So I am looking at purchasing either a 2003 Vanquish (63000km) or a 2007 V8 Vantage (70000km). Both are the same price, basically the same mileage, both are in very good condition and have service history. I know they have different powerplants (V12 in the Vanquish which I like much better) but I am wondering about reliability, build quality etc differences between the two? It would not be a daily driver (probably driven once a week or so) and I do all my own servicing to moderate repair work (I wouldnt tear into the engine myself but thats pretty much the only thing I wouldnt touch) so I would only really be concerned with expensive items that are prone to failure since everything will be dealer only for both cars.

Mainly just looking for some input as far as quirks or issues that either body style might have.

Thanks very much.

 

Vastly different cars and running costs. Go to amoc.org and spend some time reading the Newport Pagnell Vanquish forum to get an idea what kinds of repairs and costs you could be looking at.

 

^^^^^^Appreciate it, thanks! I will check that out tonight when I have some more time to read it. I am not too concerned about up-keep costs/cost of ownership and I was expecting the worst with the Vanquish considering what they cost new.

 

Do this first.

If this is important, the Vanq will be worth far, far more down the road than the V8V you are considering, if it is in good mechanical/cosmetic condition. That's a big if, however.

 

Yes, holding value is important to me, I know depreciation is (almost) always inevitable in car purchases but I try to purchase stuff that retains value as much as possible having lost lots of money on cars that I didnt get my money's worth out of and depreciated too quickly.

 

Since you're in Toronto...

Could this be the car you're looking at? https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...-vanquish.html

 

^^^^Luckily not, the one I am looking at is silver not black like the one in his display picture. Interesting read on that issue though.

 

Being your a little handy, a V8 you can handle most of the repairs and maintenance yourself..The Vanquish will be in the shop every year for a maintenance.

The Vanquish is also a car that needs to be driven regularly, it's not recommended for numerous short trips..they are all known for spark plug fouling, 99% of techs will demand all coils be replaced at same time or else a misfire is not guaranteed not to occur..its a awesome machine but when compared to a V8V, it's really high maintenance

The year Vanquish your looking at is using the old style mechanical sensors to check shifter position, I wouldn't touch this car unless it's already had the contactless sensor and H-plate upgrade.

As for the V8, only real issues they had were clutch replacements at low mileage and leaking timing cover seals..

 

^^^^^Thanks for the info. V8V seems pretty straightforward and simple from what I have read. I did a little bit of reading on the Vanquish and I see what you mean about the transmission sensor issues. I am going to see what service records that car has as I havent actually seen it in person as of yet. Sounds like I dont want to touch it unless everything is accounted for properly.

As far as short drives, I actually live in a somewhat rural area so everything is a good 20-30km drive minimum so short drives wont be an issue. My commute to work is 60km one way so I would just make sure to drive it there once every week or two to make sure everything gets good and warm and all the condensation/raw fuel/etc is burned off.

 

Here are some nice early ones for you...

 

I've had exactly the two models you're looking at, and in line with other's comments here they are totally different cars to drive. I can only comment from a driving POV since all the tech stuff I leave to the dealer.

The Vanquish had a some niggly bits in the year I had it... seat motor issues that entailed it being trucked 500 miles away to the main dealer for a fix. That was certainly more than I expected. But just little bits went wrong from time to time and I lost confidence for any reliability. That led to not taking it for any long trips which would have probably endeared me to it more.

The main issue was that it's not a city car, and my driving route was mainly city. The clutch had been upgraded but I was always wondering after frequent burning smells wafted through the aircon if this trip was be its last. I was so concerned that I sold it before any big issues came up. They may not have happened of course, but that's the uncomfortable feeling I had.

My current V8VR is a totally different driving experience and I love it. The difference in drivability between the two cars is quite large, with the V8V being smaller it is a lot easier to use.

The Vanquish felt quite old-fashioned by comparison with the ride and cornering showing it as a GT rather than a responsive sports car. I prefer the sharper and more responsive handling of the V8V.

The Vanq interior looked old and dated, and I couldn't get over it having a tape deck - that seemed to typify how far behind it was to many other sports cars I've owned.

If I had to make a choice again I would not have bought the Vanquish, despite its timeless beauty and being quite possibly one of the best-looking Astons around. At some point you have to drive it, and then the shine comes off it a little.

 

^^^^^thanks for the input, that is some good insight for me. I do agree that the Vanquish is better looking on the outside than the Vantage but I do like the idea of ease of driveability and less down time for maintenance. I have a few other high-maintenance vehicles (Bentley Arnage and a few Rovers) as well as projects that I am constantly working on so maybe the V8V does make more sense for something I can just hop in and drive. I guess my next step is to go and drive both of them myself and see how I feel after that.

 

I noticed you listed reliability first, in that case I would stay about from the Vanquish! I remember when this car came out and Clarkson from Top Gear couldn't even get this thing to make it one lap around their test lap before it broke down -- in fact, they had numerous problems with it. If you really like how the Vanquish drives look at a DB9 -- these are pretty much bullet proof and their paddle shifters have no crazy expensive clutches to replace as its a ZF 6HP auto box with a toque convertor up front.

 

The Vanquish is far more special than a V8V. The sound is epic, the ride superb, and the handling crisp. If I had to spend several hours in a Vanq or a V8V, it'd be the Vanq by a mile since it has a more comfortable driving position and a more supple ride..did I say the sound was epic?

But...

It is not a car that I would want to spend a lot of time driving in a city due to the typical on/off behavior of the SSM. Occasional forays? Sure, but not commuting!

Since the car you are looking at has 70K km, then you'd think that it is well sorted to have that kind of mileage. If it has had the full trans upgrade, new fuel pumps, new coils, then it may be a very good purchase.

 

I firmly believe that what you've driven most, immediately up to your test drives, will influence your decision on either car. I came from my 2006 Bentley Continental GT to the Vanquish, and I found the Vanq was a very hard, primitive and uncomfortable ride by comparison.

Three years ago I also test drove the V8V that I now have, and coming from my 2012 Bentley Continental GT it was even harder.

So I bought an SL500. Three months ago the V8VR came up for sale again and surprise - the test ride was actually quite pleasant and continues to be so daily. In fact I'll go so far to say that I haven't enjoyed driving as much as now, and in the near future I'll look forward to getting a later model to take advantage of all the gearbox/clutch upgrades.

Part of the fun is the exhaust note. Since I drive it mainly with the top down, it's a delightful symphony that I enjoy at every press of the gofast pedal. Couple that with the reliability of the Vantage, and we have an all round winner.

But I'd be hard pressed to pick a favourite Aston Martin... all later models are beautiful works of automotive art and it's a view shared by many people when I pass by on a drive. Yesterday it (not me, I'm no James Bond lookalike) even got whistled at by a group of teenage girls. You can't go wrong with either model!