Inspired or idiotic? "Cheap" V8 Vantage
Discussion
I'm in my early sixties - I really shouldn't be getting this excited about getting my own car back 
However, it's now fully rebuilt and is going off for geometry setting in the morning. I'll be collecting it on Wednesday.
Although the Nitron shock bodies and the Nitron springs are apparently a bit shorter than standard, I'm really pleased to see that the ride height hasn't changed - if anything, it might be a few mm higher, bearing in mind I've been running on original, tired (and snapped) springs for quite a while.
Before:
After:
However, it's now fully rebuilt and is going off for geometry setting in the morning. I'll be collecting it on Wednesday.
Although the Nitron shock bodies and the Nitron springs are apparently a bit shorter than standard, I'm really pleased to see that the ride height hasn't changed - if anything, it might be a few mm higher, bearing in mind I've been running on original, tired (and snapped) springs for quite a while.
Before:
After:
LordHaveMurci said:
That looks almost too high.
I guess it’ll settle when you put a few miles on it?
That’s was my initial thought - it’s probably a tiny bit higher than it was, but if you look at the gap between the rear tyre and the arch, it’s even all the way round, so I think it’s now at exactly the right height.I guess it’ll settle when you put a few miles on it?
However, as you say, it will probably settle a bit as it’s used. The good news is that the lower spring platform is adjustable, so I can tweak it if I need to.
As I expected, there were a few extras on the invoice. A couple of snapped ARB bracket bolts, requiring the chassis to be helicoiled (£380), a rear toe arm had to be cut out of the subframe (£476), differential oil breather and filter (filter not done by BR when they changed the diff oil… - £430). Rear wishbone bushes were knackered, so replaced with Powerflex (£475). Gearbox oil cooler pipes were another big ‘extra’ (£960). Handbrake pads were crumbling (£60), geo setup is £175 and a whole host of brackets, nuts, bolts, springs, clips and general sundries - another £380. That’s almost £2.5k on stuff I wasn’t fully expecting. It’s really scary just how quickly ‘extras’ mount up.
All in, a rather hefty £9,263.76.
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
To soften the blow very slightly, I’ll have a couple of bits to sell. The OE rear springs were powder coated before we realised I couldn’t find any replacement fronts and we would have to fit Nitron springs. I’ve also asked DAE to fit a pair of Brembo rear discs, as my BR Rotors two-piece discs didn’t turn up in time - the Brembos will be removed as soon as I get the two-piece discs, so someone will get a bargain.
I’ve surprised myself at just how relaxed I am about it. I knew the work would need doing eventually when I bought the car, and I had the money set aside. I had hoped to get away with it for a bit longer, and my research into the costs of suspension and subframe was clearly flawed, as I thought I’d get away with £3k for suspension and £2k for the subframe. Anyone that’s been reading this thread from the start will remember that I’m not ‘well-off’, so £11k is not something that can just be shrugged off easily. I’ll have to start saving again to rebuild the emergency fund.
I guess the thread title needs to change - “cheap” no longer seems to fit the description. That said, I now have a warm glow of satisfaction that the car is absolutely sorted.
Until the next bill…..
All in, a rather hefty £9,263.76.
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
To soften the blow very slightly, I’ll have a couple of bits to sell. The OE rear springs were powder coated before we realised I couldn’t find any replacement fronts and we would have to fit Nitron springs. I’ve also asked DAE to fit a pair of Brembo rear discs, as my BR Rotors two-piece discs didn’t turn up in time - the Brembos will be removed as soon as I get the two-piece discs, so someone will get a bargain.
I’ve surprised myself at just how relaxed I am about it. I knew the work would need doing eventually when I bought the car, and I had the money set aside. I had hoped to get away with it for a bit longer, and my research into the costs of suspension and subframe was clearly flawed, as I thought I’d get away with £3k for suspension and £2k for the subframe. Anyone that’s been reading this thread from the start will remember that I’m not ‘well-off’, so £11k is not something that can just be shrugged off easily. I’ll have to start saving again to rebuild the emergency fund.
I guess the thread title needs to change - “cheap” no longer seems to fit the description. That said, I now have a warm glow of satisfaction that the car is absolutely sorted.
Until the next bill…..
Nigel_O said:
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
Until the next bill…..
Nope, DAE didn't know or there would have been 'that' clip for £34 they forgot about Until the next bill…..
Certainly alot of money spent but that should be it for a few years to come and more importantly she should feel like a new car now bringing a whole new world of enjoyment to you and that's what it's all about.
Is it sensible spending £11k on her, probably not from a fiscal point, is it sensible owning an Aston...probably not BUT we all do and most of us love it. Enjoy your 'new' car tomorrow;)
Thanks for all the detail - it's useful to know the type of bills that come with running this type of car.
In a way it's not surprising - the car is more than 15 years old and has done more than 60 000 miles. Do you think this is typical for the model, or has your car had a hard life that's now needing all the work to sort it out?
In a way it's not surprising - the car is more than 15 years old and has done more than 60 000 miles. Do you think this is typical for the model, or has your car had a hard life that's now needing all the work to sort it out?
Ouch, that’s a big bill.
However when you think about it, old BMW’s can chuck up some big bills and they’re relatively humdrum compared to an Aston.
I agree with the other posters that it’s often better get devil you know with these things.
Just think, if you’d bought a shiny new car for £30k you’d have lost a shed load of cash in depreciation.
However when you think about it, old BMW’s can chuck up some big bills and they’re relatively humdrum compared to an Aston.
I agree with the other posters that it’s often better get devil you know with these things.
Just think, if you’d bought a shiny new car for £30k you’d have lost a shed load of cash in depreciation.
12TS said:
Do you think this is typical for the model, or has your car had a hard life that's now needing all the work to sort it out?
If it had done 20k miles and had been pampered, driven gently in the summer months only and then kept in a dry garage as soon as the weather got a bit damp, then I probably wouldn't have needed a subframe. However, almost any car with a steel subframe that's used all year round is going to get rusty sooner or later. My feeling is that even if the car had been only done 10k miles on glass-smooth roads, the rubbish Dynamics suspension would still be knackered - by all accounts, it was pretty dire even as it rolled off the production line....Court_S said:
Just think, if you’d bought a shiny new car for £30k you’d have lost a shed load of cash in depreciation.
My neighbour has recently bought a nearly-new T-Roc R, which I estimate will have been £30k - £35k. I'm sure its very nice to drive, will do 30+ mpg, won't cost a £1k+ a year in basic servicing and it will probably be ultra-reliable compared with a 16 year old Aston. It almost certainly won't throw a five-figure bill any time soon. However, it's a modestly-quick four-pot VW mini-SUV and in ten years time, it will be worth half of its current value (if that). I just couldn't do it...12TS said:
Thanks for all the detail - it's useful to know the type of bills that come with running this type of car.
In a way it's not surprising - the car is more than 15 years old and has done more than 60 000 miles. Do you think this is typical for the model, or has your car had a hard life that's now needing all the work to sort it out?
I don’t think it’s all that surprising either to be fair. I read threads on here though where the majority of owners suggest v modest running costs to those I experienced. Perhaps they’ve been fortunate or I got a Friday car but the maintenance I undertook over 4 years or so didn’t seem massively unusual in what was needed (radiator, headlight washers, brakes etc) yet it easily swallowed £3k or so a year and that was always using independents except for one service, which ironically was the cheapest of the lot at £750 with Aston JCT as was the only one where no additional work was necessary. In a way it's not surprising - the car is more than 15 years old and has done more than 60 000 miles. Do you think this is typical for the model, or has your car had a hard life that's now needing all the work to sort it out?
Nigel_O said:
My neighbour has recently bought a nearly-new T-Roc R, which I estimate will have been £30k - £35k. I'm sure its very nice to drive, will do 30+ mpg, won't cost a £1k+ a year in basic servicing and it will probably be ultra-reliable compared with a 16 year old Aston. It almost certainly won't throw a five-figure bill any time soon. However, it's a modestly-quick four-pot VW mini-SUV and in ten years time, it will be worth half of its current value (if that). I just couldn't do it...
Exactly. If you like cars and can afford something nice then do it. Life’s too short not to as far as I’m concerned. Collected the car - James Appleby met me at Taunton station to hand it over - all nicely cleaned. Their normal geometry place has an issue with their alignment kit, so James booked me into Aston Martin Bristol, which is conveniently on the way home, just a couple of miles off the M5.
I’m currently sat in one of their very comfy chairs, drinking some rather nice tea in their very luxurious showroom, drooling over the likes of a Concorde edition DBS, or a Zagato shooting brake, or a Valkyrie….
The good news is that while the car is clearly a little firmer than it was, it is so beautifully controlled that it actually feels softer. No more pattering over sharp bumps, no more shaking the steering over cat’s eyes. Can’t wait to get it on a more challenging bit of tarmac.
My ‘seat of the pants dyno’ also confirms it’s noticeably quicker than the Panda 4x4 I’ve been driving for the last month….
I’m currently sat in one of their very comfy chairs, drinking some rather nice tea in their very luxurious showroom, drooling over the likes of a Concorde edition DBS, or a Zagato shooting brake, or a Valkyrie….
The good news is that while the car is clearly a little firmer than it was, it is so beautifully controlled that it actually feels softer. No more pattering over sharp bumps, no more shaking the steering over cat’s eyes. Can’t wait to get it on a more challenging bit of tarmac.
My ‘seat of the pants dyno’ also confirms it’s noticeably quicker than the Panda 4x4 I’ve been driving for the last month….
Edited by Nigel_O on Wednesday 27th September 16:21
Nigel_O said:
As I expected, there were a few extras on the invoice. A couple of snapped ARB bracket bolts, requiring the chassis to be helicoiled (£380), a rear toe arm had to be cut out of the subframe (£476), differential oil breather and filter (filter not done by BR when they changed the diff oil… - £430). Rear wishbone bushes were knackered, so replaced with Powerflex (£475). Gearbox oil cooler pipes were another big ‘extra’ (£960). Handbrake pads were crumbling (£60), geo setup is £175 and a whole host of brackets, nuts, bolts, springs, clips and general sundries - another £380. That’s almost £2.5k on stuff I wasn’t fully expecting. It’s really scary just how quickly ‘extras’ mount up.
All in, a rather hefty £9,263.76.
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
To soften the blow very slightly, I’ll have a couple of bits to sell. The OE rear springs were powder coated before we realised I couldn’t find any replacement fronts and we would have to fit Nitron springs. I’ve also asked DAE to fit a pair of Brembo rear discs, as my BR Rotors two-piece discs didn’t turn up in time - the Brembos will be removed as soon as I get the two-piece discs, so someone will get a bargain.
I’ve surprised myself at just how relaxed I am about it. I knew the work would need doing eventually when I bought the car, and I had the money set aside. I had hoped to get away with it for a bit longer, and my research into the costs of suspension and subframe was clearly flawed, as I thought I’d get away with £3k for suspension and £2k for the subframe. Anyone that’s been reading this thread from the start will remember that I’m not ‘well-off’, so £11k is not something that can just be shrugged off easily. I’ll have to start saving again to rebuild the emergency fund.
I guess the thread title needs to change - “cheap” no longer seems to fit the description. That said, I now have a warm glow of satisfaction that the car is absolutely sorted.
Until the next bill…..
FAll in, a rather hefty £9,263.76.
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
To soften the blow very slightly, I’ll have a couple of bits to sell. The OE rear springs were powder coated before we realised I couldn’t find any replacement fronts and we would have to fit Nitron springs. I’ve also asked DAE to fit a pair of Brembo rear discs, as my BR Rotors two-piece discs didn’t turn up in time - the Brembos will be removed as soon as I get the two-piece discs, so someone will get a bargain.
I’ve surprised myself at just how relaxed I am about it. I knew the work would need doing eventually when I bought the car, and I had the money set aside. I had hoped to get away with it for a bit longer, and my research into the costs of suspension and subframe was clearly flawed, as I thought I’d get away with £3k for suspension and £2k for the subframe. Anyone that’s been reading this thread from the start will remember that I’m not ‘well-off’, so £11k is not something that can just be shrugged off easily. I’ll have to start saving again to rebuild the emergency fund.
I guess the thread title needs to change - “cheap” no longer seems to fit the description. That said, I now have a warm glow of satisfaction that the car is absolutely sorted.
Until the next bill…..
king Hell!!!That bill is making me question my plans to buy one and scratch my itch next year...
Megaflow said:
Nigel_O said:
As I expected, there were a few extras on the invoice. A couple of snapped ARB bracket bolts, requiring the chassis to be helicoiled (£380), a rear toe arm had to be cut out of the subframe (£476), differential oil breather and filter (filter not done by BR when they changed the diff oil… - £430). Rear wishbone bushes were knackered, so replaced with Powerflex (£475). Gearbox oil cooler pipes were another big ‘extra’ (£960). Handbrake pads were crumbling (£60), geo setup is £175 and a whole host of brackets, nuts, bolts, springs, clips and general sundries - another £380. That’s almost £2.5k on stuff I wasn’t fully expecting. It’s really scary just how quickly ‘extras’ mount up.
All in, a rather hefty £9,263.76.
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
To soften the blow very slightly, I’ll have a couple of bits to sell. The OE rear springs were powder coated before we realised I couldn’t find any replacement fronts and we would have to fit Nitron springs. I’ve also asked DAE to fit a pair of Brembo rear discs, as my BR Rotors two-piece discs didn’t turn up in time - the Brembos will be removed as soon as I get the two-piece discs, so someone will get a bargain.
I’ve surprised myself at just how relaxed I am about it. I knew the work would need doing eventually when I bought the car, and I had the money set aside. I had hoped to get away with it for a bit longer, and my research into the costs of suspension and subframe was clearly flawed, as I thought I’d get away with £3k for suspension and £2k for the subframe. Anyone that’s been reading this thread from the start will remember that I’m not ‘well-off’, so £11k is not something that can just be shrugged off easily. I’ll have to start saving again to rebuild the emergency fund.
I guess the thread title needs to change - “cheap” no longer seems to fit the description. That said, I now have a warm glow of satisfaction that the car is absolutely sorted.
Until the next bill…..
FAll in, a rather hefty £9,263.76.
On top of that, I have to pay the government to be allowed to spend my own money, so VAT takes it to £11,116.51. What’s REALLY worrying is that I had £11,150 in my ‘Aston big bills’ account - how did DAE know?…..
To soften the blow very slightly, I’ll have a couple of bits to sell. The OE rear springs were powder coated before we realised I couldn’t find any replacement fronts and we would have to fit Nitron springs. I’ve also asked DAE to fit a pair of Brembo rear discs, as my BR Rotors two-piece discs didn’t turn up in time - the Brembos will be removed as soon as I get the two-piece discs, so someone will get a bargain.
I’ve surprised myself at just how relaxed I am about it. I knew the work would need doing eventually when I bought the car, and I had the money set aside. I had hoped to get away with it for a bit longer, and my research into the costs of suspension and subframe was clearly flawed, as I thought I’d get away with £3k for suspension and £2k for the subframe. Anyone that’s been reading this thread from the start will remember that I’m not ‘well-off’, so £11k is not something that can just be shrugged off easily. I’ll have to start saving again to rebuild the emergency fund.
I guess the thread title needs to change - “cheap” no longer seems to fit the description. That said, I now have a warm glow of satisfaction that the car is absolutely sorted.
Until the next bill…..
king Hell!!!That bill is making me question my plans to buy one and scratch my itch next year...
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff