RE: Spotted: 2006 Aston Martin V8 Vantage
Discussion
Rawwr said:
RichB said:
"Darling let's go for a meal tonight, I'll be round at eight in the Aston."
See, that just makes me cringe. Any normal person would just say; "Let's go for a meal tonight. I'll be around at eight." Anybody who would willingly add any of the below to the end of that sentence is going to sound like an utter bellend:...in the Aston.
...in the Jag.
...in the Ferrari.
...in the f
king anything.
Mind you we often have a converstaion in out house about which car we're going out in. What are we meant to say to each other, shall we take the red one, the green one or the black one
As much as I like other exotica there doesn't seem to me to be anything else on the market for the money that's as refined and brutish at the same time. I've been watching the prices of DB9s and V8Vs some time whilst squirreling away as much money as possible for that day when I drive away with my very own Aston. Hell it's never going to be my daily driver as I'll have something else to abandon in public car parks etc.
Rawwr said:
RichB said:
"Darling let's go for a meal tonight, I'll be round at eight in the Aston."
See, that just makes me cringe. Any normal person would just say; "Let's go for a meal tonight. I'll be around at eight."Anybody who would willingly add any of the below to the end of that sentence is going to sound like an utter bellend:
Rawwr said:
...in the Aston.
Rawwr said:
...in the Jag.
Rawwr said:
...in the Ferrari.
I see this car drive past me everyday and it looks and sounds fine.
I got rid of a 997 C4 Cab for a brand new AMV8 from AM Wilmslow, had it 5 months and loved/hated every minute of it.
When the car wasn't back at the dealers for various faults/ticks/idiosyncrasies then it was biblical in every way.
However i got rid of it for a Ferrari 360 F1, which wasn't a great car for our stty UK roads, got rid of this for a Bentley GT.
The reason i'm blabbing about my previous cars is simply because they are all around the £40k second hand and i'd choose the Bentley GT every time.
Anyway, the car looks fine and like it's half the mileage.
I'd take the plunge and buy it, forget the mileage. You'd get problems whether it's brand new or it's 5 years old, but isn't that the truth about any car.
Pete
I got rid of a 997 C4 Cab for a brand new AMV8 from AM Wilmslow, had it 5 months and loved/hated every minute of it.
When the car wasn't back at the dealers for various faults/ticks/idiosyncrasies then it was biblical in every way.
However i got rid of it for a Ferrari 360 F1, which wasn't a great car for our s
tty UK roads, got rid of this for a Bentley GT. The reason i'm blabbing about my previous cars is simply because they are all around the £40k second hand and i'd choose the Bentley GT every time.
Anyway, the car looks fine and like it's half the mileage.
I'd take the plunge and buy it, forget the mileage. You'd get problems whether it's brand new or it's 5 years old, but isn't that the truth about any car.
Pete
First, the V8V is NOT slow. That's just absurd. It's not as fast as some other cars, but that doesn't make it slow. Not even as a "mere" 4.3. And the 4.7 is genuinely quick.
Second, the V8V is not unreliable. Early cars had some issues, generally minor (which can, of course, be annoying), but later cars are proving to be very reliable. Mine has been nearly faultless after 2 years.
Third, the V8V is a fantastic experience, wonderful to own and to drive.
Below is a copy of a previous post of mine from the Porsche forum, much of which is relevant to the conversation here:
Have a look through the Aston forum and you’ll see that a LOT of people have gone from 911s to Astons – and are absolutely delighted that they did.
The OP asked for information, but what he got instead was some very strong opinions from many people who, for the most part, have either no experience or very limited experience of the Aston. I have owned Porsches for 17 years, and I’ve had my 993 Carrera for almost 12 years. I am privileged to also own an Aston Martin V8 Vantage – a MY09 4.7L Sports Pack Coupe that I’ve had from new.
The ease with which some of the posters here dismiss the V8V’s reliability is amusing, given the disaster that the 996 engine has proven to be (no, most don’t go BANG, but far too many do). The 997 was better, but still shares those major engine problems. So bad was it that it took a whole new engine to “fix” it (hopefully) for the 997.2. A couple of posters here had a bad experience with an Aston, and the conclusion is that they’re all no good . Some early V8Vs had some issues, but they were small ones. The later cars have generally proven to be extremely reliable. Mine has been essentially faultless so far, which is the norm, not the exception. BTW, the V8V engine uses a real dry sump. Like Porsche used to. Oh, and Aston races the V8V with the same engine that they put in the road car. Like Porsche used to, before they began putting a cheap engine in the Carrera and only using the serious engine in the GT3, Turbo and GT2.
