Discussion
Hello all
I just wanted to make more of a formal introduction of myself, especially as it seems such a friendly place around this particular forum.
I am a new owner of a V8V. I have been on PH for years as cars are a serious interest, but I haven't really owned anything special. Then rather suddenly I started thinking about affordable Porsche Caymans. This led to 911s, and when someone suggested the V8V I said why not, even though my head said no. So I saw a few cars over a few months, but they all had problems, even the dealer ones. I was starting to give up when a friend rang me and said "do you want to buy mine?". Believe it or not I said yes there and then without even seeing it, as I knew already that it was a peach. Cue an anxious 3 days before I could see the car I had just bought unseen...
It was worth it. For the fun, the noise, and the positive attention. I have made many friends with it already even though I've barely used it due to winter. On the downside, I have a paranoia about going into the dealership, since it doesn't feel right to be in there as a customer. I don't really believe that I fit in there! And I know I still need to prepare myself for some of the costs which will be high. However I plan to use independent places especially for the boring/everyday work. It has been a huge step up from a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 I've had the past 8 years and there has been plenty to get used to. My previous car cost me less than the recent service bill that came in the history folder of my V8V...
So I'm hoping the forum will be good resource for me to learn about the car and ask questions. I doubt I will get the time to be involved in any events but the chat here seems good anyway. I've just posted a thread asking about a piece of chrome which I removed by jet washing. oops.
Obligatory pictures below:
This picture came from a previous owner with whom I managed to make contact after purchase. He seems to have looked after it very well.
I particularly like this last picture, because it's from the first week I had it. I used it for a 100 mile commute to London one morning, and it was the most memorable commute I will have. And it looked so at home in the underground car park afterwards.
Spec-wise, well it's a curious car, with most of the options fitted. However there are two noteable exceptions - no Xenon lights and no power folding mirrors. The mirrors I can do without but the lights would have been nice and I'm going to consider my options to change this. However I'm not too worried as I purchased primarily on condition, and the condition is unquestionably better than the the other cars I viewed, including dealer ones. It has been extremely well looked after, which is key for me. Originally the car lived around Kent/South East London, and has been looked after by Trinity Engineering and Lancaster Sevenoaks, then recently sold by Cameron sports cars of Bath. If anyone knows the car then I'm happy to hear from them.
So, hello all and hopefully I can contribute to things for as long as I'm around here
.
Russell
I just wanted to make more of a formal introduction of myself, especially as it seems such a friendly place around this particular forum.
I am a new owner of a V8V. I have been on PH for years as cars are a serious interest, but I haven't really owned anything special. Then rather suddenly I started thinking about affordable Porsche Caymans. This led to 911s, and when someone suggested the V8V I said why not, even though my head said no. So I saw a few cars over a few months, but they all had problems, even the dealer ones. I was starting to give up when a friend rang me and said "do you want to buy mine?". Believe it or not I said yes there and then without even seeing it, as I knew already that it was a peach. Cue an anxious 3 days before I could see the car I had just bought unseen...
It was worth it. For the fun, the noise, and the positive attention. I have made many friends with it already even though I've barely used it due to winter. On the downside, I have a paranoia about going into the dealership, since it doesn't feel right to be in there as a customer. I don't really believe that I fit in there! And I know I still need to prepare myself for some of the costs which will be high. However I plan to use independent places especially for the boring/everyday work. It has been a huge step up from a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16 I've had the past 8 years and there has been plenty to get used to. My previous car cost me less than the recent service bill that came in the history folder of my V8V...
So I'm hoping the forum will be good resource for me to learn about the car and ask questions. I doubt I will get the time to be involved in any events but the chat here seems good anyway. I've just posted a thread asking about a piece of chrome which I removed by jet washing. oops.
Obligatory pictures below:
This picture came from a previous owner with whom I managed to make contact after purchase. He seems to have looked after it very well.
I particularly like this last picture, because it's from the first week I had it. I used it for a 100 mile commute to London one morning, and it was the most memorable commute I will have. And it looked so at home in the underground car park afterwards.
Spec-wise, well it's a curious car, with most of the options fitted. However there are two noteable exceptions - no Xenon lights and no power folding mirrors. The mirrors I can do without but the lights would have been nice and I'm going to consider my options to change this. However I'm not too worried as I purchased primarily on condition, and the condition is unquestionably better than the the other cars I viewed, including dealer ones. It has been extremely well looked after, which is key for me. Originally the car lived around Kent/South East London, and has been looked after by Trinity Engineering and Lancaster Sevenoaks, then recently sold by Cameron sports cars of Bath. If anyone knows the car then I'm happy to hear from them.
So, hello all and hopefully I can contribute to things for as long as I'm around here
.Russell
Edited by Pentoman on Saturday 1st March 11:13
A lovely car and well done you - ruled by the hear every time... just the way it should be with an Aston. I am now going to look at your chrome trim thread. If I'm right, it will be the bit by the door mirror...
Enjoy the car and welcome to the Forum - it is a brilliant place for advice, tips and of course, friendly abuse!!!!
Glad you're enjoying the motoring.
P.S. Time for some smarter mats judging by the pictures!!! There is a good thread on this if you don't want to pay the nosebleed price for the originals.
Enjoy the car and welcome to the Forum - it is a brilliant place for advice, tips and of course, friendly abuse!!!!
Glad you're enjoying the motoring.
P.S. Time for some smarter mats judging by the pictures!!! There is a good thread on this if you don't want to pay the nosebleed price for the originals.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Aston Martin ownership, and to this forum.
The photographs show that you now own a stunner. The beautiful, original, classic body.
Do not worry about visiting a dealer. Use my technique if you wish.
1. Be charming to the receptionist. (not difficult because they seem to be models, doing a fill-in job).
That ensures plenty of coffee and cake.
2. Forget to mention that your car might be a keeper. They just love potential up-graders.
3. Not something I have tried yet, but you could wear red trousers and red shoes. They will think you are Dr. Bez.
Peculiar about the HID headlights. Looking at your photographs, the external appearance of (you say) non-HID, to me looks very similar if not the same as the HID. I have HID ( think it is dipped beam only ), and they don't seem as fantastic as I was expecting.
What do you mean nothing special? Your Elan is special. You now have the begining of a great British sports car collection.
Enjoy your Aston
Edited by Jon39 on Saturday 1st March 16:49
V8 Animal said:
Who says there not Zeon's don't headlamp washers come with those lights.
IIRC, on non-Xenon lights, the black areas are just blanking plates.To the OP, rather than fitting HIDs, have you considered changing the bulbs? I fitted some PIAA Xtreme White Plus bulbs (don't worry, they are road legal) to my daily driver and they produce a very similar amount of light to the AM Xenons.
On the drivers door, press the left & right mirror buttons simultaneously and see if the mirrors fold ?
Press them again to unfold.
When I bought my 55 plate V8 Vantage Coupe, that was the way I folded & unfolded the mirrors.
Until I took it to an Independent and they set the mirrors to work from the key fob.
The previous owner had never known it was possible.
Press them again to unfold.
When I bought my 55 plate V8 Vantage Coupe, that was the way I folded & unfolded the mirrors.
Until I took it to an Independent and they set the mirrors to work from the key fob.
The previous owner had never known it was possible.
Thankyou all, for the comments, it's always good to hear positive ones. Positive ones are all I have heard, actually, and that's been one of the unexpected highlights. It has made me want to get involved with some local events over the summer, perhaps something where I can take people for rides, or "show" it. Although I'm not sure how to go about doing such a thing.
The really painful thing is that it's stored 10-15 miles away from where I actually live. This means I barely get to look at it or drive it. I have no off-road parking and I'm not confident leaving it on my street (a narrowish late 19th Century Cul-de-Sac) when not in use. Do you think that's wise? I wonder if I should I just take the risk, enjoy the car as much as possible, and if something gets damaged that's life - I deal with it and move on.
The lights are definitely non-HID/non-Xenon. I don't believe it has headlamp washers either - certainly none that I can activate. This leads me to conclude that there is no visual difference between the two types of headlight. I plan to try some other bulbs. Just as soon as I can figure out how to change them...
I'll try the mirror buttons but I'm sure I already did. Instead I've been manually pushing them in when they need folding. Is it possible they are just broken? Is mine the only one ever made without this feature!?
For those asking about the car next door, indeed, that is a Lotus Elan 26R next door in the photos, but sorry, it's not mine. They just share a garage space together - looking like a nice tidy pair of British coupes. For some reason it was listed in my PH garage - probably because I did have use of it many years ago, before it was converted to a race car.
Must go - look forward to joining in more.
The really painful thing is that it's stored 10-15 miles away from where I actually live. This means I barely get to look at it or drive it. I have no off-road parking and I'm not confident leaving it on my street (a narrowish late 19th Century Cul-de-Sac) when not in use. Do you think that's wise? I wonder if I should I just take the risk, enjoy the car as much as possible, and if something gets damaged that's life - I deal with it and move on.
The lights are definitely non-HID/non-Xenon. I don't believe it has headlamp washers either - certainly none that I can activate. This leads me to conclude that there is no visual difference between the two types of headlight. I plan to try some other bulbs. Just as soon as I can figure out how to change them...
I'll try the mirror buttons but I'm sure I already did. Instead I've been manually pushing them in when they need folding. Is it possible they are just broken? Is mine the only one ever made without this feature!?
For those asking about the car next door, indeed, that is a Lotus Elan 26R next door in the photos, but sorry, it's not mine. They just share a garage space together - looking like a nice tidy pair of British coupes. For some reason it was listed in my PH garage - probably because I did have use of it many years ago, before it was converted to a race car.
Must go - look forward to joining in more.
nw28840 said:
On the drivers door, press the left & right mirror buttons simultaneously and see if the mirrors fold ?
Press them again to unfold.
When I bought my 55 plate V8 Vantage Coupe, that was the way I folded & unfolded the mirrors.
Until I took it to an Independent and they set the mirrors to work from the key fob.
The previous owner had never known it was possible.
Also take the car back to the dealer to check they may have not be enabled.Press them again to unfold.
When I bought my 55 plate V8 Vantage Coupe, that was the way I folded & unfolded the mirrors.
Until I took it to an Independent and they set the mirrors to work from the key fob.
The previous owner had never known it was possible.
Also they will confirm if you have HiDs
There could be a charge.
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