Just realised something...bugger!
Discussion
Well, I did something stupid. Instead of a DB7 I went and ordered a new Sagaris. Dont ask me why, I just did. No I dont know why either, Ive just been happy as a schoolboy for the last 3 weeks 
However. I just realised what I payed for it and its smack in DB7 Vantage territory.
Is the DB7V *that* much of a need to own car? Am I going to be banging my head against something very hard for passing up this chance?
Shall I sod the 7's altogether and save up some pennies to just buy a proper twin screw Vantage?
Just for the record I cant wait for the 'gris to arrive, I just cant help thinking...£55k, DB7V...bugger!
However. I just realised what I payed for it and its smack in DB7 Vantage territory.
Is the DB7V *that* much of a need to own car? Am I going to be banging my head against something very hard for passing up this chance?
Shall I sod the 7's altogether and save up some pennies to just buy a proper twin screw Vantage?
Just for the record I cant wait for the 'gris to arrive, I just cant help thinking...£55k, DB7V...bugger!
Shhhhhhhh! Don't tell everyone! 
A TVR is rawer, noisier and probably (on paper) a bit faster.
The Vantage, however, will get you just as many stares, propels you just as fast from A to B in the real world and doesn't involve a trip back to the dealer every couple of weeks to reattach trim, replace components or check out the latest rattle. You feel every bit as special in the Aston as the TVR (the quality of the materials are so much better) and for me it epitomises the Grand Tourer: conversation at 150+mph, comfort, air conditioning that works and the ability to annexe continents in an afternoon. 
I'd say they were quite different cars: choose the one that fits your requirements.
Jeremy
(TVR to Vantage convert)
A TVR is rawer, noisier and probably (on paper) a bit faster.
The Vantage, however, will get you just as many stares, propels you just as fast from A to B in the real world and doesn't involve a trip back to the dealer every couple of weeks to reattach trim, replace components or check out the latest rattle.
You feel every bit as special in the Aston as the TVR (the quality of the materials are so much better) and for me it epitomises the Grand Tourer: conversation at 150+mph, comfort, air conditioning that works and the ability to annexe continents in an afternoon. I'd say they were quite different cars: choose the one that fits your requirements.
Jeremy
(TVR to Vantage convert
) a "bit faster"?
c'mon, they are chalk and cheese. The AM wouldn't see which way the TVR went..
although it could always follow the trail of parts falling off the Sagaris.
TVR will never be Aston but isn't that the whole point? I cancelled my Typhon order to buy an AMV8 because fabulous though the Typhon will be, its not an Aston.
c'mon, they are chalk and cheese. The AM wouldn't see which way the TVR went..
although it could always follow the trail of parts falling off the Sagaris.
TVR will never be Aston but isn't that the whole point? I cancelled my Typhon order to buy an AMV8 because fabulous though the Typhon will be, its not an Aston.
I got myself a DB7 VV because it had been a dream since I was little (reg no on it is D2EAM ) and I gotta say I was very disappointed. It's quite slow, incredibly bulky to steer around, the steering wheel judders above 100 and at 120 on the motorway you have to really be on your toes if you're braking since otherwise the heavy back just slides out as the front ducks in when you nail the middle pedal. It's too slow to be a sports car but just not good enough as a GT either. I would not give it another second's thought - it is a car that you want to own purely because its a DB7 - those three letters that inspire childhood images of a supercar - the actual ownership experience does not compare!
) and I gotta say I was very disappointed. It's quite slow, incredibly bulky to steer around, the steering wheel judders above 100 and at 120 on the motorway you have to really be on your toes if you're braking since otherwise the heavy back just slides out as the front ducks in when you nail the middle pedal. It's too slow to be a sports car but just not good enough as a GT either. I would not give it another second's thought - it is a car that you want to own purely because its a DB7 - those three letters that inspire childhood images of a supercar - the actual ownership experience does not compare! 
fq400 said:
I got myself a DB7 VV because it had been a dream since I was little (reg no on it is D2EAM
I guess it is possible to get a bad example of any car; sounds like you may have needed a suspension and/or geometry check!
Certainly my experiences have been of being able to hold a civil conversation at 160+mph, and of no dramas in braking heavily from those speeds.
