

SUSPENSION
- It,s too soft in the front. Bilstein MDS GT4 is a better option

GEARBOX - GRAZIANO SPORTSHIFT 2
- It,s a great gearbox on the track. No issues

It's great car,………...
Ahhhh, sorry for the late reply, missed your reply... Thanks for the pictures!!
The rear spoiler is a game changer, completely transforms the road look. I think on your black car it looks menacing and appropriate for a track car. Functionally - what is the experience on down-force - do you notice it? i don't think you physically need it do you?

Drove my car round Spa on the 16th Sept, simply epic day, still living the dream smile




W1111AM

942 posts

128 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
The famous Eau Rouge at Spa, me chasing down a real GT4 bounce


Speedraser

1,656 posts

182 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Thom,

Fantastic post. Great to hear how capable and how durable the V8V is.

Could you tell us more about the problems you had with your AMG? I'm interested since AMG engines (hopefully not merely off-the-shelf) are soon to be found powering Astons.

jonby

5,357 posts

156 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Great info and fab looking car

For all the TG jokes etc, we should remember that AML have a facility at the Nurburgring and the cars are tested extensively there. They are more than capable of standing up to track day use.

On some Aston models, some consumables will add up to considerable cost if the cars are tracked regularly and cosmetically, they are such beautiful cars inside & out, they will show wear & tear worse than many other cars but mechanically, there are no issues at all and they are very satisfying cars to spend time on track with

MrOrange

2,031 posts

252 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Well done, 2.5k laps is impressive. I'd love to know how the brakes fare, I understand that is the weak part of the "road" package and they ideally need a LOT more cooling. IIRC the GT4 version radically altered the cooling*. I do agree on the damping, did need sorting - nodding all over the place.

Disclaimer: I might be talking massive bks,

BravoV8V

1,858 posts

173 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
MrOrange said:
IIRC the GT4 version radically altered the cooling*.

Disclaimer: I might be talking massive bks,
You're not:

"Brakes

• Four-piston monoblock calipers fitted with high-performance Pagid RS 29 race pads
• Uprated two-piece front brake discs
Twin front brake cooling ducts "

...from http://www.astonmartin.com/en/racing/race-cars/van...

telum01

987 posts

114 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
I have a 2007 V8V 4.3L manual and I track my car a lot. I've even got 4 track days in a row in November.

I put together a beginner's guide to track days, covers the basics as well as some info about Astons in particular:
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/34...

thom1010 said:
UPPGRADES
- Tyres, Micheln PS2 Cup. Front 265. Back 305
- Suspension. Bilstein MDS GT4
- Aerodynamic package, spitters front, wing back
Is the aerodynamic package straight from the actual GT4? Love the look of it!

Edited by telum01 on Wednesday 1st October 20:16

J12MOC

802 posts

143 months

Wednesday 1st October 2014
quotequote all
Great postt. And I agree with you. The Vantage is I think much underrated by most people as a competitive car. Having just spent 2500 miles in the alps with a collection of Ferrari 458's, Porsche GT3's and BMW M3's we were never embarrassed in any way!! OK on the track with professional drivers things may be different, but that is an extreme few of us will encounter. I'm really happy with my SP10 and quite happy to 'mix it' with anything else on the road within reason.

Nice line there William!