Aston V8 Vantage help

[Porsche GT3]

Hey guys,

I am thinking of buying a V8 Vantage as an extra car and have a few questions (know more about Porsches). I have looked at a few late 06 cars with low mileage, but I read that a few things have changed on the 07 cars, not sure what though. Not that many extra options I understand on the V8 Vantage, but what are the "must haves"? Anything else to look out for?
Thanks!

[Murph7355]

07 cars have:

- different seats (look nicer IMO, but about the same comfort wise. I prefer the 07 seats). Electric buttons to release the seat backs which is handy as the lever on 06 cars is a pain.
- LEDs in the door handles. Unlock the car and they light up (very cool. Quite handy).
- a few extra options. Principally bluetooth (for most phones) and memory seats.

I think that was mostly it. However I think the little differences are worth having.

In terms of options, 19" wheels are a must.

Dealers will tell you satnav is (despite the system being crap).

If I were you, for everything else I'd figure out what options you'd like to see on the car and look for a car suitably equipped. And when comparing cars, make sure you understand the original list price so you can get a feel for general "value". If you want the options list with prices, drop me an email with your mail address and I'll send it to you. It's not 100% complete, but most of the key stuff is on there.

[razbox]

Murph7355 said:

Dealers will tell you satnav is [a must] (despite the system being crap).

Agree. I was also told that xenons were too

Edited by razbox on Tuesday 10th April 00:27

[deakon]

Very early 2006's had some electrical issues (earth ground, door module, taillight staying on), these were all fixed on the 2007. The steering was improved somewhat on the 2007's but there is an even bigger improvement on the Roadsters and 2008 coupes. The 2007 has some new options; 2 stage heated seats, memory seat driver and passenger, quick release for the seatbacks, auto dimming mirror and GDO, Pirelli Rosso Corsa's. The sat nav sucks, don't get it if you don't want it. Some folks have had trouble with the Blutooth. Must have's are 19 inch wheels, xenon's and get the front mudflaps. The other great option is the premium sound system.

/Users/robertdeakon/Desktop/AMV8 frontlow.jpg

[sadlerj]

Personally I find the 07 seats not as grippy and as snug as the 05/06 seats. I feel they are in response to the need for larger frames, and larger bottoms. I am quite large myself and find the 06 seats grip me very well when I am pressing-on but not at all uncomfortable. But the access button rather than the hidden switch is useful if you access behind the seats a lot (I don't). Forget the Satnav, surely people with the cash to buy an Aston either know where they are going or can read a map to sniff out the best a and b road to get where you are going, it is useless, it rattles and it makes a horrible cutout in the dash. 19", Xenons and premium sound are a must in my eyes, all the others are garnish.

Edited by sadlerj on Tuesday 10th April 08:48

[:J:]

sadlerj said:

Personally I find the 07 seats not as grippy and as snug as the 05/06 seats.

I would have to agree with that, I was getting thrown about all over the place

[Porsche GT3]

Thank guys! Looked at a 07 model and really liked the car! After reading the replies on here I realised that it must be a 07 car with all the upgrades.

[bad company]

What's wrong with the satnav???

[Pugsey]

bad company said:

What's wrong with the satnav???

IMO very little. The controls ARE a little fiddly but other than that mine worked as well as any other I've experienced - Porsche and BMW. It's actually a Vovo unit btw. As for people who say 'read a map' - try doing that if you're trying to make 'good progress' on strange B roads at night or across a busy city. Satnav is much easier! Lack of Satnav will make the car awkward to sell on too.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 16th April 15:03

[Murph7355]

bad company said:

What's wrong with the satnav???

1) You can't add bulk POIs easily. In fact you can't add your own easily full stop. So forget speed camera warnings.
2) Adding stored locations is a pain (how the fernandes do you rename one?). In fact, doing most things is a pain as the interface is far from intuitive.
3) It's directions are crap. It took me 2 miles down the road after a roundabout on one trip, only to come back on myself and go off at a different exit on the same roundabout!
4) It's not easy to get a text version (or full map version for that matter) of your route up (so you can see before hand if it's talking cobblers and do something about it).
5)It cannot do full postcode searches. Very poor, bearing in mind how much area can be covered by the bit it does allow you to search on.
6) It's slow.
7) The speech is poor in relation to the actual direction needed.
8) The view of the maps is very poor - no 3d option.
9) There's no traffic info linking with it. I never used these much on the TomTom, but they are getting better/more useful.
10) The controls are fiddly.

On the plus side, it looks cool sliding out of the dash.

I became a very sceptical TomTom user a few years ago. But love that system now and wouldn't be without it. Has its faults, but is easy to use and has recovered me from scrapes on numerous occasions (speed camera warning, petrol station location in France, finding remote places in France and here etc).

If I were to score a TomTom out of 10, I'd give them an 8.

The Volvo system would be lucky to get 2 if I were feeling very generous. And 1.75 of those are for the way it pops out of the dash.

[sadlerj]

Tom Tom £200, Vantage system £1700, map and sense of direction £10.

[bogie]

and probably loss on resale > £1700 or much harder to shift these days

whether the built in satnav is pants or not (its not a patch on the system I have in my Audi, with TMC etc or my TomTom) its one of those things that buyers expect to have in an expensive car......

[Pugsey]

sadlerj said:

Tom Tom £200, Vantage system £1700, map and sense of direction £10.

Can't argue re Tom Tom v AM system price wise - although I'm not keen on the idea of Halfordesque add ons strewn around my Aston's cabin - however, as has been said, rightly or wrongly, a car specced without satnav WILL be hard to shift. As far as the map goes try making good time on unknown minor French roads after dark while looking down at a map on your lap or as I've already said dicing with traffic through a busy city trying to read an A to Z. No thanks.

Edited by Pugsey on Monday 16th April 17:06

[Murph7355]

coyft said:

The satnav is terrible in the Aston, everything about it annoys me, especially the womens voice.

Thought that was just me. I use the bloke's voice.

11) Only two voices, and you can't have Star Wars voices, Ozzie Osborne or any others.

[sadlerj]

Pugsey said:

sadlerj said:

Tom Tom £200, Vantage system £1700, map and sense of direction £10.

Can't argue re Tom Tom v AM system price wise - although I'm not keen on the idea of Halfordesque add ons strewn around my Aston's cabin - however, as has been said, rightly or wrongly, a car specced without satnav WILL be hard to shift. As far as the map goes try making good time on unknown minor French roads after dark while looking down at a map on your lap or as I've already said dicing with traffic through a busy city trying to read an A to Z. No thanks.

Each to their own I suppose, I find finding my own way part of the fun, esp on Minor French Roads, and you mean to tell me that Sat Navs work in Cities, with their changing 1 way systems, personally I find them rubbish and a menace to other road users who know where they are going! As for resale, when my daughter sells my Aston after I have gone then she may get a few quid less for it...in 50 or so years...but seriously I have always seen my Aston as a long term purhcase and not for resale, so when I finally part with her I am sure there will be something far better than Sat Nav to help the lost generation.

Edited by sadlerj on Tuesday 17th April 11:04

[Pugsey]

sadlerj said:

Pugsey said:

sadlerj said:

Tom Tom £200, Vantage system £1700, map and sense of direction £10.

Can't argue re Tom Tom v AM system price wise - although I'm not keen on the idea of Halfordesque add ons strewn around my Aston's cabin - however, as has been said, rightly or wrongly, a car specced without satnav WILL be hard to shift. As far as the map goes try making good time on unknown minor French roads after dark while looking down at a map on your lap or as I've already said dicing with traffic through a busy city trying to read an A to Z. No thanks.

Each to their own I suppose, I find finding my own way part of the fun, esp on Minor French Roads, and you mean to tell me that Sat Navs work in Cities, with their changing 1 way systems, personally I find them rubbish and a menace to other road users who know where they are going! As for resale, when my daughter sells my Aston after I have gone then she may get a few quid less for it...in 50 or so years...but seriously I have always seen my Aston as a long term purhcase and not for resale, so when I finally part with her I am sure there will be something far better than Sat Nav to help the lost generation.

Edited by sadlerj on Tuesday 17th April 11:04

Sometimes, if I'm in the mood then finding my way by signpost reading, sense of direction or pulling over from time to time to read a map is a pleasure. At other times I may be in a press on mood and that's when the satnav helps on unknown roads. Yes, all satnavs I've used have worked very well indeed in cities. I suggest your ownership intentions for the car are fairly unique but good luck to you. I've always thought owning a beautiful car for life, forming a bond and history with it over the years would be a great thing to do and I reckon the V8 is the car to do it with. I don't think it will ever go through that middle ground of being 'dated' before becoming a classic. It will merely glide from modern classic through middle aged classic to outright classic in a seamless fashion. And I agree 2007 satnav systems will mean nothing in 50 years time. Enjoy!

Edited by Pugsey on Tuesday 17th April 11:25