Vantage V8 manual or sportshift
Discussion
Hi, dear Aston fellow fanatics
About two weeks ago I was the lucky winner of a brand new AM Vantage V8. It took me four painfull months and some considerable capital, however am pleased to see that it all materialised. On top of the vehicle i was given 10K in cash.
The dilemma i have is that the basic specs that am allowed to take only include manual transmission. Not only that, i will need to wait some 4-5 months before i could actually see my vehicle.
The dealer is well aware that i have won 10K and been trying hard to convince me to spend 11000GBP to go for auto transmission. And the vehicle can actually be mine within two weeks…
I have of course called other dealers but because by lottery contract am numbered with the one in Mayfair…and they just do not want to cooperate.
Why am writing all this…I have been advised that should i go for automatic transmission i would stand much better chance to sell the vehicle once ready. I wonder that if we have AM owners on here, what transmission would you prefer: manual or auto and why?
I was also told that if I wait for four months the actual on the road price would decrease…not sure why but two garages said that.
I do find it hard to belive that if opted for sportsshift transmission it would cost 11.000GBP…
Any advice/information would be highly appreciated as am very new to this aristocratic game of performance motors…
Regards,
Yev
About two weeks ago I was the lucky winner of a brand new AM Vantage V8. It took me four painfull months and some considerable capital, however am pleased to see that it all materialised. On top of the vehicle i was given 10K in cash.
The dilemma i have is that the basic specs that am allowed to take only include manual transmission. Not only that, i will need to wait some 4-5 months before i could actually see my vehicle.
The dealer is well aware that i have won 10K and been trying hard to convince me to spend 11000GBP to go for auto transmission. And the vehicle can actually be mine within two weeks…
I have of course called other dealers but because by lottery contract am numbered with the one in Mayfair…and they just do not want to cooperate.
Why am writing all this…I have been advised that should i go for automatic transmission i would stand much better chance to sell the vehicle once ready. I wonder that if we have AM owners on here, what transmission would you prefer: manual or auto and why?
I was also told that if I wait for four months the actual on the road price would decrease…not sure why but two garages said that.
I do find it hard to belive that if opted for sportsshift transmission it would cost 11.000GBP…
Any advice/information would be highly appreciated as am very new to this aristocratic game of performance motors…
Regards,
Yev
I'm on my fourth Vantage now and have had both the 6 speed manual and the sportshift. I prefer the manual but found the sportshift excellent provided that you drive it more like a manual car. I don't have a crystal ball but I don't think that a sportshift car will be any easier to sell than a manual and you will not receive a premium for it. If it is brand spanking new then the VAT element will help reduce the country's debt and the pre-owned value remains the same.
Just my 2p's worth.
Just my 2p's worth.
If it's of any help, when I was buying, both Manual and Sportshift Vantage SP10's came up for sale at the same dealer at the same time. The two cars had exactly the same spec, mileage and registration year, but only differed in their transmission. So, I drove the 180 miles to test drive both cars back-to-back to compare them. Much easier to make a direct comparison that way I thought. In the end, I just adored the manual, so went for that. My advice to you is to try them both and make an informed decision. There will be plenty of people on here who favour the auto manual to the manual and vice versa. The only real way to decide is try them both yourself.
I love Sportshift but it is a very personal choice, as mentioned earlier try them both and decide for yourself, no one else other than yourself can tell you what you would prefer to drive. Sportshift owners will say Sportshift and manual owners will say manual! Important to know that Sportshift is not an automatic gearbox but an automated manual which needs some involvement from the driver. When test driving a Sportshift equipped car, be sure to use the paddles, don't use the "D" button which stands for "DON'T" as it is jerky. Don't expect smooth shifts like a torque converter automatic, it will be jerky in "D", shift with the paddles yourself and lift your foot slightly off the throttle when changing gear.
There's a Spotshift guide for the V8 Vantage available for download on the AMOC forum:
https://www.amoc.org/forum/index.php?topic=32660.1...
And whatever you choose, you're a lucky guy,congratulations!
There's a Spotshift guide for the V8 Vantage available for download on the AMOC forum:
https://www.amoc.org/forum/index.php?topic=32660.1...
And whatever you choose, you're a lucky guy,congratulations!
Edited by CSK1 on Wednesday 11th May 12:23
Well done. What a wonderful prize.
When you were annonced the winner, did you jump up and down as much as the American lady, who won a Vantage on a TV show (see YouTube)?
When you start using your car, you will discover that everyone seems to love an Aston.
Being let out of junctions, and the occasional comment at filling stations, "When I win the lottery, I'll have one of those".
Whether to have Sportshift (a manual gearbox with automated operation), or a manual, is a personal choice. I initially thought paddle shift would be great, just like Formula One on telly, but am now really glad that I bought a manual car.
Judging by previous Sportshift comments on this forum, fast driving gear changes are really great, but stop/start slow driving, and manoeuvring can be annoying. I have only driven a Sportshift (version 3) on a track, which did not reveal any problem at all. Therefore, make sure you drive in the slower situations before deciding.
The Vantage engine has plenty of torque, so with a manual there is no need to change gear much, if you are just having a lazy drive.
Having to wait for a new car is quite normal, because they build the exact specification that you have chosen. Choose your complete specification very carefully. There are some must have options (perhaps why cash was part of your prize). For example, the 700 watt Premium Audio is often regarded as a desirable option. Heated seats are fairly popular, but have been a waste on my car. Only used once, when the switch was accidentally knocked. I suggest that you look at actual cars, if possible in sun and shade, when considering colour.
As for the salesman comment about Sportshift being easier to sell. Oh dear, ulterior motive perhaps. Sometimes it can be the complete opposite. The era of manual gearboxes is ending on high end performance cars (possibly not just yet with Aston Martin), so they might become more sought after in the future on the used market. Ask why a DBS manual is now worth £10,000 more than auto.
Ask any questions here that you might have. The good people here have a very wide knowledge of these cars.
Edited by Jon39 on Wednesday 11th May 13:39
The vantage only comes with a manual gearbox. Sportshift is the same gearbox minus the clutch pedal and the gear know. Change gear via the paddles on the steering wheel. Sportshift has an 'Auto' button but doesn't make it anythin like a proper auto.
So you can get a Sportshift as it is a manual!
So you can get a Sportshift as it is a manual!
SS.....£11k.........is this is wind up ?
I'm going to be the one critical person to throw this out there........it's bulls
t 
I'm sorry but I don't believe that multiple dealers have thrown a figure of £11k for an Auto (which doesn't exist on a Vantage), so hence I can't believe ANY dealer would even say that, let alone say it costs £11k.
Sorry.....call me a cynic but i'm not buying this one.
If i'm wrong then I apologise, however don't forget that running an Aston is not like a Ford, you need pretty deep pockets (lets all be honest now) and the ability to take the occasional kick in the balls from the dealer as part of the ownership experience.
I'm going to be the one critical person to throw this out there........it's bulls
t I'm sorry but I don't believe that multiple dealers have thrown a figure of £11k for an Auto (which doesn't exist on a Vantage), so hence I can't believe ANY dealer would even say that, let alone say it costs £11k.
Sorry.....call me a cynic but i'm not buying this one.
If i'm wrong then I apologise, however don't forget that running an Aston is not like a Ford, you need pretty deep pockets (lets all be honest now) and the ability to take the occasional kick in the balls from the dealer as part of the ownership experience.
Edited by Big Ry on Wednesday 11th May 16:38
Big Ry said:
SS.....£11k.........is this is wind up ?
I'm going to be the one critical person to throw this out there........it's bullst
I'm sorry but I don't believe that multiple dealers have thrown a figure of £11k for an Auto (which doesn't exist on a Vantage), so hence I can't believe ANY dealer would even say that, let alone say it costs £11k.
Sorry.....call me a cynic but i'm not buying this one.
The way I read it, the OP can have a £85k built-to-order manual car which will take months, but the supplying dealer has a Sportshift car in stock that they are trying to tempt the OP into. The £11k increase is probably made up of the Sportshift plus other optional extras which the stock car has on it.I'm going to be the one critical person to throw this out there........it's bulls
t I'm sorry but I don't believe that multiple dealers have thrown a figure of £11k for an Auto (which doesn't exist on a Vantage), so hence I can't believe ANY dealer would even say that, let alone say it costs £11k.
Sorry.....call me a cynic but i'm not buying this one.
Boywholovedbooks said:
Hi, dear Aston fellow fanatics
About two weeks ago I was the lucky winner of a brand new AM Vantage V8. It took me four painfull months and some considerable capital, however am pleased to see that it all materialised. On top of the vehicle i was given 10K in cash.
Yevgen,About two weeks ago I was the lucky winner of a brand new AM Vantage V8. It took me four painfull months and some considerable capital, however am pleased to see that it all materialised. On top of the vehicle i was given 10K in cash.
Firstly, congratulations! I've been playing BOTB for years and been close, but sadly no cigar (yet!). Well done, and what a fantastic car to win! Out of interest... what was your strategy? You mentioned it costing you 'considerable capital' and 'four painful months'... I assume you basically 'went big' and bought a considerable amount of plays to completely cover every pixel in the area you were confident the ball would be marked? And you repeated this 4 times until it worked?
I knew someone a few years ago who 'went big' and spent £3,000 on one game... sadly, it didn't work though! If this was your tactic, good to hear there is method to the madness!
Last year I totted up my spend with them, and it was about £1,500 over about 6 years.. probably approaching £2,000 now... should have just blown it all on one game!
Regarding the Aston, if your plan is to own the car for more than a few months, I would suggest getting the Manual... a) its the proper drivers car and b) leaves some of the £10k cash for maintenance, next year's insurance, servicing, fuel etc. If however you want to 'flip' the car after a few months of enjoyment, I'd look to try and inject the £10k into the car with desirable options that will help re-sale... They have a lovely custom-order black N430 in the showroom at the moment.. It might be a bit out of price range, but they might be willing to do a deal?
Anyway, once again, congratulations!
JonV8V said:
Single post, no history, and obviously no real idea.
Tell the dealer to flip it for you, settle for 75k and buy something you want if the story is true which I doubt.
There's always a cynic!Tell the dealer to flip it for you, settle for 75k and buy something you want if the story is true which I doubt.
If you're going to pretend to be someone, why would you pretend to be an office-working chap who got lucky on BOTB and won a car? I don't see the upside of making that up?
https://www.botb.com/PastCompetitions/SC1010.aspx
Nice of Yevgen to come on here and seek our opinion if anything!
AOK said:
There's always a cynic!
If you're going to pretend to be someone, why would you pretend to be an office-working chap who got lucky on BOTB and won a car? I don't see the upside of making that up?
https://www.botb.com/PastCompetitions/SC1010.aspx
Nice of Yevgen to come on here and seek our opinion if anything!
I know I seem cynical, but please look at the post...........If you're going to pretend to be someone, why would you pretend to be an office-working chap who got lucky on BOTB and won a car? I don't see the upside of making that up?
https://www.botb.com/PastCompetitions/SC1010.aspx
Nice of Yevgen to come on here and seek our opinion if anything!
Everyone on here who's ever even thought about buying an Aston would know that an "Auto" Vantage doesn't exists and even in SS form doesn't cost £11k....one call to any AM dealer on earth would confirm that, so either the OP has not been speaking to genuine dealers or it's not post.
Any dealer worth his salt would happily sit any prize winner down and furnish them with the correct info.........this hasn't been the case clearly.
OP......honestly i'm not being rude, but please explain how / where you won this Vantage, and please be so kind just to tell us the name of the dealer(s) (not salesmen) who apparently told you that an "auto" was an £11,000 option. If you can do that then I will humbly apologise for slighting you and then no doubt we'll all help you out.
AOK said:
There's always a cynic!
If you're going to pretend to be someone, why would you pretend to be an office-working chap who got lucky on BOTB and won a car? I don't see the upside of making that up?
https://www.botb.com/PastCompetitions/SC1010.aspx
Nice of Yevgen to come on here and seek our opinion if anything!
I know I seem cynical, but please look at the post...........If you're going to pretend to be someone, why would you pretend to be an office-working chap who got lucky on BOTB and won a car? I don't see the upside of making that up?
https://www.botb.com/PastCompetitions/SC1010.aspx
Nice of Yevgen to come on here and seek our opinion if anything!
Everyone on here who's ever even thought about buying an Aston would know that an "Auto" Vantage doesn't exists and even in SS form doesn't cost £11k....one call to any AM dealer on earth would confirm that, so either the OP has not been speaking to genuine dealers or it's not post.
Any dealer worth his salt would happily sit any prize winner down and furnish them with the correct info.........this hasn't been the case clearly.
OP......honestly i'm not being rude, but please explain how / where you won this Vantage, and please be so kind just to tell us the name of the dealer (apparently there's more than 1) who told you that an "auto" was an £11,000 option.
Also, any car sitting on the showroom floor should be in line for a hefty discount, so don't let them stitch you up..........
Edited by Big Ry on Wednesday 11th May 17:51
Big Ry said:
stuff
Big Ry, my post regarding cynicism wasn't aimed at you. Regarding the 'auto' thing, the OP may have used it generically, bit like how Auto Trader labels Sportshift cars as 'auto'. I'd also say, the OP won the car in a game so he might not be in the "ever considered buying an Aston" category you highlighted.
Anyway, for all I know it might be someone impersonating the BOTB guy, but I doubt it and don't think it actually matters either, that's all
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