New owner V8V (with pictures!)
Discussion
After 17 years of hard work, yesterday I fufilled a dream I have had for as long as I can remember to own a really special car. I've taken about 2 years to decide exactly what I wanted, read grants book and got the right car. It's a 2007 V8 Vantage manual in meteorite silver. It was previously owned by another forum member who has taken excellent care of the car and also made some significant upgrades to the car.
Visual upgrades include a black front grill and bonnet vents, clear rear lights, matt black side window surrounds, colour coded sills and a piano black centre slope. The car has been lowered using Eibach springs and sits on matt black 20" rims. The overall stance of the car is best described as menacing! The stereo is the standard item with an iPod upgrade which I have found to be very good and works well with my iPhone 6. The gearstick and steering wheel are from a V12 Vantage - the steering wheel in particular being in my opinion much more purposeful than the standard item. One off Aston Martin logo bucket seats from Sparco have replaced the standard items which gives the interior a real race car feel.
The real upgrades though are to the performance! The performance upgrades were done by David Appleby Engineering and comprise:
Full GT4 induction kit
Velocity performance manifolds
RS Fabrications 200 cell race cats
RS Fabrications GT4 lightweight back boxes
GT4 large floating discs front and rear
I guess that this will put the power close to 420 but at some point I'll stick it on a dyno and find out. It's definitely not quiet!
Mechanically the car is absolutely spot on having just had a full service, and a clutch under 10k miles ago. I know there is nothing I can really do short of a 4.7 conversion to upgrade the performance, so my wallet is safe for now on the mechanicals which was a selling point for me.
I'm going to drive the car quite a bit rather than just look at it, but at some point there are some minor bits I may get tidied up if I can be bothered. They are a couple of stone chips on the front, slight bubbling around the door handles, a faulty boot release button on the boot, and the dash leather lifting slightly due to heat in one place. These things don't really worry me, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist so will probably get them done. I'm also undecided on the bucket seats. I like them visually, and how they grip me. However I do need to have them adjusted forward about 2 inches as I have to slouch in them to fully clutch at the moment. With that in mind, if anyone knows a good independent in the Yorkshire area please let me know? I may refit the original seats which were included with the sale, but for now I'm going to enjoy driving it before I make any changes.
You know you've bought the right car when you smile just thinking of it, and take photos of your own car. I believe it is customary in these situations to share photos which are below!
Visual upgrades include a black front grill and bonnet vents, clear rear lights, matt black side window surrounds, colour coded sills and a piano black centre slope. The car has been lowered using Eibach springs and sits on matt black 20" rims. The overall stance of the car is best described as menacing! The stereo is the standard item with an iPod upgrade which I have found to be very good and works well with my iPhone 6. The gearstick and steering wheel are from a V12 Vantage - the steering wheel in particular being in my opinion much more purposeful than the standard item. One off Aston Martin logo bucket seats from Sparco have replaced the standard items which gives the interior a real race car feel.
The real upgrades though are to the performance! The performance upgrades were done by David Appleby Engineering and comprise:
Full GT4 induction kit
Velocity performance manifolds
RS Fabrications 200 cell race cats
RS Fabrications GT4 lightweight back boxes
GT4 large floating discs front and rear
I guess that this will put the power close to 420 but at some point I'll stick it on a dyno and find out. It's definitely not quiet!
Mechanically the car is absolutely spot on having just had a full service, and a clutch under 10k miles ago. I know there is nothing I can really do short of a 4.7 conversion to upgrade the performance, so my wallet is safe for now on the mechanicals which was a selling point for me.
I'm going to drive the car quite a bit rather than just look at it, but at some point there are some minor bits I may get tidied up if I can be bothered. They are a couple of stone chips on the front, slight bubbling around the door handles, a faulty boot release button on the boot, and the dash leather lifting slightly due to heat in one place. These things don't really worry me, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist so will probably get them done. I'm also undecided on the bucket seats. I like them visually, and how they grip me. However I do need to have them adjusted forward about 2 inches as I have to slouch in them to fully clutch at the moment. With that in mind, if anyone knows a good independent in the Yorkshire area please let me know? I may refit the original seats which were included with the sale, but for now I'm going to enjoy driving it before I make any changes.
You know you've bought the right car when you smile just thinking of it, and take photos of your own car. I believe it is customary in these situations to share photos which are below!
Edited by V8Andrew on Thursday 6th November 14:28
Well done Andrew, your car looks great, and I like the 17 years of hard work.
Will you be continuing Mr. Burntouts practice, of driving American style without a front number plate? He told us he encountered no problems. Must say these cars do look better without it, but I am too timid to try.
Enjoy.
Thanks for all the comments. It was Burnout's car previously
JS1500 - It was a bit more than I was going to pay, but it won't need anything doing to it so I justified the extra that way!
Ikobo - I agree that the black grill is much better. In the photos that Neil1300r posted you can see it next to an almost identical colour car without the black bits and it just doesn't look as good in silver IMHO.
good grief - The seats are a bit marmite. At the moment I am getting used to them. I need something in my lumbar area for them to be comfy so may invest in a pillow or something and see how I get on. Ultimately I have the choice to change them if I want back to original.
vince1972 - I don't have any warning light so I guess that the people who fitted the seats sorted it out. They are http://www.trinityaston.co.uk So I would get in touch with them and ask the question.
Jon39 - Glad you liked the 17 years hard work comments! I'm guessing in some way it means more to me than if I'd just won the money. It is also a great advert for people pursuing their dreams - they can be realised if you want something badly enough! Regarding the numberplate, I will run 'merican style for a while and see how many fines I get. It's not an endorsable offence, and from what I read the fine is either a £30 or £60 FPN. Hopefully the local BiB will agree it looks best without the front plate and let me get on with it!
So does anyone know a good independent in the Yorkshire area?
JS1500 - It was a bit more than I was going to pay, but it won't need anything doing to it so I justified the extra that way!
Ikobo - I agree that the black grill is much better. In the photos that Neil1300r posted you can see it next to an almost identical colour car without the black bits and it just doesn't look as good in silver IMHO.
good grief - The seats are a bit marmite. At the moment I am getting used to them. I need something in my lumbar area for them to be comfy so may invest in a pillow or something and see how I get on. Ultimately I have the choice to change them if I want back to original.
vince1972 - I don't have any warning light so I guess that the people who fitted the seats sorted it out. They are http://www.trinityaston.co.uk So I would get in touch with them and ask the question.
Jon39 - Glad you liked the 17 years hard work comments! I'm guessing in some way it means more to me than if I'd just won the money. It is also a great advert for people pursuing their dreams - they can be realised if you want something badly enough! Regarding the numberplate, I will run 'merican style for a while and see how many fines I get. It's not an endorsable offence, and from what I read the fine is either a £30 or £60 FPN. Hopefully the local BiB will agree it looks best without the front plate and let me get on with it!
So does anyone know a good independent in the Yorkshire area?
V8Andrew said:
Ikobo - I agree that the black grill is much better. In the photos that Neil1300r posted you can see it next to an almost identical colour car without the black bits and it just doesn't look as good in silver IMHO.
Prefer the look of mine thanks - the one next to it 
Edited by Neil1300r on Friday 7th November 17:06
V8Andrew said:
Jon39 - Glad you liked the 17 years hard work comments! I'm guessing in some way it means more to me than if I'd just won the money.
You will receive the remarks of approval (perhaps you already have).
Re: your 17 years hard work. I think that is the way most of us were able to buy one. On two occasions, people at filling stations have said to me, "When I win the lottery, I will have an Aston Martin. Funny how they say 'when', for a 13 million to 1 gamble, but anyway, I just thank them for liking the car.
There are some cars that are allowed to run without a front nameplate in the U.K. I think the Ferrari Enzo is one. Now that 'road tax' is checked by electronic readers ( front number plate perhaps ), I wonder if perverting the course of justice might become involved. Sorry to make this comment Andrew, but just want you to enjoy your car in a happy way.
Edited by Jon39 on Friday 7th November 17:49
V8Andrew said:
Regarding the numberplate, I will run 'merican style for a while and see how many fines I get. It's not an endorsable offence, and from what I read the fine is either a £30 or £60 FPN. Hopefully the local BiB will agree it looks best without the front plate and let me get on with it!
That's OK if you don't have a private personalised plate that you want to keep.Although a non endorseable offence plod can report this to DVLA and after "three hits" they will withdraw the private plate.
Neil1300r said:
Prefer the look of mine thanks - the one next to it
Edited by Neil1300r on Friday 7th November 17:06
Your one does also look amazing! Jon39 - I've already had lots of comments in a few days, all positive. The best was on the motorway yesterday in traffic where 4 seperate cars gave the thumbs up, then were treated to some serious acceleration noise, then gave even more appreciative thumbs up!
Omaruk- From what I read the fine is either a £30 or £60 FPN. No points if you get caught. I will leave it off and see what happens. If I get fined too much I'll stick a plate on the front!
V8Andrew said:
Neil1300r said:
Prefer the look of mine thanks - the one next to it
Edited by Neil1300r on Friday 7th November 17:06
Your one does also look amazing! 
Not normally a fan of modifying cars, but yours does look fantastic. Think I only heard it with the exhaust mods, pre the engine works. Tunnel running with that car was a laugh.
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