V8 Vantage - what's it really like?
Discussion
davek_964 said:
I certainly wouldn't rule that out as a future possibility. I intentionally bought towards the bottom of depreciation curve to see how I get on with it.
If I do really like it, I could see a newer faster one replacing it in a couple of years.
If I do really like it, I could see a newer faster one replacing it in a couple of years.
I expect you know why I put the smiley face. The saying on this forum is, 'don't drive a V12V until you are ready to buy, because you will'.
I have driven a V12VS at 165 mph (track) and was very tempted, but just managed to resist. A 4·7 is quick enough for my own road use. I just love everything about the car. Hope you will enjoy yours.
Congrats -- these are wonderful cars to own, and they are about so much more than the numbers.
That said, and at the risk of yet more people reading this as yet another thread about how the V8V isn't that quick... I've had my MY09 4.7L Sports Pack V8V since new, and while I've never thought the 4.3 was slow, the 4.7 IMO fixes that "problem." While it's not as fast as a Porsche Turbo or GT3, the 4.7 (and the S, of course) is much quicker than people seem to give it credit for. I've run my car against a friend's 997.2 Carrera S from a low speed rolling start (the quoted acceleration times greatly favor the Porsche with its rear-engine off-the-line traction), and they were absolutely even -- and my friend was amazed. A 4.7 V8V is at least as quick if not slightly quicker than an 8-cyl R8, which people generally seem to consider plenty fast. A 4.7 V8V is quicker than a Ferrari 360 (yes, really, look at the magazine test results). A 4.7 V8V/V8VS is as quick as a manual 'box non-S 991, according to the magazine test figures. The V8V, especially in Sports Pack or S form is a genuinely great handler, too. Ken, with all due respect, putting the Rangie in the same handling galaxy as the V8V is preposterous!
I love my V8V for all of the it's-about-more-than-performance reasons discussed that make it a wonderful and very special thing to own, but it's a great driver's car in its own right and can hold its head high when it comes to performance as well.
That said, and at the risk of yet more people reading this as yet another thread about how the V8V isn't that quick... I've had my MY09 4.7L Sports Pack V8V since new, and while I've never thought the 4.3 was slow, the 4.7 IMO fixes that "problem." While it's not as fast as a Porsche Turbo or GT3, the 4.7 (and the S, of course) is much quicker than people seem to give it credit for. I've run my car against a friend's 997.2 Carrera S from a low speed rolling start (the quoted acceleration times greatly favor the Porsche with its rear-engine off-the-line traction), and they were absolutely even -- and my friend was amazed. A 4.7 V8V is at least as quick if not slightly quicker than an 8-cyl R8, which people generally seem to consider plenty fast. A 4.7 V8V is quicker than a Ferrari 360 (yes, really, look at the magazine test results). A 4.7 V8V/V8VS is as quick as a manual 'box non-S 991, according to the magazine test figures. The V8V, especially in Sports Pack or S form is a genuinely great handler, too. Ken, with all due respect, putting the Rangie in the same handling galaxy as the V8V is preposterous!
I love my V8V for all of the it's-about-more-than-performance reasons discussed that make it a wonderful and very special thing to own, but it's a great driver's car in its own right and can hold its head high when it comes to performance as well.
Thanks for the update on your ownership of the Vantage.
I am also trying to decide if I want to move over to an AM from a 911. Interesting what you say about performance, I really fancy the AM but not if it is/feels too slow. I want an AM for full on performance. It does seem from what one reads however that the 4.3 doesn't deliver which would be a shame. I also hadn't realised just how heavy the Vantage is, so I'm guessing you can't chuck it around like you can a 911.
Though fuel per gallon isn't such an issue as the car would be used rarely, range is as the car would be used for long fast trips around the Pyrenees, and I wouldn't want to be stopping every 200 miles to fill her up to get there.
Still love the look of it though and has that sense of occasion when you start her up and drive as it would be a third car so used rarely. Performance wise, I have seen a Prodrive one for sale and maybe that's the route to take, 40BHP more by all accounts.
No way I can afford a 4.7 at the moment.
I am also trying to decide if I want to move over to an AM from a 911. Interesting what you say about performance, I really fancy the AM but not if it is/feels too slow. I want an AM for full on performance. It does seem from what one reads however that the 4.3 doesn't deliver which would be a shame. I also hadn't realised just how heavy the Vantage is, so I'm guessing you can't chuck it around like you can a 911.
