Prospective V8 Vantage buyer
Discussion
Sorry for the annoying first post, but as a prospective V8 Vantage buyer I would appreciate your help with a few questions. As owners you guys are the experts and I would appreciate your views. Over the past few days I have read most of the 40 last pages in the forum and will try not to go over stuff that has been frequently posted before.
I currently dive an Audi RS4, which I have had from new for the past three and a half years. This is a great car and I love the performance and day to day usability. When I got it I thought I needed the practicality of a full size car, but in fact the rear seats have only been used on 3 or 4 occasions since I have had it. So despite it being a great car I have always been longing for something a bit more special. I had previously thought about getting a 997, but somehow Porsches just leave me a bit cold. Ever since I was a child I have wanted an Aston and now that is what I am going to buy. Too many people in life never realise their dreams, always finding sensible reasons not to pursue them. I don't want to be like that.
I have just borrowed a friends V8 Vantage for the last couple of days. This is an early 55 plate car with only 8K on the clock, 4.3 in Meteorite Silver. My impressions are: that it is drop dead gorgeous and gets admired everywhere it goes; it has enough practicality for daily use; performance is OK, but not quite up to the RS4, but the sound is even better. However, I found the handbrake a bit of a pain to use at junctions, hill starts etc. and the gearbox was very stiff when cold (it had not had the service update on the gearbox).
Questions:
Is the handbrake something that you get used too, or is there a special technique that I have not discovered?
What is the gearchange like on newer cars or with the gearbox mod?
What are the advantages / disadvantages of the SportShift?
I have two options for buying:
Keep the RS4 and buy a 4.3 with the right spec ~£45-50K, or sell the RS4 and add £28K to the budget (that would be a private sale, trade in probably more like £23-25K). The second option would put me up to a level where there are some new pre-registered dealer stock.
I am aware that if I buy a 4.3 I would probably end up spending quite a bit on performance upgrades £5-10k: power upgrade pack, exhaust & cats, etc.. This would not be necessary if I could find the right spec 4.7 with Sports Pack fitted already. However, the former would be more personalised.
What do yo think are the pros and cons here?
Colour choice:
My initial thoughts were to go for Meteorite / Mercury silver. Or possible Hammerhead on a newer car. However, is that a bit like buying a Ferrari in Corsa Rosso?
My wife prefers a slightly lighter shade and likes the look of Grigio Titanio, I am not so sure.
Having looked at many more V8 Vantages over recent weeks I am also drawn to Onyx Black, and I love the black and silver look when paired with clear lenses.
I would probably prefer Obsidian Black with silver coarse stitching on the interior, possibly paired two tone with Phantom Grey.
I know this is all personal preference but what are your views?
Best place to buy and look
I live in West Sussex, but Harwoods in Chichester have very little choice.
Do you think it better to get an AM approved used car from a dealer or would a private sale be OK?
Oh and if anyone is thinking of selling please get in touch
I currently dive an Audi RS4, which I have had from new for the past three and a half years. This is a great car and I love the performance and day to day usability. When I got it I thought I needed the practicality of a full size car, but in fact the rear seats have only been used on 3 or 4 occasions since I have had it. So despite it being a great car I have always been longing for something a bit more special. I had previously thought about getting a 997, but somehow Porsches just leave me a bit cold. Ever since I was a child I have wanted an Aston and now that is what I am going to buy. Too many people in life never realise their dreams, always finding sensible reasons not to pursue them. I don't want to be like that.
I have just borrowed a friends V8 Vantage for the last couple of days. This is an early 55 plate car with only 8K on the clock, 4.3 in Meteorite Silver. My impressions are: that it is drop dead gorgeous and gets admired everywhere it goes; it has enough practicality for daily use; performance is OK, but not quite up to the RS4, but the sound is even better. However, I found the handbrake a bit of a pain to use at junctions, hill starts etc. and the gearbox was very stiff when cold (it had not had the service update on the gearbox).
Questions:
Is the handbrake something that you get used too, or is there a special technique that I have not discovered?
What is the gearchange like on newer cars or with the gearbox mod?
What are the advantages / disadvantages of the SportShift?
I have two options for buying:
Keep the RS4 and buy a 4.3 with the right spec ~£45-50K, or sell the RS4 and add £28K to the budget (that would be a private sale, trade in probably more like £23-25K). The second option would put me up to a level where there are some new pre-registered dealer stock.
