Upgrades the facts
Discussion
There has been a lot of talk recently on upgrades etc and thought it time to express my opinion
after market remap, Aston Martin power upgrade or the prodrive power upgrade
. an after market remap will give improved performance an increase in bhp lower end torque better fuel economy and improved throttle response, The negatives are if found to have a modified map although very difficult to detect technically would invalidate any warranties, aside from this it can be tailored to your driving experience,
. The Aston Martin power upgrade from a warranty point of view is great as a fully approved upgrade, more bhp,slightly better torque and throttle response is improved, the black inlet manifold is a cosmetic improvement and the air box controlled flaps with the original filters actually adds very litle,
. Prodrive are from a racing background a great upgrade and although not warranted through Aston Martin the connection between the two companies means that what Aston do not warranty prodrive will, I do like there package the one issue is with an aftermarket exhaust as a switch is fitted to control this system this becomes useless if an aftermarket exhaust is fitted and leaves you with the choice of the standard exhaust or the new sports exhaust from Aston Martin, my choice would be the Aston Martin sports exhaust,
Cosmetic,
N400 sills, clear rear lights, splitter, diffuser, wood or piano black, carbon interior or bespoke these are just personal preference easily changed and relatively to the cost of the car good value for money,
Exhausts,
whichever you choose larini, Aston Martin, quicksilver, DMS, RSC, Miltek again a personal choice, realistic improvement 6 to 12 bhp ( would you actually feel a difference err probably not), on saying this we could be talking a 20kg weight saving,
Fuse 22, not once I have had a problem with removing this, works service will fit you a switch bypassing this system (draw your own conclusion)and these are the only manufacturer owned workshop in the world, removing this fuse does not flag any warnings, a code is stored within the system and you do lose some low end torque which for the majority of owners is never noticed and best of all this mod is free,
Air filters
The standard air filter is cardboard based from a performance view is pretty pants, the alternatives are a K&N which is a generic filter ( has to be modified to fit correctly and I do not like them )whereas the J1 filter is a dedicated replacement
The basics easy in easy out, the more clean air and the easier the exit to the exhaust the better the performance, match this performance map and you have a great package,
non type approved cats the law changed in 2009 any cat fitted to any vehicle registered after march 2001 must be type approved and will be stamped as such, so most 200 cell cats will be illegal and could mean you face a £5000 fine, the fact they will pass an emissions test is not enough which personally really annoys me, would yours be noticed at mot probably not,
Suspension,
The most popular is the sports pack and honestly it works, and would be my choice, I was very surprised by the h&r springs they do drop he car buy 20 to 25mm but the drive is both comfortable and responsive,
Overall,
it is all about matching how you intend to use the car, in it's initial design you will find it great, whichever model you choose, They can all be modified to suit your driving style,cosmetic upgrades are personal choice genuine upgrades appeal where as non specific cosmetic upgrades are difficult to resell,
My Point,
if you put together every possible upgrade, never mind the cost will you have the best car, simply no, matching the components to your car your usage and your style will give you the best driving experience, this may be a stock car, or a car with a a sports pack, why have a power upgrade without a sports exhaust, or a better quality air filter, matching the components and you and your usage is the real defining point,
Resale,
I have never met a potential owner of an Aston Martin who firstly does not do their research, It costs a lot of money to buy an modern Aston Martin, a full dealer history has it merits, as does the recommendation of a car by a recognised independent, upgrades can make a car stand out but also if mismatched can make it less desirable.
Think about how you intend to use the car, as remapping for someone who goes out for a weekend cruise would not really give any benefit,
The ultimate Aston Martin Package,
This would be your personal choice,
after market remap, Aston Martin power upgrade or the prodrive power upgrade
. an after market remap will give improved performance an increase in bhp lower end torque better fuel economy and improved throttle response, The negatives are if found to have a modified map although very difficult to detect technically would invalidate any warranties, aside from this it can be tailored to your driving experience,
. The Aston Martin power upgrade from a warranty point of view is great as a fully approved upgrade, more bhp,slightly better torque and throttle response is improved, the black inlet manifold is a cosmetic improvement and the air box controlled flaps with the original filters actually adds very litle,
. Prodrive are from a racing background a great upgrade and although not warranted through Aston Martin the connection between the two companies means that what Aston do not warranty prodrive will, I do like there package the one issue is with an aftermarket exhaust as a switch is fitted to control this system this becomes useless if an aftermarket exhaust is fitted and leaves you with the choice of the standard exhaust or the new sports exhaust from Aston Martin, my choice would be the Aston Martin sports exhaust,
Cosmetic,
N400 sills, clear rear lights, splitter, diffuser, wood or piano black, carbon interior or bespoke these are just personal preference easily changed and relatively to the cost of the car good value for money,
Exhausts,
whichever you choose larini, Aston Martin, quicksilver, DMS, RSC, Miltek again a personal choice, realistic improvement 6 to 12 bhp ( would you actually feel a difference err probably not), on saying this we could be talking a 20kg weight saving,
Fuse 22, not once I have had a problem with removing this, works service will fit you a switch bypassing this system (draw your own conclusion)and these are the only manufacturer owned workshop in the world, removing this fuse does not flag any warnings, a code is stored within the system and you do lose some low end torque which for the majority of owners is never noticed and best of all this mod is free,
Air filters
The standard air filter is cardboard based from a performance view is pretty pants, the alternatives are a K&N which is a generic filter ( has to be modified to fit correctly and I do not like them )whereas the J1 filter is a dedicated replacement
The basics easy in easy out, the more clean air and the easier the exit to the exhaust the better the performance, match this performance map and you have a great package,
non type approved cats the law changed in 2009 any cat fitted to any vehicle registered after march 2001 must be type approved and will be stamped as such, so most 200 cell cats will be illegal and could mean you face a £5000 fine, the fact they will pass an emissions test is not enough which personally really annoys me, would yours be noticed at mot probably not,
Suspension,
The most popular is the sports pack and honestly it works, and would be my choice, I was very surprised by the h&r springs they do drop he car buy 20 to 25mm but the drive is both comfortable and responsive,
Overall,
it is all about matching how you intend to use the car, in it's initial design you will find it great, whichever model you choose, They can all be modified to suit your driving style,cosmetic upgrades are personal choice genuine upgrades appeal where as non specific cosmetic upgrades are difficult to resell,
My Point,
if you put together every possible upgrade, never mind the cost will you have the best car, simply no, matching the components to your car your usage and your style will give you the best driving experience, this may be a stock car, or a car with a a sports pack, why have a power upgrade without a sports exhaust, or a better quality air filter, matching the components and you and your usage is the real defining point,
Resale,
I have never met a potential owner of an Aston Martin who firstly does not do their research, It costs a lot of money to buy an modern Aston Martin, a full dealer history has it merits, as does the recommendation of a car by a recognised independent, upgrades can make a car stand out but also if mismatched can make it less desirable.
Think about how you intend to use the car, as remapping for someone who goes out for a weekend cruise would not really give any benefit,
The ultimate Aston Martin Package,
This would be your personal choice,
Edited by rick-derby- on Sunday 21st November 09:46
Hi Rick,
Thanks for the informative post. I'm not really following you on your point when you say that remapping the ecu "can be tailored to your driving experiences" so will appreciate a clarification.
As an addendum to your section on suspension, it may well be useful to note that a simple geometry revision has quite a substantial benefit to the AMV8's dynamic performance (with or without the Handling Pack).
Thanks
Thanks for the informative post. I'm not really following you on your point when you say that remapping the ecu "can be tailored to your driving experiences" so will appreciate a clarification.
As an addendum to your section on suspension, it may well be useful to note that a simple geometry revision has quite a substantial benefit to the AMV8's dynamic performance (with or without the Handling Pack).
Thanks
rick-derby- said:
...
Exhausts,
whichever you choose larini, Aston Martin, quicksilver, DMS, RSC, Miltek again a personal choice, realistic improvement 6 to 12 bhp ( would you actually feel a difference err probably not), on saying this we could be talking a 20kg weight saving,...
Not forgetting Tubi Exhausts,
whichever you choose larini, Aston Martin, quicksilver, DMS, RSC, Miltek again a personal choice, realistic improvement 6 to 12 bhp ( would you actually feel a difference err probably not), on saying this we could be talking a 20kg weight saving,...
I can personally vouch for these, and the improvements you note for exhausts apply (power/weight). They're also very well built (much, much better than the Aston items std or sports).
Whilst you don't really notice the performance improvement day to day per se, the car sounds a lot faster
To me, that's the only real reason to change the exhaust.Rick,
As always, thanks for the helpful information. I have two questions:
1) Regarding exhausts, there has been some controversy on this forum regarding the exhaust being a component of the car's rear crash structure design. Some have said that the original AM exhaust (and presumably the new AM sports exhaust) is designed to deform in a specific manner and that it contributes to the car's safety in a serious rear impact. Most aftermarket systems are much lighter and smaller, and some have said that fitting one would result in a car that cannot withstand a serious rear impact as well as an unmodified car. However, there have also been statements that some of the aftermarket systems (Quicksilver, and recently Larini) are also designed to be a part of the rear crash structure just as the original AM system was. Many people have opined that the notion of the rear exhaust system being important for rear crash performance is utterly ridiculous. I don't presume to know, but modern cars are very complex and certainly their crash engineering is extremely complex. Also, I clearly remember reading (when it was new) that the exhaust system of the McLaren F1 was an integral part of the rear crash structure of that seminal car.
Do you have any information regarding whether exhausts (factory or aftermarket) do play a role in the rear crash structure of our AMs?
2) Regarding air filters, there is some debate over whether performance filters let more dirt through and into the engine. Some say that although they let more air into the engine, they don't filter as effectively and allow more dirt into the engine -- at the expense of long-term durability. Others say that some performance filters are better in every way, including that they provide better filtration. Any thoughts on this?
As always, thanks for the helpful information. I have two questions:
1) Regarding exhausts, there has been some controversy on this forum regarding the exhaust being a component of the car's rear crash structure design. Some have said that the original AM exhaust (and presumably the new AM sports exhaust) is designed to deform in a specific manner and that it contributes to the car's safety in a serious rear impact. Most aftermarket systems are much lighter and smaller, and some have said that fitting one would result in a car that cannot withstand a serious rear impact as well as an unmodified car. However, there have also been statements that some of the aftermarket systems (Quicksilver, and recently Larini) are also designed to be a part of the rear crash structure just as the original AM system was. Many people have opined that the notion of the rear exhaust system being important for rear crash performance is utterly ridiculous. I don't presume to know, but modern cars are very complex and certainly their crash engineering is extremely complex. Also, I clearly remember reading (when it was new) that the exhaust system of the McLaren F1 was an integral part of the rear crash structure of that seminal car.
Do you have any information regarding whether exhausts (factory or aftermarket) do play a role in the rear crash structure of our AMs?
2) Regarding air filters, there is some debate over whether performance filters let more dirt through and into the engine. Some say that although they let more air into the engine, they don't filter as effectively and allow more dirt into the engine -- at the expense of long-term durability. Others say that some performance filters are better in every way, including that they provide better filtration. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks for taking the time to do all this for us Rick.
It goes without saying that I had given the whole upgrade subject an immense amount of thought over the past couple of weeks and had actually come to a decision - and now I'm even more indecisive and have changed my mind about which direction to go (again) !
Ho Hum, back to the drawing board for me then !!
It goes without saying that I had given the whole upgrade subject an immense amount of thought over the past couple of weeks and had actually come to a decision - and now I'm even more indecisive and have changed my mind about which direction to go (again) !
Ho Hum, back to the drawing board for me then !!
hussar10a said:
Thanks for taking the time to do all this for us Rick.
It goes without saying that I had given the whole upgrade subject an immense amount of thought over the past couple of weeks and had actually come to a decision - and now I'm even more indecisive and have changed my mind about which direction to go (again) !
Ho Hum, back to the drawing board for me then !!
Just get a DB9 .... 'Simples' !It goes without saying that I had given the whole upgrade subject an immense amount of thought over the past couple of weeks and had actually come to a decision - and now I'm even more indecisive and have changed my mind about which direction to go (again) !
Ho Hum, back to the drawing board for me then !!
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