Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Aero 8, 2012< Plus 8, SuperSports, Coupe & Aeromax Aero 8 Series 5 - Should I shouldn't I ?!!

Folks,

I normally live in the 3Wheeler forum, but have slipped over here to ask about 'real' life with an Aero 8. Rightly or wrongly I'm being drawn as if by some higher force to an Aero 8 and I foolishly drove a demo car at Bell & Colvill last week, just to see what they're like. It was a manual, with A/C and Side Exit Exhausts. On a sunny Saturday morning it was utterly fabulous...

... we have a few cars in the stable, but our 'posh' long distance car is a last shape SLK55 AMG, with the 430bhp 5.5 litre V8. It is very nice to drive, relatively practical (until the boot is mostly filled with the folding roof) and tolerably economic, as it can do an easy 30mpg when it runs on 4 cylinders on a run etc. However it's not exactly a looker and I am becoming worryingly subsumed by all things Morgan right now and am considering a change to the Aero.

Were I to take the plunge for an Aero 8, it's the Series 5 that I'd need, if only for the looks. I'd have to move the SLK on and one other car, meaning that the Aero would be the 'comfy' car for going places with Mrs R1NGA (who also has an S2000, so is used to a 'compact' interior, noisy roof and small boot, but also something that NEVER goes wrong - 120,000 miles and it blew a tail light bulb in 2010. That's it)

- The boot in the Aero is bigger than the SLK when the metal roof is folded, so I could probably live with that.

- The interior is a little more snug, but not hugely - the biggest difference being the proximity of the more upright windscreen in the Aero v's the SLK.

- The Aero should be at least as quick at the SLK, which is a good thing, and from the short test drive, the ride and handling of the Morgan feel pretty good to me. I know it doesn't have ESP or Traction Control, but then I drive a tweaked M3W, so not too fussed about that sort of omission to be honest.

- I tried the Aero roof up briefly and this felt like a pretty well fitting, neat roof solution. True it's a bit of a faff to put up and down, but I have a Renault Spider too and that has only a pram roof that is an arse in every way to use. Will it leak like a sieve or could you realistically leave it out overnight and not find it full of water the next day?

- I'd not use it for everyday commuting (have a Panda 4x4 for that job), but would want to be able to jump in it whenever I felt like it, without worrying about whether or not I'd make it to my destination (which is an ever-present concern with the tricycle)?

I'd need to buy secondhand too, but right now there aren't that many around and I'd need to sell at least one of the cars first, unless I could find a stash down the side of the sofa somewhere....

And what about WAF? Wife Acceptance Factor is important, as the M3W has precisely ZERO on that front right now, after 5 years of reluctant passengering and our very wet trip to Switzerland last summer in the pi55ing rain and sleet for a solid 4 days whilse in the Eiger. The fact that I am willing to sell the 3W will itself earn me credit, but this might be undone by the prospect of another Morgan, hence my question.

I've been through the forum chat thus far and can see that there is still much traditional Morgan 'attitude and behaviour' in the car, so I am going in with my eyes open, but right this minute I am convincing myself that this is fundamentally a well engineered, high tech, modern car under a trad body and touchy-feely bits. So that makes it fun, reliable, fast and utterly English and something I should buy to use as often as I want. Maybe.

Am I deluded or does my idea have some mielage would you say folks? All and any views very gratefully received!

Thank you for listening

Ringa.One thing for sure it will be cheaper to run long term than your current buzz box,it has a pants roof but better than no roof at all.The drive is bloody fantastic and your wife will love it, nuff said.


Em

Clipper is at LMC in his so maybe he has a view as he has stowed tent and associated gubbins - I am assuming he has taken the Aero8.

It sounds like you have to go for one, Shooter and Asbo have plenty of experience with their cars too and you will get a good candid view from both of them.

I've done 15k in mine now so it run in if you want to drop me PM I'll happily a answer any questions.

So thats quite a few questions in one hit.

WAF for our first Series 2 was so good she kindly put her own hand in her pocket and paid 25% of it.

Things to consider.
Getting in and out remains a slightly non-feminine occupation as the doors are shorter etc. Might be worth a test if the lady like skirts.
I would expect there will be a few niggles worth fixing on the roof water tightness but the platform is pretty solid and the development through most models seems to be good now. I will leave to the S5 owners to report on water ingress.
If something does go wrong it tends to go away for more than a day whilst the problem is sorted. Parts are more unusual so not always stocked. Who is your local Aero skilled dealer?
Get a sump guard fitted as the 4.8 is a little exposed.

Sounds a little bit negative but given we have the S2 and a Coupe you can see I love them despite the occasional frustrations. It is not as reliable as the MB and I would not advise most people without access to another car to think they can get away with this. As it happens we still have an MB as a sensible car. I think the more you use them the more reliable they remain.

Despite all that I would say if you can then do it. As you say the car rides and drives surprisingly well. The sidepipes make every journey a hoot.

Shooter has had a series of Aeros he has put high mileage on and experience of an S5.

I don't think we will ever be without one now.

Rich, pretty sure he posted a photo after leaving the ferry that showed his trad.

Thanks Graham, I missed that

Shouldn't worry. Over the weekend I will probably wear my Prescott Hill Controller shirt. Has my name on it - bit of a aide memoir

Tarka is a Plus 8, but an S4 Aero underneath. So electro-mechanically the same.

In 3.5 years it has been as reliable as any other car, almost. A couple of initial issues sorted by MMC, meaning trips back to the factory and a return home by train. Since then a couple of failed bulbs and one freak failure, the failure of a cap over a vacuum port in the engine, unused by Morgan but needed when in a BMW.

Dealer support has been good, but Williams are 60 miles away, whereas my Mercedes dealer is 3 miles away. So everything is slower and takes longer.

I had a 2nd generation SLK 300 Sport and I can say with absolute certainty that the Aero Chassis offers a better ride and far better handling. A Morgan also has the "wow" factor that no Mercedes, or other mass produced car, has. Finally, over a 4 year ownership, depreciation will be far less than on any mass produced car.

There's very little to touch an Aero for crowd appeal...

Living with it takes a little adjustment
- you quickly learn to measure speed bumps to a fine degree around 4 inches. A sump plate is essential.
- the boot *is* an odd shape, but you learn to pack around that (I heard at Blenheim that 3 pannier liners for a honda goldwing fit the drop section at the rear perfectly: must try that out)
- roof assembly is an art form - but when you get it right, it takes little longer than the time it takes your passenger to retrieve a car park ticket from a machine
- the roof slot is useful storage
- the roofs don't leak - hard or soft top. But it might take a day or two's fettling at the dealer to get the hard top to fit. Then you have a car that's easily usable year-round.
- the doors do leak. The factory fitted fatter seals to later built cars, and they apparently do seal properly.
- a decent DAC player will get good sound out of the speakers
- if you isolate the battery, the clock will always be wrong. But you can ask your dealer to wire it to be permanently live...

It's hand built, so you may well find something new and different isn't quite tickety boo with your car. I've had a bolt fall from under the dash... it might be part of the audio mount, it might not. I'm sure it'll be put back when the car next sees its dealer.

I've never had a Morgan before - and specced mine to keep long term. 15 months into ownership I've no reason to change my mind

Will