Newbie to AM questions

[Big Ian]

Hi all,
Hope you dont mind stupid questions from a TVR driver looking to grow up.
i’m considering a swap to an AM vantage roadster. I, m a not an insubstantial chap (hence my log in name) and wanted to know z few thind asi’ve only sat in one coupe.

Can the steering wheel be adjusted/ modified higher (only by say 3/4 inch) asit seems a little low.

What are typical servicing costs at s dealer or AM specialist.

The usual. Sports shift vs manual. Clutch wearvetc

L as stly. Anything i sac hould bd looking out for specifically in entry level cars?

Thanks a bunch folk.
Big ian

[LTP]

Welcome away from the Dark Side, Ian

As you can see if you check my profile, I drive a 2015 V8V Coupe SSII. I'm also about 6' 4", with 35.5" inside leg and weigh 13st 8lbs. So I'm not small. I know my car best (obviously) so my comments are based on my experience, but I think most will be generally applicable

To answer your questions:

1. Steering wheel height adjust is by a clamp system and is released by a lever under the column. I understand where you're coming from, especially as I like to be able to brake with my knee under the wheel, not with my knee and ankle twisted sideways. I pull my wheel fully out, fully up, then put my knee under the bottom of the rim, push upwards to stress the column to the max and then clamp it into position. My rim is so high it obscures the bottom numbers of the speedo. I'd like it a tad higher, but it's fine.
2. For my last service and MOT I had additional work done at a main dealer, but picking out the items it looks like service and MOT cost £719.86 + VAT, so £863.83 total.
3. Sportshift vs Manual. You could compile a book on this just from all that has been written on PH alone. SSII is better than SSI in many ways. I actually had a deposit on a manual car but the SportShift kept intriguing me and in the end I bought a different car with SSII. I love it, but it is compromised, mainly at low speeds and when manoeuvring. At speed it's fine. When I drove my first car with SportShift I immediately ruled it out as an option, but you have to learn how to drive the 'box. It is not an auto, nor is it a DSG (or PDK). You have to accept that the gearbox is dipping the clutch, changing gear and re-engaging the clutch every time you shift, in its own time. You have no control over the clutch other than through the throttle pedal. But you never drive one in "D" - use the paddles and lift off slightly for up-changes and it can be seamless. Avoid reversing backwards uphill wherever possible. Always do a clutch learn - every time you start it from cold.
4. Clutch. Still on the original at 12.5k miles. When it inevitably goes I'll have a twin-plate by either David Appleby Engineering or Bamford Rose. As mine is a post 12.5MY car I'll also need an exchange torque tube, which makes it even more expensive. As an aside, when I was driving manual cars, as a tall guy I found the clutch bite point so high I had to lift my entire leg and left knee past the steering wheel, which is mainly why I went SSII. That and the paddles. Like a racing car
5. Entry level cars. Buy on condition, and mechanicals can be easier to sort than bodywork. Don't be afraid of mileage - they do better driven than sitting in a garage.

Other comment. The rear quarter visibility with the hood up in a Roadster is abysmal, in my opinion

Edited by LTP on Saturday 3rd July 20:05

[Big Ian]

Thanks LTP.
Really, really useful stuff.
Not sure that only my height is the issue in “ fit”
It does look like there should be much more adjustment in the steering wheel height than there is.
Are all seats the same, or do some have more sporty seat pad bolsters?
I’d love to nose round a vantage roadster local to cambridge, if anyone is willing to put up with a boisterous TVR, and its owner, turning up?
Cheers
Big Ian

[Big Ian]

P.s.
“ hood up “. Very very rarely.

[LTP]

Seats. There are two types: “Sports” and “Lightweight”. The “Sports” are the standard fit and have a backrest that can be reclined, along with seat heat, 2-way pneumatic lumbar adjust and side airbag. The “Lightweight” seats have a fixed backrest, so if you recline the seat the front of the cushion also rises, and they don’t come with heat or side airbag and I think the adjustable lumbar is just a pad you move about behind the backrest trim. There were, I believe, various options of height adjust and memory on driver only, both or neither - I’m not sure of the full option lists.

Many people regard the “Lightweight” seats as the preferable, even thinking they are essential, but they are a lot more snug and grip the hips more. As I’ve been genetically dealt a wide pelvis they don’t suit me and I find the standard “Sports” seats pretty comfortable on a run. The “Lightweight” seats have a more pronounced shoulder, like a rally seat, and look more sporty. They are far rarer, and were more often fitted on the special edition models like N400, even then I believe they were always an option.

All I can advise is to sit in both if you can find them and see what you think. I’m not sure if the early cars’ seats were a different style, and some trims styles do have Alcantara side panels on the seats

Hope this helps, and I’m sure others will chip in

Edited by LTP on Saturday 3rd July 23:09

[geresey]

I usually only take mine out in the dry, top down, and it's great. (6' 3" and 14.something) . Manual, clutch and wheel position fine. Bit windy on the top inch but that's fine. Go on a road trip today and of course it rains... First time driving with hood up for a long time and it does feel a bit snug.maybe coupe has. Ore headroom, I can't remember..... So, just depends how often you'll be driving roof up..... (maybe db9 would be a better shout as more seat travel ????) ps, lightweight seats nice to sit in, but no heated seat option I believe, a deal break for my missus...

