I am considering an early 2002-2003 Vanquish - all I am looking at are in the same, low-mile condition - and I was hoping for advice.

1) What is the best "used" year to buy?
2) What should I expect on annual maintenance costs?
3) Any "gotchas" I should be aware of?
4) Any mechanical issues I should worry about?
5) Are there any pricey service (10k miles, 15k miles) that I need to make sure are done?
6) How about price? I have seen individuals offering mid-to-high $70s to dealers asking mid-$80s and higher.

This would be a daily driver of sorts. Am I crazy to do so? Mind you, I work from home and only put 5,000 miles on my current car over the past 12 months.

One last question...the same price seems to buy a more current V8 Vantage. I thought the Vanquish would be the better purchase for speed and lack of depreciation. Thoughts?

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it.

 

For the "gotchas" on the Vanquish, search around and you find a number of interesting discussions. There's some people with a lot of experience with them that will be very helpful to you.

My impression is that the Vanquish is better as a car you dive occasionally and the V8V is better if you want something to drive every day. I've been driving a V8V every day (except when its snowing) for the last 7 months and it has worked out well.

 

When I was in need of a new car last year, I wanted a pure sports car. AM, Maserati and Porsche were the obvious choices. I have been told that carrying costs are huge for AM and Maserati. Somehow a couple of people I spoke to told me that their close relatives had AM's and they spent more time calling the dealership for troubleshooting than actually driving the car. The dreaded check engine light was something that would make my life miserable since all these three dealers aere two to two and a half hours drive away for me. Porsche was percieved by me to be the more "reliable car". There may be no truth to this. As you know only the bad stuff gets out. When people are happy and their cars are trouble free you dont hear any complaints. I hope AM owners can chime in and help U.

 

Personally I'd stay away from the Vanquish, it looks great, but I've driven two different ones and the transmission is a pos, of which reviews echo the same thing. And the quality is just not there neither is reliability, the DB9 and V8 Vantage are both on a another level in terms of quality and reliability. Plus the Vanquish just drives sorta clunky. I sure as hell wouldn't use one for a daily.

I would take a DB9 or V8V over a Vanquish any day, even if a it were a rarely used weekend car.

 

My Vantage has 10k on the clock and no reliability problems. I use it as a daily driver.

 

All very interesting comments, especially about the drivability. As I said, I don't drive many miles, but I do get out there just about every day and I do want something that is not a pig to drive. (I have a beater Yukon for bad weather).

I have considered the V8 Vantage and/or DB9, but I thought they had more to go in the way of depreciation versus the Vanquish - any thoughts?

 

I found this post that I remembered from a Vanquish owner:

"The Vanquish a problem? Not really but I assume AM never intended this car to be used in any daily function. Example: The transmission is not user friendly by any word. First thing leaving the garage: Open the driver door. Transmission immediately starts pressurizing the transmission. You hear it start as soon as you open the door. Then once that stops [you can hear it stop.] then you turn the key to "on". Wait for all the stuff gear up at which time the car instantly goes to first gear. Hit both paddles toward you. This puts it into neutral. Thats when the Starter button lights up. Start it. Then you hit another button to acquire reverse and back out of the garage. Need I go on? It needs the 500 HP to make up for the time you loose going through this process. Try parallel parking along a busy street in S.F. [OMG] You can't valet it ever. And the ASM mode? Don't get me going. Still love the car. The GT3? I get in, start it, reverse and out. Yes!"

I think a Vantage (or the Porsche) may be a better choice.

 

Thanks for posting that. I've subsequently seen too many comparable stories to buy one. Too bad, as I've always thought it was the most incredibly stunning and muscular shape coupled with a great chassis and engine.

But...I need Porsche functionality and this won't cut it.

 

Like I said the transmission completley ruins the car, it it was a 6 speed manual I'd a have a different view (although it still is not as nice nor drive as well as the DB9/V8V). Even once your driving the trans is not smooth at all, it's jerky and harsh.

 

I loved mine. The fuel pump starting up was no different than me having to disarm the immobilizer on other cars (my murc and 360 to name two). The only gripe I had with my Vanquish is that it is a cruiser, and not true exotic in my eyes. Fast, but heavy. So well insulated that I always felt like I couldn't hear it. Picture listening to classical music during a stig drive.

Maintenance was ridiculous. I had an upper rubber radiator hose go out... $400 to fix a 6" hose. Analog fuel gauge float in fuel tank. $100 for part, $700 to get to it. Ridiculous.

Transmission wasn't as bad as Clarkson on Top Gear made it out to be, or maybe I expected worse.

Depends on what you want. For $70's, that's a good deal. I would think you could get most of that back when reselling. I bought the car for it's backseat. WRONG. The backseat is completely unuseable. I wish I had tried one in person before buying.

 

Another comparison - I have an '07 V8V, bought new, ~14K miles now and has been just as reliable as any new Porsche I have owned. I have "modded" my V8V and it sees some time at the track. Also have an indep't shop that has been handling maintainance on my V8V w/ no issues (yes the dealer was good too).