Test Drive
Author
Discussion

Big Ry

Original Poster:

1,682 posts

150 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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So this morning I went and test drove a V12V and a huge spec V12S(SS) back to back. Before the drive I was convinced my heart would say the V12V and my head the V12S (V12 is 2013 S is 2016)...........oh dear.......I loved driving the SS but the V12 just left me grinning from start to finish.

Compared to the box & clutch on my SP10 they're chalk and cheese, so easy around town and in reverse !

Particularly liked getting it very much out of shape on a dual carriageway (45 degrees). It was the Baristas fault he hit the sport button in the wet biggrin

Now down to some horse trading..........watch this space.

cayman-black

13,268 posts

247 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Spot on Big Ry. Look forward to seeing what arrives.

alscar

10,035 posts

244 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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You'll also be able to blame him when you've decided which one and Mrs Ry
asks why the house has been remortgaged !

FrankieV12VS

763 posts

153 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Morning Frost is a great colour too Ryan! wink

Enjoy haggling with the Barista...just don't agree to a coffee, they're bloomin expensive!! thumbup

cayman-black

13,268 posts

247 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Are we talking about the works car?
Low mileage minter, stunning.

Big Ry

Original Poster:

1,682 posts

150 months

Friday 6th January 2017
quotequote all
FrankieV12VS said:
Morning Frost is a great colour too Ryan! wink

Enjoy haggling with the Barista...just don't agree to a coffee, they're bloomin expensive!! thumbup
I'm very wary of that one.

Yep, it's the Morning Frost V12 at Works. Supplied by Works and one further owner who was also known to the Barista, plus all maintenance done at Works too, so full Works provenance which is nice.

I want the car but the deal needs to stack up as always, too easy to get caught up in the moment if not careful bounce

AstonExige

661 posts

138 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Big Ry said:
So this morning I went and test drove a V12V and a huge spec V12S(SS) back to back. Before the drive I was convinced my heart would say the V12V and my head the V12S (V12 is 2013 S is 2016)...........oh dear.......I loved driving the SS but the V12 just left me grinning from start to finish.

Compared to the box & clutch on my SP10 they're chalk and cheese, so easy around town and in reverse !

Particularly liked getting it very much out of shape on a dual carriageway (45 degrees). It was the Baristas fault he hit the sport button in the wet biggrin

Now down to some horse trading..........watch this space.
Had exactly the same experience as you when looking to upgrade my V8V. Took a V12V SS out and was a bit underwhelmed, to the point where I started considering F Types :O But then spotted the morning frost white V12V at HWM, spare Saturday morning and thought why not. Two hours later I left having left a deposit.

It's not a criticism of the SS cars, I just think if you're the type who gets the grin factor from maximum involvement, maximum adrenaline then the manual is the one that will really hit the spot. I didn't really think I was firmly in that camp having an appreciation of all sorts of cars / drives. But when it comes down to an AM I now know I'm definitely that way inclined!

I wonder if the new V12s M gives that? I believe the V12V is a little more raw but the extra power could make up for that?

FrankieV12VS

763 posts

153 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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AstonExige said:
Had exactly the same experience as you when looking to upgrade my V8V. Took a V12V SS out and was a bit underwhelmed, to the point where I started considering F Types :O But then spotted the morning frost white V12V at HWM, spare Saturday morning and thought why not. Two hours later I left having left a deposit.

It's not a criticism of the SS cars, I just think if you're the type who gets the grin factor from maximum involvement, maximum adrenaline then the manual is the one that will really hit the spot. I didn't really think I was firmly in that camp having an appreciation of all sorts of cars / drives. But when it comes down to an AM I now know I'm definitely that way inclined!

