Finally Vanquished
Discussion
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.
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
), 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!






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.

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

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!

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.

BRM.

BRM.
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