I am aware that if I buy a 4.3 I would probably end up spending quite a bit on performance upgrades £5-10k: power upgrade pack, exhaust & cats, etc.. This would not be necessary if I could find the right spec 4.7 with Sports Pack fitted already. However, the former would be more personalised.
What do yo think are the pros and cons here?
Colour choice:
My initial thoughts were to go for Meteorite / Mercury silver. Or possible Hammerhead on a newer car. However, is that a bit like buying a Ferrari in Corsa Rosso?
My wife prefers a slightly lighter shade and likes the look of Grigio Titanio, I am not so sure.
Having looked at many more V8 Vantages over recent weeks I am also drawn to Onyx Black, and I love the black and silver look when paired with clear lenses.
I would probably prefer Obsidian Black with silver coarse stitching on the interior, possibly paired two tone with Phantom Grey.
I know this is all personal preference but what are your views?
Best place to buy and look
I live in West Sussex, but Harwoods in Chichester have very little choice.
Do you think it better to get an AM approved used car from a dealer or would a private sale be OK?
Oh and if anyone is thinking of selling please get in touch
Questions:
Is the handbrake something that you get used too, or is there a special technique that I have not discovered?
It's just different, you soon get used to it.
What is the gearchange like on newer cars or with the gearbox mod?
It's never lightning quick, but it is precise and doesn't baulk like the early boxes (I'm on my 3rd V8V so I speak from experience).
What are the advantages / disadvantages of the SportShift?
It's down to personal taste. I don't like the Sportshift but many do.
I have two options for buying:
Keep the RS4 and buy a 4.3 with the right spec ~£45-50K, or sell the RS4 and add £28K to the budget (that would be a private sale, trade in probably more like £23-25K). The second option would put me up to a level where there are some new pre-registered dealer stock.
I am aware that if I buy a 4.3 I would probably end up spending quite a bit on performance upgrades £5-10k: power upgrade pack, exhaust & cats, etc.. This would not be necessary if I could find the right spec 4.7 with Sports Pack fitted already. However, the former would be more personalised.
What do yo think are the pros and cons here?
This sounds like a decision only you can make! For me, the 4.7 is a much better drive than the 4.3 (especially with the Sportpack) so worth a sacrifice if that's what it takes.
Colour choice:
My initial thoughts were to go for Meteorite / Mercury silver. Or possible Hammerhead on a newer car. However, is that a bit like buying a Ferrari in Corsa Rosso?
My wife prefers a slightly lighter shade and likes the look of Grigio Titanio, I am not so sure.
Having looked at many more V8 Vantages over recent weeks I am also drawn to Onyx Black, and I love the black and silver look when paired with clear lenses.
I would probably prefer Obsidian Black with silver coarse stitching on the interior, possibly paired two tone with Phantom Grey.
I know this is all personal preference but what are your views?
It is personal choice, so anyone else's view is irrelevant. Just make sure you buy in a scheme you like, rather than buying in colours that will make the car easy to sell on when the time comes!
Best place to buy and look
I live in West Sussex, but Harwoods in Chichester have very little choice.
Do you think it better to get an AM approved used car from a dealer or would a private sale be OK?
As repair/maintenance isn't exactly cheap, a dealer car with a warranty would be my preference. On the other hand, a private deal on a car still under warranty shouldn't be too much of a risk, and you have the advantage of meeting the owner.
Is the handbrake something that you get used too, or is there a special technique that I have not discovered?
It's just different, you soon get used to it.
What is the gearchange like on newer cars or with the gearbox mod?
It's never lightning quick, but it is precise and doesn't baulk like the early boxes (I'm on my 3rd V8V so I speak from experience).
What are the advantages / disadvantages of the SportShift?
It's down to personal taste. I don't like the Sportshift but many do.
I have two options for buying:
Keep the RS4 and buy a 4.3 with the right spec ~£45-50K, or sell the RS4 and add £28K to the budget (that would be a private sale, trade in probably more like £23-25K). The second option would put me up to a level where there are some new pre-registered dealer stock.
I am aware that if I buy a 4.3 I would probably end up spending quite a bit on performance upgrades £5-10k: power upgrade pack, exhaust & cats, etc.. This would not be necessary if I could find the right spec 4.7 with Sports Pack fitted already. However, the former would be more personalised.
What do yo think are the pros and cons here?
This sounds like a decision only you can make! For me, the 4.7 is a much better drive than the 4.3 (especially with the Sportpack) so worth a sacrifice if that's what it takes.
