Aston V12V manual

[macky17]

Residuals aside, there seems to be remarkably little info on these cars on the web.

I know:
Engines are very solid as are transmissions
Clutches more robust than v8 model
Brake discs last forever
£800ish for a service

That’s about it. Can anyone tell me more regarding things to look for? I mean it’s a fairly heavy car so does it chew through suspension consumables? I’m very close to pulling the trigger on one of these but they seem too good for the money to be true. Drove my first yesterday and bloody loved it

[Zod]

Mine has to negotiate speed bumps around North London all the time and it's still on its first suspension bushes. I ask for them to be checked every service, because as the weather gets cooler, I hear creaks (started again this week), but all is fine.

[cayman-black]

macky17 said:

Residuals aside, there seems to be remarkably little info on these cars on the web.



I’m very close to pulling the trigger on one of these but they seem too good for the money to be true. Drove my first yesterday and bloody loved it

I agree, buy it you will love it.

[macky17]

cayman-black said:

macky17 said:

Residuals aside, there seems to be remarkably little info on these cars on the web.



I’m very close to pulling the trigger on one of these but they seem too good for the money to be true. Drove my first yesterday and bloody loved it

I agree, buy it you will love it.

I’ve no doubt you’re right. It seems a natural progression from my Tuscan 2S - raw, firm, loud, exciting but infinitely torquier and more cosseting. The way it responds to the throttle at low revs with sport mode engaged is spectacular.

One thing: at 6’4” I only just fit. The cabin is big enough but the wheel could do with an extra inch or so of reach adjustment. I wonder if it’s vaguely possible to fit some sort of boss...

[macky17]

I was sure someone posted a schematic of the cabin yesterday which is now gone?

My problem is long shins - my left knee jams between the wheel and transmission tunnel. I can pull the seat base further back to strainten my legs and sit very upright instead but it would be nicer to extend the wheel further (or retreat the pedals). Anyway I have a strong feeling that both are impossible - as is a smaller aftermarket wheel due to the controls mounted on it.

Regarding running costs, I’ve yet to find a single example anywhere of a V12V which cost a fortune to run in some way. Similar stories related to the Vanquish/DB9 V12 seem commonplace. What’s the difference?

[vpr]

I had a gearbox go in mine a couple of months ago. A 2013 car with 9000 miles

A whine in 6th gear. Was sure it was the wife but was still there when she got out.

Edited by vpr on Wednesday 24th October 10:33

[V8V Pete]

macky17 said:

My problem is long shins - my left knee jams between the wheel and transmission tunnel. I can pull the seat base further back to strainten my legs and sit very upright instead but it would be nicer to extend the wheel further (or retreat the pedals). Anyway I have a strong feeling that both are impossible - as is a smaller aftermarket wheel due to the controls mounted on it.

Regarding running costs, I’ve yet to find a single example anywhere of a V12V which cost a fortune to run in some way. Similar stories related to the Vanquish/DB9 V12 seem commonplace. What’s the difference?

Have you tried one with Lightweight seats yet. You sit lower in the car in them so this may help with your leg issue. This one has them and isn't a million miles from you: https://preowned.astonmartin.com/preowned-cars/673...

BTW - the brake discs don't last for ever (if the car is actually driven) and cost a fortune to replace.

[hornbaek]

V8V Pete said:

Have you tried one with Lightweight seats yet. You sit lower in the car in them so this may help with your leg issue. This one has them and isn't a million miles from you: https://preowned.astonmartin.com/preowned-cars/673...

BTW - the brake discs don't last for ever (if the car is actually driven) and cost a fortune to replace.

It’s 8 years old and has driven < 4000 miles ? Either its a great buy or it does seem odd that it has done less than 500 miles/year.

[yellow_tang]

V8V Pete said:

Have you tried one with Lightweight seats yet. You sit lower in the car in them so this may help with your leg issue.

I’m not sure you do sit lower in lightweight seats. When I changed my car from sports to lightweight seats, I definitely sit a little higher than in the sports seats (and yes that’s after adjustment!).

[BamfordMike]

V8V Pete said:

BTW - the brake discs don't last for ever (if the car is actually driven) and cost a fortune to replace.

Fronts £8281+fitting / rears £7080 + fitting
Yeah, Aston parts price rise / graph is performing how they’d like their share price graph to look!

Discs pretty much last 3 pad sets unless damaged, normally by wheeling cleaning products prior to munching the 3 pad sets

A track day plus spirited road use wears fronts @ 10k rears @ 15k. Very light use, double that mileage. That means buyer beware with any ceramic disc car showing + 30k Miles

[RS6bird]

vpr said:

I had a gearbox go in mine a couple of months ago. A 2013 car with 9000 miles

A whine in 6th gear. Was sure it was the wife but was still there when she got out.

Edited by vpr on Wednesday 24th October 10:33

Hi, could you share the fix? New gearbox? Costs?

Thanks

[BamfordMike]

RS6bird said:

vpr said:

I had a gearbox go in mine a couple of months ago. A 2013 car with 9000 miles

A whine in 6th gear. Was sure it was the wife but was still there when she got out.

Edited by vpr on Wednesday 24th October 10:33

Hi, could you share the fix? New gearbox? Costs?

Thanks

Clearly I don’t know how VPR’s car was repaired or the exact fault.

Normally, whining which is gear specific (so not the differential), is the needle roller bearing and / or the gear needing a bit of super polishing.

If in the franchised network, there is zero alternative to a “box changing” approach because Aston have totally locked any parts supply down with Graziano, you can buy whatever part you want, but it comes attached to the rest of the gearbox.
So, for the sake of a £10 bearing similar to the one I picture and worst case 15hrs labour at a garage which thinks outside the box, the franchised approach is replacement box at RRP £10,486 plus the labour to install.

[AMVSVNick]

[leman600]

Firstly car needs to make you feel good inside. Tick.
Secondly car needs to be most likely reliable. Tick.
Thirdly car preferably doesn't depreciate like a stone. Tick.
Fourthly car needs to make you feel good inside.......oops
Well I just got one and well chuffed to say the least.
Bloody brilliant to drive for so many reasons.
As with all Astons they are mileage sensitive but you can choose to either use it very little and do very well financially or do more driving and still have reasonable resale value. If, like myself, you are not awash with cash but doing ok this is an important factor which allows mere mortals to realistically own such a dream car.

[BamfordMike]

AMVSVNick said:

Without data forums consist of feelings and posters who's limitation to post is mainly restricted to posting an array of emojis

Data can be positive or negative, regardless, folk need data, so the not so positive side of data, such as the reality of upkeep costs, DB9 vs DB11 sales performance stats or share price performance is all the sorts of data folk need to learn from. If you don’t care for the slant the data is coming from, blur those words out with thumb over screen, who cares really, the data is needed and still the same though.

[AMVSVNick]

BamfordMike said:

Without data forums consist of feelings and posters who's limitation to post is mainly restricted to posting an array of emojis

Data can be positive or negative, regardless, folk need data, so the not so positive side of data, such as the reality of upkeep costs, DB9 vs DB11 sales performance stats or share price performance is all the sorts of data folk need to learn from. If you don’t care for the slant the data is coming from, blur those words out with thumb over screen, who cares really, the data is needed and still the same though.

Indeed

[cayman-black]

hornbaek said:

It’s 8 years old and has driven < 4000 miles ? Either its a great buy or it does seem odd that it has done less than 500 miles/year.

I do not see whats so strange about this, there are three for sale right now with very low miles. Most have other cars to use and some not enough time to use regularly.
Then there are some folk like me who just dont care if the car is used or not, its a nice feeling knowing that its in my garage!

[macky17]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I think I may have to reconsider after the £15k for a set of discs thing. Can't even contemplate a bill like that.

[Zod]

macky17 said:

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I think I may have to reconsider after the £15k for a set of discs thing. Can't even contemplate a bill like that.

Mine's done 35000 and the disks are smooth and shiny.

[macky17]

Well that's good to know. The guy at Aston brentwood said they should last the life of the car...

My budget is around £70k so I'd be looking at higher miles or a very early example. Is there any drawback to an 09?