Tales of a V8V (illustrated)
Discussion
Mr.Tremlini said:
... especially as it is a rotten time of the year to sell a car of this nature, ...
That´s what I think, too.Mr.Tremlini said:
... it seems that the four-wheeled Tungsten sculpture in the garage begins to resemble a pile of cash more and more!
But how much could you get for it? I imagine your biggest concern are your current running costs, am I wrong? Should this be so, what stops you from laying off the car for a year or so (supposing you are able to garage it)? Now that the vaccines are arriving, isn´t there (economical) hope ahead?Sorry to hear about your situation. If it´s any relief, this might still happen to me and others, too. It´s still a long way to go until "normality" will hopefully return.
First and foremost, thank you for taking the time and effort to document and share your Aston experience with us. Please remember that things come into our lives for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime. Your Tungsten Terror was with you for a Season and you enjoyed it immensely, but I have a feeling it was only your first Aston. Looking forward to Part II.
Emilio Largo said:
But how much could you get for it? I imagine your biggest concern are your current running costs, am I wrong? Should this be so, what stops you from laying off the car for a year or so (supposing you are able to garage it)? Now that the vaccines are arriving, isn´t there (economical) hope ahead?
Running costs are minimal and not the issue at all. I paid for the car in full, so it has a total value that I could get a return on, in light of the fact that going forward we have a mortgage (having bought a house in 2018 which involved a hefty Swiss deposit that left us a little exposed), insurances, school fees etc etc to pay and the coffers are slowly drying up. Laying it out, both my wife and I are self-employed sport and event photographers, working mostly on projects internationally. We earn pretty much all of our income from April to November and are now in the down-time part of that cycle. Covid-19 effectively shut down all of our scheduled work for 2020, and 2021 is just speculation. This means that by April next year we will have had the best part of 18 months with just occasional jobs here and there from existing clients, that have popped up mostly locally, or that we have been sniffing around for. I am usually taking around 40 flights or more a year, this year zero! Believe me, I would welcome the economical light on the horizon! Dean - you quite clearly have a talent for photographing cars, why not branch out in the downtime and do something similar to Alex ? https://clivechedzey.wixsite.com/aston/alex-cadle-...
I'm sure Clive and Alex won't mind me posting this, especially given geography !
Cars, bikes, trucks, must be plenty of Swiss owners who'd love to see their passions immortalised.
I'm sure Clive and Alex won't mind me posting this, especially given geography !
Cars, bikes, trucks, must be plenty of Swiss owners who'd love to see their passions immortalised.
Edited by JonnyCJ on Wednesday 23 December 13:54
Hi Dean,
Just caught up with the news. Sad but understandable. I know how pleased you were at Rockingham with the engine upgrade and the new sound. We then drove back down the M1 together and you were clearly enjoying yourself. I hope 2021 will see an upturn in your (and all fellow PH's) fortunes, but above all, that we continue to see your fantastic photography.
All the best
Steve
Just caught up with the news. Sad but understandable. I know how pleased you were at Rockingham with the engine upgrade and the new sound. We then drove back down the M1 together and you were clearly enjoying yourself. I hope 2021 will see an upturn in your (and all fellow PH's) fortunes, but above all, that we continue to see your fantastic photography.
All the best
Steve
Love JohnnyCJ's suggestion Dean. Plenty of wealthy people who like their cars in Switzerland - lever that CV and talent!
I sincerely hope you don't have to sell it to bridge a gap as you are quite connected to that car - I remember you showing off your new manifold at Rockingham
, and then you took a rather splendid snap of mine at full tilt!
I hope normality is making strong progress by spring and that you get to keep it and weather this storm.
I sincerely hope you don't have to sell it to bridge a gap as you are quite connected to that car - I remember you showing off your new manifold at Rockingham
, and then you took a rather splendid snap of mine at full tilt!I hope normality is making strong progress by spring and that you get to keep it and weather this storm.
Thanks for the sentiments people! 
This forum can still be quite a good and friendly place to be if we`re not discussing the new Vantage...
