V8 vantage roadster
Discussion
You probably need Grants guide, sticky link at the top of the page.
Manual or Sportshift car?
Not many issues at all really, just how much life do the clutch, discs/pads and tyres have left in them is your main concern. Varies from car to car obviously! Low milers can be more problematic than high ones (and of course vice versa), condition and service history are EVERYTHING!
Come back with more specific questions
Manual or Sportshift car?
Not many issues at all really, just how much life do the clutch, discs/pads and tyres have left in them is your main concern. Varies from car to car obviously! Low milers can be more problematic than high ones (and of course vice versa), condition and service history are EVERYTHING!
Come back with more specific questions
If you have a search you'll find a little more out about the extended warranty. For an early car though some may argue its not worth it.
Personally; if I was getting a car and not from an Aston dealer, I'd have Bamford Rose do a thorough inspection and go on their advice. No ideas on cost sorry.
Personally; if I was getting a car and not from an Aston dealer, I'd have Bamford Rose do a thorough inspection and go on their advice. No ideas on cost sorry.
kazino said:
Thanks, just ordered the book.
Looking out for any signs of potential big bills associated with the car. For example the Porsche 997 911 with some of the engines going pop, one would be recommended to purchase a car with a Porsche warranty or have a Porsche warranty put on the car.
No similar issues to those big buck things on the Porsche cars on the Vantage, biggest consumable will be the clutch, so make sure it's ok or recently changed. That is especially the case if you go for sports shift. If you have been reading this forum a lot you will see that most issues on AM are fittings and fixtures, and hopefully they will have been sorted in first three years under warranty. Looking out for any signs of potential big bills associated with the car. For example the Porsche 997 911 with some of the engines going pop, one would be recommended to purchase a car with a Porsche warranty or have a Porsche warranty put on the car.
There is of course a mixed view on here whether you should get the extra warranty or not. Like all insurances you take a view and decide from there.
Mine is just coming up to 3 years old, had numerous minor issues under warranty all sorted, nothing major touch wood, and an absence of regular major fails reported on here gives me confidence to risk not getting the warranty extended. Others will have a different view though.
I've ordered a new Boxster for my wife and the first thing I noticed on the Porsche forum were the stickies relating to serious issues. Nothing like that here! Good luck with the search and enjoy your car
lots of threads on here about warranty and service costs in detail
no known big bill fault items yet found, and a few of us have done >60K miles and some hire cars >90k miles
so its just a timing thing e.g. you buy the car with plenty of wear left on consumables and you might get a year or two just with regular servicing (£500-600 at independant)
clutch is the big one at £2-3K depending where you go....some have lasted 15K miles ...im still on original and 4x that
otherwise similar running costs to a big engined German exec car
no known big bill fault items yet found, and a few of us have done >60K miles and some hire cars >90k miles
so its just a timing thing e.g. you buy the car with plenty of wear left on consumables and you might get a year or two just with regular servicing (£500-600 at independant)
clutch is the big one at £2-3K depending where you go....some have lasted 15K miles ...im still on original and 4x that
otherwise similar running costs to a big engined German exec car
Have to agree with the above. I'm on my second Vantage having done 20K miles in the coupe and 12K miles in the current Roadster. Biggest bills have only been tires and routine servicing. I sold the Coupe with 40K miles on it and no signs of clutch issues.
I'll be selling my '07 Roadster in the spring with only 22K miles and certainly do not expect to have any worries about selling it to a private buyer. The running costs (service/fuel/tires) are fairly high but at least there doesn't seem to be any hidden surprises when it comes to things going wrong and big bills.
Give me a shout if you're still on the hunt in March/April - sadly I've got to part with mine for a back seat and a pram-sized boot!
I'll be selling my '07 Roadster in the spring with only 22K miles and certainly do not expect to have any worries about selling it to a private buyer. The running costs (service/fuel/tires) are fairly high but at least there doesn't seem to be any hidden surprises when it comes to things going wrong and big bills.
Give me a shout if you're still on the hunt in March/April - sadly I've got to part with mine for a back seat and a pram-sized boot!
Richales said:
The running costs (service/fuel/tires) are fairly high but at least there doesn't seem to be any hidden surprises when it comes to things going wrong and big bills.
Exactly my experience. Bought a 30 month old V8VR 27 months ago and it has been highly reliable, as good as or better than any BMW or Jaguar I've run. Only expensive unforeseeable problem was a paint blister which meant a wing respray 60% paid for by Aston Martin. 
V8V CG said:
Exactly my experience. Bought a 30 month old V8VR 27 months ago and it has been highly reliable, as good as or better than any BMW or Jaguar I've run. Only expensive unforeseeable problem was a paint blister which meant a wing respray 60% paid for by Aston Martin.
Agree, paint blisters on the doors (check) Wing mirror stem corrosion (check) Fuel filler flap failure (check) and a roof module that is likely to fail only when you really don't want it to, like at the start of the route Napolean on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning! 
Otherwise it's just perfect!
DAMIT said:
V8V CG said:
Exactly my experience. Bought a 30 month old V8VR 27 months ago and it has been highly reliable, as good as or better than any BMW or Jaguar I've run. Only expensive unforeseeable problem was a paint blister which meant a wing respray 60% paid for by Aston Martin.
Agree, paint blisters on the doors (check) Wing mirror stem corrosion (check) Fuel filler flap failure (check) and a roof module that is likely to fail only when you really don't want it to, like at the start of the route Napolean on a beautiful sunny Sunday morning! Otherwise it's just perfect!
Paint blisters round the door handles sorted under extended warranty
Wing mirror stem corrosion sorted under extended warranty
Fuel filler flap failure - Yep had that also and fixed under extended warranty
Roof module - failed the first time I swapped a disc in the sat nav - fixed under extended warranty
No contribution from me on any of the above.
Fantastic car !! I came from a V8 Vantage Coupe but missed the roof down experience.......
kazino said:
What are the recommended indies in London.
Norf Laandan you'd be best off going to Chiltern Aston near Hemel Hempstead, lovely bunch of people there, the place is like an Aston Martin theme park, so much to see 
Centrally, Nicholas Mee near Hammersmith. Can't fault them, really know their stuff too with a top
flight guy for the Gaydon cars (Andy).
You have PM.
I am on my third V8 Vantage, and have so far, touch wood, had no serious issues - wing mirror stem corrosion was fixed under warranty, other than that only routine servicing (£600-900 at a main dealer) a couple of tyres and fuel!
I have found Aston Martins to be more reliable than the various 997s and Boxsters I owned before....which surprises most.
I am on my third V8 Vantage, and have so far, touch wood, had no serious issues - wing mirror stem corrosion was fixed under warranty, other than that only routine servicing (£600-900 at a main dealer) a couple of tyres and fuel!
I have found Aston Martins to be more reliable than the various 997s and Boxsters I owned before....which surprises most.
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