I wonder if the new V12s M gives that? I believe the V12V is a little more raw but the extra power could make up for that?
Wow! That's the first time I have heard anyone that has driven a V12VS leaving them so underwhelmed they'd consider an F-type!!!confused Still each to their own I suppose

divetheworld

2,565 posts

166 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Big Ry said:
So this morning I went and test drove a V12V
All owners of V12V's will tell you they did the same. smile

AdamV12V

5,314 posts

208 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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FrankieV12VS said:
AstonExige said:
Had exactly the same experience as you when looking to upgrade my V8V. Took a V12V SS out and was a bit underwhelmed, to the point where I started considering F Types :O But then spotted the morning frost white V12V at HWM, spare Saturday morning and thought why not. Two hours later I left having left a deposit.

It's not a criticism of the SS cars, I just think if you're the type who gets the grin factor from maximum involvement, maximum adrenaline then the manual is the one that will really hit the spot. I didn't really think I was firmly in that camp having an appreciation of all sorts of cars / drives. But when it comes down to an AM I now know I'm definitely that way inclined!

I wonder if the new V12s M gives that? I believe the V12V is a little more raw but the extra power could make up for that?
Wow! That's the first time I have heard anyone that has driven a V12VS leaving them so underwhelmed they'd consider an F-type!!!confused Still each to their own I suppose
Yup, struggling to see how a test drive in a V12VS even with SSIII could leave anybody wanting an F-Type (they have a full auto box don't they?), but as Frankie has said each to their own... The SSIII box is certainly one of those marmite boxes and to be honest I think the dogleg manual is too, but its a lot closer to the 6spd in the V12V than the SSIII is.

The V12V 6spd gearbox is silky smooth and leaps n bounds ahead of the box in the V8V, and could possibly be the best gearbox fitted to any modern Aston, but the 7spd dogleg really is fantastic fun too, even if its a little bit less smooth. It's still great however and one week in and I am totally enjoying the fact it is 100%+ engaging to drive, perhaps more so that any other gearbox I have ever encountered, and I mean that in a really positive way - i.e. the way that those who appreciate manual gearboxes over automated setups look for. Add to that the extra power, the extra sound of the S and for me its surpasses the V12V in every way - and don't get me wrong I was totally in love with my last V12V!

divetheworld said:
Big Ry said:
So this morning I went and test drove a V12V
All owners of V12V's will tell you they did the same. smile
Yup - on that I think we are all agreed. It's the most enjoyable but expensive hour you can spend in your life, and always going to end up the same way! wink

AstonExige

661 posts

138 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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divetheworld said:
All owners of V12V's will tell you they did the same. smile
At the time I wasn't the owner of a V12V, was expecting to fall in love and own a V12V SS.

Don't get me wrong, the car was great, under whelmed is probably the wrong expression. But it didn't grab me enough to want to get rid of my manual V8V and spend another £60k. I just felt a little uninvolved. A lot of it was probably down to not being able to heel and toe, that blip of the throttle on down change, getting it just right, the noise? I don't know exactly what it was, I just had that .... I've got to have this feeling when I drove the V12V. I didn't get that when I drove the Sportshift. Didn't mean to cause offence.

V8V Pete

2,536 posts

157 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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AdamV12V said:
The V12V 6spd gearbox is silky smooth and leaps n bounds ahead of the box in the V8V
Well I think it's essentially the same gearbox in the V8V and V12V but it's the clutch (and flywheel) which are better in the V12 and these that make the difference. Happy to be corrected by experts if I'm wrong but I don't think so.

cayman-black

13,268 posts

247 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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AstonExige said:
divetheworld said:
All owners of V12V's will tell you they did the same. smile
At the time I wasn't the owner of a V12V, was expecting to fall in love and own a V12V SS.

Don't get me wrong, the car was great, under whelmed is probably the wrong expression. But it didn't grab me enough to want to get rid of my manual V8V and spend another £60k. I just felt a little uninvolved. A lot of it was probably down to not being able to heel and toe, that blip of the throttle on down change, getting it just right, the noise? I don't know exactly what it was, I just had that .... I've got to have this feeling when I drove the V12V. I didn't get that when I drove the Sportshift. Didn't mean to cause offence.
I think you will find Aston that divetheworld has a manual V12V and was saying that if you do test a V12V you will end up buying one.

12pack

1,695 posts

199 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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Nothing wrong with the SSIII for that type of gearbox.

But certainly coming from a manual V8V, it's just a more natural progression getting into the manual V12V which is very similar except for a higher final drive ratio. You can really appreciate that additional V12 power as the overriding difference.

Thinking back now to the drives I've had in the S version (SSIII and 2x manuals) the overriding memory is not of more power or better traction, but just shifting a lot more.

divetheworld

2,565 posts

166 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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cayman-black said:
AstonExige said:
divetheworld said:
All owners of V12V's will tell you they did the same. smile
At the time I wasn't the owner of a V12V, was expecting to fall in love and own a V12V SS.

Don't get me wrong, the car was great, under whelmed is probably the wrong expression. But it didn't grab me enough to want to get rid of my manual V8V and spend another £60k. I just felt a little uninvolved. A lot of it was probably down to not being able to heel and toe, that blip of the throttle on down change, getting it just right, the noise? I don't know exactly what it was, I just had that .... I've got to have this feeling when I drove the V12V. I didn't get that when I drove the Sportshift. Didn't mean to cause offence.
I think you will find Aston that divetheworld has a manual V12V and was saying that if you do test a V12V you will end up buying one.
Yup, you guys on here all warned me. I didn't listen. I test drove.......

northernmedia

1,988 posts

169 months

Friday 6th January 2017
quotequote all
AstonExige said:
Big Ry said:
So this morning I went and test drove a V12V and a huge spec V12S(SS) back to back. Before the drive I was convinced my heart would say the V12V and my head the V12S (V12 is 2013 S is 2016)...........oh dear.......I loved driving the SS but the V12 just left me grinning from start to finish.

Compared to the box & clutch on my SP10 they're chalk and cheese, so easy around town and in reverse !

Particularly liked getting it very much out of shape on a dual carriageway (45 degrees). It was the Baristas fault he hit the sport button in the wet biggrin

Now down to some horse trading..........watch this space.
Had exactly the same experience as you when looking to upgrade my V8V. Took a V12V SS out and was a bit underwhelmed, to the point where I started considering F Types :O But then spotted the morning frost white V12V at HWM, spare Saturday morning and thought why not. Two hours later I left having left a deposit.

It's not a criticism of the SS cars, I just think if you're the type who gets the grin factor from maximum involvement, maximum adrenaline then the manual is the one that will really hit the spot. I didn't really think I was firmly in that camp having an appreciation of all sorts of cars / drives. But when it comes down to an AM I now know I'm definitely that way inclined!

I wonder if the new V12s M gives that? I believe the V12V is a little more raw but the extra power could make up for that?
You don't half talk some nonsense! rolleyes

AstonExige

661 posts

138 months

Friday 6th January 2017
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northernmedia said:
You don't half talk some nonsense! rolleyes
no just looks like I have a different opinion to you, sorry. But no need to get personal

northernmedia

1,988 posts

169 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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Comparing an F type to a V12VS is nonsense imho.
Can't quite fathom your comment.
Don't be so touchy wink

AstonExige

661 posts

138 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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northernmedia said:
Comparing an F type to a V12VS is nonsense imho.
Can't quite fathom your comment.
Don't be so touchy wink
Oh right, with you now. My fault I didn't exactly put that very well. No way I think the FType is a patch on the V12VS. Because I didn't gel with the V12VS I started considering my other itch, an FType. At £30k less money (that would mean I could justify keeping my Exige) it did start to appeal. I did come to my senses though smile Hence giving the manual a chance to grab me.

I know the V12Vs would be a fantastic car, I just needed to give myself a chance to get used to the gearbox, but I'm not loaded so really needed my heart to lead this decision, I needed to fall in love and just think f**k it smile Yeah I know that's not exactly sensible, but that's another reason why I walked from the FType, its relatively safe money in the V12V, can't say that about the FType.

cayman-black

13,268 posts

247 months

Saturday 7th January 2017
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Mean while have you secured one of the best V12Vs thats on the market Big Ry?