Visit to Aston Installations
Discussion
On Tuesday, I did a last minute diversion via Tewkesbury on the way to Aston Martin's HQ in Gaydon. At that point, I suddenly remembered that Aston Installations are based there, so I very cheekily dropped in with only 15 minutes notice.
I've heard a lot about Aston Installations over the past years. Many posts have been written by customers who are happy with what they've had done. They are best known for developing infotainment upgrades for VH platform Aston Martins, specifically adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities in a very discreet way, but there's more to Aston Installations.
Interestingly, many of the current Aston Martins still don't leave the factory with CarPlay capability. There was only a freak CarPlay addition to the last of the VH cars between 2017 and 2018. It was one of the reasons I knew that Jekyll would be a big upgrade to my 2016 V8 Vantage; I just never realised how transformational CarPlay would be to the usability of these amazing vehicles as sports cars and grand tourers. It's hard to describe, but fully integrated navigation with your audio, camera, phone, etc. control screen allows you to concentrate better on the task of picking a road apart with an excess of BHP
Back to Aston Installations... I arrived and was very warmly greeted by James, and soon met his colleagues, including Lenny and Amy. It also appears to be a very nice family business, with two sons also working for the company.
I spent a good hour there, chatting to James and Lenny, being generally nosey. With my background in design engineering and career in IT, I was inherently interested in what makes these upgrades tick. What I saw was very well engineered and deployed solutions with many quality in-house electronic assemblies. I particularly appreciate how discreetly these enhancements are installed. If you didn't know better, you'd say these are factory fit.
At the back of the workshop, a 3D printer was busy laying down material. Modern low volume manufacturing processes like this ensures that the resultant quality is light years ahead of older low volume retrofit solutions. I like that they used all the methods available. And they must also have access to a very clever software developer who can ensure the UI/UX is fully up to scratch.
In the workshop that day was a range of VH platform cars (Vantages and DB9 with an interesting history), plus a current model Vantage. In their car park was James' own 4.3 litre, properly upgraded Vantage with V12 bonnet. The folks at Aston Installations live and breath these cars and have a genuine passion for them.
Even though I made it clear that my car wasn't in need of a CarPlay upgrade, James and Lenny showed that it was possible to fit and fully integrate a front-mounted wide-angle camera, very neatly tucked under the numberplate. A demo of the system which was installed in one of the cars there indeed prove the big benefit this can bring with emerging from obscured junctions or parking anywhere near obstacles. The four angle modes allows you to get a specific view of what's awaiting you. The sound of a crunching front splitter is something we all want to avoid. I am sorely tempted, but need to check if/how it affects my car's warranty, which is in the process of paying for itself.
What I didn't realise was the extent of the other services they offer. I knew about their ability to upgrade old and very low resolution screens on the original V12 Vanquish and VH cars into modern, high definition ones with all the integrated latest tech. And I'd heard about the camera additions. But I didn't realise they could add "Magsafe" type battery conditioner connectors (I didn't even know they existed, and seem to be a very good idea), steering wheel upgrades with cruise controls for cars which didn't have them spec'd originally, and more. They work with several external companies to supply or trim components.
If your car predates or never came with Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, front / rear cameras, Bluetooth hands-free kits, phone connectivity and charging, I couldn't recommend them enough. You can buy an upgrade kit from them if you're handy with a screwdriver or live too far away and have a local engineer willing to fit it. Or just drive it to their Gloucestershire discreet lair as an owner of a One-77 did. Their knowledge and experience of dismantling and reassembling expensive components takes the fright out of the process.
I know that official UK Aston Martin dealers do outsource their services to Aston Installations, and there appears to be a mutual acknowledgment of the benefits they bring to the Aston Martin community by the factory (I have no true insight on this). It would be good to see Aston Martin officially recognise Aston Installations and allow their work to be fully compatible with Timeless warranties. That would be a win for all concerned.
The systems do seem to be installed in a very non-destructive way, leaving very little evidence of installation if you decide to revert, I would imagine. If your car is out of manufacturer or extended Timeless warranty, it's a no-brainer.
So, will I get the front camera done on my car? Lenny and James are very persuasive...
PS - sorry the happy snaps aren't great, but I was enjoying the chat too much to car about the Box Brownie.
I've heard a lot about Aston Installations over the past years. Many posts have been written by customers who are happy with what they've had done. They are best known for developing infotainment upgrades for VH platform Aston Martins, specifically adding Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities in a very discreet way, but there's more to Aston Installations.
Interestingly, many of the current Aston Martins still don't leave the factory with CarPlay capability. There was only a freak CarPlay addition to the last of the VH cars between 2017 and 2018. It was one of the reasons I knew that Jekyll would be a big upgrade to my 2016 V8 Vantage; I just never realised how transformational CarPlay would be to the usability of these amazing vehicles as sports cars and grand tourers. It's hard to describe, but fully integrated navigation with your audio, camera, phone, etc. control screen allows you to concentrate better on the task of picking a road apart with an excess of BHP
Back to Aston Installations... I arrived and was very warmly greeted by James, and soon met his colleagues, including Lenny and Amy. It also appears to be a very nice family business, with two sons also working for the company.
I spent a good hour there, chatting to James and Lenny, being generally nosey. With my background in design engineering and career in IT, I was inherently interested in what makes these upgrades tick. What I saw was very well engineered and deployed solutions with many quality in-house electronic assemblies. I particularly appreciate how discreetly these enhancements are installed. If you didn't know better, you'd say these are factory fit.
At the back of the workshop, a 3D printer was busy laying down material. Modern low volume manufacturing processes like this ensures that the resultant quality is light years ahead of older low volume retrofit solutions. I like that they used all the methods available. And they must also have access to a very clever software developer who can ensure the UI/UX is fully up to scratch.
In the workshop that day was a range of VH platform cars (Vantages and DB9 with an interesting history), plus a current model Vantage. In their car park was James' own 4.3 litre, properly upgraded Vantage with V12 bonnet. The folks at Aston Installations live and breath these cars and have a genuine passion for them.
Even though I made it clear that my car wasn't in need of a CarPlay upgrade, James and Lenny showed that it was possible to fit and fully integrate a front-mounted wide-angle camera, very neatly tucked under the numberplate. A demo of the system which was installed in one of the cars there indeed prove the big benefit this can bring with emerging from obscured junctions or parking anywhere near obstacles. The four angle modes allows you to get a specific view of what's awaiting you. The sound of a crunching front splitter is something we all want to avoid. I am sorely tempted, but need to check if/how it affects my car's warranty, which is in the process of paying for itself.
What I didn't realise was the extent of the other services they offer. I knew about their ability to upgrade old and very low resolution screens on the original V12 Vanquish and VH cars into modern, high definition ones with all the integrated latest tech. And I'd heard about the camera additions. But I didn't realise they could add "Magsafe" type battery conditioner connectors (I didn't even know they existed, and seem to be a very good idea), steering wheel upgrades with cruise controls for cars which didn't have them spec'd originally, and more. They work with several external companies to supply or trim components.
If your car predates or never came with Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, front / rear cameras, Bluetooth hands-free kits, phone connectivity and charging, I couldn't recommend them enough. You can buy an upgrade kit from them if you're handy with a screwdriver or live too far away and have a local engineer willing to fit it. Or just drive it to their Gloucestershire discreet lair as an owner of a One-77 did. Their knowledge and experience of dismantling and reassembling expensive components takes the fright out of the process.
I know that official UK Aston Martin dealers do outsource their services to Aston Installations, and there appears to be a mutual acknowledgment of the benefits they bring to the Aston Martin community by the factory (I have no true insight on this). It would be good to see Aston Martin officially recognise Aston Installations and allow their work to be fully compatible with Timeless warranties. That would be a win for all concerned.
The systems do seem to be installed in a very non-destructive way, leaving very little evidence of installation if you decide to revert, I would imagine. If your car is out of manufacturer or extended Timeless warranty, it's a no-brainer.
