hey guys,

i've noticed this before but never got around to posting a thread. when at a stop and in neutral, i occasionally notice that the car bucks when popped into first. it clearly feels like it's coming from the rear of the car as if the transmission is engaging or something. it doesn't happen all the time, but frequent enough for me to notice.

my car is a 6-speed manual. anyone else notice this?

Can you explain a little more..If your at a light stopped dead..your in neutral, with the clutch pedal to the floor, you shift to 1st..when do you get this bucking action, when you start to release the pedal?

Hi Irish,

That's correct. When stopped at a light in neutral, with the clutch pedal pushed in all the way, I notice the buck as soon as I pop it into first gear, while the clutch pedal is still pushed in all the way.

It doesn't happen all the time....primarily notice it after I was driving at a relatively high speed prior to stopping.

Looks like you may be having the same problem as I had. Notice how two rivets have failed and a third is being ground away. Also notice how little the clutch plate is worn. I think Aston now make a stronger way to fasten these parts together.

Thanks for chiming in Dicktahoe. I take it you experienced the same symptoms that I am describing?

Was this taken care of under warranty? What model year is your car?

I was told that AM had design defects with their clutches in the early model years, but should have been resolved by the time my car, MY09, came out.

I didn't experience your symptoms because I always gear down into 1st before coming to a complete stop, and leave it there with my clutch in. My symptoms were under hard acceleration I could not get out of gear and shift-up and this is what I mean. I would be accelertating in 2nd to 7,000RPM, then I'd put in the clutch and it would "hang up" and stay engaged until the RPMs got down to about 5,000 RPM and finally I could pull it out of gear and shift-up. Your problem sounded like it may have been caused by the same clutch issue, that's why I posted pictures so Irish or AM Fixer could comment. Mine is an '08 Vantage and had 9,500 miles when the clutch was replaced under warantee. I didn't understand yours was an '09 and yes, I think they changed the clutch design for '09.

Yah sounds like a faulty clutch like the posted pic, or a sticking clutch on the trans input shaft..either way when the concern happens, the clutch is still spinning the input shaft when it shouldn't be if disengaged, problem with the clutch assembly.

The AM clutch has not been changed, it's the same old idea of stamping the plates together without rivets (as you can see what happens from the pic..)

Dicktahoe and Irish,

Thanks for chiming in. I will report this back to my dealer. My car is currently under the extended warranty so hopefully it won't be an issue getting fixed if this is indeed a problem with the clutch assembly.

I noticed this since day 1 when I purchased my car more than a year ago with about 3,200 miles. My car now has 7,100 miles and I just assumed this was normal. It has not gotten worse or anything...just the occasional buck here and there as I described.

Any idea what will happen if my dealer tells me this is normal and I continue to drive it? Any potential damage that could be caused other than destroying the clutch?

Odds are they might tell you the fault is not present at this time unless they can make it happen. Once you can get this to happen on demand, tell the dealer what you do to make this concern happen..or road test it with a tech and you drive to make the concern happen..otherwise on a extended warranty, unless you have proof, no fixie!!

that's what I figured....i drove my car today and couldn't replicate the issue as it doesn't happen all the time. guess i'll just have to wait for the damn clutch to finally give and then I'll just upgrade to the Bamford Rose lightweight flywheel and twin plate clutch....i've heard great things about that product.