Aston Martin - is the beauty only skin deep? Ref Aston Martin V8 Vantage VIN: C01170, first registered 16th March 2006 Dear Sir / Madam I thought you would be interested in hearing my tales of woe involving my two Aston Martins Overview - Car 1 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage (still under warranty from Stratstone Aston Martin, Cheshire) The car is so badly corroded that it has failed its MOT. Aston Martin has agreed to pay 1/3rd of the cost of repair (£2000) and have suggested that Stratstone should pay the balance. After several phone calls and emails not answered by the dealer I had the work done and paid all the costs myself. Car 2 Aston Martin V8 vantage, was delivered in March this year with blemishes and overspray marks on the paintwork? So far Aston Martin has had 3 attempts to get the paintwork right, and will be having the fourth attempt some time this week. I said I was not happy and wanted to hand the car back. I have been offered nearly £10'000 less for the car by Aston Martins local dealer. For a car that is 9 weeks old with 1000 miles on the clock is this one of the fastest depreciating cars ever? The full story Car 2 In December 2002 after seeing spy shots of the car in your magazine I eagerly signed an intent to purchase the new Baby Aston Martin. After over 3 years of waiting I eventually took delivery of the car on the 16th March. I noticed several problems with the car, but was told that once the car came in for its initial 1000 mile service they would be fixed. One of the problems was that the paint work had several blemishes. A month later the car went in for the service and the other warranty jobs to be fixed. I was told there was not a courtesy car for me while my car was being resprayed and the warranty work was being done. Very embarrassing as my friend has a Porsche Boxter costing half as much and he received a courtesy car while his was having warranty work done. 8 days later I got my car back and the paint work was even worse! I was astonished that Aston Martins quality control would allow the car to leave the factory with blemishes that could be seen from over 6 feet away, surprised that the dealer (Strastones of Cheshire) also did not spot the paintwork problems and the several other obvious faults (large dirty finger prints behind the glass that covers the instrument pack, one of the door locks did not work, SatNAV buttons keep jamming etc). I spoke to Aston Martin and was told that they where surprised and they sent up their After Sales Manager to see the car. Tony Panayiotou spotted the problems as soon as he got out of his car. I suggested that the car should be completely resprayed rather than patch painted. I was very conscious that at the time of selling the car I did not want a prospective purchaser thinking the car had been in an accident and that is why it had obvious signs of having a respray. Aston Martin insisted that the car could be patch painted and it would definitely be right the 3 time of painting. The car went back and after complaining I was given a lime green metallic Jaguar as a courtesy car, that graced my driveway while the car was repainted again. After another 7 days of waiting I was told the car was ready and they would bring it over. The car was still not right and at the time of writing is going to be painted for the 4th time. I have spoken to Aston Martin again and asked them if they would buy the car back from me and they said no, but they would get the dealer to make me an offer. I paid £87'705 for the car 10 weeks earlier and the dealer has offered me just short of £10'000 less for the car! I thought there was a 2 year waiting list, I thought the V8 was one of the most desirable cars to be launched this year? To loose a £1000 a week on a car I have not been driven because its been in the dealer is a joke. Car 1 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage purchased from Stratstone in December 2003. - Reg: CE 6391 While still under warranty last year I took the car for its MOT test and was surprised to hear it had failed due to 'offside and nearside inner front chassis suspension component mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded'. In other words the car is extensively rusting underneath. I spoke to Aston martin warranty people confident that they would sort out the problems but was astonished to hear that the Aston Martin warranty for body and paintwork is only 1 year? A member of my staff has a Ford Mondeo and the warranty is 10 years! Aston Martin said at the time that they would pay a third towards the £2000 to get the car put right and they thought the dealer (Stratstone Cheshire) should pay the balance. After several phone messages and emails being ignored I paid for the work to be done myself. The Aston Martin Experience Aston Martins customer service will not offer me my money back or tell me how many times they are going to attempt to patch paint my car before they give me my money back. So far I have been left with a car with obvious signs that the car has been resprayed on several panels. If you are interested in running this story I am having the car professionally photographed in a format suitable for you to print. Aston Martin - the beauty is not even skin deep! Regards Cameron Elliott 20 Forest View Shawclough OL126HF Tel: 07713 342202