Off to look at an Aero tomorrow
Discussion
So far I've been beaten to it on one Aero, and I'm pretty determined to get me one still.
What I ahve noticed is that there are sod all resources for the Aero 8 about, so thought I'd write a little missive letting anyone else thinking of going down this path know what I've found...
So far I've discovered the following :
1. Morgan owners aren't the most technophile as it goes. Main method of communication seems to be an antiquated BBS where fuse locations for +4s are discussed in depth. Seem like ajoly nice bunch, but it's not realyl the stories off hoontastic revelling I was kind of hoping for. No Areo owners on there I've seen so far either...
2. Aeros are about as common as rocking hose S*it at the moment.
3. The factory doesn't make very much cash on the Aero compared to +8 from what I've heard. Not that it's uneconomic, but more that it's overengineerd. (Fine by me!)
4. Hood mechanisms. Some swear by the earlier Aero8 hoods, other by the later ones. Seems the earlier ones drip water on you when you open the door (used to ahve an MG - so whats new!). The newer ones don't, but they are noisy at speed as the air gets under them. Some say quieter to drive with roof down!!!
5. Build quality is in a different class to just about anything else I've ever seen (except maybe the Bentley Arnarge I was lucky enough to crawl all over last year).
6. There seem to be a few crash repairs out there. (Seen 2 heard of a couple too)... Seems that it can be a handful in the wet (a la TVR - no traction!!)
7. It's a marmite car - everyone either loves it (certainly driving one round Kensington the other day I could ahve gained several new girlfriends!).. Others however are particularly cruel about it's looks... Still I like car that makes an impression!
8. Noise - sounds good with the sports exhaust. Nowhere near Maserati Tubi loud though. :D
9. By all accounts they seems rock soli reliable with 2 exceptions :
i) Hood - the non widebody cars (which I prefer) seem to rub the hood material on itself as you drive over small bumps etc and they eventually wear out. New hood not massively expensive - but soething to budget for.
ii) electric window motors - these are under some stress as they're obviously not morgan ones - they're (bmw?) pressed into service - as such tey tend to wear out / die every so often. Again not expensive but something to remember...
10 insurance - for me as a 30y/o single male living in NW london car on st I've been quoted a very rasonable 750 quid. 1/2 the cost of the Maserati 3200 for reference.
Well thats about it for findings so far... more info when I get it, if anyone ever reads this forum!!!
What I ahve noticed is that there are sod all resources for the Aero 8 about, so thought I'd write a little missive letting anyone else thinking of going down this path know what I've found...
So far I've discovered the following :
1. Morgan owners aren't the most technophile as it goes. Main method of communication seems to be an antiquated BBS where fuse locations for +4s are discussed in depth. Seem like ajoly nice bunch, but it's not realyl the stories off hoontastic revelling I was kind of hoping for. No Areo owners on there I've seen so far either...
2. Aeros are about as common as rocking hose S*it at the moment.
3. The factory doesn't make very much cash on the Aero compared to +8 from what I've heard. Not that it's uneconomic, but more that it's overengineerd. (Fine by me!)
4. Hood mechanisms. Some swear by the earlier Aero8 hoods, other by the later ones. Seems the earlier ones drip water on you when you open the door (used to ahve an MG - so whats new!). The newer ones don't, but they are noisy at speed as the air gets under them. Some say quieter to drive with roof down!!!
5. Build quality is in a different class to just about anything else I've ever seen (except maybe the Bentley Arnarge I was lucky enough to crawl all over last year).
6. There seem to be a few crash repairs out there. (Seen 2 heard of a couple too)... Seems that it can be a handful in the wet (a la TVR - no traction!!)
7. It's a marmite car - everyone either loves it (certainly driving one round Kensington the other day I could ahve gained several new girlfriends!).. Others however are particularly cruel about it's looks... Still I like car that makes an impression!
8. Noise - sounds good with the sports exhaust. Nowhere near Maserati Tubi loud though. :D
9. By all accounts they seems rock soli reliable with 2 exceptions :
i) Hood - the non widebody cars (which I prefer) seem to rub the hood material on itself as you drive over small bumps etc and they eventually wear out. New hood not massively expensive - but soething to budget for.
ii) electric window motors - these are under some stress as they're obviously not morgan ones - they're (bmw?) pressed into service - as such tey tend to wear out / die every so often. Again not expensive but something to remember...
10 insurance - for me as a 30y/o single male living in NW london car on st I've been quoted a very rasonable 750 quid. 1/2 the cost of the Maserati 3200 for reference.
Well thats about it for findings so far... more info when I get it, if anyone ever reads this forum!!!
Hi,
Have you tried the forum Emog.com?
There are some good bargains on Aero 8's at the minute. The cheapest I have seen is £35,000 which is very cheap. It should not go any lower than that. I would recomend that you buy from a dealer as they have most of the cars and the price diffrence is not that great.
Good Luck with it and I am sure you will love it.
I am 21 and currently looking for a Morgan 4/4 2 seater.
Insurnace is very cheap as well as it will be able to get classic insurance.
I hear that with the hood folded down it gets very dirty due to road spray.
Simmonds of Malvern are good at doing expensive goodies for your Aero if you like that kind of thing.
www.simmonds.uk.com/framepage.html
More Aero's for sale here:
www.rtcc.co.uk/pages/stockpage.htm
Autotrader also has some good ones.
What car are you looking at?
Have you been to the Morgan factory?
William
Have you tried the forum Emog.com?
There are some good bargains on Aero 8's at the minute. The cheapest I have seen is £35,000 which is very cheap. It should not go any lower than that. I would recomend that you buy from a dealer as they have most of the cars and the price diffrence is not that great.
Good Luck with it and I am sure you will love it.
I am 21 and currently looking for a Morgan 4/4 2 seater.
Insurnace is very cheap as well as it will be able to get classic insurance.
I hear that with the hood folded down it gets very dirty due to road spray.
Simmonds of Malvern are good at doing expensive goodies for your Aero if you like that kind of thing.
www.simmonds.uk.com/framepage.html
More Aero's for sale here:
www.rtcc.co.uk/pages/stockpage.htm
Autotrader also has some good ones.
What car are you looking at?
Have you been to the Morgan factory?
William
Thanks Will - owe you one - not heard of emog.com so I stand corrected!
Not been to the factory yet - will probably pop up there when time allows.
I've seen Aeros don to 35k as you suggest - the majority of 200/2001/2002 cars seem to ahve stabilised around 40k for the moment and thats the kind of price I'm looking at.
Of course for the same cash I could pick up a decent LHD 355 berlinetta which several of my ph buddies are rather keen on me doing - but I just like the no fuss approach of the morgan and the wrokmanship I've seen of the cars I've looked at.
Actually going to see two cars tmorrow by the looks of it so will post full report (no dealers names on here) but details fo the car and pics if I can get them
Not been to the factory yet - will probably pop up there when time allows.
I've seen Aeros don to 35k as you suggest - the majority of 200/2001/2002 cars seem to ahve stabilised around 40k for the moment and thats the kind of price I'm looking at.
Of course for the same cash I could pick up a decent LHD 355 berlinetta which several of my ph buddies are rather keen on me doing - but I just like the no fuss approach of the morgan and the wrokmanship I've seen of the cars I've looked at.
Actually going to see two cars tmorrow by the looks of it so will post full report (no dealers names on here) but details fo the car and pics if I can get them
Hi Rich
Interesting to read your thread. I was looking for a 355 myself but got totally dismayed with the general quality of the cars I saw. And I was looking at main dealers!
Anyhow, somehow I ended up looking at an Aero and fell in love with it. Strange, because I had no interest in the car a year ago. I picked up my ex-demo car (with 70 miles!!) in January and I'm still running it in. What I found was that the later hood is a must have...the early one leaked badly. Later cars have 5 stud wheels rather than centre locks, which I liked the look of, but have been told they're more troublesome. The only probs I have had so far are a battery failure and the wooden door cappings losing their varnish. I'm still waiting for the door cappings and thats one comment I would have...don't expect replacement parts to turn up overnight..wheels move very slowly at Morgan, almost to the point of frustration. Apart from that, I think the car is awesome.. and from someone who has come from Superlight Caterhams, thats saying something.
I also found that resources on the car are nil...so if you want to know anything, email me directly. It would be good to make contact with fellow owner as its pretty quiet out there. Aero owners don't appear to mix with other Morgan model owners, or attend meets.
Glenn
Interesting to read your thread. I was looking for a 355 myself but got totally dismayed with the general quality of the cars I saw. And I was looking at main dealers!
Anyhow, somehow I ended up looking at an Aero and fell in love with it. Strange, because I had no interest in the car a year ago. I picked up my ex-demo car (with 70 miles!!) in January and I'm still running it in. What I found was that the later hood is a must have...the early one leaked badly. Later cars have 5 stud wheels rather than centre locks, which I liked the look of, but have been told they're more troublesome. The only probs I have had so far are a battery failure and the wooden door cappings losing their varnish. I'm still waiting for the door cappings and thats one comment I would have...don't expect replacement parts to turn up overnight..wheels move very slowly at Morgan, almost to the point of frustration. Apart from that, I think the car is awesome.. and from someone who has come from Superlight Caterhams, thats saying something.
I also found that resources on the car are nil...so if you want to know anything, email me directly. It would be good to make contact with fellow owner as its pretty quiet out there. Aero owners don't appear to mix with other Morgan model owners, or attend meets.
Glenn
Rich - have you tried www.rtcc.co.uk? They have four in stock at the moment.
Just don't get any ideas about their Morgan race cars .....
Just don't get any ideas about their Morgan race cars .....
Morning Mogsters 
Hi Glen - thanks for the advice - saw your email too and will reply after lunch (the office is hectic this am!) so I'll just trot out a quick roundup of my testdrives here for now.
1. Drove up to Paul Stephens (porsche specialist) up in Suffolk. Long old drive to get there for me coming from Middx, but hey once you get out there wonderful roads to drive on and very light traffic.
Their Morgan was very nice - repleneent in Titanium and cream leather and darkish wood (maple - who knows perhaps I'll get better at the leather and wood thing as I go along?)
Went out for a drive, and really got to experience the car. The dealer was fantastic, proper test drive no mucking about and a great route up and down some twisty stuff and then back across a bypass where you could really feel the power of the (bmw!) v8. Sounded pretty good too - though being the kind of person I am I'd prefer a louder exhaust!
HAving perviously only driven one Aero at the dealer in Kensington I found I could really get to know the character of the car, and to me (With my lmited experience of things) it felt like a big bad caterham - all direct, visceral and great feedback, that feelign of being right in there in the action is great. Traction is pretty unbelievable too!
However, the colour scheme didn't do it for me - light coloured leather really doesn't float my boat, and I didn't feel that the silver suited the car particularly...
Second option was down to SGT at Taplow where they had a fantastic Aero in larkspur blue (Rolls Royce colour apparrently - looks like TVR ice blue) with dark blue leather interior, only 1600 miles on the clock and pretty much as new - 'glovebox' mulberry case still in the plastic etc!
Anyway having spent far too much time chugging from Sussex back to Berks I had run out of time to drive this one - however I did rather fall in love with the colour scheme - light outside, and dark inside how I like em. Even has the same stereo as the masser with sat nav on board which is cool
More info soon - I shall be driving it on Saturday and they're saving it for me
P.S. if anyone can offer me more than 25 now on the MAsser then I'd bite your hand off!!
>> Edited by mr_tony on Monday 4th July 10:40
Hi Glen - thanks for the advice - saw your email too and will reply after lunch (the office is hectic this am!) so I'll just trot out a quick roundup of my testdrives here for now.
1. Drove up to Paul Stephens (porsche specialist) up in Suffolk. Long old drive to get there for me coming from Middx, but hey once you get out there wonderful roads to drive on and very light traffic.
Their Morgan was very nice - repleneent in Titanium and cream leather and darkish wood (maple - who knows perhaps I'll get better at the leather and wood thing as I go along?)
Went out for a drive, and really got to experience the car. The dealer was fantastic, proper test drive no mucking about and a great route up and down some twisty stuff and then back across a bypass where you could really feel the power of the (bmw!) v8. Sounded pretty good too - though being the kind of person I am I'd prefer a louder exhaust!
HAving perviously only driven one Aero at the dealer in Kensington I found I could really get to know the character of the car, and to me (With my lmited experience of things) it felt like a big bad caterham - all direct, visceral and great feedback, that feelign of being right in there in the action is great. Traction is pretty unbelievable too!
However, the colour scheme didn't do it for me - light coloured leather really doesn't float my boat, and I didn't feel that the silver suited the car particularly...
Second option was down to SGT at Taplow where they had a fantastic Aero in larkspur blue (Rolls Royce colour apparrently - looks like TVR ice blue) with dark blue leather interior, only 1600 miles on the clock and pretty much as new - 'glovebox' mulberry case still in the plastic etc!
Anyway having spent far too much time chugging from Sussex back to Berks I had run out of time to drive this one - however I did rather fall in love with the colour scheme - light outside, and dark inside how I like em. Even has the same stereo as the masser with sat nav on board which is cool
More info soon - I shall be driving it on Saturday and they're saving it for me
P.S. if anyone can offer me more than 25 now on the MAsser then I'd bite your hand off!!
>> Edited by mr_tony on Monday 4th July 10:40
Well, I haven't even driven the one I've put a deposit on yet, and I've nearly bought the damn thing already!
I'm already in the process of costing up the options (mota lita etc) I've just cleared the finance on the Maserati, and I'm negotiating with the Morgan chaps on caps and tshirts and the like
I'm driving it saturday morning, and really looking forward to it, the others I've driven inspire confidence in the chassis, and components and make you feel confortable behind the wheel.
What I'm not sure about at the moment is how it will be percieved by the general public. Of course the Maserati resplendent in rosso mondiale was hardly a shrinking violets car - but he bug eyed aero has serious wow factor and I'm not sure how I'll get used to being a mobile freak show. Still I'm sure I'll cope, never been worried by the attention before, I guess I'll probably sneakily enjoy it!!!
I'm already in the process of costing up the options (mota lita etc) I've just cleared the finance on the Maserati, and I'm negotiating with the Morgan chaps on caps and tshirts and the like
I'm driving it saturday morning, and really looking forward to it, the others I've driven inspire confidence in the chassis, and components and make you feel confortable behind the wheel.
What I'm not sure about at the moment is how it will be percieved by the general public. Of course the Maserati resplendent in rosso mondiale was hardly a shrinking violets car - but he bug eyed aero has serious wow factor and I'm not sure how I'll get used to being a mobile freak show. Still I'm sure I'll cope, never been worried by the attention before, I guess I'll probably sneakily enjoy it!!!
Interested to hear how you get on - I have a Plus 8 at the moment (3.9 Velvet Green with dark green interior). I too am thinking of moving up to an Aero 8 - I'm just finding it too damn impractical. If you are swapping from another sportscar then it may not be such an issue, but what is the Aero like for luggage. It does have an odd rump, which probably hides room for a few cases. I'm not entirely convinced about the Aero - I don't know if I could put up with the front end looks after the traditional shape moggie...
- for the Maserati then? Sounds like you'll have it in time for VMAX... nice one!Morganic - Well it's no load lugger, but it does have room for a decent sized soft bag in the boot, possibly two reasonable sized ones. In theory it should take a full set of golf clubs, but I couldn't comment on that!!
Trackdemon - indeed I should have it for VMAX mate - will be it's first outing! Can't wait
Trackdemon - indeed I should have it for VMAX mate - will be it's first outing! Can't wait
What is the Aero like to drive? My Plus 8 never feels comfortable at speed and just cannot cope with uneven surfaces - there is a tiny hump on the M4 near Reading and the thing just takes off. I'm assuming that the Aero has proper (i.e. not sliding pillar) suspension, so at least you can control the damn thing.
As for the luggage point, I use my Moggie as an everyday car so some weatherproof luggage space has to be a bonus. Never really looked closely at an Aero before, but hope to get out to some dealers soon.
Good luck with the purchase.
As for the luggage point, I use my Moggie as an everyday car so some weatherproof luggage space has to be a bonus. Never really looked closely at an Aero before, but hope to get out to some dealers soon.
Good luck with the purchase.
Closest analogy I can think of is the following :
experience wise it feels like a caterham - low to the ground, very solid grip, lighting reflexes.
Ride wise it is incredibly smooth - a better ride than my 3200GT with all it's fancy electronic suspension. Aero has full race suspension setup basically and is very taught, but damn confy too even over the rutted tarmac of Kensington it felt comforable, and out on the lanes in Cambridge it contains any body roll - cornering flat as a pancake, whilst still being cossetting..
It's explosively fast too - would scare the pants off a well driven 911 and would eat a Boxster S for breakfast, and feels alive but stable in your hands. I'm no Fangio so I figure I've got a learning curve to go through on this to really be able to extract the performance, but even at 7/10s it's impressive to say the least!
Still not quite sure as to the level of attention it will raise driving about, but I'm not retiring violet when it comes to cars so I'm sure I'll cope.
>> Edited by mr_tony on Wednesday 6th July 13:33
experience wise it feels like a caterham - low to the ground, very solid grip, lighting reflexes.
Ride wise it is incredibly smooth - a better ride than my 3200GT with all it's fancy electronic suspension. Aero has full race suspension setup basically and is very taught, but damn confy too even over the rutted tarmac of Kensington it felt comforable, and out on the lanes in Cambridge it contains any body roll - cornering flat as a pancake, whilst still being cossetting..
It's explosively fast too - would scare the pants off a well driven 911 and would eat a Boxster S for breakfast, and feels alive but stable in your hands. I'm no Fangio so I figure I've got a learning curve to go through on this to really be able to extract the performance, but even at 7/10s it's impressive to say the least!
Still not quite sure as to the level of attention it will raise driving about, but I'm not retiring violet when it comes to cars so I'm sure I'll cope.
>> Edited by mr_tony on Wednesday 6th July 13:33
I agree with Rich's comments re. driving and Aero. I didn't realise how much like an oversized Caterham it would feel. You have to realise that this car is light...only 1000kgs. The only thing I would look for is faster steering. I think this may be the case on the 2005 model, which I peronsally don't like. The car is not that big...its about 300mm more narrow than a 355, but sitting so far back (over the back wheels almost) takes some getting used to. I've already caught my n/s front wheel on a kerb and I've been really careful to avoid doing this.
As for attention on the road....you better get used to having your picture taken Rich
I didn't realise you had been to Paul Stephens Rich, I know him quite well and my brother knows him really well...we met up with him at LeMans, where he was driving the Aero.
>> Edited by Aero8 on Saturday 9th July 09:14
As for attention on the road....you better get used to having your picture taken Rich
I didn't realise you had been to Paul Stephens Rich, I know him quite well and my brother knows him really well...we met up with him at LeMans, where he was driving the Aero.
>> Edited by Aero8 on Saturday 9th July 09:14
took the beasty I have the deposit on out for a spin on saturday - awesome I can't wait to take it home! It hought I got some attention around kensington in the car, but driving around maidenhead people were just gobsmacked by it, it's probably got as much visual impact on passers by as acountach or something - people really do stare. Still I'm no shrinking violet so I'm sure I will enjoy it!!!
Just can't wait to get the deal done now, bleeding Maserati recall so the car is in to get done today, sounds like it won't be ready for wednesday ether so I might have to wait until thursday to get my hands on clarance as it's now being christened. Never named my previous cars but clarance seems to have stuck, so Clarance it shall be...
Well latest update on this 'secret forum' for those in the know about the impending arrival of clarance... 
Maserati is sorted by maranellos. Paid for the lambda sensor to get fixed out of me own pocket (damn thing blew on the way to le mans - sure they just get sooted up by the tubi or something)....
Anyway, thats another grand I can ill afford down the drain, still it does mean someone is going to get themselves a very well sorted Maserati when they buy it from SGT!
Anyway, the Morgan is now ready for my collection, I've transferred the cash over so technically short of signing the paperwork I am a Morgan owner! (Hurrah!)...
Looking forward to drinking lost of real ale and growing a sizable beard / belly combination
VMAX on Sunday so should get a chance to find out what the beasty can do.
:drive: :drive:
Maserati is sorted by maranellos. Paid for the lambda sensor to get fixed out of me own pocket (damn thing blew on the way to le mans - sure they just get sooted up by the tubi or something)....
Anyway, thats another grand I can ill afford down the drain, still it does mean someone is going to get themselves a very well sorted Maserati when they buy it from SGT!
Anyway, the Morgan is now ready for my collection, I've transferred the cash over so technically short of signing the paperwork I am a Morgan owner! (Hurrah!)...
Looking forward to drinking lost of real ale and growing a sizable beard / belly combination
VMAX on Sunday so should get a chance to find out what the beasty can do.
:drive: :drive: 
No biggie - still awaiting collection.
Masser fix took much longer than expected, and then I lost some paperwork for the Masser(doh!) so can't effect trade in until new paperwork arrives...
Feeling like a prat but thats life sometimes!
Aero awaits me sometime in the middle of next week!
Masser fix took much longer than expected, and then I lost some paperwork for the Masser(doh!) so can't effect trade in until new paperwork arrives...
Feeling like a prat but thats life sometimes!
Aero awaits me sometime in the middle of next week!
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