Why we love our Astons?
Discussion
Hello all, I'm fairly new to posting on the forum, but thought this would make an interesting thread - running expensive cars is always heart over head stuff, and I note so many on here run not one but two or more AM, and many appear to have owned a great deal more. I wonder what it is that turns one into a fan or devotee of a given Marque? History, Pop culture? Classic credentials? Racing success? Rarity, Technical prowess? The poster on the wall as a teenager? The attachment which comes with increasing marque knowledge and familiarity? I guess many of these would be the case for our favorite car manufacturer.
I will have a go at starting - its just some personal introspection, is IMHO and not intending to upset anyone, all those fans of the really new stuff don't be offended, remember I also bought one, have really liked it and still do
Why we love our Astons - an owners perspective
Having been a fan of fast bikes and later fast cars for some 30 years, and having previously owned 911s, Alfa V6s, various stuff with suffixes like GTi, and a large assortment of speed machines of the 2-wheeled variety, I was lucky enough to finally buy my first Aston Martin four years ago in 2016. Despite all previous experience, I made a rookie error, over-reached, and went for a newer, higher spec car than I could really afford. A car with a slightly dodgy history, which ended up costing a small fortune to ultimately sort out. However, aside from a few ownership wobbles as some issues could not be sorted by various specialists and costs mounted, in the end, other than the cost, I didn't really regret it. Learning the lesson, I purchased my second Aston, a year-old DB11 from a main dealer in 2019, and am, despite all happening in the world, lucky enough to have been able to purchase yet another in 2020. As far as the big boys toys go, it is now become quite difficult to consider other marques, no matter how good the later Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley, McLaren etc are reported to be, or how much the journos report of the shortfalls when comparing Aston tech status to the latest upgrades in engines/transmissions/handling/interiors from all stripes of competition. It all seems to matter less and less to me, and got me wondering why...?
So, here I will try to outline why I seem to be turning into an AM devotee, and it has little to do with James Bond.
I first saw an Aston in the flesh in 1985. I remember it clearly. I was 16 and it was a lovely late 70's V8, parked in the car park of a specialist mechanic in the next village along from mine. Though he often had 'interesting' stuff in for work, this was something different, so much bigger, more aggressive and striking than any of the cars in the car park, which included an Escort Mexico and a Datsun 240z among more usual 70s and early 80's stuff. I suppose any American muscle car would have had the same effect in any 80's UK car park. To me this car was from another world. It wasn't even the Bond thing, I'm a child of 70's and 80's - to the 16yr old me Bond was of course Roger Moore and his car was indisputably the white underwater Lotus Esprit. The 60's were black and white ancient history, Connery and his grey DB5 were impossibly old to my teenage eyes. I remember thinking that this was a proper 'mans' car, it had such presence. However, not for a single second did I think that I could or would ever own one. Working class kids up in the North of England rarely used to think that big back then - it was OK to aspire to an XR3i or maybe even a BMW if you were a real dreamer. In my case, a Kawasaki GPZ900 or a Yamaha RD500 were about as lofty as my dreams went...
When, some 30 years later the opportunity arrived to acquire a Gaydon Vantage, the 'baby Aston' - I almost disbelievingly took the plunge. Though the one I bought had issues, and took much TLC to get it right, it was my own fault - I was just too dazzled by the beauty of the car to look as hard as I would otherwise have done. Yet another life lesson re-learned.
Excluding the current crop of genuinely excellent turbocharged Aston Martin products, all earlier Astons, arguably even including most of the 1st-gen 2004-on Gaydon VH cars, are strange, imperfect, Siren-like things. I think it's because other than their universally stunning looks, and the more recent 'cool' factor courtesy of Top Gear, they were never really up to scratch from the factory, always seeming somewhat flawed or unfinished. Right or wrong, this effectively invites any owner, once reality sinks in, to finish off the car for themselves. The process of improving and personalising their car, while expensive and often frustrating, is also rewarding as the car gets better. A consequence is the development of some sort of symbiotic relationship where the more you are prepared to put in, the more you will ultimately get out. Unlike some other cars (Porsche comes to mind first) where the more usual out-of-the-crate closer-to-perfection nature of the cars can possibly make the ownership experience a little more transactional, as it was for me. You buy, you own, do nothing to the car, develop no special attachment as you haven't had to invest too much time or money, then you sell, and you often think nothing of it, moving on to the next big thing as part of our endless quest for more of everything.
It isn't quite like that with an Aston - you have to work at it, always correcting this or that gremlin, fault or rattle. Always repairing something that has faulted or fallen off, or investing in large or small upgrades or more minor tweaks to get the car closer to where it arguably should have been from the start. Without the development budgets, and subject to cost constraint and commercial pressure even under Ford ownership, until very recently, Aston thus effectively used to let their customers finish off the cars - I suppose it's a good way of keeping costs under control. Of course, in the modern era, where the majority of customers have far greater expectation, and generally (not everyone of course) somewhat lower technical ability or patience, this had to change, even for AM and it did; Astons '2nd century' cars are now pretty much the finished article from the factory.
However, out of the box perfection does increase the risk of a lack of attachment and even ultimately boredom, especially if the shapes are not as universally acknowledged to be as jaw-droppingly beautiful as had become the norm. Dr Palmer's favourite Aston was the classic 70's/80s V8 Vantage (he owns one), effectively the same car as the first Aston the teenage me ever set eyes on all those years ago, a car styled like a 60's American muscle car. Perhaps this explains why the cars developed when he was at the helm became more aggressive and less, well, beautiful? Perhaps the new cars will improve with age, and come to be seen as beautiful in the future, just as that classic 70's V8, previously considered a bit of a brute, has actually done.
Whatever, other motorists all appear to appreciate the sublime beauty of just about any Aston - the positive response from other road users when on the road in my Gaydon Vantage or DB11 is incredible. People come to talk to you at petrol stations, ask if they can take photos etc 'I've always wanted one of those'. There was a reason that the you tube video of someone keying a DB9 a few years back went viral - despite the same thing probably happening dozens of times a week to Porsches et al, this was an Aston he was keying, what was he thinking?
To sum up, IMHO, it is the visceral beauty, the relationship forming nature of the cars, the reactions of others, the history, the story, all on top of the more normal reasons for owning a sports car, the power, the presence and the noise which contribute to making selling your Aston feel so much like a divorce, like a part of you is being ripped away. This is the reason I couldn't bring myself to sell my Vantage when I bought my DB11. It is also the reason why, if I am forced to sell one of those two to continue to fund the new acquisition, it will be the better car, the perfect, near flawless DB11 which may have to ultimately make way.
And the new car? A lovely late 70's V8
I will have a go at starting - its just some personal introspection, is IMHO and not intending to upset anyone, all those fans of the really new stuff don't be offended, remember I also bought one, have really liked it and still do
Why we love our Astons - an owners perspective
Having been a fan of fast bikes and later fast cars for some 30 years, and having previously owned 911s, Alfa V6s, various stuff with suffixes like GTi, and a large assortment of speed machines of the 2-wheeled variety, I was lucky enough to finally buy my first Aston Martin four years ago in 2016. Despite all previous experience, I made a rookie error, over-reached, and went for a newer, higher spec car than I could really afford. A car with a slightly dodgy history, which ended up costing a small fortune to ultimately sort out. However, aside from a few ownership wobbles as some issues could not be sorted by various specialists and costs mounted, in the end, other than the cost, I didn't really regret it. Learning the lesson, I purchased my second Aston, a year-old DB11 from a main dealer in 2019, and am, despite all happening in the world, lucky enough to have been able to purchase yet another in 2020. As far as the big boys toys go, it is now become quite difficult to consider other marques, no matter how good the later Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley, McLaren etc are reported to be, or how much the journos report of the shortfalls when comparing Aston tech status to the latest upgrades in engines/transmissions/handling/interiors from all stripes of competition. It all seems to matter less and less to me, and got me wondering why...?
So, here I will try to outline why I seem to be turning into an AM devotee, and it has little to do with James Bond.
I first saw an Aston in the flesh in 1985. I remember it clearly. I was 16 and it was a lovely late 70's V8, parked in the car park of a specialist mechanic in the next village along from mine. Though he often had 'interesting' stuff in for work, this was something different, so much bigger, more aggressive and striking than any of the cars in the car park, which included an Escort Mexico and a Datsun 240z among more usual 70s and early 80's stuff. I suppose any American muscle car would have had the same effect in any 80's UK car park. To me this car was from another world. It wasn't even the Bond thing, I'm a child of 70's and 80's - to the 16yr old me Bond was of course Roger Moore and his car was indisputably the white underwater Lotus Esprit. The 60's were black and white ancient history, Connery and his grey DB5 were impossibly old to my teenage eyes. I remember thinking that this was a proper 'mans' car, it had such presence. However, not for a single second did I think that I could or would ever own one. Working class kids up in the North of England rarely used to think that big back then - it was OK to aspire to an XR3i or maybe even a BMW if you were a real dreamer. In my case, a Kawasaki GPZ900 or a Yamaha RD500 were about as lofty as my dreams went...
When, some 30 years later the opportunity arrived to acquire a Gaydon Vantage, the 'baby Aston' - I almost disbelievingly took the plunge. Though the one I bought had issues, and took much TLC to get it right, it was my own fault - I was just too dazzled by the beauty of the car to look as hard as I would otherwise have done. Yet another life lesson re-learned.
Excluding the current crop of genuinely excellent turbocharged Aston Martin products, all earlier Astons, arguably even including most of the 1st-gen 2004-on Gaydon VH cars, are strange, imperfect, Siren-like things. I think it's because other than their universally stunning looks, and the more recent 'cool' factor courtesy of Top Gear, they were never really up to scratch from the factory, always seeming somewhat flawed or unfinished. Right or wrong, this effectively invites any owner, once reality sinks in, to finish off the car for themselves. The process of improving and personalising their car, while expensive and often frustrating, is also rewarding as the car gets better. A consequence is the development of some sort of symbiotic relationship where the more you are prepared to put in, the more you will ultimately get out. Unlike some other cars (Porsche comes to mind first) where the more usual out-of-the-crate closer-to-perfection nature of the cars can possibly make the ownership experience a little more transactional, as it was for me. You buy, you own, do nothing to the car, develop no special attachment as you haven't had to invest too much time or money, then you sell, and you often think nothing of it, moving on to the next big thing as part of our endless quest for more of everything.
It isn't quite like that with an Aston - you have to work at it, always correcting this or that gremlin, fault or rattle. Always repairing something that has faulted or fallen off, or investing in large or small upgrades or more minor tweaks to get the car closer to where it arguably should have been from the start. Without the development budgets, and subject to cost constraint and commercial pressure even under Ford ownership, until very recently, Aston thus effectively used to let their customers finish off the cars - I suppose it's a good way of keeping costs under control. Of course, in the modern era, where the majority of customers have far greater expectation, and generally (not everyone of course) somewhat lower technical ability or patience, this had to change, even for AM and it did; Astons '2nd century' cars are now pretty much the finished article from the factory.
However, out of the box perfection does increase the risk of a lack of attachment and even ultimately boredom, especially if the shapes are not as universally acknowledged to be as jaw-droppingly beautiful as had become the norm. Dr Palmer's favourite Aston was the classic 70's/80s V8 Vantage (he owns one), effectively the same car as the first Aston the teenage me ever set eyes on all those years ago, a car styled like a 60's American muscle car. Perhaps this explains why the cars developed when he was at the helm became more aggressive and less, well, beautiful? Perhaps the new cars will improve with age, and come to be seen as beautiful in the future, just as that classic 70's V8, previously considered a bit of a brute, has actually done.
Whatever, other motorists all appear to appreciate the sublime beauty of just about any Aston - the positive response from other road users when on the road in my Gaydon Vantage or DB11 is incredible. People come to talk to you at petrol stations, ask if they can take photos etc 'I've always wanted one of those'. There was a reason that the you tube video of someone keying a DB9 a few years back went viral - despite the same thing probably happening dozens of times a week to Porsches et al, this was an Aston he was keying, what was he thinking?
To sum up, IMHO, it is the visceral beauty, the relationship forming nature of the cars, the reactions of others, the history, the story, all on top of the more normal reasons for owning a sports car, the power, the presence and the noise which contribute to making selling your Aston feel so much like a divorce, like a part of you is being ripped away. This is the reason I couldn't bring myself to sell my Vantage when I bought my DB11. It is also the reason why, if I am forced to sell one of those two to continue to fund the new acquisition, it will be the better car, the perfect, near flawless DB11 which may have to ultimately make way.
