Aston V8 Vantage - Must knows and checks
Discussion
A good friend of mine is in a position to buy an V8 Vantage (either a coupe or convertible) and has a budget of up to £46,000.
Frighteningly, this is going to be his first "properly expensive" car - the last one being an MX5!
He's looking for a beginngers guide to:
1. What he can expect to buy privately for the money
2. Must have options
3. Points to be aware of when he goes an view the car
4. Recommendations for independant inspectors
5. Any other insider PH-type knowledge!
Thanks guys. Links, pretty pictures and simply language all happily accepted!
Oh and a reputed garage around London that might be able to walk him around one of these cars too?
Frighteningly, this is going to be his first "properly expensive" car - the last one being an MX5!
He's looking for a beginngers guide to:
1. What he can expect to buy privately for the money
2. Must have options
3. Points to be aware of when he goes an view the car
4. Recommendations for independant inspectors
5. Any other insider PH-type knowledge!
Thanks guys. Links, pretty pictures and simply language all happily accepted!
Oh and a reputed garage around London that might be able to walk him around one of these cars too?
Edited by AdvocatusD on Thursday 19th April 13:02
tell him to spend £20 on a book with all the answers: www.astonmartinreview.co.uk
bogie said:
tell him to spend £20 on a book with all the answers: www.astonmartinreview.co.uk
+1 Worth every penny 
bogie said:
tell him to spend £20 on a book with all the answers: www.astonmartinreview.co.uk
That's something I would do if I were buying, but not him I suspect. Hope you guys can help.
AdvocatusD said:
bogie said:
tell him to spend £20 on a book with all the answers: www.astonmartinreview.co.uk
That's something I would do if I were buying, but not him I suspect. Hope you guys can help.
AdvocatusD said:
That's something I would do if I were buying, but not him I suspect. Hope you guys can help.
He needs to learn that the £20 is not a cost but an investment, making sure his £46,000 is well spent. Never ceases to amaze me this kind of thing - as part of my business I have writen a book to help a certain niche market to pass their promotion interview. These interviews are very competitive and only happen rarely nowadays thanks to the austerity measures in public sector, but the book gives a real advantage to those who invest in it.The amount of people who find the book online then are reluctant to spend less than half a tank of petrol on it to help them have an edge never ceases to amaze me.
They invariably come back the next time having wasted a considerable amount of time they could have had at the next position.
I wonder how much your friend will regret not investing £20 on gaining insight as to how to best spend his £46k?
AdvocatusD said:
bogie said:
tell him to spend £20 on a book with all the answers: www.astonmartinreview.co.uk
That's something I would do if I were buying, but not him I suspect. Hope you guys can help.LOL. I knew it would go this way! Good old PH! 
Predictable is comfortable.
I would say in his defence, it's not the cost that would bother him. He won't be arsed to read it and I think unless it's got pictures he probably wont understand it as he doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. He's a t*t but we're great mates anyway...
Predictable is comfortable.
I would say in his defence, it's not the cost that would bother him. He won't be arsed to read it and I think unless it's got pictures he probably wont understand it as he doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. He's a t*t but we're great mates anyway...
Tell him to go and see Nicholas Mee http://www.nicholasmee.co.uk/ for a walk around, a talk through and possible sourcing of the car. They aren't a main dealer but a highly respected specialist.
Although will he bother? Doesn't sound like he wants to bother with anything..?
Otherwise, with the greatest of respect, this exact thing has been done dozens of times already and the advice hasn't changed Get him, or you (as he seems unwilling to perform simple tasks), to do a search for him
Although will he bother? Doesn't sound like he wants to bother with anything..?
Otherwise, with the greatest of respect, this exact thing has been done dozens of times already and the advice hasn't changed
Get him, or you (as he seems unwilling to perform simple tasks), to do a search for him 1. What he can expect to buy privately for the money
Either an early 4.3 roadster or he might JUST scrape a 4.7 coupe. Worth the extra for the 4.7 apparently, though exhaust mods will get you to 4.7 power with a 4.3 for much less money than a 4.7!! A 4.7 coupe is around £50k, a 4.7 roadster is nowhere near budget.
2. Must have options
Most have most things it seems. Satnav isn't well liked by users but is critcial for resale for some reason. Should have Xenons, heated seats and so on. Rainy-day grey with funeral-black leather is the popular choice and is therfore easy to sell on if he's looking for a short ownership period. If not, there are some very exciting colours out there, like Karussel Orange - there's an N400 in budget on PH.
3. Points to be aware of when he goes an view the car
Perfect service history is absolutely critcal. Done on time (yearly or 10k miles, whichever is soonest, not latest!) by either a main dealer or an Aston specialist. History and condition are everything, far more important than mileage or number of owners. When was clutch done, when were discs changed, how old are the tyres? These are the usual big ticket items and will all need doing at some point, especially on a car of this sort of age - if they've all been done, then it could be a great buy, or it may need none of them! Also galvanic reaction between steel and aluminium can cause very small bubbles to form under the paint looking like rust. Happens on door handles and around the side strakes and also around the deck of the ragtop roof when folded down. Look carefully, the bubbles are tiny and get worse very quickly.
4. Recommendations for independant inspectors
Any of the Aston specialists should do them - seems you're/he's in London, so Nick Mee's chaps. Unless you get from them of course, that wouldn't be very independent But be prepared to travel for the right car which could be miles away. Inspection will therfore vary as to where the car is.
5. Any other insider PH-type knowledge!
Does he want sportshift or manual? Manuals take a while to warm up and can be stiff to get from first to second when cold, same as most transaxle systems I have used. The sportshift is reputed to be a good system but won't like manual mode in town and anecdotally is harder on the clutch - they tend to be replaced more quickly (n doubt someone will be along to tell us they've been to the moon and back on one clutch any moment now...). Also a very tall gear in reverse which is hard on the clutch. It's certainly not an automatic gearbox though, if he wants that, and is actually a man rather than a boy, he may want to consider a DB9.
For the same money you get a slightly older car but a thing of magnificence with a 6 litre V12 rather than a cross-eyed pram with a hatchback Also available with Sports Pack and a manual box for the discerning driver...
And the book. Buy the book
Either an early 4.3 roadster or he might JUST scrape a 4.7 coupe. Worth the extra for the 4.7 apparently, though exhaust mods will get you to 4.7 power with a 4.3 for much less money than a 4.7!! A 4.7 coupe is around £50k, a 4.7 roadster is nowhere near budget.
2. Must have options
Most have most things it seems. Satnav isn't well liked by users but is critcial for resale for some reason. Should have Xenons, heated seats and so on. Rainy-day grey with funeral-black leather is the popular choice and is therfore easy to sell on if he's looking for a short ownership period. If not, there are some very exciting colours out there, like Karussel Orange - there's an N400 in budget on PH.
3. Points to be aware of when he goes an view the car
Perfect service history is absolutely critcal. Done on time (yearly or 10k miles, whichever is soonest, not latest!) by either a main dealer or an Aston specialist. History and condition are everything, far more important than mileage or number of owners. When was clutch done, when were discs changed, how old are the tyres? These are the usual big ticket items and will all need doing at some point, especially on a car of this sort of age - if they've all been done, then it could be a great buy, or it may need none of them! Also galvanic reaction between steel and aluminium can cause very small bubbles to form under the paint looking like rust. Happens on door handles and around the side strakes and also around the deck of the ragtop roof when folded down. Look carefully, the bubbles are tiny and get worse very quickly.
4. Recommendations for independant inspectors
Any of the Aston specialists should do them - seems you're/he's in London, so Nick Mee's chaps. Unless you get from them of course, that wouldn't be very independent
But be prepared to travel for the right car which could be miles away. Inspection will therfore vary as to where the car is.5. Any other insider PH-type knowledge!
Does he want sportshift or manual? Manuals take a while to warm up and can be stiff to get from first to second when cold, same as most transaxle systems I have used. The sportshift is reputed to be a good system but won't like manual mode in town and anecdotally is harder on the clutch - they tend to be replaced more quickly (n doubt someone will be along to tell us they've been to the moon and back on one clutch any moment now...). Also a very tall gear in reverse which is hard on the clutch. It's certainly not an automatic gearbox though, if he wants that, and is actually a man rather than a boy, he may want to consider a DB9.
For the same money you get a slightly older car but a thing of magnificence with a 6 litre V12 rather than a cross-eyed pram with a hatchback
Also available with Sports Pack and a manual box for the discerning driver...And the book. Buy the book
AdvocatusD said:
LOL. I knew it would go this way! Good old PH!
Predictable is comfortable.
I would say in his defence, it's not the cost that would bother him. He won't be arsed to read it and I think unless it's got pictures he probably wont understand it as he doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. He's a t*t but we're great mates anyway...
Then unless he enjoys being dicked over he had better get someone knowledgeable to buy one for him.Predictable is comfortable.
I would say in his defence, it's not the cost that would bother him. He won't be arsed to read it and I think unless it's got pictures he probably wont understand it as he doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. He's a t*t but we're great mates anyway...
AdvocatusD said:
LOL. I knew it would go this way! Good old PH!
Predictable is comfortable.
I would say in his defence, it's not the cost that would bother him. He won't be arsed to read it and I think unless it's got pictures he probably wont understand it as he doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. He's a t*t but we're great mates anyway...
There are lots of pictures in the book. lots of fantastic advice in the book. Lots of information in the FAQ's at the top of the Aston forum. BUT if he can't be ARSED to read any of it then there is no hope for him. No its not good old PH on this forum. A PH member has written a book on the modern Astons, myself and others have put together the FAQ's section but if your mate is too much of a tPredictable is comfortable.
I would say in his defence, it's not the cost that would bother him. He won't be arsed to read it and I think unless it's got pictures he probably wont understand it as he doesn't have a mechanical bone in his body. He's a t*t but we're great mates anyway...
t to read any of it then he deserves all the aggro he will get. Tell him to go and buy the cheapest Vanquish on the classifieds - he deserves all the grief and I look forward to posts later in the year along the lines of I was ripped off, I was too stupid to look properly but its not my fault type post in GG.
yeti said:
4. Recommendations for independant inspectors
Any of the Aston specialists should do them - seems you're/he's in London, so Nick Mee's chaps. Unless you get from them of course, that wouldn't be very independent But be prepared to travel for the right car which could be miles away. Inspection will therfore vary as to where the car is.
All very useful advice. Could ayone recommend a specialist for an inspection in the North West?Any of the Aston specialists should do them - seems you're/he's in London, so Nick Mee's chaps. Unless you get from them of course, that wouldn't be very independent
But be prepared to travel for the right car which could be miles away. Inspection will therfore vary as to where the car is.Also, my car will be parked in a tight underground car park, both at work and at home which will require some tricky reversing. Is this likely to be a major issue and/or destroy the clutch?
My copy of the book arrived earlier this week. It is a must given the up front and ongoing costs of these cars.
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