[EVR]

For what it's worth, I am 196 cm tall and are quite comfortable in my 4.7 Vantage coupe with sport seats. Also test drove a 4.7 Roadster and been a passenger recently in a 4.3 one and I felt no differences.

Maybe worth mentioning there are two sport seats designs? The 4.3 and the 4.7 Pre/post 2007 are different. Said Roadster I rode shotgun was a 4.3, even if it has been a short ride I haven't felt a difference in my bottoms.

4.7 Post-2007



4.3 Pre-2007

Edited by EVR on Monday 5th July 10:45

[johns355]

I'm out Ely way and have a 4.3 manual roadster if you want to look around? Let me know?

[BigMig]

The sports seats didn’t change shape between 4.3 and 4.7, they were actually updated to the newer variant in 2007, so a lot of 4.3’s have them as well.

[LTP]

And, to complete the picture, this is what the "Lightweight" seats look like

[AdamV12V]

BigMig said:

The sports seats didn’t change shape between 4.3 and 4.7, they were actually updated to the newer variant in 2007, so a lot of 4.3’s have them as well.

Yes that's correct, and the lightweight seats didn't come out until later either around 2008 ish if I recall correctly, so if the OP is looking for an entry level priced car it's going to be an early one most likely and therefore only going to have one type of seats - the earlier 4.3 sports seats.

[stevewak]

Make sure you are OK with wheel/seat/pedals/gear-lever as the gear-lever is quite a way back. A relic of auto DB9 with no central stick and engine pushed back Hence Dr Bez ‘mushroom’ leather pad.

I have not driven one for a long time but the early ones will be like that. Elbow gets crooked and bangs into sharp recess in middle. Wrist also gets a bit bent. Humorous comments welcome…

[Big Ian]

Its the 4.3 version EVR pictured that i was less comfortable with. The others look fine.
Cheers guys. One less worry

[Big Ian]

johns355 said:

I'm out Ely way and have a 4.3 manual roadster if you want to look around? Let me know?

I’ll PM you in the week. Thanks for the offer.

[Longers]

Big Ian?

Hello mate, I didn't expect to see you in the AM forum when I logged in this morning!

Big Ian said:

Hi all,
Hope you dont mind stupid questions from a TVR driver looking to grow up.

Should that be "Hope you dont mind questions from a stupid TVR driver looking to grow up?

I was going to let you know about my new car when we meet up soon but seeing as you're asking about Vantages here it is...



Bit more info here... https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

It's obviously not a Roadster but a lot of what I learned before buying will be relevant to you - which model year, types of seats, sportshift or manual, etc. I did think about a Roadster for a while but seeing as I have been able to keep my TVR and I wanted the Aston to be a very different experience, getting a coupe was an easy choice. Although the Vantage is the sportscar in the Aston range it's all relative - to me it's a sporty GT compared to the raw go kart experience of the TVR.

Some of your questions, and a lot more you will not have thought of yet, will be answered in this excellent book... https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... Printed copies are now silly money when they come up for sale but you can do what I did and download it from Amazon. £25 extremely well spent.

More than happy to share whatever info I can when we get together

Cheers,
L'rs

[EVR]

BigMig said:

The sports seats didn’t change shape between 4.3 and 4.7, they were actually updated to the newer variant in 2007, so a lot of 4.3’s have them as well.

Ah ok, learned something. I will not update my original post to leave some logic in the thread but good to know.

[paulrog1]

Longers said:

Should that be "Hope you dont mind questions from a stupid TVR driver looking to grow up?

I was going to let you know about my new car when we meet up soon but seeing as you're asking about Vantages here it is...



Bit more info here... https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

It's obviously not a Roadster but a lot of what I learned before buying will be relevant to you - which model year, types of seats, sportshift or manual, etc. I did think about a Roadster for a while but seeing as I have been able to keep my TVR and I wanted the Aston to be a very different experience, getting a coupe was an easy choice. Although the Vantage is the sportscar in the Aston range it's all relative - to me it's a sporty GT compared to the raw go kart experience of the TVR.

Some of your questions, and a lot more you will not have thought of yet, will be answered in this excellent book... https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&... Printed copies are now silly money when they come up for sale but you can do what I did and download it from Amazon. £25 extremely well spent.

More than happy to share whatever info I can when we get together

Cheers,
L'rs

Longers, when are we having the Rutland Rumble? Be good to get something arranged, thanks.

Edited by paulrog1 on Monday 5th July 11:06

[Big Ian]

longers. Fantastic news on the AM front.
Cheers for this. I feel a tad more relieved. The TVR CC is extra special and a real barrier to moving on up.
Though you know me. Die-hard roof down so roadster!
Might post the Griff for sale sooner rather than later.

[Longers]

paulrog1 said:

Longers, when are we having the Rutland Rumble? Be good to get something arranged, thanks.

Hi Paul. Waiting for the remaining restrictions to be lifted to make things easier which hopefully will be very soon...

[Longers]

Big Ian said:

longers. Fantastic news on the AM front.
Cheers for this. I feel a tad more relieved. The TVR CC is extra special and a real barrier to moving on up.
Though you know me. Die-hard roof down so roadster!
Might post the Griff for sale sooner rather than later.

Let me know when you're ready to sell the Griff. I might know someone interested in it.