The winter project
Discussion
Following on from my original thread about having CarPlay and 360 degree cameras added to the car as well as having the interior redone, I thought I'd update with a few photos of the progress.
Firstly, I have to say a huge thanks to James and Lenny from Aston Installations who've undertaken a crazy amount of work with this project, they have truly gone above and beyond with their work and picked up and solved additional requests/fixes/gremlins we were unaware of at the start of the work.
So the olde loud red interior was removed and delivered to the upholsterer just after Christmas.
I've finalised the spec and have had a few photos of the progress which is looking good, I'll share just the one for now:
While the interior was away, I asked James about having the wheels refurbished. They were actually in pretty good condition but while the car's in bits it made sense. The AI guys organised Reinventing the wheel to come in and take care of business.
Before:
After:
I've also had a carbon fibre slam panel sent through to replace the tatty looking metal plate.
Someone near my house over here had (probably accidentally) put a bit of a gash on my passenger rear haunch. We were pretty sure it'd need paint but asked Paddy in to see if there was anything he could do, thankfully there was. It's impressive what pro's can do with paint these days:
There was one final bit of disassembly, the rear quarter windows had to come out to remove the last bit of alcantara from the roof liner:
James also has the 360 cameras installed but not yet calibrated. The guys still have alot of logic around the input switching to work out:
Hopefully the car will be back in one piece within the next 4 / 5 weeks, if not then I can wait a little longer. The emphasis has been on quality not speed.
Firstly, I have to say a huge thanks to James and Lenny from Aston Installations who've undertaken a crazy amount of work with this project, they have truly gone above and beyond with their work and picked up and solved additional requests/fixes/gremlins we were unaware of at the start of the work.
So the olde loud red interior was removed and delivered to the upholsterer just after Christmas.
I've finalised the spec and have had a few photos of the progress which is looking good, I'll share just the one for now:
While the interior was away, I asked James about having the wheels refurbished. They were actually in pretty good condition but while the car's in bits it made sense. The AI guys organised Reinventing the wheel to come in and take care of business.
Before:
After:
I've also had a carbon fibre slam panel sent through to replace the tatty looking metal plate.
Someone near my house over here had (probably accidentally) put a bit of a gash on my passenger rear haunch. We were pretty sure it'd need paint but asked Paddy in to see if there was anything he could do, thankfully there was. It's impressive what pro's can do with paint these days:
There was one final bit of disassembly, the rear quarter windows had to come out to remove the last bit of alcantara from the roof liner:
James also has the 360 cameras installed but not yet calibrated. The guys still have alot of logic around the input switching to work out:
Hopefully the car will be back in one piece within the next 4 / 5 weeks, if not then I can wait a little longer. The emphasis has been on quality not speed.
LiamV12V said:
Looks like a great job being done there. Where did they send the interior for re-trimming?
The upholsterer doesn't want to named until he's finished the job so I'll hold fire. So far he's been great, located and sourced the same leather and alcantara that AM use at the factory, comms have been good and I've been enjoying his photo updates too.I was in the workshop the same day getting Apple Carplay fitted to my 06 Vantage. Saw your car in bits and the work James and Lenny were doing. Very impressive.
I also got chatting to a guy who was doing detailing work on a black DB9. He clearly knew what he was doing too. It was only later in the day I discovered it was the legendary Paddy!
All in all really delighted with my Carplay setup. It totally transforms things and brings the in car systems right up to date. No longer embarrassed when the sat nav screen lifts up from the dashboard
I can control everything I need to do on the phone by a knob hidden in the ashtray. Once you get the hang of it you can navigate really quickly through the Carplay apps.
James and Lenny really know their way around the electronics. I've had a niggling fault with the car audio for years, and James worked out what it was and fixed it in 5 minutes. Cant recommend them highly enough.
I also got chatting to a guy who was doing detailing work on a black DB9. He clearly knew what he was doing too. It was only later in the day I discovered it was the legendary Paddy!
All in all really delighted with my Carplay setup. It totally transforms things and brings the in car systems right up to date. No longer embarrassed when the sat nav screen lifts up from the dashboard
I can control everything I need to do on the phone by a knob hidden in the ashtray. Once you get the hang of it you can navigate really quickly through the Carplay apps.
James and Lenny really know their way around the electronics. I've had a niggling fault with the car audio for years, and James worked out what it was and fixed it in 5 minutes. Cant recommend them highly enough.
Riddochg said:
I was in the workshop the same day getting Apple Carplay fitted to my 06 Vantage. Saw your car in bits and the work James and Lenny were doing. Very impressive.
I also got chatting to a guy who was doing detailing work on a black DB9. He clearly knew what he was doing too. It was only later in the day I discovered it was the legendary Paddy!
All in all really delighted with my Carplay setup. It totally transforms things and brings the in car systems right up to date. No longer embarrassed when the sat nav screen lifts up from the dashboard
I can control everything I need to do on the phone by a knob hidden in the ashtray. Once you get the hang of it you can navigate really quickly through the Carplay apps.
