Aston Martin V8 Vantage Facelift - New Photos & Full Specification

Aston Martin 4.3 2005 Facelift & Tuned
For sale is my beloved Aston Martin that I have had the pleasure of owning for 5 years now. I viewed 8 cars before choosing this one since it was the best example I found and had a full comprehensive service history. Notably, as this is an early 4.3 version that was one of the first 1000 cars produced it has the factory upgraded engine internals. These factory upgraded parts came from the more powerful Vanquish model and essentially mean you have a stronger engine then those produced later.
The interior really attracted me to this car. So many Astons have black interior which while it looks great can make the cabin feel small. Kestral tan interior ,which is hard to photograph without making it look too light really adds the perception of space. It compliments both the Mercury Grey exterior paint (if you remove the wrap) and the metallic white wrap as it currently is. A further benefit is that it adds to the car looking younger then a 2005 model. More colour charts were introduced for the interior after 2010 and with a private plate who is to know any better?
The car benefits from Full Comprehensive Service History and MOT till January 2016 ( can re-MOT if required ) .
Most MOT's available except maybe 1 or 2. Service history papers and invoices amount to about 20 pages all carefully kept in a folder.
Service History Timeline
64 miles 08/09/2015 Pre Delivery Inspection Aston Martin Gaydon
1747 miles 05/01/2006 Initial 3 month Service Aston Martin Lancaster Cambridge
7840 miles 12/10/2006 12 month Service Aston Martin Gaydon
9823 miles 04/07/2007 24 month Service Aston Martin Gaydon
10428 miles 13/05/2008 Aston Martin Grange of Exeter
19235 miles 11/11/2009 Aston Martin Stratstone
22412 miles 14/10/2010 Aston Martin Lancaster Sevenoaks
24528 miles 03/11/2011 Aston Martin Generation AMR
27219 miles 28/11/2012 Aston Martin Generation AMR
28607 miles 17/12/2013 Aston Martin Generation AMR
29018 miles 06/04/2015 David Appleby Engineering (Aston Martin Specialists)

