So what have you done with your Aston today? (Vol. 2)
Discussion
rovcallum said:
I’m looking forward to doing part of that trip in a couple of weeks when we start the NC500 from Inverness going anti clockwise, route planned with one stop on East coast and three on West coast followed by a three night stop over on the Isle of Skye then off to Loch Lomond via Glenfinnan Viaduct through to Glencoe and Glen Etive for the picture! Final stop Keswick for 3 night before travelling south to home!
Had a front camera fitted to my 2018 Vanquish S Volante at Aston Installations; what a great bunch they are. 
I highly recommend this option, which provides an Ultra Wide View; a Wide View; an Overhead View which allows you to see the spoiler and what is in front of it; and a Corner View giving left and right views at the same time.
I highly recommend this option, which provides an Ultra Wide View; a Wide View; an Overhead View which allows you to see the spoiler and what is in front of it; and a Corner View giving left and right views at the same time.
Dropped the car off at DAE this afternoon and now on a packed train back to the Midlands.
Suspension was really noisy by the time I got there - I have a feeling it’s bottom wishbone bushes, as the car has been feeling a bit loose at the rear end in recent weeks.
James had a good listen underneath while a couple of the other lads leant on the rear of the car - the noise while it was stationary was horrible.
He’s also said he’ll send the new Nitrons back to the factory for a quick dyno check, just to eliminate any slim possibility that it might be the shocks.
I feel another hefty bill incoming…
Suspension was really noisy by the time I got there - I have a feeling it’s bottom wishbone bushes, as the car has been feeling a bit loose at the rear end in recent weeks.
James had a good listen underneath while a couple of the other lads leant on the rear of the car - the noise while it was stationary was horrible.
He’s also said he’ll send the new Nitrons back to the factory for a quick dyno check, just to eliminate any slim possibility that it might be the shocks.
I feel another hefty bill incoming…
N430 said:
Putting the miles and smiles on as we continue our trip on the NC500 
If I get my car back from DAE next week, I’m hoping to do most of the NC500 the week after (23rd, for three days). I know it’s better to take 5+ days, but wer’re more interested in driving than visiting distilleries and bird sanctuaries. It’s also a full day’s driving to get to Inverness, so we can’t really take another 5 days on top of that, plus another day to get home.We’ll do most of it, anti-clockwise, but we’ll bale out at the south-west corner so that we can drive home via Fort William and Glencoe
It’ll be my first time north of Fort William, so I need to do some research on the unmissable bits and the sections that can me skipped / fast-tracked.
Nigel_O said:
If I get my car back from DAE next week, I’m hoping to do most of the NC500 the week after (23rd, for three days). I know it’s better to take 5+ days, but wer’re more interested in driving than visiting distilleries and bird sanctuaries. It’s also a full day’s driving to get to Inverness, so we can’t really take another 5 days on top of that, plus another day to get home.
We’ll do most of it, anti-clockwise, but we’ll bale out at the south-west corner so that we can drive home via Fort William and Glencoe
It’ll be my first time north of Fort William, so I need to do some research on the unmissable bits and the sections that can me skipped / fast-tracked.
Hopefully James gets you back on track. Will be interested to hear how you go in Scotland. Thinking of doing a very similar trip next year. We’ll do most of it, anti-clockwise, but we’ll bale out at the south-west corner so that we can drive home via Fort William and Glencoe
It’ll be my first time north of Fort William, so I need to do some research on the unmissable bits and the sections that can me skipped / fast-tracked.
Took the V8V down to Caffeine&Machine at Ettington for a coffee (as I often do on a Sunday morning). This was the first time I was able to listen to some of my CDs off the USB, as I finally got round to downloading a piece of (free) conversion software and converting them from the FLAC format I'd originally ripped them into.
It was meant to be a weekend of American muscle, but there was only one solitary Corvette and we passed a Mustang probably heading there when we left for home. However, there was a William Towns Lagonda parked in pride of place out the front, though - you don't see many of those on the road.
I was a bit disappointed in the lack of Americana, but the run out was nice and seeing a Lagonda in the wild is always special..
I'm going to add some more detail on the USB process to a more appropriate thread.
It was meant to be a weekend of American muscle, but there was only one solitary Corvette and we passed a Mustang probably heading there when we left for home. However, there was a William Towns Lagonda parked in pride of place out the front, though - you don't see many of those on the road.
I was a bit disappointed in the lack of Americana, but the run out was nice and seeing a Lagonda in the wild is always special..
I'm going to add some more detail on the USB process to a more appropriate thread.
Nigel_O said:
If I get my car back from DAE next week, I’m hoping to do most of the NC500 the week after (23rd, for three days). I know it’s better to take 5+ days, but wer’re more interested in driving than visiting distilleries and bird sanctuaries. It’s also a full day’s driving to get to Inverness, so we can’t really take another 5 days on top of that, plus another day to get home.
We’ll do most of it, anti-clockwise, but we’ll bale out at the south-west corner so that we can drive home via Fort William and Glencoe
It’ll be my first time north of Fort William, so I need to do some research on the unmissable bits and the sections that can me skipped / fast-tracked.
We came up from Reading so stopped over at Westmorland hotel and then off to Inverness for two nights before setting off on the NC500 anti clockwise like you. Stayed in Dunbeath two nights but stopped at a few places in way up including the Surf and Turf at Dornoch for a Lobster brioche role!We’ll do most of it, anti-clockwise, but we’ll bale out at the south-west corner so that we can drive home via Fort William and Glencoe
It’ll be my first time north of Fort William, so I need to do some research on the unmissable bits and the sections that can me skipped / fast-tracked.
Currently in Thurso and then tomorrow heading down to Eddrachilles hotel for two nights so we can explore the area. Then off to Skye for three nights with a one night stop at Myrtle Bank hotel Gairloch en route to Skye.
When leaving Skye towards final three nights at Keswick will be stopping at Glenfinnan Viaduct near Fort William for a train shot, along to I’m Glen Coe and Glen Etive .
I’d say 3 days would cover the NC500 as you’ll blast up through the east and across the North with I’m sure an obligatory stop or two. The roads up the east side are excellent mainly so much better than English roads for surface quality! The north is patchy but on the whole good so far! I’m expecting the scenery on the western leg to be more dramatic.
When we do it again I’d spend less time staying over in the east and north!
Enjoy!
Today, I've been breathing a (slight) sigh of relief...
There were two noises at the rear of my Vantage - a fairly light mechanical clunk - more of a click, really. It would happen over the slightest of bumps.
The other noise was more concerning - a very strong squeaking / creaking from any suspension movement, but only after 20-30 minutes of driving.
James at DAE fitted the car in at pretty short notice, as I'm planning a Scottish road trip next week. Today, he's located the mechanical clunk as a heatshield touching the rear silencer - easily sorted.
The squeaking has been traced to the Powerflexed rear upper wishbones. James is a bit puzzled about why mine is noisy - he says he's never had problems with other installations. Anyway - I've agreed to have OE rear upper wishbones fitted, which are normally twice the price of fitting Powerflex bushes. James is doing a decent discount from the OE price in recognition of the hassle.
It'll be nice to have a quiet rear end again, but I'm more concerned that I appear to be happy that the bill is 'only' around a grand - I guess any work on an Aston has the potential to be a wallet-buster...
There were two noises at the rear of my Vantage - a fairly light mechanical clunk - more of a click, really. It would happen over the slightest of bumps.
The other noise was more concerning - a very strong squeaking / creaking from any suspension movement, but only after 20-30 minutes of driving.
James at DAE fitted the car in at pretty short notice, as I'm planning a Scottish road trip next week. Today, he's located the mechanical clunk as a heatshield touching the rear silencer - easily sorted.
The squeaking has been traced to the Powerflexed rear upper wishbones. James is a bit puzzled about why mine is noisy - he says he's never had problems with other installations. Anyway - I've agreed to have OE rear upper wishbones fitted, which are normally twice the price of fitting Powerflex bushes. James is doing a decent discount from the OE price in recognition of the hassle.
It'll be nice to have a quiet rear end again, but I'm more concerned that I appear to be happy that the bill is 'only' around a grand - I guess any work on an Aston has the potential to be a wallet-buster...
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