V8 Vantage S Roadster searching/buying tips

[Big E 118]

Hi, I've just started looking for my next car, something convertible that feels quite special.

I'm looking at the usual suspects, (used) F430/Gallardo/R8 etc and I had a good look around a Vantage S Roadster and I really quite liked it, seemed a bit more reserved that some other cars on my list but felt quite special. I'm in no hurry to buy so I've started reading up and have ordered the Aston book recommended on these forums so I won't ask the usual spec/residuals etc questions!

I'm favouring 2013 or newer cars for the interior changes but will look at slightly older as well. I think I should pick up a low mileage 2013 for £75-80k.

So my question to current Aston or Vantage S owners, is there any bit of info that you wish you had know before you bought? Can be anything, maybe a certain trim is difficult to live with? Maybe you wish you'd checked X on the car you bought? Maybe there are dealers/indys to swerve?

Also any thoughts on whether it's essential to buy from AM have an AM Warranty? Are the warranties void if the car has a few Bamford Rose tweaks or do they just void the modified part of the car?

Thanks for any feedback!

[HBradley]

Welcome Ian,
I came from a manual 06 4.3 V8V to a Sportshift 11 V8VS. The leap in performance & dynamics is epic & well worth the extra cash over a standard 4.7. The choice between manual & SS is perhaps the biggest decision, you really need to drive both (preferably over a long test) before making the call. I love the SS but it's entirely personal choice.
I had a BR twin-plate clutch & lightened flywheel fitted, the improvement in pick-up & gear-change quality is truly night & day. This would invalidate the warranty, however there is now an AMR solution which would leave the warranty extant.
In sum, the V8VS coupe is a fabulous car, the Roadster would be even better!

[Big E 118]

Thanks for the feedback.
I'll drive a SSII car and see what I think. I have a PDK Porsche and I used to have a R-Tronic (single clutch) V10 R8 so I'm not a manual purist and I'm happy to weigh up both gearbox options.

I'm quite a fan of tweaking cars to my personal preferences so maybe I'll save on buying a car from AM and just keep a slush fund for any repairs.

[bogie]

I changed last year from a manual 2006 4.3 Vantage coupe to a manual Dec 2012 4.7 roadster. This was pretty much as early a car that I could find with all the later changes.

The only disappointing thing was the noise...or lack of. The later cars have a 2nd set of pre-cats. These are easily replaced with straight pipe for £500 and then it sounds like it should. An "S" spec car has a different back box anyway, and a switch, so it might be enough for you.....

Spec wise, an S should be pretty well kitted out from new. So long as you have bluetooth phone and Premium stereo then nothing more really to add. Cruise control would be nice for long motorway journeys. Cant think of anything else an "S" spec car wont have.

You may have to wait a while and travel to get the car you want, there are only about 50 S sportshift roadsters in the UK and half that in manual.....

Edited by bogie on Thursday 3rd August 13:49

[HBradley]

Big E 118 said:

Thanks for the feedback.
I'll drive a SSII car and see what I think. I have a PDK Porsche and I used to have a R-Tronic (single clutch) V10 R8 so I'm not a manual purist and I'm happy to weigh up both gearbox options.

I'm quite a fan of tweaking cars to my personal preferences so maybe I'll save on buying a car from AM and just keep a slush fund for any repairs.

A PDK the SS definitely isn't, rather a robotised manual! Treating it just like a manual without a clutch pedal is the best way to get the most out of the car (slight lift of the gas on upshifts etc).
There are plenty of good quality cars from private buyers & indies out there & it will give you the opportunity to tweak it as you see fit (BR & DAE have great options to up the power/sound & improve the handling) without worrying about warranties etc etc.
Good luck & when you buy it remember to post the phots here.

[AdamV8V]

The second most debated option after manual vs SportsShift is Sports vs Lightweight Seats.

Plenty of fans of both on here but, like the gearbox, try both if you can and make up your own mind.

I've had 2 V8V's with Sports Seats and my last one had LWs. I've ordered my next car with the lightweights (a £2.5k option) which tells you my preference! The main thing you lose is movement (LW seats have fixed backs) and heating, which I did miss when you have the top down on a cold day!

Happy Hunting

[Big E 118]

AdamV8V said:

The second most debated option after manual vs SportsShift is Sports vs Lightweight Seats.

I haven't seen one with the lightweight seats, will keep an eye out. I do like to sit quite low and was impressed that the sports seats can go down quite a way, I hate feeling like I'm sitting on top of a car!

[Big E 118]

I've had a look at a a couple of Vantages and none have any paint protection film but have had very few chips.

Are there any spots in particular on the car that I should be looking a bit more closely to inspect any paint repairs/resprays?

thanks

[HBradley]

Big E 118 said:

I've had a look at a a couple of Vantages and none have any paint protection film but have had very few chips.

Are there any spots in particular on the car that I should be looking a bit more closely to inspect any paint repairs/resprays?

thanks

The panels in front of the rear wheels should be protected by PPF from the factory as it's a vulnerable area.
I don't know the mileage of the cars you're looking at, but the front end (incl of the wings) are prone to stone chips. The choice for most people is PPF or respray when the chips become too much to bear. I'm in the former camp, believing that prevention is better than a cure.
Paint bubbling around the door handles & along the bottom of the door has been mentioned a few times on this forum, though neither of my 2 Vantages have suffered from it.
Other than those, it's like any other car.

[Big E 118]

So far I've seen cars at around 10k miles so maybe too early to see a lot of road rash. Coming from a wide body 911 the rear arches on those get a hammering so PPF is essential.

I have been impressed with the condition of the cars I've seen, Astons are obviously well loved by their owners!

[HBradley]

Big E 118 said:

So far I've seen cars at around 10k miles so maybe too early to see a lot of road rash. Coming from a wide body 911 the rear arches on those get a hammering so PPF is essential.

I have been impressed with the condition of the cars I've seen, Astons are obviously well loved by their owners!

The paint on AMs is extremely soft so stone chips are sadly inevitable - hence PPF.
For 99% of Astons are much loved & really well looked after, which, combined with their bullet-proof mechanics inspires buyer confidence & also makes abused ones relatively easy to spot.

[V8V Pete]

Most will have piano black ski slope/waterfall. Looks OK but is a PITA in bright sunshine as it reflects so much you can't see where you're going. However, don't worry about it as it is easy (if not cheap) to change for a carbon fibre (or other) one. Get the dealer to do it as part of the deal because they can do it cheaper than they would charge you to have it done post purchase. Get them to put some glass switches in at the same time too.

At this price point I would still prefer to buy from a main dealer as they can easily do the sort of stuff I'm talking about above and you have more comeback on other things that may not be true warranty items (like paintwork issues which even 2013 onwards are not immune to - I know). The years AM warranty you get thrown in is useful to get the little (but not necessarily cheap) things done then let this lapse then get your mods done later when you know the car is a good one.

As far as spec is concerned Lightweight seats, Premium Audio and manual were my must have options but this is just personal preference. Enjoy the search.

[Big E 118]

Thanks Pete
I quite liked the piano black trim but i can see how it could reflect onto the windscreen and annoy! The glass buttons to me are a must, they look much better.

I do have a main dealer near me and will probably buy through them to get a warranty. As I'm new to AM's I think it's probably wise to make sure the car is 100% before making any mods.

[Big E 118]

Definitive buyers guide arrived today, I best get reading!

[Speedraser]

HBradley said:

Welcome Ian,
I came from a manual 06 4.3 V8V to a Sportshift 11 V8VS. The leap in performance & dynamics is epic & well worth the extra cash over a standard 4.7.

The S is fantastic, but IMO not that different from a standard 4.7 with the Sports Pack. I actually prefer the ride/handling balance of the earlier Sports Pack cars (it's a little more compliant) for the moonscape roads where I live. That said, as of MY2012.25, the only difference in performance between the S and non-S is 10hp and 15 lbs/ft -- tiny percentage gains and it's very hard, if not impossible, to feel that. The brakes and steering ratio of the S were included in the standard 4.7, and the Sports Pack suspension was the same as the S suspension (unless the S has Comfort suspension, which is the standard 4.7's standard suspension). I say this not to be anti-S in any way, but to point out that IMO the standard 4.7 cars should not be underestimated or overlooked -- and you'll obviously have more cars to choose from.

[Big E 118]

Thanks Speedraser, that's an interesting point and worth considering.

It would certainly open up a few other options to look at and of course save some money! I would be looking at an aftermarket exhaust anyway which would easily recover the 10bhp loss.

A must for me is the carbon splitter and diffuser which I believe were options on the non S but standard on the S, I would think most cars would have ticked those boxes.

[HBradley]

I think once you've found a late model V8V with the upgrades, carbon bits & spent £6000 on a sports exhaust, you could well have paid less for a stock V8VS.

[V8V Pete]

Big E 118 said:

A must for me is the carbon splitter and diffuser which I believe were options on the non S but standard on the S, I would think most cars would have ticked those boxes.

You'll find almost no non-S cars with carbon splitter & diffuser as they were expensive options and I think it would virtually have cost more to do that than buy an S in the first place. Similarly, would probably cost more to put them on a non-S used car than buy a used S. Also, if you're interested in Lightweight seats you'll find a few Ss specced with them but almost no non-Ss.

The other point raised by Speedraser is an important one. Some Ss were specced with Comfort suspension so if the Sports suspension is important to you (it was to me) then make sure this is what you are getting (will be specified on the original spec sheet and on the AM computer record of the car available to all dealers). There were differences between coupes and roadsters regarding suspension so this may not apply but I don't know the details as I've never bought a roadster.

FWIW personally I think the S suspension is significantly better than the previous Sportspack (having owned each for 2 years). The S may have higher spring rates but the damping is clearly superior IMHO.

[HBradley]

V8V Pete said:

The other point raised by Speedraser is an important one. Some Ss were specced with Comfort suspension so if the Sports suspension is important to you (it was to me) then make sure this is what you are getting (will be specified on the original spec sheet and on the AM computer record of the car available to all dealers). There were differences between coupes and roadsters regarding suspension so this may not apply but I don't know the details as I've never bought a roadster.

FWIW personally I think the S suspension is significantly better than the previous Sportspack (having owned each for 2 years). The S may have higher spring rates but the damping is clearly superior IMHO.

From memory, the V8VS has Sports Suspension as standard with the Comfort as a no cost option.

[Big E 118]

HBradley said:

From memory, the V8VS has Sports Suspension as standard with the Comfort as a no cost option.

This is the way I understand it and is described in the buyers guide book. It's something I'll check pre-purchase.

Still not seen any with sports seats, quite like the idea of those as always preferred carbon buckets in my Porsches.