DB9 or V8 Vantage 4.3 with BR mods....
Discussion
I'm in the market for my next Aston (having previously owned a DB7).
Something around the £40k mark so early DB9 andV8 Vantage.
I have driven both in the past (DB9 Volante and 4.3 V8V)
Would like opinions on which is the better buy and why...
If I had the V8V I would have to have it improved by BR as the stock 4.3 simply isn't good enough.
I like the DB9 for its awesome V12, larger overall size, great presence and generally being an incredible car.
However!
The more aggressive look of the vantage grabs me more! Plus running costs and servicing are slightly cheaper than the DB9? Plus with the performance tuning from BR it becomes a great engine (not just a "good" engine).
If I had the cash I'd go DBS. But I don't! So one or the other.
What's your opinions please?
Something around the £40k mark so early DB9 andV8 Vantage.
I have driven both in the past (DB9 Volante and 4.3 V8V)
Would like opinions on which is the better buy and why...
If I had the V8V I would have to have it improved by BR as the stock 4.3 simply isn't good enough.
I like the DB9 for its awesome V12, larger overall size, great presence and generally being an incredible car.
However!
The more aggressive look of the vantage grabs me more! Plus running costs and servicing are slightly cheaper than the DB9? Plus with the performance tuning from BR it becomes a great engine (not just a "good" engine).
If I had the cash I'd go DBS. But I don't! So one or the other.
What's your opinions please?
That's a good idea John, but its more the aesthetics that pulls me to the Vantage. It's just the DB9 is an all round better car! Where as the DBS has the aggressive looks AND the incredible performance.
Another option is a vanq S but having just read the van vs van s thread Im also very weary of massive running costs.
Another option is a vanq S but having just read the van vs van s thread Im also very weary of massive running costs.
stevewushu said:
That's a good idea John, but its more the aesthetics that pulls me to the Vantage. It's just the DB9 is an all round better car! Where as the DBS has the aggressive looks AND the incredible performance.
Another option is a vanq S but having just read the van vs van s thread Im also very weary of massive running costs.
Er, a Vanquish S for £40k - really???Another option is a vanq S but having just read the van vs van s thread Im also very weary of massive running costs.
Oops my mistake!
£40k for van s I think not!
Would need a good £60k for that!
It's tough trying to find a standard vanq for £40k!
Incredible how they're all appreciating now. Given the top line I'd have a vanq s ultimate edition for sure, yes over a DBS. It will be a definite investment.
However back to topic, I also forgot to mention I prefer manual. But i found the clutch quite heavy when I drove the V8V a few years back?
And that V12 sound on the DB9! It's just mind blowing (not as mind blowing as the vanquish I must say!)
I would say I am 70/30!in favour of the vantage (to be BR tinkled with). Unless anyone has some good opinions on why the DB9 would be a better purchase...
£40k for van s I think not!
Would need a good £60k for that!
It's tough trying to find a standard vanq for £40k!
Incredible how they're all appreciating now. Given the top line I'd have a vanq s ultimate edition for sure, yes over a DBS. It will be a definite investment.
However back to topic, I also forgot to mention I prefer manual. But i found the clutch quite heavy when I drove the V8V a few years back?
And that V12 sound on the DB9! It's just mind blowing (not as mind blowing as the vanquish I must say!)
I would say I am 70/30!in favour of the vantage (to be BR tinkled with). Unless anyone has some good opinions on why the DB9 would be a better purchase...
Having recently test driven both the early V8V and DB9 I really don't see the need to upgrade. They were both plenty quick enough for me and the roads. I'm going for a DB9 because I felt the combination of the auto box and paddle shift option was best for me based on what driving I am going to do.
However, I'm going to be buying a standard car, and will be avoiding anything that has been privately upgraded in any way. I don't believe you'll get that investment back.
My advice is buy the car with the performance you want. If that means waiting till you can afford a DBS or Vanquish S then so be it.
Not teachingyou to suck eggs. My opinion is that the engines are engineered by AM with a huge research budget to get peak performance from that block, while maintaining reliability. The additional cost is not just in getting BR to tune the engine, it's also the cost of the additional servicing those upgrades will need.
However, I'm going to be buying a standard car, and will be avoiding anything that has been privately upgraded in any way. I don't believe you'll get that investment back.
My advice is buy the car with the performance you want. If that means waiting till you can afford a DBS or Vanquish S then so be it.
Not teachingyou to suck eggs. My opinion is that the engines are engineered by AM with a huge research budget to get peak performance from that block, while maintaining reliability. The additional cost is not just in getting BR to tune the engine, it's also the cost of the additional servicing those upgrades will need.
IanDH said:
My opinion is that the engines are engineered by AM with a huge research budget to get peak performance from that block, while maintaining reliability. The additional cost is not just in getting BR to tune the engine, it's also the cost of the additional servicing those upgrades will need.
Ian , i partly agree with you... however, the 4.3 V8 could be much more powerful but it was made like that due to marketing purposes... i.e. it would be faster than the DB9 which costs a couple of thousand more than the Vantage...Yeah I have to agree that Bamford Rose don't just "tune" Astons. If you read their threads you'll see that the work is of the highest caliber with reliability improving as a result of their "fixing" the engines to what they should have been.
The 4.3l vantage, although an excellent block was essentially de-tuned so as not to out-do the DB9 which cost significantly more.
BR undo the de-tune to unlock the true potential of the engine on the vantage.
Understandably if you've forked our money for AM warranty then obviously aftermarket modification is not clever as it voids warranty.
I think if I went vantage over db9 I'd definitely have BR work on it. I really like the car but the general consensus is that performance is the only major sticking point. BR can solve that.
The 4.3l vantage, although an excellent block was essentially de-tuned so as not to out-do the DB9 which cost significantly more.
BR undo the de-tune to unlock the true potential of the engine on the vantage.
Understandably if you've forked our money for AM warranty then obviously aftermarket modification is not clever as it voids warranty.
I think if I went vantage over db9 I'd definitely have BR work on it. I really like the car but the general consensus is that performance is the only major sticking point. BR can solve that.
Talking of 'real world handling and cornering situations' between the two... The DB9 was set up for cruising with some sportiness - however sports pack when combined with the manual box turned it into a real sports GT, it handles like the Vantage (with a few subtle differences of weight distribution and wheelbase) but with far more power and torque.
The DB9 is just as upgradeable as the Vantage through Bamford Rose... For the money you'd spend getting 450bhp+ from a Vantage you can have 550bhp from the V12... Not much will keep up with that
Power is nothing without the ability to use it though... Been blatting my 1998 911 C4 through Derbyshire today... Not a hope in hell an Aston of any power would have kept up round those lanes!
The DB9 is just as upgradeable as the Vantage through Bamford Rose... For the money you'd spend getting 450bhp+ from a Vantage you can have 550bhp from the V12... Not much will keep up with that
Power is nothing without the ability to use it though... Been blatting my 1998 911 C4 through Derbyshire today... Not a hope in hell an Aston of any power would have kept up round those lanes!
Plan is to buy the car first. See how I get on with it for a while then bring up to spec with a BR upgrade. But yes the money it will cost for the upgrade will be worth it.
Definitely considering vantage more over DB9.
Will just have to find a local DB9 owner and have regular exchanges of temporary ownership!
Definitely considering vantage more over DB9.
Will just have to find a local DB9 owner and have regular exchanges of temporary ownership!
yeti said:
Power is nothing without the ability to use it though... Been blatting my 1998 911 C4 through Derbyshire today... Not a hope in hell an Aston of any power would have kept up round those lanes!
Yeti,You only think that because you have a DB9 rather than V8V
BTW, is the 911 a 993? I have a '95 993 and love it. yeti said:
Talking of 'real world handling and cornering situations' between the two... The DB9 was set up for cruising with some sportiness - however sports pack when combined with the manual box turned it into a real sports GT, it handles like the Vantage (with a few subtle differences of weight distribution and wheelbase) but with far more power and torque.
Perhaps a Vantage without the sports pack.....but it does not handle like a Vantage when the Vantage has the sports pack as well...Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff