Jake Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I've been 'umming and arring' about a 911TT for a while now, seems like forever TBH. But lately I've really started fancying an Aston Martin, probably/possibly a V8 Vantage. Something like this looks good to me, not that I know owt about them. Anyone know what one of these costs to run? I don't mean fuel costs, I mean servicing and unreliability costs. Any guess what a car like the above would be worth in, say, 12 month from now? Probably impossible to say, I guess, with the way the economy is at the moment. Any thoughts? Would I be mad to go one of these? They seem like a quality car and, round here, much rarer than a 911. Thanks ----- Edit to add... Obviously the above car is a non-starter due to the hideous colour interior. Something like this would be OK though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axle Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 The in-law has one. Nice car, very docile around town and lovely torque levels throughout. I found it a little cramped personally- Compared to say a SL55. Assuming 10k more on the clock at least, I reckon possibly a 5k-8k drop in a year’s time. Perhaps even more, with the way things are looking on the economic front. Parkers on costs... Running costs Residual values are class leading due to the limited number of Vantages being built and the high demand. There is a significant options list that includes sat nav, which on premium cars at this level should really be standard. Running costs are, of course, significant due to its performance nature and specialist skills required to service the car. Fuel economy is an average of just 16mpg. Servicing: 10,000 miles then every 12,500 miles. Parkers on Reliability... Reliability Modern day Aston Martins are hand-built and also use the very latest technology. The Vantage is assembled in the purpose-built, modern factory at Gaydon in Warwickshire with strict quality controls and had a very extensive development programme so the model should prove very reliable. However, we still hear of teething problems with cars when they should have been sorted out. What else have you considered Jake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Edit to add... Obviously the above car is a non-starter due to the hideous colour interior. Something like this would be OK though. Yeah i can't understand why someone would go out, buy a brand new Aston Martin and think "mmm yeah a full red interior would look nice" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Chav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Yes. Buy one. It's one of the prettiest cars on the planet and it goes fast too. It's a tick-in-a-box to have owned an Aston as far as I'm concerned -Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamieP Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Give Jonty a pm mate, he has had one for the last couple of years, i test drove one a year ago and loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soonto_HAS_soop Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 The 4.3's aren't as good to drive as the 4.7's, they are very much underpowered when compared to a 911, the 4.7 was released in order to bring the Vantage back into the same playing field as the Porsche. With regards to running costs, expect it to be expensive, it does depend on how you are going to get it serviced, I would expect you will take it to a dealer or at least a specialist in order to keep a FSH. They are not cheap on bits or labour. If you do get one, I suggest you get the warranty from AML as they cover almost everything. All parts not covered by the warranty wil be main dealer only, the amount of work that goes into the components, such as tyres and pads is unbelievable, the tyres are specially made for the car and cost around 3-400 pound each. If you do get one, find the largest dealer you can for any work or bits, as they get the biggest discount so pass it on to the end user. If you could find the extra money, I'd go for the DB9, the 6.0 V12 is outstanding. The DBS is even better, but the initial cost and running costs for those is beyond belief, they are for the seriously rich only - think approximately 2-3 thousand pound for one brake disc! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havard Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I drove one recently around a track and I found it a joy to drive. I would expect that you would get bored after a while though. 911TT would be a lot more fun I would imagine!! H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 An Aston V8 Vantage is the only car I'd consider selling mine for. My favorite car at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sleeping giant Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Nuff Said Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 The 4.3's aren't as good to drive as the 4.7's, they are very much underpowered when compared to a 911, the 4.7 was released in order to bring the Vantage back into the same playing field as the Porsche. With regards to running costs, expect it to be expensive, it does depend on how you are going to get it serviced, I would expect you will take it to a dealer or at least a specialist in order to keep a FSH. They are not cheap on bits or labour. If you do get one, I suggest you get the warranty from AML as they cover almost everything. All parts not covered by the warranty wil be main dealer only, the amount of work that goes into the components, such as tyres and pads is unbelievable, the tyres are specially made for the car and cost around 3-400 pound each. If you do get one, find the largest dealer you can for any work or bits, as they get the biggest discount so pass it on to the end user. If you could find the extra money, I'd go for the DB9, the 6.0 V12 is outstanding. The DBS is even better, but the initial cost and running costs for those is beyond belief, they are for the seriously rich only - think approximately 2-3 thousand pound for one brake disc! Did you pay any attention to the price range? The 4.7 is brand new so still mega money... The DB9 is 45k+ for the low end... The DBS is 100k+ why mention it!? I'd say go for it Jake, but only once you've checked out consumables pricing with a dealer etc... The sound from the V8 is knicker elastic snapping... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DodgyRog Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 This is my lottery car, so go for it Jake, if you have a deep enough pocket, it's a must. Aston is still one of the few cars that is distinguished in my opion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt k Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I've been 'umming and arring' about a 911TT for a while now, seems like forever TBH. But lately I've really started fancying an Aston Martin, probably/possibly a V8 Vantage. Something like this looks good to me, not that I know owt about them. Anyone know what one of these costs to run? I don't mean fuel costs, I mean servicing and unreliability costs. Any guess what a car like the above would be worth in, say, 12 month from now? Probably impossible to say, I guess, with the way the economy is at the moment. Any thoughts? Would I be mad to go one of these? They seem like a quality car and, round here, much rarer than a 911. Thanks ----- Edit to add... Obviously the above car is a non-starter due to the hideous colour interior. Something like this would be OK though. I think a 911 Turbo is an awesome car in every sense, however I think the Vantage looks and sounds a million times better and as you said is a rarer car, I would go with the AM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 They look and sound great and the interior is really nice on the 2nd linked one you posted - go for it Jake! Certainly more unique than an 911 IMO. Cheers, Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt k Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 http://photo.netcarshow.com/Mansory-Aston_Martin_Vantage_V8_2006_photo_04.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Take it or leave it, one of the reasons I love the Supra shape is how similar it is to certain Astons. I hate the Vanquish (the rear arches remind me of an American pick-up truck from the seventies), but the DB7, DB9 and especially the V8 just have that magic proportioning that I love in the Supra. The new XK is almost there, but if I bought one of them I'd always wish I'd gone for the Aston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Ooohhh look at you billy big-time! You been robbing banks Jake?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Need4Speed Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 It says hedge fund manager (previous owner?) or footballer's car. It will cost a LOT to run. Personal opinion only, I don't like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lockys96 Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 u been watching used car roadshow? only one that kept its value the le_mans version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aero-M Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 u been watching used car roadshow? only one that kept its value the le_mans version Saw this today, the old v8 vantage. only 40 le mans made so, 230k new will still fetch 200k. Got to be the least depreciating car ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evolongtermtests/202705/aston_martin_v8_vantage.html Any Porsche is going to be a hard act to follow, and given that when it arrived toward the end of last year my Aston Martin V8 Vantage followed hot on the heels of a 997S, breaking down twice and being off the road for 24 of its first 31 days with me wasn’t a good start (to put it mildly). I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that £86,000 is a hell of a lot of money to spend on a car, and this was most definitely not what I was expecting for my money. Neither was the truly inept service that I received from Aston Martin Assist when they handled my first breakdown. Things improved significantly when care of my car passed to the factory and supplying dealer Stratton Motor Company, who were just as brilliant in resolving the car’s problems as they had been in the run-up to its purchase. So, those problems. It’s probably easiest if I make a little list. Here we go… December 2005: breakdown which necessitates car being transported to Reg Vardy in Sunderland, where a faulty door relay and dodgy earth strap are discovered to have flattened the battery. January 2006: car drops into ‘limp-home mode’, which means another transporter trip – this time to the factory. Turns out to have been caused by a failing battery which should have been replaced following the previous breakdown. While at the factory, a fairly long list of niggles and faults that I noticed following delivery are also rectified. March: driver’s door window refuses to drop when the door is opened. There’s also a worrying howl coming from the engine bay for a few moments following a cold start-up. Lancaster Reading, my nearest dealer, take the car in at short notice, replace a relay and fit a new engine belt. April: rapid and continuous clicking coming from the passenger door on unlocking the car. Lancaster react with usual speed and replace lock and relay. June: swap cars with Peter T, who returns the V8 with a broken handle on the inside of the driver’s door (he still loves the car though). A few days later an ‘Emission System Fault’ warning message appears. Lancaster repair the door catch and reboot the oxygen sensor on one cylinder bank. So that’s two full breakdowns and five further problems, plus the fact that AU55 arrived with a number of shoddy detailing faults. Wholly unacceptable in any car, let alone one at this price and supposed status level. In view of all this, you could be forgiven for thinking that I was happy to see the Vantage go at the end of June. Not so. You see, somehow owning the Aston always felt like a privilege, an event, and so much more than just owning a car. And although that feeling is helped by nice touches like the invite I received from Lancaster to spend a day at the Royal Berks Shooting School (where my nephew Tom and I enjoyed blasting a few clays out of the sky), it mainly comes from the car itself. I never once just got in the Vantage and drove off. There was always time to have at least a quick look at its fabulous lines and, once inside, to inhale the aroma of expensive leather and admire the myriad of design touches. The Aston wasn’t all about looks, though – it was a joy to drive, too. The seats were as good to sit in as to look at and, combined with the high centre tunnel, put you in a low, cocooned driving position. Way, way more of an event than my 997 before even hitting the starter button. Ah yes, the starter button. Gateway to heaven. The initial crackle of start-up and the burble at idle were good, but it was when the exhaust’s trick valve opened at 4500rpm and the car seemed to become totally unsilenced that the fun really started. It was always hard to resist dropping down a gear or two