And the new car? A lovely late 70's V8
I hadn’t given AM any thought, knew of the brand and how cool it was, and that they were expensive.
I am a Ford chap, always have been, still don’t even own an Aston yet....
But I saw the V12 Vantage on top gear and was blown away with the look of the car, the bonnet vents, I would have given my kidneys for them!!!
Anyway thought that would never happen, and then I somehow found out you could 25% of your pension at 55...
So I started to look around the prices etc and they were not as astronomical as I thought, so told the wife and said when we become mortgage free we are then becoming Aston Martin owners!
So that was 2 years ago of no holidays, not going out or buying anything, we have just under 2 years to go and then the process of buying the ‘one’ will begin
Over the last 2 years I have done loads of research , bought the ‘book’, t shirts and started on the garage plan for when we get there
So it’s all preparation but it’s going to be worth it
I am a Ford chap, always have been, still don’t even own an Aston yet....
But I saw the V12 Vantage on top gear and was blown away with the look of the car, the bonnet vents, I would have given my kidneys for them!!!
Anyway thought that would never happen, and then I somehow found out you could 25% of your pension at 55...
So I started to look around the prices etc and they were not as astronomical as I thought, so told the wife and said when we become mortgage free we are then becoming Aston Martin owners!
So that was 2 years ago of no holidays, not going out or buying anything, we have just under 2 years to go and then the process of buying the ‘one’ will begin
Over the last 2 years I have done loads of research , bought the ‘book’, t shirts and started on the garage plan for when we get there
So it’s all preparation but it’s going to be worth it
Back in 2002 I was fortunate enough to have the spare cash to spend around £100k on a car so I went shopping at all the luxury dealers. One visit was to look at a db7 in the main dealer in leeds. I was taken aback by how bad the panels fitted and just how poorly finished it looked (it was new). I was also considering the newly released SL55 at the time and was mocked in the showroom by the salesman at seriously comparing the two (one handbuilt, badly, and the other precision built by robots), he was a t
t. I then bought the SL and kept it for 8 wonderful driving years.
I was never overwhelmed by the styling of the baby Aston when it came out, but always thought the db9 was just lovely every time I saw one. Build quality kept me away from exploring ownership.
A few years ago (3 I think)? I was discussing my next car purchase with my wife. I wanted something understated that wouldn’t draw lots of attention but powerful and 2+2. Bentley was a bit too footballer, porsche just ugly, she suggested the db9 during a rerun of fifth gear. Some man maths later I found my perfect spec 9.2 (prior to that I didnt even know there was such a thing) and we have been together ever since.
t. I then bought the SL and kept it for 8 wonderful driving years.I was never overwhelmed by the styling of the baby Aston when it came out, but always thought the db9 was just lovely every time I saw one. Build quality kept me away from exploring ownership.
A few years ago (3 I think)? I was discussing my next car purchase with my wife. I wanted something understated that wouldn’t draw lots of attention but powerful and 2+2. Bentley was a bit too footballer, porsche just ugly, she suggested the db9 during a rerun of fifth gear. Some man maths later I found my perfect spec 9.2 (prior to that I didnt even know there was such a thing) and we have been together ever since.
Like you, I fell in love with the marque as a kid in the 1970's. I was even a member of the then 'Aston Martin Young Supporter's Club'. I was invited to Newport Pagnell and went with my father and uncle, and as a 13-year-old, I drooled over the V8 Vantages and the Lagondas. I vowed to have one one day.
Cut to thirty years later and I purchased my first Aston - a DB9 with SportPack in the UK. It didn't disappoint. The sense of occasion you feel every time you press that little circle on the waterfall was worth all the hard work in those thirty years.
In 2018, we emigrated to Ontario and I sold the beloved '9' to a friend, and he still has it.
After 12 months, I really missed the car, and so in 2019 I purchased a V8 Vantage with 22,000 miles. The owner's manual didn't show a FSH, but I bought it anyway, knowing that I have a reasonable amount of knowledge after owning the DB9 in the UK. It didn't take long for Aston Martin in Toronto to give me a record of a full service history from their computer (so, happy days). It's a completely different car to the DB9 in so many respects - being smaller, it looks more squat and sporty. I love the quick steering and the manual gearbox (I have just changed to the twin plate clutch and lightened flywheel which has totally transformed the car).
I love being a Brit in my new country, driving a British car (there aren't many here), and like a child, I still look back every time I park it.
I have an amazing indy for major work, but for a lot of the Aston niggles, I do the work myself, enjoying learning about the vehicle. What I love is that it really is simple to carry out all the work myself.
As well as the clutch, I have:
Replaced the heavy air boxes with GT4 air filters (saves a lot of weight). It never gets driven the the wet or winter and so I have no rust on things like the rear subframe. Underneath the car looks like it just came from the showroom.
Replaced the MAF sensors.
Replaced a buzzing PCV valve.
Replaced the thermostat.
Replaced the O2 sensors.
Installed Clive's exhaust valve switch thingy.
And of course, kept up with regular service items.
She's the VH platform model, and I love the shape....
... She is a keeper.
Cut to thirty years later and I purchased my first Aston - a DB9 with SportPack in the UK. It didn't disappoint. The sense of occasion you feel every time you press that little circle on the waterfall was worth all the hard work in those thirty years.
In 2018, we emigrated to Ontario and I sold the beloved '9' to a friend, and he still has it.
After 12 months, I really missed the car, and so in 2019 I purchased a V8 Vantage with 22,000 miles. The owner's manual didn't show a FSH, but I bought it anyway, knowing that I have a reasonable amount of knowledge after owning the DB9 in the UK. It didn't take long for Aston Martin in Toronto to give me a record of a full service history from their computer (so, happy days). It's a completely different car to the DB9 in so many respects - being smaller, it looks more squat and sporty. I love the quick steering and the manual gearbox (I have just changed to the twin plate clutch and lightened flywheel which has totally transformed the car).
I love being a Brit in my new country, driving a British car (there aren't many here), and like a child, I still look back every time I park it.
I have an amazing indy for major work, but for a lot of the Aston niggles, I do the work myself, enjoying learning about the vehicle. What I love is that it really is simple to carry out all the work myself.
As well as the clutch, I have:
Replaced the heavy air boxes with GT4 air filters (saves a lot of weight). It never gets driven the the wet or winter and so I have no rust on things like the rear subframe. Underneath the car looks like it just came from the showroom.