Colour choice:
My initial thoughts were to go for Meteorite / Mercury silver. Or possible Hammerhead on a newer car. However, is that a bit like buying a Ferrari in Corsa Rosso?
My wife prefers a slightly lighter shade and likes the look of Grigio Titanio, I am not so sure.
Having looked at many more V8 Vantages over recent weeks I am also drawn to Onyx Black, and I love the black and silver look when paired with clear lenses.
I would probably prefer Obsidian Black with silver coarse stitching on the interior, possibly paired two tone with Phantom Grey.
I know this is all personal preference but what are your views?
It is personal choice, so anyone else's view is irrelevant. Just make sure you buy in a scheme you like, rather than buying in colours that will make the car easy to sell on when the time comes!
Best place to buy and look
I live in West Sussex, but Harwoods in Chichester have very little choice.
Do you think it better to get an AM approved used car from a dealer or would a private sale be OK?
As repair/maintenance isn't exactly cheap, a dealer car with a warranty would be my preference. On the other hand, a private deal on a car still under warranty shouldn't be too much of a risk, and you have the advantage of meeting the owner.
Hi, i owned a rs4 but was hesitant about service costs on the AM etc, but the guys on this forum did me proud. They where of the opinion that the costs where similar to both my M3 and rs4.So i took the plunge in september and dont regret it.
Go for it m8
Go for it m8
Edited by gary.taylor17 on Friday 1st January 16:22
Welcome to the world of Aston
Agree with Glyn.
Handbrake is easy to get the knack of (though I had plenty of practice with fly off handbrakes on the 355). I reckon 15mins of practice will have it nailed.
Gear change is chunky. All the controls on the car are. Which I absolutely love. Too many modern cars are overly light IMO.
Try a sportshift car out. You might like it. It's not as good as a Ferrari F1 box, but it's not as bad as some would have you believe.
Colour - do NOT buy black. It's the very best colour for the car when the car's clean. But unless you enjoy cleaning your car every time it rains, every time you drive it more than 5 miles and basically 1,000 times more than you would ever want to, it will not be clean. And they look seriously grubby when even slightly dirty. Grey cars hide dirt very well.
I had the choice of a Meteorite car when I bought mine. Other half loved it. I should have listened!
Interior - Obsidian's great with silver coarse stitching. Mine has tailor's grey headlining which really works with the black elsewhere. That combo is definitely recommended.
As for not having much choice where you live, widen the net! The internet makes narrowing down cars easy, then get in the RS4 and go see some
Selling the RS4? Personally I would. You've already noted you aren't using the back seats much. I reckon you'll barely use the car once you have the Aston. And you're paying two lots of insurance, two lots of tax, two lots of servicing etc. Buy a newer Vantage with a warranty. Get a 4.7 (4.3's a lovely drive though - mine's a 4.3) to the spec you want and don't look back.
Agree with Glyn.
Handbrake is easy to get the knack of (though I had plenty of practice with fly off handbrakes on the 355). I reckon 15mins of practice will have it nailed.
Gear change is chunky. All the controls on the car are. Which I absolutely love. Too many modern cars are overly light IMO.
Try a sportshift car out. You might like it. It's not as good as a Ferrari F1 box, but it's not as bad as some would have you believe.
Colour - do NOT buy black. It's the very best colour for the car when the car's clean. But unless you enjoy cleaning your car every time it rains, every time you drive it more than 5 miles and basically 1,000 times more than you would ever want to, it will not be clean. And they look seriously grubby when even slightly dirty. Grey cars hide dirt very well.
I had the choice of a Meteorite car when I bought mine. Other half loved it. I should have listened!
Interior - Obsidian's great with silver coarse stitching. Mine has tailor's grey headlining which really works with the black elsewhere. That combo is definitely recommended.
As for not having much choice where you live, widen the net! The internet makes narrowing down cars easy, then get in the RS4 and go see some
Selling the RS4? Personally I would. You've already noted you aren't using the back seats much. I reckon you'll barely use the car once you have the Aston. And you're paying two lots of insurance, two lots of tax, two lots of servicing etc. Buy a newer Vantage with a warranty. Get a 4.7 (4.3's a lovely drive though - mine's a 4.3) to the spec you want and don't look back.
Thank you for the advice, that is very helpful.
My thinking at present is to sell the RS4 and go for a 4.7. My wife even said that I should get exactly what I want, rather than buy something that I might then want to change. She is happy to be the one with the practical car as she is the one who usually has the kids in the back.