through tunnels or near high walls. It was good to be back in a front-engined, rear-drive car again. After the 997 I did initially wonder where all the traction had gone – especially in the wet – but a quick adjustment of driving style soon revealed how much fun could be extracted from the Aston’s chassis. The Vantage did have, to my eyes, one incredibly naff feature. After turning on the ignition, the info screen in the driver’s binnacle initially flashed up a nice AM badge, but then insisted on scrolling through the words ‘Power’, ‘Beauty’ and ‘Soul’. Good grief! A car with a mission statement! So how best to sum up my Aston experience? Well, I may own ‘better’ cars in the future, and I’ll certainly own more powerful, faster ones, yet despite all the problems, when I try to think of a way to describe how I feel about having owned this car I keep coming back to one word: ‘privileged’. When asked what car you own, answering ‘Porsche’ usually gets a positive if controlled response, saying ‘Ferrari’ may even get a ‘Wow!’, but ‘Aston’ always got a surprised and approving ‘Really?’, usually followed by lots of questions. Enthusiasm for the marque seems to be huge. Perhaps it’s this enthusiasm that has caused my car’s faults to have faded in my memory. I remember it fondly every time I walk across the empty space in my garage. There’s one more hard-headed reason for my positive feelings. Before I’d even bought the car, I had pre-sold it, and it has just gone to its new owner at list price. That’s a pretty good seven months’ depreciation-free motoring in my book! And: http://www.evo.co.uk/search/?words=vantage&submit_dn=SEARCH Seems quite expensive to extract more from them though (if you feel the need of course), Prodrive bits: More power is perhaps the easiest of all commodities to sell, but at £6239 including VAT and fitting, the remapped ECU, high-flow sports catalysts and driver-selectable exhaust system need to deliver every one of the promised 425bhp and 325lb ft (up from 380 and 302 respectively) if they’re to warrant the investment. Likewise the £5581 suspension package, comprising driver-adjustable Bilstein dampers and Eibach sports springs, and the £3995 19in forged-alloy wheels – 8.5in wide at the front, 10in at the rear, and wearing bespoke 245/40 and 285/35 Pirelli P Zero Corsas – need to yield significant dynamic improvements, not to mention fit your vision of what a V8 Vantage should look like. For the record, we think the rims look great, especially when viewed in conjunction with the carbonfibre aero package. At £2937, the front lip and tailgate spoilers are probably the easiest items to overlook, but with a 45 per cent reduction in high-speed lift they perform both practical and aesthetic functions. From: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/206846/aston_martin_v8_vantage.html And finally: http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/210218/maserati_gt_v_aston_martin_v8_vantage.html From the moment you carpet the throttle for the first time, the Aston spikes your pulse in a way the Maser never quite manages. It isn’t that the Vantage is that much faster, it’s more the way it communicates that speed to the driver. It sounds shattering in full cry where the GranTurismo is merely sonorous. And brilliantly as the Italian car handles and rides for its size, you feel a few crucial layers removed from the action. The Aston always feels more alive, more biddable, more intimate. And this is only a hunch, but I think the Aston’s shape will still be slackening jaws long after the lure of the Maserati’s visual extravagance has worn off. Perhaps Maserati was right not to mention the V8 Vantage after all. In the GranTurismo it has made a car that does exactly what it says on the bootlid in a way only an Italian car-maker can. It just isn’t the car 007 would choose. If you can do it then you should IMO, it might not be 100% perfect in every way but from what I've seen, read and heard in the flesh (on those rare moments someone uses one in anger) it's probably worth the occasional off day. A fairly common sight up here, probably more so than a 911 Turbo, but you never get bored of looking at those lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveR Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Depends what you're after I reckon. The DB9 is a GT cruiser but not like the Supra is, it's horribly detatched from any driving feel whatsoever, and the tiptronic gearbox very lazy and sluggish. (I know you're on about the AMV8, but I haven't driven one of those.) Try one and see what you think. Depreciation wise though, they've lost £40k in 12~18 months, despite the waiting list and the fact early release models were sold on at a profit to impatient buyers.... so any guess would clearly be just that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pig Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 I have only driven the DB9. I found it a little on the slow side. However the noise and looks make up for that. I know nothing about running costs so cant help there. Hope you enjoy it if you do decide on one, they are such a beautiful car. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soonto_HAS_soop Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Did you pay any attention to the price range? The 4.7 is brand new so still mega money... The DB9 is 45k+ for the low end... The DBS is 100k+ why mention it!? I'd say go for it Jake, but only once you've checked out consumables pricing with a dealer etc... The sound from the V8 is knicker elastic snapping... There isn't actually a price range stated in Jakes original post so what's your point? Posting for the sake of showing you can search Autotrader for secondhand car costs doesn't help Jake to understand the running costs of such cars in any way so why mention that? Jake, if you want the contact of someone at Aston in warranty PM me and I can put you in touch with someone, they'll have a much better idea of all the costs related to servicing and fixing a V8. Or if you just want to PM some of your more important questions, I'll ask them myself during the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian C Posted February 22, 2009 Share Posted February 22, 2009 Yeah Alex, leave Ben alone on his specialist subject Never mind all this discussion Jake, have you bought it yet have you have you have you have you.... Stratton Motor Co is just down the road from me if you need me to get stuff for it -Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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