Replaced the MAF sensors.
Replaced a buzzing PCV valve.
Replaced the thermostat.
Replaced the O2 sensors.
Installed Clive's exhaust valve switch thingy.
And of course, kept up with regular service items.
She's the VH platform model, and I love the shape....
... She is a keeper.
Nice - a well sorted Vantage is quite something. Some on here will know mine... RobGT’s old Vantage S ‘Purdey’ - now fully cosmetically perfected and mechanically returned to the full 460bhp upgrade spec he developed with BR in 2012/13. It had naturally been somewhat further tweaked with V12 AMR back box, Virage switches latest BR spec goodies and software and PS4 Michelin rubber. It is also a keeper
Calinours said:
Some on here will know mine... RobGT’s old Vantage S ‘Purdey’ - now fully cosmetically perfected and mechanically returned to the full 460bhp upgrade spec he developed with BR in 2012/13. It had naturally been somewhat further tweaked with V12 AMR back box, Virage switches latest BR spec goodies and software and PS4 Michelin rubber. It is also a keeper
Your car must be Rob's second Vantage. White if I remember.
The first one had a story.
He was always very keen for Aston Martin to make a road version of a track car.
His wish eventually came true with the GT12, but by then he had left to become a Porsche enthusiast.
.
Calinours said:
Hello all, I'm fairly new to posting on the forum, but thought this would make an interesting thread - running expensive cars is always heart over head stuff, and I note so many on here run not one but two or more AM, and many appear to have owned a great deal more. I wonder what it is that turns one into a fan or devotee of a given Marque? History, Pop culture? Classic credentials? Racing success? Rarity, Technical prowess? The poster on the wall as a teenager? The attachment which comes with increasing marque knowledge and familiarity? I guess many of these would be the case for our favorite car manufacturer.
I will have a go at starting - its just some personal introspection, is IMHO and not intending to upset anyone, all those fans of the really new stuff don't be offended, remember I also bought one, have really liked it and still do
Why we love our Astons - an owners perspective
Having been a fan of fast bikes and later fast cars for some 30 years, and having previously owned 911s, Alfa V6s, various stuff with suffixes like GTi, and a large assortment of speed machines of the 2-wheeled variety, I was lucky enough to finally buy my first Aston Martin four years ago in 2016. Despite all previous experience, I made a rookie error, over-reached, and went for a newer, higher spec car than I could really afford. A car with a slightly dodgy history, which ended up costing a small fortune to ultimately sort out. However, aside from a few ownership wobbles as some issues could not be sorted by various specialists and costs mounted, in the end, other than the cost, I didn't really regret it. Learning the lesson, I purchased my second Aston, a year-old DB11 from a main dealer in 2019, and am, despite all happening in the world, lucky enough to have been able to purchase yet another in 2020. As far as the big boys toys go, it is now become quite difficult to consider other marques, no matter how good the later Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley, McLaren etc are reported to be, or how much the journos report of the shortfalls when comparing Aston tech status to the latest upgrades in engines/transmissions/handling/interiors from all stripes of competition. It all seems to matter less and less to me, and got me wondering why...?
So, here I will try to outline why I seem to be turning into an AM devotee, and it has little to do with James Bond.
I first saw an Aston in the flesh in 1985. I remember it clearly. I was 16 and it was a lovely late 70's V8, parked in the car park of a specialist mechanic in the next village along from mine. Though he often had 'interesting' stuff in for work, this was something different, so much bigger, more aggressive and striking than any of the cars in the car park, which included an Escort Mexico and a Datsun 240z among more usual 70s and early 80's stuff. I suppose any American muscle car would have had the same effect in any 80's UK car park. To me this car was from another world. It wasn't even the Bond thing, I'm a child of 70's and 80's - to the 16yr old me Bond was of course Roger Moore and his car was indisputably the white underwater Lotus Esprit. The 60's were black and white ancient history, Connery and his grey DB5 were impossibly old to my teenage eyes. I remember thinking that this was a proper 'mans' car, it had such presence. However, not for a single second did I think that I could or would ever own one. Working class kids up in the North of England rarely used to think that big back then - it was OK to aspire to an XR3i or maybe even a BMW if you were a real dreamer. In my case, a Kawasaki GPZ900 or a Yamaha RD500 were about as lofty as my dreams went...
When, some 30 years later the opportunity arrived to acquire a Gaydon Vantage, the 'baby Aston' - I almost disbelievingly took the plunge. Though the one I bought had issues, and took much TLC to get it right, it was my own fault - I was just too dazzled by the beauty of the car to look as hard as I would otherwise have done. Yet another life lesson re-learned.
Excluding the current crop of genuinely excellent turbocharged Aston Martin products, all earlier Astons, arguably even including most of the 1st-gen 2004-on Gaydon VH cars, are strange, imperfect, Siren-like things. I think it's because other than their universally stunning looks, and the more recent 'cool' factor courtesy of Top Gear, they were never really up to scratch from the factory, always seeming somewhat flawed or unfinished. Right or wrong, this effectively invites any owner, once reality sinks in, to finish off the car for themselves. The process of improving and personalising their car, while expensive and often frustrating, is also rewarding as the car gets better. A consequence is the development of some sort of symbiotic relationship where the more you are prepared to put in, the more you will ultimately get out. Unlike some other cars (Porsche comes to mind first) where the more usual out-of-the-crate closer-to-perfection nature of the cars can possibly make the ownership experience a little more transactional, as it was for me. You buy, you own, do nothing to the car, develop no special attachment as you haven't had to invest too much time or money, then you sell, and you often think nothing of it, moving on to the next big thing as part of our endless quest for more of everything.
It isn't quite like that with an Aston - you have to work at it, always correcting this or that gremlin, fault or rattle. Always repairing something that has faulted or fallen off, or investing in large or small upgrades or more minor tweaks to get the car closer to where it arguably should have been from the start. Without the development budgets, and subject to cost constraint and commercial pressure even under Ford ownership, until very recently, Aston thus effectively used to let their customers finish off the cars - I suppose it's a good way of keeping costs under control. Of course, in the modern era, where the majority of customers have far greater expectation, and generally (not everyone of course) somewhat lower technical ability or patience, this had to change, even for AM and it did; Astons '2nd century' cars are now pretty much the finished article from the factory.
However, out of the box perfection does increase the risk of a lack of attachment and even ultimately boredom, especially if the shapes are not as universally acknowledged to be as jaw-droppingly beautiful as had become the norm. Dr Palmer's favourite Aston was the classic 70's/80s V8 Vantage (he owns one), effectively the same car as the first Aston the teenage me ever set eyes on all those years ago, a car styled like a 60's American muscle car. Perhaps this explains why the cars developed when he was at the helm became more aggressive and less, well, beautiful? Perhaps the new cars will improve with age, and come to be seen as beautiful in the future, just as that classic 70's V8, previously considered a bit of a brute, has actually done.
Whatever, other motorists all appear to appreciate the sublime beauty of just about any Aston - the positive response from other road users when on the road in my Gaydon Vantage or DB11 is incredible. People come to talk to you at petrol stations, ask if they can take photos etc 'I've always wanted one of those'. There was a reason that the you tube video of someone keying a DB9 a few years back went viral - despite the same thing probably happening dozens of times a week to Porsches et al, this was an Aston he was keying, what was he thinking?
To sum up, IMHO, it is the visceral beauty, the relationship forming nature of the cars, the reactions of others, the history, the story, all on top of the more normal reasons for owning a sports car, the power, the presence and the noise which contribute to making selling your Aston feel so much like a divorce, like a part of you is being ripped away. This is the reason I couldn't bring myself to sell my Vantage when I bought my DB11. It is also the reason why, if I am forced to sell one of those two to continue to fund the new acquisition, it will be the better car, the perfect, near flawless DB11 which may have to ultimately make way.
And the new car? A lovely late 70's V8
damn sweet post for a newbie - love it!I will have a go at starting - its just some personal introspection, is IMHO and not intending to upset anyone, all those fans of the really new stuff don't be offended, remember I also bought one, have really liked it and still do
Why we love our Astons - an owners perspective
Having been a fan of fast bikes and later fast cars for some 30 years, and having previously owned 911s, Alfa V6s, various stuff with suffixes like GTi, and a large assortment of speed machines of the 2-wheeled variety, I was lucky enough to finally buy my first Aston Martin four years ago in 2016. Despite all previous experience, I made a rookie error, over-reached, and went for a newer, higher spec car than I could really afford. A car with a slightly dodgy history, which ended up costing a small fortune to ultimately sort out. However, aside from a few ownership wobbles as some issues could not be sorted by various specialists and costs mounted, in the end, other than the cost, I didn't really regret it. Learning the lesson, I purchased my second Aston, a year-old DB11 from a main dealer in 2019, and am, despite all happening in the world, lucky enough to have been able to purchase yet another in 2020. As far as the big boys toys go, it is now become quite difficult to consider other marques, no matter how good the later Porsche, Ferrari, Bentley, McLaren etc are reported to be, or how much the journos report of the shortfalls when comparing Aston tech status to the latest upgrades in engines/transmissions/handling/interiors from all stripes of competition. It all seems to matter less and less to me, and got me wondering why...?
So, here I will try to outline why I seem to be turning into an AM devotee, and it has little to do with James Bond.
I first saw an Aston in the flesh in 1985. I remember it clearly. I was 16 and it was a lovely late 70's V8, parked in the car park of a specialist mechanic in the next village along from mine. Though he often had 'interesting' stuff in for work, this was something different, so much bigger, more aggressive and striking than any of the cars in the car park, which included an Escort Mexico and a Datsun 240z among more usual 70s and early 80's stuff. I suppose any American muscle car would have had the same effect in any 80's UK car park. To me this car was from another world. It wasn't even the Bond thing, I'm a child of 70's and 80's - to the 16yr old me Bond was of course Roger Moore and his car was indisputably the white underwater Lotus Esprit. The 60's were black and white ancient history, Connery and his grey DB5 were impossibly old to my teenage eyes. I remember thinking that this was a proper 'mans' car, it had such presence. However, not for a single second did I think that I could or would ever own one. Working class kids up in the North of England rarely used to think that big back then - it was OK to aspire to an XR3i or maybe even a BMW if you were a real dreamer. In my case, a Kawasaki GPZ900 or a Yamaha RD500 were about as lofty as my dreams went...
When, some 30 years later the opportunity arrived to acquire a Gaydon Vantage, the 'baby Aston' - I almost disbelievingly took the plunge. Though the one I bought had issues, and took much TLC to get it right, it was my own fault - I was just too dazzled by the beauty of the car to look as hard as I would otherwise have done. Yet another life lesson re-learned.
Excluding the current crop of genuinely excellent turbocharged Aston Martin products, all earlier Astons, arguably even including most of the 1st-gen 2004-on Gaydon VH cars, are strange, imperfect, Siren-like things. I think it's because other than their universally stunning looks, and the more recent 'cool' factor courtesy of Top Gear, they were never really up to scratch from the factory, always seeming somewhat flawed or unfinished. Right or wrong, this effectively invites any owner, once reality sinks in, to finish off the car for themselves. The process of improving and personalising their car, while expensive and often frustrating, is also rewarding as the car gets better. A consequence is the development of some sort of symbiotic relationship where the more you are prepared to put in, the more you will ultimately get out. Unlike some other cars (Porsche comes to mind first) where the more usual out-of-the-crate closer-to-perfection nature of the cars can possibly make the ownership experience a little more transactional, as it was for me. You buy, you own, do nothing to the car, develop no special attachment as you haven't had to invest too much time or money, then you sell, and you often think nothing of it, moving on to the next big thing as part of our endless quest for more of everything.
It isn't quite like that with an Aston - you have to work at it, always correcting this or that gremlin, fault or rattle. Always repairing something that has faulted or fallen off, or investing in large or small upgrades or more minor tweaks to get the car closer to where it arguably should have been from the start. Without the development budgets, and subject to cost constraint and commercial pressure even under Ford ownership, until very recently, Aston thus effectively used to let their customers finish off the cars - I suppose it's a good way of keeping costs under control. Of course, in the modern era, where the majority of customers have far greater expectation, and generally (not everyone of course) somewhat lower technical ability or patience, this had to change, even for AM and it did; Astons '2nd century' cars are now pretty much the finished article from the factory.
However, out of the box perfection does increase the risk of a lack of attachment and even ultimately boredom, especially if the shapes are not as universally acknowledged to be as jaw-droppingly beautiful as had become the norm. Dr Palmer's favourite Aston was the classic 70's/80s V8 Vantage (he owns one), effectively the same car as the first Aston the teenage me ever set eyes on all those years ago, a car styled like a 60's American muscle car. Perhaps this explains why the cars developed when he was at the helm became more aggressive and less, well, beautiful? Perhaps the new cars will improve with age, and come to be seen as beautiful in the future, just as that classic 70's V8, previously considered a bit of a brute, has actually done.
Whatever, other motorists all appear to appreciate the sublime beauty of just about any Aston - the positive response from other road users when on the road in my Gaydon Vantage or DB11 is incredible. People come to talk to you at petrol stations, ask if they can take photos etc 'I've always wanted one of those'. There was a reason that the you tube video of someone keying a DB9 a few years back went viral - despite the same thing probably happening dozens of times a week to Porsches et al, this was an Aston he was keying, what was he thinking?
To sum up, IMHO, it is the visceral beauty, the relationship forming nature of the cars, the reactions of others, the history, the story, all on top of the more normal reasons for owning a sports car, the power, the presence and the noise which contribute to making selling your Aston feel so much like a divorce, like a part of you is being ripped away. This is the reason I couldn't bring myself to sell my Vantage when I bought my DB11. It is also the reason why, if I am forced to sell one of those two to continue to fund the new acquisition, it will be the better car, the perfect, near flawless DB11 which may have to ultimately make way.
And the new car? A lovely late 70's V8
1978 near Sloane Square walking along Eaton Gardens I saw a stunning late 70's V8 parked. jaw dropping. Never considered I would owqn one. A bit like the Op i then progressed ob=ver many years through MG's, hot Saab's, BMW's RS Audis to eventually a 07 V8VM. perfect car. drove it daily, but made
the mistake of test driving a V12VS having read about them on this insidious forum. V8V stayed for about a year after the V12 arrived but has since gone to a good home. The V12 is special - its a fast day out or long trip car for me now, not the daily.
sense of occasion, reward for hard work as others have said, the noise, the feeling of trying to get the power to the ground - just awesome
I feel really fortunate to be able to own it. like so many of us
and they are a brilliant car now that I have no need for carting other people around
It wont be my last!
great thread
thanks for starting it - now just post some photos of your two beauties
Graeme
Jon39 said:
Your car must be Rob's second Vantage. White if I remember.
The first one had a story.
He was always very keen for Aston Martin to make a road version of a track car.
His wish eventually came true with the GT12, but by then he had left to become a Porsche enthusiast.
.
I could have nearly bought two for the money that’s been sunk into this storied V8VS (all mapped out on this forum!) - but hey ho, It’s done now, and as Rob once said, Purdey is now pur-fect
Graze01 said:
damn sweet post for a newbie - love it!
1978 near Sloane Square walking along Eaton Gardens I saw a stunning late 70's V8 parked. jaw dropping. Never considered I would owqn one. A bit like the Op i then progressed ob=ver many years through MG's, hot Saab's, BMW's RS Audis to eventually a 07 V8VM. perfect car. drove it daily, but made
the mistake of test driving a V12VS having read about them on this insidious forum. V8V stayed for about a year after the V12 arrived but has since gone to a good home. The V12 is special - its a fast day out or long trip car for me now, not the daily.
sense of occasion, reward for hard work as others have said, the noise, the feeling of trying to get the power to the ground - just awesome
I feel really fortunate to be able to own it. like so many of us
and they are a brilliant car now that I have no need for carting other people around
It wont be my last!
great thread
thanks for starting it - now just post some photos of your two beauties
Graeme
Thanks for the kind words - as regards photos, happy to oblige 1978 near Sloane Square walking along Eaton Gardens I saw a stunning late 70's V8 parked. jaw dropping. Never considered I would owqn one. A bit like the Op i then progressed ob=ver many years through MG's, hot Saab's, BMW's RS Audis to eventually a 07 V8VM. perfect car. drove it daily, but made
the mistake of test driving a V12VS having read about them on this insidious forum. V8V stayed for about a year after the V12 arrived but has since gone to a good home. The V12 is special - its a fast day out or long trip car for me now, not the daily.
sense of occasion, reward for hard work as others have said, the noise, the feeling of trying to get the power to the ground - just awesome
I feel really fortunate to be able to own it. like so many of us
and they are a brilliant car now that I have no need for carting other people around
It wont be my last!
great thread
thanks for starting it - now just post some photos of your two beauties
Graeme
I will reiterate Graeme`s sentiment above, that`s a great post to kick off with, and a fantastic trifecta of AM`s!
It seems Aston`s were in short supply in New Zealand when I was growing up though the 70`s, but that is true of all the special marques, as spotting exotic metal was akin to seeing a Lesser Spotted Ferrari Driver not wearing Ferrari merchandise.
I grew up with what is probably most typical boy`s passion for cars and remember finding vehicles such as the Jaguar E-Type, Corvette Stingray, Ferrari Dino and Porsche 911 very appealing, but was more used to seeing a Datsun 240Z, and hearing a Pontiac Trans Am or Aussie Holden Monaro rumbling by. My own car ownership started with a Mazda RX2, then an RX3 and onward into other fun cars, as well as less dynamic vehicles depending on the vagaries of a young mans`s finances.
While I was aware of Aston Martin it never triggered any real desire as I can recall, but I started to come around after seeing the Timothy Dalton Bond movies and those muscular V8 beasts, and later I got to take a DB7 for a spin which felt wonderfully intuitive to both sit in and drive, and I also did a trip in a Vanquish with a client, and these experiences made me appreciate the brand much more.
By the 90`s and 2000`s unique and exciting European cars were more readily seen on the kiwi roads and in showrooms, especially in the cities, and the sight and sound of a curvy Ferrari 308 driving by was still special and highly attractive. On a sunny day in 2006 I first clapped eyes on a V8 Vantage in what was possibly Toro Red, and the look and sound of the car was mesmerising. That one moment cemented the Aston at the top of my list, but of course the thought of actually obtaining one was still well and truly in the "dream" category. The first couple of Daniel Craig movies with the beautiful brute of a DBS were a must watch!
Around 2014 I envisaged ownership of an early Gaydon Vantage actually becoming obtainable, and after a reasonable amount of research and also perusing alternatives for similar money, such as the F355, Gallardo, GTR, and R8, I realised none of them cut the mustard, and it had to be an Aston, and in 2015 I picked up my 4.3 from the dealership. I don`t think I`ve ever experienced such a feeling of personal pride as I drove home that day. Subsequently driving past the Italians and what-not that are plentiful on these Swiss roads where I now reside, I am further aware that I made the right call. I don`t have the `Ferrari itch` or any such vehicular dermatitis, so I would also fall into the category of an AM devotee!
The car was thrilling, and while not a rocket ship, pretty swift, however it wasn`t long before I began the upgrades and tweaks, the personalisation... black chrome, carbon fibre here and there, and culminating in the Bamford Rose Manifold/Cat/Airbox/Twinplate/Flywheel combo, and wow, transformative and it really gets under your skin!
Maybe it`s the nostalgia of youth, but older vehicles, classics, old-timers as they are called here, have a big appeal, however the current manic race for horsepower, aerodynamics and lap times leaves me somewhat cold. With the Vantage I think I hit my sweet spot.
Below, pre-purchase appearance vs now - nothing wrong with either!
It seems Aston`s were in short supply in New Zealand when I was growing up though the 70`s, but that is true of all the special marques, as spotting exotic metal was akin to seeing a Lesser Spotted Ferrari Driver not wearing Ferrari merchandise.
I grew up with what is probably most typical boy`s passion for cars and remember finding vehicles such as the Jaguar E-Type, Corvette Stingray, Ferrari Dino and Porsche 911 very appealing, but was more used to seeing a Datsun 240Z, and hearing a Pontiac Trans Am or Aussie Holden Monaro rumbling by. My own car ownership started with a Mazda RX2, then an RX3 and onward into other fun cars, as well as less dynamic vehicles depending on the vagaries of a young mans`s finances.
While I was aware of Aston Martin it never triggered any real desire as I can recall, but I started to come around after seeing the Timothy Dalton Bond movies and those muscular V8 beasts, and later I got to take a DB7 for a spin which felt wonderfully intuitive to both sit in and drive, and I also did a trip in a Vanquish with a client, and these experiences made me appreciate the brand much more.
By the 90`s and 2000`s unique and exciting European cars were more readily seen on the kiwi roads and in showrooms, especially in the cities, and the sight and sound of a curvy Ferrari 308 driving by was still special and highly attractive. On a sunny day in 2006 I first clapped eyes on a V8 Vantage in what was possibly Toro Red, and the look and sound of the car was mesmerising. That one moment cemented the Aston at the top of my list, but of course the thought of actually obtaining one was still well and truly in the "dream" category. The first couple of Daniel Craig movies with the beautiful brute of a DBS were a must watch!
Around 2014 I envisaged ownership of an early Gaydon Vantage actually becoming obtainable, and after a reasonable amount of research and also perusing alternatives for similar money, such as the F355, Gallardo, GTR, and R8, I realised none of them cut the mustard, and it had to be an Aston, and in 2015 I picked up my 4.3 from the dealership. I don`t think I`ve ever experienced such a feeling of personal pride as I drove home that day. Subsequently driving past the Italians and what-not that are plentiful on these Swiss roads where I now reside, I am further aware that I made the right call. I don`t have the `Ferrari itch` or any such vehicular dermatitis, so I would also fall into the category of an AM devotee!
The car was thrilling, and while not a rocket ship, pretty swift, however it wasn`t long before I began the upgrades and tweaks, the personalisation... black chrome, carbon fibre here and there, and culminating in the Bamford Rose Manifold/Cat/Airbox/Twinplate/Flywheel combo, and wow, transformative and it really gets under your skin!
Maybe it`s the nostalgia of youth, but older vehicles, classics, old-timers as they are called here, have a big appeal, however the current manic race for horsepower, aerodynamics and lap times leaves me somewhat cold. With the Vantage I think I hit my sweet spot.
Below, pre-purchase appearance vs now - nothing wrong with either!
I have been a lifelong fan of the marque since, ahem, the late 1950s. I still remember the first one I ever saw. I was standing, yes that's what you did as a brat back then, on the front passenger seat in my father's Vauxhall Victor travelling from Helensburgh to Glasgow on the Glasgow Road near Dumbarton Rock. We played a game where I had to say what each car was as it approached - easy in those days as not many cars on the roads.
One day I saw this car coming towards me and didn't know what it was. My father said, that's an Aston Martin and I watched it go by. It was a DB4. It looked very sporty compared to all the other black and white cars on the road. He simply said it was the best car in the world. So the love affair began.
As a teenager Astons took pride of place on my wall and I loved them all. It became a bit of an obsession and I bought Autocar or Motor every week just to look at the 0-60 times at the back. In those days the AC Cobra was king - 4.7 secs - so I compared the Astons to Ferraris, Lambos, Maseratis, Monteverdis and so on. I'd get upset if another car became 'faster' in my little world.
When the V8 appeared this was my dream car. It probably still is really although I do like them all (Cygnet excluded). Its been a lifelong thing for me as I love the styling. Watching Clarkson in the V12 Vantage had tears running down my face - wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
I still watch the cars coming the other way and when I see an Aston I always shout out. I just luv 'em. I had a DB7 Volante in 2012 and for some inexplicable reason sold it and instantly regretted it. Then last year swapped my Rover Vitesse for a DB7 needing work. The work is almost done and its had its respray so this one is a keeper. Long live Aston Martin.
One day I saw this car coming towards me and didn't know what it was. My father said, that's an Aston Martin and I watched it go by. It was a DB4. It looked very sporty compared to all the other black and white cars on the road. He simply said it was the best car in the world. So the love affair began.
As a teenager Astons took pride of place on my wall and I loved them all. It became a bit of an obsession and I bought Autocar or Motor every week just to look at the 0-60 times at the back. In those days the AC Cobra was king - 4.7 secs - so I compared the Astons to Ferraris, Lambos, Maseratis, Monteverdis and so on. I'd get upset if another car became 'faster' in my little world.
When the V8 appeared this was my dream car. It probably still is really although I do like them all (Cygnet excluded). Its been a lifelong thing for me as I love the styling. Watching Clarkson in the V12 Vantage had tears running down my face - wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.
I still watch the cars coming the other way and when I see an Aston I always shout out. I just luv 'em. I had a DB7 Volante in 2012 and for some inexplicable reason sold it and instantly regretted it. Then last year swapped my Rover Vitesse for a DB7 needing work. The work is almost done and its had its respray so this one is a keeper. Long live Aston Martin.
There must be many individual reasons, but for me they are just iconic and much of this comes from the Bond movies (whether we like to admit this or not).
I was a late starter with mine, but I don't think anyone has been on their death bed and said "I wish I never bought that Aston Martin"!
It is just something you should have to have had in your life (IMHO, so is a Porsche 911 Turbo) and if I was ever elected PM I would enact this in law!
I was a late starter with mine, but I don't think anyone has been on their death bed and said "I wish I never bought that Aston Martin"!
It is just something you should have to have had in your life (IMHO, so is a Porsche 911 Turbo) and if I was ever elected PM I would enact this in law!
As a kid aged 11/12 I would watch "The Persuaders" with Roger Moore in a AM DBS V8 (actually a 6 in the series but badged as a V8), and Tony Curtis in a Dino. Then I would hop on my bike and cycle a mile down to HWM in Walton on Thames and stick my nose against the window and ogle the cars.
It was quite an emotional moment when 38 years later I finally sat in my own just purchased Aston Martin (DB9) and drove it away from the dealer.
The dealer was HWM, still located in the same spot in Walton on Thames that I used to visit as a kid.
IMGP0667 by Peter Schluter, on Flickr
It was quite an emotional moment when 38 years later I finally sat in my own just purchased Aston Martin (DB9) and drove it away from the dealer.
The dealer was HWM, still located in the same spot in Walton on Thames that I used to visit as a kid.
IMGP0667 by Peter Schluter, on FlickrThese replies are fascinating - the common thread seems to be that our views/desires on our favourite automotive art seem to become fixed when we are kids. Then, with a few more rings on the tree and (hopefully, and with hard work and some life luck!) a few quid in our pockets we can make our childhood dreams a reality
Calinours said:
Jon39 said:
Your car must be Rob's second Vantage. White if I remember.
The first one had a story.
He was always very keen for Aston Martin to make a road version of a track car.
His wish eventually came true with the GT12, but by then he had left to become a Porsche enthusiast.
.
I could have nearly bought two for the money that’s been sunk into this storied V8VS (all mapped out on this forum!) - but hey ho, It’s done now, and as Rob once said, Purdey is now pur-fect
JulianPH said:
There must be many individual reasons, but for me they are just iconic and much of this comes from the Bond movies (whether we like to admit this or not).
I was a late starter with mine, but I don't think anyone has been on their death bed and said "I wish I never bought that Aston Martin"!
It is just something you should have to have had in your life (IMHO, so is a Porsche 911 Turbo) and if I was ever elected PM I would enact this in law!
A proper British sports car. A V8. Beautiful. The history, including Bond. I remember at 15 or 16 I wanted to be a car designer, and wrote to all the British sports car companies asking for a job. Alot actually replied (I still have the letters... No emails then). Not Aston though. Anyway roll on a few years, coming up to 50, the kids are grown up and I have an excuse to get a 2 seater again. And the wife wants a kitchen, so I do a deal... You have a kitchen, and i get a car on the mortgage extension... Now I'm older and wiser I decide to get a car that won't depreciate. Always wanted a Porsche, needed the legroom, mezger engine so safer than a 997 for similar price... so got a 11 year old 996 911 turbo. When they were new, hated the front end look but hey its a 911 turbo... It was good, too good, and expensive, as I bought it on the cheap and it needed expensive bits replacing. Then work looked dodgy and thought I'd better cash in before I had no readies left to put into it to clear the Amber's off the dealer checklist... Sold it for what I paid and spent on it over 2 years, result (though still on the up it must be said, so maybe not so great selling then...) Got a z4m as a cheap and fun stand in, loved putting the back end out, but it's a bit cramped. After a couple of years, started looking at Aston... Got the v8 itch (ruling out most newer model lotus and tvr) and just love the look of the vantage. And it's in reach now... So after 2 years of browsing, reading, umming and ahhing ( I know it will cost me, it will depreciate, and we haven't downsized to a house with a garage yet so it'll be outside for a bit) , I could wait no longer and put a deposit down on a vantage roadster... Hoping to pick it up Friday if the loan comes though in time. A few younger family members have been having babies recently, and this feels a bit like that.... The months of thinking about it, the worries in the last few weeks, "will it all be OK, will I cope?"...so looking forward to the eventual birth of MY new baby!!!! I was a late starter with mine, but I don't think anyone has been on their death bed and said "I wish I never bought that Aston Martin"!
It is just something you should have to have had in your life (IMHO, so is a Porsche 911 Turbo) and if I was ever elected PM I would enact this in law!
geresey said:
A proper British sports car. A V8. Beautiful. The history, including Bond. I remember at 15 or 16 I wanted to be a car designer, and wrote to all the British sports car companies asking for a job. Alot actually replied (I still have the letters... No emails then). Not Aston though. Anyway roll on a few years, coming up to 50, the kids are grown up and I have an excuse to get a 2 seater again. And the wife wants a kitchen, so I do a deal... You have a kitchen, and i get a car on the mortgage extension... Now I'm older and wiser I decide to get a car that won't depreciate. Always wanted a Porsche, needed the legroom, mezger engine so safer than a 997 for similar price... so got a 11 year old 996 911 turbo. When they were new, hated the front end look but hey its a 911 turbo... It was good, too good, and expensive, as I bought it on the cheap and it needed expensive bits replacing. Then work looked dodgy and thought I'd better cash in before I had no readies left to put into it to clear the Amber's off the dealer checklist... Sold it for what I paid and spent on it over 2 years, result (though still on the up it must be said, so maybe not so great selling then...) Got a z4m as a cheap and fun stand in, loved putting the back end out, but it's a bit cramped. After a couple of years, started looking at Aston... Got the v8 itch (ruling out most newer model lotus and tvr) and just love the look of the vantage. And it's in reach now... So after 2 years of browsing, reading, umming and ahhing ( I know it will cost me, it will depreciate, and we haven't downsized to a house with a garage yet so it'll be outside for a bit) , I could wait no longer and put a deposit down on a vantage roadster... Hoping to pick it up Friday if the loan comes though in time. A few younger family members have been having babies recently, and this feels a bit like that.... The months of thinking about it, the worries in the last few weeks, "will it all be OK, will I cope?"...so looking forward to the eventual birth of MY new baby!!!!
Love it! Hope it's everything you want it to be and you get loads of smiles every time you drive or look at itNeed photos when u get it
Graze
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