The V8V, according to many, doesn’t feel as quick as a 997, probably because the Aston’s acceleration feels more linear, with less of the high-rev surge that the Porsche produces. The numbers say differently, as does actually running the cars against each other.
As far as the 4.3 vs. 4.7 debate is concerned, the 4.3 is a great car and a great drive. It is certainly not “gutless.” It needs to be revved, but do so and it is quick – right on the heels of a 997. That said, the 4.7 is a major improvement, and is a seriously fast car. It is very torquey, which is where the 4.3 falls somewhat short. For acceleration, the 4.7 is right there with a 997S. There are many improvements in the 4.7 -- it’s not just the engine. The steering feel, for example, is significantly improved, and the handling is sharpened. Also, the Sports Pack makes a very significant difference – it handles very well in standard form, but the Sports Pack really makes the car, IMO. The 4.7 with the Sports Pack is an absolutely fantastic driver’s car.
The V8V does feel bigger and heavier than a 997, probably because the V8V is bigger and heavier than a 997. Not quite as sharp at the ragged edge as a 997, but beautifully balanced, adjustable and communicative. Also, the V8V is easier to drive at the limit than a 997, and is balanced and stable in the way that only a well-balanced (49F/51R weight distribution) front engined-rear drive car can be. Nicely adjustable on the throttle, too. Not “better,” and fractionally less quick around a track (when driven by a pro) than a 997, but huge fun and fantastic on the road – where most of us drive most of the time. The V8V, in 4.7L Sports Pack form (identical to the N420) is a 5 star car in EVO for good reason.
Importantly, as it (and the 997) is a road car first, I find the V8V more enjoyable on the road more of the time. In my experience, a 997 is truly great when driven hard and fast, probably even more thrilling at the limit than the V8V. But, and this is a significant but, I find the Aston is much more enjoyable at everything else, including going fast but not at the absolute limit. The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
Build quality… The build quality of the V8V is so much better than any water-cooled 911 that there is really no comparison. The quality of materials Aston uses is in a different league. The interior quality of a 996 is, frankly, embarrassing. So full of plastic, and cheap plastic at that. The exterior door handles look and feel cheap (what a shame after the beautifully done versions on the 993). The 997 is a lot better, but those door handles, which look better, feel just as cheap when you touch and operate them. All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal. It’s not perfect, but the Aston is exquisitely built, with craftsmanship that is in an entirely different league from Porsche’s.
The Aston forum is full of people who used to own 911s, and many of us still do, so we have a solid basis for comparison. We LOVE our Astons. When I went car shopping, I looked at and drove the 997 (and various other cars), and I bought the Aston. If it had not been great to drive, I would not have bought it. It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
Second, the V8V is not unreliable. Early cars had some issues, generally minor (which can, of course, be annoying), but later cars are proving to be very reliable. Mine has been nearly faultless after 2 years.
Third, the V8V is a fantastic experience, wonderful to own and to drive.
Below is a copy of a previous post of mine from the Porsche forum, much of which is relevant to the conversation here:
Have a look through the Aston forum and you’ll see that a LOT of people have gone from 911s to Astons – and are absolutely delighted that they did.
The OP asked for information, but what he got instead was some very strong opinions from many people who, for the most part, have either no experience or very limited experience of the Aston. I have owned Porsches for 17 years, and I’ve had my 993 Carrera for almost 12 years. I am privileged to also own an Aston Martin V8 Vantage – a MY09 4.7L Sports Pack Coupe that I’ve had from new.
The ease with which some of the posters here dismiss the V8V’s reliability is amusing, given the disaster that the 996 engine has proven to be (no, most don’t go BANG, but far too many do). The 997 was better, but still shares those major engine problems. So bad was it that it took a whole new engine to “fix” it (hopefully) for the 997.2. A couple of posters here had a bad experience with an Aston, and the conclusion is that they’re all no good . Some early V8Vs had some issues, but they were small ones. The later cars have generally proven to be extremely reliable. Mine has been essentially faultless so far, which is the norm, not the exception. BTW, the V8V engine uses a real dry sump. Like Porsche used to. Oh, and Aston races the V8V with the same engine that they put in the road car. Like Porsche used to, before they began putting a cheap engine in the Carrera and only using the serious engine in the GT3, Turbo and GT2.
The V8V, according to many, doesn’t feel as quick as a 997, probably because the Aston’s acceleration feels more linear, with less of the high-rev surge that the Porsche produces. The numbers say differently, as does actually running the cars against each other.
As far as the 4.3 vs. 4.7 debate is concerned, the 4.3 is a great car and a great drive. It is certainly not “gutless.” It needs to be revved, but do so and it is quick – right on the heels of a 997. That said, the 4.7 is a major improvement, and is a seriously fast car. It is very torquey, which is where the 4.3 falls somewhat short. For acceleration, the 4.7 is right there with a 997S. There are many improvements in the 4.7 -- it’s not just the engine. The steering feel, for example, is significantly improved, and the handling is sharpened. Also, the Sports Pack makes a very significant difference – it handles very well in standard form, but the Sports Pack really makes the car, IMO. The 4.7 with the Sports Pack is an absolutely fantastic driver’s car.
The V8V does feel bigger and heavier than a 997, probably because the V8V is bigger and heavier than a 997. Not quite as sharp at the ragged edge as a 997, but beautifully balanced, adjustable and communicative. Also, the V8V is easier to drive at the limit than a 997, and is balanced and stable in the way that only a well-balanced (49F/51R weight distribution) front engined-rear drive car can be. Nicely adjustable on the throttle, too. Not “better,” and fractionally less quick around a track (when driven by a pro) than a 997, but huge fun and fantastic on the road – where most of us drive most of the time. The V8V, in 4.7L Sports Pack form (identical to the N420) is a 5 star car in EVO for good reason.
Importantly, as it (and the 997) is a road car first, I find the V8V more enjoyable on the road more of the time. In my experience, a 997 is truly great when driven hard and fast, probably even more thrilling at the limit than the V8V. But, and this is a significant but, I find the Aston is much more enjoyable at everything else, including going fast but not at the absolute limit. The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
Build quality… The build quality of the V8V is so much better than any water-cooled 911 that there is really no comparison. The quality of materials Aston uses is in a different league. The interior quality of a 996 is, frankly, embarrassing. So full of plastic, and cheap plastic at that. The exterior door handles look and feel cheap (what a shame after the beautifully done versions on the 993). The 997 is a lot better, but those door handles, which look better, feel just as cheap when you touch and operate them. All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal. It’s not perfect, but the Aston is exquisitely built, with craftsmanship that is in an entirely different league from Porsche’s.
The Aston forum is full of people who used to own 911s, and many of us still do, so we have a solid basis for comparison. We LOVE our Astons. When I went car shopping, I looked at and drove the 997 (and various other cars), and I bought the Aston. If it had not been great to drive, I would not have bought it. It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I've pondered this myself as my dad swapped an E92 M3 for the Vantage. He never felt very involved in the M3 and never had the confidence in it that he did in his E46. I've not driven either car hard, but he prefers the balance of the Vantage. It's very noticeable how stiff the structure is though. There is a lot of bracing going on so it feels very solid, but without sports pack the ride is actually better than the M3. It's all aluminium though so not sure where the weight comes from - maybe just an element of all those nice tactile materials in the Vantage. Everything you interact with feels great. Speedraser said:
First, the V8V is NOT slow. That's just absurd. It's not as fast as some other cars, but that doesn't make it slow. Not even as a "mere" 4.3. And the 4.7 is genuinely quick.
Second, the V8V is not unreliable. Early cars had some issues, generally minor (which can, of course, be annoying), but later cars are proving to be very reliable. Mine has been nearly faultless after 2 years.
Third, the V8V is a fantastic experience, wonderful to own.
Great post. Second, the V8V is not unreliable. Early cars had some issues, generally minor (which can, of course, be annoying), but later cars are proving to be very reliable. Mine has been nearly faultless after 2 years.
Third, the V8V is a fantastic experience, wonderful to own.
The Vantage is a true classic IMHO, and this looks like a good buy. Just been touring through France and Germany in my Vantage, and the responses I got from all (especially in Germany) was very positive. No other mark seems to have that ability.
As others have said, there is something special about an Aston. I love the 911, but wouldn't blink at one passing me by. I will stop and stare at any Aston going past, though - probably the only car to do so (maybe a Fezza too). I would love to be in a position to own such a car. For me it isn't about performance but how the car would make me feel. And I would feel very special driving one of those!
Let's face it; for most of us, walking out to an Aston every morning would be a great start to the day!
Having said all that, for this sort of money I would be sorely tempted by something like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2592110.htm
Same effect, but even more so for me...
Let's face it; for most of us, walking out to an Aston every morning would be a great start to the day!
Having said all that, for this sort of money I would be sorely tempted by something like this:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2592110.htm
Same effect, but even more so for me...
Speedraser said:
The V8V, in 4.7L Sports Pack form - identical to the N420 is a 5 star car in EVO for good reason.
All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal.
The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
N420 is not identical to a 4.7 Sports Pack - suspension, air boxes and exhaust are different plus a fair few cosmetic tweaks.All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal.
The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
The knobs the centre console upto MY12 cars are plastics made to look metal
MY 12 the realised and made them of metal.I loved my V8VR Sport Pack BUT my V8VSR is a quantum leap
Totally agree with the last two comments, I'm going to struggle to ever find a replacement.
it has evolved into a great car
chevronb37 said:
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I've pondered this myself as my dad swapped an E92 M3 for the Vantage. He never felt very involved in the M3 and never had the confidence in it that he did in his E46. I've not driven either car hard, but he prefers the balance of the Vantage. It's very noticeable how stiff the structure is though. There is a lot of bracing going on so it feels very solid, but without sports pack the ride is actually better than the M3. It's all aluminium though so not sure where the weight comes from - maybe just an element of all those nice tactile materials in the Vantage. Everything you interact with feels great. mikey k said:
Speedraser said:
The V8V, in 4.7L Sports Pack form - identical to the N420 is a 5 star car in EVO for good reason.
All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal.
The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
N420 is not identical to a 4.7 Sports Pack - suspension, air boxes and exhaust are different plus a fair few cosmetic tweaks.All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal.
The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
The knobs the centre console upto MY12 cars are plastics made to look metal
MY 12 the realised and made them of metal.I loved my V8VR Sport Pack BUT my V8VSR is a quantum leap
Totally agree with the last two comments, I'm going to struggle to ever find a replacement.
I disagree (partly). The N420 has the Sports Pack suspension as part of the N420 package, according to everything I've read, as well as what my dealer has said. The Aston website lists "Sports Pack Suspension" in the specs of the N420. Also, there is no change to the air boxes (unlike the N400 vs standard 4.3, which did have different air boxes). The N420 does have the Sports exhaust as standard, and there are various cosmetic bits that are different (which some may prefer and some not, as always). Also, unless everything I've read before is wrong, the knobs in the MY09-on console are metal -- certainly, they feel like metal. Also, Grant Neal's (excellent) book specifically says they are alumin(i)um.
Speedraser said:
mikey k said:
Speedraser said:
The V8V, in 4.7L Sports Pack form - identical to the N420 is a 5 star car in EVO for good reason.
All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal.
The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
N420 is not identical to a 4.7 Sports Pack - suspension, air boxes and exhaust are different plus a fair few cosmetic tweaks.All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal.
The Aston is a wonderful event even when in heavy traffic, as well as being fantastic to drive hard. For me, this means the Aston is more enjoyable much more of the time.
It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
The knobs the centre console upto MY12 cars are plastics made to look metal
MY 12 the realised and made them of metal.I loved my V8VR Sport Pack BUT my V8VSR is a quantum leap
Totally agree with the last two comments, I'm going to struggle to ever find a replacement.
I disagree (partly). The N420 has the Sports Pack suspension as part of the N420 package, according to everything I've read, as well as what my dealer has said. The Aston website lists "Sports Pack Suspension" in the specs of the N420. Also, there is no change to the air boxes (unlike the N400 vs standard 4.3, which did have different air boxes). The N420 does have the Sports exhaust as standard, and there are various cosmetic bits that are different (which some may prefer and some not, as always). Also, unless everything I've read before is wrong, the knobs in the MY09-on console are metal -- certainly, they feel like metal. Also, Grant Neal's (excellent) book specifically says they are alumin(i)um.
) mentioned the suspension (maybe just springs) and the N400 air boxes (which are also on the V12 and V8VS) I know from having a MY09 car and a MY12 car the MY09 knobs are a lot less metal than the MY12 ones Anyway back on topic I'd urge any one going for a V8V to stretch to a 4.7 with sport pack. It just drives soooo much better than a stock 4.3 or 4.7.
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