2009 V8 Vantage 4.7
Discussion
Hi all!
I've been looking forward to write this for quite some time now, and after a long wait, i'm delighted to present, my very own Aston Martin!
As the title says, it's a MY09 V8 4.7 Coupe with the Sportshift gearbox, Sports Pack, 18.500kms and full AM service history. It's Onyx Black with Obsidian Black interior.
The car belonged to a family member since new, so i'm quite familiar with it and know it's entire history. It's been meticulously taken care of by the first owner, always garaged and used as a third car, mainly for road trips.
I've actually owned the car for more than a year now, but i wasn't able to drive it due to some bureaucratic nonsense. To cut a long story short, the car was originally purchased and registered in France, so when i bought it and brought it to Greece where i reside, it had to go through customs clearance for it to get Greek registration. Amazingly, the hole process took more than 13 months(!!), time during which i had the car in my garage but could not drive it - but finally, last Friday i got the coveted and long awaited call that everything was ready!!!
On the plus side, having the car in the garage allowed me to familiarise and do some small work on it. For the entire waiting period, i had the car parked on tyre cushions, covered and on a trickle charger. I started it once every 15-20 days.
Immediately after it arrived, and before putting it under the cover, i had it polished and ceramic coated.
During polishing:
And the result (i really like the car lines from this angle!!):
Additionally, some of the work i did while waiting includes an upgrade to the 6 blade front grille, and a replacement of the glass key, as the old one was scratched. I order both items from ebay and installed myself (quite basic work but i'm not at all good with DIY work, so huge win for me!!).
Finally, i wanted to replace the crystal parts of the ignition bezel, and i ordered the parts, but at the end i did not feel comfortable enough to do it myself, so i'll have the dealer install it at the next service.
Speaking of which, i booked the car for a service this Thursday, where i'm planing to also get the extended warranty - i want the peace of mind, at least for the first year, considering also that the car has been left parked for so long.
I'm very excited with the car, and look forward to significantly increasing the km count! I've been lucky enough to drive and/or own some very interesting cars in the past, but very few come close to the feel good factor the Aston gives you. Even though it's not the fastest out there, or the most dynamically accomplished, it always feels so special, even when driving around in traffic, and that for me is what makes it a keeper.
When looking for a new car last year, it came down to the Vantage and a manual R8. All other things were basically equal (price, condition, mileage etc.) and i was struggling to decide, until i drove both back to back. I had a nice drive with the R8, on some very interesting roads, and everything was great, but then i went in the Aston, and from the moment i started it up i knew that this was the one to have.
Finally, i want to say that i've really enjoyed being part of this forum for the past year, and hope to be able to continue to do so for many more years to come.
Wish you all a happy new year!
Best,
Damien
I've been looking forward to write this for quite some time now, and after a long wait, i'm delighted to present, my very own Aston Martin!
As the title says, it's a MY09 V8 4.7 Coupe with the Sportshift gearbox, Sports Pack, 18.500kms and full AM service history. It's Onyx Black with Obsidian Black interior.
The car belonged to a family member since new, so i'm quite familiar with it and know it's entire history. It's been meticulously taken care of by the first owner, always garaged and used as a third car, mainly for road trips.
I've actually owned the car for more than a year now, but i wasn't able to drive it due to some bureaucratic nonsense. To cut a long story short, the car was originally purchased and registered in France, so when i bought it and brought it to Greece where i reside, it had to go through customs clearance for it to get Greek registration. Amazingly, the hole process took more than 13 months(!!), time during which i had the car in my garage but could not drive it - but finally, last Friday i got the coveted and long awaited call that everything was ready!!!
On the plus side, having the car in the garage allowed me to familiarise and do some small work on it. For the entire waiting period, i had the car parked on tyre cushions, covered and on a trickle charger. I started it once every 15-20 days.
Immediately after it arrived, and before putting it under the cover, i had it polished and ceramic coated.
