So what have you done with your Aston today? (Vol. 2)
Discussion
Jon39 said:
Thank you Davil.
In the video, the two cars were going very quickly at times.
Are rural speed limits unrestricted in Australia ?
Fortunately our Aston Martins are still a joy when driving them slowly.
South Australia is the worst though. If you are caught speeding over 45kmh 2 times in a year or 3 times in 10 years they crush your car.
You also get fined for exceeding the speed limit by 1km/h. The speed cameras used to have 10% tolerance or more but they switched it 1km/h and increased revenue by 1500% in six months. Lovely people.
Davil said:
Speed limits and enforcement are horrendous down here. It varies by state but in NSW, exceed the speed limit by 45 km/h and you pay $2500 and have your number plates confiscated and car impounded for 3 months. Do it twice in 5 years and they take your car from you.
South Australia is the worst though. If you are caught speeding over 45kmh 2 times in a year or 3 times in 10 years they crush your car.
You also get fined for exceeding the speed limit by 1km/h. The speed cameras used to have 10% tolerance or more but they switched it 1km/h and increased revenue by 1500% in six months. Lovely people.
South Australia is the worst though. If you are caught speeding over 45kmh 2 times in a year or 3 times in 10 years they crush your car.
You also get fined for exceeding the speed limit by 1km/h. The speed cameras used to have 10% tolerance or more but they switched it 1km/h and increased revenue by 1500% in six months. Lovely people.
What a shocker.
Crushing cars just seems spiteful.
Over here they prefer lots of money, rather than revenge.
That does seem preferable.
Points remain on a licence here for 3 years, but insurers tend to load premiums for 5 years. They would usually apply that increase to each car you own. 1 x 5 x (say) 4. Everyone notices games being played, eg. motorway variable speed limits suddenly reduce (for no reason) usually 70mph to 50 mph and within a short time, the cameras start flashing and money drops in the till.
Once becoming used to the strategy, it does then becomes a voluntary tax, so fair enough, as long as the speed limit is sensible.
Since last July, European cars have compulsory speed limiters. I have not driven one of those cars, but perhaps need to be wary about relying on the system. Google Maps does not recognise variable speed limits, or road works temporary limits, so the in-car limiter would also probably not act correctly.
It’s a strange world we live in Jon. I’m all for speed cameras and policing where it can save lives. Sadly, that’s not really the goal these days. Cameras are set up to make revenue, such as at the bottom of a hill on a perfectly straight piece of road.
Anyhow, back on topic. Went for a drive on Sunday. Absolutely no audio. No radio, no nothing. So bloody annoying. I even pulled over and googled how to reboot AMiIII. Couldn’t find that. So I had to suffer with just the glorious engine sound. Not so bad. Stopped at a light with a crossing and had an entire family showing some Aston love. These cars really do get such a positive response.
Anyhow. Today I solved the audio problem. In hindsight, rather obvious. It wasn’t Aston. It was another company beginning with A and five letters. I just had to reboot the iPhone. All perfectly great again. Now I can go for a drive in my AMR18 and play “Fernando” on repeat. There was something in the air that night.
Anyhow, back on topic. Went for a drive on Sunday. Absolutely no audio. No radio, no nothing. So bloody annoying. I even pulled over and googled how to reboot AMiIII. Couldn’t find that. So I had to suffer with just the glorious engine sound. Not so bad. Stopped at a light with a crossing and had an entire family showing some Aston love. These cars really do get such a positive response.
Anyhow. Today I solved the audio problem. In hindsight, rather obvious. It wasn’t Aston. It was another company beginning with A and five letters. I just had to reboot the iPhone. All perfectly great again. Now I can go for a drive in my AMR18 and play “Fernando” on repeat. There was something in the air that night.
Edited by Davil on Monday 6th March 08:59
Yesterday.
Noticed the return of condensation in one of my rear lights. From memory I think it has lasted 8-9 months since I ‘repaired it’. Anyway, took it off and exposed the drill holes, popped it in the oven at a low temp and gently dried it out. Reinstalled. I think I need a new unit soon. Maybe just me but getting the light lined up correctly is a PITA, knuckles nicely skinned. The adjustable mounting bolts do my head in. Any knowledge on how to set these correctly?
Then thought I’d check the engine oil. Bonnet release lever didn’t release the bonnet, ffs, so had to get the wife to assist with the lever while I pushed and pulled the bonnet until it released. Plenty of wd40 in the mechanism needed as it had seized slightly. After all that it was nice to find the engine oil was still yellow and clear, and none missing after several months since the last service.
Much as I love the car it’s being a very tiresome mistress at the moment. Trying to resist the temptation to change to something german and theoretically hassle free.
Noticed the return of condensation in one of my rear lights. From memory I think it has lasted 8-9 months since I ‘repaired it’. Anyway, took it off and exposed the drill holes, popped it in the oven at a low temp and gently dried it out. Reinstalled. I think I need a new unit soon. Maybe just me but getting the light lined up correctly is a PITA, knuckles nicely skinned. The adjustable mounting bolts do my head in. Any knowledge on how to set these correctly?
Then thought I’d check the engine oil. Bonnet release lever didn’t release the bonnet, ffs, so had to get the wife to assist with the lever while I pushed and pulled the bonnet until it released. Plenty of wd40 in the mechanism needed as it had seized slightly. After all that it was nice to find the engine oil was still yellow and clear, and none missing after several months since the last service.
Much as I love the car it’s being a very tiresome mistress at the moment. Trying to resist the temptation to change to something german and theoretically hassle free.
M1AGM said:
Yesterday.
Trying to resist the temptation to change to something german and theoretically hassle free.
Haha. German humour. Trying to resist the temptation to change to something german and theoretically hassle free.
Maybe if it’s under warranty. Mercedes in particular are designed to dissolve. So many brittle plastic bits in German cars that function so efficiently for a finite period.
Fresh new grille.
Old:
New:
Side strakes are next. The originals are chrome, but the previous owner had them wrapped, but the chrome is exposed in places and there are cut lines (somewhat jagged), so they're going. I'd remove the film but I've no idea what the condition is underneath. So, when I ordered the grille, I couldn't resist. As it's a slightly longer job, I'll need a bit more time to fettle.
Old:
New:
Side strakes are next. The originals are chrome, but the previous owner had them wrapped, but the chrome is exposed in places and there are cut lines (somewhat jagged), so they're going. I'd remove the film but I've no idea what the condition is underneath. So, when I ordered the grille, I couldn't resist. As it's a slightly longer job, I'll need a bit more time to fettle.
We’ll - I nearly did something to the Aston…..
One of the headlamps bulbs (HID) is going yellow, so I bought a couple of new Ozram Nighbreakers ready to do both sides.
Seeing as the wheels were going to come off for the headlamps, I decided to replace both door gas struts, as they are very weak.
So, yesterday morning, put my shoes and jacket on, went outside and found it was 2 degrees and just starting to drizzle. Two minutes later, I was back inside, shoes off, feet up and the headlamps and gas struts are still on the bench waiting for another day….
Does anyone know what the main beam bulb type is in V8V HID headlamp? I might replace these too, as they are pretty dim compared with the dip beam
One of the headlamps bulbs (HID) is going yellow, so I bought a couple of new Ozram Nighbreakers ready to do both sides.
Seeing as the wheels were going to come off for the headlamps, I decided to replace both door gas struts, as they are very weak.
So, yesterday morning, put my shoes and jacket on, went outside and found it was 2 degrees and just starting to drizzle. Two minutes later, I was back inside, shoes off, feet up and the headlamps and gas struts are still on the bench waiting for another day….
Does anyone know what the main beam bulb type is in V8V HID headlamp? I might replace these too, as they are pretty dim compared with the dip beam
Edited by Nigel_O on Tuesday 7th March 07:21
Nigel_O said:
So, yesterday morning, put my shoes and jacket on, went outside and found it was 2 degrees and just starting to drizzle. Two minutes later, I was back inside, shoes off, feet up and the headlamps and gas struts are still on the bench waiting for another day….
A man after my own heart...there is always tomorrow 
willisit said:
Fresh new grille.
Old:
New:
Side strakes are next. The originals are chrome, but the previous owner had them wrapped, but the chrome is exposed in places and there are cut lines (somewhat jagged), so they're going. I'd remove the film but I've no idea what the condition is underneath. So, when I ordered the grille, I couldn't resist. As it's a slightly longer job, I'll need a bit more time to fettle.
Old:
New:
Side strakes are next. The originals are chrome, but the previous owner had them wrapped, but the chrome is exposed in places and there are cut lines (somewhat jagged), so they're going. I'd remove the film but I've no idea what the condition is underneath. So, when I ordered the grille, I couldn't resist. As it's a slightly longer job, I'll need a bit more time to fettle.
I've just done the same mod.
Huge transformation to the cars.
willisit said:
Fresh new grille.
Old:
New:
Side strakes are next. The originals are chrome, but the previous owner had them wrapped, but the chrome is exposed in places and there are cut lines (somewhat jagged), so they're going. I'd remove the film but I've no idea what the condition is underneath. So, when I ordered the grille, I couldn't resist. As it's a slightly longer job, I'll need a bit more time to fettle.
nice job, looks better.Old:
New:
Side strakes are next. The originals are chrome, but the previous owner had them wrapped, but the chrome is exposed in places and there are cut lines (somewhat jagged), so they're going. I'd remove the film but I've no idea what the condition is underneath. So, when I ordered the grille, I couldn't resist. As it's a slightly longer job, I'll need a bit more time to fettle.
Went for a lunchtime drive in the local national park. This car is therapy. It makes you grin no matter how you feel. It’s an escape pod from the day to day stress. Such a bonus that you don’t have to drive at silly speeds either. Man and machine. A sensory experience. They don’t make them like this any more. I’ll never sell it.
Davil said:
Went for a lunchtime drive in the local national park. This car is therapy. It makes you grin no matter how you feel. It’s an escape pod from the day to day stress. Such a bonus that you don’t have to drive at silly speeds either. Man and machine. A sensory experience. They don’t make them like this any more. I’ll never sell it.
I spotted the BMT connection.
Very subtle. -
Longy00000 said:
Nigel_O said:
So, yesterday morning, put my shoes and jacket on, went outside and found it was 2 degrees and just starting to drizzle. Two minutes later, I was back inside, shoes off, feet up and the headlamps and gas struts are still on the bench waiting for another day….
A man after my own heart...there is always tomorrow So - out of excuses, I started work. 20 minutes later, I had the first HID bulb fitted. 2 hours later, I had the near side wheel arch liner out. One of the rivnuts span in the chassis, and it took ages to get it out. Thankfully, I have a rivnut gun and a good stock of rivnuts, so once it was out, it was a quick job to replace it. Aston’s policy of hugely expensive structural components is seriously let down by doing daft things like fitting wheel arch liners with mild steel screws into aluminium fittings. Stainless everywhere would probably have added £100 to the price of the car.
Anyway, a quick watch of the Redpants ‘how-to’ video saw the old gas struts off and the new ones fitted in about 15 minutes. Fiddly getting the clip off at the door end, but not too difficult.
Driver’s side was much quicker - 10 minutes for the HID bulb and 20 minutes for the wheel arch liner and gas strut.
I now have doors that stay open on level ground and even feel power-assisted as they open. I tested the old struts and I could only just compress them with all my weight, so they will come in useful for something like a garage door opener.
However (there’s always a ‘however’…) while I was fumbling round in the wheel arches, I noticed the bottom coils on the springs are showing some surface rust and the powder coating on the ends of the anti roll bar has failed and it’s going rusty. Probably a job for a specialist though - don’t fancy doing them on the drive…
Two jobs sorted, two new ones on the list….
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