The Vantage is certainly one of the most attractive cars on the road but the performance has always been below par. This is because it was designed not to outperform the DB9 when it was released between 0-30mph and 0-60mph.
Therefore during my ownership I have actively engaged to learn about the Vantage and produce a car to drive that performs as well as it looks with some subtle upgrades.
Performance Upgrade 1: (£2300) RSC High Flow Exhaust Manifolds: Aston Martin produced an exhaust manifold that had restrictive kinks and ‘camel toes’ in the pipe design so it would not outperform 0-30mph with a DB9. This high flow manifold adds much needed low down torque (missing from all Vantage models) and horsepower.
Performance Upgrade 2: (£999) Magnaflow High Flow 200 Cell Cats: Standard cats are a very restrictive 600 cell. This is again to reduce performance so that it would not outperform the DB9. 400 cell is the typical restriction found on most performance cars. This car passes exhaust emissions without a problem with 200 Cell Cats. The improved air flow allows more torque and horsepower and builds on the manifolds benefits further up the system.
Performance Upgrade 3: (£1600) Miltek Performance Sports Exhaust: Much improved exhaust note and a 30kg weight saving is the most instant benefit. Again torque and horsepower are improved not least since the air has ‘smoother’ more direct flow improving power.
Performance Upgrade 4: (£129.99) J1 Performance Engine Air Filters: This replaces the restrictive paper filters with a high performance gauze that allows more air flow into the engine.
Performance Upgrade 5: (£750) Eurocharge Engine Remap: This remap releases significant power throughout the rev range. It also reduces flat spots , most notably found on all Vantages between 4000 to 5500 rpm. The low end torque is further improved and the engine accelerates faster throughout the rev range. Before it almost felt lethargic up to 4000 rpm. Furthermore the throttle response is much improved. This means acceleration is better controlled and there is a much reduced feeling of car electronics interfering or delaying your input.
Performance Upgrade 6: (£180) High performance Brake Pads: This reduces stopping distance and produce less dust then standard pads. Furthermore the compound is stronger so they will outlast standard brake pads that cost over £450 from Aston Martin.
Total Cost = £5959.98
All these performance modifications provide a Vantage that is 432 bhp with 372 lbs of torque. When compared to a standard 4.7 Vantage that produced 420 BHP and 350 lbs of torque, you have a very capable car.
A further benefit is that the car is lighter then a Vantage S
The weight saving from the lighter exhaust parts is something which allows the car to feel more nimble. It is circa 40kg lighter then a standard 4.3 and 50kg lighter then a 4.7. The Vantage S was produced as a special model that only improved weight saving by 30kgs. While kg weight measurements on their own may not mean so much. It does when you think that removing 40-50kg from the car is taking out the weight of a teenager from the car. The performance, handling, braking and fuel economy all benefit.
Facelift Upgrade
In addition to the performance some cosmetic modifications were made to bring it more up to date.
Facelift Upgrade 1: (£1100) OEM Clear Rear Lights including centre brake light: These bring the car right up to date from the red lights found on similar cars up to 2012.
Facelift Upgrade 2: (£780) OEM N430 side sills: These taper up and add to the stance of the car from a side perspective. They complement the lines of the car.
Facelift Upgrade 3: (£399) Carbon Fiber wing mirror covers
Facelift Upgrade 4: (£899.99) Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
Facelift Upgrade 5: (£499.99) Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
Facelift Upgrade 6: (£599.99) Carbon Door Entry Sills
Facelift Upgrade 7: (850.00) Clear Rear Lights with clear center light
Facelift Upgrade 6: (£3700) Upgraded Original Aston Martin 19 inch Diamond Cut Alloy wheels. These wheels really improve the looks of the car. Combined with the clear rear lights and the N430 side sills and a private plate the car does not look like a 2005 model. More like a 2010 model worth over £55k
Facelift Upgrade 7: (£770) Alcantara Steering Wheel and matching gear knob with Kestral Tan stiching. One of the best modifications I have done. The feel of the car steering and the texture of the steering wheel and gear knob really improve the feeling of quality. The grip and gear changes feel so much more precise which while it sounds strange can be appreciated when compared to leather. Old Steering wheel available.
Facelift Upgrade 8: (£1800) Hexis Metallic flake White Vinyl Wrap. This wrap is the premium vinyl which closest resembles the original Aston Martin white factory paint known as Morning Frost. In the sun light the car sparkles beautifully and you cannot tell it’s a wrap. Hexis are the premium suppliers of car wraps and one of the few wraps that you can polish and wax. Before having the wrap done I had a full paint correction carried out at Chartwells in Derby. They are official Aston Martin Certified vehicle paint specialists. They provide a lifetime warranty on the paint correction which I have as part of the paperwork. Before having the wrap done I had all stone chips removed and any blemishes fixed.
Total Cost: £11,398.97
Common Faults that have been fixed
As with all cars there are common faults that have been replaced by newer better parts by Aston or are simply serviceable parts.
Thermostat : This has been replaced by the newer version whereby the mechanism does not stick. If you test drive any Vantage the temperature does not reach the normal 90 degrees a new thermostat is required.
Wheel Bearings hubs replaced: These tend to be age related items rather than wear and tear. If you test drive a Vantage and you hear a slight squeak on cornering then you need new wheel bearings. This will 90% of the time be from the front. This car has had them replaced.

Tyres and Brakes
Rear Tyres are Premium Brand Michelin Super Sport 3. They have about 6mm left.
Front Tyres are Premium Brand Pirelli P0 tyres with about 5mm of tread left.
All 4 brake discs and pads ( including hand brake pads ) are in excellent condition
Sat - Nav
Upgraded maps with on screen pop up dash display
Cruise Control
Full Steering controls with memory function
Conclusion
In conclusion I have spent over £18k on this car to make it a thoroughly enjoyable and eye catching example. Most people think I have spent over £70k on the car and are surprised when I say it’s a 2005 model. Similar cars without the modifications go for around £34k to £35k. While I don’t expect to get all my money back on the modifications I have carried out I believe a fair value is to divide the modifications by half. This would be an £9k premium. This would price the car at £43k. But I am reducing it further to £39,999 so that it is pitched on the competitive side of £40k. I recommend that before you view my car that you drive a standard 4.3 so that you can appreciate the difference this cars provides. The reason I am selling the car is that I have taken a new interest to the Lamborghini Gallardo and as I am approaching 40 years old it seems like a good time to change. (Suffice to say, if you have a Lamborghini Gallardo to part exchange I would be interested.)
The car is based in Birmingham and I am currently working in away. I am back in the UK a few times a month so I can always plan to return at a mutually convenient date should you like to view the car. I recommend you test drive a standard 4.3 before you view my car as then you can truly appreciate how the car performs compared to standard.


Also published at eBay.co.uk