So, will I get the front camera done on my car? Lenny and James are very persuasive...
PS - sorry the happy snaps aren't great, but I was enjoying the chat too much to car about the Box Brownie.
Thank you Nick. An interesting post and I do like your photos.
This sentence made me think.
'I just never realised how transformational CarPlay would be to the usability of these amazing vehicles as sports cars and grand tourers. It's hard to describe, but fully integrated navigation with your audio, camera, phone, etc. control screen allows you to concentrate better on the task of picking a road apart with an excess of BHP.'
Aston Installations are not far from me, but although I do make full use of technology, I have never had much of it in cars.
Premium Audio with music on memory stick in the centre locker and phone navigation is about it for me.
Still quite like that end of era feeling with my Vantage. It even permits me to change gear and operate the handbrake !
A new daily driver is planned later this year, so we will reluctantly have to move into your new modern world.
Cameras all round, with some clever software that combines all the video feeds into one, showing the car from above, in front, from the side, perhaps from underneath. No excuse for parking mistakes anymore. Voice control of goodness knows what equipment.
Probably need a university course, about how to work everything.
You intrigued us with interesting DB9 history, but don't think you said any more about that.
kevin_cambs_uk said:
Lovely info thank you
I am going to get the headlight venting kit done by them at some point
Kev
Oh, perfect! When there, we hadn't even got onto that topic. Another one of those "they all do that, Sir" things. Never really bothers me, but many people point it out.I am going to get the headlight venting kit done by them at some point
Kev
I've seen these kits promoted, but didn't know it's something Aston Installations did. Please let us know how you find it
Thanks, everyone, for the feedback. They always generate positive responses.
Thank you Nick. An interesting post and I do like your photos.
This sentence made me think.
'I just never realised how transformational CarPlay would be to the usability of these amazing vehicles as sports cars and grand tourers. It's hard to describe, but fully integrated navigation with your audio, camera, phone, etc. control screen allows you to concentrate better on the task of picking a road apart with an excess of BHP.'
Aston Installations are not far from me, but although I do make full use of technology, I have never had much of it in cars.
Premium Audio with music on memory stick in the centre locker and phone navigation is about it for me.
Still quite like that end of era feeling with my Vantage. It even permits me to change gear and operate the handbrake !
A new daily driver is planned later this year, so we will reluctantly have to move into your new modern world.
Cameras all round, with some clever software that combines all the video feeds into one, showing the car from above, in front, from the side, perhaps from underneath. No excuse for parking mistakes anymore. Voice control of goodness knows what equipment.
Probably need a university course, about how to work everything.For sure, that setup works. And if you don't seek any more or miss anything about it, brilliant. I used to have all my tunes on my iPhone and play from that, but for around 4 years now, it's all Spotify. Plus I use Google Maps (one of the best designed bits of software ever made, IMHO) - although I should try Waze. So on this basis, I either have the iPhone clipped onto an air vent, which worked well enough for my previous Vantages, or now fully integrated into the centre dashboard screen. It's just clearer that way for me, plus the phone can be answered fully integrated and hands free. It all allows me to concentrate on the driving more.
But these things advance so quickly. We don't have any truly up-to-date cars in the household, so I won't know what it's like with all those 360 degree cameras, etc. That's why I'm a big advocate of "if you like what you've got, don't worry about the new stuff"
Enjoy your new wheels!
You intrigued us with interesting DB9 history, but don't think you said any more about that.Sorry, but perhaps somebody from Aston Installations is on PH forums and can elaborate. As it's a customer car, I'm not sure how much I can broadcast. Don't worry - it's not staggering information you're missing.
Dewi 2 said:
Thank you Nick. An interesting post and I do like your photos.
This sentence made me think.
'I just never realised how transformational CarPlay would be to the usability of these amazing vehicles as sports cars and grand tourers. It's hard to describe, but fully integrated navigation with your audio, camera, phone, etc. control screen allows you to concentrate better on the task of picking a road apart with an excess of BHP.'
