how bad is 2011 sport shift compared with........

[Ed50]

Hi All,

Seen a nice 2011 Vantage Roadster in the Ad's thats taken my fancy, which is all well and good but I've only had manual boxes in my previous Astons leading to some concerns.

This is the previous Sports Shift and not the SS2 version, which I have driven and really enjoyed but not having driven the original box I worry about a less than smooth
drive as I would enjoy from a standard everyday automatic car.

I know you will say go drive it but its a 500 odd mile round trip to do so,so I thought I should ask those that live with one to enlighten me with their experiences first hand.

Questions.

Will it be a pain in traffic congestion or when left in Auto to do its own thing whilst just cruising.

Do you need to do the flappy paddle thing to get the best out of the vehicle.

Does the gearbox lurch or pass smoothly through the gears.

Initially, until I've adjusted or learnt a slightly different driving style is it likely to be lurching about or performing like a Bucking Bronco.

Any advise would be appreciated as I fear if I don't get re Astoned soon I could slip back to the Darkside.........

Thanks in anticipation and hoping to have my mind put to rest so I can get Stuttgarts finest complete with PDK out of my head.

Ed.

[AdamV12V]

Ed50 said:

Hi All,

Seen a nice 2011 Vantage Roadster in the Ad's thats taken my fancy, which is all well and good but I've only had manual boxes in my previous Astons leading to some concerns.

Are you thinking of chopping in the V12V for a SS V8VR???

[Ed50]

Hi Adam

I let the V12 go a while back in a moment of weakness but still get that Aston itch so fancied this particular Roadster .......... not had a soft top in ages,it may
also keep me out of the Porsche showroom as I'm seriously tempted to go PDK......Sorry it must be an age thing unless I need a beating with a sh*tty stick.

[mikey k]

You really need to drive an ASM1 locally yourself (even if it is a coupe) and see how you get on with it.
Three tips
1) Do a few clutch learns before you go on a test drive
2) Use the paddles as much as possible
3) Understand creep mode and don't fight it

[AdamV12V]

Ed50 said:

Hi Adam

I let the V12 go a while back in a moment of weakness but still get that Aston itch so fancied this particular Roadster .......... not had a soft top in ages,it may
also keep me out of the Porsche showroom as I'm seriously tempted to go PDK......Sorry it must be an age thing unless I need a beating with a sh*tty stick.

Have you owned a PDK car before?? I have and it was one of my biggest car buying mistakes ever! I sold the 997.2 I had bought with it after only a couple of months because I hated it so much and wished I had never traded in my previous manual 997.1. I thought it was like the BMW SMGII system I had enjoyed so much on my BMW M3's but it wasn't. Its way too smooth and drives like an automatic. PDK is a manual automatic, SMG is an automated manual.

From my limited test drives in SS1 and SS2 both seem much more like the SMG system, and I think I would buy one if I was in the market for a car they fitted it to - but for now I'm happy keeping my V12V manual.

[Mr Aston Martin]

Shifts are fine using the paddles. It's an acquired skill in lifting your big toe off the accelerator which is enough to ensure a smooth change.

Creep in traffic is frankly not that great but I always used men for early morning blasts with little traffic.

I hardly used the auto ......

[Ed50]

Adam I've had SMG in a previous M5 but strangely got cheesed off with it what with the lumpy morning drives which may have been more down to the V10 engine I suppose but
both the wife and I didn't like the roll back on inclines and little things like that but loved the paddles up and down the box.

That now said accompanied with the other comments I wonder if SS1 is what I'm looking for indeed or possibly I have spent to much time wafting about in the RR and have lost a
little of the appetite for the full blooded thrash.

The PDK does appeal especially having had a couple of days at Porsche's Silverstone facility to fully intergrete with its workings,I found it smooth and relaxing whilst still offering a
degree of spirit in manual or flappy mode.It may well be my driving is evolving into old fart mode punctuated with the odd outrageous blast to keep the blood pumping as such.

I'll take onboard Mikey's wisdom and look locally for a tester, I'll also think hard on Mr AM's thoughts but I must admit the creepy thing bothers me a bit.

Thanks for now.

[AdamV12V]

Ed50 said:

Adam I've had SMG in a previous M5 but strangely got cheesed off with it what with the lumpy morning drives which may have been more down to the V10 engine I suppose but
both the wife and I didn't like the roll back on inclines and little things like that but loved the paddles up and down the box.

That now said accompanied with the other comments I wonder if SS1 is what I'm looking for indeed or possibly I have spent to much time wafting about in the RR and have lost a
little of the appetite for the full blooded thrash.

The PDK does appeal especially having had a couple of days at Porsche's Silverstone facility to fully intergrete with its workings,I found it smooth and relaxing whilst still offering a
degree of spirit in manual or flappy mode.It may well be my driving is evolving into old fart mode punctuated with the odd outrageous blast to keep the blood pumping as such.

I'll take onboard Mikey's wisdom and look locally for a tester, I'll also think hard on Mr AM's thoughts but I must admit the creepy thing bothers me a bit.

Thanks for now.

PDK creeps far more than either SS1 or SS2 in RL driving. Thats one of the things I hated the most - it just makes it feel like an auto - combined with the torque convertor'esque slipping of 1st gear when setting off slowly. I too was impressed by PDK on a couple of short drives, and it is amazing when you are driving fast - smooth and quick, but its just pants to drive at normal speeds.

Sure SMG rolled back on hills, and could be lumpy - but thats what meant it still felt like a manual and made it enjoyable to drive!

[theno23]

Interesting, I liked PDK too on a short test drive, but I quite like torque converter autos, in thier own way.

To answer the OP - I only test drove a SS1 car, but was tutored by a works driver. You can make shifts reasonably smooth with practice, but the crawl in heavy traffic feels unpleasant, and the auto mode is horrible.

My take was that I would quite like it on B roads and the like, makes no difference on motorways, nasty in traffic (I live in London). So I didn't get one, and I'm quite glad - I think I would miss rowing my own gears too much.

- Steve