On the other side of things, happily or sadly, I`m still not sure, I bid farewell to the Tungsten Terror this afternoon. Watching it rumble down the driveway and head up the road, I thought I never saw it looking or sounding so good, exacerbated by my somewhat melancholy mood no doubt.
It all happened quite quickly considering the time of the year. Last week on Dec 30, a gentleman from Zurich came to check it out and take it for a spin, and after 30 min we shook hands and agreed on today as a change over. The day dawned with -4 degrees and had only crept up to -2 when he arrived at 2pm with a friend, loaded up his Audi A4 allroad with the summer wheels and original parts that I had swapped out, put the car cover in the Vantage boot, and after giving him a quick tour of the Vantage`s little quirks, providing past receipts, owners manual and what not, that was that and off he went with what was now my old car.
My son who is 5 and was not yet born when I got the Aston, shed a few tears, not only when it departed but also a couple of days earlier when we passed on the news. I have to say that while prepping the car this morning, the saddest part was removing his seat from the passenger side. We had some fun times, laughs and interesting discussions while cruising around, he loved being up front, and I always pictured him driving with me as a passenger one day.
I am very pleased with the man who bought it, of similar age to myself (in fact today was also his birthday so I felt compelled to give him a decent bottle of wine on departure) and who is involved in the car industry, currently very near the top of the ladder at a large Swiss company. He worked for 15 years at Ford and was working at the Aston Martin Engine Plant in Cologne, separate to but part of Ford’s Niehl Engine Plant. He has previously owned a TVR, and also currently has a 964 which he is modifying somewhat in the style of Singer.
He was the first to come a view the Aston and commended me on the improvement`s I had made, saying it was very stylish and the best Vantage of it`s type on the sales platform... Should have listed it 5k higher!
As if the world was out to rub salt into the wounds, today the postman also delivered the latest copy of "Vantage" magazine, complete with my photo of my car on the back...
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So, it seems this Tale of a V8V comes to a close. It has been nice to know a few folk have found my scribblings useful in their own search for a car of just because. The five years and three months of ownership has been without doubt the highlight of my car ownership, and quite a decent highlight generally. 49,233km driven, including two trips to the 24hr of Le Mans where each day driving in past the merch tents and display tents to park in the designated car park, saw the car attract no end of looks and photographs; One excellent squirt to Belgium for Spa WEC and back, the return trip being a rainy Sunday so I had the road to myself a lot and was the only time I really wound the car out, hitting 240km/h which was slow really, I`d done more in my old Audi S6 wagon!
Also Austria, France and Germany on a few occasions, and not forgetting three drives up to the UK. The Burghley House Festival of (600) Aston Martins was a special thing, the Rockingham Aston track day where I met some outstanding, like-minded individuals, some of whom I have seen since when they have ventured to this neck of the woods, which has been wonderful. The second of three visits to Bamford Rose was also quite memorable.
Too many happy, waving children to count, and people whose heads turned when they heard me coming, or offered comments or questions in car parks. I enjoyed the attention the car got, for the car`s sake, not my own. Some times it was a little embarrassing as I like to fly under the radar in life but owning an Aston somewhat precludes this option, but every time I was out in the car I felt as if I was performing a public service.
While this has not ended how I dreamed, I did actually dream another time, and that was what played out for the last five years, so at the end of the day I have no complaints, as we lucky few who get to own, experience and enjoy these machines can count ourselves extremely fortunate in the scheme of things and I will look back on the memories and no shortage of photographs fondly, and who knows, with the right circumstances, maybe I`ll be back with "Tales of a DBS (Illustrated)" ...
Thanks one and all for your inputs and comments. I shall not disappear entirely, as I can still get some experiences vicariously!
Cheers, beers, and all the best for 2021 and beyond!
This forum can still be quite a good and friendly place to be if we`re not discussing the new Vantage... Ken Figenus said:
Love JohnnyCJ's suggestion Dean.
Yes, Johnny`s idea is not so silly! I have been considering, if 2021 heads down a similar pathway as 2020, putting a feeler out for guiding and/or photographing tours around the Swiss passes, as I know my way around these roads quite well, restaurants, hotels etc. I would need to up my game with video so as to offer some moving footage as well, and then I think we could be onto something, for people coming from other countries, but also as regards local folk as well. Let`s see... first people have to be able to travel, and hotels etc need to be open!On the other side of things, happily or sadly, I`m still not sure, I bid farewell to the Tungsten Terror this afternoon. Watching it rumble down the driveway and head up the road, I thought I never saw it looking or sounding so good, exacerbated by my somewhat melancholy mood no doubt.
It all happened quite quickly considering the time of the year. Last week on Dec 30, a gentleman from Zurich came to check it out and take it for a spin, and after 30 min we shook hands and agreed on today as a change over. The day dawned with -4 degrees and had only crept up to -2 when he arrived at 2pm with a friend, loaded up his Audi A4 allroad with the summer wheels and original parts that I had swapped out, put the car cover in the Vantage boot, and after giving him a quick tour of the Vantage`s little quirks, providing past receipts, owners manual and what not, that was that and off he went with what was now my old car.
My son who is 5 and was not yet born when I got the Aston, shed a few tears, not only when it departed but also a couple of days earlier when we passed on the news. I have to say that while prepping the car this morning, the saddest part was removing his seat from the passenger side. We had some fun times, laughs and interesting discussions while cruising around, he loved being up front, and I always pictured him driving with me as a passenger one day.
I am very pleased with the man who bought it, of similar age to myself (in fact today was also his birthday so I felt compelled to give him a decent bottle of wine on departure) and who is involved in the car industry, currently very near the top of the ladder at a large Swiss company. He worked for 15 years at Ford and was working at the Aston Martin Engine Plant in Cologne, separate to but part of Ford’s Niehl Engine Plant. He has previously owned a TVR, and also currently has a 964 which he is modifying somewhat in the style of Singer.
He was the first to come a view the Aston and commended me on the improvement`s I had made, saying it was very stylish and the best Vantage of it`s type on the sales platform... Should have listed it 5k higher!
As if the world was out to rub salt into the wounds, today the postman also delivered the latest copy of "Vantage" magazine, complete with my photo of my car on the back...
So, it seems this Tale of a V8V comes to a close. It has been nice to know a few folk have found my scribblings useful in their own search for a car of just because. The five years and three months of ownership has been without doubt the highlight of my car ownership, and quite a decent highlight generally. 49,233km driven, including two trips to the 24hr of Le Mans where each day driving in past the merch tents and display tents to park in the designated car park, saw the car attract no end of looks and photographs; One excellent squirt to Belgium for Spa WEC and back, the return trip being a rainy Sunday so I had the road to myself a lot and was the only time I really wound the car out, hitting 240km/h which was slow really, I`d done more in my old Audi S6 wagon!
Also Austria, France and Germany on a few occasions, and not forgetting three drives up to the UK. The Burghley House Festival of (600) Aston Martins was a special thing, the Rockingham Aston track day where I met some outstanding, like-minded individuals, some of whom I have seen since when they have ventured to this neck of the woods, which has been wonderful. The second of three visits to Bamford Rose was also quite memorable.
Too many happy, waving children to count, and people whose heads turned when they heard me coming, or offered comments or questions in car parks. I enjoyed the attention the car got, for the car`s sake, not my own. Some times it was a little embarrassing as I like to fly under the radar in life but owning an Aston somewhat precludes this option, but every time I was out in the car I felt as if I was performing a public service.
While this has not ended how I dreamed, I did actually dream another time, and that was what played out for the last five years, so at the end of the day I have no complaints, as we lucky few who get to own, experience and enjoy these machines can count ourselves extremely fortunate in the scheme of things and I will look back on the memories and no shortage of photographs fondly, and who knows, with the right circumstances, maybe I`ll be back with "Tales of a DBS (Illustrated)" ...
Thanks one and all for your inputs and comments. I shall not disappear entirely, as I can still get some experiences vicariously!
Cheers, beers, and all the best for 2021 and beyond!
Dean. So sad to see your AM ownership end for now but please come back strong when the world finally sorts itself out.
I very much like the idea of Deans Independent Illustrated Swiss Mountain Tours. Can't make a decent acronym out of it but maybe it works better in German.
DBS? Really? My hunch is it will be a V12V but make sure you get one with proper seats next time.
I very much like the idea of Deans Independent Illustrated Swiss Mountain Tours. Can't make a decent acronym out of it but maybe it works better in German.
DBS? Really? My hunch is it will be a V12V but make sure you get one with proper seats next time.
a brilliant thread, even if without a "hollywood ending" - although you seem quite sanguine about it. A few years back I had to sell a Tuthills built 1972 911 hotrod that had consumed my life for 12 months of planning and speccing... so I share your pain but they are only cars after all
the irony of the magazine arrival is brilliant but equally a nice souvenir of some happy times
good luck and maybe we will see you back on here soon enough
the irony of the magazine arrival is brilliant but equally a nice souvenir of some happy times
good luck and maybe we will see you back on here soon enough
EVR said:
Man, I shed a tear too! 
Maybe I`ll start writing dramatic, rom-com novels. Moonpie said:
Beautiful writing and imagery. Thank you again for sharing your journey.
Thank you! Wonderful driveway you have by the way, it some how makes me think of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I can imagine your terrific car amid that speckled light. BlackV8 said:
Thank you for sharing your ownership experience and lovely pictures here Dean. All the best and looking forward to your „Tales of a DBS (Illustrated)" ...
Cheers Anthony
Thanks Anthony, more of a pity that we didn`t catch up in Innsbruck a couple of months ago, than it seemed at the time. Keep enjoying your nearby playgrounds!Cheers Anthony
V8V Pete said:
Dean. So sad to see your AM ownership end for now but please come back strong when the world finally sorts itself out.
I very much like the idea of Deans Independent Illustrated Swiss Mountain Tours. Can't make a decent acronym out of it but maybe it works better in German.
DBS? Really? My hunch is it will be a V12V but make sure you get one with proper seats next time.
Cheers Pete! I do like the DBS (previous gen) a lot, but lets see... I`ll probaby test drive EVERY model extensively if and when I make the jump again! Please advise of future Swiss visits!I very much like the idea of Deans Independent Illustrated Swiss Mountain Tours. Can't make a decent acronym out of it but maybe it works better in German.
DBS? Really? My hunch is it will be a V12V but make sure you get one with proper seats next time.
8Speed said:
Hope you're back before too long Dean - your inputs have been just the sort that make this forum worthwhile.
Best of luck in 2021.
Thanks very much, Rob. I`ll surely still interject here and there.Best of luck in 2021.
squirdan said:
a brilliant thread, even if without a "hollywood ending" - although you seem quite sanguine about it. A few years back I had to sell a Tuthills built 1972 911 hotrod that had consumed my life for 12 months of planning and speccing... so I share your pain but they are only cars after all
the irony of the magazine arrival is brilliant but equally a nice souvenir of some happy times
good luck and maybe we will see you back on here soon enough
Thank you, Dan, I`m sure you haven`t seen the last of me the irony of the magazine arrival is brilliant but equally a nice souvenir of some happy times
good luck and maybe we will see you back on here soon enough
Those early seventies 911`s are so classic & simple, especially love the RS look from back then.
baconsarney said:
Dean, you’re a legend.... have a great 2021 and get back to the fold soon...
Highest regards,
Richard
Highest regards,
Richard
Too kind, Richard. I`ll be back as fast as I can!Graze01 said:
Well said Richard
Don't be a stranger Dean
We will all miss the photos of your stunning car
Graeme
Cheers Graeme. I`ll still enjoy seeing pix of your Ultramarine Monster out and about in sunny Queensland!Don't be a stranger Dean
We will all miss the photos of your stunning car
Graeme
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