Is an Aston going to ruin me?
Discussion
Is an Aston going to ruin me? 
Idly browsing the classifieds as we all do I noticed the price of V8 Vantages dropping ‘just’ below £30k for early cars and this got me doing the man maths…..
It’d be a push to buy the thing, but doable, and after a visit to my local main dealer the urge is strong. It really didn’t help that they had a suitable car, all be it a little pricey due to tiny miles, but it looked stunning and was very well prepped, a chat to the salesman was informative but then he did admit to not being the Vantage ‘expert’ but running costs don’t seem ‘that far’ north of the current TVR toy.
I’d be doing minimal miles, probably about 3-4k a year so the likes of petrol, insurance and tax not really any different, and the last ‘service’ on the TVR was north of £1k by the time a few ‘consumables’ were added so even the higher service bills are hopefully not going be ‘that much’ higher.
Headlights and Clutches appear to be the things to look for, so hopefully a used example with a recent clutch would be the way to go, anything else to look out for?
I can see it getting more expensive than I planned as to get it past SHMBO a trip to Monaco in it has been promised.
Biggest ‘issue’ at the moment is will it fit in a ‘standard’ new build type garage, online data says it’s 1mm wider and 300mm longer than the TVR which on paper works, but really need to ‘borrow’ one to see if you can get out the car when it’s in the garage, and hope to tackle this at the same time of ‘having a go’ in one from the dealer as it is a bit of a different animal to the TVR, a lot more refined and quiet.
So…anyone else not a powerfully built company director running an Aston?
Idly browsing the classifieds as we all do I noticed the price of V8 Vantages dropping ‘just’ below £30k for early cars and this got me doing the man maths…..
It’d be a push to buy the thing, but doable, and after a visit to my local main dealer the urge is strong. It really didn’t help that they had a suitable car, all be it a little pricey due to tiny miles, but it looked stunning and was very well prepped, a chat to the salesman was informative but then he did admit to not being the Vantage ‘expert’ but running costs don’t seem ‘that far’ north of the current TVR toy.
I’d be doing minimal miles, probably about 3-4k a year so the likes of petrol, insurance and tax not really any different, and the last ‘service’ on the TVR was north of £1k by the time a few ‘consumables’ were added so even the higher service bills are hopefully not going be ‘that much’ higher.
Headlights and Clutches appear to be the things to look for, so hopefully a used example with a recent clutch would be the way to go, anything else to look out for?
I can see it getting more expensive than I planned as to get it past SHMBO a trip to Monaco in it has been promised.
Biggest ‘issue’ at the moment is will it fit in a ‘standard’ new build type garage, online data says it’s 1mm wider and 300mm longer than the TVR which on paper works, but really need to ‘borrow’ one to see if you can get out the car when it’s in the garage, and hope to tackle this at the same time of ‘having a go’ in one from the dealer as it is a bit of a different animal to the TVR, a lot more refined and quiet.
So…anyone else not a powerfully built company director running an Aston?
Understand the issues with running costs getting no cheaper regardless how cheap the cars become, my daily driver is an ageing Boxster.
Must admit a £5k surprise Bill would smart a little but I'd find it somehow, the TVR hit me for a £4k chassis refurb/body off bill but I did have a few months notice on that one.
It's a given that EVERYTHING is going to be more expensive than the TVR, but it's currently an exercise to make sure my eyes are firmly open to any potential big bills.
Looks like the book is one to quickly add to the Christmas list.
Must admit a £5k surprise Bill would smart a little but I'd find it somehow, the TVR hit me for a £4k chassis refurb/body off bill but I did have a few months notice on that one.
It's a given that EVERYTHING is going to be more expensive than the TVR, but it's currently an exercise to make sure my eyes are firmly open to any potential big bills.
Looks like the book is one to quickly add to the Christmas list.
