Pic of the day

[Andyk]

For me the best Aston from a looks perspective is the Vantage, I don't think there is an angle from which it doesn't look great. I wouldn't really care if it was 4.3 or 4.7 but it would have to be manual, this one if £28k on AT with under 50k miles that's a lot of car for the money.

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Early Vantage have dropped a bit over the last year. Even the 4.7 is early 30’s now with the odd one below 30k. 18 years old now so needs a good inspection. But agree Andy one of it not the best shapes on the road.

 

[Guy]

Really, I went in a standard one with TT3 gearbox and thought it was epic to be honest.

Andy, I guess it was relative. My AMG E63 (5.5 turbo version) felt much more fun and a lot quicker at the time. The DBS felt heavy and sluggish. Also for me, it doesn't compare to the Maserati Granturismo/MC Stradale I have owned. I agree AMs are pretty but as drivers tools, give me a Maser any day. Most people I know in the trade are very nervous of Astons because of their reliability issues too where as all 5 Masers I have owned (no biturbos!!) have been impeccable. I have driven the old V8s and they are like trucks but I haven't tried the Mercedes era cars, perhaps they are better. Until then, I would stick with Maserati.

 

[Flint]

Andy, I guess it was relative. My AMG E63 (5.5 turbo version) felt much more fun and a lot quicker at the time. The DBS felt heavy and sluggish. Also for me, it doesn't compare to the Maserati Granturismo/MC Stradale I have owned. I agree AMs are pretty but as drivers tools, give me a Maser any day. Most people I know in the trade are very nervous of Astons because of their reliability issues too where as all 5 Masers I have owned (no biturbos!!) have been impeccable. I have driven the old V8s and they are like trucks but I haven't tried the Mercedes era cars, perhaps they are better. Until then, I would stick with Maserati.

I can't disagree with any of that, yet the Vantage just creates such an itch in me that one day I will just have to scratch it.

 

[Andyk]

Andy, I guess it was relative. My AMG E63 (5.5 turbo version) felt much more fun and a lot quicker at the time. The DBS felt heavy and sluggish. Also for me, it doesn't compare to the Maserati Granturismo/MC Stradale I have owned. I agree AMs are pretty but as drivers tools, give me a Maser any day. Most people I know in the trade are very nervous of Astons because of their reliability issues too where as all 5 Masers I have owned (no biturbos!!) have been impeccable. I have driven the old V8s and they are like trucks but I haven't tried the Mercedes era cars, perhaps they are better. Until then, I would stick with Maserati.

The old V8 was typically old school and that V8 in 4.3 and 4.6 to some extent needed revs to get the car going. Funny you say about reliability and you would know as you have owned the cars but I have a car dealer friend who deals in prestige stuff and wouldn’t touch a Maserati for love or money but he has sold a number of Aston. He has sold a number of QP and had nowt but hassle after.

Now the AMG Astons for me have move the game on massively. Lots out there don’t like the styling of the Vantage but I love it and have driven three now. Admittedly all on track but it has transformed the performance of the Vantage onto a different level and the first proper sports car Aston has made.

 

[Andyk]

The car Jaguar should have built.

 

[P5Nij]

Back on the green theme - a rather patinated Jensen CV8 at the NEC resto show last March...

 

[Guy]

The old V8 was typically old school and that V8 in 4.3 and 4.6 to some extent needed revs to get the car going. Funny you say about reliability and you would know as you have owned the cars but I have a car dealer friend who deals in prestige stuff and wouldn’t touch a Maserati for love or money but he has sold a number of Aston. He has sold a number of QP and had nowt but hassle after.

Now the AMG Astons for me have move the game on massively. Lots out there don’t like the styling of the Vantage but I love it and have driven three now. Admittedly all on track but it has transformed the performance of the Vantage onto a different level and the first proper sports car Aston has made.

Apologies Andy, I meant the 70s/80s V8s, not the V8 Vantage and my reliability comments probably relate mostly to DB9s and their various iterations. My Maserati experience is probably somewhat enhanced by the fact that they all came through Richard Grace and I suspect most non specialists pick up the stuff that needs 5-10k spending! I would love to love Astons but I have yet to drive one that I thought drove really well vs my experience with 40-60k Masers and practically every 911. Generally I am not a fan of turbos as they put too much torque low down and I like to hear an engine sing so would have an M3 E46/90 over any of the current cars for example.

 

[davy83]

up a hill just south of Glenshee on Friday and this came swanning up the valley below me doing a bit of low level flying practice i guess?

 

[CatmanV2]

up a hill just south of Glenshee on Friday and this came swanning up the valley below me doing a bit of low level flying practice i guess?
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Isn't there a nickname for those valleys? My god father's last posting was Shackletons (20,000 rivets in loose formation) out of Lossiemouth. Sadly he parked in the side of a mountain.

C

 

[Andyk]

Apologies Andy, I meant the 70s/80s V8s, not the V8 Vantage and my reliability comments probably relate mostly to DB9s and their various iterations. My Maserati experience is probably somewhat enhanced by the fact that they all came through Richard Grace and I suspect most non specialists pick up the stuff that needs 5-10k spending! I would love to love Astons but I have yet to drive one that I thought drove really well vs my experience with 40-60k Masers and practically every 911. Generally I am not a fan of turbos as they put too much torque low down and I like to hear an engine sing so would have an M3 E46/90 over any of the current cars for example.

Ah, now that would make sense. Crossed wires.

 

[Guy]

When the stylist has perhaps a little too much influence.....

 

[RoaryRati]

And for a real step back in Aston history



The Aston my parents rescued - we called her 'Smokey' - finding out if she is still around is on my to-do list but always slips to the bottom

 

[Scaf]

The young lady looks keen to try, the guy walking in looks like he knows what’s to come

 

[Oneball]

And for a real step back in Aston history

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The Aston my parents rescued - we called her 'Smokey' - finding out if she is still around is on my to-do list but always slips to the bottom

They’d gone bust 3 times by 1937!

 

[Flint]

The young lady looks keen to try, the guy walking in looks like he knows what’s to come

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I've heard of a while you wait service, but how does a take-away work ?
Asking for a friend.

 

[Guy]

 

[Guy]

 

[Andyk]

 

[Andyk]

New Aston Martin Vanquish. 820 BHP from a proper engine. No hybrid or electric here.

 

[Andyk]