Finally Vanquished
Author
Discussion

Swissdriver

Original Poster:

23 posts

52 months

Sunday 5th October
quotequote all
Foreword
A few years ago, an Aston Martin DB9 used to be parked on a nearby street. Every time I went for a walk, I’d make sure to pass by it — just to take another look. For me, Aston Martin has always meant class and understatement.
Since then, I’ve been keeping an eye on the market — first for DB9s, and later for the 2nd gen Vanquish. I looked at quite a few cars here in Switzerland, and I saw plenty. What struck me was that even cars from official dealers sometimes had their issues (rust in the engine bay, curb rashes etc.), and a truly complete service history was definitely the exception rather than the rule.

Finding My Dream
This spring, it finally happened. A Vanquish Coupé, MY17, first popped up at an auction — but in the end, I managed to buy it directly from a private owner. He’d clearly taken meticulous care of the car, and it was in excellent condition. As they say, you buy the seller, not the car — and that couldn’t have been truer here.
Despite my firm intention to have any potential car inspected by a specialist before purchase… I didn’t. Still, I did my homework: the car was built in 2016 and sold in 2019 (it spent a while sitting in a showroom, since the Vanquish S rather stole the spotlight). It’s been serviced by Aston Martin every year since and had just 9,400 km on the clock when I bought it.

The Car
It’s finished in Ultramarine Black, with the carbon roof and the black pack, Inside, it’s trimmed in Obsidian Black leather with Aurora Blue stitching. As a MY17, AMI III is on board, with Apple CarPlay included.
After the purchase, it went straight to a detailer, who brought the paintwork back to a deep gloss and applied a ceramic coating. Aston Martin then fitted a new battery, replaced the door dampers, added the missing sill plaques — and a fresh set of Michelin PS4s. The car is eligible for a Timeless Warranty, although I decided not to bother (yet).
The workshop confirmed it’s in excellent condition — so I’ll take that as proof I didn’t completely lose my head. wink

The Driving Experience
On the first drive home (after looking like a complete idiot because refuelling took me over ten minutes — I’ve since mastered that art biggrin), I was surprised by how little I felt the urge to overtake anyone. Instead, I just glided along in this piece of rolling sculpture. The Vanquish’s GT genes really shine through.
Over the summer, I’ve picked up the odd thumbs-up from fellow motorists — always a nice reminder that this car still turns heads. The Sport button has, of course, seen its fair share of use, especially on the Swiss mountain roads. With the valves open, the soundtrack is pure theatre, and when the bends arrive, the Vanquish holds its own surprisingly well for something so graceful.
That said, I still live in mild fear of multi-storey car parks and steep driveways — that low-hanging carbon front splitter feels about three millimetres away from financial ruin at all times.

The Vanquish has exceeded every expectation and still makes me smile every time I press the start button.
Thanks for reading — and, naturally, pics below, because it’s not real without them! cool














Import

280 posts

48 months

Sunday 5th October
quotequote all
Just lovely..congrats..

mikebradford

2,964 posts

163 months

Sunday 5th October
quotequote all
Very nice

EVR

1,889 posts

78 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Bellissima!

bad company

21,003 posts

284 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
I just love your enthusiasm. Looks fantastic, enjoy every moment. driving

Budweiser

1,107 posts

202 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Congratulations. Beautiful Aston.

skhannes

284 posts

30 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
That is a beautiful car!

Dewi 2

1,726 posts

83 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all

Well done. You took your time and found your perfect car, which had been lovingly, lightly used by the previous owner.
Are you able to tell us why the seller decided to part with this car? It might have been a difficult decision.

Enjoy, and thanks for telling us your purchase story.

bogie

16,815 posts

290 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Congrats, looks fantastic condition smile

Rappa

654 posts

288 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Very Nice. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it

Granturadriver

669 posts

279 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Good choice: a wonderful looking car! And a nice report on your personal history! Enjoy!

Swissdriver

Original Poster:

23 posts

52 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Appreciate all the comments - thanks!

Dewi 2 said:

Are you able to tell us why the seller decided to part with this car? It might have been a difficult decision.
He’s moving abroad with his family, and with the kids growing up, it was probably the right moment to part with the Aston.

Shnozz

29,615 posts

289 months

Monday 6th October
quotequote all
Achingly pretty. Congrats.

EVR

1,889 posts

78 months

Tuesday 7th October
quotequote all
Hit me up if you ever will be in Milano, we are relatively close!

Minglar

1,545 posts

141 months

Tuesday 7th October
quotequote all
Swissdriver, that is very nice indeed. Well done for holding out and having the patience to wait for your ideal example. The standard cars seem to be difficult to find in the U.K. now. I’ve no idea why but every time I search for Vanquish, the vast majority of the cars for sale are either the later “S” or “Ultimate” variants. Once again, very well done. Looks like you have got yourself a good one there.
clap
BRM.

Granturadriver

669 posts

279 months

Tuesday 7th October
quotequote all
Good choice: a wonderful looking car! And a nice report on your personal history! Enjoy!

Astontony

475 posts

72 months

Wednesday 8th October
quotequote all
They are a great car and yours looks lovely congratulations.

josh bear

575 posts

201 months

Wednesday 8th October
quotequote all
Beautiful, Looks amazing. and Congrats.

Josh