Just been having a flick through the TVR's history file and that is averaging out at £1k a year on 'servicing' and has only been doing an average of 1000 miles a year for the last 4 years....last year was only 367miles! I almost start the question the point of having a car of any sort. 
But then some of the reasons for that are now the reason I fancy a 'treat'.
I almost start the question the point of having a car of any sort. But then some of the reasons for that are now the reason I fancy a 'treat'.
Impasse said:
A lot of the problems stem from lack of use rather than things wearing out. Mine has been virtually an everyday car for the past two and a half years.
I think this goes for a lot of cars, the TVR had a lot less silly issues when it was a daily driver, and even the Boxster seem to take the hump if it doesn't get used much, which is leading me to the idea of replacing them both with the Aston, this seems to answer a number of problems, but does raise a few others.... bogie said:
I'm starting to feel like Ive had my moneys worth out of it, maybe even time for an upgrade next year
My current plan maybe a change about April time.... Not been put off...too much, so far.
Not adverse to a bit of DIY as and when needed, the Boxster had new discs and pads all round earlier this year, it put up a fight but tackled it over a couple of days on the drive.
I believe there is an Aston indy in Derby, so that's no further than my local TVR indy, any views on Aston Engineering? Feel free to PM me.
So current plan is try and shift the TVR in the new year, find an Aston, then sell the Boxster as well....then buy a banger for carting my bike about in, and tip runs...then use the Aston as much as possible!
Not adverse to a bit of DIY as and when needed, the Boxster had new discs and pads all round earlier this year, it put up a fight but tackled it over a couple of days on the drive.
I believe there is an Aston indy in Derby, so that's no further than my local TVR indy, any views on Aston Engineering? Feel free to PM me.
So current plan is try and shift the TVR in the new year, find an Aston, then sell the Boxster as well....then buy a banger for carting my bike about in, and tip runs...then use the Aston as much as possible!
PeteGriff said:
if you can afford it follow your dream, you never know whats around the corner! Regards, Pete
Very true, and one of the reasons for trying to live the dream....and pitiful interest rates, I've had nearly 2 years recovering from a cycling accident and am facing the fact of the limp going nowhere, and hopefully residuals aren't going drop massively...but then if they do, I've done it, no point being the richest bloke in the graveyard. focusman53 said:
That's the one. Oh a bit of a warning. Don't bother looking at the White 'wrapped' vantage in High Wycombe. Or the pale blue vantage in the same area.
Seen both of those 'online' too, nothing against wraps but there's no chance I'd buy one at this sort of price point, who knows what it's like underneath.I'm probably getting my research in way to early but just want to know what I may or may not be letting myself in for but the things are just achingly pretty, but the TVR really is like part of the family and after 15 years ownership it's going to be a wrench but it's time for a new treat.....hopefully April/May time, can make it a birthday present to myself then.
Well this is all sounding promising, need to pop to Stratstones sometime over the Christmas break to run the idea past the Mrs....not that she really has any say in the issue but it's only polite to show her where the extension money is going. :haha:
But like I've said it's a long game anyway, but there does seem quite a few TVR owners migrating to Aston's
But like I've said it's a long game anyway, but there does seem quite a few TVR owners migrating to Aston's
There's an 06 for sale locally that has only just done 10k, that must have been some £/mile for the previous 2 owners, the low mileage is kind of putting me off though, might go and have a look though as it's Tungsten, and they also have an Onyx one in as well, will help decide on a colour....
V8 Animal said:
Had my 3 TVRs in here and the 3 Astons 
This is a modern house with single garage and the picture is the bigger DBS model.
Finally got the dealer to pop a car round to the house (big thanks to Stratstone Derby) and it's really a lot tighter than I'd like, it fits, but getting out the car is a squeeze and getting the arse through the door is Rizla paper tight, on paper there's 3" a side, in reality it feels a whole load closer. This is a modern house with single garage and the picture is the bigger DBS model.
It makes the TVR seem tiny although the dims aren't s'posed to that much different
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