Farewell AMVantage, hello 997 GTS
Discussion
how come the aston was so dear? daily use too much for them?1. Insurance: Aston £1500 with A-Plan vs Porsche £474 with NFU.
2. Build quality: the Aston needed a front end respray after 4k miles due to crap paint work and stone chips. You just had to look at it and it would chip. The Porsche feels like it was carved from granite and with 22k miles on her, she is very mint.
3. Dealers: I bought from an AM dealer up North and the 250mile distance proved a significant barrier to any aftersales service. Porsche in Guildford, 20miles away, (Paul Massey and Russell Height) have been outstanding to deal with.
4. Serving: Aston 12months vs Porsche 2yrs
5. Warranty: Aston 12months vs Porsche 2yrs (actually it's min 2yrs and mine expires in Jan'18)
6. Living with it: the Aston did feel special but because of that it felt cosseted; I know I can leave the Porsche undriven for two weeks, ring its neck around Bedford Auodrome then leave it for another two weeks and it will still work flawlessly
7. Longevity: I would feel more comfortable owning a 50k+ mileage Porsche rather than an Aston
8. Gearbox: I had a manual Vantage as I didn't like the ASM; I've had one day in the PDK Porsche and it is breathtaking - great around town, exhilarating in Sport and road racer in Sport Plus
I'd encourage any 911 fan to try the Vantage as its a different experience. But, based on my personal experience, the Porsche is the keeper.
Jeremy
2. Build quality: the Aston needed a front end respray after 4k miles due to crap paint work and stone chips. You just had to look at it and it would chip. The Porsche feels like it was carved from granite and with 22k miles on her, she is very mint.
3. Dealers: I bought from an AM dealer up North and the 250mile distance proved a significant barrier to any aftersales service. Porsche in Guildford, 20miles away, (Paul Massey and Russell Height) have been outstanding to deal with.
4. Serving: Aston 12months vs Porsche 2yrs
5. Warranty: Aston 12months vs Porsche 2yrs (actually it's min 2yrs and mine expires in Jan'18)
6. Living with it: the Aston did feel special but because of that it felt cosseted; I know I can leave the Porsche undriven for two weeks, ring its neck around Bedford Auodrome then leave it for another two weeks and it will still work flawlessly
7. Longevity: I would feel more comfortable owning a 50k+ mileage Porsche rather than an Aston
8. Gearbox: I had a manual Vantage as I didn't like the ASM; I've had one day in the PDK Porsche and it is breathtaking - great around town, exhilarating in Sport and road racer in Sport Plus
I'd encourage any 911 fan to try the Vantage as its a different experience. But, based on my personal experience, the Porsche is the keeper.
Jeremy
Edited by JBE68 on Friday 22 May 22:36
Wozy68 said:
I've been seriously looking at the AMV8. Hadn't realised they are so expensive to insure though.
My Vantage was a 2010 model yr bought for £65k with 4k miles, kept in an alarmed brick garage, with a tracker, an annual 5k mile allowance with 5yrs+ protected NCB. My Kingston-upon-Thames KT2 postcode, being 10miles from central London, would have had a significant impact.Wozy68 said:
I've been seriously looking at the AMV8. Hadn't realised they are so expensive to insure though.
It would be worth speaking to Lockton, they have insured mine for the past 3yrs, central Manchester postcode. It was <£1k when I bought it and I was 28. It has since come down further.Wozy68 said:
I've been seriously looking at the AMV8. Hadn't realised they are so expensive to insure though.
They're not generally. I've a v8vs - bought new and cost £400 to insure. By comparison my daily runner a BMW 640d, worth half as much but doing 3x the miles costs £300. Never had any real chipping issues with the paint either (although other issues like sanding and swirl marks from the factory they've had to sort out).I must admit though some days I wish I had a 911. But then a 997 doesnt feel as special inside, certainly not the gen 1 cars.. Choices choices though.
Jonsv8 said:
Wozy68 said:
I've been seriously looking at the AMV8. Hadn't realised they are so expensive to insure though.
They're not generally. I've a v8vs - bought new and cost £400 to insure. By comparison my daily runner a BMW 640d, worth half as much but doing 3x the miles costs £300. Never had any real chipping issues with the paint either (although other issues like sanding and swirl marks from the factory they've had to sort out).I must admit though some days I wish I had a 911. But then a 997 doesnt feel as special inside, certainly not the gen 1 cars.. Choices choices though.
It was incredibly reliable and didn't chip the paint. Only sold it to get a 360. But I can see the appeal of the 997 particularly the longer servicing intervals. Good all-rounder. Nice car OP.
Currently own a gen 2 997 turbo.
With regards to the AM being expensive I think you got away lightly.
I bought a new AM V8 back in 2008, juror the car for just over 4 years.
I was in my 30s at the time with a Surrey Postcode, insurance was around £470 per annum.
At the time I was quoted £550 for a C2S
Servicing was around £600-£1000 per year.
With regards to reliability no issues apart from the emission light occasionally coming on which void be reset by disconnecting the battery fir 5 min. A few warranty issues - new shocks and a few other items however that was it. Would sometimes only use the car once a month and it would always start and run perfectly.
Paint was the same as any other car, suffered some road rash around the front of the rear arches but no other stone chips. May I suggest that the stone chips are down to the way you drove the car not the AM paint finnish.
Fuel economy was around 16-18MPG
Main cost was depreciation, lost in excess of £30k in just over 4 years
With regards to the AM being expensive I think you got away lightly.
I bought a new AM V8 back in 2008, juror the car for just over 4 years.
I was in my 30s at the time with a Surrey Postcode, insurance was around £470 per annum.
At the time I was quoted £550 for a C2S
Servicing was around £600-£1000 per year.
With regards to reliability no issues apart from the emission light occasionally coming on which void be reset by disconnecting the battery fir 5 min. A few warranty issues - new shocks and a few other items however that was it. Would sometimes only use the car once a month and it would always start and run perfectly.
Paint was the same as any other car, suffered some road rash around the front of the rear arches but no other stone chips. May I suggest that the stone chips are down to the way you drove the car not the AM paint finnish.
Fuel economy was around 16-18MPG
Main cost was depreciation, lost in excess of £30k in just over 4 years
Edited by Bikeracer1098 on Saturday 23 May 09:54
Edited by Bikeracer1098 on Saturday 23 May 09:57
SEE YA said:
Good points of view, I was thinking about a AMV8 in 07 it was that or the 930 I have now.
Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
Back in 2007 the cheapest AMV8 was in excess of £65k, not sure why you think they we're available for under £20k ?Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
Bikeracer1098 said:
SEE YA said:
Good points of view, I was thinking about a AMV8 in 07 it was that or the 930 I have now.
Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
Back in 2007 the cheapest AMV8 was in excess of £65k, not sure why you think they we're available for under £20k ?Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
Jonsv8 said:
Bikeracer1098 said:
SEE YA said:
Good points of view, I was thinking about a AMV8 in 07 it was that or the 930 I have now.
Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
Back in 2007 the cheapest AMV8 was in excess of £65k, not sure why you think they we're available for under £20k ?Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
SEE YA said:
Jonsv8 said:
Bikeracer1098 said:
SEE YA said:
Good points of view, I was thinking about a AMV8 in 07 it was that or the 930 I have now.
Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
Back in 2007 the cheapest AMV8 was in excess of £65k, not sure why you think they we're available for under £20k ?Funny thing is both models, have gone up in value around the same time.
Back then you could pick up both models for under 20k.
He sold it last year for around £40k, I was shocked !!
JBE68 said:
So having enjoyed a brief and expensive affair with a AMVantage for 12months
I've returned to the Porsche fold today with a 997 GTS PDK.
Needless to say I'm chuffed!
Jeremy
Congratulations- I love the GTS.....far better than the Aston imho-I've returned to the Porsche fold today with a 997 GTS PDK.
Needless to say I'm chuffed!
Jeremy
superior build quality and handling.....with the added bonus of no
tedious James Bond references....
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