James and Lenny really know their way around the electronics. I've had a niggling fault with the car audio for years, and James worked out what it was and fixed it in 5 minutes. Cant recommend them highly enough.
That is something I am looking into for my car. Can I please ask what the cost to have Apple Carplay is?, the price is not on their website. ThanksI also got chatting to a guy who was doing detailing work on a black DB9. He clearly knew what he was doing too. It was only later in the day I discovered it was the legendary Paddy!
All in all really delighted with my Carplay setup. It totally transforms things and brings the in car systems right up to date. No longer embarrassed when the sat nav screen lifts up from the dashboard
I can control everything I need to do on the phone by a knob hidden in the ashtray. Once you get the hang of it you can navigate really quickly through the Carplay apps.
James and Lenny really know their way around the electronics. I've had a niggling fault with the car audio for years, and James worked out what it was and fixed it in 5 minutes. Cant recommend them highly enough.
It was about £1200 all in. A full days work to splice in all the various components. Its a thoroughly good installation however.
As regards benefits I can view and control all the apps on the sat nav screen, via the knob in the ashtray. You turn the knob to navigate & then click to select. Very easy to use.
OEM Carplay tends to be touch screen, but the screen in the Vantage was never designed for this. I wasn't sure if
a system that wasn't touch screen would work, but it does.
As regards Apple v Android, pretty sure there is an Android version that they can install.
As regards benefits I can view and control all the apps on the sat nav screen, via the knob in the ashtray. You turn the knob to navigate & then click to select. Very easy to use.
OEM Carplay tends to be touch screen, but the screen in the Vantage was never designed for this. I wasn't sure if
a system that wasn't touch screen would work, but it does.
As regards Apple v Android, pretty sure there is an Android version that they can install.
Ken Figenus said:
Sorry bit O/T guys but what is the benefit of Apple CarPlay? I have this in the Macan it seems but its bad enough having to change the phone holder when changing car - let alone switch complete handset from Android to Apple and likely double my costs and miss the buttons!
WazeAnd there is an Android version.
Hopefully they will have an Android Drive version available soon for us non-apple phone users. I have it on good authority that it hopefully not to far away.
Stuff like Google maps / Waze etc. are far superior to any OE Sat Nav solution. Most manufacturers are going this way with new cars. Why spend money developing a bespoke solution that will be worse than something that's openly available on the market and most people are familiar with using.
Stuff like Google maps / Waze etc. are far superior to any OE Sat Nav solution. Most manufacturers are going this way with new cars. Why spend money developing a bespoke solution that will be worse than something that's openly available on the market and most people are familiar with using.
LPH said:
Hopefully they will have an Android Drive version available soon for us non-apple phone users. I have it on good authority that it hopefully not to far away.
Stuff like Google maps / Waze etc. are far superior to any OE Sat Nav solution. Most manufacturers are going this way with new cars. Why spend money developing a bespoke solution that will be worse than something that's openly available on the market and most people are familiar with using.
This is the direction that Miles Nurnberger was talking about with Henry Catchpole in the 003, being that it has a smartphone attached where the traditional (traditional??) GPS would be, saying that they are feeling the water but thought is, a person`s mobile phone is more of a central hub to them than what ever would be built into a car, and is an onboard GPS even relevant any longer!?Stuff like Google maps / Waze etc. are far superior to any OE Sat Nav solution. Most manufacturers are going this way with new cars. Why spend money developing a bespoke solution that will be worse than something that's openly available on the market and most people are familiar with using.
Completely agree with their direction too. Most people have unlimited phone data these days so can stream radio. Offline there is spotify and more than enough apps to get you by and having a cable instead of bluetooth improves the audio quality too. O/E manufacturers in the future really just need to standardise the screen management and we're away. My better half has a Toyota Yaris Hybrid company car and getting your damn phone to work is a mixture of luck and patience.
Edited by dbs2000 on Monday 11th March 08:35
Ken Figenus said:
Do you use Waze for your main nav Nick?
I'm aware of its other benefits ?
Morning,I'm aware of its other benefits
?I rarely need to use nav in the UK so for me Waze is extremely useful for it's "other benefits" That said because of the "other benefits" Waze is my preferred choice.
When we go hooning the gang use TomTom's as we pre plan the routes and share/upload the ITN files.
Nick
100%! All built-in tech in any product will be outdated in a very short timeframe.
Never once bothered with the built-in satnav in my Vantage. Just clip on the mobile and you’re away! Just need the speakers in the car and the screen can be left to display tyre pressures or just left down.
But the option to retro-fit CarPlay is very good to have and I can imagine the benefits.
Never once bothered with the built-in satnav in my Vantage. Just clip on the mobile and you’re away! Just need the speakers in the car and the screen can be left to display tyre pressures or just left down.
But the option to retro-fit CarPlay is very good to have and I can imagine the benefits.
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