AM V8 Vantage prices?

[ady702]

Hi all,

I am looking to get a coupe sometime soon and have been looking at M6s and now the Vantage V8. Ive seen some now which are down to 30k, are these worth looking at (one last week for £29k) heard that the clutch can go around 40k which some of these tend to be advertised at? or should I just save up abit more and go for a N420 instead?

Thanks

[Calculator]

From my recent experience, the cheap ones are cheap for a reason. I ended up spending more than originally planned but that got me the car I wanted in the condition I wanted (and with warranty which was important to me).

[ady702]

do you have to have warranty from new? or can it be added later aswell? what sort of price is it annually?

[krisdelta]

I think you are realistically looking at @34k for a nice example of a V8V (private or trade). Cheap ones are cheap for a good reason (many owners, high miles, poor condition, missing SH) - although of course you may get lucky with a motivated seller?

The clutches vary massively with use, I'm on the original at 36k, Bogie I believe is on 60k+ on the original clutch, other people have had wear / failure at much lower mileages.

The M6 and V8V are very different cars, you trade clutch unknowns for SMG unknowns with the M6.

Either will be a great car - if you are budget constrained, I would suggest a £2k "buffer" to allow you to repair should the worst happen. I approached my purchase in the same way, the clutch is an unknown until it goes, or if it's literally JUST been replaced

Either car will make you smile!

Kris

[Calculator]

ady702 said:

do you have to have warranty from new? or can it be added later aswell? what sort of price is it annually?

I am sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon but I think you can add a warrenty provided the car has full AMSH and you have a 140 point check done (cost . £250). The warranty is then c £1500 IIRC.

[JACK6284]

I recently bought a V8 Vantage for a mail dealer. I added the second year warranty in addition to the 12 months that comes with the car for £1,194(inc. VAT!)

[mikey k]

I wouldn't bother with the N420 it is really an optioned up 4.7
Either stretch to an S or get an N400 and give to Bamford Rose

[bogie]

personally I havnt bothered with the warranty for over 3 years now, and ive saved the money

£1750 buys 2 services and a pair of rear tyres ...just keep the cash in a slush fund instead ...still waiting for the clutch...most recently advised during a free dealer check up "clutch a bit high, could be worn" ...eerrr...yeah, no sh*t, its the original one

if buying again now, I reckon £35K will get you a nice straight example....and most of the expense to come on a car with 30-40K miles on it, will be consumables, which are not under warranty anyway

check the service history to see if all the common faults have been done under warranty already

read Grants book www.astonmartinreview.co.uk and its the best £20 you will spend

[krisdelta]

+1 Bogie.

The slush fund has worked a treat - I set aside £2k "just in case" as I purchased privately. I've sorted out my personal (pedantic) snag list and replaced a knackered hub, still have half left 8 months in. Nothing would have been covered under the AM warranty.

Oh yes and Grants book will set you up for your purchase, or make you spend more I convinced myself I wanted a 2005 and ended "needing" a 2007 car

[Murph7355]

bogie said:

...most recently advised during a free dealer check up "clutch a bit high, could be worn"...

I thought I'd noticed my clutch pedal go high at about 10k miles. Dealer said it auto adjusts and didn't necessarily mean anything. Now on 46k miles and original clutch. Worst thing about these clutches (at least for those of us getting more than to Tescos and back on one ) is that they seem to just fail from what I've heard. Little/no warning.

OP - don't be too tempted by cars with low miles without also checking that all the service bulletins have been done (ask to see receipts for these). Earlier cars (your 30k will be seeing you in a first gen car, 05-06 calendar year) had their fair share of niggles. All resolvable, but a car that's seldom used may not have seen the issues yet. It will piss you off if you buy one and have to be back and forth to the dealer to get them sorted.

Condition is everything. As ever. Also, amongst the usual stuff you'll find get the geometry checked prior to purchase.

[Calculator]

krisdelta said:

Oh yes and Grants book will set you up for your purchase, or make you spend more I convinced myself I wanted a 2005 and ended "needing" a 2007 car

Exactly the same thing happened to me. No regrets!

[Mr Overheads]

mikey k]I wouldn't bother with the N420...[some other words said:

...get an N400.....

I wholeheartedly agree, the N400 is per Auto Express and other journalists when it came out "the sports car the Vantage should have been"

Plus depreciating slower (better mpg than the 4.7) and looks better with the sports pack wheels, clear lights and wider sills.

Mines for sale!!!! Search PH for the ad. There are only 4 N400's listed
1) From a very dodgy garage
2) Sold
3) Mine
4) In Orange.

[crashley]

Just for ref... Clutch. Failed with no warning, spring broke @ approx 34k miles. This was jsut done at Grange AM in Brentwood on my 2006 (manual):

Labour @ 1103.03
Gasket exhaust manifold @ 10.60
Gasket exhaust manifold old underfloor cats pack of 2 @ 16.99
Clutch plate (manual) @ 860.21
M12 x 30 lg bolt pack of 10 @7.65
Clutch slave cylinder @ 175.80
Flywheel assembly @ 282.53
M10 x 20 fh bolt chrome x 6 @ 1.50

Plus AWESOME VAT @ 491.66

Total 2949.97

[Murph7355]

Mr Overheads said:

I wholeheartedly agree...

...Mines for sale!!!!

No st

[Mr Overheads]

Murph7355 said:

Mr Overheads said:

I wholeheartedly agree...

...Mines for sale!!!!

No st

Busted!

(Though I did thorough research before splashing the extra on an N400 over the standard V8 and wouldn't have bought one if I didn't think it was worth the extra)

[krisdelta]

crashley said:

Just for ref... Clutch. Failed with no warning, spring broke @ approx 34k miles. This was jsut done at Grange AM in Brentwood on my 2006 (manual):

Labour @ 1103.03
Gasket exhaust manifold @ 10.60
Gasket exhaust manifold old underfloor cats pack of 2 @ 16.99
Clutch plate (manual) @ 860.21
M12 x 30 lg bolt pack of 10 @7.65
Clutch slave cylinder @ 175.80
Flywheel assembly @ 282.53
M10 x 20 fh bolt chrome x 6 @ 1.50

Plus AWESOME VAT @ 491.66

Total 2949.97

I don't understand why the slave cylinder is always changed out, just seems like padding on an already handsome bill

[peterr96]

krisdelta said:

crashley said:

Just for ref... Clutch. Failed with no warning, spring broke @ approx 34k miles. This was jsut done at Grange AM in Brentwood on my 2006 (manual):

Labour @ 1103.03
Gasket exhaust manifold @ 10.60
Gasket exhaust manifold old underfloor cats pack of 2 @ 16.99
Clutch plate (manual) @ 860.21
M12 x 30 lg bolt pack of 10 @7.65
Clutch slave cylinder @ 175.80
Flywheel assembly @ 282.53
M10 x 20 fh bolt chrome x 6 @ 1.50

Plus AWESOME VAT @ 491.66

Total 2949.97

I don't understand why the slave cylinder is always changed out, just seems like padding on an already handsome bill

Or those bolts! Well known for wearing out. What a waste of £9.05 + vat
That would fund a new wheel centre!

[George H]

Mr Overheads said:

4) In Orange.

You say that like it's a bad thing! N400s in Karussell orange look fantastic! If I was going to get a V8V, it would be an N400 Roadster in orange

[Mr Overheads]

George H said:

You say that like it's a bad thing! N400s in Karussell orange look fantastic! If I was going to get a V8V, it would be an N400 Roadster in orange

Nope Orange looks great - would have got Orange if there had been one for sale when I bought mine.

Currently trying to find a Burnt Orange Lotus Evora S 2+2

[George H]

Mr Overheads said:

Nope Orange looks great - would have got Orange if there had been one for sale when I bought mine.

Currently trying to find a Burnt Orange Lotus Evora S 2+2

I love the Evora in orange, saw one the other week on the M62. Great looking car, can't understand why they haven't sold more. I'd love for them to do a convertible version.