Query on Vanquish II transmission gear change in sport mode

[V12Vanquish]

I have a question about my 14MY Vanquish when operating the car in sport mode.

In drive with sport mode on the transmission never goes past 5th into 6th gear.

In normal (not sport) mode it changes into 6th gear.

If I use the paddles it will also go into 6th gear.

Could a few of the new Vanquish owners confirm that their transmission operates the same as mine. I don't immediately see anything in the handbook about this.

[Lotto]

My late 2012 DBS does the same. I have noticed though it will go into 6th if I use the cruise control when in Sport.

edited to add that it drops back into 5th as soon as cruise is switched off on the steering wheel control.

Edited by Lotto on Friday 4th April 20:52

[V12Vanquish]

Thanks Lotto, I haven't tried the cruise control very much yet. I will test it tomorrow. Exactly as you say if cruising in 6th and you press the sport button it immediately drops into 5th. I keep it in sport mode most of the time as I like the exhaust note better.

[silverspeed]

Pretty sure on my 9 in Sport it stays in 5th but can up shift through the paddles.

[downr]

That's the same on my 9. The only two points of the sport mode on a 9 are that it a) shifts at higher revs and b) doesn't go into 6th gear (ie keeps the revs up at high speed). Guessing it must be the same on later models too then

[V12Vanquish]

Thanks guys, that reassures me that they are all the same and that I don't have another issue.

I have also noticed that occasionally when I select reverse the screen for the rear view camera will not always open. I normally keep it closed as I don't particularly like it on when I'm driving, I find it rather distracting.

I dropped into the dealership today, but of course it was working perfectly.

[amv8beauty]

V12Vanquish how are you finding your vanquish have owned mine for just over a week and i am loving it but sometimes i feel its missing something . how long have you had yours ?

[V12Vanquish]

I have mine since the beginning of January, just clocked up 700 miles today.
I have really only driven it over the last few weeks, I didn't take it out much when the roads were being salted. I drive mine in sport mode and the middle suspension setting all the time, it's just a bit too soft on the base settings. It really is my everyday car, but I don't drive every day. I have had several Astons over the last few years, but I'm a little disappointed with the general overall quality, fit and finish, paint etc. To be brutally honest in my experience, I think that their quality standards are definitely getting worse. Although I really love the brand, exclusivity etc, I really doubt that I will buy another one. This current car replaced a Bentley CGT and it was pretty much perfect in every respect and totally fault free during my ownership.

[cayman-black]

V12Vanquish said:

I have mine since the beginning of January, just clocked up 700 miles today.
I have really only driven it over the last few weeks, I didn't take it out much when the roads were being salted. I drive mine in sport mode and the middle suspension setting all the time, it's just a bit too soft on the base settings. It really is my everyday car, but I don't drive every day. I have had several Astons over the last few years, but I'm a little disappointed with the general overall quality, fit and finish, paint etc. To be brutally honest in my experience, I think that their quality standards are definitely getting worse. Although I really love the brand, exclusivity etc, I really doubt that I will buy another one. This current car replaced a Bentley CGT and it was pretty much perfect in every respect and totally fault free during my ownership.

Sad to hear this on such a lovely car. But then i really do not think this car has moved forward that much on the DBS.

[bananarob]

cayman-black said:

V12Vanquish said:

I have mine since the beginning of January, just clocked up 700 miles today.
I have really only driven it over the last few weeks, I didn't take it out much when the roads were being salted. I drive mine in sport mode and the middle suspension setting all the time, it's just a bit too soft on the base settings. It really is my everyday car, but I don't drive every day. I have had several Astons over the last few years, but I'm a little disappointed with the general overall quality, fit and finish, paint etc. To be brutally honest in my experience, I think that their quality standards are definitely getting worse. Although I really love the brand, exclusivity etc, I really doubt that I will buy another one. This current car replaced a Bentley CGT and it was pretty much perfect in every respect and totally fault free during my ownership.

Sad to hear this on such a lovely car. But then i really do not think this car has moved forward that much on the DBS.

Having owned both, I would disagree, it has moved on leaps and bounds on the DBS. Put it in sport and track, paddle control and it's awesome as a sports car. Unless I'm motorway cruising that's the setup for me. I think inside, the vanquish tech and looks bring the car up to date too.

That said, I had 2.5 years of trouble free motoring in the DBS, I loved it! I wish I could say the same for the vanquish. I might not have experienced anything critical but it has been in and out of the dealership more times than i care to remember over the last 12 months. It might have been nothing serious but at 200k, i would not expect so many niggles..

What pisses me off more than anything is how little Aston actually cared. It took them 9 months of problems to call me and that short conversation resulted in a poxy PDC as a sweetener. They seemed more interested in putting it down to being part and parcel of a new car. Considering it's their flagship car coupled with them apparently monitoring every issue, that shocked me.
All aside the car is fantastic in many ways but ownership has left a bad taste in my mouth. At least it's perfect now!

[MollyGTi]

bananarob said:

At least it's perfect now!

Thank heavens you are finally able to say that!

I think stretching her legs over the Brecon Beacons a couple of weeks ago helped you re-bond with her (definitely no pun intended)

[bananarob]

Definitely. After all, it wasn't her fault....

[V12Vanquish]

Thanks for all the replies. After a quick run this afternoon, I can confirm that with the cruise control activated the car does indeed go into top gear when in sport mode. As soon as you disable the cruise it immediately drops back down into 5th. I agree with bananarob too many niggles / issues for AM's flagship model. In my opinion they need to very quickly get a bit more focused on what they are doing themselves than worrying about the quality of the dealerships coffee.

Edited by V12Vanquish on Sunday 6th April 16:39

[Murph7355]

V12Vanquish said:

...In my opinion they need to very quickly get a bit more focused on what they are doing themselves than worrying about the quality of the dealerships coffee...

Not convinced they have in the last 7yrs, so don't see it changing any time soon (and I had hardly any issues with my lowly V8V ).

[adamfawsitt]

Apologies for joining the conversation a little late but I have been travelling and had not driven my car in a few weeks.

My Vanquish (purchased 6.2.14) will happily go into 6th gear in Sport mode. Having read your post I was intrigued and did some experiments, whilst Sport mode raises the threshold of 6th gear entry (to about 65 MPH on my car) it will go into 6th. As far as I can see the cruise control is a red herring, you might be doing the higher speed when on cruise and a neutral throttle results in the box selecting 6th.

I have had no problem with reversing camera selection and the screen not lifting.

How do you get on with horn button placement - I think it is counterintuitive in an emergency. Any other niggles with controls or behaviours?

[V12Vanquish]

There is now 1000 miles on the car, I will try it again, but I have never seen the car in 6th gear in Sport Drive mode unless the cruise control is activated. I will try this again, it's very possible that I'm just not driving he car fast enough. Never noticed the horn, I can't recall that I have never used it yet, but I will check it out. Issues / queries to date:

No DAB radio, which I thought all 2014 MY cars were supposed to have.

Old type Eurowatch tracker fitted, which again I thought all 2014 MY cars were fitted with the new Cobra (better fobs etc.?) system.

Intermittent SRS / airbag warning light, now completely fixed, eventually traced to a faulty seatbelt.

Intermittent rear view camera screen not rising when reverse is selected.

Drivers mirror not always returning to the correct setting after it dips for reversing.

Stone chips in the paint, every time I wash it there are more, never had this problem to this extent before in 40 years of motoring. I believe this to be a paint rather than operating environment issue. I just keep touching them in.

[adamfawsitt]

Thanks for the comprehensive response.

The horn is not in the centre of the wheel like 99% of other cars but can be found in two sections of the upper rim of the steering wheel!

I too have the dipped mirrors not always returning to their original position issue.

Edited by adamfawsitt on Saturday 26th April 14:18

[Y100]

V12Vanquish said:

Stone chips in the paint, every time I wash it there are more, never had this problem to this extent before in 40 years of motoring. I believe this to be a paint rather than operating environment issue. I just keep touching them in.

Paintshield Expel Ultimate the way to go,,,,(Peterboro').

[hornbaek]

I was seriously considering a Vanquish Volante but borrowed a Bentley GTC for a couple of weeks from Crewe. I don't like the image the Bentley portrays but in terms of car/quality/equipment/drivability it is lightyears ahead of any Aston - unfortunately. It used to be so that you would buy an Aston with your heart rather than your head. When the VH platform came along the head started to get involved. Unfortunately we are now back to the latter.

[V12Vanquish]

I would absolutely agree with all of that, I'm definitely back to a Bentley next time.