My Quest: Six cars in six years
Discussion
Lovely motor 
I’ve had mine nearly exactly a year now (same age/spec apart from colour) and it was only ever meant to be an “experience for a year then move it on” car….. but I’ve rather fallen fall it and it’s still there on the drive ready for another summer of bombing around
Pretty much nothing on four wheels from the last few decades looks as good.
Enjoy
I’ve had mine nearly exactly a year now (same age/spec apart from colour) and it was only ever meant to be an “experience for a year then move it on” car….. but I’ve rather fallen fall it and it’s still there on the drive ready for another summer of bombing around
Pretty much nothing on four wheels from the last few decades looks as good.
Enjoy
Krhuangbin said:
Lovely motor
I’ve had mine nearly exactly a year now (same age/spec apart from colour) and it was only ever meant to be an “experience for a year then move it on” car….. but I’ve rather fallen fall it and it’s still there on the drive ready for another summer of bombing around
Pretty much nothing on four wheels from the last few decades looks as good.
Enjoy
I can see why, they are very very nice cars indeed. I'm feeling rather satisfied with my little fleet at the minute I have to admit.I’ve had mine nearly exactly a year now (same age/spec apart from colour) and it was only ever meant to be an “experience for a year then move it on” car….. but I’ve rather fallen fall it and it’s still there on the drive ready for another summer of bombing around
Pretty much nothing on four wheels from the last few decades looks as good.
Enjoy
Terminator X said:
Great idea and great thread.
TX.
Thanks TX!TX.
Update
In order to get my personal number plate added to the car I drove up to Aston Martin Leeds to get some new plates made up. Unfortunately I made an error and ordered the larger rear plate, designed for the original Vantage. When asked if I had the "old shape or new shape", I thought he meant the current run of cars so said "old shape". So I'll head back over this weekend I think and get another one made up.
Whilst I was there I asked if they might be able to tell me anything about the cars history, as the previous owner had the last service done there. GDPR meant that they couldn't disclose what had been done, but they advised that a significant sum had been spent on keeping the car well maintained and that it wanted for nothing by its previous owner. Nothing nefarious, just wear and tear items that had been refreshed. Marvellous! I thought I might write to the previous owner and see if he'd be willing to share what he had done?
Gave it a bath, as it looked embarrassingly unloved when parked at the Aston dealers, next to all the shiny metal!
My cars last service was completed in April 2021, and me being all out of sorts with my years I thought it was due this coming April - but of course its actually 9 months overdue on timing, being an annual service requirement - albeit it has only done 7,000 miles since the last one so I'm not too concerned and it'll be done annually for at least as long as I have it.
I've booked it in with my local independent mechanic instead and see how he gets on with it. I was considering having the service done at the main dealer, but at a fiver under a grand, it felt a bit much for an oil, coolant and brake fluid change - the incentive being to get on the books with them. I'll see how that price compares to my mechanic when he completes the work and go from there, but I suspect it'll be around half that.
Purchased the Aston Martin Driver magazine today, because... you know... I'm now an Aston Martin driver.
Also purchased a mag about the Pharaohs because I find ancient Egypt properly fascinating. I'll keep you updated!
The Vantage was (over)due a service, so I took it to my trusted mechanic who I have used for more than a decade. As well as being Porsche and Ferrari specialists they deal with other brands as well, including Astons. He ordered the appropriate service kit and got busy last week.
Whilst up on the ramps, he had a good look around, inside and out and couldn't find anything to be concerned with - so that's good news.
Service completed, at around one third of the price of the official Aston dealer, a quick clean and we are now ready for the spring! Happy days!! I have to say, for the first time that I can remember I do feel completely satisfied with my cars and no current desire to change at all. This may cause issues with my 6 year plan.
It is of course still early days, but I think the Vantage really does look fantastic parked up in my garage. It makes me very happy.
Whilst up on the ramps, he had a good look around, inside and out and couldn't find anything to be concerned with - so that's good news.
Service completed, at around one third of the price of the official Aston dealer, a quick clean and we are now ready for the spring! Happy days!! I have to say, for the first time that I can remember I do feel completely satisfied with my cars and no current desire to change at all. This may cause issues with my 6 year plan.
It is of course still early days, but I think the Vantage really does look fantastic parked up in my garage. It makes me very happy. Edited by Cloudy147 on Thursday 30th March 23:43
As a couple of people have already said, a twin plate clutch upgrade is a no brainer, even more so, if you're replacing the clutch anyway.
200 cell cats and a remap also makes a considerable difference. Although that will make the exhaust a bit louder.
I'm 6'4" and once you get the seat position right, you just need to work on getting in and out with some grace and dignity!
200 cell cats and a remap also makes a considerable difference. Although that will make the exhaust a bit louder.
I'm 6'4" and once you get the seat position right, you just need to work on getting in and out with some grace and dignity!
Cloudy147,
Well the good news is that once you start getting older (post 50) you'll start shrinking and will fit better in your car. I speak from experience. Back in my "youth" I was nearly 6'-3" in height and sitting in my 1972 De Tomaso Pantera meant having my head hit the roof at all times. And when I took it to the track with a helmet on, my head was at a 45* angle in order to accommodate the helmet. It made for a lot of stiff necks at the end of a weekend. Now that I've just turned 70 years of age a couple of weeks ago, I have shrunk nearly 4" and finally after 27 years of ownership, I'm very comfortable inside the Pantera. I've finally "grown" into my Pantera and making up for lost time.
Well the good news is that once you start getting older (post 50) you'll start shrinking and will fit better in your car. I speak from experience. Back in my "youth" I was nearly 6'-3" in height and sitting in my 1972 De Tomaso Pantera meant having my head hit the roof at all times. And when I took it to the track with a helmet on, my head was at a 45* angle in order to accommodate the helmet. It made for a lot of stiff necks at the end of a weekend. Now that I've just turned 70 years of age a couple of weeks ago, I have shrunk nearly 4" and finally after 27 years of ownership, I'm very comfortable inside the Pantera. I've finally "grown" into my Pantera and making up for lost time.
tberg said:
Cloudy147,
Well the good news is that once you start getting older (post 50) you'll start shrinking and will fit better in your car. I speak from experience. Back in my "youth" I was nearly 6'-3" in height and sitting in my 1972 De Tomaso Pantera meant having my head hit the roof at all times. And when I took it to the track with a helmet on, my head was at a 45* angle in order to accommodate the helmet. It made for a lot of stiff necks at the end of a weekend. Now that I've just turned 70 years of age a couple of weeks ago, I have shrunk nearly 4" and finally after 27 years of ownership, I'm very comfortable inside the Pantera. I've finally "grown" into my Pantera and making up for lost time.
haha, I'd never thought of that tberg, what a great way to look at it! I look forward to getting shorter and finally fitting in sports cars properly too! Well the good news is that once you start getting older (post 50) you'll start shrinking and will fit better in your car. I speak from experience. Back in my "youth" I was nearly 6'-3" in height and sitting in my 1972 De Tomaso Pantera meant having my head hit the roof at all times. And when I took it to the track with a helmet on, my head was at a 45* angle in order to accommodate the helmet. It made for a lot of stiff necks at the end of a weekend. Now that I've just turned 70 years of age a couple of weeks ago, I have shrunk nearly 4" and finally after 27 years of ownership, I'm very comfortable inside the Pantera. I've finally "grown" into my Pantera and making up for lost time.
Your Pantera looks awesome, glad you are making the most of it!!
43034 said:
Great thread, dare I ask how much you parted with? Feel free to tell me to eff off, of course.
I'm in the market for a V8V myself but having trouble finding 'the one'!
Hi 43034, I don't mind sharing - I paid £21,500 for the car, and £340 for the service (including break fluid change). The market does seem quite limited at the minute, particularly if you are a discerning buyer wanting a specific spec. My requirements were black with silver wheels and the standard black dashboard (rather than the painted/piano style) in the original 4.3 shape - and ideally the cheaper tax bracket I'm in the market for a V8V myself but having trouble finding 'the one'!
. So although not mega precise, in these limited run cars I think being specific like me can make things tricky - and if you then want something near-perfect, or have high expectations of a previous owner, it limits the opportunities significantly. This one came up as the right spec, at the right time, for the right price and with a decent history. There are a few cosmetic things that are best their best, and I'm sure if I had an inspection done on it I'd be immediately scared off
But, I took a chance and purchased anyway - so far, so good! Good luck with your search!
What spec are you looking for?Cloudy147 said:
Hi 43034, I don't mind sharing - I paid £21,500 for the car, and £340 for the service (including break fluid change). The market does seem quite limited at the minute, particularly if you are a discerning buyer wanting a specific spec. My requirements were black with silver wheels and the standard black dashboard (rather than the painted/piano style) in the original 4.3 shape - and ideally the cheaper tax bracket .
So although not mega precise, in these limited run cars I think being specific like me can make things tricky - and if you then want something near-perfect, or have high expectations of a previous owner, it limits the opportunities significantly. This one came up as the right spec, at the right time, for the right price and with a decent history. There are a few cosmetic things that are best their best, and I'm sure if I had an inspection done on it I'd be immediately scared off But, I took a chance and purchased anyway - so far, so good!
Good luck with your search! What spec are you looking for?
Thanks for the reply! I think thats very fair considering Miles Vs History, clear rear lights look great. . So although not mega precise, in these limited run cars I think being specific like me can make things tricky - and if you then want something near-perfect, or have high expectations of a previous owner, it limits the opportunities significantly. This one came up as the right spec, at the right time, for the right price and with a decent history. There are a few cosmetic things that are best their best, and I'm sure if I had an inspection done on it I'd be immediately scared off
But, I took a chance and purchased anyway - so far, so good! Good luck with your search!
What spec are you looking for?Personally, colour doesn't bother me but I wanted one with good history, recent clutch and lower mileage than yours (& perhaps the biggest ask, to be realistically priced, which I think a lot aren't and the fact they hang around for ages backs this up). And as luck would have it, i;m off to view / collect one tomorrow! Very excited.
How are you finding the performance? Any thoughts about the Fuse22 mod?
P.S, glad you managed to fit, i'm only 6ft but have never sat it one, glad to hear i'll no doubt make it work!
43034 said:
Thanks for the reply! I think thats very fair considering Miles Vs History, clear rear lights look great.
Personally, colour doesn't bother me but I wanted one with good history, recent clutch and lower mileage than yours (& perhaps the biggest ask, to be realistically priced, which I think a lot aren't and the fact they hang around for ages backs this up). And as luck would have it, i;m off to view / collect one tomorrow! Very excited.
How are you finding the performance? Any thoughts about the Fuse22 mod?
P.S, glad you managed to fit, i'm only 6ft but have never sat it one, glad to hear i'll no doubt make it work!
Excellent, good luck hope it ticks all the boxes for you, let us know how you get on!Personally, colour doesn't bother me but I wanted one with good history, recent clutch and lower mileage than yours (& perhaps the biggest ask, to be realistically priced, which I think a lot aren't and the fact they hang around for ages backs this up). And as luck would have it, i;m off to view / collect one tomorrow! Very excited.
How are you finding the performance? Any thoughts about the Fuse22 mod?
P.S, glad you managed to fit, i'm only 6ft but have never sat it one, glad to hear i'll no doubt make it work!
Fuse 22, not done it as yet, still on the to do list
Performance is decent, im happy with it - but it depends what you are coming from I guess. No complaints here, but I’m not a speed demon so it’s all subjective I suppose.
Congrats on the Aston, it's a beautiful car and it sounds like you got it at a good price.
I am in a similar boat to you in that I have a wish list of cars I would like to get through. I am thinking of putting some money aside to buy the first car on this wish list and swap it for the next car on the list each year. What's your plan to get through the cars, are you looking for good deals so you dont lose too much money over the course of the project?
I am in a similar boat to you in that I have a wish list of cars I would like to get through. I am thinking of putting some money aside to buy the first car on this wish list and swap it for the next car on the list each year. What's your plan to get through the cars, are you looking for good deals so you dont lose too much money over the course of the project?
Mrinsignia said:
Congrats on the Aston, it's a beautiful car and it sounds like you got it at a good price.
I am in a similar boat to you in that I have a wish list of cars I would like to get through. I am thinking of putting some money aside to buy the first car on this wish list and swap it for the next car on the list each year. What's your plan to get through the cars, are you looking for good deals so you dont lose too much money over the course of the project?
Thank you, Mr Insignia!I am in a similar boat to you in that I have a wish list of cars I would like to get through. I am thinking of putting some money aside to buy the first car on this wish list and swap it for the next car on the list each year. What's your plan to get through the cars, are you looking for good deals so you dont lose too much money over the course of the project?
My plan is similar in that I intend to use the funds from one car to help fund the next one. With regards the plan, I tend to look at cars at the cheaper end of the market, usually higher miles but with strong service history. The reason being that miles don’t bother me as long as it has been looked after and priced accordingly as most of the cars on my list are miles sensitive. I’ve found that if a car is used regularly and also looked after, it tends to be less maintenance than one which has hardly been used. I also want to use the cars daily when I choose without worrying about a stone chip here, or getting it wet etc. I like to use my cars and make sure they are looked after mechanically.
High miles also means cheaper end of the market, which usually is easier to sell on, and being cheaper less of a financial risk.
My Boxster I owned for a year and was largely fault free, and sold for more than I bought it for. It had 110,000 miles on it and had the most comprehensively documented history I’ve ever seen!
Screenwash said:
Lovely looking car.
Bit surprised that the dealership hadn’t serviced it prior to sale, considering that it was well overdue?
Still, win-win I guess. Kept the price low and you’re happy!
Thanks, yes there was a mix up all round with this. It was last serviced in April 2021, and I purchased in December 2022, 8,000 miles since last service. The dealer agreed to do a service as part of the deal but couldn’t get the parts in time for my collection. This sounds odd, I thought he’d just totally forgot as he did all the other jobs I wanted doing, but I think it was true as my own indi took a while to get them too. But I’m sure the dealer also said something along the lines of “but it’s ok as it was only serviced in April anyway”. And weirdly, I thought the same which is why I wasn’t that bothered (the service was just something he offered after we agreed the sale as a bit of a happy Christmas thing, it wasn’t part of the negotiation deal).Bit surprised that the dealership hadn’t serviced it prior to sale, considering that it was well overdue?
Still, win-win I guess. Kept the price low and you’re happy!
So either we both got our years totally wrong, or there is a piece of paper which I’ve misplaced that shows an extra service.
But regardless, although almost two years for this interval by the time I’d got it done, it was still only 8,000 miles between them. Indi has given it a clean bill of health so I’m not too concerned. For as long as I keep it, it’ll be done annually now.
Cloudy147 said:
Excellent, good luck hope it ticks all the boxes for you, let us know how you get on!
Well I got it, and I f
king adore it. Can't stop staring at it and finding excuses to drive it. I bought it in the hope i'd use it more than my TVR. It's much more refined and was utterly silent at 3 figures on the drive home. But can still be a brute when needed!
34k with an AMR clutch at 29k.
43034 said:
Well I got it, and I fking adore it. Can't stop staring at it and finding excuses to drive it.
I bought it in the hope i'd use it more than my TVR. It's much more refined and was utterly silent at 3 figures on the drive home. But can still be a brute when needed!
34k with an AMR clutch at 29k.
Congrats!! That looks great, glad you managed to find one! Welcome to the club king adore it. Can't stop staring at it and finding excuses to drive it. I bought it in the hope i'd use it more than my TVR. It's much more refined and was utterly silent at 3 figures on the drive home. But can still be a brute when needed!
34k with an AMR clutch at 29k.
Cloudy147,
I really appreciate your attitude toward higher mileage models of cars you like. I bought my 2010 XKR over 10 years ago with about 70,000 miles on it. This past week I passed 199,000 miles. The car has been pulleyed and tuned to about 600hp, has been tracked many dozens of times, has been supremely reliable, and is still so enjoyable to drive everyday as my daily driver that I can't think of getting rid of it for anything else. A car that's been driven and properly maintained is much more likely to provide a good ownership experience than one that rarely leaves the garage. Congratulations, again, on your beautiful new Aston.
I really appreciate your attitude toward higher mileage models of cars you like. I bought my 2010 XKR over 10 years ago with about 70,000 miles on it. This past week I passed 199,000 miles. The car has been pulleyed and tuned to about 600hp, has been tracked many dozens of times, has been supremely reliable, and is still so enjoyable to drive everyday as my daily driver that I can't think of getting rid of it for anything else. A car that's been driven and properly maintained is much more likely to provide a good ownership experience than one that rarely leaves the garage. Congratulations, again, on your beautiful new Aston.
IainWhy said:
Calinours said:
The AM transaxle clutch replacement is not so straightforward. Not just undertrays and all the exhausts and their heatshields, the entire rear transaxle has to come out, then torque tubes and carbon fibre propshaft...
To to the job once, and properly, the massively better V12 twin plate clutch and lighter flywheel assembly should go in, this itself will require some mechanical tweaks, and a reflash of the ASM control software if a sportshift. Not for the fainthearted!
In a recent AMOC Q&A on the Vantage, Peter Martin, a Scottish independent Specialist covers this topic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSkWG0UMDro - Clutches from 11:00 onwards. He specifically comments on the twin-plate at 15:30.
Bamford Rose are one of the top UK AM independents - here the proprietor Mike talks about the twin-plate clutch, its origins, why the V8V has a single plate (as opposed to the V12's rwin plate) and fitting a twin plate to a SportShift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfqHrr4A2Qk - clutches bit starts at 5:30 until 15:30.
Its not a difficult job provided you can manage the weight of the transaxle as they are heavy and the removal of the manifold goes reasonable smoothly. You get decent access to the manifold by removing the arch liner but its still a bit of a faff. other than those two things there is nothing inherently complex about the job.To to the job once, and properly, the massively better V12 twin plate clutch and lighter flywheel assembly should go in, this itself will require some mechanical tweaks, and a reflash of the ASM control software if a sportshift. Not for the fainthearted!
In a recent AMOC Q&A on the Vantage, Peter Martin, a Scottish independent Specialist covers this topic
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSkWG0UMDro - Clutches from 11:00 onwards. He specifically comments on the twin-plate at 15:30.
Bamford Rose are one of the top UK AM independents - here the proprietor Mike talks about the twin-plate clutch, its origins, why the V8V has a single plate (as opposed to the V12's rwin plate) and fitting a twin plate to a SportShift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfqHrr4A2Qk - clutches bit starts at 5:30 until 15:30.
BR make a meal out of everything because its good for their business model
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