V8 Vantage - what's it really like?
Discussion
Yep, I can understand the logic in what you say. Years ago, I had a 911 with a heavy clutch which I lived with for years and when I finally had it done I wondered why I hadn't done it ages ago.
But, although my Vantage is a bit heavy - so I am aware it will need doing one day - it's not convinced me I need to do it yet. There is a limit to what I'm willing to spend on cars, and I think I've reached it for a while!
But, although my Vantage is a bit heavy - so I am aware it will need doing one day - it's not convinced me I need to do it yet. There is a limit to what I'm willing to spend on cars, and I think I've reached it for a while!
martindesu said:
davek_964 - how far is your commute? Think that commuting a little in the Aston is taking the sheen off things?
I'm planning on getting one, a 4.7, and keeping it almost indefinitely (I suppose). I can't see why I would sell it on. I plan on using it for weekend fun and road trips.
The commute is pretty short, but I don't think it's affecting my view - I think it was just that sometimes I get tired of unexpected big bills.I'm planning on getting one, a 4.7, and keeping it almost indefinitely (I suppose). I can't see why I would sell it on. I plan on using it for weekend fun and road trips.
I don't think the vantage will ever be a truly occasional car for me - the 360 fills that role more than adequately. But I think keeping it down to 2 or 3 commutes a week will probably be a good balance.
Definitely time for an update.
There isn't actually much to update though. As I mentioned in my last update, I reduced the use of the Vantage in the week a bit, mostly to keep the Cayenne battery charged up - but also because of the incompetent moron who parks behind my car at work most days - as close as he can which makes me a tad nervous. So the Vantage has been being used a couple of times a week for work, and at weekends if the weather is OK.
Mostly that hasn't bothered me - the service cost made the car the black sheep of my car family for a while. But in the last few weeks it's won me over again. This morning I wanted to take the Aston, but knew I hadn't taken the Cayenne for almost a week so figured I really should take that.
Nothing has gone wrong in the last few months - car has been pretty faultless. It will hit 40k miles within the next few weeks.
I wired a dash cam into the cabin fuse box at the weekend. The rake of the windscreen means the one I bought doesn't really fit behind the mirror, so it's been mounted in the top left corner and the power cord hidden behind the trim.
I guess that with a car like this, no news is good news. Let's hope it stays that way for the next couple of months!
There isn't actually much to update though. As I mentioned in my last update, I reduced the use of the Vantage in the week a bit, mostly to keep the Cayenne battery charged up - but also because of the incompetent moron who parks behind my car at work most days - as close as he can which makes me a tad nervous. So the Vantage has been being used a couple of times a week for work, and at weekends if the weather is OK.
Mostly that hasn't bothered me - the service cost made the car the black sheep of my car family for a while. But in the last few weeks it's won me over again. This morning I wanted to take the Aston, but knew I hadn't taken the Cayenne for almost a week so figured I really should take that.
Nothing has gone wrong in the last few months - car has been pretty faultless. It will hit 40k miles within the next few weeks.
I wired a dash cam into the cabin fuse box at the weekend. The rake of the windscreen means the one I bought doesn't really fit behind the mirror, so it's been mounted in the top left corner and the power cord hidden behind the trim.
I guess that with a car like this, no news is good news. Let's hope it stays that way for the next couple of months!
D1FDS said:
Thank you so much for all the updates- it's seriously been so helpful. I've just taken the plunge and bought an 2007 V8 Vantage coupe having come out of a 65 plate M3. Previous to that I've owned a 996 Turbo S, and an Audi RS4. So far the Vantage has a better driving experience than all 3 previous cars. I found the Porsche and M3 lacking soul. The V8 Vantage may not be the quickest car on the block but the driving experience is very unique and pleasing.
Never tried an M3, but I know what you mean about the 996 turbo - very fast but no character at all.Congratulations on entering the club.
Unfortunately, since the update a few days ago I do have some news now - I kerbed my front left wheel.
The odd thing is, I have no idea when or how. I know it was fine a few days ago and I think I've only used the car once since then - I think I must have caught it as I was reversing into the drive. At some point in the next few months it seems I will be paying for wheel refurbs.
OK, as promised an update on my ownership experience - but once again there isn't too much to say and the only significant point is actually a minor black mark against the Vantage. Although probably an unfair one because it's comparing apples to oranges....
I haven't sorted the kerbed wheel yet because I've had a few other unexpected car expenses (mentioned below) plus it was insurance renewal today so I've postponed the wheels in an attempt to stick to a half sensible car budget.
In general though, all has been good. The mileage has now rolled over 40k but only by a few hundred miles, and the car continues to run with no problems at all - with the exception of the thermostat which I'm sure now is stuck open. I would have sorted it by now but I've had a few issues with my 360 which have taken my focus over the last month or so. I attend the supercar weekend at Dunsfold (people pay to be taken round the track as passengers to support the children's trust) - this was my 3rd year taking the 360. Unfortunately, on the Saturday I spun and collected a landing light which smashed the corner of my rear bumper. It seemed solid enough so I returned on Sunday - and a coolant hose split.
I replaced the hose and then decided to book a trip to Italy in the 360, which would start on the bank holiday weekend at the end of august. But a few test drives showed that I was still losing coolant and over the next few weeks I began to panic. It appeared to be more complicated than it was - in the end, it was simply that the hose I'd replaced wasn't quite sealing at one end and needed tightening up. But, a week before I was due to leave I still hadn't discovered that and had to start seriously considering taking the Vantage instead.
I was surprised at just how much that thought disappointed me. I love the car, but it highlighted just how different the two cars are. When I was planning to take the 360, I was really looking forward to the driving part and the places I was staying were simply the icing on the cake. When I though I may have to take the Aston, it seemed like I suddenly had a lot of long days of driving ahead of me.
As I said at the beginning, it's a little unfair because they are two very different cars which are built to do different things, but I was surprised at how I felt.
The ferrari did make it, and is currently parked at a lovely B&B next to Lake Como having visited Luxembourg, Freudenstadt, Verona, Modena and Maranello - and in a few days will travel the Gotthard and Furkka passes for a few days in Switzerland. And I must admit, I am looking forward to getting back and using the Vantage for a few days - which I will be able to since the ferrari will be heading straight to a body shop to have the bumper sorted.
Whether I will order a thermostat or wait for the next service / visit the mechanics remains to be seen. Although I'm sure it's an easy fix, I'm a bit sick of car cooling systems at the moment!
I haven't sorted the kerbed wheel yet because I've had a few other unexpected car expenses (mentioned below) plus it was insurance renewal today so I've postponed the wheels in an attempt to stick to a half sensible car budget.
In general though, all has been good. The mileage has now rolled over 40k but only by a few hundred miles, and the car continues to run with no problems at all - with the exception of the thermostat which I'm sure now is stuck open. I would have sorted it by now but I've had a few issues with my 360 which have taken my focus over the last month or so. I attend the supercar weekend at Dunsfold (people pay to be taken round the track as passengers to support the children's trust) - this was my 3rd year taking the 360. Unfortunately, on the Saturday I spun and collected a landing light which smashed the corner of my rear bumper. It seemed solid enough so I returned on Sunday - and a coolant hose split.
I replaced the hose and then decided to book a trip to Italy in the 360, which would start on the bank holiday weekend at the end of august. But a few test drives showed that I was still losing coolant and over the next few weeks I began to panic. It appeared to be more complicated than it was - in the end, it was simply that the hose I'd replaced wasn't quite sealing at one end and needed tightening up. But, a week before I was due to leave I still hadn't discovered that and had to start seriously considering taking the Vantage instead.
I was surprised at just how much that thought disappointed me. I love the car, but it highlighted just how different the two cars are. When I was planning to take the 360, I was really looking forward to the driving part and the places I was staying were simply the icing on the cake. When I though I may have to take the Aston, it seemed like I suddenly had a lot of long days of driving ahead of me.
As I said at the beginning, it's a little unfair because they are two very different cars which are built to do different things, but I was surprised at how I felt.
The ferrari did make it, and is currently parked at a lovely B&B next to Lake Como having visited Luxembourg, Freudenstadt, Verona, Modena and Maranello - and in a few days will travel the Gotthard and Furkka passes for a few days in Switzerland. And I must admit, I am looking forward to getting back and using the Vantage for a few days - which I will be able to since the ferrari will be heading straight to a body shop to have the bumper sorted.
Whether I will order a thermostat or wait for the next service / visit the mechanics remains to be seen. Although I'm sure it's an easy fix, I'm a bit sick of car cooling systems at the moment!
So, my last update could probably be summarised as : I like driving my 360 more than the Vantage.
However, it seems it is possible to overdose on Ferraris. The Europe trip was great, and screaming a 360 through the mountain passes will stick in my memory for a long time. But - by the time I got back, I was happy to dump the 360 straight in the body shop to have my broken rear bumper fixed / front stone chips sorted and was really looking forward to using the Vantage again.
It hasn't disappointed. Nothing much to say - it's only been a few weeks - but I'm really appreciating it again.
I was supposed to attend something in the new forest today and did start heading down there - but weather was rubbish and I had other things I should have been doing so turned around after about 40 miles. However it was a nice drive - and strangely, the car felt pretty quick, which is not something I'd often say.
I have the 360 back, but it hasn't actually been out of the garage since and at the moment I'm happy with it there. Cayenne is being mostly ignored even though the weather is now beginning to change to Cayenne suitable weather. But for now, the Vantage is my car off choice most days.
However, it seems it is possible to overdose on Ferraris. The Europe trip was great, and screaming a 360 through the mountain passes will stick in my memory for a long time. But - by the time I got back, I was happy to dump the 360 straight in the body shop to have my broken rear bumper fixed / front stone chips sorted and was really looking forward to using the Vantage again.
It hasn't disappointed. Nothing much to say - it's only been a few weeks - but I'm really appreciating it again.
I was supposed to attend something in the new forest today and did start heading down there - but weather was rubbish and I had other things I should have been doing so turned around after about 40 miles. However it was a nice drive - and strangely, the car felt pretty quick, which is not something I'd often say.
I have the 360 back, but it hasn't actually been out of the garage since and at the moment I'm happy with it there. Cayenne is being mostly ignored even though the weather is now beginning to change to Cayenne suitable weather. But for now, the Vantage is my car off choice most days.
Today's update wasn't planned, but I felt like a rant - I just watched somebody reverse into my car. Fortunately, there is absolutely no damage.
I was parked in town and happened to be walking past the car as a white BMW was parking in the (fairly large) space in front. As he was straightening up, I was surprised how close he got to my front bumper, then he pulled forward and I figured he'd finished so turned away. Glanced back, and saw he was now touching my front bumper. There were an elderly couple on the pavement watching him, and I said to them - has he just hit my car? They nodded.
Obviously I went over - his wife said 'we couldn't have touched it, the reversing sensors didn't go off'. To which I replied - I saw it, and they saw it.
They then became apologetic, and fortunately both cars were damage free even from any paint (and with a white BMW and a black Vantage it would have been obvious if there was any paint transfer).
Left me very annoyed but could have been worse. It did prove I'm a snob though - although I used the word 'car' with the elderly couple, when I approached the driver of the BMW I informed him that he just reversed into my 'Aston'. I'm ashamed of myself!
Apart from that, the other notable event this month is replacing the thermostat which I summarised in another thread. Glad that's sorted.
Oh, and a mail from the Indy I use informing me that - although they have no record of servicing my car, it's due a 10 year / 100k service based on time. I suggested this was unlikely given the rather larger service bill they gave me in March, and they have since found my records.
Although I should really wait until spring, I find myself very tempted to get my wheels refurbed to sort the kerbing out. I really fancy black this time but that would mean new wheel centres and I think I'm too lazy to sort that out so they will probably end up silver again.
Right, I'm off to find an air gun so I can use BMWs as target practice...
I was parked in town and happened to be walking past the car as a white BMW was parking in the (fairly large) space in front. As he was straightening up, I was surprised how close he got to my front bumper, then he pulled forward and I figured he'd finished so turned away. Glanced back, and saw he was now touching my front bumper. There were an elderly couple on the pavement watching him, and I said to them - has he just hit my car? They nodded.
