Buying V8 Vantage
Discussion
Guys & Girls,
I am in the processing of purchasing a V8 Vanatge and would be interested in hearing your experiences of them both good and bad.
I have had a broad selection of cars from including M Sport BMWs, an RS Audi and a couple of Porsches.
Dont kill me but I be right in thinking that it is not as rewarding as the 997 to drive but looks 1000% better??? Views of top gear not me......
What are peoples experience in terms of reliability and maitenance?
I will be sure to post some pictures once I have picked it up from the Newport Pagnell Works factory following the inspection & warranty.
Regards
Mike
I am in the processing of purchasing a V8 Vanatge and would be interested in hearing your experiences of them both good and bad.
I have had a broad selection of cars from including M Sport BMWs, an RS Audi and a couple of Porsches.
Dont kill me but I be right in thinking that it is not as rewarding as the 997 to drive but looks 1000% better??? Views of top gear not me......
What are peoples experience in terms of reliability and maitenance?
I will be sure to post some pictures once I have picked it up from the Newport Pagnell Works factory following the inspection & warranty.
Regards
Mike
Hi Mike.
Its a bit late to ask now if you have already taken the plunge.
Seriously I don't think you will be disappointed. If you get the chance take a visit around the factory and you will quickly appreciate what goes into a mainly hand prepared car.
I cant compare to the Porsche but everything about the Vantage ticks all my boxes. Looks, realistic performance and handling for British roads, sound of the V8. General public approval. All the niggles are well documented on here, and everyone is extremely helpful.
Congrats and right of passage here means pictures please.
Others disagree but I would at least consider some sort of paint protection. I have had it on both mine and really impressed with it, though some hate it.
Di
Its a bit late to ask now if you have already taken the plunge.
Seriously I don't think you will be disappointed. If you get the chance take a visit around the factory and you will quickly appreciate what goes into a mainly hand prepared car.
I cant compare to the Porsche but everything about the Vantage ticks all my boxes. Looks, realistic performance and handling for British roads, sound of the V8. General public approval. All the niggles are well documented on here, and everyone is extremely helpful.
Congrats and right of passage here means pictures please.
Others disagree but I would at least consider some sort of paint protection. I have had it on both mine and really impressed with it, though some hate it.
Di
I think it's more rewarding than a 997 the vast majority of the time. At the absolute limit, the 997 might be slightly sharper -- and only slightly especially if the V8 has the Sports pack -- but for the rest of the time I find the Aston far more enjoyable. One has to be quite talented to really drive a 911 -- even a Type 997 911 -- to its ragged edge. The Aston is beautifully balanced and has very exploitable handling. It has great steering, it sounds great, the structure is extremely rigid, and the quality of materials is in a completely different league versus the Porsche. A V8V is a truly great drive in any form, and is at its best (IMO) in 4.7 Sports Pack form. You don't say whether you're looking at a 4.3 or a 4.7. They're both fast, with the 4.7 right up there with a 997S. For the record, I like 911s a lot, but the Aston is a great drive and a wonderful experience.
I've owned a few cars including Porsche, Lotus and M BMW's but the Aston really is in a different league. It's off the grin factor scale, rest assured you have made the right choice, I was concerned about mpg, but having owned it for just a couple of weeks I don't care how much fuel it uses as the feeling when you drive it is worth every penny and more.
As Carlsberg would say, best cars in the world "probably".
As Carlsberg would say, best cars in the world "probably".
I previously owned a Cayman S (Gen 2) which arguably offers more usable day-to-day performance than a 997 and I agree with everything said above. You had to push the little 320bhp Porker right to the limit to make it entertaining, the rest of the time it was just a reliable, over-firm sports car with very little sense of theatre.
My 4.3 N400 is worlds apart almost everywhere. Ultimate performance is similar but the AM just delivers it differently, the sound, the feel, public attitude, space, finish, quality, uniqueness, the sensations...oh, did I mention the noise? You end up grinning at 40mph and don't feel the need to cane the beggar within an inch of it's life to get any fun.
AM wins hands down. I don't expect costs (aside from fuel) to be massively different, the insurance actually ended up being cheaper
My 4.3 N400 is worlds apart almost everywhere. Ultimate performance is similar but the AM just delivers it differently, the sound, the feel, public attitude, space, finish, quality, uniqueness, the sensations...oh, did I mention the noise? You end up grinning at 40mph and don't feel the need to cane the beggar within an inch of it's life to get any fun.
AM wins hands down. I don't expect costs (aside from fuel) to be massively different, the insurance actually ended up being cheaper
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