Aston Martin---A scathing car review
Discussion
Would be interested to read others views on this one. The reviewer points out so many negatives in a $140,000 car that it is hard to fathom how the company is still going. Yet I still want one 
He states some negatives to save some people having to view the vid;
-Illegible instrument binnacles
-Ill-conceived dash and centre panel with a hole to hold...a pen?
-Storage compartments that open to...zero space
-Cheap plastics and cheap pop up info/nav system that is a $2,700 option
-Bluetooth is a $750 option
-Counter intuitive tacho and speedometer layouts
-Severely cramped cabin with wind noise even when driving at low speed
-Auto transmission described as 'soviet era' tech that ruins the driving experience
-Woeful suspension
He does say the engine is great but that the auto box ruins it. The auto box is a $5k option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi0yXeuqBjU
He states some negatives to save some people having to view the vid;
-Illegible instrument binnacles
-Ill-conceived dash and centre panel with a hole to hold...a pen?
-Storage compartments that open to...zero space
-Cheap plastics and cheap pop up info/nav system that is a $2,700 option
-Bluetooth is a $750 option
-Counter intuitive tacho and speedometer layouts
-Severely cramped cabin with wind noise even when driving at low speed
-Auto transmission described as 'soviet era' tech that ruins the driving experience
-Woeful suspension
He does say the engine is great but that the auto box ruins it. The auto box is a $5k option.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi0yXeuqBjU
Thorburn said:
To be honest he's not far wrong with regards to the tech - my Dad has a very similar 2013 Vantage S Roadster (pictured here along with my Lotus Elise and some Fiat: https://www.flickr.com/photos/thorburnj/1924936704... ) and I've driven a few times and passengered in it a lot. He had a 2009 Vantage Roadster before that.
Seeing people operate the centre console controls in them whilst driving is borderline terrifying, they are really bad and when I've driven it I just switch the radio off, put it in Sport mode and leave EVERYTHING over there alone - if I started trying to fiddle with them on the move I'd crash. This applies to MOST cars now though IMO, he also has a M135i and the BMW iDrive system means you are forced to look at the screen in the centre console when operating it, the proliferation of unnecessary tech in cars needs to stop, particularly driver focused machinery.
The gearbox he got wrong, it is a single clutch box, not a dual-clutch, but he is right that in the non-S Vantage with SpeedShift I it was very jerky. The SpeedShift II box in the Vantage S is a lot better, but personally I still prefer a proper manual. You need to lift off the throttle slightly when changing up to get a smoother shift, but I really don't know why when you have the computer controlling the gear engagement, clutch engagement and throttle actuation - it should just deal with it rather than make me try and second guess the computer controlling the clutch.
In terms of wind noise and buffeting with the roof down, he didn't have the wind deflector fitted which helps a lot, but that is pretty irrelevant when driving with the side windows down - no convertible is quiet when doing that.
Suspension - didn't think the Vantage was too stiff, but the Vantage S setup is a bit firm for my tastes.
Dials - the fuel gauge I don't have a problem reading, the counter-clockwise rev counter is idiotic, he willfully ignores the fact that while the speedo is hard to read there is also a digital readout where in the shots it was telling him the door was open.
Interior space - I'm 5'10". I don't have enough leg room and can't travel in it comfortably for any distance.
Interesting feedback. And they must be doing something right if he's on his second one.Seeing people operate the centre console controls in them whilst driving is borderline terrifying, they are really bad and when I've driven it I just switch the radio off, put it in Sport mode and leave EVERYTHING over there alone - if I started trying to fiddle with them on the move I'd crash. This applies to MOST cars now though IMO, he also has a M135i and the BMW iDrive system means you are forced to look at the screen in the centre console when operating it, the proliferation of unnecessary tech in cars needs to stop, particularly driver focused machinery.
The gearbox he got wrong, it is a single clutch box, not a dual-clutch, but he is right that in the non-S Vantage with SpeedShift I it was very jerky. The SpeedShift II box in the Vantage S is a lot better, but personally I still prefer a proper manual. You need to lift off the throttle slightly when changing up to get a smoother shift, but I really don't know why when you have the computer controlling the gear engagement, clutch engagement and throttle actuation - it should just deal with it rather than make me try and second guess the computer controlling the clutch.
In terms of wind noise and buffeting with the roof down, he didn't have the wind deflector fitted which helps a lot, but that is pretty irrelevant when driving with the side windows down - no convertible is quiet when doing that.
Suspension - didn't think the Vantage was too stiff, but the Vantage S setup is a bit firm for my tastes.
Dials - the fuel gauge I don't have a problem reading, the counter-clockwise rev counter is idiotic, he willfully ignores the fact that while the speedo is hard to read there is also a digital readout where in the shots it was telling him the door was open.
Interior space - I'm 5'10". I don't have enough leg room and can't travel in it comfortably for any distance.
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