I was pleasantly suprised by the gearbox of my Vanquish. Maybe because I was expecting it to be as bad as Clarkson said on Top Gear. It's a heavy car, and I would consider it more of a touring sedan than all out sports car. The backseat is definitely useless. i couldn't fit the smallest of child seats in it. If you do, no one can sit in the front seat because it'll be all the way forward. Seriously, my 2 year old couldn't fit back there. My briefcase barely could.

The sound is amazing, especially if you removed the exhaust valve so that all pipes were open at low rpm. Otherwise, it closes below 3-4k I think.

Repairs are NOT cheap. Plus, you'll find very little support for it online. Nothing is more frustrating than a problem that can only be solved by the dealer with no forum input to help.

The new jag's look like AM's to me. For the money, AM's don't look unique enough imho. Similar to the ZR1. I ended up selling mine because it wasn't the family sports car I was hoping to have. Maybe an M5 will be in my future. Or maybe I'll just continue buying 2 seaters

 

Everything i've heard points to it being a great car with the Achilles heel being a transmission that always breaks...

But the Vanq knows better than little ole me about such things. All I know is the Vanq S took 3 trips to the service department to get the transmission to survive a lap on the Top Gear track...

 

On the show Fifth Gear, the Vanq always had a belt slipping in a full lock countersteer. They had to fly mechanics out a few times (look up on Youtube, hilarious). I never tried the same maneuver in my Vanq for fear of the same thing happening. I sold mine at 30k miles because I heard (I think from the dealer?) that several transmissions had to be rebuilt around that time. Cost? Somewhere north of $30k I believe.

Fact or fiction, who knows. As far as I knew, I was the only one in Atlanta with that high of mileage on my Vanq. Then again, I still think that daily driving exotics is the only way to ensure that everything stays in tip top shape. A lot of the thoughts surrounding repairs are due to cars sitting I think. Heck, if you put a Toyota in the garage and only drove it 900 miles/year, I bet it would develop major problems too.

 

^^^ Couldn't agree more... Machinery is meant to be used. I'd rather own a used Gallardo with 30k miles on it than one of the same year with 3k miles. Its when things sit that it all goes to hell.

 

Yep. My 360 had nearly 30k miles when I sold it, and so did the Aston. My Murc has 27k miles currently. My Gallardo had almost 10k miles when I sold it, and honestly as it got close to 10k I didn't drive it very much thinking it would take a price hit.

With higher mileage cars, I don't even care about the odometer. A 25k mile car is about the same as a 30k mile car to a buyer, assuming all services are done.

 

I put close to 40K miles on the Turbo and the GT2, so I am in agreement with you guys.

And I would much much rather buy a properly serviced cars like these with 30K miles all day long than one that has 3000 miles.

I bought my E30 circa 1988 when it only had 80K miles on it in 2003, took it to Laguna Seca after getting all belts, hoses, and bushings replaced, and promptly blew the gasket because the car had been sitting and the rubbers inside the engine had started to dry rot.

So back to the backseat thing on the Vanquish, your 2 year old couldn't fit? The pictures look like it should be able to fit little kids without issues. I can put my sunshine kidz car seat facing forward in the 996 body back seat with no issues. So the back of the Vanquish is smaller than that!?

I also know that the same is true with 997 body style. Saw a guy at the grocery store I go to and 2 of his kids, one looks to be about 7 or 8, and the other in a car seat looked to be about 4. Maybe the Turbo is the car (with clutch slave delete, of course).

 

Stuka, my car is at the AM Works Service dep. in the UK and I haven't seen it since it left me, the last update call I recieved (~3 weeks ago) said a DB9 (manual) transmission plus clutch had been put in and recalibration of ECU had been made. The suspension had been inspected and worn parts had been replaced there aswell. As for the interior, the seats have been reupholstered and various knobs/switches has been changed to newer ones.

Planned items (not yet done) are:
New brakes
Headlights
New wheels

I'll request some pictures next time I speak with them.

 

Wow, sounds like a nice project. I bet you can't wait to get it back.

Let's hope it takes less time than it took them to do my E30 revamp.

 

Exciting news! Do give us a thorough review of your improved Vanquish when you get it back. I love this tradition of uprating 'vintage' Astons

 

Nothing sounds like a Vanquish with the flaps tied open on the exhaust...mean machine..and looks wise it is hot.