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Thread: Aston V8 Vantage?

  1. #11
    SEC Member red5's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    Do it, I paid that for a Ford Focus!

    The Focus is probably faster, more reliable, cheaper to service, cheaper to run, more practical etc...but hey that's an Aston.. get it bought, you only live once.

  2. #12
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    If you buy it, don't forget to factor in the extra costs they don't tell you about...having to buy and always wear sharp suits, drink martinis (shaken not stirred), carry a gun, and have a garage full of guys making you weird gadgets. Oh, and then there's the cost of the inevitable divorce when 'Er Indoors finds out you've been knocking off dolly birds all over the world. Actually, yeah, forgot about the international travel costs. And you might be unaccountably away from home for extended periods when power-crazed megalomaniacs kidnap you. So actually....you might be better off giving it a miss...

  3. #13
    SEC Member LPH_UK's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    To me it's one of the most beautiful cars ever, the proportions are spot on. And it sounds .

    The specialists told me the build quality on them is on a par with Lotus and TVR - which is not a good thing! But I reckon they can't be that bad!.It's the parts prices for non-consumables that worries me.

    You Focus will be faster, of that I have no doubt!

    Oh and you lot really aren't helping my bank balance with all your comments!
    Last edited by LPH_UK; 24-01-2019 at 13:49.

  4. #14
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    Oh, and Nick - you're wrong....you only live twice, hahaha!

  5. #15
    SEC Member red5's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    Quote Originally Posted by Normb666 View Post
    If you buy it, don't forget to factor in the extra costs they don't tell you about...having to buy and always wear sharp suits, drink martinis (shaken not stirred), carry a gun, and have a garage full of guys making you weird gadgets. Oh, and then there's the cost of the inevitable divorce when 'Er Indoors finds out you've been knocking off dolly birds all over the world. Actually, yeah, forgot about the international travel costs. And you might be unaccountably away from home for extended periods when power-crazed megalomaniacs kidnap you. So actually....you might be better off giving it a miss...
    And the negative points are? Im buying it if Leigh doesn't!!

  6. #16
    SEC Member renmure's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I had one for 3 years and had a fabulous experience. I even sold it for within £500 of what I paid for it. I wasn't really "into" Aston as a brand but my mate bought one and when I saw it I thought it looked and sounded awesome so by the end of the following week I had a fairly identical one in tungsten metallic. First thing I did was to fit sports cats... the sound really is glorious!!

    The "... ah, but..." warning is that whilst mine cost nothing to run other than servicing, my mates identical 08 plate car cost a small fortune. He spent £1000s keeping on top of the sort of niggly things that needed doing and finding that everything from Aston cost an arm and a leg. £300 here, £800 there, another £500 for something else then you find a replacement rear light is pushing £1k fitted. Hand build cars are ace.... till they're not. The reputation for needing paint around door handles and the like is well known and doing that properly becomes, surprise surprise.. expensive again.

    They are an event to drive tho. Everyone on the road loves them so that part of the ownership experience is good. They are heavy so aren't ever going to be rapid, particularly around bends, but it's not really the point. I never bettered 18 mpg in mine. My mate still has his and still enjoys it. He's got a few other cars and I sort of agree with him when he says there are days when really an Aston is the perfect car.

  7. #17
    SEC Member LPH_UK's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    They do seem to be holding up well on price and I think they are the sort of car that will reach a natural minimum and never depreciate any more. As they are an old school V8 with a very analogue' driving feel they may well start to appreciate in the future. These sorts of cars just don't exist anymore. Sure there are faster, more reliable things but they are all a bit clinical.

    You here all sorts of stories about stuff breaking and there is an argument to say those that sit and don;t get used go wrong more than those that are regularly used. The one I'm looking at did less than 1000 miles a year over the first 10 years but in the last 2 he's put another 8k on it. So I'm hoping that would have brought any niggles to the surface!

    £2200 a year for an Aston Warranty would pay for itself if you had a major issue, but apparently they don't cover lots of common issues anyway so you are better off banking the cash and building up a 'repair' fund just in case. Chances are you'll still have the money at the end of each year. Servicing isn't too bad especially at a specialist. Pads and disks are cheap if you source Brembo and Pagid stuff from normal car parts places. Full set of tyres (which this car has just had) is £800ish, again not silly.

    Lots of second hand bits around now too. If you go to the dealer the whole time fr any issues I can see the costs racking up very quickly. I saw a video recently where they were talking about prices on Astons and what a rip-off the 'luxury' car makes are. One example, Ferrari 599 fuel pump $2700 from the dealer. Exact same part is used in the Ford F150 pickup @ $150........

    It has a sports back box but I've already been looking at manifolds and CATs as this can release a big lump of power.

    Of there is always this option http://gmr-uk.co.uk/product/gmr600-s...allation-4-3l/ I mean who wouldn't want 580 hp!

  8. #18
    SEC Member renmure's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    There's an informative thread on PH from a guy running a V8V alongside some other cars including an F360 Spider and 996 Turbo. (It's not me, but bizarrely I had the same cars, along with a few others, alongside my V8V)

    https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...&t=1500210&i=0

    Yup, you can run them on the cheap, relatively speaking, but having money stuffed down the sofa for a rainy day would be wise.

  9. #19
    SEC Member Stratos Fear's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    If you go to the dealer the whole time fr any issues I can see the costs racking up very quickly.
    I got fed up with being shafted by Main Dealers for both BMW and Land Rover in the last few years and after the 3 -year "free" servicing has run out I always now head for the specialist marque garages. The labour costs are literally half price - £75 vs £150 per hour - (or maybe even more now for the main dealers) - so your AM experience shouldnt be much more painful than for a high volume car.

    Go for it - and Good Luck !

  10. #20
    SEC Member LPH_UK's Avatar
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    Re: Aston V8 Vantage?

    The inspection happened today. WIill get the full details tomorrow but had a quick chat with the guy from the specialist this eve.

    Mechanically no issues apart from the clutch biting bit high. It's worn but shows no evidence of slipping at the moment.

    Everything else is cosmetic. Couple small leather scuffs that I saw, bumper scuff (again I picked that up) and 2 scuffed wheels which I had spotted. One thing I thought I'd seen was confirmed and that was the paint bubbling around the driver's door.

    The only thing I hand;t spotted was a frayed seat belt. They said they car sort that without replacement. An AM belt is £500! Mind you I reckon you could get new webbing fitted for a lot less once the belt was removed.

    It is also due a service and an MOT in the next month.

    Still interested in it. What do I offer?

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