2007 V8 Vantage rear bumper supply

[The Surveyor]

Just a quick question regarding parts supplies.

My 2007 V8 Vantage was damaged on the ferry to Le Mans 24hr this year, caused by the daft old bugger behind leaving his car parked out of gear and without the handbrake applied, and then not finding his car on departure so when the deck lowered, his driver-less POS rolled majestically into the rear pushing in everything under the boot lid.

Annoyed but not the end of the world as it was his fault and the insurance would sort it....

Once the repairs were authorised despite being disputed by LV, it's now in for repair including a new rear bumper. A straightforward repair you would have thought except there are no rear bumpers available apparently, meaning they can't actually say when i'll get the car back!

Does anybody know if there is a general parts supply issue within AM, or if this is just related to early Vantage body sections, or if there are loads available and it's just the approved body shop are incompetent!

[The Surveyor]

Thanks for the offer Bigmig but it's a new one through the insurance that's required. I pushed for a new bumper as the damage was minimal other than the bumper having ripples along its upper edge, if the replacement isn't perfect (I know...) then it'll have to be done again.

Most people wouldn't notice the damage but with the gloss black paint I see it everytime I see it.

[The Surveyor]

Had the confirmation on Friday that there are no new rear bumpers for the Vantage available. Aston Martin are also unable to confirm when or if any more will be produced.

All a bit poor to be honest and is putting a major cloud over the whole Aston ownership experience. Never had any such problems during 15 years of TVR ownership.

[The Surveyor]

JohnG1 said:

The Surveyor said:

Had the confirmation on Friday that there are no new rear bumpers for the Vantage available. Aston Martin are also unable to confirm when or if any more will be produced.

All a bit poor to be honest and is putting a major cloud over the whole Aston ownership experience. Never had any such problems during 15 years of TVR ownership.

I believe someone on here fitted a later model Vantage bumper to his/her car as he/she wanted the fancy carbon fibre diffuser which did not fit the original bumper.

The newer bumper was fitted, so perhaps that's the road to go down - fit a more modern bumper?

It's in the hands of the insurance company so upgrades aren't on the cards, plus I'd rather not make any changes to the way it looks.

It's just unacceptable for a manufacturer to ignore its customers and let their parts supply dry up.

[The Surveyor]

mjk1 said:

You've had the offer of an undamaged secondhand one. Get that painted and fitted, you'd never know the difference to a new one which would also have to be painted and fitted. It's just a plastic moulding it's not going to wear out like a mechanical component.

I don't want the responsibility of supplying parts for the repair, that needs to be done by the repairer. However good the second hand bumper may look, if when it's on my car and painted and 'if' the work isn't 100% right, I'll have no comeback as they will just indicate that 'the second hand bumper you supplied wasn't a good one...' whether that right on not.

The existing bumper is hardly hanging in shreds, the damage is minimal but it has left ripples along the bumper face that I'm not happy to live with, especially when the accident wasn't my fault.



It would be different if I was getting it repaired on the cheap due to me backing into a wall or something but I don't think I'm being unreasonable to expect the car back to being perfect, or expecting a manufacturer like Aston Martin to actually hold major consumable body parts like rear bumpers for current models (albeit an earlier style).

[The Surveyor]

blade runner said:

Bincenzo said:

Equally, how long do you expect a company to make legacy parts for?

For something like a rear bumper on what is (for AM) a high production model, I'd expect supply to be continued for a great many years. Early Vantages are only 10 years old and (correct me if I'm wrong) I don't think AM make the bumpers themselves anyway but sub-contract to a third party supplier. Even if the original supplier has gone bust, the tooling will still be around and could just be moved to a different supplier.

I'd certainly expect them to have parts available for cars which are still being sold within their approved-used dealer network. As above, even once they have decided not to hold the stock direct, I'd expect them to pass the rights on to somebody else to carry on the supply. Running out of replacement bumpers is shoddy enough, not being able to say if or when they are going to get stock in is frankly shambolic.

[The Surveyor]

Bincenzo said:

I fail to believe there are none left. Who has your insurance company spoken to within AM?

I've spoken with AM direct as I was also sceptical of what the bodyshop were telling me about the parts supply via the local Aston Dealer. AM have confirmed that their supplier has closed down and they have no bumpers available, they are looking for an alternative supplier but can't give a date of when they will have an alternative supplier lined up, and therefore when they are likely to have any more bumpers in stock.

Not happy.

[The Surveyor]

JohnG1 said:

OK, so it sounds like the supplier has gone bust? So, to recover the tooling, even if that's covered under the contract between AML and whatever they are called (in bankruptcy) will require the receivers and a bunch of faff. It's not an overnight process...

If there is no stated intention to stop supplying this part and instead it's a commercial problem with that vendor, it seems a bit unwarranted to suggest that it's a strategy not to supply.

In any case, your insurer could ask AML to supply a newer compatible bumper which will have a carbon fibre diffuser rather than the prone to rust mesh on the original...

That old thing about if you get lemons, make lemonade springs to mind...

I didn't say that the supplier had gone bust, I said it was reported that they had closed down. Nor did I say that it was an Aston Martin strategy to stop supplying the parts, only that they had let the stock of bumpers dry-up without lining up a satisfactory supply.

Also, I know this sounds feeble, but want to keep the style of the car original, I just don't want the later rear bumper. It won't match the front bumper in age and it will always show it's had an accident which won't help it when I come to sell.

[The Surveyor]

blade runner said:

As your existing bumper is just cosmetically imperfect, can you not just agree with your insurer to defer the works until the alternative supply of replacement bumpers becomes available from AM? I can't believe that they won't find an new supplier fairly swiftly as there must be considerable on-going demand for these within their own world-wide dealership network and beyond. Not ideal, but I understand your desire to keep the car original and would want do the same in your position.

Realistically, that is what I think will happen. Collect the car and take it back once a replacement is eventually available. I'll just have to park it so I can't see the bumper...

[The Surveyor]

Just an update. I picked up the car on Friday and brought it home. Happy that's its back but disappointed that it's not been repaired and I've no indication of when a new bumper will be made available so it's sat in the garage awaiting the call when it'll be repaired.

It's an Aston, it should look stunning, it doesn't so sadly I've lost interest in driving it....

[The Surveyor]

I'm not usually a negative person and the Aston isnt a concours garage queen, it's been around Europe and still has the stone chip on the bonnet from a brisk run up the Autostrada heading into Milan from last years cross Europe holiday. It wears that like a little badge of honour.

The whole rear bumper episode has however just brassed me off, frustrated the balls off me to the point where it's taken the shine off whole Aston ownership experience.

Loved the car but if the manufacture can't supply parts for it, sadly it'll be time to move it on once repaired.

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

This is nuts. I'm surprised you didn't ditch it when you first ran out of petrol. This sort of thing isn't that unusual on a low volume car. Part of your frustration seems to come from your incredibly high expectations for how your car should look, and on the part of the old duffer who caused some damage to replace a part that could probably be easily repaired to a high standard. For a lot of people a well done smart repair or resprayed 2nd hand bumper would be fine, after all, if you can't see the repair who cares. The grief you are experiencing is because you are demanding a brand new part. It is annoying that the part is out of stock but really, why does it matter. A well repainted bumper is good as new, and it will get smashed in again at some point anyway if you drive it on the road. I know a guy in Guildford who does smart repairs, he has done all my Porsches, he does loads of Astons, Bentleys, cars with really good paintwork. There is no way his work is detectable to my eye and I am fussy. Happy to put you in touch if you like, your car could be good as new within a day or two probably for £250 job done.

For the record, I am NOT demanding a new bumper, and the existing bumper does not just need a flash over with new paint otherwise that is exactly what the insurance company would have done to everybody's satisfaction.

The existing bumper is bent, not just scuffed, that's why the insurance company (not me) confirmed that it needs replacing. Replacing, not just repainting. What don't you understand about that? If you would be happy to accept a shiny but bent bumper on your Porsche then happy days, but I have slightly higher expectations, and thankfully so do my insurance company and the guys employed to undertake the repair.

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

Well fair enough, just out of curiosity could you share a pic of the damage? Would give a bit of context

There is a picture earlier in the threat, from 15th August. Difficult to photo but you will see the undulations across the main bumper section, but what doesn't show if the further ripples on the chamfered section siting under the hatch lid. It's certainly not hanging in shreds but does draw your eye every time I look at it.

[The Surveyor]

blade runner said:

davek_964 said:

I'm too lazy to read the whole thread again, but not sure why the newer bumper wasn't an option if the original style was unavailable.

I think it was because he wanted to keep the car original, which seems perfectly reasonable. I'd want to do the same in his position. Imagine if Jaguar had stopped making series 1 E-Type bonnets and just expected anyone who needed a replacement to make do with a series 2 version instead? Extreme example I know, but the logic is the same.

And also as the later bumper needs a different lower splitter which is a further £2,800 (in plastic not carbon..) in wasn't something the insurance would authorise, and they certainly wouldn't authorise a full front and rear update so everything matched. Meaning the later style bumper just isn't viable added to the desire to leave the car visually standard.

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

You can pick your own bodyshop to do the job, and tell them where to buy the part from.
It is their responsibility to do the work to the standard you are happy with, and guarnatee the work. You could probably even use an AM approved bodyshop, the same on that would repair spray a new one.
A used bumper that is not damaged, that has been proficiently repainted, is the same as a new bumper. New bumpers are painted too you know. Here is one for £100 on eBay.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ASTON-MARTIN-V8-VANTAGE-...

Itwas the local approved Aston Martin body shop who are doing the repair.

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

........Alternatively if this is such an issue that you still can't enjoy your Aston maybe you're better suited to a high volume car with better availability of spare parts?

What like a Porsche, no thanks!

9 years of TVR Tuscan convertible ownership, on of 105 made and never had a problem getting parts even after they went bust. My 1968 Maserati, one of 480 made and nearly 50 years old and able to buy brand new replacement bumpers, albeit handmade in stainless steel. Aston Martin Vantage which is still in production and the parts supply drys up, it's not great is it?

[The Surveyor]

Impasse said:

The Vantage of our shape isn't in production any longer and hasn't been for a while. For whatever reason there are issues getting hold of some non-everyday parts specific to cars of our vintage. In your position I'd go down whatever route necessary to bring the car back to my aesthetic satisfaction. If that meant grabbing a used bumper skin from the Ebay link supplied and dropping it off to my local paintshop, then so be it.

It may not have been in production for 5 years but it is still sold through the dealership as an approved used car, it's hardly vintage even though I do know what your saying.

As for supplying eBay parts, would you genuinely? Would you actually pay for an unseen second hand parts and pay for them to be painted and fitted when your damage is subject to a no-fault insurance claim. You may but it's not something I'm going to take on.

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

You don't know a lot about cars do you

Nice, stay classy

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

Sorry, I'm trying really hard to help you here. How about another suggestion. Buy something like this till the Aston is fixed, sell it when the Aston is fixed. You'll have the benefit of driving something else for a bit, it has a really ridged chassis, and you'll be up on the deal based on fuel saving over the period - I have checked with the vendor and all the body panels are original so you don't have to worry about provenance

http://tinyurl.com/hcuqaqz

I thought you were joking until I saw your current cars, now I'm not too sure.... Thanks, but no thanks.

[The Surveyor]

jakesmith said:

You're welcome! I actually think driving a silly little car like that for a few weeks might be good for you.

It would certainly suit your outfit (from the picture above) of yellow t-shirt, shorts, and baseball cap, better than your very exclusive and prestigious 11 year old Aston 4.3!

Best wishes

Ahem.. 9 year old. It's a 2007 Vantage as the thread title.

I do think I could be tempted to drive a 'silly little car' but only if it was a 'Prestige Luxury' version, otherwise people would think it's just another 'girls' car!

Anyway, back on topic. The rear bumpers are on 12-14 week back order so it looks like I'll just need to be patient. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait to get the car back looking it's best.