Yes! I now have a Virage!
Discussion
Yay! I now have an AM Virage. After the car got a very thorough PPI at a very reputable AM (Heritage) specialist, I bought the car. It s got some miles (approximately 90k kms) but the paint is in almost pristine condition and so is the (red) interior.
Love how it drives and sounds. The CCB s need either a refurb or replacement, but I m probably going to change them for iron regular brakes as I really do not need carbon ceramic brakes driving in and around Amsterdam haha.
Also, a few mods planned:
- Carplay (by Aston Installations?)
- Sports exhaust and manifolds by Quicksilver
- maybe, maybe (?) a DBS rear bumper and diffuser if they would fit? I know this is sacrilage but I really love the look of the DBS rear with the more pronounced diffuser.
- Brake refurb.
Apart from that, just driving it. Already went for a drive with my wife and two daughters, they loved it!
Cheers from Amsterdam!
PS: PH is very helpful and informative, thanks!!
Love how it drives and sounds. The CCB s need either a refurb or replacement, but I m probably going to change them for iron regular brakes as I really do not need carbon ceramic brakes driving in and around Amsterdam haha.
Also, a few mods planned:
- Carplay (by Aston Installations?)
- Sports exhaust and manifolds by Quicksilver
- maybe, maybe (?) a DBS rear bumper and diffuser if they would fit? I know this is sacrilage but I really love the look of the DBS rear with the more pronounced diffuser.
- Brake refurb.
Apart from that, just driving it. Already went for a drive with my wife and two daughters, they loved it!
Cheers from Amsterdam!
PS: PH is very helpful and informative, thanks!!
Edited by Enzo Sebastian on Wednesday 13th May 20:52
. So it requires some planning and early hours to really enjoy our roads haha. That Virage looks absolutely lovely!!
We've obviously got similar taste in cars, unfortunately I could not afford all at the same time!
I've had a schwartz black m3 convertible (I think a relatively rare colour) on the same BBS alloys as yours, plus an M roadster - Z4M rather than Z3 though. Unfortunately, never a Ferrari 430!
My Vantage feels weirdly similarly to the Z4M in some ways.
Congratulations on having such a great group of cars.
We've obviously got similar taste in cars, unfortunately I could not afford all at the same time!
I've had a schwartz black m3 convertible (I think a relatively rare colour) on the same BBS alloys as yours, plus an M roadster - Z4M rather than Z3 though. Unfortunately, never a Ferrari 430!
My Vantage feels weirdly similarly to the Z4M in some ways.
Congratulations on having such a great group of cars.
Looks gorgeous! Congratulations!
I bought a Vantage in February that had been outfitted by the previous Dutch owner by Carlife Zeeland in Vlissingen (https://carlife.nl) with front and rear cameras, Apple CarPlay integration, and so on.
I can't say how much it cost, but why don't you ask them what they offer?
I bought a Vantage in February that had been outfitted by the previous Dutch owner by Carlife Zeeland in Vlissingen (https://carlife.nl) with front and rear cameras, Apple CarPlay integration, and so on.
I can't say how much it cost, but why don't you ask them what they offer?
Z51 said:
That Virage looks absolutely lovely!!
We've obviously got similar taste in cars, unfortunately I could not afford all at the same time!
I've had a schwartz black m3 convertible (I think a relatively rare colour) on the same BBS alloys as yours, plus an M roadster - Z4M rather than Z3 though. Unfortunately, never a Ferrari 430!
My Vantage feels weirdly similarly to the Z4M in some ways.
Congratulations on having such a great group of cars.
Haha yeah that does sound like similar taste in cars! Really nice! But, was your Vantage a Volante? The weird thing is, I never had a V12 or big GT before, but driving the AM makes me feel like 'I've never driven a car like this before' so the feeling for me is quite different. I do have an e70 X5M that I use as a somewhat-daily and that's quick but also heavy, but not really comparable. What was striking for me is that upon the test drive I really like how big the Virage itself is, it does not feel like that in the cabin at all. Sitting in it feels quite snug and it actually gave me the idea of sitting in a 911 or the Z3M indeed. That's why I pulled the trigger because it feels a lot sportier than it might look in advance. I love the Z4M! Actually the Coupes, both Coupes Z3M and Z4M have been on my to-do-list before, but it's a matter of money, space, time, family, etc.. We've obviously got similar taste in cars, unfortunately I could not afford all at the same time!
I've had a schwartz black m3 convertible (I think a relatively rare colour) on the same BBS alloys as yours, plus an M roadster - Z4M rather than Z3 though. Unfortunately, never a Ferrari 430!
My Vantage feels weirdly similarly to the Z4M in some ways.
Congratulations on having such a great group of cars.
Granturadriver said:
Looks gorgeous! Congratulations!
I bought a Vantage in February that had been outfitted by the previous Dutch owner by Carlife Zeeland in Vlissingen (https://carlife.nl) with front and rear cameras, Apple CarPlay integration, and so on.
I can't say how much it cost, but why don't you ask them what they offer?
Wow, great tip!! Does your Vantage have the flip-up ancient navi system as seen in the DBS and Virage too? And are you happy with the Carplay integration you have now? Aston Installations just got back to me today and it seems like a real option, but it's a pricey one.. I will contact Carlife first thing tomorrow! I bought a Vantage in February that had been outfitted by the previous Dutch owner by Carlife Zeeland in Vlissingen (https://carlife.nl) with front and rear cameras, Apple CarPlay integration, and so on.
I can't say how much it cost, but why don't you ask them what they offer?
yeti said:
Cracking collection! I'd like to know more about the F430...
Thanks mate! Ah, here you go. It's a 2005 Argento Nurburgring Coupe, also a drivers car with now 83k km's on it. Bought at just below 60k km's and had only two issues with it. I bought the car in 2020 and first week of buying it a vital F1 sensor let me down, so car would not move. Just as I was pulling in to a restaurant with my wife. Funny thing it must have been, friends of mine and myself pushing a Ferrari down the parking lot. My wife steering for the first time in a Ferrari, but it wasn't running haha. Last year, the F1 potentiometer failed on me. Also while driving down the highway with 120km/h and car would not shift upwards anymore, only down. So, that was also 'a moment'. Both quite expensive repairs at around 3k per repair. However, apart from that, the car has down 23k km's in a lot of mountain rounds (Switzerland, Italy, Austria, France) and held up beautifully. Nothing major apart from regular services. It's just another world, driving car like this. It has a Capristo manifold setup and the Capristo valved back-box with a valve remote. It sounds just heavenly and makes you sad about current recent cars not having this emotional setup anymore.. I'm from the 80's so my poster cars were F40's and Coutachs and nowadays I just could not see any of the new cars coming up spiking any emotion with me. Nor soundwise, nor in the looks.. I'm really happy with the car and it's what I believe the best bang for your buck.
It's got an OEM Challenge grill, the original anthracite Scuderia wheels and burgundy red interior with (unicorn rare!) original carbon bucket seats! Ideal for the Sunday coffee-croissant run with one of my kids. Or, the occasional seasonal trip towards the mountain roads. Now planned a trip for september. However, maybe contemplating taking the Virage?
Pics for whoever's interested:
Oh, PS: the M3 is a manual, Oxfordgreen 2003 car with now 170k km's on it. Had a full respray last year and everything, and I really mean everything, has been done. One of my best friends had it for 10 years and I'm now the 3rd owner. I have to say though.. Lovely cars, but these olders BMW's can ruin you financially and make the Ferrari look like maintaining a Clio..
I had the Quicksilver manifolds on my 2010 DBS with the standard exhaust box. They changed the exhaust note considerably as well as being much louder. You’ll lose the Aston ‘burble’ for a harder edged race car sound which to be fair sounded awesome in the right circumstances but in the end a bit ott for a GT car so I replaced them with Bamford Rose’s version.
Enzo Sebastian said:
Wow, great tip!! Does your Vantage have the flip-up ancient navi system as seen in the DBS and Virage too? And are you happy with the Carplay integration you have now? Aston Installations just got back to me today and it seems like a real option, but it's a pricey one.. I will contact Carlife first thing tomorrow!
Yes, it has. The monitor seems to be changed as well as it is a touch screen. I can use the system ( Spotify) without the monitor as well. Sound could be better though. 
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