Greetings from Devon - New Member - 1964 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8

[msgt]

Hi - I am Mark from Devon in the UK,

I have recently purchased an early Austin Healey Mk III Phase 2 (BJ8) - it's in good condition for its age and I am going through making the car a little safer and reliable - so far I have added seat belts, LED lights and replaced the cartridge with a screw-on oil filter - I am currently installing electronic ignition and came across this forum while trying to find out how to make sure the engine was at TDC - I found very helpful comments here.

My car history has been quite varied - I have never not owned a convertible (please forgive the double negative) - I started with a Triumph Vitesse and then a Jensen Healey (I wanted an Austin Healey but my budget was limited !) - I then had the opportunity to work in the States where I raced a 911 SC Convertible as well as a 911 E (btw hindsight is wonderful - I purchased the E for less than $1000 and when I left the States I didn't think to keep it) - I was then based in Norway where the cheapest convertible I could afford was a Renault Megan - the lease said about that the better - since returning to the UK its been mainly 911s - I did have a DB9 (wonderful to drive but too unreliable).

I hope to take the BJ8 on som rallies / tours in the future.

Thanks

Mark

 

[NutmegCT]

Hi Mark - welcome to BCF. That's quite a list of cars you've enjoyed over the years. I think you're the only guy here who's had a DB9 - want to share some details about the reliability issues?

Say, we'd love seeing photos of your cars when it's convenient.

Good to have you with us!
Tom M.

 

[msgt]

Hi Tom,
Thanks
I have attached a couple of my BJ8 - work in progress (I forgot to say that I also added some fog lights too) and I will retrieve some of the photos of my previous cars and post them later.

As for the DB9 - I had a late model convertible - mechanically no issue - sounded wonderful, great car to drive, especially on continental trips, and, overall, a very enjoyable driving experience.

The ownership experience was another matter - I purchased the car second hand from a main dealer and it came with a warranty - I live about 100 miles from the nearest Aston Martin service centre and they don't supply a courtesy car - so if they don't come and pick your car up you have to drive there with two cars. I had many warranty repairs, the seals round the rear lights were leaking into the boot, the paint started bubbling on the door sills (not rust as the body is aluminium but poor bonding), 2 sensor failures, Sat Nav failure and the finial straw was the roof failure - it has two hydraulic rams to help - one of them seized and the other one continued to work and sheared the failed one at the mounting point - I couldn't drive the car to the dealer as it was in limp home mode and an alarm was constantly sounding - it took them 5 weeks to pick up the car and then a further 8 weeks before they told me that they couldn't fix it at the dealership and it would have to go back to Gaydon to be fixed - that was when I decided to return to Porsche.

Another observation about the DB9 and Aston Martin's of a similar vintage and older is that while they are great drivers cars - the performance and sounds were stunning - they are not quite so good for the passenger - compared to cars of a similar price and vintage - the Sat Nav is poor (I used a Tom Tom most of the time) and there is no real connectivity - I will stop here.

Thanks

Mark

 

[NutmegCT]

Mark - that is quite an adventure you had with the DB. Sounds like the dealership was more interested in selling the car than in supporting it.

Thanks also for the two photos. That is one beautiful car - have to admit I prefer it to any DB model. A classic in the truest sense.

We'd enjoy photos of your car histories!
Tom M. - who enjoyed the South West Coast Path many times, long long ago. Was quite impressed with the coastal views, as well as the hospitality of the families who operated "snack shops" offering farm-produced foods along the way.