10th May 2008, 19:33
I've had cars that have had 1000 miles a year put on them tops... if that. Plenty of time to have issues corrected. So you drive something else. But the 1000 annual miles are a blast and you have a piece of art in your garage even if not driven. Some people do not get that aspect of ownership however. Like my spouse!
17th Aug 2012, 21:32
Rule number one. Never buy a brand new car, especially an expensive one. Instead, buy it 2-3 years later on the used car market. That way, depreciation will have taken an almighty chunk out of the purchase price. I'd expect at least a considerable number of niggles and faults to have been sorted through recalls, etc and if you're lucky, you'll still have a decent bit of warranty left.
Better still, with reference to Aston Martin's in particular, why not just get a much older, classic 1970s or 1980s one? It will probably have been restored by now, or at least cosseted all its life, which reduces the chances of anything major going wrong, it won't depreciate like any modern one, it'll be much cheaper to buy in the first place, and if the stars are aligned right... it might even increase in value during your ownership. Fair to say it's a potential investment opportunity.
... and (in my humble, subjective opinion), those classic Aston's look far classier than anything that's been produced after Ford's ownership of the company.
18th Aug 2012, 14:22
Spend half and buy a new Corvette supercharged. Over 600 hp, extremely reliable drive train, and goes 0-60 under 4 seconds and 200mph. Many buy 2 or 3. Take the other 100 grand and take it on a long cross country vacation. And then drive it to work when you return. I pretty much do Mobil 1 changes and tires. That's it.
22nd Sep 2013, 01:40
You have a point when it comes to performance/value for money, but it's not really a fair comment to make, since the Corvette is aimed at a completely different type of buyer to the Aston Martin.
23rd Sep 2013, 14:19
Go with the 2014 Corvette waiting list. Restyled, European inspired interior. Why spend more time in the shop than on the road? Some I know have 3 late model ones in their garage. Coupe and Convertibles. Just a suggestion. Take the dollars out of the equation and buy a supercar.
9th Jan 2016, 14:07
A great alternative to the Vanquish is the DB7 Vantage. It has the same engine, in slightly detuned spec (420 HP vs 460 HP), but having driven both, the difference in horsepower is negligible because of one huge reason... the transmission. The Vanquish only came with the six speed, single clutch, paddle shift transmission, which in the early, non-S model that I test drove was terrible! Very harsh shifts, and it took too long to engage up shifts and longer still to downshift. I put it in automatic mode to test it out, and it seemed to shift too early or too late. It never got the right shift point like a true automatic would, but it was never consistent about when to be wrong either, so it was impossible to anticipate a shift through a corner. Talking to the service manager at the Aston dealer, the Vanquish S model had an improved transmission, and an upgrade is available for the non-S Vanquish, so that is something to look for. Also, the reviewer here mentions that the transmission is incredibly unreliable. That wouldn't be the first time I've heard that. Or the second or third, for that matter.
This all brings me to the DB7 Vantage; you can get a true six speed manual transmission, and a great one at that. It is very smooth and the shifts are short. The clutch engagement point is high, and a little heavy, but you get used to it pretty quickly. The engine is just as responsive, smooth, and rev-happy as the Vanquish's and you feel like you're actually controlling it with the manual transmission. The sound of the DB7 is on par with the Vanquish, if the optional sports exhaust was fitted. If not, no problem, the dealer can add them. I highly recommend the sports exhaust, it transforms the car! The handling is very similar, but that's from spirited driving in both. I haven't taken either to the track, but that's not the purpose of either car. In the real world through some great mountain roads, they are very close, with the edge going to the Vanquish for the wider rear tires and additional grip.
Looks are entirely subjective, both I think both are stunning! The DB7 Vantage is more sleek, and the Vanquish more aggressive. You can't go wrong with either. The interiors are a different story. Both are made with the world's finest leathers, silky alcantara headliners, and in the DB7, wood trim. That being said, both look very dated at this point and the ergonomics are not great. Who cares though, in a time when all dashes are becoming digital, but looking analogue, when real auxiliary gauges are disappearing in favor of warning lights, and center stacks that used to have radios and climate setting are becoming TV consoles with a million controls in one screen, it's nice to have a traditional interior. Think about it the way, the DB5 interior looks dated, and I'd still like one of those!
Both cars have now hit a point when they've stopped depreciating and the best ones are starting to go up in value. Both models are far rarer and more exclusive than their counterparts from the new era of Aston Martin (far less DB7s than DB9s, far less Vanquishes than DBS or current generation Vanquishes). If you want either of these two cars, get them now, because their appreciation curve will be steep and it is coming soon, especially when Aston switches to turbo charging, the normally aspirated V12s will be sought after. If you want to enjoy driving a vintage Aston however, and not just lock one away covered in your garage, the DB7 Vantage is the one to get!
24th Mar 2008, 21:16
The Vanquish is a very beautiful car no arguement about that, but if you want reliability and good looks, go with a Ford Mustang.