Surprise and Delight Features

[hashluck]

Passing the time waiting for my V8VS Coupe to be built (should be heading up the line from middle of next week, looking at an early July delivery).

From you more experienced and wise Aston owners I was wondering if there were any 'surprise and delight' features about the cars, those undocumented cool things you have discovered during your ownership or just did not realise the cars had or did before you took delivery. Aston do not seem to do a great job of listing these type of things, typically understated I guess. We all know they are fairly low tech compared to the competition but I am assuming there are some little things that make you smile or make your life easier..

[Guycord]

The small hole in the bottom of the fuel tank?

Improves fuel turn-over and stops it becoming stale. Tank liquid is always only a few days old if not less.

[BravoV8V]

Being able to turn over the engine with oil pressure but no ignition.

[MollyGTi]

hashluck said:

We all know they are fairly low tech compared to the competition but I am assuming there are some little things that make you smile

The sound.

No, just the sound. You will never tire of what you hear at start up. Not like an ordinary car at all.

[Jon1967x]

The rev counter going the opposite way to normal. It feels so right after a while

[steveatesh]

The never ending supply of flies on the front of the car.

The extra trips to the dealer you get in the first months (or more) of ownership, where you can slurp machine coffee for as long as you like if you have a token.

[Little Donkey]

Spending weeks on the configurator and knowing you have indeed specified your perfect car: no question! Then getting it home and that night, jumping back on the configurator to start planning the next one!

[waremark]

Which cars have a pen in the dash?

[FrankieV8VSP10]

Just every time the garage door rises and there she is...ready and beautiful.

[hashluck]

BravoV8V said:

Being able to turn over the engine with oil pressure but no ignition.

How do you do this?

[FrankieV8VSP10]

hashluck said:

BravoV8V said:

Being able to turn over the engine with oil pressure but no ignition.

How do you do this?

Why do you want to do this?

[hashluck]

Little Donkey said:

Spending weeks on the configurator and knowing you have indeed specified your perfect car: no question! Then getting it home and that night, jumping back on the configurator to start planning the next one!

Except that the configurator is a bit pants. But I know what you mean. I already know this will happen with me. Keep thinking I should have ordered green!

[hashluck]

FrankieV8VSP10 said:

Why do you want to do this?

I would think if the car has been stood a while to get oil circulating in the engine before it fires. Should not be an issue for me as will be a daily driver

[hashluck]

So in summary the noise and the looks, I think I had figured those two out lol. Other than that a back to front rev counter and a pen and the need to take shares in BP or Shell

[Ikebaddog]

Jon1967x said:

The rev counter going the opposite way to normal. It feels so right after a while

And, in the manual version at least, speedo and tacho in perfect symmetry in top gear, cant explain what i mean, just look next time you doing motorway speeds.

[Gdc]

if you have the BR exhaust upgrade the noise of the unburnt fuel exploding in a bang on the overrun as you change down in sport mode, even in the slushy auto, when braking hard for a roundabout.

i actually found myself liking milton keynes because of all its roundabouts the other day ..

my first ever car was an alfa romeo and it did the same with a 1.5L 105bhp engine, i must have become addicted then 30 years ago

the DB9 with the BR upgrade kit is very similar but twice as fast, three times louder and about 20 times more expensive

lets hope it lasts longer

[BravoV8V]

hashluck said:

How do you do this?

Foot flat on the accelerator and then push the start button. Crank it a few times until the oil pressure light goes out. Then foot off the accelerator and start it normally.

(Be very careful that your right foot is flat to the floor. Otherwise, you will get one helluva shock!)



(Or otherwise, RTFM. It's in the section under 'Long term storage').

[FrankieV8VSP10]

Gdc said:

if you have the BR exhaust upgrade the noise of the unburnt fuel exploding in a bang on the overrun as you change down in sport mode, even in the slushy auto, when braking hard for a roundabout.

i actually found myself liking milton keynes because of all its roundabouts the other day ..

my first ever car was an alfa romeo and it did the same with a 1.5L 105bhp engine, i must have become addicted then 30 years ago

the DB9 with the BR upgrade kit is very similar but twice as fast, three times louder and about 20 times more expensive

lets hope it lasts longer

The old Alpha Sud Ti (early 80's) only lasted 4 years then was rot through with rust...it didn't stop me loving it though.

[BigScotty]

MollyGTi said:

The sound.

No, just the sound. You will never tire of what you hear at start up. Not like an ordinary car at all.

+1

[MichaelV8V]

Years ago I realised that Fords didn't give you any little bonus features that weren't obvious from the drivers seat and a quick walk round the outside. Must be something their accountants made them do, why spend money on something that won't affect the sale.

Sadly, I think current Astons have retained that attitude as part of their Ford legacy.

I don't think there has been one single feature that has surprised me, everything is exactly as I expected. Except maybe the iPhone connection lead for playing music, hadn't expected that to be included, despite paying the extra 5,500 for B&O, so a 20 bonus lead.

My Audi and the Skoda before that kept delighting me with little things that took months to surface. After three and a half years, still no surprises.