Discussion
I am going for it and getting the Sports Pack fitted to my 2006 V8 Vantage. I have a leaky damper and the wheels need a mild refurb thus this was the decision maker for me. I mainly use her for fast entertaining drives and occasional trackday, she is not a commuting car for me.
Does anyone have experience of 4.3 pre and post sports pack? The search function is down at the moment, I am sure this has been covered before but cannot remember the responses. I have driven a 4.7 Sports Pack and a V12V and did not find the ride much harder.
Have people bothered ebaying the old dampers and springs and wheels? Is that worthwhile?
Does anyone have experience of 4.3 pre and post sports pack? The search function is down at the moment, I am sure this has been covered before but cannot remember the responses. I have driven a 4.7 Sports Pack and a V12V and did not find the ride much harder.
Have people bothered ebaying the old dampers and springs and wheels? Is that worthwhile?
sadlerj said:
I am going for it and getting the Sports Pack fitted to my 2006 V8 Vantage. I have a leaky damper and the wheels need a mild refurb thus this was the decision maker for me. I mainly use her for fast entertaining drives and occasional trackday, she is not a commuting car for me.
Does anyone have experience of 4.3 pre and post sports pack? The search function is down at the moment, I am sure this has been covered before but cannot remember the responses. I have driven a 4.7 Sports Pack and a V12V and did not find the ride much harder.
Have people bothered ebaying the old dampers and springs and wheels? Is that worthwhile?
well your sure not going to sell your "leaky dampers" and track raced bits to anybody on this forum.......however by all accounts the sportspack is one of the better additions available for your AstonDoes anyone have experience of 4.3 pre and post sports pack? The search function is down at the moment, I am sure this has been covered before but cannot remember the responses. I have driven a 4.7 Sports Pack and a V12V and did not find the ride much harder.
Have people bothered ebaying the old dampers and springs and wheels? Is that worthwhile?
sadlerj said:
Does anyone have experience of 4.3 pre and post sports pack?
That'll be an N400 then 
If it were my money on a 4.3 I'd talk to Bamford's or Nitron about adjustable coil overs. I'd guess they will be similar price (or lower) to the sport pack dampers and completely adjustable to suit your needs (unlike the sport pack)
I'd also contemplate the same on the wheels. Look for some light weight forged ones. They will be lighter than the Sport Pack wheels and probably cheaper.
The combination of adjustable coilovers and forged alloys massively reduces the unsprung weight and dramatically improves the suspension performance and handling.
I'll be interested to see how you get on, as I find the sports pack suspension way too hard on the road.
It's very very crash and bumpy over the slower town stuff. Very good on the fast B roads and I'd assume on track - but for day to day
Must add though - that I have a feeling that my car may have springs that are harder than standard sport springs. I'm going to Bamfords tomorrow to hopefully try out a few options.
It's very very crash and bumpy over the slower town stuff. Very good on the fast B roads and I'd assume on track - but for day to day
Must add though - that I have a feeling that my car may have springs that are harder than standard sport springs. I'm going to Bamfords tomorrow to hopefully try out a few options.
mikey k said:
I'd also contemplate the same on the wheels. Look for some light weight forged ones. They will be lighter than the Sport Pack wheels and probably cheaper.
Sports pack wheels are forged, I think you'd struggle to find lighter and why move from OEM unless a deliberate attempt to make your car worth less? SP wheels are first class! They aren't common but they do come up for sale.
Interesting article, that helped make my mind up, "at speed over a challenging road" what the vantage is made for!
http://www.autocar.co.uk/www.autocar.co.uk/CarRevi...
"The N400’s suspension changes show that firmer doesn’t always mean less comfortable. While the higher rated springs mean the N400 reacts more quickly to uneven surfaces, the lighter wheels (reducing unsprung mass) and better damped tuning mean this movement is better controlled. The result that at speed over a challenging road, the N400 rides with less harshness, producing less head toss, than the standard Vantage."
http://www.autocar.co.uk/www.autocar.co.uk/CarRevi...