Obviously I went over - his wife said 'we couldn't have touched it, the reversing sensors didn't go off'. To which I replied - I saw it, and they saw it.
They then became apologetic, and fortunately both cars were damage free even from any paint (and with a white BMW and a black Vantage it would have been obvious if there was any paint transfer).
Left me very annoyed but could have been worse. It did prove I'm a snob though - although I used the word 'car' with the elderly couple, when I approached the driver of the BMW I informed him that he just reversed into my 'Aston'. I'm ashamed of myself!
Apart from that, the other notable event this month is replacing the thermostat which I summarised in another thread. Glad that's sorted.
Oh, and a mail from the Indy I use informing me that - although they have no record of servicing my car, it's due a 10 year / 100k service based on time. I suggested this was unlikely given the rather larger service bill they gave me in March, and they have since found my records.
Although I should really wait until spring, I find myself very tempted to get my wheels refurbed to sort the kerbing out. I really fancy black this time but that would mean new wheel centres and I think I'm too lazy to sort that out so they will probably end up silver again.
Right, I'm off to find an air gun so I can use BMWs as target practice...
Edited by davek_964 on Saturday 15th October 10:59
Turns out I was wrong - when I was telling the neighbour about it he took a look and pointed out the front grill has a slight warp in the middle. And I didn't get the BMW registration. Great.
The good(?) news is that I've just discovered a major damp problem in my house, which means the Vantage grill is not really something I'm worried about right now.
Ever have one of those days you wish you'd stayed in bed?
The good(?) news is that I've just discovered a major damp problem in my house, which means the Vantage grill is not really something I'm worried about right now.
Ever have one of those days you wish you'd stayed in bed?
Update time again.
The front grill has now been replaced. The seller on EBay (Paul) had a selection of new and used - the used was very good but for the difference in price I went new. Part ex'd my old one, which means a new genuine bright finish grill cost me £350. A pain, but better than it could have been.
My kerbed front wheel has also been refurbed by a local specialist - although it took two attempts. The first attempt was an excellent color match to the other wheels but was gloss and my wheels are satin. Second attempt was more successful and I'm now happy.
I've mentioned in another thread that the cold / wet weather is not suiting the car - I'm pretty sure there are shopping trolleys which handle better. Tramlining has always been quite noticeable in the 18 months I've had the car but seems much worse this winter, and in the wet I've had a few warnings despite not driving particular hard. Tyres have a good few mm of tread, but are 6 years old on the front and 5 on the back so time for a change. However, that will wait until the new year when Costco can get them in stock. It is rather unfortunate that I have 3 quite different cars and yet have managed to arrange it such that all 3 needed tyres within a 12 month period. Genius.
I briefly put fuse 22 back in, but the novelty of that wore off quite quickly and it's now out again.
I am forcing myself to use it less at the moment, partly due to the tyres but also because it's the time of year more suited to the Cayenne. However, I do find I would much prefer to use the Vantage most of the time - that was not the case with the 996 turbo it replaced, at least not during the winter.
I had a conversation at the weekend with a friend where I said I'd been thinking about selling the 360 for a year or so because I don't think I use it enough to justify the cost. She asked if I would have been happy taking the Vantage to Europe for my holiday - which as I've already said on here, I really wouldn't have. And I don't think my view has changed. However, in 99% of cases - particularly on UK roads in the southeast - it doesn't seem worth getting the 360 out of the garage when I have an Aston Martin sitting on the drive. Maybe it's an age thing but I do wonder if I'll reduce my cars by one in the next year or so and perhaps replace the Vantage with a newer V8 or even a V12. No immediate plans but we'll see how I'm feeling in the spring.
So in summary - 18 months in, still love it and no regrets about buying it. Fabulous car.
The front grill has now been replaced. The seller on EBay (Paul) had a selection of new and used - the used was very good but for the difference in price I went new. Part ex'd my old one, which means a new genuine bright finish grill cost me £350. A pain, but better than it could have been.
My kerbed front wheel has also been refurbed by a local specialist - although it took two attempts. The first attempt was an excellent color match to the other wheels but was gloss and my wheels are satin. Second attempt was more successful and I'm now happy.
I've mentioned in another thread that the cold / wet weather is not suiting the car - I'm pretty sure there are shopping trolleys which handle better. Tramlining has always been quite noticeable in the 18 months I've had the car but seems much worse this winter, and in the wet I've had a few warnings despite not driving particular hard. Tyres have a good few mm of tread, but are 6 years old on the front and 5 on the back so time for a change. However, that will wait until the new year when Costco can get them in stock. It is rather unfortunate that I have 3 quite different cars and yet have managed to arrange it such that all 3 needed tyres within a 12 month period. Genius.
I briefly put fuse 22 back in, but the novelty of that wore off quite quickly and it's now out again.
I am forcing myself to use it less at the moment, partly due to the tyres but also because it's the time of year more suited to the Cayenne. However, I do find I would much prefer to use the Vantage most of the time - that was not the case with the 996 turbo it replaced, at least not during the winter.
I had a conversation at the weekend with a friend where I said I'd been thinking about selling the 360 for a year or so because I don't think I use it enough to justify the cost. She asked if I would have been happy taking the Vantage to Europe for my holiday - which as I've already said on here, I really wouldn't have. And I don't think my view has changed. However, in 99% of cases - particularly on UK roads in the southeast - it doesn't seem worth getting the 360 out of the garage when I have an Aston Martin sitting on the drive. Maybe it's an age thing but I do wonder if I'll reduce my cars by one in the next year or so and perhaps replace the Vantage with a newer V8 or even a V12. No immediate plans but we'll see how I'm feeling in the spring.
So in summary - 18 months in, still love it and no regrets about buying it. Fabulous car.
Edited by davek_964 on Monday 21st November 19:56
In my last update, I said that I should stop using the Vantage so much because winter had arrived and it was time to use the Cayenne.
However, it seems I ignored my own advice because when I went to start the Cayenne this morning it turned over slowly once and then refused to do so again.
So, I either need to really start using the Vantage less or keep the Cayenne on a trickle charge when I'm ignoring it!
I also said I needed new tyres on the Vantage but that hasn't happened yet. I really want the new Michelin but would prefer to wait until Costco get them - when I priced up two months ago, the difference between Costco and cheap independents / mail order was just under £800 vs approx £950. Much larger than I expected. My tyres are still definitely legal but I want them done before the service / MOT I'll get in March so I'll start looking properly at the start of March.
I also need to decide where to get it serviced. Spellbound in Farnham have done an excellent job each time they've had the car but the service last year was a shock. Not really their fault if things have broken on the car but the suggestion that I might need brake pads did feel a bit main dealer. I'm going to visit the place near Hartley Wintney (AHM?) to see what feeling I get from them.
As far as I know, the car doesn't have too much that needs doing at the service. I don't think I've had any faults since the last update. I do appear to have a squeaking pulley - which is annoying since that was fixed / replaced at the last service. But it will need looking at again.
In theory, the car is now 10 years old and needs the bigger 10 year service. However, I had the 40k / 8 year service last year and there is too much overlap so the 10 year doesn't make sense this year. Unless I get a strong argument from the mechanics, the 10 year will wait until next year.
Overall, I'm still loving the Aston ownership experience. I sometimes think that if I'm in it for the long haul - and I believe I am - then I should buy something a bit newer. But mine does everything I want, so there seems very little justification for finding £20k+ just for a newer registration and a few less miles (at just over 40k miles, it's hardly high mileage anyway).
So, in the next few months tyres plus service are likely to cost me a couple of thousand but hopefully that will set it up for a year of trouble free motoring (and stop it squeaking!). There have been a few posts recently from potential new owners considering their first Vantage - if any of them are reading this, then my recommendation is to do it. After 18 months I have no regrets. Ironic, considering that when I bought mine I wondered if I'd get on with it.
However, it seems I ignored my own advice because when I went to start the Cayenne this morning it turned over slowly once and then refused to do so again.
So, I either need to really start using the Vantage less or keep the Cayenne on a trickle charge when I'm ignoring it!
I also said I needed new tyres on the Vantage but that hasn't happened yet. I really want the new Michelin but would prefer to wait until Costco get them - when I priced up two months ago, the difference between Costco and cheap independents / mail order was just under £800 vs approx £950. Much larger than I expected. My tyres are still definitely legal but I want them done before the service / MOT I'll get in March so I'll start looking properly at the start of March.
I also need to decide where to get it serviced. Spellbound in Farnham have done an excellent job each time they've had the car but the service last year was a shock. Not really their fault if things have broken on the car but the suggestion that I might need brake pads did feel a bit main dealer. I'm going to visit the place near Hartley Wintney (AHM?) to see what feeling I get from them.
As far as I know, the car doesn't have too much that needs doing at the service. I don't think I've had any faults since the last update. I do appear to have a squeaking pulley - which is annoying since that was fixed / replaced at the last service. But it will need looking at again.
In theory, the car is now 10 years old and needs the bigger 10 year service. However, I had the 40k / 8 year service last year and there is too much overlap so the 10 year doesn't make sense this year. Unless I get a strong argument from the mechanics, the 10 year will wait until next year.
Overall, I'm still loving the Aston ownership experience. I sometimes think that if I'm in it for the long haul - and I believe I am - then I should buy something a bit newer. But mine does everything I want, so there seems very little justification for finding £20k+ just for a newer registration and a few less miles (at just over 40k miles, it's hardly high mileage anyway).
So, in the next few months tyres plus service are likely to cost me a couple of thousand but hopefully that will set it up for a year of trouble free motoring (and stop it squeaking!). There have been a few posts recently from potential new owners considering their first Vantage - if any of them are reading this, then my recommendation is to do it. After 18 months I have no regrets. Ironic, considering that when I bought mine I wondered if I'd get on with it.
I was going to give an update a couple of weeks ago, but then figured I may as well wait until the service - which is today - and update after that. So here goes - I've already mentioned a few of these things on other threads but will consolidate here :
Off topic really, but I mentioned before that I'd used the Vantage enough that I'd let the battery go flat on the Cayenne. I've solved that completely now - not so much by using the Cayenne more, but by buying a third trickle charger.... in fact, man logic is such that I'm currently seriously considering a 4th car despite the fact that I've proven I don't use 3 enough. But that's a different story....
Tyres are now sorted, Michelin PS4S. They have transformed the car - the Bridgestones were horrid (mostly due to being 6 years old I think) but I didn't realise just how much they were affecting the car. It's now much more pleasant to drive, and feels much sportier - I think the turn in must have sharpened up. Sadly, it hasn't got any faster....
The squeaking belts has disappeared again - it doesn't seem to coincide with wet or dry weather, so maybe it was only when it was very cold - or maybe I did get coolant all over it when I did the thermostat in the autumn, and that's now all got worn off!
I debated on whether I needed a clutch again a month or two back, but have concluded not. I occasionally get a slight noise when I let the clutch out slowly, but ironically when I started researching clutch costs it hasn't happened since. I'm actually not convinced it comes from the clutch so requires more investigation - paying £3k for a clutch and then finding it was still there would be a tad disappointing.....
Passenger mirror stopped folding out properly about a month ago. This is an issue I had about a year ago, and was solved by the garage lubing the moving parts. I assumed I needed a new mirror now, and asked for a quote about getting it done at the service. I was told : £630 + VAT - because it's "quite involved and means that even the door card needs to come off". I called another specialist - I was quoted £690 + vat and told almost exactly the same justification. Incidentally, I told them it was a volvo part - they told me they were sure it wasn't. I haven't bothered telling them that if you turn it upside down it's stamped "Volvo".
In any event, I removed the mirror from the arm (two screws at the end of the arm), lubed the mechanism and it's been fine ever since. I also took the passenger door card off myself just to see how hard it was - and although I acknowledge that you have to unbolt a couple of other bits to get the mirror arm off - it was the easiest door card I've ever removed and took me slightly under 10 minutes. So if / when I need a new mirror I will be doing it myself.
Yesterday I noticed that the passenger window wasn't dropping / raising when the door opened. Re-learned the positions (lower the window fully and keep the button pressed for 5s, raise the window fully and keep the button pressed for 5s) and it's fine now. I seem to recall I accidentally knocked the battery cutoff switch a few months back so maybe it forgot the positions then - although the driver side was fine.
So, I dropped it at the Indy yesterday evening for a 10 year service today with MOT - fault free. Or so I thought. I don't have it back yet, but I have been given the list of items they've found - the MOT is not until this afternoon, but let's asssume it will pass. The list is :
- Tyre sealant out of date. I was told that last year, and haven't replaced it so not surprising.
- Wiper arms are seized. Not seized as in they don't work, but "If you pull them away from the windscreen they stay up". Half an hour labour to lube, or ~£800 to replace. I'll lube them myself when I get the car back.
- There is play in the passenger side window regulator. £414 + vat fitted, but I don't believe this is needed now.
- Glove box damper has failed - apparently it should open more slowly than it does. £6 part, £196.47 fitted. Clearly I'm neglecting my car but I can live with the broken damper - although if I get bored over summer I might try and replace it myself for the cost of £6.
- Water in RHS tail lamp. This is an annoying one - by coincidence, when I cleaned the car at the weekend (I don't use a pressure washer), I noticed condensation in the RHS rear light. So at some point, this probably is going to fail. However, for now I'll live with it - I may see if I can do anything about it when I get it back - and I have wanted clear lights since buying the car anyway. So when they fail, I will be annoyed - and it will cost me £800+ - but it will look better as a result. Every cloud and all that.
- Passenger seatbelt is slightly frayed - bit surprising since most journeys don't involve a passenger but they didn't think it was anything that needed doing yet - which is just as well since the only quote for that was "very expensive".
- Front pads are 70% worn, Rear are 80%, handbrake is 60% (how does that happen considering you only use it on a stationary car?). I checked the pads when I got new tyres a month ago, and I'm a little surprised the figures are as high as 80% - but in any case, it's something I can do myself when they need doing and not something I'm willing to pay ~£1k for somebody else to do.
None of this needs doing now / by the Indy so I've told them to simply carry out the scheduled service and get the MOT. Obviously it may fail the MOT but I see no reason why it should given that they've just checked the car over so carefully.
It's a double edged sword though. It's great that they check the car over in so much detail - many places wouldn't, and you might then get a shock later when something fails. And they call with a list and prices, so it's my choice whether I get things done or not.
On the other hand, I took in a car which I believed had absolutely nothing wrong with it, which has only done about 3k since the service last year (which cost me £3k) - and now, I'm amazed the pile of scrap even gets me to work and back!
I will have a proper look over the car myself at the weekend if the weather is OK - I'll at least lube the wipers, but may wait for slightly nicer weather before taking wheels off and checking brake pads etc.
So - overall, since the last update I have been very happy with the car. At this precise moment in time, I'm rather less happy - but I think that will probably pass, and if it bothered me that much I could simply start taking it somewhere that does the basic oil and filter change, and gives it back to me telling me how lovely it is - which isn't really the better idea.
ETA : MOT passed. Guess they bunged them a £50 to get that pile of scrap road legal for another year.
Off topic really, but I mentioned before that I'd used the Vantage enough that I'd let the battery go flat on the Cayenne. I've solved that completely now - not so much by using the Cayenne more, but by buying a third trickle charger.... in fact, man logic is such that I'm currently seriously considering a 4th car despite the fact that I've proven I don't use 3 enough. But that's a different story....
Tyres are now sorted, Michelin PS4S. They have transformed the car - the Bridgestones were horrid (mostly due to being 6 years old I think) but I didn't realise just how much they were affecting the car. It's now much more pleasant to drive, and feels much sportier - I think the turn in must have sharpened up. Sadly, it hasn't got any faster....
The squeaking belts has disappeared again - it doesn't seem to coincide with wet or dry weather, so maybe it was only when it was very cold - or maybe I did get coolant all over it when I did the thermostat in the autumn, and that's now all got worn off!
I debated on whether I needed a clutch again a month or two back, but have concluded not. I occasionally get a slight noise when I let the clutch out slowly, but ironically when I started researching clutch costs it hasn't happened since. I'm actually not convinced it comes from the clutch so requires more investigation - paying £3k for a clutch and then finding it was still there would be a tad disappointing.....
Passenger mirror stopped folding out properly about a month ago. This is an issue I had about a year ago, and was solved by the garage lubing the moving parts. I assumed I needed a new mirror now, and asked for a quote about getting it done at the service. I was told : £630 + VAT - because it's "quite involved and means that even the door card needs to come off". I called another specialist - I was quoted £690 + vat and told almost exactly the same justification. Incidentally, I told them it was a volvo part - they told me they were sure it wasn't. I haven't bothered telling them that if you turn it upside down it's stamped "Volvo".
In any event, I removed the mirror from the arm (two screws at the end of the arm), lubed the mechanism and it's been fine ever since. I also took the passenger door card off myself just to see how hard it was - and although I acknowledge that you have to unbolt a couple of other bits to get the mirror arm off - it was the easiest door card I've ever removed and took me slightly under 10 minutes. So if / when I need a new mirror I will be doing it myself.
Yesterday I noticed that the passenger window wasn't dropping / raising when the door opened. Re-learned the positions (lower the window fully and keep the button pressed for 5s, raise the window fully and keep the button pressed for 5s) and it's fine now. I seem to recall I accidentally knocked the battery cutoff switch a few months back so maybe it forgot the positions then - although the driver side was fine.
So, I dropped it at the Indy yesterday evening for a 10 year service today with MOT - fault free. Or so I thought. I don't have it back yet, but I have been given the list of items they've found - the MOT is not until this afternoon, but let's asssume it will pass. The list is :
- Tyre sealant out of date. I was told that last year, and haven't replaced it so not surprising.
- Wiper arms are seized. Not seized as in they don't work, but "If you pull them away from the windscreen they stay up". Half an hour labour to lube, or ~£800 to replace. I'll lube them myself when I get the car back.
- There is play in the passenger side window regulator. £414 + vat fitted, but I don't believe this is needed now.
- Glove box damper has failed - apparently it should open more slowly than it does. £6 part, £196.47 fitted. Clearly I'm neglecting my car but I can live with the broken damper - although if I get bored over summer I might try and replace it myself for the cost of £6.
- Water in RHS tail lamp. This is an annoying one - by coincidence, when I cleaned the car at the weekend (I don't use a pressure washer), I noticed condensation in the RHS rear light. So at some point, this probably is going to fail. However, for now I'll live with it - I may see if I can do anything about it when I get it back - and I have wanted clear lights since buying the car anyway. So when they fail, I will be annoyed - and it will cost me £800+ - but it will look better as a result. Every cloud and all that.
- Passenger seatbelt is slightly frayed - bit surprising since most journeys don't involve a passenger but they didn't think it was anything that needed doing yet - which is just as well since the only quote for that was "very expensive".
- Front pads are 70% worn, Rear are 80%, handbrake is 60% (how does that happen considering you only use it on a stationary car?). I checked the pads when I got new tyres a month ago, and I'm a little surprised the figures are as high as 80% - but in any case, it's something I can do myself when they need doing and not something I'm willing to pay ~£1k for somebody else to do.
None of this needs doing now / by the Indy so I've told them to simply carry out the scheduled service and get the MOT. Obviously it may fail the MOT but I see no reason why it should given that they've just checked the car over so carefully.
It's a double edged sword though. It's great that they check the car over in so much detail - many places wouldn't, and you might then get a shock later when something fails. And they call with a list and prices, so it's my choice whether I get things done or not.
On the other hand, I took in a car which I believed had absolutely nothing wrong with it, which has only done about 3k since the service last year (which cost me £3k) - and now, I'm amazed the pile of scrap even gets me to work and back!
I will have a proper look over the car myself at the weekend if the weather is OK - I'll at least lube the wipers, but may wait for slightly nicer weather before taking wheels off and checking brake pads etc.
So - overall, since the last update I have been very happy with the car. At this precise moment in time, I'm rather less happy - but I think that will probably pass, and if it bothered me that much I could simply start taking it somewhere that does the basic oil and filter change, and gives it back to me telling me how lovely it is - which isn't really the better idea.
ETA : MOT passed. Guess they bunged them a £50 to get that pile of scrap road legal for another year.
Edited by davek_964 on Tuesday 7th March 15:46
mikey k said:
Davek which indy is that?
Spellbound in Farnham.Just sorted out the wiper - they were right that the pivot point was fairly seized, although only on the drivers side. 5 mins with wd40 and then lithium spray grease and it's now as good as new.
ETA : Actually, I need to clarify something here. At the base of the wiper arms, they are clearly a bit corroded / pitted under the paint, which I guess is why I got a price for lubing and a price for replacement.
At some point in the future I may get any stone chips at the front blown over, and will simply get the arms stripped and painted then.
ETA 2 : Having slept on it, very happy with the car again - and with Spellbound too, since I know the car has been checked over thoroughly. I have a long drive at the weekend - 600 mile round trip, 300 miles each day. Currently debating whether to take the nice comfy Cayenne or the Vantage. Think a long run will do the Vantage the world of good.
Edited by davek_964 on Wednesday 8th March 08:39
Another update, which is much quicker than usual but this weekend has seen two events that are relevant to the Vantage.
The first is the 600 mile round trip I mentioned, 5 hours in the car each way. I did take the Aston, and it's by far the longest trip I've done in the car - think I've done about 200 mile round trips before.
Obviously the car had only just been serviced so it performed faultlessly. I've always felt that the Vantage sits half way between my 360 - which is obviously a sports car - and the Cayenne. But on a 5 hour motorway jaunt, it felt much more 'Cayenne' than I expected. In fact, I must confess about 100 miles in I even thought : may as well have brought the Porsche. Overall, I'm glad I didn't though - I enjoyed the long run in the car and I'm sure a decent run did it some good.
Curiously, I visited a friend before getting home and went a little quicker when close to his house - and although it was still motorway, the exhaust growl suddenly got much more noticeable and it no longer felt quite so Cayenne like. So maybe I should have stayed in 5th for the journey Note that I have fuse 22 removed.
Fuel consumption was a pleasant surprise. I usually fill up when the gauge is down to about quarter of a tank - which on repeated short journeys means about 180 miles. At motorway speeds (a good 10‰ of which is 50mph roadworks) that quarter of a tank mark conveniently occurred after 300 miles. I didn't reset the averages before the journey but checked the instant reading a couple of times and it looked like it was managing mid twenties mpg, compared with the 15 it seems to do most of the time.
Sat nav was.... Well, it got me close to the hotel but I had to switch to my phone at the end.
Overall, a successful 600 miles although not quite as I expected. And this 600 miles rolled the mileage over the 42k mark.
However, the other weekend event is likely to reduce the amount of mileage I clock up by using the Vantage for things like work. It clearly wasn't working out trying to use the Cayenne more so I decided I needed a more interesting / fun run around car. So tomorrow, I collect a 2007 Alfa Spider. The Cayenne stays - it is the only practical car I own - but will spend even longer on the trickle charger. And the Vantage will still be used for work but probably only a day or so a week. At least that's the plan.
So it's intended / possible that my usage will drop a bit going forwards - we'll see if that's the case next time I update!
The first is the 600 mile round trip I mentioned, 5 hours in the car each way. I did take the Aston, and it's by far the longest trip I've done in the car - think I've done about 200 mile round trips before.
Obviously the car had only just been serviced so it performed faultlessly. I've always felt that the Vantage sits half way between my 360 - which is obviously a sports car - and the Cayenne. But on a 5 hour motorway jaunt, it felt much more 'Cayenne' than I expected. In fact, I must confess about 100 miles in I even thought : may as well have brought the Porsche. Overall, I'm glad I didn't though - I enjoyed the long run in the car and I'm sure a decent run did it some good.
Curiously, I visited a friend before getting home and went a little quicker when close to his house - and although it was still motorway, the exhaust growl suddenly got much more noticeable and it no longer felt quite so Cayenne like. So maybe I should have stayed in 5th for the journey
Note that I have fuse 22 removed.Fuel consumption was a pleasant surprise. I usually fill up when the gauge is down to about quarter of a tank - which on repeated short journeys means about 180 miles. At motorway speeds (a good 10‰ of which is 50mph roadworks) that quarter of a tank mark conveniently occurred after 300 miles. I didn't reset the averages before the journey but checked the instant reading a couple of times and it looked like it was managing mid twenties mpg, compared with the 15 it seems to do most of the time.
Sat nav was.... Well, it got me close to the hotel but I had to switch to my phone at the end.
Overall, a successful 600 miles although not quite as I expected. And this 600 miles rolled the mileage over the 42k mark.
However, the other weekend event is likely to reduce the amount of mileage I clock up by using the Vantage for things like work. It clearly wasn't working out trying to use the Cayenne more so I decided I needed a more interesting / fun run around car. So tomorrow, I collect a 2007 Alfa Spider. The Cayenne stays - it is the only practical car I own - but will spend even longer on the trickle charger. And the Vantage will still be used for work but probably only a day or so a week. At least that's the plan.
So it's intended / possible that my usage will drop a bit going forwards - we'll see if that's the case next time I update!
justin220 said:
Enjoying this thread, thanks for the updates. I am also running a Vantage so it's interesting to read
I ran a similar thread when I bought my Evora but felt the Vantage was a bit more common so there would be less interest in an ownership thread.
Any mods planned?
No. A year or so back I did go through a phase of wanting it to be faster so considered either moving to a 4.7 or doing BR type upgrades. But I realised that I don't actually want it to be that kind of car - I have a sports car so why try to turn the Vantage into one. Better to leave it at what it's very good at already.I ran a similar thread when I bought my Evora but felt the Vantage was a bit more common so there would be less interest in an ownership thread.
Any mods planned?
If / when the rear lights fail, they'll be replaced with clear but that's about it.
As I mentioned at the end of the last update, a new addition has been made to my car collection which takes the total up to 4 - a 2007 Alfa Spider. I've had it for about 4 weeks now I think, and am pretty impressed with it - seems a well put together car, nice to drive and surprisingly quick (only ~180bhp) with a lovely exhaust sound.
It has proven one thing about the Vantage though - I've always felt the Vantage made a perfectly good car around town - I even remember commenting a thread saying so. In the company of a 360 and a bus-sized Cayenne, that might be true. Compared to a much smaller car like the Alfa - it's definitely not! It's still the honeymoon period I guess, but the signs are there that the Alfa is a much better town car than the Vantage. The most obvious is that when I leave home, I have to pull out from a small one-way single track road at a T junction - and it's usually quite blind because people park right up to the corner. Although it's fortunately not onto a main road, it's still the case that if traffic is coming you really can't see it until you've pulled out in front of it - that's true of both the Aston and the 360. But in the Alfa, you can!
I predicted that the Aston use would drop when I bought the Alfa, and sure enough it has. I know I filled up the Aston with petrol about 10 days ago - I used it for work today (first time this week) and it seems I had done 7 miles since filling up. The Alfa has become the work commuter car, which is what it was planned for - although given that I don't generally go very far at weekends it is making me wonder what I need the Aston for - let alone the other cars..... but I'm ignoring that thought.
I've carried out a little home maintenance on the Vantage in the last few weeks, but not with much success.
First, I decided to address the problem of water in my RHS tail light. Removing the light was a bit of a surprise - I've taken rear lights off a number of cars, so I am kind of familiar with the process. But seriously - three 19mm nuts to hold a rear light on? Really?
After finding a much bigger spanner than I'd predicted I'd need, I stuck the light in the airing cupboard for a couple of days. Which achieved absolutely nothing.
So, I decided to take the more direct approach and drill a couple of holes in the light housing - at diagonally opposite ends - and left it in the airing cupboard for a few more days. Which also achieved absolutely nothing.
So, I bought a hair dryer, made up a tubed funnel and blew warm air into the light. I had to do that for an entire evening - about 3.5 hours - but at the end of it I had a lovely dry light. Fabulous.
I then used some epoxy plastic glue to seal the two holes, and to seal around where the lens meets the light. I used a lot of glue - I reckon I added at least 1Kg in weight to the car just in glue alone. Confident that this would solve the problem, I refitted the light.
A few weeks later, it's become clear that when I wash the car and rinse with the hose, there is condensation in the light again. How it's getting in, I have no idea - but I guess the lights are on borrowed time which is very disappointing. Still, now I have a hairdryer and I'm pretty sure my new hair style is turning heads.......
Second task was to check my brake pads, since I've been told they need replacing at the last two services. To be fair to the mechanics, their estimate of wear is pretty reasonable - the front pads have about the same thickness left as the backing plate thickness, and the rears are slightly less - so they definitely do need doing soon. However - I do relatively few miles - and now it seems am doing even less - so I made a note of my mileage and will check again at the end of summer. I will either replace then or - more likely - in Spring next year after the service.
Brake pads are a bit of a sore point with me at the moment anyway, because I was told the 360 needed them at the service it had a few weeks ago - and although I would prefer to do them myself it was implied I needed them for the MOT being done at the same time. I don't think that's true with hindsight - the 360 has wear sensors for one thing, and there were no warning lights - but you live and learn. Unfortunately, in this case I learned by paying a £2.5k service bill (the brakes were not the only issue) - which means I am now absolutely focussed on keeping my car expenses within my allowed budget for the next 12 months. I've even started a spreadsheet to track costs from the start of 2017 to the end of the year - although it makes scary reading. Vantage tyres + Vantage service + 360 service + Alfa service + two lots of road tax and a few other incidentals means I've spent rather a lot and we're only into April!
Anyway - apart from my inability to fix the lights the Vantage has been fine for the last month. I used it for work today, and last night I was really looking forward to it - but I must admit that on a 15 minute journey to work it was a bit of an anti-climax - hopefully with summer here it will get some longer weekend trips, although that obviously needs to be balanced with the 360 when the sun is shining. I've given up pretending that I use the Cayenne - it's now purely for when I need a big car (e.g. when visiting a garden center or a tip) - but ironically I think that buying the Alfa might mean the Cayenne gets used more next winter. By then, I'll be used to using the Alfa as the commuter car and the Aston as a more occasional car, but I'm quite sure that when it gets properly cold the Cayenne with it's proper roof, heated seat and heated steering wheel - not to mention framed windows which don't superglue themselves closed when it's below freezing - will look a lot more appealing!
Hopefully, my lights will last at least the summer and ideally into next year. Much as I'd like clear ones - I'm very budget conscious this year and absolutely don't need an £800 bill for rear lights....
It has proven one thing about the Vantage though - I've always felt the Vantage made a perfectly good car around town - I even remember commenting a thread saying so. In the company of a 360 and a bus-sized Cayenne, that might be true. Compared to a much smaller car like the Alfa - it's definitely not! It's still the honeymoon period I guess, but the signs are there that the Alfa is a much better town car than the Vantage. The most obvious is that when I leave home, I have to pull out from a small one-way single track road at a T junction - and it's usually quite blind because people park right up to the corner. Although it's fortunately not onto a main road, it's still the case that if traffic is coming you really can't see it until you've pulled out in front of it - that's true of both the Aston and the 360. But in the Alfa, you can!
I predicted that the Aston use would drop when I bought the Alfa, and sure enough it has. I know I filled up the Aston with petrol about 10 days ago - I used it for work today (first time this week) and it seems I had done 7 miles since filling up. The Alfa has become the work commuter car, which is what it was planned for - although given that I don't generally go very far at weekends it is making me wonder what I need the Aston for - let alone the other cars..... but I'm ignoring that thought.
I've carried out a little home maintenance on the Vantage in the last few weeks, but not with much success.
First, I decided to address the problem of water in my RHS tail light. Removing the light was a bit of a surprise - I've taken rear lights off a number of cars, so I am kind of familiar with the process. But seriously - three 19mm nuts to hold a rear light on? Really?
After finding a much bigger spanner than I'd predicted I'd need, I stuck the light in the airing cupboard for a couple of days. Which achieved absolutely nothing.
So, I decided to take the more direct approach and drill a couple of holes in the light housing - at diagonally opposite ends - and left it in the airing cupboard for a few more days. Which also achieved absolutely nothing.
So, I bought a hair dryer, made up a tubed funnel and blew warm air into the light. I had to do that for an entire evening - about 3.5 hours - but at the end of it I had a lovely dry light. Fabulous.
I then used some epoxy plastic glue to seal the two holes, and to seal around where the lens meets the light. I used a lot of glue - I reckon I added at least 1Kg in weight to the car just in glue alone. Confident that this would solve the problem, I refitted the light.
A few weeks later, it's become clear that when I wash the car and rinse with the hose, there is condensation in the light again. How it's getting in, I have no idea - but I guess the lights are on borrowed time which is very disappointing. Still, now I have a hairdryer and I'm pretty sure my new hair style is turning heads.......
Second task was to check my brake pads, since I've been told they need replacing at the last two services. To be fair to the mechanics, their estimate of wear is pretty reasonable - the front pads have about the same thickness left as the backing plate thickness, and the rears are slightly less - so they definitely do need doing soon. However - I do relatively few miles - and now it seems am doing even less - so I made a note of my mileage and will check again at the end of summer. I will either replace then or - more likely - in Spring next year after the service.
Brake pads are a bit of a sore point with me at the moment anyway, because I was told the 360 needed them at the service it had a few weeks ago - and although I would prefer to do them myself it was implied I needed them for the MOT being done at the same time. I don't think that's true with hindsight - the 360 has wear sensors for one thing, and there were no warning lights - but you live and learn. Unfortunately, in this case I learned by paying a £2.5k service bill (the brakes were not the only issue) - which means I am now absolutely focussed on keeping my car expenses within my allowed budget for the next 12 months. I've even started a spreadsheet to track costs from the start of 2017 to the end of the year - although it makes scary reading. Vantage tyres + Vantage service + 360 service + Alfa service + two lots of road tax and a few other incidentals means I've spent rather a lot and we're only into April!
Anyway - apart from my inability to fix the lights the Vantage has been fine for the last month. I used it for work today, and last night I was really looking forward to it - but I must admit that on a 15 minute journey to work it was a bit of an anti-climax - hopefully with summer here it will get some longer weekend trips, although that obviously needs to be balanced with the 360 when the sun is shining. I've given up pretending that I use the Cayenne - it's now purely for when I need a big car (e.g. when visiting a garden center or a tip) - but ironically I think that buying the Alfa might mean the Cayenne gets used more next winter. By then, I'll be used to using the Alfa as the commuter car and the Aston as a more occasional car, but I'm quite sure that when it gets properly cold the Cayenne with it's proper roof, heated seat and heated steering wheel - not to mention framed windows which don't superglue themselves closed when it's below freezing - will look a lot more appealing!
Hopefully, my lights will last at least the summer and ideally into next year. Much as I'd like clear ones - I'm very budget conscious this year and absolutely don't need an £800 bill for rear lights....
Edited by davek_964 on Friday 7th April 12:55
Edited by davek_964 on Friday 7th April 18:16
Shnozz said:
How do you access the bolts for the lights? I had a nose the other day and unscrewed the two metal circular bolt covers but it was clear how the carpet came away?
You don't need to touch the carpet. You remove the domed covers, and then you should see the nuts - so you simply undo the nuts.The driver side one has the added complication that the third domed cover is behind the panel where the fusebox / tyre sealant etc are. And it's very easy to drop the socket you are using to undo the nut.... which then drops behind the fuse box.......
Fortunately, those magnetic pick up tools really do work (although there was one exact angle I had to get the socket at to be able to get it out - quite remarkable that it managed to find that angle when I dropped it!)
Shnozz said:
Ah thanks - that is the nut for the light beneath the domed cover - odd then. My drivers side one feels slightly lose when you touch the light on the outside yet that nut felt as though it had no play in it when i removed the cover (and appeared stationary when I "wobbled" the light on the outside of the car.
Did you check all 3?Odd that it's lose - given the size of the nuts, it really should not move!
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