Aston "management" car
Discussion
It's been a couple of years now since I bought a new toy and am considering an Aston this time round.
A couple of the cars I've come across have been described as Aston "management" or company pool cars by dealers: however this is terminology that I've heard some marques may use to obfuscate the fact that that their early life was actually lease/hire.
I'm not averse to a genuine ex-company car, but I'd be rather less enthused by one that had been on a hire fleet where every one of its custodians had felt the need to give the LC a bash...
I'd be surprised if AM would risk their reputation by selling dogs, and the hire/lease market for these vehicles is clearly smaller than for the mainstream manufacturers, but a couple I've enquired about seem to have had a relatively short period of intensive use.
Wondered if anyone on here had any insight/experience of ex-AM "management" cars and would be willing to share?
A couple of the cars I've come across have been described as Aston "management" or company pool cars by dealers: however this is terminology that I've heard some marques may use to obfuscate the fact that that their early life was actually lease/hire.
I'm not averse to a genuine ex-company car, but I'd be rather less enthused by one that had been on a hire fleet where every one of its custodians had felt the need to give the LC a bash...
I'd be surprised if AM would risk their reputation by selling dogs, and the hire/lease market for these vehicles is clearly smaller than for the mainstream manufacturers, but a couple I've enquired about seem to have had a relatively short period of intensive use.
Wondered if anyone on here had any insight/experience of ex-AM "management" cars and would be willing to share?
You might want to read this thread from another forum.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/4...
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/4...
I cannot help with any direct knowledge, but I just have a feeling that it might not be easy to tell, whether the car might have had Press use.
Having said that, there have been contributors here who have been quite happy with their ex-Press cars (number plates seen in magazine photos, cars going sideways).
EDIT
I glanced through the 6speed link above.
Amused by the contributor who advised removing the door opening rubber seals, to check the positions of the welding marks.
That might be an extra worry, when no welding marks are found.
Edited by Jon39 on Saturday 17th February 08:19
I think there is a difference between press cars and management cars. Management cars are used by management and I think in general will have been kept for 3/6 months and will probably have relatively low mileage. They are usually held by senior management and are effectively their company cars. LBS on here has an ex management car and it was a very well specced car with relatively low mileage on it.
Press cars will have much higher mileage on them and there will also be pool cars that management will use on company business. If you find a car that takes your fancy I would speak to Aston about it and try and find out more.
If LBS see this he will doubtless say more about his experience.
Press cars will have much higher mileage on them and there will also be pool cars that management will use on company business. If you find a car that takes your fancy I would speak to Aston about it and try and find out more.
If LBS see this he will doubtless say more about his experience.
AstonV said:
You might want to read this thread from another forum.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/4...
Thanks all - that ^^^ is both interesting and disturbing.https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/4...
I think if discussions progress on one of these then it's going to need AM to produce some more details/records/warranties to help the sale over the line. It would be less than ideal to discover at a later date that it its early life could have/had materially shortened the life of drivetrain or brakes...
Mine was an ex Aston management car - the KX prefix helped seal that info as did the logbook! I did have a good scout to see if it had been a press car that might have been hammered, but no Rapides in Blue were press cars as far as I could tell. And to be honest, whilst I might shy away from a more track suitable car that might have been bounced off the limiter in powerslides for days on end, they are pretty resilient cars (they ran that engine on the red line for weeks to ensure it will do 150,000 miles before any failure...), and Aston top brass genuinely get these cars as DD's. Bit of research would be diligent though 
I have an ex-Aston press car, UK registered (KX) but LHD, there are some videos of the car tested by the press (I saw mainly French press), the car has been used in the French Top Gear, although you see they used another German registered car for the sideways track action.
Car was sold to me with an extra year warranty and have had no worries. Bought it at 9,600 km and now has 18,000 km. Car was and still is spotless, doesn't use a drop of oil in between services and that is including the odd track day (I did Paul Ricard and another AML organised track day!
I guess being a press car and the fact I have been using it on a track makes it impossible to sell! Just as well mine's a keeper then!
Car was sold to me with an extra year warranty and have had no worries. Bought it at 9,600 km and now has 18,000 km. Car was and still is spotless, doesn't use a drop of oil in between services and that is including the odd track day (I did Paul Ricard and another AML organised track day!
I guess being a press car and the fact I have been using it on a track makes it impossible to sell! Just as well mine's a keeper then!
My SP10 was an ex-Management car.
I know this to be the case as I spoke with the individual whose car it was during the process. Also, the V5 said the registered keeper was Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, but then the individuals name, so there wasn't any question.
Mine was absolutely mint and had a few thousand miles on. I'd have no issue in buying another management car.......
I know this to be the case as I spoke with the individual whose car it was during the process. Also, the V5 said the registered keeper was Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd, but then the individuals name, so there wasn't any question.
Mine was absolutely mint and had a few thousand miles on. I'd have no issue in buying another management car.......
As Ian has said, I had exactly the same experience as Big Ry.
Management car registered in a ladies name with AML in brackets on the V5. Fully specced (B&O, 10 spoke wheels etc), great colours (Mako, blue hood etc) and very low mileage and at a very good price compared to a brand new example.
Three years on the car has been very reliable and I would not hesitate in going down the same route again.
Good luck with your quest and I hope you find just the right car.
Management car registered in a ladies name with AML in brackets on the V5. Fully specced (B&O, 10 spoke wheels etc), great colours (Mako, blue hood etc) and very low mileage and at a very good price compared to a brand new example.
Three years on the car has been very reliable and I would not hesitate in going down the same route again.
Good luck with your quest and I hope you find just the right car.
My Rapide was ex management. The advantage of them is that they tend to be better specced than most (it had all the options ticked).
That’s not to say they’re faultless though. The Rapide leaked (the seals weren’t right and needed fixing), but all that told me was that whoever had it (someone senior in the design team) had kept it in a garage
That’s not to say they’re faultless though. The Rapide leaked (the seals weren’t right and needed fixing), but all that told me was that whoever had it (someone senior in the design team) had kept it in a garage
I have a "KX" car, early 4.7 V8V. Works was up front, didn't bother me and never had any issues with it.
In fact at one stage they had it back for long term whilst I was away aborad to work out the intermittent cutting out that some of the cars have had reported. Came back with new rubber fitted free of charge.
In fact at one stage they had it back for long term whilst I was away aborad to work out the intermittent cutting out that some of the cars have had reported. Came back with new rubber fitted free of charge.
I have a KY plate 'management' car. It was also used sparingly for press and TV work but is specified in a unique colour and trim combination with loads of Q touches which would never have happened with a dealer spec car and I would not have been able to afford new. It also needed a boot seal replacing which was not apparent prior to my ownership.
Really nice for me though is at some point Aston Martin registered the car 'V12 AML' (before reverting it back to the KY plate prior to disposal)
Really nice for me though is at some point Aston Martin registered the car 'V12 AML' (before reverting it back to the KY plate prior to disposal)
KX plates just refer to the geographical region where the car was registered, it does not mean it has a link to AML (beyond AML built a Aston Martin with a KX plate, but you'll find KX plates on any other car too).
With regard to the original question, I was told by someone at Gaydon (may have been Mark Gauntlett, cannot remember) that when AML sell off press cars they make a point of ensuring that the car is at-least as "good-as-new" . So that someone does not buy a thrashed press car then say the car cannot withstand a good thrashing.
The Stig drove a Mako Blue V12V on top gear just before I bought mine. I made a point of NOT buying that one, which then lead to the question I asked in Gaydon several years later.
Would be interesting to compare the history of the Stig V12V and mine. If the owner of the Stigged V12V is out there, Madam/Sir, please let us know how it's going...
With regard to the original question, I was told by someone at Gaydon (may have been Mark Gauntlett, cannot remember) that when AML sell off press cars they make a point of ensuring that the car is at-least as "good-as-new" . So that someone does not buy a thrashed press car then say the car cannot withstand a good thrashing.
The Stig drove a Mako Blue V12V on top gear just before I bought mine. I made a point of NOT buying that one, which then lead to the question I asked in Gaydon several years later.
Would be interesting to compare the history of the Stig V12V and mine. If the owner of the Stigged V12V is out there, Madam/Sir, please let us know how it's going...
Iv never had an ex-press aston but have had an ex-press ferrari. Ferrari ex-press cars I would buy again and again. They’re high spec and the ferrari engineering guys tend to tweak the engines for better performance. Also. They almost rebuild the engine after each press outing so you end up with a that is in better than new condition mechanically because every little niggle has been ironed out. I just dont know if aston do the same.
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