911 or Aston V8 Vantage, Seeking Suggestions

[CTP855]

I'm new to this website, and would appreciate any feedback 911 owners could give me. I recently turned 52, and after what seems like an eternity of mortage payements, kids college tuitions, etc. etc., it's finally time to reward myself. I owned a 911 about 25 years ago, and sold it when I got married....if I had it to do over again, I might not have gotten married, as I loved that car. Anyway, I see that the new 911's have come a long way since then. They seem to be a little larger, smoother riding, and have more power. I've also been looking at the Aston Martin V8V, which is a stunningly beautiful car. As much as I like the looks of the Aston, I've always been leary of British reliability. My memories go back to the early 70's when MG's, Triumph's, and Jags, were all great looking cars, with terrible reputations for reliability. Now, I realize many years have gone by, and the British probably build a much more reliable car. But, I want to make a good decision when choosing either the 911 or V8V. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

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[fjpgt3]

I just watched a Top Gear (repeat) episode with a test of an Aston vs Carrera vs M6.
Done on the Isle of Man.
911 got two of the 3 votes, not Clarkson's though. Check for it on youtube.

[Mazatlan]

I think the 911 is the better car in every which way, except for maybe styling, and that's purely subjective. I've driven both and I can say that 911 is a true driver's car. The handling, performance, build quality, technology and even comfort these days is fantastic.

If you think the Aston looks better and fits your 'style' - you've already made your decision.

I have a friend who has a few Aston's (Vanquish S, DB9, etc.) and he has not complained about service/maintenance that much. Of course, I personally believe that the 911 is one of the best built cars in the world - the craftsmanship and build quality of a Porsche is simply unparalleled.

Drive them both, get some more advice from owners, watch a little Clarkson and get whichever car you LOVE - I'm pretty sure that you'll LOVE one and LIKE the other.

[yrralis1]

The Aston just misses the mark . It's beautifully designed , interior has luxury and fine quality, plus it has this great V8 sound yet it just doesn't pull it all together . If one wanted a luxury power car there's the 911 Turbo and if one likes to slice through the roads with precision there's the 997S .Both Porsches offer more than the Aston and it's just a matter of selecting whether its luxury and power Vs handling to decide .
The Aston will not handle as well, is quick but no where near the new DFi car and completely slam dunked in straight line by the Turbo . Although pretty and luxurious the Aston is dated . Resale is dismal . Reliability is fair to partly clouldy . It was supposed to compete with the Porsche 911 back in 2006 and it just never made the grade .

Ultimately one has to select the car he loves . No one can decide for you but my vote goes to Porsche .

[Verde]

Separate from the reliability issue - which is legendary for the Aston - but alleged to have improved significantly over recent years, the Aston is a GT and the Porsche is a sports car. There's a lot of gray area in those two classifications, but ultimately they are radically different design centers. Only you can decide what suits you.

[NorthVan]

Originally Posted by fjpgt3

I just watched a Top Gear (repeat) episode with a test of an Aston vs Carrera vs M6.
Done on the Isle of Man.
911 got two of the 3 votes, not Clarkson's though. Check for it on youtube.

I loved that comparison, all are very good cars.

Here is the link to the first video's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdjPltOtbOo

Part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrBXktD-SNQ

Part 3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7g8i...eature=related

Part 4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CxgM...eature=related

BTW Clarkson doesn't like Porsche.

[mdrums]

GM of the Tampa Aston dealer lives down my street so my wife and I have been able to hang with some Aston's. They are as reliable as a Porsche or any other high end car...no worries there. I own a 09 Carrera S but the Aston is more luxury sport car than the Porsche. The Aston's body and interior trump the Porsche. The Carrera S version is faster at the track than the Aston but for street driving the Aston wins out in my book.

[kagangen]

Not to confuse the issue, but have you considered an Audi R8. Its prettier than both cars, has no reliability issues, awd, probably the nicest interior of the bunch and goes like stink.

[Fahrer]

First, Clarkson hates Porsches. This is well known and an ongoing joke on Top Gear. That was a good show but thereis also a Car and Driver comparison test between a 911 and an Aston Martin ( a few years ago?). The A-M got the nod. Search their website for the article.

[swajames]

All three are subjective, but for me the Aston beats my 997 for looks, sound and prestige. It's a beautiful car, it sounds awesome (particularly over 3500 rpm, and with the removal of just one fuse to keep the active exhaust open all the time, it sounds awesome all the time) and Aston is a notch or two above Porsche in the prestige hierarchy. I nearly bought an Aston when I got my 997 and while I love my 997, I still have the odd regret that I never sprung for the Aston. No doubt the 997 is the better car, it's faster, more nimble and more capable, but the Aston may well have been a better car for me.

[gmoney]

Clearly the better car is the Porsche. However the better car for you might differ. I love the look of the Aston hands down but I would not own one. IMO its a bit down on power and less raw of a car I am after. I also love to mod them and the Aston just does not have that aftermarket following that Porsche does.

But for daily driving, weekend away with the wife its a fantastic GT. You cant go wrong with either.

[stevepow]

"if I had it to do over again, I might not have gotten married, as I loved that car", well Mr. Bond, what does that tell you - will it be the Beretta or the Walther?

[lakerholic]

Originally Posted by fjpgt3

I just watched a Top Gear (repeat) episode with a test of an Aston vs Carrera vs M6.
Done on the Isle of Man.
911 got two of the 3 votes, not Clarkson's though. Check for it on youtube.

Wait. That Top Gear was a repeat?! Damn it, I got all excited that the new season had started... argh

BTW, Porsche.... not Aston.

[E55AMG]

Audi R8 as someone else said is another thought. A little more oopmh? how about the Vantage V12??

[Weasel]

I faced the same dilemma when I was ready to purchase. Looked at the M6, 997S, and the AMV8. I agree with some of the others here that the Aston is a better looking car than the Porsche -- from most (but not all) angles. Ultimately, I chose the C4S over the AMV8. Like many others, I'd dreamed since early childhood of driving/owning a Porsche, and I felt that if I had chosen the Aston or BMW over the Porsche I'd still be ogling 9xx's and regretting the decision everytime I saw one on the street. I was also a little worried that if I ever relocated, I might find myself hundreds of miles from the nearest AM service center -- less likely with Porsche and BMW given the number of service centers around.

A few months ago, I decided to add another car to my garage. Considered the Aston and the M6 (again), test drove both (again), and ended up giving the M6 the nod. For sure, the Aston makes a great sound, but it seemed a little low on power compared to the Porsche and particularly so compared to the BMW. To me, the Porsche seems a better sports car, and the BMW a better GT. The fact that the M6 can somewhat comfortably accomodate 4 in a pinch tipped the scales in its favor a bit too. In the end, you should get the one that fits you best -- maybe later you'll go back for the other one too. If my budget for toys were bigger and I had more garage space, I'd probably add an Aston -- but then there's the R8 to contend with, so maybe not. Dilemmas, dilemmas....we're fortunate to have these sorts in such times.