Oh, and the certificate those nice Gendarmes gave me recently prove the car's prowess as a GT in high speed touring.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Sunday 15th May 11:58
Twin Turbo said:
Well, it was based on the chassis of the XJS, so it's sort of understandable. Still one of the most beautiful cars on the planet though.
Your new V8 will be a totally different beasty
Definitely one of the most beautiful cars on the planet - the looks have stood the test of time amazingly, and I actually think the db9 will date quicker than the db7. I even quite like the rather Jag style back, which I think design-wise was the weakest point of the car. Can't wait for the v8's handling - I'm itching to try it on a track already
Jeremyc - I thought so too but the car's just been in for a 60k mile full service (though its only done 20k) and I had all the suspension geometry and wheel alignments checked - the head of the aston workshop took it for a test drive and signed it off as 'perfect' before it got delivered back to me.
Been driving it all day today, and the car's just wrong. The steering's floaty - while going down country lanes to keep the car straight I always have to keep a constant left-right motion on the steering wheel to stabilise the car. In the fq400 it goes straight, then when I want to turn I turn the wheel and the car turns too. In the db7 I'm constantly correcting just to stay on a straight line let alone a corner.
On a motorway everything's fine upto 100, but at 160 there's no way I could speak to anyone, or even listen to the radio. Tried it just now on the way back, at 140 needed both hands on the steering wheel trying to wrestle it around the bends. It wasn't enjoyable at all! I had it up to over 170 on the gps last summer and that was frankly terrifying
The steering must be something particular to your car. Did 300+ miles yesterday mostly on country A and B roads at high speed. My DB7 Vantage Volante never put a foot wrong. I haven't driven it for a couple of weeks and the steering was a delight (I have owned many TVR's) (My DB7 runs on 19" wheels). I should get yours checked again IMHO something must be wrong.
sherrow said:
The steering must be something particular to your car. Did 300+ miles yesterday mostly on country A and B roads at high speed. My DB7 Vantage Volante never put a foot wrong. I haven't driven it for a couple of weeks and the steering was a delight (I have owned many TVR's) (My DB7 runs on 19" wheels). I should get yours checked again IMHO something must be wrong.
Wasn't you around henley/marlow was it? I merged in behind another vantage volante..
I'll have to get it checked again, maybe at a different dealer. The brakes in particular are horrible, the car goes off the line very easily under hard braking and the steering isn't direct enough to correct it. It drives perfectly when I'm cruising, even above 100, but it's when it gets pushed close to the limit for any reason that I really start to dislike the car!
I was between Thame and Silverstone most of the weekend enjoying the Cotswolds and the sun, some of the time with two other DB7 VV's. Mines Tungsten silver. With three of us with sports exhausts we must have woken up a few villagers!
I can understand your frustration with your steering/braking, it's spoiling your enjoyment of a great car. I'm sure that you are right persist and have it checked out by another dealer. Good luck keep us posted.
I can understand your frustration with your steering/braking, it's spoiling your enjoyment of a great car. I'm sure that you are right persist and have it checked out by another dealer. Good luck keep us posted.
Sports exhaust definitely my favourite part of the car
Out of interest what rubber is yours riding on - I just checked and I have Bridgestone S-02's on the standard 18" Vantage alloys. I think the sizes are 245/40/18 front and 265/60/18 rear, though I'm not certain about these figures.
Thanks!
Out of interest what rubber is yours riding on - I just checked and I have Bridgestone S-02's on the standard 18" Vantage alloys. I think the sizes are 245/40/18 front and 265/60/18 rear, though I'm not certain about these figures.
Thanks!
twin turbo said:
FQ400 - are you sure you're running 265/60s on the back? Hopefully that was a typo and you meant 265/40s.
Would explain a few things though
Yep was a typo sorry - actually I was wrong anyway I've checked they're 265/35s on the back.
I tried a novel solution to my handling problems... witness my DBR7
Unfortunately there didn't seem to be any handling benefits and all I got was some thumbs up from the local nova crew
OBVIOUSLY JUST KIDDING - it's my friend's carbon spoiler he had on an mx-5 show car and we laid it on top of my boot to take a photo
I would never dream
of actually doing something like this to something as beautiful as the db7.los angeles said:
Nearly gave me a heart attack, Fq.
That's the desired effect
If you look really closely you can see we used black tape to tape the spoiler to a big piece of black cardboard and then wondered round sticking it on various cars seeing how it would look
Did they ever make a DBR7?
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