During polishing:
And the result (i really like the car lines from this angle!!):
Additionally, some of the work i did while waiting includes an upgrade to the 6 blade front grille, and a replacement of the glass key, as the old one was scratched. I order both items from ebay and installed myself (quite basic work but i'm not at all good with DIY work, so huge win for me!!).
Finally, i wanted to replace the crystal parts of the ignition bezel, and i ordered the parts, but at the end i did not feel comfortable enough to do it myself, so i'll have the dealer install it at the next service.
Speaking of which, i booked the car for a service this Thursday, where i'm planing to also get the extended warranty - i want the peace of mind, at least for the first year, considering also that the car has been left parked for so long.
I'm very excited with the car, and look forward to significantly increasing the km count! I've been lucky enough to drive and/or own some very interesting cars in the past, but very few come close to the feel good factor the Aston gives you. Even though it's not the fastest out there, or the most dynamically accomplished, it always feels so special, even when driving around in traffic, and that for me is what makes it a keeper.
When looking for a new car last year, it came down to the Vantage and a manual R8. All other things were basically equal (price, condition, mileage etc.) and i was struggling to decide, until i drove both back to back. I had a nice drive with the R8, on some very interesting roads, and everything was great, but then i went in the Aston, and from the moment i started it up i knew that this was the one to have.
Finally, i want to say that i've really enjoyed being part of this forum for the past year, and hope to be able to continue to do so for many more years to come.
Wish you all a happy new year!
Best,
Damien
Edited by Damianos on Friday 10th January 09:34
Looking beautiful Damianos, and you are caring for it so well.
Even lower mileage (do you say kilometreage) than mine, same year.
Oh how I want your wheels, but I will say No for you.
Enjoy your car.
How are things now in Greece. We heard about terrible things during the economic crisis?
Damien
congratulations - lovely car & may you get many many miles of enjoyment from it - particularly after a year of being so patient waiting for the approval - I had to wait 3 weeks to have my first car shipped from the other side of Australia and the wait was torturous so cant imagine what you have been through
enjoy
Graeme
congratulations - lovely car & may you get many many miles of enjoyment from it - particularly after a year of being so patient waiting for the approval - I had to wait 3 weeks to have my first car shipped from the other side of Australia and the wait was torturous so cant imagine what you have been through
enjoy
Graeme
Well done - same spec as my 09 4.7, aside from mine having a manual gearbox.
Also have the Aston Martin Vantage cover to go on mine for what’s left of the winter, but need to finish a few jobs on it, then fully clean and wax it.
Mind you, it’ll be April the way I’m going !
Welcome to the fold.
Jonny
Also have the Aston Martin Vantage cover to go on mine for what’s left of the winter, but need to finish a few jobs on it, then fully clean and wax it.
Mind you, it’ll be April the way I’m going !
Welcome to the fold.
Jonny
Great looking car. Always liked the V8 Vantage.
Interestingly I'm currently also looking at the R8 vs a few other options, one of course being the 4.7 V8 AM Vantage.
Hopefully to be buying something early summer time this year.
Could I ask a question regarding the performance?
How does the 4.7 V8 stack up against the R8 in terms of acceleration feel, in-gear response and general response from the wheel?
(I'm looking to spend in the £45-£50k area so would be looking to pitch the 4.7 V8 against the V10 R8)
Interestingly I'm currently also looking at the R8 vs a few other options, one of course being the 4.7 V8 AM Vantage.
Hopefully to be buying something early summer time this year.
Could I ask a question regarding the performance?
How does the 4.7 V8 stack up against the R8 in terms of acceleration feel, in-gear response and general response from the wheel?
(I'm looking to spend in the £45-£50k area so would be looking to pitch the 4.7 V8 against the V10 R8)
Thank you all so much for your kind words!
Indeed the wait has been so long and torturous, especially considering that the whole process was not supposed to last more than a couple of weeks initially, but in the end, i think it was well worth it!
Looking beautiful Damianos, and you are caring for it so well.
Even lower mileage (do you say kilometreage) than mine, same year.
Oh how I want your wheels, but I will say No for you.
Enjoy your car.
How are things now in Greece. We heard about terrible things during the economic crisis?Thank you! Indeed it's kms, so approx 12.000 miles. How much in yours? I'm currently planning a big European tour for this summer, plus a few local weekend trips, so hopefully the number will increase soon.
Economy wise, it's been very challenging for the past 10 years, but things have started to improve lately. In addition, there has been a significant legislative effort recently to make the country more business friendly, which should provide further growth. There is still a long way to go, but the feeling is that we are finally moving in the right direction.
Indeed the wait has been so long and torturous, especially considering that the whole process was not supposed to last more than a couple of weeks initially, but in the end, i think it was well worth it!
Dewi 2 said:
Looking beautiful Damianos, and you are caring for it so well.
Even lower mileage (do you say kilometreage) than mine, same year.
Oh how I want your wheels, but I will say No for you.
Enjoy your car.
How are things now in Greece. We heard about terrible things during the economic crisis?
Economy wise, it's been very challenging for the past 10 years, but things have started to improve lately. In addition, there has been a significant legislative effort recently to make the country more business friendly, which should provide further growth. There is still a long way to go, but the feeling is that we are finally moving in the right direction.
Mr.Tremlini said:
Congratulations, looks like a great example! But... 13 months just sitting there, unable to drive, you must have incredible patience! I couldn`t have done it.
All the best!
Thank you! To be honest, your amazing photos did not do my patience any good :-)All the best!
Graze01 said:
Damien
congratulations - lovely car & may you get many many miles of enjoyment from it - particularly after a year of being so patient waiting for the approval - I had to wait 3 weeks to have my first car shipped from the other side of Australia and the wait was torturous so cant imagine what you have been through
enjoy
Graeme
Thank you Graeme! I hope all is well there with the fires. congratulations - lovely car & may you get many many miles of enjoyment from it - particularly after a year of being so patient waiting for the approval - I had to wait 3 weeks to have my first car shipped from the other side of Australia and the wait was torturous so cant imagine what you have been through
enjoy
Graeme
JonnyCJ said:
Well done - same spec as my 09 4.7, aside from mine having a manual gearbox.
Also have the Aston Martin Vantage cover to go on mine for what’s left of the winter, but need to finish a few jobs on it, then fully clean and wax it.
Mind you, it’ll be April the way I’m going !
Welcome to the fold.
Jonny
It does look great with the cover on! Although after a year, I was very happy to put it back in its box! Just make sure to thoroughly clean the car before putting the cover on, as it can rub with dust and cause swirls to the paint.Also have the Aston Martin Vantage cover to go on mine for what’s left of the winter, but need to finish a few jobs on it, then fully clean and wax it.
Mind you, it’ll be April the way I’m going !
Welcome to the fold.
Jonny
ZeroGroundZero said:
Great looking car. Always liked the V8 Vantage.
Interestingly I'm currently also looking at the R8 vs a few other options, one of course being the 4.7 V8 AM Vantage.
Hopefully to be buying something early summer time this year.
Could I ask a question regarding the performance?
How does the 4.7 V8 stack up against the R8 in terms of acceleration feel, in-gear response and general response from the wheel?
(I'm looking to spend in the £45-£50k area so would be looking to pitch the 4.7 V8 against the V10 R8)
Thank you! I was looking at the V8 R8 whose performance is much closer to the Aston. The V10 should be significantly quicker. Interestingly I'm currently also looking at the R8 vs a few other options, one of course being the 4.7 V8 AM Vantage.
Hopefully to be buying something early summer time this year.
Could I ask a question regarding the performance?
How does the 4.7 V8 stack up against the R8 in terms of acceleration feel, in-gear response and general response from the wheel?
(I'm looking to spend in the £45-£50k area so would be looking to pitch the 4.7 V8 against the V10 R8)
The R8 has a lot more grip and is far more stable. Whether that's good or bad is totally subjective and down to personal preferences. I personally prefer the more playful character of the Aston, and the fact that you can enjoy it in lower speeds.
For the steering, i would say the Aston has a better feeling - probably due to lack of front drive shafts - but the R8 is more precise.
I found the seating position in the R8 a bit high, and the interior in general, although great in quality, was no match for the Aston.
Also, the Aston sounds way better, but again that's compared to the V8 R8. The V10 sounds glorious as well!
In general, the R8 is a better built, faster and more usable car, and in my opinion one of the very few cars that can compare to the Aston on design. But somehow, the Aston just feels so much more special, and even starting it up is an event, whereas the Audi feels a bit more "normal"...
It is an amazing dilemma to have, both are great cars, so it is just a matter of what suits you best. I would suggest that you drive both (plus any other model you have in mind - btw what are your other options?), it will really help you decide.
I hope that helps!
Damien
Thanks for that reply, I will indeed have to start test driving both to make a decision.
The AM Vantage looks better than the R8 in my opinion and is much more practical.
I was looking for a GT car that would enable me to travel around europe in style, I think the R8 may only limit me to weekend trips away.
But having said that I think if paying prices in the £50k ball park then the focus should be on performance, where the V10 R8 should be the choice, but as you mention already, I do need to drive them first to gain 1st hand impressions.
The AM Vantage looks better than the R8 in my opinion and is much more practical.
I was looking for a GT car that would enable me to travel around europe in style, I think the R8 may only limit me to weekend trips away.
But having said that I think if paying prices in the £50k ball park then the focus should be on performance, where the V10 R8 should be the choice, but as you mention already, I do need to drive them first to gain 1st hand impressions.
Damianos, congratulations! Great spec -- I have the same car, but with a manual == 2009 Coupe, Sports Pack, Onyx Black over Obsidian Black (red stitch). Onyx is stunning. I've had mine from new. Even after all that time, I still stare at it, and every drive is still a special event. You're going to love it!
macdeb said:
Lovely car, have very similar. As for the R8 vs Vantage comparison I also flirted with the idea of an R8 (v8 and very briefly) but the interior of the R8 I thought was woeful in comparison. The Aston is such a nice place to be in.
Thanks! I agree on the interior. Honestly it's great and extremely well built, but i think the Aston is just on a different league. Also, I used to have a gen 2 Audi TT a few years back, and saw that many parts where common (Steering wheel, seats, A/C buttons, interfaces and more). It was my first interesting car and i really loved it, but i would want a bit more from an R8. Speedraser said:
Damianos, congratulations! Great spec -- I have the same car, but with a manual == 2009 Coupe, Sports Pack, Onyx Black over Obsidian Black (red stitch). Onyx is stunning. I've had mine from new. Even after all that time, I still stare at it, and every drive is still a special event. You're going to love it!
Thank you! Red stitching is amazing! Mine is silver. How you feel about it after 10 years is the only thing that i'm looking for in my "fun"car, and it was the reason i sold my previous one. Faster than the Aston, but after only a few months it wouldn't make any difference whether i was driving that or the daily driver...
Hi all,
A small update on the car, which i'm loving more and more each day!
After getting the plates early last month, i had it serviced at the only AM dealer in Greece. Standard service, plus they installed the ignition bezels i purchased separately online. Additionally, i got the 1-year warranty extension, just for the peace of mind in this first year of ownership.
After the service, i had the car professionally detailed, and especially focused on the interior, as the exterior was recently polished and ceramic coated.
Interior was cleaned using a steam machine, and all leather surfaces were further treated and shielded with a protective coating.
End Result:
I'm very happy with the result, as the leather looks much better and feels softer, so i will try to repeat this at least once a year.
Additionally, the engine bay was cleaned:
And some finishing touches (e.g. polishing of exhaust tips):
I've also ordered the OEM mats, but fitting is horrible. I started a thread here, and as always other forum members have been extremely helpful. I understand that many people had the same experience, so i'm now looking at aftermarket solutions.
Thread link: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
After all that i focused mainly on driving it! It's not a DD, and i'm mostly using it on weekends, but i've done around 1000 kms in the past month, which is half the annual mileage the car has been averaging in its life so far :-)
I have a few things i need to attend to next, which will hopefully be resolved easily:
- A rattle from the centre console that's driving me crazy! I have the guide found in FAQ here which is very useful, but again i don't feel confident doing this alone and will have the dealer to look at it.
- Correct the driver's door alignment, which is a bit off at the top. The car was never in an accident, and hasn't had any repairs, so i'm guessing it left the factory that way...
- Fix the passenger side door locking mechanism, as sometimes you cannot open the door from the outside. This was replaced again less than two years ago, so might need further investigation as to why it failed again.
- Change the language from French to English, which apparently requires a visit to the dealer.
As always, any input on the above would be highly appreciated.
I'm very excited with the car - yesterday i went out just to drive it on some nice mountain roads nearby!
Now she's back in the garage, and the next drive can't come soon enough!!!
A small update on the car, which i'm loving more and more each day!
After getting the plates early last month, i had it serviced at the only AM dealer in Greece. Standard service, plus they installed the ignition bezels i purchased separately online. Additionally, i got the 1-year warranty extension, just for the peace of mind in this first year of ownership.
After the service, i had the car professionally detailed, and especially focused on the interior, as the exterior was recently polished and ceramic coated.
Interior was cleaned using a steam machine, and all leather surfaces were further treated and shielded with a protective coating.
End Result:
I'm very happy with the result, as the leather looks much better and feels softer, so i will try to repeat this at least once a year.
Additionally, the engine bay was cleaned:
And some finishing touches (e.g. polishing of exhaust tips):
I've also ordered the OEM mats, but fitting is horrible. I started a thread here, and as always other forum members have been extremely helpful. I understand that many people had the same experience, so i'm now looking at aftermarket solutions.
Thread link: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
After all that i focused mainly on driving it! It's not a DD, and i'm mostly using it on weekends, but i've done around 1000 kms in the past month, which is half the annual mileage the car has been averaging in its life so far :-)
I have a few things i need to attend to next, which will hopefully be resolved easily:
- A rattle from the centre console that's driving me crazy! I have the guide found in FAQ here which is very useful, but again i don't feel confident doing this alone and will have the dealer to look at it.
- Correct the driver's door alignment, which is a bit off at the top. The car was never in an accident, and hasn't had any repairs, so i'm guessing it left the factory that way...
- Fix the passenger side door locking mechanism, as sometimes you cannot open the door from the outside. This was replaced again less than two years ago, so might need further investigation as to why it failed again.
- Change the language from French to English, which apparently requires a visit to the dealer.
As always, any input on the above would be highly appreciated.
I'm very excited with the car - yesterday i went out just to drive it on some nice mountain roads nearby!
Now she's back in the garage, and the next drive can't come soon enough!!!
Good stuff, I was waiting for spring to do some interior care too. I will do it myself, as I have a cleaning kit bought from Poltrona Frau (the Italian couch makers) for the Maserati, as the leather there was coming indeed from Poltrona Frau themselves. But leather is leather anyway.
On your issues: I can comment just on the language change as I did French-English. Indeed it's done via AM software, billed at 1 hour of labour by the dealer.
On your issues: I can comment just on the language change as I did French-English. Indeed it's done via AM software, billed at 1 hour of labour by the dealer.
macdeb said:
Good work 
Thank you!! 
EVR said:
Good stuff, I was waiting for spring to do some interior care too. I will do it myself, as I have a cleaning kit bought from Poltrona Frau (the Italian couch makers) for the Maserati, as the leather there was coming indeed from Poltrona Frau themselves. But leather is leather anyway.
That's great! Look forward to seeing the results when you do it!Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff