I went to a local independent upscale dealership today to test drive a 2007 Vantage Vert with supposedly 6,300 miles on it. While the car was in fine physical condition, I was very disappointed in the way the sport shift transmission behaved. Since this is the first time I've driven a Sport Shift car, I'm not familiar with how they behave. Along the test drive, coming off the highway, we encountered some severe stop and go traffic. As you accelerate slowy, it vibrated and jerked rather badly. Almost as like a newbie driver with a manual gearbox. If you gave it moderate throttle off the line, you didn't really experience this jerkiness. I know this is an automated manuel type transmission, so it's not going to be as smooth, as say in my wife's Mercedes, but is this really the way this transmission behaves, or is there a problem with this car? The GM was trying to convince me this was normal on the earlier Vantage Auto cars.

I really would prefer a stick car, but since the wife would like to drive it occasionally, she's trying to convince me to get an auto.

Thanks for the input.

Here's a link to the car I saw today.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Aston...ht_3776wt_1184

 

That just about sums up the sportshift, just about the worse auto type I have ever owned. But on the open road when really driving the car it is superb!

You have to use it on the paddles, never use auto mode! Don't even try it in reverse.

It can be improved with "Clutch Learns" (Start the car up to five times in a row when cold, with the A/C off, wait for a click just after the N lights up) But you will need to that once a week at least.

They also chew up clutches at a fair old rate

 

Agree with the post above.. it's great on the open road but it's terrible in stop/go traffic. Just have to consider the conditions in which you'll be driving it. With that said, if you let the sportshift "click" every time you start the car (ie. the clutch learn procedure above... just a single time instead of 5)... it's not bad for daily use (outside of heavily congested areas).

 

Being that I am in Miami, and I'll be wanting to use the car for some work related tasks, ie: client meetings and such, I will be doing a decent amount of driving in rush hour type traffic.

Coming to terms with what I experienced with the Shortshift car was normal, I'm almost positive I'm ruling it out. Driving the manual car was a much better experience. Wife isn't going to be happy, as she can't drive a stick, but so be it. Don't think I'll enjoy driving the sportshift version of this car too much. However, I'm sure a lot of it has to do with I'd need to learn how to properly drive a sportshift car.

Thanks for the insight.

Rob.

 

Try a DB9 with TT2; a proper torque converter automatic that works in traffic and wives can drive. Paddles shift for you, and 4 more cylinders too

 

I'd like to, but doubtful I can purchase and service a DB9 in the price range where I want to be. What year DB9's have the TT2?

 

They've had them right from the start (2005) up to present. There are usually some low mile 2005/2006 DB9s available at prices not far off 07/08 Vantages.

 

My concern is the difference in reliability/maintenance/service costs between a V12 DB9, and the Vantage. I know the DB9 has to be a substantially more expensive car to maintain and service, and I fear it may be inferior to the Vantage in terms of overall reliability.

 

Every bit as reliable. It's the evolution of the V12 used in the DB7 and Vanquish, so lot's of V12s on the road with lots of miles. The V12 is relatively low tech (less tech than the V8), mildly tuned. Not much difference in service costs between the two either (neither one is especially cheap to service). Same brakes, same tires, same annual/10K miles service interval. DB9 will use a bit more gas, but the V8 isn't exactly thrifty on that count either.

 

Hello! Please Im Spanish and dont understand you very well, could you explain again the procedure you do when starting the car please?

 

IF you want your wife to be able to drive the car, and that is a big "if", , you could just teach her to drive a stick. I bought a manual transmission car with an ex-girlfriend a while back on the way home from a road trip. We needed to get the car home but she didn't know how to drive a stick . . . yet. I was able to teach her how to drive the car in about a half hour and she drove it all the way home without killing the engine or grinding the gears. You may not want to teach her on an Aston, but learning how to drive a stick really isn't really that difficult.

 

I hear you on that one. I learned to drive a stick when I was 15 in less than a day. Problem is, my wife has no interest in learning. I've had several stick cars since we've been together, and I've tried to get her to let me teach her. She's showed no interest. Hey, but I'm ok with it, as I'd rather she not drive it anyhow.

 

Now we've gotten to the heart of the matter Decision is easy now.

 

If you're looking for a smaller and sportier driving experience vantage is a good car, DB is an epic sport GT car, great for long trips, and with a manual and sport package can be thrilling on spirited driving (but these options are very hard to find ESP
Manual gearbox on DB9). If opting for auto manual the TT2 in DB cars is more of an automatic but the sportshift in vantage is designed differently and may feel less refined and more aggressive.

 

Well, I have to say that I do not find my 07 Vantage as problematic as the previous posters. Mine just hit 40,000 miles. I believe it is still on the original clutch. Mine will do a little "bucking" when it is cold but after that I don't find it bad. I have never done a clutch learn procedure (I'm glad to read about that). You know, that particular year car is pretty rare to have the sport shift and be a roadster. There were very few produced in that configuration. Mine is also a daily driver. Maybe that has something to do with mine working a little better. I'm getting a little old to be getting in and out of this car (I'm 56), but I love it. The sound of it is wonderful and when you put the top down, it's awesome. The stick would eliminate your significant other from driving it and that's fine. My wife has never wanted to drive mine because the visibility in the convertible is pretty poor and she's afraid she might hurt it. Good luck with the search.