Is this a good buy?

[Jappo]

Posted a few times - not a regular but started my posting career here asking about Vanquish'. BUT the car I always loved was the V8 Vantage. This is a V8 Volante sort of turned into a Vantage with an X Pack engine (@ 15K miles, now done 30K) and other stuff (HB Handling Kit, etc) but Nick Mee wants 62 and a half for it. I've seen it, it's lovely, it's got the usual electrolytic bubbling at the base of the windscreen/front wing pillars (he says 800 quid to fix for the next 3 years or so) b ut that's the only evidence I can see of deterioration. Looks exactly like a POW Vantage. Sills done by Ian Mason, but over 10 Years ago. It's really a 1979 V8 Volante which I reckon is worth 35-39Kish if it weren't for the Vantage/POW work done to it - what does anyone else out there think? Do you, in fact, care either way?

www.nicholasmee.co.uk/cardescription.php?id=257

[nda]

Jappo said:

Posted a few times - not a regular but started my posting career here asking about Vanquish'. BUT the car I always loved was the V8 Vantage. This is a V8 Volante sort of turned into a Vantage with an X Pack engine (@ 15K miles, now done 30K) and other stuff (HB Handling Kit, etc) but Nick Mee wants 62 and a half for it. I've seen it, it's lovely, it's got the usual electrolytic bubbling at the base of the windscreen/front wing pillars (he says 800 quid to fix for the next 3 years or so) b ut that's the only evidence I can see of deterioration. Looks exactly like a POW Vantage. Sills done by Ian Mason, but over 10 Years ago. It's really a 1979 V8 Volante which I reckon is worth 35-39Kish if it weren't for the Vantage/POW work done to it - what does anyone else out there think? Do you, in fact, care either way?

www.nicholasmee.co.uk/cardescription.php?id=257

I would have thought the price would be a little lower for a V8 Volante that's been converted. However it looks a nice example. V8's do cost a lot to keep on the road, so bear in mind that you will be taking on more than £62k. But they're fantastic cars....

[Jappo]

[/quote]

V8's do cost a lot to keep on the road, so bear in mind that you will be taking on more than £62k.

[/quote]

THanks nda - What's "a lot"?

[nda]

I've spent nearly £80k on mine in a couple of years, it was in great condition when I bought it, it's even better now. Eeek!

[Jappo]

OMG - surely you could completely restore one for that much!

[nda]

Hmmm. Maybe.

I've done a fair bit to it though - the main bits being:

Brakes - new servos, steel calipers, fast pads.
Unleaded conversion
Handling Kit
MSD Ignition Kit
High Ratio Starter Motor
Burr Walnut stripped and relaquered
Waxoyled chassis
Inlet cams
Aluminium radiator
Electric fan
Braided brake hoses
New powder coatings on various engine elements
LED dash light conversion
New throttle linkage
New front windscreen/rubbers - corrosion removed/respray area
New oil gauge
Replaced fuel protection cover
Sills and floor pan stripped and repaired
10,000 mile service
Ronal wheels
New mohair hood
New burgundy carpets bound in leather
Leather reconnolised
New carpet in hood well
Engine removed and stripped down - refitted oversize liners, crankshaft refitted, complete bottom end overhall and rebalance
Bulkead stripped to bare metal - resealed
New chains and tensioners
New pistons and rings
New clutch
High flow water pump
New main jets
Oil cooler
New boot reinforcing assembly frame
Rear driveshafts stripped down and cleaned.

[aston67]

Either you buy a normal Volante or a Vantage Volante (like the one I have) or a true POW

do not invest your hard earned money on someone else project because Aston values are affected to a big degree by originality

I could, for example, take off the bodykit on my VV to get exactly a POW but it would not be a true POW, ever. And I would always know that.

Buy the best Aston you can afford but get it as original as you can

For 80,000k you can get a true Vantage Volante and it will hold its value more than a "fake" POW (with all the due respect)

best

A67


PS: NDA has a Volante Vantage but it is an extremely rare car. It was a prototype for the VV and it has South African specs... a special car indeed! see below

www.astonmartins.com/v8/v8_volante_to_vantage.htm

Edited by aston67 on Thursday 8th March 17:36

[nda]

I feel better now!

[ettore]

..ouch. I keep on convincing myself that my life is incomplete without a V8 Vantage. I even work out that I could afford £50/60K to buy one. Then ,happily, someone like yourself posts information like this and I wipe the thought from my mind!

Accepting all of the work you have had done to your car, why do V8`s generally cost so much to run?

[aston67]

good! because it took ages to write it nicely

A67

[nda]

ettore said:

Accepting all of the work you have had done to your car, why do V8`s generally cost so much to run?

I think chiefly because people don't drive them enough - and therefore they get old and grumpy (like me!). Secondly, many owners want to bring them up to scratch a bit - fit improved parts and finally, it's only specialist dealers that look after them.

You probably could run one cheaply, but I reckon if you loved it, you'd want to pamper it - a little like having a mistress - Cartier watch here, Tiffany bangle there.

[ettore]

nda said:

ettore said:

Accepting all of the work you have had done to your car, why do V8`s generally cost so much to run?

I think chiefly because people don't drive them enough - and therefore they get old and grumpy (like me!). Secondly, many owners want to bring them up to scratch a bit - fit improved parts and finally, it's only specialist dealers that look after them.

You probably could run one cheaply, but I reckon if you loved it, you'd want to pamper it - a little like having a mistress - Cartier watch here, Tiffany bangle there.

I`m not sure I`d want to run one cheaply and I`m not naive as to the costs of running interesting cars (personally and through family) but still.... I remember looking on the AMOC forum once and the bills for running even "cooking" V8`s were unusually high. Is it just that the expectations of the average Aston owner are very high or is it perhaps that the average Aston specialist enjoys a decent lifestyle?

I admire your choice of cars although I think my preferred option would be an early fixed head Vantage.

[aston67]

what you want is maybe a "muscle" car like the Mustang

the Aston Martin DBS and V8s of the 70s were totally and unashemedly inspired by the Camaros... it is a fact

so you could have (ideally) a 1969 Mustang that will be cheap to run and give you a nice grin each time you put the foot down

I am considering to ADD a Mustang to my "porfolio" of cars one day

back to Aston - yes certain dealer are having breakfast with Beluga Caviar but there are more reasonable choices out there.

Nevertheless an Aston (classic or not) is going _always_ to be a tart for your wallet. No question.

The only way not to spend money is not to drive and keep the car as a garage queen

If you get one well sorted you could just have the nice servicing and the few bits and bobs to change - rust, respray, engine are all eeeeexpensive (regardless of the model)

[cardigankid]

My goodness what a risk to take. I would listen to the experts.

[AMPilot]

The Volante Vantage that Nicholas Mee has is one of a handful of original manuals and as such a rare one. An already sorted one will save you money long term.

[aston67]

it is not a "rare" one

there are several Volantes fitted with Vantage engines

the chassis must be checked because it cannot handle the higher power
The TRUE Vantage Volantes had a stronger chassis!

also fitting a Vantage engine one has RUINED the originality of the car

you want to spend money on an Aston? Get it ORIGINAL as per factory specs if you want to protect your investment!

otherwise just buy a normal Volante, slower but original and enjoy it nevertheless

[V8LM]

Unless, as you say, it's like NDA's and rather special.

[aston67]

correct

as per Tim Cottingham website these prototypes were 5 or 6 and well known

if you want Vantage power and you do not like the true Vantage Volante or cannot get the POW get a Vantage coupe and give up the idea of the convertible IMHO

good luck

A67