Though fuel per gallon isn't such an issue as the car would be used rarely, range is as the car would be used for long fast trips around the Pyrenees, and I wouldn't want to be stopping every 200 miles to fill her up to get there.
Still love the look of it though and has that sense of occasion when you start her up and drive as it would be a third car so used rarely. Performance wise, I have seen a Prodrive one for sale and maybe that's the route to take, 40BHP more by all accounts.
No way I can afford a 4.7 at the moment.
Edited by Wozy68 on Saturday 23 May 08:30
I went from a C4S to a 4.7 and as others said, there isnt much in it compared to a 4.3. Remember the C4S was the slower (!!) of the 911 family due to the AWD element and non Turbo engine but not that the average driver really notices.
But the experience is totally different which is why you choose a Vantage.
But the experience is totally different which is why you choose a Vantage.
davek_964 said:
My first impressions were that it drank too much fuel and wasn't very quick. I still don't really get why it uses quite so much petrol given its size and performance but it is at least quite a lot better on longish journeys. For performance, I didn't buy it as a fast car - it is quick enough and driving it is about far more than speed. Having said that, I've seen threads on the porsche forum from people who've moved to a vantage and been disappointed. If speed is your thing, this is the wrong car.
You sound just like me there. When I got my 4.3 V8V, I was forever trying to convince myself that the speed and power were "fine" and it was "all right really". But it isn't. I found I liked everything about the car about from it's performance, which was a pity really. 18 months later it was gone.
Wozy68 said:
Thanks for the update on your ownership of the Vantage.
I am also trying to decide if I want to move over to an AM from a 911. Interesting what you say about performance, I really fancy the AM but not if it is/feels too slow. I want an AM for full on performance. It does seem from what one reads however that the 4.3 doesn't deliver which would be a shame. I also hadn't realised just how heavy the Vantage is, so I'm guessing you can't chuck it around like you can a 911.
Though fuel per gallon isn't such an issue as the car would be used rarely, range is as the car would be used for long fast trips around the Pyrenees, and I wouldn't want to be stopping every 200 miles to fill her up to get there.
Still love the look of it though and has that sense of occasion when you start her up and drive as it would be a third car so used rarely. Performance wise, I have seen a Prodrive one for sale and maybe that's the route to take, 40BHP more by all accounts.
No way I can afford a 4.7 at the moment.
On long journeys tank range is on - I had half a tank left after 150 miles.I am also trying to decide if I want to move over to an AM from a 911. Interesting what you say about performance, I really fancy the AM but not if it is/feels too slow. I want an AM for full on performance. It does seem from what one reads however that the 4.3 doesn't deliver which would be a shame. I also hadn't realised just how heavy the Vantage is, so I'm guessing you can't chuck it around like you can a 911.
Though fuel per gallon isn't such an issue as the car would be used rarely, range is as the car would be used for long fast trips around the Pyrenees, and I wouldn't want to be stopping every 200 miles to fill her up to get there.
Still love the look of it though and has that sense of occasion when you start her up and drive as it would be a third car so used rarely. Performance wise, I have seen a Prodrive one for sale and maybe that's the route to take, 40BHP more by all accounts.
No way I can afford a 4.7 at the moment.
Edited by Wozy68 on Saturday 23 May 08:30
snuffy said:
davek_964 said:
My first impressions were that it drank too much fuel and wasn't very quick. I still don't really get why it uses quite so much petrol given its size and performance but it is at least quite a lot better on longish journeys. For performance, I didn't buy it as a fast car - it is quick enough and driving it is about far more than speed. Having said that, I've seen threads on the porsche forum from people who've moved to a vantage and been disappointed. If speed is your thing, this is the wrong car.
You sound just like me there. When I got my 4.3 V8V, I was forever trying to convince myself that the speed and power were "fine" and it was "all right really". But it isn't. I found I liked everything about the car about from it's performance, which was a pity really. 18 months later it was gone.davek_964 said:
In fact one of the reasons I'm going from 996 turbo to vantage is because I very rarely use the turbo power these days, so I don't think I'd miss it.
I thought that when I went from a Noble to a Vantage. And I think that was the problem. The Noble (or a 996 turbo in your case) fires you down the road but the Vantage doesn't. Of course, that's mainly due to turbo power as opposed to normally aspirated power delivery. But in the end it's what you like, not me. I didn't like my Aston, but you may love yours !
How do you owners find the clutch weight on the vantage 4.3.
I had a test drive yesterday and found the clutch much heavier that that of my TVR v8
and thought that it would not be any fun on a crowded M25 or any other traffic jam for that
matter.
Is a heavy clutch a sign of a new clutch being needed soon ?
I had a test drive yesterday and found the clutch much heavier that that of my TVR v8
and thought that it would not be any fun on a crowded M25 or any other traffic jam for that
matter.
Is a heavy clutch a sign of a new clutch being needed soon ?
rev-erend said:
How do you owners find the clutch weight on the vantage 4.3.
I had a test drive yesterday and found the clutch much heavier that that of my TVR v8
and thought that it would not be any fun on a crowded M25 or any other traffic jam for that
matter.
Is a heavy clutch a sign of a new clutch being needed soon ?
Mine is heavy.I had a test drive yesterday and found the clutch much heavier that that of my TVR v8
and thought that it would not be any fun on a crowded M25 or any other traffic jam for that
matter.
Is a heavy clutch a sign of a new clutch being needed soon ?
I know that on old Porsches heavy clutch means worn - and I know my clutch hasn't been changed in 35k miles. And I've seen a thread from somebody saying a new vantage clutch was much lighter.
I did get used to mine so I hardly noticed it - until I used one of my other cars and the clutch on that felt like it has no resistance at all! Swapping back to the vantage was a shock but I'm sure I'll get used to it again in a day or so. If a new one really is lighter I may go clutch shopping at some point.
Speedraser said:
About the difference in performance between the 4.3 and the 4.7: magazine tests show 1/4 mile speeds for the 4.3 in the 106 - 108 range. For the 4.7, they're 112 - 114.
When I changed from a 4.3 to 4.7, the best way I described it was this; Pressing the pedal in 6th in the 4.7 is akin to the 4.3 after dropping a gear to 5th.In a couple of days I will have owned my car for 6 weeks, so time for an update. It feels less like the honeymoon period now and more like it's my 'normal' car.
I mentioned before that I had a fault show up after about 4 days of ownership (emergency brake assist failure). Within the next 10 days it happened about half a dozen times in total - with increasing frequency - so I ordered a new sensor for the bottom of the master cylinder. And... It's never logged the fault since I placed that order. So I've got the part if I need it, but it seems all you really need to do to fix problems on a Vantage is to buy the part. Saves on labour costs I suppose.
Mine is black, which means I spend as much time washing it as driving it!
People really do seem to have a soft spot for them - everybody really does seem to love Aston Martin cars.
I've done nearly 1k miles now and apart from the self fixing brake issue not had any other problems. I get about 200 miles out of a tank of petrol with mostly short journeys.
Still think the premium audio is stunning, and still think the brakes are the best of all my cars (360 and Cayenne).
I love some of the 'detail' that the car has. For example, when I washed the car earlier I noticed the passenger door wasn't properly shut and the window hadn't raised. I opened the door to close it properly buy the alarm was armed so it went off.
Next time I used the car, the digital display tells me the alarm sounded and I should check the car. I know some alarms flash the indicators / lights differently or beep when disarmed if they triggered, which is essentially the same. But seeing the message displayed is a much nicer touch.
I've noticed I don't have the towing eye so will need to order one.
Driving the car is still an event - it feels special, and I don't think that will change.
I miss having iPod connectivity but not enough that I've bought Dension yet. I'm sure I will at some point.
I am even considering getting the car professionally detailed. I've never been able to convince myself that's a sensible us of money before - but bringing the paint finish back to perfection on a black AM Vantage is very tempting indeed.
So far, still no regrets - I love it.
I mentioned before that I had a fault show up after about 4 days of ownership (emergency brake assist failure). Within the next 10 days it happened about half a dozen times in total - with increasing frequency - so I ordered a new sensor for the bottom of the master cylinder. And... It's never logged the fault since I placed that order. So I've got the part if I need it, but it seems all you really need to do to fix problems on a Vantage is to buy the part. Saves on labour costs I suppose.
Mine is black, which means I spend as much time washing it as driving it!
People really do seem to have a soft spot for them - everybody really does seem to love Aston Martin cars.
I've done nearly 1k miles now and apart from the self fixing brake issue not had any other problems. I get about 200 miles out of a tank of petrol with mostly short journeys.
Still think the premium audio is stunning, and still think the brakes are the best of all my cars (360 and Cayenne).
I love some of the 'detail' that the car has. For example, when I washed the car earlier I noticed the passenger door wasn't properly shut and the window hadn't raised. I opened the door to close it properly buy the alarm was armed so it went off.
Next time I used the car, the digital display tells me the alarm sounded and I should check the car. I know some alarms flash the indicators / lights differently or beep when disarmed if they triggered, which is essentially the same. But seeing the message displayed is a much nicer touch.
I've noticed I don't have the towing eye so will need to order one.
Driving the car is still an event - it feels special, and I don't think that will change.
I miss having iPod connectivity but not enough that I've bought Dension yet. I'm sure I will at some point.
I am even considering getting the car professionally detailed. I've never been able to convince myself that's a sensible us of money before - but bringing the paint finish back to perfection on a black AM Vantage is very tempting indeed.
So far, still no regrets - I love it.
Edited by davek_964 on Thursday 18th June 21:14
Rappa said:
Good write up. How did you find out about the towing eye? Another thing for me to check when I pick up mine tomorrow. The longest night of restless lack of sleep is about to happen.
Sean
It should be with the 'tool kit' - which is one screw driver, a couple of spare bulbs and the towing eye. Lift the parcel shelf behind the rear seats and they should be under there (passenger side).Sean
Love the colour of yours - very similar to the 996 turbo I had before the Vantage.
davek_964 how are you now finding Aston ownership a few months in? I'm looking at one Friday but must admit was originally looking for a 996/997 Turbo or an R8. My biggest concern is will I get bored of the 'lack of performance' compared to the porker. And also the residual value as the Audi and 911 appear to have crept up in price but I'm unsure if the Aston has bottomed or not. Don't get me wrong I'm not after free ownership, I'm just not into losing shed loads come resale time. 
I've had mine 2 1/2 yeas after thinking I'd keep it for less than a year like the 997S before it.
They get under your skin in a manner that's difficult to explain. Make a few tweaks, mechanically or visually and the feeling grows.
The only thing I'd potentially consider swapping it for is a V10 R8 manual, quicker for sure, but as special I'm not so sure.
Post some pics when she arrives!
They get under your skin in a manner that's difficult to explain. Make a few tweaks, mechanically or visually and the feeling grows.
The only thing I'd potentially consider swapping it for is a V10 R8 manual, quicker for sure, but as special I'm not so sure.
Post some pics when she arrives!
I have had a V8V 4.3 for nearly 4 years and the car is still special.
I agree the clutch is heavy/agricultural and performance is a little disapointing in it's stock form.
This is very easily remedied. I had the cats replaced with fast flow, exhaust manifolds replaced with units that are fit for purpose and a twin plated clutch and lightened fly wheel.
Now it keeps up with my brothers 997 Cs. But sounds and looks an awful lot better.
It is time for a change for me and my car is on the PH for sale section, but I have loved every minute of ownership.
I agree the clutch is heavy/agricultural and performance is a little disapointing in it's stock form.
This is very easily remedied. I had the cats replaced with fast flow, exhaust manifolds replaced with units that are fit for purpose and a twin plated clutch and lightened fly wheel.
Now it keeps up with my brothers 997 Cs. But sounds and looks an awful lot better.
It is time for a change for me and my car is on the PH for sale section, but I have loved every minute of ownership.
gilbo said:
davek_964 how are you now finding Aston ownership a few months in? I'm looking at one Friday but must admit was originally looking for a 996/997 Turbo or an R8. My biggest concern is will I get bored of the 'lack of performance' compared to the porker. And also the residual value as the Audi and 911 appear to have crept up in price but I'm unsure if the Aston has bottomed or not. Don't get me wrong I'm not after free ownership, I'm just not into losing shed loads come resale time.
Well, I guess I can comment on both since I had my 996 turbo for five and a half years / 40k miles. A summary of my 996 turbo ownership would be this :I very nearly sold it towards the end of the first year of ownership. Partly because I'd had constant niggling problems during that year (mostly coolant leaks, but also fake brake pad wear warnings and a few other issues) but also because it didn't feel like a "sports" car. It was very fast - especially once mapped - but felt far more GT than sports to me. I decided to give it a last chance, and got the alignment done at Center Gravity.
That transformed the car - the steering felt much quicker, and it felt much more like a sports car.
That feeling didn't really last though and although I kept the car for quite a long time, I don't think I ever really gel'd with it. There were times when I thought it was unbelievably good - a trip to Edinburgh stays in my memory, when we made very very good progress and yet averaged over 28mpg. Driving in the wet was great fun - the car had an immense amount of grip - in fact, I'd say it was probably more fun in the wet than the dry.
In general, I would say the car was pretty soul-less. Not everybody agrees - some people use them as weekend cars, but for me it would never have been that - it just wasn't that special to drive. It was supremely capable at most things (although to this day I think the brakes were horrible), but it was rarely "fun" to drive. It is the only car I've ever had where it felt too fast for the roads. It's rare that you can use that amount of power - too much traffic in the south east - and even if you do get a clear run, it's literally seconds before you hit 3 figure speeds.
If going fast is your thing, then there are probably few things better for the money - especially since they do seem to be appreciating now. But for me, that alone didn't make the car fun.
One comment I would make is that - although I generally found that mine didn't feel like a sports car - there was a couple of weeks overlap between buying the Vantage and selling the turbo. During that two weeks, I almost exclusively used the Vantage - but when I did use the turbo shortly before selling it - it did feel sporty. So I suppose everything is relative. Compared to the cars I owned at the same time as the turbo (964, 348, 360) it is very much not sporty, and it's not nearly as much fun. But compared to other cars - which seems to include the Vantage - it does have a sporty feel to it.
Having said all of that - I expected to regret selling the turbo. I don't - not even one little bit.
I must have had the Vantage about 2 months now. I am just back from a weekend in the Cotswolds which was a good opportunity to give it a decent run - I guess we covered between 300 and 400 miles in total.
I think the speed thing is a little misleading - to me, it does feel slow - but the numbers on the speedo suggest it's really not that bad. It is a pretty quick car, but it doesn't generally feel like it is. Power delivery is very linear and there is no real feel of being pushed back in the seat. And of course, a 996/997 turbo would eat it for breakfast without even trying - as would an R8 I expect.
I didn't buy the Vantage as a fast car. I was well aware it would be significantly slower than the turbo, and I have another car which is my fun weekend car. But I did still find it's performance disappointing initially - I still expected a bit more shove when accelerating out of bends. It's not a problem now though - as I said, I think the "feel" is misleading, and it is quick enough - I found it perfectly fine over the weekend and was surprised a couple of times by the reading on the speedo.
Two months in, I love it. The unfortunate problem of having an Emergency Brake Assist failure warning within the first week has made me a bit nervous about how reliable it will be - but I finally got that sorted on Friday so hopefully I have some trouble free motoring ahead.
There are nice touches that come with the car, and these add up to a package you really appreciate. The angled doors are something that I initially considered a gimmick - but you've only got to park on a cambered road a couple of times to realise how useful they are.
Fuel consumption isn't the greatest, but you learn to live with it.
Brakes are better than my 360 in my opinion - and about a million times better than the stock 996 turbo brakes.
If you care about such things, the Aston attracts a lot of attention. Porsche's these days are ten a penny - people barely noticed mine. The Aston gets very nearly the same amount of attention as my 360.
Overall - as people have said - owning and driving the Aston is an experience. Two months in, I still look forward to driving it and I love it. I have no regrets about buying one at all.
If I was looking for a sports / weekend fun car, then I don't think a Vantage would be on my list - for me, it serves a different purpose than that. But - a 996 turbo wouldn't be on my list either because I never felt it met those criteria.
From a price point of view - 996 turbos do seem to be going up, and I think decent examples will continue to do so. I wasn't sure if I'd get on with a Vantage, so bought an early one thinking that at least I was near the bottom of the curve. My feeling is that they probably won't drop much lower than they are now, but I have no evidence to base that on. If I was feeling like blowing a bit more cash, I'd be very tempted to buy newer - probably go for a 4.7 - and just accept it would probably depreciate. But I'm happy with the one I have, and don't feel any need to upgrade at the moment.
I am definitely still very happy with mine, but I am lucky that I have other cars to complement it.
ETA : To be honest, if I had to summarise the reason I did finally get rid of my 996 turbo I'd say it was because I found it boring to drive. If it wasn't sunny weekend weather it seemed simpler to use the Cayenne than the turbo (Cayenne's are more fun than people imagine!) because 99% of the time you couldn't use the acceleration of the turbo anyway. And if you take away the immense acceleration, I was never convinced there was much left that made it fun.
We all like different things, but considering you say you're worried you might find the lack of speed in the Vantage boring - I'd say be careful of assuming that the speed of the turbo stops it from being boring. The turbo is very good at everything, but that can make it feel quite ordinary to drive (in my opinion).
Edited by davek_964 on Wednesday 15th July 13:02
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff