Inspired or idiotic? "Cheap" V8 Vantage
Discussion
You might remember that the V8 Vantage was built by Aston Martin while under the ownership of Ford. Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mazda were also part of the Ford stable at that time.
It’s not uncommon to find parts from ‘lesser’ marques in various places on the Aston. The ignition key is a bog-standard Ford item with an Aston badge stuck on. The (in)famous satnav is a Volvo unit.
There’s a growing list of service items that attract a crazy price when purchased from an Aston dealer, but a normal price when sourced from one of the other marques. A great example is the HVAC pollen filters - about £120 from Aston, or under £20 from Mazda.
With a bit of luck, another item is going on that list. My windscreen washer pump has failed. Aston Martin want £158 + VAT, but it turns out it’s a Jaguar part. Annoyingly, it’s still about £85 + VAT, but it’s still a decent saving for the exact same part.
So - part ordered from Rimmer Bros and on its way.- it’ll be fixed next weekend.
It’s not uncommon to find parts from ‘lesser’ marques in various places on the Aston. The ignition key is a bog-standard Ford item with an Aston badge stuck on. The (in)famous satnav is a Volvo unit.
There’s a growing list of service items that attract a crazy price when purchased from an Aston dealer, but a normal price when sourced from one of the other marques. A great example is the HVAC pollen filters - about £120 from Aston, or under £20 from Mazda.
With a bit of luck, another item is going on that list. My windscreen washer pump has failed. Aston Martin want £158 + VAT, but it turns out it’s a Jaguar part. Annoyingly, it’s still about £85 + VAT, but it’s still a decent saving for the exact same part.
So - part ordered from Rimmer Bros and on its way.- it’ll be fixed next weekend.
Just had an email to say the new windscreen washer pump is now with Evri, ready for delivery later this week.
What are the odds of it a) arriving and b) being in one piece if it does?
Still - the car is squeezed into my single garage now, ahead of Storm Ciaran (there’s a big tree outside the house - don’t fancy twigs or branches falling onto the car when the wind picks up)
What are the odds of it a) arriving and b) being in one piece if it does?
Still - the car is squeezed into my single garage now, ahead of Storm Ciaran (there’s a big tree outside the house - don’t fancy twigs or branches falling onto the car when the wind picks up)
With the same degree of certainty that tomorrow will be Saturday and Donald Trump will say something stupid or false in the next 24 hours, Evri have updated me to say ‘there has been a delay’ with my parcel, which in Evri-speak means they’ve lost it….
I struggle to understand how any online parts supplier would even contemplate using such a shoddy bunch of amateurs when their reputation is so poor - it reflects badly on their own company.
Of course, if I cancel the order, it will subsequently turn up a fortnight later in a box that looks like it’s been used as a football by a team of mono-syllabic apes (otherwise known as Evri parcel handlers..)
I struggle to understand how any online parts supplier would even contemplate using such a shoddy bunch of amateurs when their reputation is so poor - it reflects badly on their own company.
Of course, if I cancel the order, it will subsequently turn up a fortnight later in a box that looks like it’s been used as a football by a team of mono-syllabic apes (otherwise known as Evri parcel handlers..)
Edited by Nigel_O on Thursday 2nd November 14:42
Update - a few months of sporadic use and thankfully no expense, until now.
The driver’s side rear lamp has always had condensation after washing or driving in wet weather. Vantage (and DB9 & Rapide) rear lights are (in)famous for it - it’s a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’.
While the weather has been poor and the car was in the garage, I decided to do something about it.
So - lamp removed, a couple of small holes drilled in the lamp body, then a week in the airing cupboard, next to the boiler. With all the condensation gone, I then removed as much of the old silicone sealant as I could (someone has previously had a go at sealing them). After 2+ hours of picking tiny bits of sealant out of the joint between the lamp lens and body, I then smeared new sealant on the joint and left it for a couple of days to cure.
The Yorkshireman in me had a warm glow of smug satisfaction, having saved a load of cash. The next day, the sun came out, so I backed the car out of the garage to give it a quick dust-down in the warm(ish) sunshine. I started at the front, and by the time I’d got to the back of the car, the driver’s side lamp had condensation again…. Ar$e…
I was about to remove the lamp and have another go, when SWMBO mentioned that the driver’s side rear light “looked different”. I assumed she meant “clean” but she actually meant “dim”… turns out a few of the LEDs have fritzed due to the moisture. That’s the end of the DIY solution then!
After scaring myself at the cost of a pair of new lamps (c £1500), I read somewhere on PH that Aston Installations in Tewkesbury do exchange units. In a stroke of luck, they only one they have in stock right now is a driver’s side with a black surround.
So- I’m booked in on 12 April for the replacement unit, although I have a horrible feeling that I’ll be tempted with their rather excellent (if a bit pricey) Apple Carplay solution.
In other news, the new Nitron suspension hasn’t really softened since fitting, so I’m thinking about reducing the damping a bit to mitigate the slightly jiggly low-speed ride. It’s fantastic when pressing on, so I don’t want to go too far and get supple round-town driving at the expense of stability when hooning. The main issue is that the damping adjustment is on the top of the shock body, so it’s a case of strut brace off at the front and wheel and wheelarch liner off at the rear - not the work of ten minutes and not something I want to be doing often. Still, it’s zero cost, so I shouldn’t complain…
The driver’s side rear lamp has always had condensation after washing or driving in wet weather. Vantage (and DB9 & Rapide) rear lights are (in)famous for it - it’s a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’.
While the weather has been poor and the car was in the garage, I decided to do something about it.
So - lamp removed, a couple of small holes drilled in the lamp body, then a week in the airing cupboard, next to the boiler. With all the condensation gone, I then removed as much of the old silicone sealant as I could (someone has previously had a go at sealing them). After 2+ hours of picking tiny bits of sealant out of the joint between the lamp lens and body, I then smeared new sealant on the joint and left it for a couple of days to cure.
The Yorkshireman in me had a warm glow of smug satisfaction, having saved a load of cash. The next day, the sun came out, so I backed the car out of the garage to give it a quick dust-down in the warm(ish) sunshine. I started at the front, and by the time I’d got to the back of the car, the driver’s side lamp had condensation again…. Ar$e…
I was about to remove the lamp and have another go, when SWMBO mentioned that the driver’s side rear light “looked different”. I assumed she meant “clean” but she actually meant “dim”… turns out a few of the LEDs have fritzed due to the moisture. That’s the end of the DIY solution then!
After scaring myself at the cost of a pair of new lamps (c £1500), I read somewhere on PH that Aston Installations in Tewkesbury do exchange units. In a stroke of luck, they only one they have in stock right now is a driver’s side with a black surround.
So- I’m booked in on 12 April for the replacement unit, although I have a horrible feeling that I’ll be tempted with their rather excellent (if a bit pricey) Apple Carplay solution.
In other news, the new Nitron suspension hasn’t really softened since fitting, so I’m thinking about reducing the damping a bit to mitigate the slightly jiggly low-speed ride. It’s fantastic when pressing on, so I don’t want to go too far and get supple round-town driving at the expense of stability when hooning. The main issue is that the damping adjustment is on the top of the shock body, so it’s a case of strut brace off at the front and wheel and wheelarch liner off at the rear - not the work of ten minutes and not something I want to be doing often. Still, it’s zero cost, so I shouldn’t complain…
Edited by Nigel_O on Wednesday 3rd April 07:34
Krhuangbin said:
Is yours still a keeper after the investment? 
weighing up making that call too.
Yes, definitely a keeper for the foreseeable. My reserve fund is back up to a healthy five figures again, so I’m ready for the next bill (probably a clutch…) weighing up making that call too. Obviously, if the lottery numbers come up at the weekend, the 4.3 would be dropped for a V12S manual, but I’ve been told that pre-spending a lottery win is not good planning.
In other news - I forgot to mention that I’ve fitted the headlamp venting kit. Naturally, I haven’t driven in the rain since then….
Two years ago, almost to the day, my son and I spent three days correcting the paintwork on the Aston. As I sad at the time, I knew the paint wasn’t good, but I wanted to make it into a decent “10-foot car”. At the time, we got it a lot better than that.
The last two years have shown me that Aston paint is very soft, as many of the swirls are back. However, last week, I had a couple of days blasting around a small bit of Scotland getting a few photos. Sadly, due to the utterly shocking state of some Scottish roads, I also acquired some pretty hefty gravel rash on the un-protected rear arches:
Sadly, while the car was parked, I also got a scratch on the front bumper from some careless idiot with (presumably) a pushbike or similar:
The paintwork was never brilliant - there were several blemishes caused by poor preparation for a previous partial respray. I’ll now be getting some quotes for having the whole car sorted.
That said - even mucky and gravel-rashed, it still looks decent…
V8 Vantage at Loch Awe by Nigel Ogram, on Flickr
The last two years have shown me that Aston paint is very soft, as many of the swirls are back. However, last week, I had a couple of days blasting around a small bit of Scotland getting a few photos. Sadly, due to the utterly shocking state of some Scottish roads, I also acquired some pretty hefty gravel rash on the un-protected rear arches:
Sadly, while the car was parked, I also got a scratch on the front bumper from some careless idiot with (presumably) a pushbike or similar:
The paintwork was never brilliant - there were several blemishes caused by poor preparation for a previous partial respray. I’ll now be getting some quotes for having the whole car sorted.
That said - even mucky and gravel-rashed, it still looks decent…
V8 Vantage at Loch Awe by Nigel Ogram, on FlickrAnother update…
As part of The Big Bill last year, I had new Nitron suspension fitted, plus poly-bushed upper wishbones on the rear.
During my Scotland trip, the light squeaking at the rear got noticeably worse, and the suspension damping settings got more irritating. The damping is set to ‘firm’ but I find it jiggly for everyday driving. It’s epic when pressing on, but I now want to try a more GT-like setting.
I called David Appleby Engineering (who did the work last year) and James has squeezed me in this Friday to investigate the squeak and back off the damping (annoyingly, the damping adjusters on the Nitrons are at the top of the shock body - not accessible without removing the wheel arch liner (rear) or strut brace (front)
Fingers crossed that the squeak isn’t more knackered wishbones - they aren’t cheap…
As part of The Big Bill last year, I had new Nitron suspension fitted, plus poly-bushed upper wishbones on the rear.
During my Scotland trip, the light squeaking at the rear got noticeably worse, and the suspension damping settings got more irritating. The damping is set to ‘firm’ but I find it jiggly for everyday driving. It’s epic when pressing on, but I now want to try a more GT-like setting.
I called David Appleby Engineering (who did the work last year) and James has squeezed me in this Friday to investigate the squeak and back off the damping (annoyingly, the damping adjusters on the Nitrons are at the top of the shock body - not accessible without removing the wheel arch liner (rear) or strut brace (front)
Fingers crossed that the squeak isn’t more knackered wishbones - they aren’t cheap…
Edited by Nigel_O on Wednesday 5th June 12:12
Shnozz said:
I think Nigel has spent top dollar to ensure his car is in A1 condition with every niggle sorted and the car made perfect.
Exactly - although I hail from Yorkshire, I’m happy to spend money to get stuff done properly. That said, I nearly spent £30 on an updated satnav DVD yesterday, but common sense prevailed when I realised I’d still never use it.I also found myself getting really close to spending £134 + vat on a genuine Aston boot umbrella to go in the Velcro loops at the back of the boot. I like “doing things properly”, but there’s a limit…..
Yes, I’ve suffered a big bill, but it wasn’t entirely unexpected. I bought the car knowing it was still on original shocks and that the rear subframe was a bit frilly. After my first service at Aston Engineering in Derby, I thought I’d got away with it, but I’d only put it off
Yes, it hurt the bank account a bit when I hit “pay” on the BACS transfer.
However, they won’t need doing again in my ownership of the car. Every year I own the car will see the cost diluted over another year, making the ‘per annum’ costs get less scary.
I’ll revisit the numbers in October when I’ve had the car for three years - I’ll report back here.
I’ve spoken with several specialists during my ownership and I don’t recall anyone telling me to sell up and put the money towards a newer car. Many have worked on the “better the devil you know” basis, with some fairly horrific stories of much younger cars with much lower miles still having issues with subframes, suspension, brakes and clutch. It would have been really easy to pass my car on to some unsuspecting newbie and put the cash into an entry-level 4.7, but I would still be at risk of a big bill on the newer car.
On a more positive note, the damping has now been backed off a few clicks (to 7 clicks out of 25 from full soft, rather than the 12 it was set to by DAE) and it has made the car much less jiggly at low speed. I’m sure it will be a bit slower around a track, but it’ll never go on track anyway, so it’s a moot point. At high speed, it’s still very well controlled and planted.
Last month, I had an enjoyable trip up to Scotland for a couple of days of photography, A-road blasts and midge-swattting.
Sadly, I picked up a healthy dose of gravel-rash on the unprotected rear arches, and a scuff where an idiot with a pushbike or something similar caught the front bumper:
At the suggestion of PH user 'Longy00000', I bought a touch-up kit from Dr Color Chip. Cost about £60 and took ages to arrive from the USA, but I felt it was worth the punt.
I had a go with it today and whilst it hasn't fixed the problem, it has made it MUCH less noticeable.
Nearside rear arch photo above - 40 minutes got it looking like this:
The offside wasn't as bad but was still fairly peppered - before photo:
After:
I might give the offside another go, as it hasn't come out quite as well as the nearside. Regardless, £60 and a couple of hours has made the issue far less noticeable, so the full respray might get punted down the road for another year or two.
Also - I attacked the scuff on the bumper with a DA polisher - There's still a mark there, but came up pretty well compared with the horrible-looking scuff above:
Sadly, I picked up a healthy dose of gravel-rash on the unprotected rear arches, and a scuff where an idiot with a pushbike or something similar caught the front bumper:
At the suggestion of PH user 'Longy00000', I bought a touch-up kit from Dr Color Chip. Cost about £60 and took ages to arrive from the USA, but I felt it was worth the punt.
I had a go with it today and whilst it hasn't fixed the problem, it has made it MUCH less noticeable.
Nearside rear arch photo above - 40 minutes got it looking like this:
The offside wasn't as bad but was still fairly peppered - before photo:
After:
I might give the offside another go, as it hasn't come out quite as well as the nearside. Regardless, £60 and a couple of hours has made the issue far less noticeable, so the full respray might get punted down the road for another year or two.
Also - I attacked the scuff on the bumper with a DA polisher - There's still a mark there, but came up pretty well compared with the horrible-looking scuff above:
Longy00000 said:
That's cone up good but I would still give it another going over. The more you use the drcolorchip product and get used to how long to leave it etc the better the results you can get.
You're absolutely right - another application has got it to this:I think another one or two applications will have it looking pretty good - need to think about having PPF arch protector fitted now - any decent DIY options?
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