"The N400’s suspension changes show that firmer doesn’t always mean less comfortable. While the higher rated springs mean the N400 reacts more quickly to uneven surfaces, the lighter wheels (reducing unsprung mass) and better damped tuning mean this movement is better controlled. The result that at speed over a challenging road, the N400 rides with less harshness, producing less head toss, than the standard Vantage."
yeti said:
Sports pack wheels are forged, I think you'd struggle to find lighter and why move from OEM unless a deliberate attempt to make your car worth less? SP wheels are first class!
They aren't common but they do come up for sale.
I'll bet you I could find a lighter and cheaper set They aren't common but they do come up for sale.
Changing the alloys & dampers is only going to devalue it if you leave them on when you come to sell
I have a set of Volks CE28N's on my old supercharged S2000 that where feather light and actually sold for a profit after I used them for 2 years
About 1 year ago, I had the sports pack retrofitted as I dsiliked the way the standard car handled- despite having the geometry set up correctly.
The old springs and dampers- probably not worth much- I sold for wheels for £1K.
The sportspack did tranform the car - I did not find it to hard- only slighly more so than the standard suspension and chose the sports pack 10 spoke wheels.
Very nice wheels, until the lacquer starts commng off the diamond turned rim- as it did on mIne after only 7 months and be aware with the sports pack, the dampers cannot be bought individually- they are priced as one unit ( as a replacement part) which costs £1K.
Within the 12 month period both of my new dampers were noisy and leaking- replaced after a lot of hastle under warranty- after which I sold the car!
The kit is about £4.5 K i think and needless to say you get no more for the car when you come to sell it- the sports pack almost seems to restrict the market.
Would I do it again- NO save the money and change the car.
The old springs and dampers- probably not worth much- I sold for wheels for £1K.
The sportspack did tranform the car - I did not find it to hard- only slighly more so than the standard suspension and chose the sports pack 10 spoke wheels.
Very nice wheels, until the lacquer starts commng off the diamond turned rim- as it did on mIne after only 7 months and be aware with the sports pack, the dampers cannot be bought individually- they are priced as one unit ( as a replacement part) which costs £1K.
Within the 12 month period both of my new dampers were noisy and leaking- replaced after a lot of hastle under warranty- after which I sold the car!
The kit is about £4.5 K i think and needless to say you get no more for the car when you come to sell it- the sports pack almost seems to restrict the market.
Would I do it again- NO save the money and change the car.
Edited by 355f on Sunday 19th February 21:37
355f said:
About 1 year ago, I had the sports pack retrofitted as I dsiliked the way the standard car handled- despite having the geometry set up correctly.
The old springs and dampers- probably not worth much- I sold for wheels for £1K.
The sportspack did tranform the car - I did not find it to hard- only slighly more so than the standard suspension and chose the sports pack 10 spoke wheels.
Very nice wheels, until the lacquer starts commng off the diamond turned rim- as it did on mIne after only 7 months and be aware with the sports pack, the dampers cannot be bought individually- they are priced as one unit ( as a replacement part) which costs £1K.
Within the 12 month period both of my new dampers were noisy and leaking- replaced after a lot of hastle under warranty- after which I sold the car!
The kit is about £4.5 K i think and needless to say you get no more for the car when you come to sell it- the sports pack almost seems to restrict the market.
Would I do it again- NO save the money and change the car.
Good adviseThe old springs and dampers- probably not worth much- I sold for wheels for £1K.
The sportspack did tranform the car - I did not find it to hard- only slighly more so than the standard suspension and chose the sports pack 10 spoke wheels.
Very nice wheels, until the lacquer starts commng off the diamond turned rim- as it did on mIne after only 7 months and be aware with the sports pack, the dampers cannot be bought individually- they are priced as one unit ( as a replacement part) which costs £1K.
Within the 12 month period both of my new dampers were noisy and leaking- replaced after a lot of hastle under warranty- after which I sold the car!
The kit is about £4.5 K i think and needless to say you get no more for the car when you come to sell it- the sports pack almost seems to restrict the market.
Would I do it again- NO save the money and change the car.
Edited by 355f on Sunday 19th February 21:37
Well it's on and she is back, the boys at Harwoods did a great job. Managed an early evening blat round my local test route and I am very pleased. Feels much more sorted, sharper steering, gripper and more controlled, infact it feels like a new car. ....oh and those wheels are beautiful...
Ps sorry about the quality only had my iPhone on me.
Ps sorry about the quality only had my iPhone on me.
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