997.2 C4S to V8VS undecided

997.2 C4S to V8VS undecided

Author
Discussion

steveatesh

4,893 posts

163 months

Friday 13th January 2017
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northernmedia said:
Murph7355 said:
Bincenzo said:
Then you've been buying from the wrong dealership. I'm deadly serious. Why would you buy a car with a fault?
I would be staggered if a dealer selling a used V8V would replace headlamp units with condensation (unless the car's over priced).

AM wouldn't change mine when the car was new! They did fit silica gel which helped...but as mentioned above it's a design issue rather than a "fault". Just like there are many other design and production issues typical with the car.

There's nothing wrong with pointing these out to prospective purchasers. They'll find them soon eonugh anyway and then think we're all idiots for not noticing. It doesn't make the cars any less lovely. But the issues exist.

OP - plenty of threads on here about such things...spend plenty of time reading up. 997s are nice cars. But they're more Audi than Aston. That is also not meant as a criticism per se. Astons are special. Buy one and use it for a bit. You can always go back, but life's too short not to try lots of stuff.

btw, be careful when there's salt on the roads. bincenzo won't like me saying this, but the quality of the paintwork is st and the undersides don't like it. Get it waxoyld or similar if you intend to use it all year round.
Genuinely interested to know more about the underside corrosion issues you mentioned.
I haven't heard of any such problems on a gaydon era car.
Murph, after seven years use in all weathers you've introduced another neurosis in me, thanks ! smile

northernmedia

1,988 posts

137 months

Saturday 14th January 2017
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Murph's gone quiet! rolleyes

Bincenzo

2,606 posts

178 months

Saturday 14th January 2017
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Murph7355 said:
bincenzo won't like me saying this, but the quality of the paintwork is st.
Not entirely sure why I wouldn't like that statement. It's your opinion and you're fully entitled to it.

Murph7355

37,649 posts

255 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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northernmedia said:
Genuinely interested to know more about the underside corrosion issues you mentioned.
I haven't heard of any such problems on a gaydon era car.
Surface corrosion on the rear subframe.

To be fair, it was nothing major - much like the rear meshes etc. However I would advise anyone using their car over winter on salty roads checks the undersides of their car (with the trays removed) regularly.

northernmedia

1,988 posts

137 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
quotequote all
Murph7355 said:
northernmedia said:
Genuinely interested to know more about the underside corrosion issues you mentioned.
I haven't heard of any such problems on a gaydon era car.
Surface corrosion on the rear subframe.

To be fair, it was nothing major - much like the rear meshes etc. However I would advise anyone using their car over winter on salty roads checks the undersides of their car (with the trays removed) regularly.
Bit of a nothing statement then.

Murph7355

37,649 posts

255 months

Wednesday 18th January 2017
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northernmedia said:
Bit of a nothing statement then.
Perhaps wink

(Still check the undersides if you use the car in salty conditions though).

steeviegeebies

196 posts

144 months

Saturday 21st January 2017
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Also look for corrosion on the wing mirror arms, inside the door handle recesses and around the bottom of the door panels. Many of the early ones will have had the door issues fixed by dealers when they first arose, but the wing mirror arms are just something you have to keep touching up or respraying. Easy fix, but worth knowing. As mentioned front lights mist up a bit sometimes but it evaporates when the lights are on. They all seem to do this. Finally the sportshift gearbox can be fragile and needs to be treated with care. The manual seems bomb proof, despite not liking slow manoeuvres when you can smell the clutch getting warm.

As for a 911 vs a V8V, they are different but both capable cars. I had a 911 for 6 years before the Aston and found that in a 911 other road users think you're a tw*t, but in an Aston they think you're a gent. Strangely the adverse attitude towards Porsche drivers seems limited to modern cars, whereas everyone seems to drool over classics.

Fatboymark

Original Poster:

17 posts

110 months

Tuesday 31st January 2017
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Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post and for the valuable information you have shared.
As an update, I ordered the buyers guide and have not had my nose out of it since it was delivered yesterday.
My local dealer (Derby) organised a 24hr test drive in a manual V8V which confirmed a few bits for me
1, car must be sportshift, I would have loved a manual, but it just didn't work for me
2, lightweight seats seem like a must due to my large dimensions and the fact they seem to give about 2" extra room
3, I really like cobalt blue!
4, most important this will definitely be my next car, just need to find the right one

Big Ry

1,678 posts

118 months

Tuesday 31st January 2017
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Fatboymark said:
Thank you all for taking the time to reply to my post and for the valuable information you have shared.
As an update, I ordered the buyers guide and have not had my nose out of it since it was delivered yesterday.
My local dealer (Derby) organised a 24hr test drive in a manual V8V which confirmed a few bits for me
1, car must be sportshift, I would have loved a manual, but it just didn't work for me
2, lightweight seats seem like a must due to my large dimensions and the fact they seem to give about 2" extra room
3, I really like cobalt blue!
4, most important this will definitely be my next car, just need to find the right one
I assume you actually went out in a Sportshift and didn't just decide the manual wasn't for you ? I'm only saying as it would be a shame for you to buy one only to also realise it wasn't for you either, it's a bit of a love and hate the SS. That said, I didn't get on with the V8S SS but I really liked the V12S SS3 iteration. I guess would be likely down to a single vs twin plate clutch for starters (i'm guessing...WTF do I know). If you haven't already, get an extended drive in a V8SS....and try driving it in heavy traffic and reversing wink

I agree that Cobalt is lovely. There were a good few Cobalt V8 and V8S's for sale last year, but on Timeless there's not a single V8 in this colour at the moment.......wait for spring and you might see a few trade-ins.

Looking forward to welcoming you into the fold beer

Dave77vx

19 posts

141 months

Wednesday 1st February 2017
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I've just part exchanged my BMW M4 competition package for an Aston V8 4.7. It would be a lot cheaper to buy a second car to keep the miles down on your next purchase, esp if paying cash. Mileage is one of the biggest factors with future values. One years running costs on the Aston would be enough to buy another car!

D

Big Ry

1,678 posts

118 months

Wednesday 1st February 2017
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Dave77vx said:
I've just part exchanged my BMW M4 competition package for an Aston V8 4.7. It would be a lot cheaper to buy a second car to keep the miles down on your next purchase, esp if paying cash. Mileage is one of the biggest factors with future values. One years running costs on the Aston would be enough to buy another car!

D
Unless you're doing massive miles then you shouldn't see expenses much different to an M4. Assuming you bought from an AM dealer then you have 12 months warranty for a start (or the balance of the three year), add in an annual service at £6-700, tyres will be on par with the M4 and again unless your miles are crazy the depreciation won't be that bad, in fact I bed it's a damn site better than a BMW.

It's a total misconception that Gaydon cars cost a fortune to run, they don't. My V8S cost more or less exactly the same to run as the 997S I had before, and that in turn wasn't much different to a previous M3. The V12 I'm in now will be marginally more due to MPG, but other than an extra £100 or so for the service, there's no difference.

Give it a year and I bet you'll see the running costs being no more than the M4 you traded....and unless you bought it new I'd say depreciation % won't be much different either.

Welcome to the club anyway, good work thumbup