Discussion
OK Guv'nor it was me right and I ain't sorry neever. I was outed and I don't mind admitting that I was enhanced by a prescription given by Dr Mike. It was all eez fault and me bleedin owner eez a nutter an all and there was nuffink I could do, right. Everyone knows I have 570BHP now and the rozzers have been watching through the forum ......... you know who you are 
Went to the boat show and Aston Martin have a nice DB9 and Vanquish in Volcano Red on show. Got talking to the Aston Sales manager geezer and he knew all about my crimes and who done it, so Dr Mike you have been busted and so have I. People at the factory know what I done right and I ain't apologising or nuffink. I fink e even smiled that we created a level playing field, cause I looked up cheating and it ain't cheating right. I mean only 60BHP more than standard, that ain't cheating is it?
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers It's good to know.
Went to the boat show and Aston Martin have a nice DB9 and Vanquish in Volcano Red on show. Got talking to the Aston Sales manager geezer and he knew all about my crimes and who done it, so Dr Mike you have been busted and so have I. People at the factory know what I done right and I ain't apologising or nuffink. I fink e even smiled that we created a level playing field, cause I looked up cheating and it ain't cheating right. I mean only 60BHP more than standard, that ain't cheating is it?
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers
It's good to know.I didn't get a word of that, it was just a noise 
Anyone? Are we all to buy apples from a market stall? I think that was what he said... I was distracted by the glare of the pearly suit...
They do indeed read the forum; so I wonder when or if they will make a manual 'w
kwish' (copyright U.H. Bez).
Oh yeah, never
Anyone? Are we all to buy apples from a market stall? I think that was what he said... I was distracted by the glare of the pearly suit...
They do indeed read the forum; so I wonder when or if they will make a manual 'w
kwish' (copyright U.H. Bez). Oh yeah, never
Hearing and listening are two different things, or so I've been told.
Having just finished Steve Job's biography I found it interesting that Apple, at least in the early days, didn't do any customer research because customers don't know what they want until you show them.
It seems some companies take the approach that if, upon being shown, the customer still doesn't realise it's what they want said company will just continue showing you until you finally give in.
Maybe you just don't realise you really want an automatic?
Having just finished Steve Job's biography I found it interesting that Apple, at least in the early days, didn't do any customer research because customers don't know what they want until you show them.
It seems some companies take the approach that if, upon being shown, the customer still doesn't realise it's what they want said company will just continue showing you until you finally give in.
Maybe you just don't realise you really want an automatic?
Vantagefan said:
Hearing and listening are two different things, or so I've been told.
Having just finished Steve Job's biography I found it interesting that Apple, at least in the early days, didn't do any customer research because customers don't know what they want until you show them.
It seems some companies take the approach that if, upon being shown, the customer still doesn't realise it's what they want said company will just continue showing you until you finally give in.
Maybe you just don't realise you really want an automatic?
But Steve jobs was a visionary and they are rare, do we mutter UB and SJ in the same breath??? I think not Having just finished Steve Job's biography I found it interesting that Apple, at least in the early days, didn't do any customer research because customers don't know what they want until you show them.
It seems some companies take the approach that if, upon being shown, the customer still doesn't realise it's what they want said company will just continue showing you until you finally give in.
Maybe you just don't realise you really want an automatic?
Cockernee said:
OK Guv'nor it was me right and I ain't sorry neever. I was outed and I don't mind admitting that I was enhanced by a prescription given by Dr Mike. It was all eez fault and me bleedin owner eez a nutter an all and there was nuffink I could do, right. Everyone knows I have 570BHP now and the rozzers have been watching through the forum ......... you know who you are
Went to the boat show and Aston Martin have a nice DB9 and Vanquish in Volcano Red on show. Got talking to the Aston Sales manager geezer and he knew all about my crimes and who done it, so Dr Mike you have been busted and so have I. People at the factory know what I done right and I ain't apologising or nuffink. I fink e even smiled that we created a level playing field, cause I looked up cheating and it ain't cheating right. I mean only 60BHP more than standard, that ain't cheating is it?
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers It's good to know.
Went to the boat show and Aston Martin have a nice DB9 and Vanquish in Volcano Red on show. Got talking to the Aston Sales manager geezer and he knew all about my crimes and who done it, so Dr Mike you have been busted and so have I. People at the factory know what I done right and I ain't apologising or nuffink. I fink e even smiled that we created a level playing field, cause I looked up cheating and it ain't cheating right. I mean only 60BHP more than standard, that ain't cheating is it?
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers
It's good to know.
I though of you as I watched him squirming on Oprah's sofa on this mornings newsFair cop guv slap the bracelets on!
Edited by mikey k on Friday 18th January 12:22
mikey k said:
Cockernee said:
OK Guv'nor it was me right and I ain't sorry neever. I was outed and I don't mind admitting that I was enhanced by a prescription given by Dr Mike. It was all eez fault and me bleedin owner eez a nutter an all and there was nuffink I could do, right. Everyone knows I have 570BHP now and the rozzers have been watching through the forum ......... you know who you are
Went to the boat show and Aston Martin have a nice DB9 and Vanquish in Volcano Red on show. Got talking to the Aston Sales manager geezer and he knew all about my crimes and who done it, so Dr Mike you have been busted and so have I. People at the factory know what I done right and I ain't apologising or nuffink. I fink e even smiled that we created a level playing field, cause I looked up cheating and it ain't cheating right. I mean only 60BHP more than standard, that ain't cheating is it?
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers It's good to know.
Went to the boat show and Aston Martin have a nice DB9 and Vanquish in Volcano Red on show. Got talking to the Aston Sales manager geezer and he knew all about my crimes and who done it, so Dr Mike you have been busted and so have I. People at the factory know what I done right and I ain't apologising or nuffink. I fink e even smiled that we created a level playing field, cause I looked up cheating and it ain't cheating right. I mean only 60BHP more than standard, that ain't cheating is it?
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers
It's good to know. I though of you as I watched him squirming on Oprah's sofa on this mornings newsFair cop guv slap the bracelets on!
Edited by mikey k on Friday 18th January 12:22
Thought I would mix it in with the interesting fact that PH is watched and hopefully LISTENED to.
Vantagefan said:
Apple, at least in the early days, didn't do any customer research because customers don't know what they want until you show them.
An amazing point that aplied to iPod, iTouch, , iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air etc. If someone described them, I would struggle to see the purpose. But build it and they will come.For this though, you need a true visionary. Apple never made a Cygnet, a 4 seater with no rear space, a 250kcar with an out of date gearbox or a Zagato that's no different from the car that is 1/4 it's price.
Neil1300R said:
Well I am struggling trying to think of anything truly original that Apple has invented. History of ripping off other companies features / products. Improved on them undoubtedly but Steve Jobs a visionary - snake oiled selling hippy!
They don't really.But they do manage to take other ideas and either a) make them much, much better or b) make them work much better.
Cockernee said:
Sorry the ramblings of a Cockerneeeeeeeee, but people at the factory do look us up and hopefully listen to their customers It's good to know.
It's good to know.
Rob & I have been to Gaydon on several occasions and been pleasantly surprised by their awareness of the PH AM forum. We turned up in my car once when the weather was less than perfect & had the comment that they hadn't seen V888AMV in the car park - & not from an unknown but from a couple of people who most here would have heard of. What other manufacturer gives you that feeling of belonging?! Mind you - as with Cockers - they probably aren't too chuffed with all the BR fettling currently going on!
I admire the way they did it.
When the techies had £20 mp3 players, Apple introduced the masses to an expensive iPlayer (but forgot to mention the £20 equivalent). Even more, I think you could only buy the music files from Apple, but you could then not transfer them to play on a PC, or another music player.
I particularly liked the queueing at midnight system, to buy the latest Apple gadget, then three months later, you had the out of date one and became a loser.
Absolute brilliance (or cheek).
There is a record of many youngish companies in the computing and electronics world, have difficulty remaining at the top. I understand Samsung are the ones now nibbling at Apple.
If AM are indeed aware of this forum (and possibly others) then it'd be nice if they acknowledged the problem many owners seem to be having with the "ticking" at idle noise.
I understand that an engine can develop noises for many reasons and the cause for such noises can lie almost anywhere from owner abuse to simple bad luck on mechanical wear.
However, the many cases of "ticking" all pointing to the lash (valve train) area does seem rather coincidental and in my mind any "BIG" brand would be wise to at least make an effort into a full diagnosis of the problem.
So, AM if you read this why not take a leap of faith with your customer base and swap a few engines out and then strip down the problematic power plants to see if there is indeed a common failure or wear point.
If it's something as simple as a bad batch of lashes that ran over a few years then it's a simple fix, supply lashes free of charge to those with the noise and they then fit them at their own cost.
If it's something far more deeply ingrained to a certain range of blocks/heads then fine, get the info out there so people can make an informed decision on how to fix it.
I understand that an engine can develop noises for many reasons and the cause for such noises can lie almost anywhere from owner abuse to simple bad luck on mechanical wear.
However, the many cases of "ticking" all pointing to the lash (valve train) area does seem rather coincidental and in my mind any "BIG" brand would be wise to at least make an effort into a full diagnosis of the problem.
So, AM if you read this why not take a leap of faith with your customer base and swap a few engines out and then strip down the problematic power plants to see if there is indeed a common failure or wear point.
If it's something as simple as a bad batch of lashes that ran over a few years then it's a simple fix, supply lashes free of charge to those with the noise and they then fit them at their own cost.
If it's something far more deeply ingrained to a certain range of blocks/heads then fine, get the info out there so people can make an informed decision on how to fix it.
GTDB7 said:
If AM are indeed aware of this forum (and possibly others) then it'd be nice if they acknowledged the problem many owners seem to be having with the "ticking" at idle noise.
I understand that an engine can develop noises for many reasons and the cause for such noises can lie almost anywhere from owner abuse to simple bad luck on mechanical wear.
However, the many cases of "ticking" all pointing to the lash (valve train) area does seem rather coincidental and in my mind any "BIG" brand would be wise to at least make an effort into a full diagnosis of the problem.
So, AM if you read this why not take a leap of faith with your customer base and swap a few engines out and then strip down the problematic power plants to see if there is indeed a common failure or wear point.
If it's something as simple as a bad batch of lashes that ran over a few years then it's a simple fix, supply lashes free of charge to those with the noise and they then fit them at their own cost.
If it's something far more deeply ingrained to a certain range of blocks/heads then fine, get the info out there so people can make an informed decision on how to fix it.
Interesting. You are suggesting that AML should make public statements in a third party website over which they have no editorial control. I understand that an engine can develop noises for many reasons and the cause for such noises can lie almost anywhere from owner abuse to simple bad luck on mechanical wear.
However, the many cases of "ticking" all pointing to the lash (valve train) area does seem rather coincidental and in my mind any "BIG" brand would be wise to at least make an effort into a full diagnosis of the problem.
So, AM if you read this why not take a leap of faith with your customer base and swap a few engines out and then strip down the problematic power plants to see if there is indeed a common failure or wear point.
If it's something as simple as a bad batch of lashes that ran over a few years then it's a simple fix, supply lashes free of charge to those with the noise and they then fit them at their own cost.
If it's something far more deeply ingrained to a certain range of blocks/heads then fine, get the info out there so people can make an informed decision on how to fix it.
Many people from AML do read Pistonheads and there is a weak feedback loop. I was approached by AML myself based on something I posted on here.
If you contact aftersales service in Gaydon with your VIN and a description of the problem I have found them to be very helpful. Of course they cannot simply throw money at every case and give away parts and/or labour when there is no clear liability. But if you talk to them with numbers, figures and facts then they are good guys.
As an initial contact, try Andy Hopkin:
AHOPKIN1@astonmartin.com
+44 1926 644744
Aston Martin Lagonda
Banbury Road
Gaydon, Warwick CV35 ODB
With regard to swapping out engines - maybe they will - but if they posted that sort of offer on pistonheads then what would they do - run a lottery to decide who gets a brand new engine?
On a broader point, most large companies have got NO IDEA how to use social media and user-generated content such as pistonheads forums, so why expect a small niche car firm to do that?
Well said John! I'm afraid it's a ridiculous idea to expect AM to react in that way to a few posters on PH.
What do you expect them to do when people are posting pictures of themselves taking their engines to pieces?
On another note, your car looked very fetching at BR John... Can I have your brakes as your not using them?
What do you expect them to do when people are posting pictures of themselves taking their engines to pieces?
On another note, your car looked very fetching at BR John... Can I have your brakes as your not using them?
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