I have a 996tt, and I really like the look of the vantage... have not driven one yet, but my question is.. has anyone here gone from a 996tt to the vantage, and for what reason and which is the better car? My 996tt is a tip, and I would like the vantage with the paddle shifters.. is the paddle shifters the better set up in the vantage?
thanks in advance

 

I recently went from a 6speed 996TT with mods to a AM V8 with sportshift. The 996TT is a ***** out rock star performer compared to the Vantage. However, I enjoy the Vantage very much. Overall for me it is a much better car. It certainly does not have the acceleration and power but it handles quite well and the entire package is very impressive. I feel like I almost outgorew the need for all the power when I got the AM and really don't miss it much. When I had my 996TT I was always looking for something new. My eyes wandered. However, I have yet to stray after 10 weeks with the Vantage and have no interest in looking. I could care less right now how much my car is worth. I enjoy owning and driving it that much. The interior is amazing! The smell of leather is intoxicating. The paint is fabulous compared to Porsche. Here in Chicago Pcars are a dime a dozen. However, there are very few AM's so I feel special when driving it. For me the sportshift is great. It certainly is far from perfect but I really like it. Hard to say whether the Vantage is better as a manual or sportshift. You will get many opinions on this. I have no remourse in getting the sportshift and would purchase another. If you drive in traffic it is a pretty decent compromise compared to a manual. I was close to a 997TT or 997S before I drove the Vantage. Wow, am I glad I did!

Sorry for the rambling post and being all over the board but hope it gives you some insight.

Adam

 

I'm your guy. I had a 996tt cabrio. I drove it for a couple of months then I did some evo Mods to increase the HP. I enjoyed the TT and the imense power but I found myself running out of pavement without the opportunity to fully enjoy the experience of the car. I didn't track it and found myself doing alot of Sunday driving. The hard part of having that car was that I found the interior a bit ordinary and the stereo system so-so. I started noticing these things when I was forced to travel at speeds under 100. That's when I started to consider other options. I bought a CLS55 and then a 997s cab. Both cars were fine and fast enough but I missed the exclusivity and both were lacking soul. A friend bought a Gallardo and I went with him on a service call when I saw the vantage in person. There is an essence about these cars that is hard to explain. The engine note and the high reving make the car a blast at any speed. The interior is second to none. The leather is the best that I've owned and the controls and dash are great. There is a customization that you can't get with Porsche and the range of colors available inside and out is amazing. I have sports shift. It'sbeen a great experience, very different from a traditional 6-speed. There is a ZEN to it that comes with time. You can really get high into the rev cycle during down shifts which is really an advantage. It's important to get on the gas after a downshift to capture the advantage. You can downshift to first gear while the car is moving but the car will eek slowly if you're not on the gas. This takes practice. If you're not a fan of manual trans you'll like this better than a tip. As far as looks and style, there is no comparison. There are very few cars that measure up. In closing, you'll get less acelleration in the beginning, similar handling and braking and a lot more style and looks. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Drive the car a couple of times and consider a roadster. Overall, the Aston is a more fufilling vehicle. You'll appreciate the exclusivity and the respect that the car gives you. There aren't 4 cars that look just like it at half of the price. PM me if you have want any other info.

 

I have a modified 996 TT and drove a vantage not to long ago and found it not enough car for me. that's why I ended up with the DB9. This stuff is very subjective and your best bet is to drive one yourself, which I'm sure you were going to do. If you are on LI, see Brian at A-M on Northern in Roslyn and tell him Dr. Jim sent you. Good luck!

 

where you at in PA? If its anywhere near philly, we always have stuff going on...

-Drew

 

I had both a 997tt and the Vantage at the same time. I sold the Turbo. The acceleration ended up being the only think I liked about the Porsche after a while.

 

Hello,

Im pretty new here as I spend most of my forum time on Rennlist.

I traded an 03 TT for a Vantage.

TT was an incredible car! I have no complaints about other than I could never find a place to really let it out and enjoy it. Very dependable. Never had an issue with it.

I chose the Vantage because I really like the look, feel and sound of the car. I also like the fact that in Vegas, where I live, I don't see a lot of them.

Both are great cars.

 

I also moved from a modded '03 996tt (TechArt - 550HP and all kinds of other stuff) to a 2007 Vantage. I drove my tt on the track and have driven the Vantage there too (Sebring). They are different drives and of course my turbo was much faster. I have done some extensive (for a AM) mods to my Vantage (HZ@RSC hooked me up w/ parts and found me a local shop too). I am happy w/ the switch (+1 1/2 years). After reading the above comments I think they have hit all the right points - I got bored w/ my tt, modded it, still bored - Porsche builds a nice car but some where they lost their soul (I think I have had 15 of them over the years). AND everyone had a Seal Grey Met. 996tt !!!
The AM has a soul - an edge that brings back enjoyment to driving. I just got back from a 1600 mile trip in western NC - God had a hand in paving these roads - just fantastic (including tail of the dragon) - had crotch-rockets pulling out of the way. New wife and I did 12 hours straight to get home - we both commented on how comfortable we were after those hours. Sure the Vantage needs some things - but I am happy w/ the minor faults. I highly recommend running out and grabbing a 2008 at great prices - then mod it w/ RSC. You will save a lot of money and have a great car ...
now that was long winded ... sorry

 

Excellent replies. Anyone also look at a Maser coupe?

 

Might be nice for the wife...

 

Yes, I looked hard at the new Gran Turismo. Very pretty car but certainly not in the same league IMO as the AM. The interior is nice but nothing special. Some of the buttons and controls looked and felt cheap. It does have all of the gadgets and the OEM exhaust note sounds nice. I felt it lacked soul though. It is certainly more of a plush GT car if it can even be called a GT car at all. I have heard the Gran Turisomo S is supposed to look meaner and have more HP and TQ. Maybe its worth a try but I doubt it can compare to the AM.

Adam

 

Today I made the mistake of test driving the 2009 Vantage - both 6 speed and paddle - also w/ and w/o the sports suspension - and coupe & cab too. I should not have driven the damn things ... yes the 4.7 is better and yes the sports suspension is much better. The non-sports suspension is the same as previous 4.3 for those wondering ...
Very nice ... and yes they will not deliver as many as they did last year to NA ...

Carrera S is not as good as the 4.7 .... in any department.

 

I had a 997TT on order but ended up with a Vantage after driving both. This is a big change for me that happened in the last week and a half. Even though the turbo is fast, its speed is somewhat difficult to use on the street...big lag and then slam in the back, try to grab the next gear before the low redline, and then on to the next one. The clutch and transmission feel were unsatisfying for me, especially compared to my outgoing 987S. Overall it just didn't feel right. I loved the looks of the Vantage but put off driving it because I felt it would underperform compared to the turbo.

When I drove the Vantage, it was all over. The car is plenty quick and the performance is more useable, IMO, than the turbo. The sound of the engine is the best thing I've ever heard. The car looks and feels like an exotic inside and out and I have people come up to me every day (in Boca) and tell me how beautiful it is, and two times in the last week I've come out to my car to find people standing around it looking at it and I overhear them discussing whether it's an Aston Martin or a Ferrari. The transmission is better with good clutch feel and short throws, and the weight/handling is about even. Brake feel is great. The interior of the Vantage is much nicer unless you spend $20K in options on the Porsche, which is how I had mine spec'ed out.

I knew something was wrong with the turbo when before I even had the car I was trying to line up performance mods to fix the vacuum cleaner exhaust note, try to eliminate the turbo lag, try to increase the rev limiter, try to improve the clutch feel and transmission, and add a body kit to make it look better. When you buy a $150K car, you shouldn't have to spend another $20K right off the bat making it feel right to you. With the Vantage it felt perfect right away. I drove the 2009 version which does have better midrange punch, but went with an as new 2007 with 900 miles on it. I probably will go with chip and intake which will get me 420+hp but I have to say I'm very happy with the car as is. In two years I will switch to a 2009 4.7 or maybe get a new one if they boost power even more.

 

what color is your car? maybe I have seen you in boca... thats where I live.

 

It's Onyx (metallic) black. I've been driving it around quite a bit this last week.