Greetings,

I am a 25 year old that grosses around $200k/year and currently driving a BMW 335i coupe. I have been blessed and lucky enough to have a decent job and been able to save up over 150k. I am single, have a $400k mortgage, but I pay for my entire family's cell phone bills and car insurance premiums (which is about 5k a year). Since I drive about 18,000 miles a year, I plan on keeping the BMW as a daily driver and only adding about 5,000 miles on the Aston Martin. With all this being said, at my age right now, would it be pretentious for me to drive an Aston Martin? Is this over the hill? I come from a very conservative and modest family and although I work really really hard at my job, I wanted to make sure I was making the right decision.

I was looking at a used V8 Vantage versus a used DB9. Test drove the Vantage and it didn't measure up to my expectation. I even felt that the 335i drive was much better in terms of handling, speed and definitely economical reasons. I test drove a 2011 DB9 and it was a world of difference, however I can not afford the 2011 at 230k pricing. I came across a used 2007 DB9 with 6,500 miles and was able to haggle it down to 95k! Is this a good deal?

How reliable are Aston Martins? The salesman told me that every year the maintenance is roughly $1800/year. The coils in the engine will need to be replaced if the car is not driven on a daily basis which is $120x12 cylinders. The brakes would cost $3,500 to replace for every 30k miles. Are these the major breakdowns of the Aston? The reason why I ask this is because our family's car insurance premiums will now be $7,500 a year! Although I make okay money at my job, I am far from rich and will not be able to handle 10k repairs every other year for this car or even every year. Thanks for any advice you all can provide.

 

I forgot to mention that the 2007 Aston Martin DB9 was not as impressive of a drive as the 2011 version. The 2007 model felt like the braking system was not as responsive as even my 335i! I will definitely test drive it some more before I pull the trigger. Are we able to upgrade the braking system? Is it worth it to hire a certified Aston Martin mechanic to come and do a full inspection of the car before I purchase it? (Keep in mind that this car is located at a third part dealership).

 

As coming from someone at a very similar age, I was never able to feel comfortable in the vintage of astons you are talking about. I agree with your comparisons of the 09 and older astons v the newer 2010 and 11 models but dont feel the premiums are worth it (for now). I would HIGHLY suggest looking into a 2007 porsche turbo for a fun car and do some mods to it if you want an incredible to drive and take care of car thats fast and responsive as anything else...and are at 75-85k all day long for great variants. I also LOVE my r8 and you should definitely consider it as you can find them for 95-100 for nicely cared for examples and are just a super looking and driving cars...the end choice is yours.

 

You would consider a 2007 model vintage? Why exactly did you not feel comfortable in the DB9?

That's a great point you bring up, I will be test driving the 911 turbo and r8 along with the Granturismo tomorrow to make sure I am making the RIGHT decision. How has your 911 turbo been in terms of reliability and maintenance costs?

 

Honestly, I find anything short of the newer 10 up models for either the vantage or db9 just not what I want from a car of this caliber (again age considered). And my biggest issue is just how much of a better overall driving car the competition is in the 95-115k price range. And I never had a 997 turbo, but the 996 turbo I had was simply fantastic, as well as EVERY other porsche I have come across so far (dynamically speaking). The 07 turbo and up made huge advances on their interior qualities and to see one with 30-40-50k miles and still performing wonderfully is the complete norm. My r8 has similarly been fantastic and has an even better interior/feel of quality than the 07-09 turbo albeit losing a little speed and practicality (but not much.)

Also, I had a maserati granturismo, and largely found it to be junk, especially in the construction of the wheels...they bend far to easily and actually sent some bad vibrations to the steering wheel...I got out of it after 3 months into a black series CLK that I loved to death (which maybe you should check out, they are INCREDIBLY FUN.)

 

OK, I'll bite, and say what I suspect many are thinking.....

You probably should have replaced most of the first paragraph with "I'm 25 years old and believe I can afford an Aston Martin", because you're whole paragraph was pretentious.

If you are making $200K per year, I would have thought that:
1. You are a pretty smart guy, and would have already found used car value information.
2. You would be aggressive and assertive enough not to care what other people think of your choices, your age or a combination of the two.
3. You would know the difference between "breakdowns" and "normal maintenance cycles".

Lastly, your benchmark on the Vantage ""not measuring up" in speed and handling was the BMW? Seriously? If you believe that the BMW is a better handling, faster car than the Vantage, I would suggest that you stick with the 335.

The Aston lineup is a fine, well-established and dependable marquee that offers owners a car that makes a statement. While I think that your dealer is quoting you high numbers, which could be reduced with an independent, the fact is that quality costs money. The old adage of "if you can't afford the maintenance, you can't afford the car" applies here.

 

Having previously owned a 335i coupe and now owning a 2007 Vantage, I'll put in my two cents...

Both cars are about equally fast overall. However, the BMW has more low-end torque, so you have to rev the Vantage more to get the performance. (The Vantage certainly sounds better in the process.) The Vantage has sharper handling and better steering feel--even though those are supposed to be BMW strong points.

The things that used to annoy me most in the BMW were (1) the overzealous traction control, such that even a moderate start on wet or uneven pavement would lead to the power being cut; (2) a manual transmission that was somewhat difficult to shift smoothly from first to second--I eventually got used to it, but it took some concentration; and (3) rather cheap looking interior materials. The Vantage is miles ahead on all these fronts.

The BMW isn't a bad looking car, but people don't really notice it. The Vantage (or any Aston) gets a lot of attention, which can be both a good and a bad thing. Sometimes I prefer more anonymity

 

My turn. I have owned a number of BMW's, M-series and otherwise. If your looking at magazine numbers I'm sure there is a lesser BMW that will put numbers in 0-60 similar to the Aston. Having said that, I remember a Top Gear episode that pitted a V8V 4.3 against an M6. The times were almost the same because of the Vantages balance and weight distribution. You have to drive the AM to understand. Also a 4.7 will give you a lot of what you want at a great price if you go with a 09. The larger AM's are really geared for more of a GT application. I'm a bit older than you and I still feel like I'm not ready for a DB9. By the way, I experienced success at an early age as well. I bought my first Porsche at 24. It took a lot of convincing and a pay stub to get a test drive. I took a lot of flack for owning it but I can tell you that it's not necessary to list your resume to anyone here. There are all kinds here and stories as impressive if not more that none of us will brag about to explain why we are considering a purchase. So buy a 4.7 V8V, even a roadster. You'll love it and the attention from the ladies won't hurt either.

 

Regarding DB9 vs. Vantage, I think there is a certain "age" feel between the two. When I test drove the DB9, I almost felt that it was a bit more for an older crowd. Don't get me wrong, it is still, along with the DBS, The most beautiful car.
There are definitely certain age groups and personalities that buy cars for different reasons. Personally, at age 25, I wouldn't have thought about an Aston, as I was younger than and was more addicted to power - thus owned many M's in the BMW family, and also moved to the Lotus marque.

That being said, I'm 39, and I absolutely want an Aston, and I am settling for a 2008 Vantage Nurburgring Edition (400 hp over the 380 hp). I am not buying the car for it's superior handling or power - many cars (BMW or Lotus) will kill it! But the prestige of the Aston is hands down to me the best, exuding luxury. It drives well, and feels visceral in that car. Later, I would love to move to a DBS. But like you, it takes some discipline to appropriately juggle finances with toys.

As others say though, get what you want for what the car makes you feel. Every car brings out your own personality.

 

This is an interesting thread in that the reaction to the age band of each of the AM lineup is almost universal; AMOC and PistonHeads refer to it often. On PH, they refer to the DB9 as the "pipe and slippers" group, the idea being that DB9 owners are traditional and a bit stodgy, DBS owners are aged boys with toys, and the Vantage is for the younger crowd.

While each buys within the lineup for their own reasons, we are united in our belief that Aston represents more than the pure speed, horsepower or brute strength that other makes offer. There are faster, but there are few better looking. With the exception, possibly, of Bentley, there are none that have the interior panache or name exclusivity.

We know that our navigation is not the best. We know that there are other more interactive, intuitive infotainment units. But Aston exceeds the sum of its parts with a uniqueness that transcends most makes and models.

I always find it quizzical that other brand owners ask us to defend our decision to buy an Aston rather than something faster for less money. The answer is always "Look at it".

 

Just fyi, I was not trying to brag or post my resume on here, I just think that when someone purchases a car, it has to match their personality and their given circumstances at that exact moment. I wanted everyone on the board to know a little about me before they recommend whether or not this a good buy because I can always save the money, invest it in the market, buy another real estate property, etc. I also feel that I am not yet worthy or ready of a DB9. How reliable are these Aston Martins? How much do you guys pay a year to maintain these cars?

 

I'm also in Orange County...GEICO had a better rate for me than what I was paying previously for my BMW. I think I'm around $1,200/year for very rich coverage.
You'll find that there is no difference in AM's versus other brands in the rule of paying more when serviced by a dealer. I use Red Bull Performance in Huntington Beach...a Lambo shop, but the head mechanic worked on Astons @ a dealership previously and I've had a good experience there. I budget $3K/year for maintenance, sometimes it's more, and usually it's less.
I have thankfully had no major issues, just more annoying non-engine related things here & there (sound system issue, Aston's lousy tire pressure monitoring system and now an issue with the hot/cold air mechanism). Yes, it's annoying, but I had the same type of issues with my previous BMW. Still not moving to a Toyota to avoid this stuff.
Mine is a daily driver so I opted for a DB9 because a GT fit my usage more. I still love to take a Porsche or M tooling around corners....different experience though.
I'm 35 and don't smoke a pipe, have a Rollie Fingers mustache, or wear a tweed sport coat....but something that I've never had with any other car previously....I look forward to driving in the morning, I look forward to driving after work, and after parking it I turn around and look at my car and smile like a little kid...every time.

 

P.S. You mentioned alternative investments. I happen to be an investment guy, and no cars are good investments. No Aston is going to turn into the multi-million dollar account that this could be for you when you’re of retirement age. If you end up either needing or even thinking about the property or investment you missed out on because you decided to buy a really expensive car, then don't buy the car.

 

+ 1 on this ... but knowing this most car nuts accept this.. I personally try to minimize the depreciation by purchasing slightly/lightly used vehicles !

 

The answer is always "Look at it". And that is the reason I bought my Vantage--I think it's Art-on-Wheels, and the most stunning car ever. Everytime I drive it I get a "PermaGrin".