V8 Vantage - what's it really like?
Discussion
justin220 said:
I did indeed, and think that is why it didn't last long.
I seriously considered a Gallardo to replace my Vantage. Whilst I was looking it seemed to be that a lot of cars had a large number of previous owners. They seem to be the car that people think is a good idea and when they actualy own one they change their mind. I'm glad I didn't get one now because I think I'd have not been happy driving and and leaving it parked up.simonpa said:
justin220 said:
I took the Vantage out yesterday for a day trip over a good road and it is brilliant for that type of drive. Special days out. I think the specialness of it wears off if you drive it every day.
What's wrong with having 'special' every day, including weekends?you get used to whatever you drive, when it becomes normal to have 400bhp you might need 500 or 600bhp to get excited about. If you drive something different like a 2.5 ton truck daily then the Vantage really feels like a sportscar again
)bogie said:
you get used to whatever you drive, when it becomes normal to have 400bhp you might need 500 or 600bhp to get excited about. If you drive something different like a 2.5 ton truck daily then the Vantage really feels like a sportscar again )
The vantage is beautiful to look at ....but after driving the Rangie all day in traffic with its supercharged engine and red Brembo calipers (same as Aston) the Vantage feels a bit lazy, IMO.)I have owned both cars at the same time, I really enjoyed my v8 vantage roadster and it was a good pairing to have the 996 tt with it as they both have strengths in completely opposite areas. I'm sure you will enjoy running one besides your 360.
The Aston sounds great, looks like a piece or art, interior has character, people let you pull out of junctions, nobody keys the car.
Downside was that it was slow and heavy, build quality nowhere near the porsche in any department but that's to be expected.
I would suggest getting the roadster to the noise better.
The Aston sounds great, looks like a piece or art, interior has character, people let you pull out of junctions, nobody keys the car.
Downside was that it was slow and heavy, build quality nowhere near the porsche in any department but that's to be expected.
I would suggest getting the roadster to the noise better.
Captain Greg said:
bogie said:
you get used to whatever you drive, when it becomes normal to have 400bhp you might need 500 or 600bhp to get excited about. If you drive something different like a 2.5 ton truck daily then the Vantage really feels like a sportscar again )
The vantage is beautiful to look at ....but after driving the Rangie all day in traffic with its supercharged engine and red Brembo calipers (same as Aston) the Vantage feels a bit lazy, IMO.)
There's one thing that keeps me loving my V8V paddle roadster, though as others have said it's a car that doesn't have many outstanding abilities. I've had a supercharged Rangie, couple of Bentley Conti GTs, several SL500s and an SL600, but this old 2008 Vantage has the one thing I enjoy the most by a factor of a 1000 - it's a driver's car, as distinct from the others which are comfortable transport.
But the reason I bought it is the same reason I had a 2003 Vanquish a few years back, the mysterious X factor. People of all ages love it, and it's the only truly classless car I've had that gets thumbs up and visits from old and young. Because I have the roof down most of the time I hear all the pedestrian comments, like today: 'neat car!' and lots of 'Aston Martin!' and even 'that's a nice DB9, wow.'
I drive it almost daily, and have over the 8 months of ownership, and every day is a delight... it just keeps getting better. It's never boring.
My others cars have had better handling and are more sophisticated, but nothing makes me feel more special than the Vantage. Yes, the interior is nicely done, but you can't beat the Bentley Continental GT for the ultimate in sumptuousness. The 2012 supercharged Range Rover was a delight to drive with acceleration as good as the Vantage and handling probably as good too. But none of these compare to the rough-edged Vantage with its sometimes jerky gearbox until warm, the heavy steering and lacklustre acceleration. But the noise is delightful, the road presence has impact, and you feel like a rock star.
We cannot buy a car based on a list of pro's and con's or by comparison with anything else. It is bought with the heart.
But the reason I bought it is the same reason I had a 2003 Vanquish a few years back, the mysterious X factor. People of all ages love it, and it's the only truly classless car I've had that gets thumbs up and visits from old and young. Because I have the roof down most of the time I hear all the pedestrian comments, like today: 'neat car!' and lots of 'Aston Martin!' and even 'that's a nice DB9, wow.'
I drive it almost daily, and have over the 8 months of ownership, and every day is a delight... it just keeps getting better. It's never boring.
My others cars have had better handling and are more sophisticated, but nothing makes me feel more special than the Vantage. Yes, the interior is nicely done, but you can't beat the Bentley Continental GT for the ultimate in sumptuousness. The 2012 supercharged Range Rover was a delight to drive with acceleration as good as the Vantage and handling probably as good too. But none of these compare to the rough-edged Vantage with its sometimes jerky gearbox until warm, the heavy steering and lacklustre acceleration. But the noise is delightful, the road presence has impact, and you feel like a rock star.
We cannot buy a car based on a list of pro's and con's or by comparison with anything else. It is bought with the heart.
