So what have you done with your Aston today? (Vol. 2)

[DBSV8]

Jon39 said:

B4rnst4ble said:

£6 million quid and they had the YTS putting the [front] number plate on.

Not sure why they put non existant (1972/73) show plates on a track only car.
Here are a couple of DB4 GTs in 1959/63 period.

I queried that , apparently out of the 25 allocated cars , several have been modified for road Use , this particular car has been modified to make it road legal

[B4rnst4ble]

I wish they could have put the front reg number on straight

[bignoise]

drive out to one of the many sunday breakfast meets.

This time to the Surrey Oaks at Newdigate in Surrey (every 3rd Sunday)

[m.barnes]

Fitted a remote control exhaust valve kit from CC Charger, took the car out, could tell no difference so presume the old exhaust valve never worked. Fuse 22 was there so maybe the valve isnt connected or has seized, so now need to get under the car and have a little look.

[mioh]

Helped the kids making gingerbread. Removed the car cover and gave my DB9 a cookie.

[Octavarium]

mioh said:

Helped the kids making gingerbread. Removed the car cover and gave my DB9 a cookie.

Very tasteful indeed. My wife thinks they look better than my carbon fibre badges, which she thinks look unfinished ( I like 'em though )

[qwick69]

Went off roading. Who needs a DBX

[V8V Pete]

V8V Pete said:

V8V Pete said:

Handed it over to AM Nottingham for this bubbling (and several other bits) to be repaired by Chartwells. For one bit by the mirror arm on the same door it is the third time that it has bubbled so they say they may need to put a new door on it. Not sure when I'm going to see my much loved Vantage again

Went to view my Vantage at Chartwells today to check I was happy with the paintwork they have done before Paintshield reinstate the PPF. Looks like they've done an excellent job (I cannot tell where they've painted) so the film is going back on next Tuesday and I will finally get my car back next Wednesday. They didn't put a new door on it so fingers crossed the bit by the mirror arm doesn't return again. Looking forward to next week .........

Finally got my Vantage back today. Big shout out for Chertwells and Paintshield for doing a superb job on the paintwork and PPF. It looked fantastic this morning when I collected it, all clean and shiny. So good in fact that I had to take it for a quick spin to celebrate its return. Got carried away (including dropping in at BR to put my summer wheels/tyres back on) and now it looks like this



Apparently I'm not allowed to wash it for a week due to the freshly applied PPF ...........

[Dewi 2]

V8V Pete said:

Finally got my Vantage back today. Big shout out for Chertwells and Paintshield for doing a superb job on the paintwork and PPF. It looked fantastic this morning when I collected it, all clean and shiny. So good in fact that I had to take it for a quick spin to celebrate its return. Got carried away (including dropping in at BR to put my summer wheels/tyres back on) and now it looks like this



Apparently I'm not allowed to wash it for a week due to the freshly applied PPF ...........

Glad you are pleased with all the work , Pete.

Did you intend to say 'summer wheels/tyres back on'? It is December !

I had meant to write to congratulate you, regarding your BR video. All explained in a very natural and professional way. Mrs. Dewi has also watched it and looked interested throughout. Well done. Perhaps a motoring vlogging job on the side awaits. On second thoughts, no. You are far too charming and modest, compared with the majority of those people.

[V8V Pete]

Dewi 2 said:

Did you intend to say 'summer wheels/tyres back on'? It is December !

I had meant to write to congratulate you, regarding your BR video.

Yes, summers back on and it is now official that newish Michelin PS4S are far better on cold damp roads than 8 year old winters. Which means my provisional plan to bin winters all together and put some Cup 2s on my other rims for summer/track use will be enacted in the Spring

You're too kind about the video. Part 2 coming some time soon apparently

[V8PYB]

m.barnes said:

Fitted a remote control exhaust valve kit from CC Charger, took the car out, could tell no difference so presume the old exhaust valve never worked. Fuse 22 was there so maybe the valve isnt connected or has seized, so now need to get under the car and have a little look.

What year is your Aston? I had the same issue fitting the kit to my 2012 V8VS, the owners manual has fuse 22 listed for the exhaust valve but it made no difference, after a lot of checking, testing and sliding under the rear of the car I decided to try fuse 15, even though fuse 22 was 20 amp and fuse 15 was only 5 amp. It worked brilliantly, I now have the option of the fantastic V8 soundtrack below 4000 rpm.

[josh bear]

Used the vanquish for a couple of days away in London. Got to park outside the hotel. Makes a great backdrop for a photo.

Josh

[Thorburn]

V8PYB said:

What year is your Aston? I had the same issue fitting the kit to my 2012 V8VS, the owners manual has fuse 22 listed for the exhaust valve but it made no difference, after a lot of checking, testing and sliding under the rear of the car I decided to try fuse 15, even though fuse 22 was 20 amp and fuse 15 was only 5 amp. It worked brilliantly, I now have the option of the fantastic V8 soundtrack below 4000 rpm.

On the V8 Vantage S you just hit the Sport button to open the exhaust valve?

[m.barnes]

V8PYB said:

What year is your Aston? I had the same issue fitting the kit to my 2012 V8VS, the owners manual has fuse 22 listed for the exhaust valve but it made no difference, after a lot of checking, testing and sliding under the rear of the car I decided to try fuse 15, even though fuse 22 was 20 amp and fuse 15 was only 5 amp. It worked brilliantly, I now have the option of the fantastic V8 soundtrack below 4000 rpm.

You're not the first person to say this! I need to have a play at the weekend. I think, but cant remember, that my fuse 15 was empty so could be its on loud all the time. Need to get a spare fuse and have a feel under the car and see whats what.

[Cold]

Popped up to the Cotswolds for a couple of days for a pre-Christmas laze about.

[oily mist]

Fun day in the garage:

Replaced the LED in the passenger door-handle. A bit of a faff to get the trim panel off to get to it but an relatively easy and cheap fix (about 50p) - all in about 45 mins.

Replaced the external temperature sensor (which had gone do-lally and started reporting it is 61C outside). Easy fix with a generic part that cost just £5.50 - a satisfying 10 minute job.

Retro-fitted cruise control. - Followed instructions posted by others on here and also spent some time with a multimeter and the workshop manual to be sure about the wiring. I bought a switch-pack from a supplier of bits for Aston Martins, made up a short wiring harness with a 4-pin Molex plug and soldered this in to the small pcb for the clock-spring connector. Worst part was taking a knife to the steering wheel to fashion the cut-out for the new switches. Plug it all in and bingo, the car recognised it has cruise fitted! (I'd had the body module re-flashed at the last service so it was ready for the switches to be fitted).

Finally, cleared the airbag warning light which I'd accidentally caused by turning on the ignition while the airbag was unplugged. (with new Foxwell NT530 code reader).

Wish it would stop raining now so I could enjoy a nice drive!

[cayman-black]

josh bear said:

Used the vanquish for a couple of days away in London. Got to park outside the hotel. Makes a great backdrop for a photo.

Josh

I just love that car.

[josh bear]

cayman-black said:

I just love that car.

Lol. Me too! Loved all the Aston’s I have owned but the Vanquish is something special.

Josh

[baconsarney]

Replaced battery (again) all good but same as previous occasion have booked slot with my physio... fortunately she’s very attractive and blonde so despite the agony caused through replacing a 50lb plus lump of lead from behind the drivers seat I will get some relief from an attractive younger women. Er, that sounded wrong..... hopefully this new one will last longer than the three years the last one has...

[Graze01]

Went for a 250km Xmas drive with my V8VS mate. Early morning light city traffic, 40km off hills, 100 odd kms of fast sweeping rural roads, the same 40km of twisty hills and back into town. Average speed 94km/hr. My V12VS took 40.1litres of fuel, his V8VS took 40.6litres. He was consistently in a lower gear at higher revs over the hills and twisty bits whereas I could use 3rd gear torque out of many of the corners, but I was blown away with how similar the fuel use was.

We are off for a few thousand kms together in January to go to the Bathurst 12 hour (let's hope aston can come first not second this year) so will monitor it again then.

Graze