I've been researching AMs for the last several months. My heart is set on a Vantage or DB9 but nearly all reviews suggest that these cars are better suited for manual drivers. Unfortunately, I learned to drive on automatics and have had a succession of German cars since then. Is it more rational to give up on my dream of owning an Aston Martin due to my lack of technical prowess?

 

No the DB9 is an auto and the Vantage sport shift only takes a few days to master. I have a 2012 Vantage s and I like the sport shift.

 

DB9 Automatic is a ZF 6 speed in older ones, its like any other car... Vantage on the other hand is the Automanual called Sport Shift and is much different

 

Or you could spend a couple days learning to drive a stick and really enjoy driving like you never knew you could.

 

ALL of the above posts are perfectly said. Not hard for someone to learn to drive a stick, a AM is not the usual first, but its no different than any other stick.

I have a manual DB9 (they are very hard to find) and originally I never planned on getting a manual version. I really wanted the automatic (ZF transmission) where I knew from my MB AMG I could still play around with the paddle shifters if I wanted to feel sporty.

A forum member here talked me into the stick and I am so happy with it I am surprised. I always felt large GT cars should be more automatic with paddle shifters rather than manuals. The Vantage should be a manual. But, I am very happy with the manual DB9 that I have. Wouldn't change it for an automatic now.

So hope that helps a bit more. Automatic DB9s are plentiful and shouldn't be hard finding one. You will really like it. Manuals are very difficult to find and are rare

 

Thank you for the insight. Seems like it may be time to learn driving a stickshift but I would not immediately graduate to an AM within days of that. Maybe a Porsche instead :-)

 

No, it's more rational to test drive both Vantage and DB9 "automatics" and form your own opinion, instead of listening to what makes others happy.

You may may find you hate the lack of a clutch pedal in this car. You may find you don't.

My DB9 is an automatic and I wouldn't have it any other way for what I want out of an Aston. The DB9 is more of a GT than the Vantage, which is more sports car. Also the Vantage "automatic" is an automated manual, of sorts and has some nuances you can read about on this site.

I use my DB9 for relaxing drives. I enjoy sitting back and cruising, and I don't feel like a failure for not having a clutch pedal in it.

I also have cars with clutch pedals when I want to be more engaged.

Figure out what you want out of an Aston then determine what meets your objectives.

Enjoy the search and let us know how we can help address your questions.

 

For the record, I would advise against getting a manual AM until you've truly mastered regular driving with a manual transmission. The clutch replacement is way too expensive to learn how not to over-rev your starts.

While I prefer manual cars in general, I don't see a reason to automatically disregard the sportshift models. Drive one... you might like it just fine.

But of course, it won't come with the pride that accompanies a perfectly rev-matched downshift.

 

A big plus 1!, for the above post. I would say, were you live there are some great roads. Also cheap used stick shift cars are probably more plentiful than in the US. I would buy one to learn on and drive for a few months. Then look for a Vantage and drive both. I think a car like a Vantage is probably more pure and fun with a stick. Just my $.02. I have also owned two Vantages, a 2007 4.3 and my 2016 4.7. Both are manuals and I would not have it any other way. But that is me and not you. Happy hunting.
Ron

 

This brings up an interesting point. Similarly to the sport shift, the manual Vantage (at least the single mass flywheel version) takes some practice to get used to. My dad, who's been driving only manual transmission cars for over 50 years and has been known to get more than 100,000 miles out of the CLUTCH on most of them, had a hard time with my Aston. The trick is to recognize that the engine has alot more momentum than most cars. You don't have to give it much or even any gas from a stop and it's important to up and downshift with that same fact in mind. It takes an extra pause to make sure revs are matched before trying to engage the clutch.

 

Ron,

Although I am certifiable as a genius, I am not aware of how to rev-match with a manual. My DB9 is a manual so would love to learn this trick. I have read it all over the place for years; however, no where have I seen it explained or a How-To discussion.

I am constantly aware of RPM vs. clutch let out when starting off in my DB9. However, I tend to 50% use a rev to start off rather than no throttle and just easing the clutch out. This is normally what happens when I am in traffic rather then no one else around. Kinda like starting on a hill. No drastic revving, but still a bit worrisome, in attempting to lessen clutch wear.

If you can help a bit on this that would be great. TO the OP, you can learn on any manual car, including the AM. The only downside is possibly creating a bit more wear then what would happen normally to the clutch, which is not cheap to replace. The clutch is about the same on the DB9, V8V and the auto-manual V8V. All the same V12 clutch discs for when replacing. The automatic DB9's are your normal German ZF units utilized my MB, BMW and many others. So normal transmission fluid changes and maintenance for that.

 

Ok, counterpoint time - my first Vantage was a 6 speed a 2007. The clutch is heavy for a manual car and driving in stop and go traffic is absolutely no fun. If you have daily city driving like me it's a royal pain. If you ever have a leg or foot injury - its indeed painful. My next three Vantages were sportshifts - if you drive it ONLY in manual mode and learn to modulate the gas between paddle shifts it very involving and I know plenty of manual Vantage owners locally who made the switch and feel the same. If you press the [D] button to drive a sportshift car you will be very dissapointed indeed.

If I was buying a new Vantage and saw a good used one at the right price and colors, that's what would influence me, but only on the newer Vantages with lighter clutches would I go with a 6 speed again.

 

Rev matching applies to the speed of the engine (rpm) vs the rotational speed of the gears. It does not apply when moving off from a stop, since the gears aren't turning at the point you engage the clutch. A higher gear rotates more slowly for a given road speed. So, when changing up, take your foot off the gas to lower engine rpm to match the slower gear rpm. When changing down, blip the throttle to increase engine rpm to match the faster gear rpm. Thereby matching engine rpm to gear rpm, achieving a smoother gear change.

 

There are probably 100 youtube videos on how to properly heel toe, but "proper" doesn't fit everyone and every car. The whole idea is when you're downshifting while braking you rev the gas enough to match the revs to the downshift gear. You can also rev match without braking making it much less tricky but usually when downshifting you are on the brake.


Astons have a fairly wide gap between brake and gas pedals and I was having a tough time on test drives finding the right foot position to be able to consistently juice the gas while controlling brake pressure, so I ordered a heel toe pedal which is wider and narrows that gap. Before the pedal came I finally found the right angles for consistency [I use the side of the ball of my foot on the brake and the opposite edge more toward the heel, but not the heel on the gas] but my new pedal came in and I installed it. Now I can use the ball on the brake and the opposite edge on the gas, but the pedal is a hair too wide and every now and then you'll get a little of the gas when all you want is brake. I've gotten well used to it now but I might go back to the original pedal at some point.


But if a manual is engaged driving then rev matching is fully engaged driving. Sometimes you want to "drive", sometimes you can't be bothered and just want to cruise.


Practice makes perfect, in theory, but the Astons sluggish throttle response makes perfection slightly difficult to obtain

 

I'm not even limiting it just to during decel. Cruising along in sixth at 70 mph, lane opens up, clutch in, down to third and rev to about 5k, clutch out, goodbye. The sportshifts will do it for you, but where's the pleasure in that?

SherrifDep - using some throttle while letting out the clutch is pretty normal; going without it would take too long for traffic. The concern becomes revving too high, which amateurs will tend to do because it ensures that you won't stall, at the cost of wearing the clutch. You should use only as much throttle as you need to prevent a stall for however fast you're coming off the clutch... and it shouldn't be much.