first of. I absolutely love the car.. It has so much class, it sounds great (will sound a whole better soon) interior is a real treat, seats are supportive, handles well, timeless design. And I always find myself looking back at it when I walk away from it.

Things that are somewhat annoying and stuff that I sure you guys have discussed many times over.

NB I am nitpicking here but still

1. handbrake.. wth??
2. Electric window buttons are upside down..
3. Seat belt alarm tuns on even is the car is at stand still and in N.. wth??
4. Fuel cap button.. took me forever to find.. There was no way I was gonna look it up.. had to be found by me
5. I very much like the sportshift, as I did in the R8, M3 and SMG M3 and so forth.. But if you let it down shift (by it self) in Manual mode, then the last change from 2nd to 1st i a bit rough.. can be solved by changing with the paddles.
6. What is with the leather strap in the boot? I get what the purpose is, but why not just an integrated handle in the boot covering like all other cars?
7. The crystal key, ok I absolutely love it but I know that I am gonna scratch or break it in the very near future...
8. What up with making the hazard light button soo small and totally inconspicuous.. ? I am 6f 3" and my fingers follow suite..
9. Why is the a warning alarm/chime when you turn on the car.. ? perhaps because the handbrakes not pulled..
10. Why the hell is the comfort mode RED when lit??? Is Aston taunting me for being a wuss and not driving in Sport mode all the time ?


But what a lovely car... hope to keep it for a long time.. well 1 to 2 years at least.



Cars
Current
Aston Vantage V8 2011
Alfa 159 sport wagon

Past
Audi R8 V8, Ferrari 458, Cayman R, XKR 2009, Porsche 997 S, Porsche 996 C2, Porsche 981S, 2x 986, 944, X5 Sport, M3, M5 and a whole bunch of other cars

 

My old Jaguar had the hand brake in the same location. Personally it does not bother me.
I agree on the window switches, its counterintuitive, even now, after a couple years of ownership I still occasionally press them the wrong way. It's also guaranteed that my wife will always press the buttons in reverse of what she wants.
I don't have on, but personally I will never fully understand the emotion key. Makes a great commercial, buy a proximity chip with a start button (similar to other cars) would have been so much better.

 

I miss the keyless start on my Z, and the windows were opposite [and wipers], so after 12 years of 350/370, after 9 months I've finally mastered which way they go. I was going to keep the 370 but since everything was backwards to each other is was mentally impossible to keep it straight.

And I love the handbrake on the left, I just hope I don't instinctively grab on the right in an emergency situation! LOL

 

I too like the handbrake on the left, especially handy with a clutch. Guess used to the left, many years ago, my 944T was on the left too.

 

Can you rewire the window switch to operate in the reverse way?

 

Must admit I thought the window switch was **** about until I thought about it

Imagine it was mounted flat on the door pull - then it makes sense , pull up (towards you) for window up, push down (away) for window down

G

 

hehe I toom had a 944 (1984 with 1 million miles) worse car I ever had, most likely since it was the cheapest I could find anyway, when the hand brake was pulled my trousers would always get caught.. Good that Aston sorted that aspect out

 

Was pulled over a while back and the officer walked up to my wife's side. I started the window down but my wife kept hitting her switch sending it up. The officer had a puzzled look on his face as the window kept going up and down. Finally yelled STOP! Don't touch the button! and brought the window all the way down.
Got off with a warning. (from both of them)

 

My only complaint about the window switch is it goes down with 1 touch but you have to hold it to go up ;/

 

funny...i remember my 944 the same way, although I liked the car right up to when i rolled it over... my Lotus Espirit hand brake was same way

 

Interesting list, I'm not bothered by any of those things (although I have a manual so the sport shift issues don't apply to me). My two nits would be the poor general visibility out of the cabin, especially the rear, even my Lotus is easier to see out of in the back and it has solid buttresses, and the weight of the car. If it was 300 pounds lighter, it would be even more rewarding to drive, 600 pounds and it would be a monster.

 

Sounds like you need a V12V!!!!

 

I am a fan of the overall dynamic benefit of low weight. It makes a car so much more responsive, communicative and controllable. Faster acceleration is not even the big benefit as far as I'm concerned. More power, for me at least, isn't the answer.

 

Fair enough, comment was part tongue in cheek

I'm having an internal debate with the little red demon on my shoulder about a V12V

love the idea of one (having had a brief drive) but not sure its a real everyday car

time will tell

any opinions welcome

sorry for the thread diversion

Graze

 

"Simplify, then add lightness. Adding power makes you faster on the straights; subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere." - Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus