Babies and Vantages

[gilbo]

Hi all, my other half and I are expecting our first child in June and already she's telling me she 'needs' a 4 door car. Now it's only just dawned on me that once the little one comes along I'm not going to be able to use it anywhere near as much as I'd like and certainly not with all 3 of us on board. I can either get her something useable and keep my Vantage. Or sell it and buy something that suits both our needs. Along the lines of an RS4/M3 4 door. I know they are a completely different proposition and incomparable but I'm now seriously bothered that I can't go out in it as a family.
Are their any of you here who have done a similar thing or am I mad!?
I would trade it for a Rapide but unfortunately i haven't got the cash as we are in the process of building our house so that's out of the question too.
First world problems I know, but any input would be appreciated

[woodsypedia]

Firstly, congratulations. I love first world problems.....and I pride myself in providing first world solutions

I've got a V12V and an Ariel Atom, and don't really want to get rid of either of them - but also need a car with a few more seats (no baby on the way though yet). So, I bought a 58 plate Audi A4 S line saloon and it's marvellous. I didn't think I'd use it as much as I really have, but I've done nearly 2000 miles in just over a month - and the fact I know it's a winter shed that I don't really car about means it gets spanked. I'd save your money for future toys and buy a shed for under £10K.

Hope this helps!

Chris.

[gilbo]

Funnily enough that's exactly the car my other half is after as her mum also has one!
My biggest fear is the vantage will sit in the garage unused. I don't want the agro of finding a babysitter just to go out in it with the Mrs
I am of the same opinion to you but I'm trying to think seriously how I'll feel in 6 months or so time.

[woodsypedia]

I've got the same issue with the Ariel - but when I do get to drive it, it's even more enjoyable. Winter always sucks because you don't get out in the toys as often as you want, but when you do get out and the sun is out, you'll remember why you kept it

[AdamV8V]

woodsypedia said:

So, I bought a 58 plate Audi A4 S line saloon and it's marvellous. I didn't think I'd use it as much as I really have, but I've done nearly 2000 miles in just over a month - and the fact I know it's a winter shed that I don't really car about means it gets spanked. I'd save your money for future toys and buy a shed for under £10K.

This!

I have a 4.7 Vantage Roadster. We got a dog in January and had a baby in July so I had the same dilemma (I think there's a thread on it here somewhere!). I almost sold the Aston many times over and bought a C63 Wagon, RS4, Range Rover Sport, XF Wagon etc etc, but realised (and had some good advice) that if I sold the Aston now, the chances of getting another one any time soon would be pretty slim.

So I bought a 2003 BMW 330i Touring for £3.5k and absolutely loved it. It became affectionately referred to as "The Slag" in our household; it was parked on the street (in East London), never cleaned and generally abused. I didn't even mind it when my wife curbed the wheels (which would have been a divorcable offence in the Aston). At the same time, it had all the toys (leather is needed when you have babies - sick and cloth don't mix!), a good turn of pace and that lovely, creamy 3 litre straight six.

It was crap on the petrol, mind, and it's called a "Touring" rather than an "Estate" because it eventually struggled to swallow a growing dog (his breed is supposed to be 12.5KG and he's currenltly 19KG!) and all the paraphernalia that comes with a baby. So just before Christmas, once the wife was enjoying have a bigger, comfier car with an auto box etc etc, we upgraded to a Disco 4 which I adore.

Ultimately, having the Beemer sold-in the idea of a second car (rather than selling the V8VR) and bought me a year of saving for the Disco. I also only lost £500 on it!

So now I have one of these


And still have one of these


So, yes, go the Shed route and get the biggest and best one you can afford (I'd get an E60 535D if I had my time again) without selling the Aston.

Good luck!

[Jon39]

I have always used very ordinary cars for DD transport. I don't need to impress anyone, and as the roads become increasingly busy, a high powered saloon can be an expensive high depreciating car, that often has to be driven along in a long line of traffic.

Therefore I would keep your wonderful Vantage, and buy from the enormous selection of two or three year old cars. Have you visited the mainstream auctions? The low prices are quite an eye opener, even including the pre-registered 'new' cars. Need to go with an open mind though, because looking for a specific model will take time to find. The last car that I bought at auction (for son), was 14 months old, therefore still with warranty, and the price was only 40% of list. Has not missed a beat for six years.

[gilbo]

Well I am in the motor trade, but tend to not get involved in buying or selling (too many Cowboys and too easy to get stung) but I have considered auctions.
I'm just so busy running my business/building houses/making babies that it's not really been on my radar!
I'm now much more on the side of keeping my Vantage and looking for a 4 door for her. She has a lovely CLK which I'm more than happy with but apparently you can't get a baby in and out of a coupe! My mum used to ferry me around in a Hilman Imp and an Alfa GTV!!! And don't get me started on the price of buggies and car seats!

[bentley01]

I have two young children aged 4 and 7 and my solution was the same as Adams. We have a Discovery Sport for my wife to drive and family trips which includes our black Lab. I also have a Ford Focus as a daily driver which I bought 5 months old which had already lost 6 grand from the new price. With work and a young family I was using my Vantage Roadster which I loved very little and I wondered if keeping it made sense. So in the end I decided that there was no point keeping the two seat Aston and it had to go. In true man maths style though I have replaced it with a V12 Vantage. If you let these cars go and you get used to it family life will take over and it will become increasingly harder to find the justification to purchase one. Now if I go for a drive out with one of the boys I just have to make sure I take the other one out for a spin on my return. trust me this is no hardship.

[Quarterly]

bentley01 said:

With work and a young family I was using my Vantage Roadster which I loved very little and I wondered if keeping it made sense. So in the end I decided that there was no point keeping the two seat Aston and it had to go. In true man maths style though I have replaced it with a V12 Vantage.

[Zod]

Quarterly said:

bentley01 said:

With work and a young family I was using my Vantage Roadster which I loved very little and I wondered if keeping it made sense. So in the end I decided that there was no point keeping the two seat Aston and it had to go. In true man maths style though I have replaced it with a V12 Vantage.

A bit like me. I had a DB9, an E60 M5, a Polo and two kids. I decided this was all a bit silly, as I was driving the M5 less and less, so I test drove the Rapide a couple of times. Just when I was about to place the order, we found out number three was on the way, so I did the practical thing, sold the DB9 and M5 and bought a V12 Vantage.

(I ordered an X5 too)

[shuzzy]

So I had a similar dilemma last year. I wanted an Aston but also required back seats for the kiddies. I have a second car as a family run around (Audi Q5), but did not want to be restricted to only being able to use the Q5 if we all went out. Therefore I did the only sensible thing and ditched the idea of buying a Vantage and got a DB9 instead. Its got back seats (token gesture) and its an Aston Martin. I have been able to use the DB9 much more than I would have been able to use a Vantage.

[bentley01]

Zod said:

A bit like me. I had a DB9, an E60 M5, a Polo and two kids. I decided this was all a bit silly, as I was driving the M5 less and less, so I test drove the Rapide a couple of times. Just when I was about to place the order, we found out number three was on the way, so I did the practical thing, sold the DB9 and M5 and bought a V12 Vantage.

(I ordered an X5 too)

I like the way you think!

[Phil74891]

I don't have any small children, but I've just bought a mint RS4 Avant just in case.

Seriously though OP, under no circumstances should you sell the Aston.

Buy a Disco or something like that. Nice and safe for the family and the high ride height will give you a complete contrast to the Aston, which will make it even more fun when you do get to drive it.

[sukh_m]

AdamV8V said:

but realised (and had some good advice) that if I sold the Aston now, the chances of getting another one any time soon would be pretty slim.

I would agree

Buy a nail and keep the Aston, wife and baby happy all at the same time. Job done!

[BravoV8V]

I was in a similar position this time last year.

I ended up selling my V8 Vantage and buying a Lotus Evora S. It has isofix fittings in the rear!