Goodbye Porsche 911 GTS hello Vanquish Carbon Black
Discussion
After nearly 6 years of owning Porsches and two Vantages prior to Porsche ownership I am back with Aston and enjoying driving again.
The Porsches have all of the bits (providing you tick most of the options boxes), are ridiculously fast, cheap to service (every 20,000 or 2 years), solidly built, loads of storage space, economical 30+MPG, google maps, what's not to like.
Well the Porsches were good, really good and that was the problem they do everything really well just like a modern day car.
So I started to look out for a Vantage V12 S Roadster and after 6 months looking not a lot of decent cars were available, I started to look at the DB11 as at the moment I think they are a bargain as so many are for sale with very few miles.
The more I looked at the DB11 I thought that there was little point in changing as the DB11 and 911 are so tech heavy and both have twin turbo's
I did not intend to buy a Vanquish the man maths would not compete, but when a Carbon Black Vanquish appeared I think the deal was done within seconds of seeing it (do not mention to salesman) as haggling was required.
So in two weeks of ownership the big grin is back again, the flashing of headlights has returned when approached by other AM cars (not something that ever happened in the Porsche and I soon gave up).
Do I miss anything when compared to Porsche ownership, not really the sat nav still shows me travelling in a field sometimes (nothing changes).
The only negative comments were from the other half in that the passenger seat does not go up and down and that there is no light in the passenger vanity mirror.
Now if the above two issues are sorted in the Vanquish S there is a reason to change…..
The Porsches have all of the bits (providing you tick most of the options boxes), are ridiculously fast, cheap to service (every 20,000 or 2 years), solidly built, loads of storage space, economical 30+MPG, google maps, what's not to like.
Well the Porsches were good, really good and that was the problem they do everything really well just like a modern day car.
So I started to look out for a Vantage V12 S Roadster and after 6 months looking not a lot of decent cars were available, I started to look at the DB11 as at the moment I think they are a bargain as so many are for sale with very few miles.
The more I looked at the DB11 I thought that there was little point in changing as the DB11 and 911 are so tech heavy and both have twin turbo's
I did not intend to buy a Vanquish the man maths would not compete, but when a Carbon Black Vanquish appeared I think the deal was done within seconds of seeing it (do not mention to salesman) as haggling was required.
So in two weeks of ownership the big grin is back again, the flashing of headlights has returned when approached by other AM cars (not something that ever happened in the Porsche and I soon gave up).
Do I miss anything when compared to Porsche ownership, not really the sat nav still shows me travelling in a field sometimes (nothing changes).
The only negative comments were from the other half in that the passenger seat does not go up and down and that there is no light in the passenger vanity mirror.
Now if the above two issues are sorted in the Vanquish S there is a reason to change…..
I made almost the same switch about 6 weeks ago, from a 2018 GTS Cabrio to this Vanquish. Although the GTS was great at everything, I felt it lacked any 'special' qualities. The Aston, although not as quick or nimble, is epic in may more ways. Everyone seems to love the colour which is a bonus.
SHIFTY said:
The only negative comments were from the other half in that the passenger seat does not go up and down and that there is no light in the passenger vanity mirror.
Congratulations, they are awesome cars.No idea about the light but I'm fairly sure the later cars all came with Isofix on the passenger seat hence no up and down adjustment. AFAIK you had to spec no Isofix if you wanted that adjustment.
AMVSVNick said:
Congratulations, they are awesome cars.
No idea about the light but I'm fairly sure the later cars all came with Isofix on the passenger seat hence no up and down adjustment. AFAIK you had to spec no Isofix if you wanted that adjustment.
I thought you were going to suggest a booster seat then No idea about the light but I'm fairly sure the later cars all came with Isofix on the passenger seat hence no up and down adjustment. AFAIK you had to spec no Isofix if you wanted that adjustment.
dbs2000 said:
AMVSVNick said:
Congratulations, they are awesome cars.
No idea about the light but I'm fairly sure the later cars all came with Isofix on the passenger seat hence no up and down adjustment. AFAIK you had to spec no Isofix if you wanted that adjustment.
I thought you were going to suggest a booster seat then No idea about the light but I'm fairly sure the later cars all came with Isofix on the passenger seat hence no up and down adjustment. AFAIK you had to spec no Isofix if you wanted that adjustment.
SHIFTY said:
The only negative comments were from the other half in that the passenger seat does not go up and down and that there is no light in the passenger vanity mirror.
My other half complained of the same things. To get around the seat height problem, I purchased 4 aluminium bonnet spacers that the boy racers use at a cost of £12 plus 4 longer fixing bolts and put the spacers under the seat. I loosened all 4 seat fixing bolts first and then added the spacers underneath the seat two at a time, front first then the rears. It took about ten minutes. The spacers I bought add 40mm in height which sorted the complaint about the seat. Haven't been able to think of a sensible solution to the lack of light in the visor yet...... 
congratulations you have good taste sir 
Just wondering if the passenger seat already has the electric motors for height adjustment included and may just require the passenger seat switch changing and possible a software remap, will give the dealer a call to see if possible.
The other half has also asked where is the glove box, must admit very strange not to have one as both of my earlier Vantages had them.
The other half has also asked where is the glove box, must admit very strange not to have one as both of my earlier Vantages had them.
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bullet7 said:
To get around the seat height problem, I purchased 4 aluminium bonnet spacers that the boy racers use at a cost of £12 plus 4 longer fixing bolts and put the spacers under the seat. I loosened all 4 seat fixing bolts first and then added the spacers underneath the seat two at a time, front first then the rears. It took about ten minutes. The spacers I bought add 40mm in height which sorted the complaint about the seat.
I'm not sure I would do this. The inner seatbelt anchorage (buckle) is on the seat tracks and has to meet a minimum seatbelt load. Jacking the seat tracks up by 40mm might be OK, but would you want to risk your other half if you were involved in an accident? You've moved the bolts from being basically in shear to being in shear and bending. 
Not trying to be a killjoy - just saying
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