Hey guys, I know its a great problem to have, but I cannot seem to make a choice between a used 2009/2010 Vantage or 2008/2009 Audi R8 as a daily driver for a second car( my weekend car is a 2008 Gallardo that I got a great deal on in early 2009 when everyone thought the world was ending).
I am pretty set on specifics. I want the sportshift (rtonic on the r8)option on either car, and my color choice is of the silver family. Being that its my daily driver, I need to make sure i can put about 12k miles a year, and I would like to have a warranty for another 2 years.
The one drawback to the R8 I found is the luggage storage. It wil not fit a standard overnight bag. However, the warranty on the R8 is a 4yr. In most of the 2009 Vantage's I have found there is only 1 yr left and the extended is rather expensive.
I am also having trouble finding decent priced Vantage's with the specifics I am looking for. If anyone can offer assistance(i have pretty much scoured autotrader and ebay). I would happily pay a referral fee. So thanks again and any other commentary to help my decision would be greatly appreciated.
I did find a 2009 sports package with 6k miles for 97k, but only 1 year off warranty left. Would this be a good price? I have tried repeatedly to lower it down but that was the floor. With an extra year of warranty and the n400 sills it came to 102k.

 

97K, for a Roadster or Coupe? Coupes should be going lower than that. I recently sold my 09 Roadster with under 900 miles and 31 months remaining on the warranty.

 

As an example of reliability - have had no major issues w/ my MY 2007. The space for stuff is amazing - a big deal for me. Fer, A8 and Lam cars a non starter for 2 people to get away for the weekend. Prices might be getting stable on used AM as folks are starting to grab then at certain price points (?) vs other cars in this Mkt - again a lot less AM were built.

 

Yeah I thought 97k was a little high, but not much else out there. It is loaded with the premium sound and has the sports package. They won't budge on the price either.

 

V8 Vantage....the sound that things makes is intoxicating :P Totally worth all that money xD

 

I would go with the AM. The Audi R8 and Lambo G have similar engines if I'm not mistaken although Lambo has a tad more hp. I always look at the R8 as a cheaper/lower version of the Lambo G but it's still a good car. AM is definitely more classy but not as fast as R8 but overall appeal on AM is still better. Lambo G gives you plenty of speed but AM gives you a cool ride.

 

Check out www.eurocaroc.com I bought mine there and so did another 6speeder. They have a lot of inventory and can probably find what you want. They aim to get repeat business, so mark up isn't much.

 

I've driven an R8 on both the road and on the track. At that time I drove an 08 Audi TT 3.2 (which I loved). Unfortunately, the R8 felt like I was driving my TT so I was disappointed. Considering the R8 is 3 times the price, I saw no reason to get the R8 even if it was only twice as much. Issue: My TT was just as much fun.

Pro for the R8: Audi would service it and it comes along with Audi quality (ok opinion).

Con for the R8: It was an underperformer on the track. I did have it out on the track with a Gallardo Superleggera. The R8 needs the V10 in a big way. I assume you're not looking at the V10 since you already have a Gallardo.

Pro for Vantage: Very exciting to drive.

Summary: I don't know what benefit a R8 would give you since you already have something like it with the Gallardo, which the Lambo is a lot more fun to drive. The Vantage is a lot of fun as well and a lot more fun for me than the R8. Put me in a V10 R8 and I think I'll tell a different story. However, I would get a Gallardo before the R8.

 

I too struggled between the R8, 911T and AMV8. Your choice is easier and the right choice is the AMV8.
From both a practical point of view(big trunk, comfy, gas-mileage & huge gas-tank, and easy to lumber around-town in) and for simple "variety". Why have 2 mid-engined, AWD sports cars without full sized trunks from essentially the same manufacturer?? The AMV8 will be the "lesser" car in your fleet from a performance, build quality and driving excitement perspective, but a classy, muscle-car-rumbly attention-getter none the less. It's also a much more polarised compliment to your Lambo. I would strongly suggest you go with the 6 speed manual.... Recomending the AMV is no brainer for me!

 

I would definitely say Vantage, but obviously I'm a bit biased as are most here. For one, I'm not a huge fan of the R8's looks...not really an Audi guy anyway. The AWD is nice and probably makes it quicker off the line, but the car strikes me as being a bit bland. That may make it better as a daily driver, though...especially in Florida. Driving the Vantage is an event...after two years of ownership I still feel that way.

Where in Florida Are you?

 

My 07 Vantage was one of the best owner experiences I have ever had. It is just an elegant, classy, very smooth and satsifying car. I had no problems with it in 3 years. It is a very good weekend getaway car, too, with enough stowage for two people for three or four days. Good comofrtable long distance cruiser, too.
So, AMs do have a lot of room for luggage, etc., but whoever told you other cars don't was dead wrong. My F430 has more storage space overall (it has a remarkable amount of room between the seats and the rear firewall- enough for a lot of luggage), just a bit noisy and all to take on long trips.

 

R8 Pros:

• Factory warranty is 4 years / 50,000 miles vs the Vantage (3 year / unlimited miles)
• You can pre-pay for scheduled maintenance. $790 covers the 15k, 25k, 35k, and 45k services. The average price for service on a Vantage is $1200.
• Faster than the Vantage from 0-60 (4.4 secs vs. 4.7)
• Handles well

R8 Cons:

• More expensive than the Vantage
• Styling is not as sexy as the Vantage
• Almost all features are optional
• Luggage space is a joke
• The exhaust sound isn't nearly as nice as the Vantage

 

Thanks for the response guys. Tahoe, I reside in St Petersburg. Yeah I see the biggest drawback to the R8 is the trunk space. However, I must admit I like the attention it would seem to get over the AMV. In asking around, it does seem that women prefer the AMV to the R8( always an important stat!) and guys prefer the R8. But to you AMV owners, do you still get attention in it?

I find it surprising how very few silver AMV's I have found for sale. I have been looking for 2 months now. As for the R8, I have been noticing more and more creep up for sale.

 

I can't go anywhere without people asking me about my car...almost every time I stop somewhere people ask me about it...I frequently see people taking pictures or videos of my car as I'm driving down the street. I honestly think this car gets much more attention than the R8, especially when you factor in the very loud exhaust.

So in that respect, it's probably not a good DD. I definitely don't drive it every day, and I wouldn't with the Audi either...although that car blends in more, IMO. I'm just not an Audi guy, so it doesn't do much for me.

Anyway, I guess it just depends on whether you really like all that attention...it gets to be a pain. For a DD, I find my X5 is hard to beat.

 

I agree with where Tahoe is going with this. Specifically, I wouldn't want to use my Vantage, or another exotic sports car, as a daily driver. In short, it's just not as practical as, say, a sedan or SUV. Harder to get into and out of, more difficult to back up due to limited visibility, you have to be careful with speed bumps and parking curbs due to the low clearance, the suspension is pretty firm and not very forgiving on uneven pavement, you have to worry about who you part next to, you can't have more than one passenger, etc., etc. In addition, I like driving mine somewhat intermittently as it keeps the car fresh to me. Driving my Vantage still feels like an event, even after a year of ownership.

All that said though, the Vantage is a great choice for a sports car that is desired for more than just pure performance.