I have a 2014 PTTS as my DD. I am in the market for a smaller, even more sporty car. While I was looking at the 911 turboS and unsure about it, the salesman took me to their Aston Martin store down the street. I drove the Vantage V12S and was blown away. The car was just raw power and the exhaust note was intoxicating. Then I come to find out that there is a lease special which would cost me 45k less then the 911 turboS. I think I may do it. Any thoughts or experience with Aston Martin?

 

I test drove one. They are really really awesome cars, like you mentioned the exhaust sound is sweet and the drive is very sporty. You can find some videos on youtube comparing it to the 991TTS, so its really quick.

I ended up with my 991TT for a few reasons:

1. I daily drive my car and the dealer only had a Yellow Aston V12. That won't fit in too well at the grocery store or the doctors lot at the hospital. The 991TT fits in almost anywhere.

2. The Car never felt cozy. It felt like I could get used to it, but the interior of the Panamera/991/Etc felt comfortable immediately to me.

3. The transmission sucked. Except when you're really driving aggressive, then its great. But otherwise the shifts are abrupt and reminded me of the old BMW SMG.

4. I didn't like how I couldn't tell the difference between the base Vantage or the monster V12 Vantage. I guess the same could be said about 911's.

With that being said, there is a special now where the V12 is $2,200 per month with $0 down!! That's a STEAL for a $210-220k msrp car.

You can't go wrong either way!

 

It sounds good and looks good but that is the end of it. I talked to a guy that was tracking his at COTA. He was going to get rid of it. He got it because it was a deal, it was a launch model that was taken around to different dealers when the car was first released. When they were done it was refurbished and he got it at a discount. His front lip was cracked, he said it was a major pain trying to clear driveways and that it wasn't something his girlfriend would ride in. He said he just didn't drive it much, maybe 1200 miles after owning it a year. He wasn't very thrilled with it but I thought it looked pretty good.

 

Transmission in the Vantage is horrible, with a lot of slipping between shifts; car has a godawful suspension, and rides like a tractor. It's gorgeous, but it doesn't compare to a TTS in build quality, or engineering. The factory NAV unit from Garmin has s UI and software that's 7 years old. It will be in the shop under repair as long as you own the car...truly a waste of money. That's the reason they're always on deals. You can buy them for 30-40% under MSRP...if you shop them. They also drop like a stone once you take them off the dealer's floor.

You can't put a Vantage and a TTS in the same sentence (I just did...LOL)

 

The Vantage looks and sounds great. I do not have firsthand experience with it, but note that those who have in this thread are resolute in their less than positive experience and or knowledge of the model. The only dealer near Boston is essentially only open by appointment, last I checked which was a few years ago so I never visited the place. Contrast that with the Porsche or Lambo dealers who welcome inquiry and offer extended test drives without an overbearing sales person in the right seat.

 

The transmission is not bad when you learn how to use it. It does take a little time and a short test drive won't do it. The lack of dealers is a concern. For that reason I am going to get a Porsche in the near future.