Vantage V8 Wheels

[andydg]

2 year old Vantage that I have owned from new, had a Works Service and asked them to investigate a tremor through the steering at high speed. Diagnosed as all 4 wheels distorted, thought to be pot holes but the tyres all in good condition which is a little surprising if the impacts were sufficient to distort the wheels. Eventually just one had to be replaced to cure the problem, nonetheless they were all taken off and declared distorted. Leaves me wondering just what soft material these are made of? Granted the roads are full of pot holes but it does less than 5K/Yr and very little since the conditions that ruined the roads. Anyone else had a similar experience?

[Speedraser]

I just scheduled an appointment with my dealer because I'm getting a vibration/tremor through the steering wheel. The car is a MY09 V8V, which I bought new in November. It has only 1300 miles, and while I thought I had noticed the problem before, here in the US there are few opportunities local to my home to drive it at 80 or more except briefly. Most of the early mileage has been on smaller, lower speed back roads. It wasn't until I drove it a few hundred miles over very smooth roads last weekend that I could be sure it wasn't just the road surface.

The imbalance must affect both front wheels because the tremor increases/decreases as I go through a gradual curve and the relationship between the front wheels changes -- it varies from quite noticeable (if I let go of the steering wheel I can clearly see the tremor in the wheel rim) to perfectly smooth. I am hoping it is simply a balancing issue (even though it should have been properly balanced at the factory). I know I haven't slammed into any potholes or anything else that would have bent a road wheel (the 5-spoke forged Sports Pack wheels).

By the way, aside from this small annoyance, the car is utterly wonderful.

[andydg]

Interesting to hear what the diagnosis of your problem is. Likewise I am a great fan of the car although I have to say I find the number of faults somewhat unacceptable, in the 2 years of ownership and 9000m have had 2 shock absorbers replaced, gear box oil leak, engine oil leak, drivers window mis-alignment, petrol cap replacement twice (on the roadster they fail to release sometimes) and more ....and I previously had the hard top which had a similar list of issues. Nonetheless the fact that I exchanged the coupe for the roadster does indicate how much I like them!... just a bit frustrating that the niggle level is so high
.

[vantager]

Recently I had the same issue and Lepsons (Gillingham) fixed it for £35+VAT. It was a bent right rear wheel (didnt recall/feel how it happened). They fix them by hand, and said the Aston wheels are 'soft', and so easier to fix. They told me the same company that makes Aston wheels makes the ones you buy in Halfords! (I think they said Rimstock). Anyway, by contrast, Lepsons said they'd had lots of bent Jag wheels (pot holes) in lately but could not fix them as they were 'hard' versus 'soft'.

[Speedraser]

Andy,

Glad to hear you like the car enough to get another even with the problems you had (of course, I'm not happy to hear you've had problems). What year is your Roadster?

For me, it's early days still at 5 months and 1300 miles, but so far the wheel imbalance is the only "problem" I've had. To be honest, the imbalance isn't that bad, but it shouldn't be there at all, of course.

[andydg]

Now that is annoying to here that you had a wheel fixed Works Service insisted this would not work and hence I had to buy a new one at a little under £400... as opposed to your £35 fix!! I'll keep them in mind for next time it happens.

Separately in answer to question it was one of the last 4.3s I bought it new in March 08.