Vantage Test Drive Diary
Discussion
Just spoken to my dealer trying to arrange a test drive. Apparently his demo was damaged in transit and has been sent back to the factory for repair. He has his first customer car and it is being prepared for delivery next week. The POD date for my car has now slipped from 29th November to 2nd December, that is annoying as it means there is less chance I will have it for christmas!
shadytree said:
What was the colour spec of the demo car? How did it look ?
It was one of those, now what do you call it, very very very dark grey colours....Black, that's it
Interior Phantom with black course stiching. Anthracite trim etc.
The interior was nice a lot lighter than I expected. The exterior looked good except that it will stay clean for about 2 seconds without showing marks and splashes etc.... (sorry).
cirks (I'm assuming the same cirks as pedals a very quick wedge at TVR track days) you have voiced my worst fears that my dream car is just not exciting. I will find out soon enough - my test drive is tomorrow.
But I wonder if you and I are looking for something that doesn't really exist - something with the raw race car experience that your TVR and my caterham deliver, the practicality and engineering integrity of a Porsche, the looks of a... well an Aston and the ability to just cruise along at sensible mannered levels feeling very very special like an SLR?.
I've decided I am happy with 3 out of 4. So if it doesn't go like a sagaris, I'm prepared to forgive it because, at the end of the day, its an Aston and, in such rarified company, its ONLY £90k.
of course, I could be talking out of my arse!
But I wonder if you and I are looking for something that doesn't really exist - something with the raw race car experience that your TVR and my caterham deliver, the practicality and engineering integrity of a Porsche, the looks of a... well an Aston and the ability to just cruise along at sensible mannered levels feeling very very special like an SLR?.
I've decided I am happy with 3 out of 4. So if it doesn't go like a sagaris, I'm prepared to forgive it because, at the end of the day, its an Aston and, in such rarified company, its ONLY £90k.
of course, I could be talking out of my arse!
:J: said:
Just get it above 4k revs, if kept below, you will not get the overall impression of the car
Even above 4k it is so refined. I agree with almost everything Cirks said, it lacks thrills. I drove a Tuscan convertible last weekend and that delivered in spades.
However, it is an expensive and desirable car and when you consider residuals, the cost of ownership of the Aston should be quite low, compared to a TVR.
shadytree said:
Cirks, sorry to hear you come away a tad dissapointed.
What was the colour spec of the demo car? How did it look ?
Onyx Black car, Obsidian Black leather etc... Its the same one i drove last week.
I have to say though that I was expecting far less from the car. I did really enjoy driving it. I knew
nothing would touch the Porca in terms of pace but i felt that maybe i was in a place for Adults rather that petulant child, that the porca makes me feel.
safetystop said:
Just get it above 4k revs, if kept below, you will not get the overall impression of the car
Even above 4k it is so refined. I agree with almost everything Cirks said, it lacks thrills. I drove a Tuscan convertible last weekend and that delivered in spades.
However, it is an expensive and desirable car and when you consider residuals, the cost of ownership of the Aston should be quite low, compared to a TVR.
I agree about the residuals and I hope, comparing TVR with Aston isn't too silly but it is the thrill factor that has to be there for me. The build quality and prestige isn't so important (up to a point). I still don't know whether I'm going ahead with the purchase or not, or whether I'll run it for a period and then make up my mind.
The 4k revs thing was something I couldn't explore enough on the test drive so that's why another drive on a better test 'circuit' may be sought. I'm aware that realistically, no test drive is going to demonstrate the car properly but the drive around Brentwood proved very very little other than the solid build and feel of the car.
Beej said:
cirks (I'm assuming the same cirks as pedals a very quick wedge at TVR track days)....!
Yup - the same one (oh, and thanks for the compliment)
Beej said:
you have voiced my worst fears that my dream car is just not exciting. I will find out soon enough - my test drive is tomorrow.!
Hope you enjoy it and make your own impression of the car. I don't want to influence anyone else, I've just recounted my feelings/thoughts.
Beej said:
But I wonder if you and I are looking for something that doesn't really exist
Quite possibly. I'm still thinking about the 'real world' where day-in-day-out I'd rather be on a motorway in a comfortable automatic than in a manual sports car and then at weekends or when I want to have some fun jump into a TVR, Lotus, Renault GTA etc and still have £70k fot the house extension, kids, etc etc.
One other thing about reality, has anyone got an insurance quote yet? If so, does it include trackdays and what's the excess? The TVR is agreed value but at the end of the day if I prang it on track I can cover the 10% value that is the excess. However, I don't fancy having to foot the first £8-9k of Aston damage....
Drove it this afternoon for more than an hour on a great mix of roads. And I still haven't stopped grinning.
I'm sorry Cirks I can't see your problem. Its fabulous. The exhaust note above 4K is absolutely addictive. The car felt totally planted and the handling is far superior to my 996. The power delivery is so creamy that you don't realise just what rapid progress you are making. On the bumpy hilly, off-camber, back road route I took I doubt there is much could live with it (in the dry). They let me play a bit and there is plenty of slip before the stability control starts nannying you. The back just goes where you point the front.
And it is so gorgeous. Whilst Mrs Beej went off for a similarly grin inducing romp around West Sussex' finest driving roads, I sat in a Koennigsegg CCR. You can keep it. The V8 is a much sexier place to sit. It may not be brash like a TVR or Ferrari but it oozes style. Its a Brioni to your Versace. I'll take the proper british tailored suit thank you.
I'm sorry Cirks I can't see your problem. Its fabulous. The exhaust note above 4K is absolutely addictive. The car felt totally planted and the handling is far superior to my 996. The power delivery is so creamy that you don't realise just what rapid progress you are making. On the bumpy hilly, off-camber, back road route I took I doubt there is much could live with it (in the dry). They let me play a bit and there is plenty of slip before the stability control starts nannying you. The back just goes where you point the front.
And it is so gorgeous. Whilst Mrs Beej went off for a similarly grin inducing romp around West Sussex' finest driving roads, I sat in a Koennigsegg CCR. You can keep it. The V8 is a much sexier place to sit. It may not be brash like a TVR or Ferrari but it oozes style. Its a Brioni to your Versace. I'll take the proper british tailored suit thank you.
Beej said:
Drove it this afternoon for more than an hour on a great mix of roads. And I still haven't stopped grinning.
I'm sorry Cirks I can't see your problem.
Very glad you enjoyed it. However, your first sentence above is exactly what my 'problem' was. The test drive in Brentwood covered a busy M25 and a busy dual carriage way where only once could I put my foot down and actually experience the proper acceleration and noise above 4k revs. The other roads also gave no opportunity to safely experience the handling etc.
Everything you said about the power delivery is true and is what I said. It was the slight lack of 'rawness' (summed up by your comment about being easy to forget about how rapidly you're moving) that I was not sure about.
I still intend driving the car again but hopefully around my area where there are better roads that I know well and therefore should be get a real impression of the car.
Beej said:
I sat in a Koennigsegg CCR. You can keep it.
Quite agree....and at £349,000, you can definately keep it!!
Surely,.... the Vantage looks fantastic, sounds fantastic, is well made and above all....is an Aston! In my experience of trying many cars, you never get near to finding a serious car's full potential on any test drive on public roads....but the car mags' tests show it to be only a little slower than a 997S when the opportunity arises.....so I'll go for it for what it is...and enjoy it.
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