New (to me) V8 Vanatge - First Impressions
Discussion
Collected my first ever Aston today, a 2006 MY car with lots of extras and 19k miles on the clock.
Drove it from Macclesfield to Buxton over the 'Cat and Fiddle' and then down the A515 to Ashbourne and then back home. So about 55 miles. Initial thoughts:
Ride quality is brilliant. Looking through the paperwork I've found out it actually has the 'sport pack' fitted which was an AM aftermarket upgrade. I knew it had the lightweight forged N400 wheels on but didn't realise it also had uprated Bilstein shocks and springs. OK on really bad surfaces it's a little bit harsh but otherwise it's great. Apparently the new(ish) Pilot Sport 4S tyres it has on also help a lot.
Steering is pretty direct. It's no Lotus (the car I'm coming from) but it goes where you point it and doesn't feel as heavy as it actually is - 1600kg which is twice the weight of the Lotus!! Bit heavy at parking speeds but fine once you are rolling along.
Very quiet inside the cabin and comfortable too. I have the earlier seats as it's a 2006 MY car. The later ones were supposed to be an improvement but I like mine. I think they are slimmer which for someone skinny like me actually means they grip you better. Good driving position and very good visibility all round I reckon.
How you get it to do 0-60 in 4.9 secs I have no idea. It feels dead slow when you are starting off and the long accelerator and heavy flywheel mean it seems to take an age to wind up. It's actually very docile and easy to drive slowly. To get it to feel fast you need to get it over 3.5-4k revs and it then comes alive and starts feeling fast(ish). All this si compared to my other car which was half the weight of the Aston but had the same power - which meant it was insanely fast.
Gearbox is pretty nice. A tiny bit notchy but overall it's good. Feels like it will get a bit smoother with technique as you get used to it. Clutch is heavy and hill starts are difficult - the smell of burning clutch was testament to this! The fact mine is biting quite high didn't help. I know it will wear eventually, just a matter of time.
Reverse gear is a nightmare! Far too high, why they set it up like this I have no idea! You have to be very gentle with it.
I think the interior might have been worked on by someone from Lotus . A few creaks (moving leather) and a few rattles. On the way back the TPMS box fell out from behind the glove box and is now hanging down in the passenger footwell.
Oh and it is very thirsty. Speed limits were all 50mph on the way back, lots of cameras (some average speed), lots of other traffic, artics and the like. So it was really an economy run and it did an average of 23mpg
Overall it's a great GT car that looks and sounds awesome and feels pretty well screwed together. A lighter flywheel and a smidge more power would make it feel a lot quicker........
Something I've wanted for a while so looking forward to ownership. I have a really bad habit of modifying cars (mostly mechanically) so sure I will end up doing something to it!
Drove it from Macclesfield to Buxton over the 'Cat and Fiddle' and then down the A515 to Ashbourne and then back home. So about 55 miles. Initial thoughts:
Ride quality is brilliant. Looking through the paperwork I've found out it actually has the 'sport pack' fitted which was an AM aftermarket upgrade. I knew it had the lightweight forged N400 wheels on but didn't realise it also had uprated Bilstein shocks and springs. OK on really bad surfaces it's a little bit harsh but otherwise it's great. Apparently the new(ish) Pilot Sport 4S tyres it has on also help a lot.
Steering is pretty direct. It's no Lotus (the car I'm coming from) but it goes where you point it and doesn't feel as heavy as it actually is - 1600kg which is twice the weight of the Lotus!! Bit heavy at parking speeds but fine once you are rolling along.
Very quiet inside the cabin and comfortable too. I have the earlier seats as it's a 2006 MY car. The later ones were supposed to be an improvement but I like mine. I think they are slimmer which for someone skinny like me actually means they grip you better. Good driving position and very good visibility all round I reckon.
How you get it to do 0-60 in 4.9 secs I have no idea. It feels dead slow when you are starting off and the long accelerator and heavy flywheel mean it seems to take an age to wind up. It's actually very docile and easy to drive slowly. To get it to feel fast you need to get it over 3.5-4k revs and it then comes alive and starts feeling fast(ish). All this si compared to my other car which was half the weight of the Aston but had the same power - which meant it was insanely fast.
Gearbox is pretty nice. A tiny bit notchy but overall it's good. Feels like it will get a bit smoother with technique as you get used to it. Clutch is heavy and hill starts are difficult - the smell of burning clutch was testament to this! The fact mine is biting quite high didn't help. I know it will wear eventually, just a matter of time.
Reverse gear is a nightmare! Far too high, why they set it up like this I have no idea! You have to be very gentle with it.
I think the interior might have been worked on by someone from Lotus . A few creaks (moving leather) and a few rattles. On the way back the TPMS box fell out from behind the glove box and is now hanging down in the passenger footwell.
Oh and it is very thirsty. Speed limits were all 50mph on the way back, lots of cameras (some average speed), lots of other traffic, artics and the like. So it was really an economy run and it did an average of 23mpg
Overall it's a great GT car that looks and sounds awesome and feels pretty well screwed together. A lighter flywheel and a smidge more power would make it feel a lot quicker........
Something I've wanted for a while so looking forward to ownership. I have a really bad habit of modifying cars (mostly mechanically) so sure I will end up doing something to it!
Edited by LPH on Saturday 16th February 00:29
Congratulations on your first aston. I hope you have many happy miles in it. Cant answer your questions as I have a db9 but there are some good indies around that know about such things. The v8 vantage owners I know who have upgraded their cars for more power and sound certainly dont think their cars are slow as a result so there is hope!
LPH said:
Collected my first ever Aston today, a 19k mile 2006 MY car with lots of extras .....
Gearbox is pretty nice. A tiny bit notchy but overall it's good. Feels like it will get a bit smoother with technique as you get used to it. Clutch is heavy and hill starts are difficult - the smell of burning clutch was testament to this! The fact mine is biting quite high didn't help. I know it will wear eventually, just a matter of time.
Reverse gear is a nightmare! Far too high, why they set it up like this I have no idea! You have to be very gentle with it.
Gearbox is pretty nice. A tiny bit notchy but overall it's good. Feels like it will get a bit smoother with technique as you get used to it. Clutch is heavy and hill starts are difficult - the smell of burning clutch was testament to this! The fact mine is biting quite high didn't help. I know it will wear eventually, just a matter of time.
Reverse gear is a nightmare! Far too high, why they set it up like this I have no idea! You have to be very gentle with it.
Welcome Leigh and congratulations. As you are finding, they are very special cars in many ways. Sure you will enjoy.
It is quite normal for the gearbox to be notchy between 1st and 2nd, but only when cold.
When you need a replacement clutch (mileage very variable), that will be your opportunity to have a twin plate and lighter flywheel. Clutch pedal will then be very light.
The high reverse gear was put in to help James Bond with his escape scenes.
Have you noticed any gearbox chatter when driving at very low revs? It is quite normal, and a touch of acceleration will stop the noise.
Don't reverse up slopes too often, otherwise a new twin plate clutch will soon be yours.
Have fun with your new car.
Funny you should say that there is a bit of clatter a low speeds. Can't remember if it's as you let the clutch out or on overrun when you let off the throttle.
Never really reverse up slopes really so no issue there. Clutch is biting high so I doubt it will be many thousands of miles before it goes. I like an excuse to upgrade
Never really reverse up slopes really so no issue there. Clutch is biting high so I doubt it will be many thousands of miles before it goes. I like an excuse to upgrade
OP - if your inlet plenum is black then you have the powerpack for the 4.3 V8. To get the 400bhp you have to use 100 RON fuel. The anti-knock will retard the spark beyond that for 98 RON. Otherwise you get 390bhp with 98 RON.
A lightweight flywheel and dual-plate clutch will assist with performance.
A lightweight flywheel and dual-plate clutch will assist with performance.
Yep it has the black plenum of the 400bhp kit. Don't get me wrong one I got it wound up and kept it revving high it felt quick. I'm sure I'll make some mods in the future Can you actually get 100 RON fuel anymore? Tesco do 99. I filled it up with Esso 'Premium' when I collected it but think that's only 97.
Spent the day giving it a good clean. Gives a good chance to find all the flaws you don;t notice when you are buying it! so far the things I've found that I hadn't noticed are:
Bubbling on the wing strake, both side but really bad on the driver's side. No way will I be forking out the money Aston charge for replacement. Will be taking them of and getting them re-chromed - will be much much cheaper.
Tailgate is rubbing the top of the rear bumper. Presume that I just adjust the bump stops on the tailgate to lift it a tad.
Keeps telling me I have low coolant. Warning is intermittent, It didn't do this on the test drive or when it was serviced a couple of days ago. Started on the drive home. Have checked the coolant and it's full. It was actually changed at the service and thought it might have just been low as all the air had worked it way out and would need a small top up. Presume it's the level sender. Anywhere to source them other than Aston?
Apart from that there are a few small marks in the paint but nothing to write home about and a couple of small marks on the interior but I've bough a colour matched dye kit to deal with those.
LED bulbs ordered for the reading lights and footwell lights as the current ones are lie candles.
Can you actually get 100 RON fuel anymore? Tesco do 99. I filled it up with Esso 'Premium' when I collected it but think that's only 97.Spent the day giving it a good clean. Gives a good chance to find all the flaws you don;t notice when you are buying it! so far the things I've found that I hadn't noticed are:
Bubbling on the wing strake, both side but really bad on the driver's side. No way will I be forking out the money Aston charge for replacement. Will be taking them of and getting them re-chromed - will be much much cheaper.
Tailgate is rubbing the top of the rear bumper. Presume that I just adjust the bump stops on the tailgate to lift it a tad.
Keeps telling me I have low coolant. Warning is intermittent, It didn't do this on the test drive or when it was serviced a couple of days ago. Started on the drive home. Have checked the coolant and it's full. It was actually changed at the service and thought it might have just been low as all the air had worked it way out and would need a small top up. Presume it's the level sender. Anywhere to source them other than Aston?
Apart from that there are a few small marks in the paint but nothing to write home about and a couple of small marks on the interior but I've bough a colour matched dye kit to deal with those.
LED bulbs ordered for the reading lights and footwell lights as the current ones are lie candles.
Edited by LPH on Saturday 16th February 22:59
Bobajobbob said:
Errr pics please?
Not had chance yet. Yesterday was 5 hours cleaning it and doing exactly the same to the OH's S3. Amazing how much effort it take to properly clean a car. And tht's without ant polishing or waxing - just cleaning!Son was vomiting yesterday, OH doing it today looks like I might be next
so pics might be a whileGassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff