Vantage reliability

[lafcadio]

Sorry to raise this but am a dimwit and can't find the right previous thread, though I know there are some.

Am going through the 911 / Vantage conundrum as to which to buy. Not surprisingly, my Porsche dealer has been sgging the AM off, saying he's had numerous clients come in saying they want to go back to 911s cos of reliability issues. Having read some of the posts, that seems not to be the case. Can anyone reassure me? Also, as I'll be using it every day in Citizen Ken's Playpen, is it truly an everyday car? I am heartachingly in love with the look and it seemed great on the test drive but around London??

Thanks in advance for all opinions!

[Murph7355]

Mine had a minor oil leak (spots on the drive) which was remedied without fuss. Other than that nothing has gone wrong yet in 11k miles and 12mths.

They can easily be used every day IMO.

Early cars had niggles (early cars always. In fact late cars sometimes can - talk to your Pork about RMS seals I think they're called ), but I believe all are subject to dealer fixes.

My car's an 07. I think the usual thing applies - buy as late a car as possible to avoid teething trouble.

[lafcadio]

Thanks. I'll probably be looking at an 06, even 55, plate as that's the budget. Hopefully these will have had anything necessary done. As I might buy privately/from a non-franchised dealer, anything else I should look out for?

[sadlerj]

I've had two Porches (996 and Boxster) both had RMS issues and my Boxster had to had a new gear box after 40k miles, and it blew a rad hose at Le Mans weekend. The Aston has been far more reliable than both those, 15,000 miles and two years of 'champaign' driving and just a squeaky fanbelt to report. Our other cars have been Audi's and also theuy have been completely rubbish reliability wise. Infact the Aston is the most reliable car we have had, (apart from the wife's MX5 but that was a few years ago, so I'm not counting that!)

[Murph7355]

lafcadio said:

Thanks. I'll probably be looking at an 06, even 55, plate as that's the budget. Hopefully these will have had anything necessary done. As I might buy privately/from a non-franchised dealer, anything else I should look out for?

Do a search on here and the AMOC forum. You'll be able to draw up a list of issues and the remediation.

Key one is the gearbox. Those not used to a manly gear shift find it awkward when cold (it's the same make of box Ferrari use). Aston have a revised linkage and gear oil to cure it.

Next, batteries can discharge quickly on some cars. I'm not sure a single root cause has ever been found. Hasn't affected my car (which I've left for 3 weeks in the cold without issue). Best to keep them on a battery maintainer if concerned.

The oil pressure relief valve can groan on start up. And the front crank case can leak oil.

Some people have had problems with not all doors locking using the fob.

The boot hatch chucks water into the car when its wet. They have a "fix" but it's not 100% in my experience.

Headlights mist up. Ditto the above.

I've heard of one car with recalcitrant windows.

The satnav is utter ste.

I think that's about all I've heard of over and above the usual sort of stuff to look for in a car (check all electrics work, check all body panels for damage, check the wheels for kerbing, check the history etc etc etc).

Note that pre-07 bluetooth wasn't an option (99% sure on this). Don't *think* memory seats were either. Also, the seat design changed from 07 (I prefer the later ones, others don't) and there were other nice touches added (door handle LEDS that light up, high level seat back switches to tip the seat forward etc).

When pricing cars up, make sure you compare like for like in terms of the options on the car. Not really an issue if you don't want a certain widget, but you need to make sure you're comparing apples.

[bogie]

I echo all of the above - great advice.

I bought a 55 plate car with 6K on the clock, a year ago and its been my daily driver ever since, covering 20K miles without letting me down.

Its had 2 services and on the 1st one, the niggles were sorted - squeaky belts and brakes, warranty fixes on gearbox etc. It had a minor oil leak this service, again sorted by the dealer without issue...thats been it really.

Its certainly easily useable as a daily driver ...one of the main reasons I bought it...Ive always wanted an Aston, but like to use my cars daily - I really think the Vantage is the first truly useable Aston from a cost and reliability perspective and its a no brainer over the usual default German choices available for the same money

[Olie Baxter]

I saw a Vantage with those LED Lights. Looked superb. It was an 06 plate. Were they an option or do all V8 Vantages have them?

Thanks.

[Murph7355]

Olie Baxter said:

I saw a Vantage with those LED Lights. Looked superb. It was an 06 plate. Were they an option or do all V8 Vantages have them?

Thanks.

I'm pretty sure they were only functioning from MY07. i.e. 56 plates onwards.

There's nothing to stop a newer car having an older plate though.

[Soul Reaver]

HI Guys

I am new to the forum and have just recently purchased a late 07 AMV8 as my first Aston. The car had 4800 on the clock when I picked it up and these are my findings so far. It has

Bluetooth
PDC
Premium Audio (A must for me) best audio I have ever heard in any car by far!
Thick Silver stiching
Memory seats
New style seats (my pref)


1. I LOVE this car. I have had numerous Ferraris and Porsches and NONE have generated the looks I get in this thing. I have been elevated to God status LOL or prick but either way I LOVE this car.

2. The sat nav is so so pants. I guess it guides not to bad but the scale thing is awfull as you only get to see all the roads when your right down at about quarter mile scale Needs a lot of work to improve

3. My magnetic seatblet strap holders both lost their magnetism so I glued them with super glue

4. My oil vavle is sometimes very noisy when cold at certain revs but I have this booked in to be changed

5. My gear change is sometimes sticky from first to second when cold but I can live with this as it's not too bad and so as yet have not opted for the linkage and different oil

6. My steering is off a little to the right (about 5 degrees) in a strait line and this even after having a 4 wheel track setup. Not sure on this one as it does seem to change daily from nearly central to 5 degrees which is weird. Anyone else got this?

7. The car now has done 7500 miles as I have just racked up 3000 of daily driving in 2 months and so far no issues with clutch etc. I have just had the brakes changed at the first service but only the fronts and I would say they had another 2 to 3000 in them to be fair but they were starting to drone a bit under heavy braking so I changed them when asked by the dealer.

8. I am getting about 280 miles on a tank full of gas and I drive with air con off most all the time. I did see this rise to 325 when I went on a long motorway run. It costs me 75 quid to brim it and I have found that once the pump clicks off if I pull out the nozzle I can get another gallon in the pipe.

9. The bluetooth for the phone works but the system itself needs to be like bmw where you can see all your numbers. I can put my sim in the car itself but who wants to keep taking the sim out of their phone when they get into the car? My Aston tracking is paired with my phone and works a treat.

10. Did I say I LOVE this car yet?

11. The wipers could be better because the driver side one splashes over to the passenger side because of the way they sweep. design fault to my mind

12. My tailgate drains were blocked but they cleared them at service. I still get a bit of water in the tailgate if it's wet as it runs down each side and then in. Design fault.

13. These are really all moot points because the sheer pleasure the car gives me far far outweighs all the above. Hence I love this car

14. My brakes sqeek sometimes even though they are knew and have ben shimmed. Maybe some copper ease needed here.

15. My front grill milks up (it has been changed once on warrenty) and I am looking for a great stainless cleaner to sort this out. Any ideas here?




Mark..

Edited by Soul Reaver on Saturday 5th April 11:31

[Murph7355]

9. The bluetooth for the phone works but the system itself needs to be like bmw where you can see all your numbers. I can put my sim in the car itself but who wants to keep taking the sim out of their phone when they get into the car? My Aston tracking is paired with my phone and works a treat.

If your phone has voice dialling you can use this. Works OK with my Blackberry. Command is "Phone Voice Name". Then I wait for the bleep and say the name.

12. My tailgate drains were blocked but they cleared them at service. I still get a bit of water in the tailgate if it's wet as it runs down each side and then in. Design fault.

They have revised seals for this. Only partially successful.

14. My brakes sqeek sometimes even though they are knew and have ben shimmed. Maybe some copper ease needed here.

They need using Pagid pads are notorious for this, but have such great stopping power. You need to do a couple of hard applications of them to get rid of the noise, but it will return if the brakes aren't used hard for a while.

15. My front grill milks up (it has been changed once on warrenty) and I am looking for a great stainless cleaner to sort this out. Any ideas here?

Mothers Aluminium Polish should see you right.

[lafcadio]

Dear all

What a fantastic set of posts. Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble - this is all genuinely useful and at the dealers tomorrow I shall put them through their paces on these points!

Cheers

[Soul Reaver]

I have a new one Today I noticed that my temperature was only at a quarter on the dial. Normally it is at 90 degrees. So I rang lancaster and was told that it's probably the thermostat sticking and so the car has gone in to have it changed on warranty. he did say they have done 3 with this problem. Apparently the rubber seal gets in the way of the therm closing fully and hence the car does not reach full temp.

Mark..

[jus]

Had my 06 Vantage for 23,000km now and no reliability issues at all!