Well, I did it.
I debated whether to go for an earlier car, or pay more for something a bit later with an AM warranty. I know it's always "buy the latest you can afford" but I decided I'd really just be paying for future depreciation - plus the scary cost is the clutch which a warranty doesn't pay for anyway.
So I concentrated on the earlier cars and at the weekend saw a 56 plate car. It didn't tick evey box - there were a few nice to haves I wanted which it didn't have - and in fact when I was driving to view it, my feeling was that it probably wasn't the car for me. But it was a very good example - immaculate condition, current owner 6 years, 35k miles, just serviced (full AMSH), new tyres, recent brakes.
I slept on it, and agreed a price today. A tad more than I wanted to pay, but not by too much and hopefully I'll be glad of the decision I made!
Collect it on Saturday.
I debated whether to go for an earlier car, or pay more for something a bit later with an AM warranty. I know it's always "buy the latest you can afford" but I decided I'd really just be paying for future depreciation - plus the scary cost is the clutch which a warranty doesn't pay for anyway.
So I concentrated on the earlier cars and at the weekend saw a 56 plate car. It didn't tick evey box - there were a few nice to haves I wanted which it didn't have - and in fact when I was driving to view it, my feeling was that it probably wasn't the car for me. But it was a very good example - immaculate condition, current owner 6 years, 35k miles, just serviced (full AMSH), new tyres, recent brakes.
I slept on it, and agreed a price today. A tad more than I wanted to pay, but not by too much and hopefully I'll be glad of the decision I made!
Collect it on Saturday.
I don't have a Vantage... I have a 2006 DB9 Volante. Nevertheless, I think whether you're happy with your "new" Vantage or not over the long term depends on whether you just want the car to "use" or whether you are willing to make the effort to appreciate it.
Two imperfect analogies: wine and wives.
If you just want to drink to get sloshed, you can accomplish it with a lot less investment in both money and good taste than is required by a fine Cabernet. Yes, you can also get from zero to sixty a lot faster with something other than a Vantage. But you know what? A One-77 isn't going to win a drag race against all comers, either. To me, it's HOW you get from zero to sixty that counts most.
Also, if you just want a relationship so you can get laid, you can also do that with a lot less investment than it takes to get and stay married. But you know what? I love my wife, and there's a great deal more to real and enduring beauty than there is to transient prettiness. To me, it's HOW you get from zero to sixty in that situation, too.
Just don't let my wife know I've compared her to a fine Cabernet and an Aston Martin. While I would personally be honored by the comparison, I know when I'm too close to my redline with her!
Two imperfect analogies: wine and wives.
If you just want to drink to get sloshed, you can accomplish it with a lot less investment in both money and good taste than is required by a fine Cabernet. Yes, you can also get from zero to sixty a lot faster with something other than a Vantage. But you know what? A One-77 isn't going to win a drag race against all comers, either. To me, it's HOW you get from zero to sixty that counts most.
Also, if you just want a relationship so you can get laid, you can also do that with a lot less investment than it takes to get and stay married. But you know what? I love my wife, and there's a great deal more to real and enduring beauty than there is to transient prettiness. To me, it's HOW you get from zero to sixty in that situation, too.
Just don't let my wife know I've compared her to a fine Cabernet and an Aston Martin. While I would personally be honored by the comparison, I know when I'm too close to my redline with her!
So here it is - collected yesterday morning from a fellow PH-er :
First impressions :
Driving back on the motorway was great - clutch wasn't as heavy as I remembered and it's definitely an excellent car for long journeys in comfort.
Twisty roads didn't seem to suit it quite as much - it just seems to lack any sense of urgency as you accelerate out of bends, even if it's revved. But that's not really what I bought it for, and is probably because I'm used to doing that in quicker cars.
Steering is lovely with a really nice weight to it. I think the brakes have the nicest feel of all my cars.
Petrol has half gone in just 100 miles which is disappointing. I knew they were thirsty but was hoping for a greater tank range.
It will be interesting to see what my use of it is over the next few months. The intention is that it replaces my 996 turbo, which I mostly use as a summer daily car. With the turbo I do often find I just take the Cayenne because in rush hour it's not like I can open the turbo up. But I think that will not be the case with the vantage - I'll enjoy a classier drive into work.
The turbo is currently having a couple of things fixed - while that's being done, I'll decide if I really do want to sell it.
Thanks to everybody who offered advice on this thread - very happy with the conclusion!
First impressions :
Driving back on the motorway was great - clutch wasn't as heavy as I remembered and it's definitely an excellent car for long journeys in comfort.
Twisty roads didn't seem to suit it quite as much - it just seems to lack any sense of urgency as you accelerate out of bends, even if it's revved. But that's not really what I bought it for, and is probably because I'm used to doing that in quicker cars.
Steering is lovely with a really nice weight to it. I think the brakes have the nicest feel of all my cars.
Petrol has half gone in just 100 miles which is disappointing. I knew they were thirsty but was hoping for a greater tank range.
It will be interesting to see what my use of it is over the next few months. The intention is that it replaces my 996 turbo, which I mostly use as a summer daily car. With the turbo I do often find I just take the Cayenne because in rush hour it's not like I can open the turbo up. But I think that will not be the case with the vantage - I'll enjoy a classier drive into work.
The turbo is currently having a couple of things fixed - while that's being done, I'll decide if I really do want to sell it.
Thanks to everybody who offered advice on this thread - very happy with the conclusion!
I started this thread because I was considering buying a V8V - now I own one, i thought I'd give an update since I'm sure future prospective owners will ask the same kind of question.
I've only owned it for 2 weeks, so it's still the honeymoon period - will update again in future and let's see if my views change!
My first impressions were that it drank too much fuel and wasn't very quick. I still don't really get why it uses quite so much petrol given its size and performance but it is at least quite a lot better on longish journeys. For performance, I didn't buy it as a fast car - it is quick enough and driving it is about far more than speed. Having said that, I've seen threads on the porsche forum from people who've moved to a vantage and been disappointed. If speed is your thing, this is the wrong car.
Handling is OK, but mine feels like it has noticeable understeer. A search suggests this is not a common problem so I need to get my alignment done.
The car looks stunning, both inside and out. It attracts far more attention than I expected, and I'm surprised at how many people I know who have apparently always wanted an Aston. Having owned a couple of 911s and a couple of Ferraris over the last few years, I'd never heard that comment about any of those cars.
The interior is in a whole different league to my other cars - the inside of my 996 turbo is practically Kia by comparison. Having said that, the fuel flap release button looks like it was done by the work experience lad when they realised they'd missed something out. Oh, and the space in the glove compartment and interior cubby holes.... Wouldn't it be nice to have some? I've never had a car before where I've wondered where I'm supposed to store my iPod!
Love the brakes - in my opinion, nicer than my 996 turbo and 360. Think weight over the front wheels helps.
The premium sound system wasn't an option I cared about, but mine has it - and I'm very glad it does. It sounds absolutely stunning, way better than any car stereo system I've had before.
Exhaust sound isn't too bad either!
Overall, I'm very happy with it. Time will tell how reliable it turns out to be - mine showed a fault within 5 days of ownership, but it looks like a simple cheap fix. I don't generally like things being broke on my cars so I will get annoyed if it happens often. It does feel like a solid well put together car though, so we'll see.
I've only owned it for 2 weeks, so it's still the honeymoon period - will update again in future and let's see if my views change!
My first impressions were that it drank too much fuel and wasn't very quick. I still don't really get why it uses quite so much petrol given its size and performance but it is at least quite a lot better on longish journeys. For performance, I didn't buy it as a fast car - it is quick enough and driving it is about far more than speed. Having said that, I've seen threads on the porsche forum from people who've moved to a vantage and been disappointed. If speed is your thing, this is the wrong car.
Handling is OK, but mine feels like it has noticeable understeer. A search suggests this is not a common problem so I need to get my alignment done.
The car looks stunning, both inside and out. It attracts far more attention than I expected, and I'm surprised at how many people I know who have apparently always wanted an Aston. Having owned a couple of 911s and a couple of Ferraris over the last few years, I'd never heard that comment about any of those cars.
The interior is in a whole different league to my other cars - the inside of my 996 turbo is practically Kia by comparison. Having said that, the fuel flap release button looks like it was done by the work experience lad when they realised they'd missed something out. Oh, and the space in the glove compartment and interior cubby holes.... Wouldn't it be nice to have some? I've never had a car before where I've wondered where I'm supposed to store my iPod!
Love the brakes - in my opinion, nicer than my 996 turbo and 360. Think weight over the front wheels helps.
The premium sound system wasn't an option I cared about, but mine has it - and I'm very glad it does. It sounds absolutely stunning, way better than any car stereo system I've had before.
Exhaust sound isn't too bad either!
Overall, I'm very happy with it. Time will tell how reliable it turns out to be - mine showed a fault within 5 days of ownership, but it looks like a simple cheap fix. I don't generally like things being broke on my cars so I will get annoyed if it happens often. It does feel like a solid well put together car though, so we'll see.
Jon39 said:
Glad you are enjoying your Aston 'experience', davek.
Instead of being just transport, every trip is certainly an occasion.
It seems that you are missing extra power.
Perhaps in a year or so, just have a little drive in a V12 Vantage. -
I certainly wouldn't rule that out as a future possibility. I intentionally bought towards the bottom of depreciation curve to see how I get on with it.Instead of being just transport, every trip is certainly an occasion.
It seems that you are missing extra power.
Perhaps in a year or so, just have a little drive in a V12 Vantage. -
If I do really like it, I could see a newer faster one replacing it in a couple of years.
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