Glad to hear the handbrake is something that is easily mastered, it is just different to what I am used to.
I would like to try the SportShift, but will probably be happier with a manual most of the time.
I agree that Meteorite Silver is a great colour and will look better than black much more of the time.
So the hunt is on for a car with the perfect spec:
V8 Vantage 4.7 manual in Meteorite Silver, with sports pack. Obsidian Black leather with silver coarse stitching on dash and seats, possibly with Phantom Grey lower & inner panels, Tailors Grey headlining.
Preferred options: bright finish front grille, front parking sensors, power fold mirrors, Xenon headlamps, Sat Nav, Bluetooth phone prep, heated front seats, memory seats and mirrors, alarm upgrade, auto-dimming rear view mirror with garage door opener and cruise control.
Will also consider one with SportsShift, or in Mercury Silver or Grigio Titanio or even still Onyx Black
Let me know if you know if you know of a similar one for sale anywhere.
My thinking at present is to sell the RS4 and go for a 4.7. My wife even said that I should get exactly what I want, rather than buy something that I might then want to change. She is happy to be the one with the practical car as she is the one who usually has the kids in the back.
Glad to hear the handbrake is something that is easily mastered, it is just different to what I am used to.
I would like to try the SportShift, but will probably be happier with a manual most of the time.
I agree that Meteorite Silver is a great colour and will look better than black much more of the time.
So the hunt is on for a car with the perfect spec:
V8 Vantage 4.7 manual in Meteorite Silver, with sports pack. Obsidian Black leather with silver coarse stitching on dash and seats, possibly with Phantom Grey lower & inner panels, Tailors Grey headlining.
Preferred options: bright finish front grille, front parking sensors, power fold mirrors, Xenon headlamps, Sat Nav, Bluetooth phone prep, heated front seats, memory seats and mirrors, alarm upgrade, auto-dimming rear view mirror with garage door opener and cruise control.
Will also consider one with SportsShift, or in Mercury Silver or Grigio Titanio or even still Onyx Black
Let me know if you know if you know of a similar one for sale anywhere.
What Murph said. Except, perhaps, about avoiding black. I tried hard to avoid black for exactly his reasons. I was thinking Meteorite (or perhaps Quantum Silver). Every time I saw Onyx, however, it looked SO good -- I just couldn't get it out of my head. IMO, it looks better than anything else -- when it's clean. So far, I don't regret it... I should mention, though, that my V8V is not a daily driver, in which case it's less likely I would have gone for Onyx.
Re: 4.3 vs. 4.7, the difference is significant, though the 4.3 is still a great drive. I think the 4.3 is unfairly maligned for lack of go on many forums -- it's a fast car, if not super-quick, but many people would have you believe it's not nearly as quick as it is. Nevertheless, the difference between them is very noticeable, and I don't think anyone can reasonably suggest that the 4.7 isn't seriously fast.
Personally, I LOVE the Sports Pack. It gives the car that extra level of sharpness and responsiveness that some criticized the 4.3 (and standard 4.7) for lacking in comparison to rivals. Not everyone wants that, and the ride is noticeably firmer. However, I find the ride/handling balance superbly judged with the Sports Pack -- the handling is very sharp and neutral, with great feedback, and the ride is firm but very well damped -- not harsh at all.
Happy hunting!
Re: 4.3 vs. 4.7, the difference is significant, though the 4.3 is still a great drive. I think the 4.3 is unfairly maligned for lack of go on many forums -- it's a fast car, if not super-quick, but many people would have you believe it's not nearly as quick as it is. Nevertheless, the difference between them is very noticeable, and I don't think anyone can reasonably suggest that the 4.7 isn't seriously fast.
Personally, I LOVE the Sports Pack. It gives the car that extra level of sharpness and responsiveness that some criticized the 4.3 (and standard 4.7) for lacking in comparison to rivals. Not everyone wants that, and the ride is noticeably firmer. However, I find the ride/handling balance superbly judged with the Sports Pack -- the handling is very sharp and neutral, with great feedback, and the ride is firm but very well damped -- not harsh at all.
Happy hunting!
Currently I am leaning towards a 4.7 with Sport Pack, and will be having a test drive in one on Tuesday. My friend who has the Meteorite Silver 4.3 is going to come along too and that is what we will be driving to the dealer. So hopefully that will give a good side by side comparison. They also have a 4.7 SportShift without the Sport Pack which we can try also.
Transmission wise I will probably stick to a manual, but it will be interesting to try the SportShift. I accept that it will take longer than a short test drive to become fully familiar with this system.
As for colour on the silvers are still my first choice. However, I think I am in the same dilemma as Speedraser with regard to Onyx Black. The only difference being that this will be my daily driver, so I must try and resist the dark side.
Thanks for all your help. I will let you know how I get on.
Transmission wise I will probably stick to a manual, but it will be interesting to try the SportShift. I accept that it will take longer than a short test drive to become fully familiar with this system.
As for colour on the silvers are still my first choice. However, I think I am in the same dilemma as Speedraser with regard to Onyx Black. The only difference being that this will be my daily driver, so I must try and resist the dark side.
Thanks for all your help. I will let you know how I get on.
I'm biased, but I like Titanium Silver.
Sportshift - I don't think you can get the hang of it in a short drive. I found it good but those who've bought one normally suggest it takes quite a while to really get the hang of it. You can grasp the basics very quickly and you'll soon learn to bend your big toe to smooth out gear changes.
Sportshift - I don't think you can get the hang of it in a short drive. I found it good but those who've bought one normally suggest it takes quite a while to really get the hang of it. You can grasp the basics very quickly and you'll soon learn to bend your big toe to smooth out gear changes.
[/URL]OK I have done it. I have bought a V8 Vantage 
I found a V8 Vantage at a dealer in Walton-on-Thames with the following spec:
4.7 manual in Meteorite Silver, 2010 MY, 2028 miles (following the test drive)
Clear rear lights and N400 sills.
Obsidian Black leather with silver coarse stitching on dash and seats, Tailors Grey headlining.
Options: 5 spoke light weight wheels (i.e. sport pack wheels without the suspension changes), bright finish front grille, front parking sensors, power fold mirrors, Xenon headlamps, Sat Nav, Bluetooth phone prep, heated front seats, memory seats and mirrors, alarm upgrade, battery conditioner, umbrella, auto-dimming rear view mirror with garage door opener and cruise control.
The car was first registered on 14th October 2009 to AM in Gaydon.
Here are some pics from the dealer, obviously taken in better weather:
I am picking it up next Saturday - can't wait.
Thanks for all the help and advice - I am now a bone fide AM owner
I found a V8 Vantage at a dealer in Walton-on-Thames with the following spec:
4.7 manual in Meteorite Silver, 2010 MY, 2028 miles (following the test drive)
Clear rear lights and N400 sills.
Obsidian Black leather with silver coarse stitching on dash and seats, Tailors Grey headlining.
Options: 5 spoke light weight wheels (i.e. sport pack wheels without the suspension changes), bright finish front grille, front parking sensors, power fold mirrors, Xenon headlamps, Sat Nav, Bluetooth phone prep, heated front seats, memory seats and mirrors, alarm upgrade, battery conditioner, umbrella, auto-dimming rear view mirror with garage door opener and cruise control.
The car was first registered on 14th October 2009 to AM in Gaydon.
Here are some pics from the dealer, obviously taken in better weather:
I am picking it up next Saturday - can't wait.
Thanks for all the help and advice - I am now a bone fide AM owner
Edited by GlynV8 on Saturday 9th January 18:42
Congratulations! Looks gorgeous.
Question: do you know how it came to have the 5-spoke Sports Pack wheels without the SP suspension? I'm curious because, if my understanding is correct, the 5-spoke SP wheels are only available from the factory with the Sports Pack option, but there is a new 10-spoke wheel for MY10 that is available either with the Sports Pack OR as a stand-alone option.
Delivery day is a fantastic day!
Question: do you know how it came to have the 5-spoke Sports Pack wheels without the SP suspension? I'm curious because, if my understanding is correct, the 5-spoke SP wheels are only available from the factory with the Sports Pack option, but there is a new 10-spoke wheel for MY10 that is available either with the Sports Pack OR as a stand-alone option.
Delivery day is a fantastic day!
Speedraser said:
Question: do you know how it came to have the 5-spoke Sports Pack wheels without the SP suspension? I'm curious because, if my understanding is correct, the 5-spoke SP wheels are only available from the factory with the Sports Pack option, but there is a new 10-spoke wheel for MY10 that is available either with the Sports Pack OR as a stand-alone option.
It is a dealer fit option. The car comes with standard wheels and are changed over at the dealer.Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff