As Heaven 17 said "Tempppppppppppppp - tation"

[mikey k]

IanV12VR said:

mikey k said:

Bizarrely it seems the factory reprimanded them for publicly marketing a limited edition car, not sure how they are supposed to make people more aware of its availability

Lloyd good luck with sale I'm sure some one will find it special enough very soon

Edited by mikey k on Tuesday 8th January 08:33

They didn't publicly market the car - it was my thread :roll eyes: Lloyd had contacted me to let me know they would have the Orange V12VR in the showroom for sale because he knew that I thought cars were only being built to customer spec and didn't want me to find out about this one from other sources - which I appreciated. I then went in to see the car and decided to start a thread. I do share Mikey's view on making people aware it is available though- very bizarre.

Yep - I believe they became aware of it from this thread (hopefully they will read some of the others )

New thread to follow on BR conversion

[yeti]

mikey k said:

On the second decision I have agreed a deal with Bamford Rose for a 5.0 litre "Pinnacle" conversion with a few "special additions"

Excellent news

I'm up there on the 18th by the way if you fancy a drive in mine to test the switchable suspension? It's going in for a service, some fiddly bits and some rear pads.

I also want to ensure my engine is built before yours, I have been waiting longer

[silverspeed]

Mikey - you will have a very unique car post BR mods. It will be one of one !! Wonder how long it will be before BR become a part of AM ? I'm surprised Works Service or Prodrive aren't more proactive in the upgrades area.

[yeti]

silverspeed said:

Wonder how long it will be before BR become a part of AM ?

I'm going to guess at... never? As in, never, ever, ever. There's history there.

silverspeed said:

I'm surprised Works Service or Prodrive aren't more proactive in the upgrades area.

So hard to do by an OEM manufacturer to make them compliant with global emissions and noise regulations. The aftermarket has so many more options as they aren't bound by silly nannying laws; take Tubi or Capristo for Ferrari, the factory could not get away with that kind of noise and the cataysts would not be good enough for California's emissions.

That and AML are lazy and ProDrive are busy. And why spend money on making their cars better or faster, Bez is full of great and expensive to implement ideas like the Cygnet. It will save the company, everyone will want one

[jonby]

yeti said:

silverspeed said:

Wonder how long it will be before BR become a part of AM ?

I'm going to guess at... never? As in, never, ever, ever. There's history there.

You guys know Mike far better than I do but from what has been posted, that's always been my assumption - too much history

As for Works & prodrive, the reality is in Aston's case, I suspect it would be counter-productive for sales of new cars - why upgrade from DB9 to DBS, new Vanquish to new Vanquish S (assuming that happens) or V8 to V8S if there is a an upgrade at works / prodrive (the key being it wouldn't affect warranty) which achieves something similar ?

I suspect one of the biggest turn-offs for potential customers of Mikey's project, particularly once it's 'proven', is not many people would like to take their one yr old (ish?) car for such a big engineering change ?

[mikey k]

jonby said:

As for Works & prodrive, the reality is in Aston's case, I suspect it would be counter-productive for sales of new cars - why upgrade from DB9 to DBS, new Vanquish to new Vanquish S (assuming that happens) or V8 to V8S if there is a an upgrade at works / prodrive (the key being it wouldn't affect warranty) which achieves something similar ?

I suspect one of the biggest turn-offs for potential customers of Mikey's project, particularly once it's 'proven', is not many people would like to take their one yr old (ish?) car for such a big engineering change ?

Yep AML will always be looking for max margin from min change and eek out the changes for max ROI, simplistically they need to move product not increase the life of what they have already sold.

The "unnamed project" could be applied to any age V8 Vantage, the age of mine (14 months) is immaterial I'm just trying to turn it in to a V12 roadster with ASM2

[yeti]

jonby said:

I suspect one of the biggest turn-offs for potential customers of Mikey's project, particularly once it's 'proven', is not many people would like to take their one yr old (ish?) car for such a big engineering change ?

The only factor there really is whether the car is a 'keeper' or not. If it is a keeper, then why wait? BR warranty everything they touch and the AML warranty covers everything they don't

A lot of people have said previously that they'll wait until the factory warranty expires after 3 years, but realistically... there is no need.

Enjoy them now I say

[silverspeed]

mikey k said:

jonby said:

As for Works & prodrive, the reality is in Aston's case, I suspect it would be counter-productive for sales of new cars - why upgrade from DB9 to DBS, new Vanquish to new Vanquish S (assuming that happens) or V8 to V8S if there is a an upgrade at works / prodrive (the key being it wouldn't affect warranty) which achieves something similar ?

I suspect one of the biggest turn-offs for potential customers of Mikey's project, particularly once it's 'proven', is not many people would like to take their one yr old (ish?) car for such a big engineering change ?

Yep AML will always be looking for max margin from min change and eek out the changes for max ROI, simplistically they need to move product not increase the life of what they have already sold.

The "unnamed project" could be applied to any age V8 Vantage, the age of mine (14 months) is immaterial I'm just trying to turn it in to a V12 roadster with ASM2

What happens regarding insurance. I know when I modded my VX220 the premiuns went up significantly .

Edited by silverspeed on Tuesday 8th January 16:37

[mikey k]

Never had a problem with any of my modded cars, some do add a premium others don't care as long as you declare it.

[yeti]

mikey k said:

Never had a problem with any of my modded cars, some do add a premium others don't care as long as you declare it.

This ^^

The guy who runs ClassicLine said 'your mods don't cost me money so why would I charge you more for them?'.

If your insurer thinks differently... change insurer

[jonby]

mikey k said:

simplistically they need to move product not increase the life of what they have already sold.

As my dealer often reminds me, Aston Martin don't sell used cars.


Although going off at a tangent from the point of this thread, I often remind him in return, shame they don't understand they could sell more new cars if used cars held their value better

[jonby]

yeti said:

jonby said:

I suspect one of the biggest turn-offs for potential customers of Mikey's project, particularly once it's 'proven', is not many people would like to take their one yr old (ish?) car for such a big engineering change ?

The only factor there really is whether the car is a 'keeper' or not. If it is a keeper, then why wait? BR warranty everything they touch and the AML warranty covers everything they don't

A lot of people have said previously that they'll wait until the factory warranty expires after 3 years, but realistically... there is no need.

Enjoy them now I say

I don't necessarily disagree and Mikey has made the same point but the fact remains, it surely is off-putting to many ppl

[yeti]

jonby said:

I don't necessarily disagree and Mikey has made the same point but the fact remains, it surely is off-putting to many ppl

Lots of things are off-putting to lots of people Jonby. Like driving fast or eating rare beef.

Not sure of your point?

[jonby]

yeti said:

Lots of things are off-putting to lots of people Jonby. Like driving fast or eating rare beef.

Not sure of your point?

Idiots !!! (those that dislike rare beef......)

I just meant that whilst we may know that the law is technically on the side of the consumer, I imagine most people will be put off doing a significant BR upgrade whilst their car is less than 3 yrs old (and therefore still within original factory warranty) either because they perceive it will invalidate warranty, or because they fear that the factory will try to use that as an excuse and lead to a long drawn-out argument whilst you get to the area of 'proof'

Every one of us will have a slightly different 'maximum change' that we are preapred to go to before we perceive the risk of the above outweighs the benefit, for instance I have no problem changing the backbox and not worrying that Aston can use that to invalidate warranty but some people are even scared about that

People won't have those same fears if it's a factory or pro drive upgrade,but as we all seem to agree, it's not in the factory's interests to promote that kind of upgrade

although if aston offered a route to upgrade cars like say pagani, it may make used cars more in demand and valuable, that in turn helps new cars sell.........aston normally adopt such a short term 'panic' like approach to strategy, they can never seem to afford to play the long game

Edited by jonby on Tuesday 8th January 14:58

Edited by jonby on Tuesday 8th January 14:59

[cayman-black]

personally i would not buy any AM or other make that had been modified in any way. If I had a v8 and wanted more power or more car i would change that car.
But Hey it good that we are all different.

[yeti]

cayman-black said:

personally i would not buy any AM or other make that had been modified in any way.

Can't see that argument as anything other than you being the one losing out - it'd be a dream come true for me to finally find a car that someone else had spent all the money on so I didn't have to

But hey, we're all different and you are certainly not alone. Lots of people prize originality, just doesn't seem inmportant on (semi)mass-produced car. Where do you stop?

BMW M3 CSLs need better brakes for example, do you just leave as standard and drive around road and track on the barely adequate OEM ones or do you look for a car that has had the Brembo upgrade done? They command more money. Honda or Audi powered Elises to replace the weedy K-series, the cars fetch much more money and are fabulous to drive and highly sought after.

But if a car that boils its brakes or that frys head gaskets and only has 118bhp is your thing, like you say, we're all different

[George29]

yeti said:

cayman-black said:

personally i would not buy any AM or other make that had been modified in any way.

Can't see that argument as anything other than you being the one losing out - it'd be a dream come true for me to finally find a car that someone else had spent all the money on so I didn't have to

But hey, we're all different and you are certainly not alone. Lots of people prize originality, just doesn't seem inmportant on (semi)mass-produced car. Where do you stop?

BMW M3 CSLs need better brakes for example, do you just leave as standard and drive around road and track on the barely adequate OEM ones or do you look for a car that has had the Brembo upgrade done? They command more money. Honda or Audi powered Elises to replace the weedy K-series, the cars fetch much more money and are fabulous to drive and highly sought after.

But if a car that boils its brakes or that frys head gaskets and only has 118bhp is your thing, like you say, we're all different

I'm in the I would only buy OEM camp too.

You don't actually know who's done the modifications... how much care and attention to detail they put in etc. If I was going to modify a car, I'd have it done myself (although I still can't bring myself to modify a car!).

[mikey k]

George29 said:

I'm in the I would only buy OEM camp too.

You don't actually know who's done the modifications... how much care and attention to detail they put in etc. If I was going to modify a car, I'd have it done myself (although I still can't bring myself to modify a car!).

But George you've done plenty of modding with out too much effort - mould green roof, white corroded effect to brolly, window stuck down mos, rust coloured rotors, flat spotted tyres

On the modding thing I've often found returning the car to standard is easy enough if it doesn't sell as is, though its not like BR have the reputation to put a buyer off.

[jonby]

mikey k said:

George29 said:

I'm in the I would only buy OEM camp too.

You don't actually know who's done the modifications... how much care and attention to detail they put in etc. If I was going to modify a car, I'd have it done myself (although I still can't bring myself to modify a car!).

But George you've done plenty of modding with out too much effort - mould green roof, white corroded effect to brolly, window stuck down mos, rust coloured rotors, flat spotted tyres

On the modding thing I've often found returning the car to standard is easy enough if it doesn't sell as is, though its not like BR have the reputation to put a buyer off.

I think the last few posts have nicely illustrated the point that there are a variety of opinions and what is a perceived advantage to one person is a -ve to another. Even mileages divide opinion - some people want to buy a car with the lowest possible mileage, others see a silly low mileage as a disadvantage, for all kinds of (very sensible IMO) reasons

[silverspeed]

cayman-black said:

personally i would not buy any AM or other make that had been modified in any way. If I had a v8 and wanted more power or more car i would change that car.
But Hey it good that we are all different.

Agreed after my experience of doing significant mods on two cars. The insurer on my VX220 highlighted the fact that the car was type approved and fit for purpose as sold. Increase the power by say 20% are the brakes up to it etc etc. I wouldn't buy a heavily modified car even though Ive been guilty of doing it ! As you say each to their own.