Aston Martin declining sales

[hashluck]

jonby said:

hashluck said:

I agree with the sentiment (and reality) but also the factory has to build a certain number of cars or else it may as well not bother at all. So at that minimum level there has to be enough buyers who want the cars being made in order to create enough demand so that discounting is not required to shift them. Vicious circle. We can all applaud that they will in the future limit production to 7000 (sports) cars per annum, but to protect residuals there has to be 7000+ buyers per annum and at the moment we are at half of that.

Well the answer to that bit is to improve the product - obviously without a good & competitive product, it doesn't work

But your point also goes back to the first bit of my first post in this thread - the less reliant on UK sales as they now are, the better, so to address your point, they aren't struggling to push out cars just to make sure they are manufacturing a bare minimum

We agree jonby, just making sure all considerations are out there

[Little Donkey]

I've had two gran Turismos, the second one being the 'S' which was a much better car. Done 1800 miles in it in two years. Had the DBS, which is my fourth Aston and done 5000 miles in it in ten months - and it is a long way off being my daily drive. Says it all really - but each to their own.

Oh yes - depreciation. I chopped in the Mazza against a new range rover sport, which was half the cost new and still had to put cash in!

[Jon39]

Jon1967x said:

I think cars have natural price points that set the floor;

V8V 4.7 - 50-55k

When I bought my 4·7 over three years ago, I was anticipating the usual significant motor car depreciation. However, as a keeper, it did not concern me anyway.

I have been surprised to note that the retail value has hardly changed.
Supply and demand of course are involved, and there are fewer 4·7 cars in the UK than 4·3.

The values will presumably move down, once the Vantage replacement is eventually launched.
I think the DB7 cars went down to about £20,000, so maybe Vantages will do the same.

[Ken Figenus]

Like Hashluck I too tried a Maser and a 911 - both fab. Loved them - ohh that PDK and the throttle 'balance' in the Porsche. Bought an Aston without a second thought for either of them... Says it all.

I'm sure I'll lose £25k in 2 years, which is fine as this is much less than half what the first owner lost in similar time. Keep an eye but there is far more to these things than a spread sheet - floating your boat is absolutely No1, and my how its floated

[Agent57]

Doh! I misunderstood the topic header. I thought AM were turning away customers (declining sales)!

[Big Ry]

Ultimately if you don't want to loose any money, then don't buy expensive metal........unless it's very rare expensive metal.

From my point of view I don't care. Sure I don't want to loose money, but when i'm heading for the exit i'm not going to think back on the wonderful bank balance I have and remind myself how that secondhand Rover was a peach, it's going to be about all the amazing places I've seen, things experienced and journeys taken.

I work hard so I can do/have these things, that's the end of it in my book.

There are no pockets in a shroud....that's my motto

[michael gould]

I purchased my 1 owner 55plate DB9 almost 6 years ago for £51k with 21k miles on the clock and 14 months warranty. apart from the service every year (Stratstone) at an average cost of £750 and a new set of wheels, the car has been faultless. In fairness, I had a little paintwork done on a bubbling rear arch for £320. It's still in wonderful condition with 36k miles I have been offered 35k for it recently. So Ive dropt 16k in almost 6 years. I simply can't believe that somebody who purchased new would have had 50-60k more pleasure out of their Aston than me.

there's an old saying in the motor trade

"new cars are purchased by fools or rich people"

Thank God for fools and rich people ....it allows humble men like me to drive wonderful iconic cars

[Jockman]

Big Ry said:

There are no pockets in a shroud....that's my motto

Not true. They are an optional extra in my catalogue

[michael gould]

Jockman said:

Big Ry said:

There are no pockets in a shroud....that's my motto

Not true. They are an optional extra in my catalogue

just out of interest what is your most expensive option ??

[AMDBSNick]

michael gould said:

just out of interest what is your most expensive option ??

Karen

[Jockman]

AMDBSNick said:

michael gould said:

just out of interest what is your most expensive option ??

Karen

Lol

Wait until I tell her you called her an 'option,' mate

Mr G, asking for a zinc liner inside the box is quite an expensive option

Also, an Aston Martin wrap around the coffin would not be cheap (subject to acquiring necessary approval from HQ)

[michael gould]

AMDBSNick said:

michael gould said:

just out of interest what is your most expensive option ??

Karen

na....... Karen isn't expensive....she works !!!!

[Big Ry]

Jockman said:

Not true. They are an optional extra in my catalogue

Can they be alcantara lined please

[Jockman]

Big Ry said:

Jockman said:

Not true. They are an optional extra in my catalogue

Can they be alcantara lined please

Tbh Ry if you are indeed 'Big' your demise is already going to be an expensive one, what with outsize charges etc

[Y100]

Phil, a quote please; Volcano red with c/f external pack (handles and plaque), Xpel Ultimate wrapped (Paintshield). Interior true black alcantara, St George shroud.

[Jockman]

Bob, here's a quote....

"You must be fookin joking"

[jonby]

Big Ry said:

Ultimately if you don't want to loose any money, then don't buy expensive metal........unless it's very rare expensive metal.

From my point of view I don't care. Sure I don't want to loose money, but when i'm heading for the exit i'm not going to think back on the wonderful bank balance I have and remind myself how that secondhand Rover was a peach, it's going to be about all the amazing places I've seen, things experienced and journeys taken.

I work hard so I can do/have these things, that's the end of it in my book.

There are no pockets in a shroud....that's my motto

There is a balance/middle ground. I don't necessarily think it's impossible to have your viewpoint without also having mine

It simply means that a larger percentage of owners, once they 'buy the metal that they can afford', are less likely to change more frequently than if they are buying models that depreciate less

It's no coincidence that Ferrari (V8 models in particular) & Porsche (2 door models particularly) owners upgrade to a brand new version of their existing car more frequently than say Aston or Maserati owners and now, McLaren owners too

Of course one of the reasons that Ferrari V8 models & Porsche 2 door cars depreciate less is not just because of the lack of discount on the way in, but also because despite Ferrari doing very few ltd ed versions & Porsche doing many, in both instances owners have a good idea of model cycles

For the other brands I refer to above, including AM, there is a particularly inconsistent model cycle which means people never really know where in the cycle they are buying - nobody buys a GT3 without knowing an RS is 12 months behind, or a 458 without having an idea how far into the 7 year cycle they are and that a trackday special is coming.

Buy an Aston and you fear the day after you sign off the order the model could be superseded by a 'new, improved' version.

[hashluck]

jonby said:

Buy an Aston and you fear the day after you sign off the order the model could be superseded by a 'new, improved' version.

Or not (for several years) lol

This can also work both ways. Why buy new when you can buy one a couple of years old that looks no different and going by history no change due for a couple of years at least.

In my case I DID buy new for several reasons that made sense to me but I can see the logic.

Also, this is being slightly unfair to Aston as the product does change but they do have a habit of improving their models by stealth. The V8VS you buy today is leagues ahead of the original 4.3 or 4.7 for that matter but you would not know it by anything other than driving it.

[Big Ry]

@Jonby

I completely understand what you're saying and more or less agree.

My point was more in general that I'm not going to spend my life worrying about what I'll loose etc, as if I did I would never buy anything remotely like the cars we do.

That was more my point.

[jonby]

Big Ry said:

@Jonby

I completely understand what you're saying and more or less agree.

My point was more in general that I'm not going to spend my life worrying about what I'll loose etc, as if I did I would never buy anything remotely like the cars we do.

That was more my point.

agree - I wouldn't have bought mine if that were the case - I'd have bought a lightly used 16M, then for the same money as my new v12 roadster, now worth 2 or 3 times what my car is worth....

hashluck said:

jonby said:

Buy an Aston and you fear the day after you sign off the order the model could be superseded by a 'new, improved' version.

Or not (for several years) lol

This can also work both ways. Why buy new when you can buy one a couple of years old that looks no different and going by history no change due for a couple of years at least.

Fully agree - it is indeed a double edged sword. And I quite like the subtle improvements that come. But there is no question that it adds to uncertainty which in turn leads to a more unstable market. People are still buying 458 spiders and I have a friend who is only just about to take delivery of his 458 coupe speciale, despite knowing full well that the 488 is about to hit the market. But he has gone into it with his eyes open and when he ordered c. 6 months ago, he knew that 458 was at the end of it's model cycle, about to be replaced with a twin turbo, similar chassis, upgraded/restyled body. But I wouldn't be very happy if I signed off on a new Vanquish just a few days before the new gearbox version was launched, which came with effectively no notice.