Aston Installations are not far from me, but although I do make full use of technology, I have never had much of it in cars.
Premium Audio with music on memory stick in the centre locker and phone navigation is about it for me.
Still quite like that end of era feeling with my Vantage. It even permits me to change gear and operate the handbrake !
A new daily driver is planned later this year, so we will reluctantly have to move into your new modern world.
Cameras all round, with some clever software that combines all the video feeds into one, showing the car from above, in front, from the side, perhaps from underneath. No excuse for parking mistakes anymore. Voice control of goodness knows what equipment.
Probably need a university course, about how to work everything.
But these things advance so quickly. We don't have any truly up-to-date cars in the household, so I won't know what it's like with all those 360 degree cameras, etc. That's why I'm a big advocate of "if you like what you've got, don't worry about the new stuff"
Enjoy your new wheels!
Dewi 2 said:
You intrigued us with interesting DB9 history, but don't think you said any more about that.
nickv12 said:
Oh, perfect! When there, we hadn't even got onto that topic. Another one of those "they all do that, Sir" things. Never really bothers me, but many people point it out.
I've seen these kits promoted, but didn't know it's something Aston Installations did. Please let us know how you find it
I read a post quite a while back and some said they did so I am hoping they will be at beaulieu this year and I will have a chat with themI've seen these kits promoted, but didn't know it's something Aston Installations did. Please let us know how you find it
Will see what happens and keep you posted
Kev
Another plus 1 for Aston Installations. Put mine in there as soon as I got my V8V last summer for the Android Auto / Car Play with HD screen plus front and rear cameras and they also wired in my front and rear dash cams that I had pulled out of my previous car. Great team and a nice day out, well worth the trip all the from Essex. I walked into town for breakfast and a stroll whilst they did the hard work.
As for headlamp venting, I've just installed the kit from AM Upgrades myself. It's really simple and whilst I love spending time with AI, it's not really worth the time travelling up there for a simple job.
As for headlamp venting, I've just installed the kit from AM Upgrades myself. It's really simple and whilst I love spending time with AI, it's not really worth the time travelling up there for a simple job.
Edited by AMV8Stuart on Sunday 5th February 13:10
When I got my car fitted with carplay by AI they also had a one-77 in with the interior in bits for something to be done. The owner apparently tracks it, eeek. One of the guys was telling me that the waterfall piece alone was a fortune (£40k iirc?) and they did need a brave pill to get it out. Great bunch and highly recommended. Nick, did you have a go on the race simulator?
M1AGM said:
When I got my car fitted with carplay by AI they also had a one-77 in with the interior in bits for something to be done. The owner apparently tracks it, eeek. One of the guys was telling me that the waterfall piece alone was a fortune (£40k iirc?) and they did need a brave pill to get it out. Great bunch and highly recommended. Nick, did you have a go on the race simulator?
Yeah - working on a One-77 must be... erm... life affirming? Not on the race simulator. I had to keep travelling that day and had already taken a fair bit of their time.
AMV8Stuart said:
Another plus 1 for Aston Installations. Put mine in there as soon as I got my V8V last summer for the Android Auto / Car Play with HD screen plus front and rear cameras and they also wired in my front and rear dash cams that I had pulled out of my previous car. Great team and a nice day out, well worth the trip all the from Essex. I walked into town for breakfast and a stroll whilst they did the hard work.
As for headlamp venting, I've just installed the kit from AM Upgrades myself. It's really simple and whilst I love spending time with AI, it's not really worth the time travelling up there for a simple job.
I am one of those people that when ever I do a job it goes wrong, every time!As for headlamp venting, I've just installed the kit from AM Upgrades myself. It's really simple and whilst I love spending time with AI, it's not really worth the time travelling up there for a simple job.
Edited by AMV8Stuart on Sunday 5th February 13:10
I am not sure I will gamble on me doing it!!! lol!
Kevin
Forums | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff