First, thanks for any input and responses -

I'm in the market for a lightly used AM and I've narrowed to two cars:

2005 Vanquish S or
2008 DB9 Convertible

Both cars can be purchased at the same price and both have the same mileage (around 10K miles), which is a better buy? Both have been serviced by AM certified dealers, both auto/paddle, the 05 Vanquish S has some minor upgrades, and the 08 DB9 has some high valued, respectable upgrades. I know that description's generic, but first goal is retaining value and sale-ability, second goal is enjoyment, quality, and drive-ability. I've never owned an AM, it will be more of a weekend car. I just got out of a newer Z06 vette - loved the power and drive but wanting something a little more exclusive.

Again, thanks for any help!!

 

Well, it really depends on what you want. These are pretty different cars, both because they come from different eras and because one is a coupe and the other is a convertible. I think you first need to decide whether you want a coupe or a drop top.

Aside from that, I think of the old Vanquish as more of a collector's car than a driver's car. They seem to have bottomed or are appreciating, but they are not without their issues, and repairs can be really expensive. So, you should consider this too.

 

Get the 9. Timeless design with improved quality over the V. Even better if you can find an 09 model DB9 with few extra miles for the same price..........that's what I would do, and did. The 09 interior seemed to me to be such an upgrade on the 08.

FF

 

I appreciate the response - I've owned a convertible before and honestly the drop top is more appealing to me again at this stage after the Z06 (coupe). Id be DB9 all the way except afraid the DB9 would loose more value and feel more like a cruiser than a powerful car. On the flip side, afraid the Vanquish S will have more issues as I've read to be careful of the AMs pre-2006.

 

Landsmere,
I went for a long high speed hill country drive yesterday with a Vanquish and a V12 Vantage. When we stopped for lunch I asked the owner about his Vanquish, especially around reliability.

He has owned it for 5 years, drives it regularly (3-5k yr) and does his own service. He has had no major issues! He believes as many say about the newer Astons that if it were a garage queen it would have issues, but because he stretches its legs it remains true.

During the British car show yesterday, his Vanquish had as many looks as the DB6 and DB7 Zagato. It looks special and has a presence even amongst other exotic Astons.

My vote would be for the Vanquish.

 

The paddles on the vanq are connected to a manual box where the TT2 on the db9 is connected to a modified zf auto unit....Heard there are more issues on the vanq's setup. The shape of both cars is timeless, the front end of the vanq is slightly more aggressive where the 9 is more classy and aesthetic. The rear of the 9 is better, don't like the taillights on the vanq they look outdated vs DB series and gaydon era AML cars. You really can't go wrong both are great, I was looking at DBS when I was going for an AML and I considered the vanq, eventually I went w my DB9 as it was the cleanest most pure look, perfect design, and classy shape and w the super rare manual gearbox and sport pack it was best choice, took a while to find though.

 

Buying a 09 DBS would be the smartest choice. You get the pros of both the DB9 and Vanquish S and none of the negatives

Vanquish S Pros over DB9

aggressive performance and styling

rarity

collector's car at bottom of depreciation curve

flagship model

DB9 pros over Vanquish S

more reliable and more current

modern (less dated) design

The DBS offers the combined positives of both cars not to mention it is still the current flagship production car that replaced the vanquish S

The ONLY negative might be price but I see that you're from Georgia and There is a 09 DBS for sale for only $150K which happens to be the cheapest DBS in the country.

 

007, great pro's & cons.

Lansdmere, I cringed when you said that you were thinking of a '08 DB9, and then listed your primary goal of retaining value. I like the idea of listing your goals, as this will help make your decision.

When I bought my DB9 nearly 2 years ago, my goals were different than yours...I was looking for a daily driver and although I'm encouraged by Detomaso's story of Vanq reliability, I "catted out" at the thought of maintainence issues and went for the DB9 as it was a better fit for me.

These vehicles are from 2 different era's, and more importantly, 2 different factories.
Although a bit dated with those haunches & headlights & hood opening not going to the grille, that being said, I love the Vanq's look better, the aggressive upper lip is still my favorite AM grille (I was very disappointed when the new Vanq didn't keep this most distinguishing model design characteristic), and may be a better fit for your usage & goals.

Last bit, whether a Hyundai vs Kia or DB9 versus Vanq, the same rules apply - go drive both and this may make your decision much easier.

Please post pics of whatever you decide.....what a wonderful choice to get to make!

 

Vanquish S is an awesome vehicle, just the car needs to be DRIVEN! 99.9999999999% of the Vanquish S models in my area are not driven..they sit and come out of the barn on dry sunny days, and not most of them..only about a hand full of times a year. Nothing bad with waiting for a nice day, just with the aggrsseive tune and cam in the S model, they are notorious for spark plug fouling..if the S is not driven, plugs get fouled very easily and the notorious P0300 is flagged, check engine light comes on and dealer visit here you come..average time frame on plugs can be 2-4years if not driven..I've seen less..

The DB9 is not as aggressive in tune/cam, the plug fouling was taken care of with DB9 era and just normal servicing is needed..much more easier car to take care of..like most have said too, the transmission in the DB9 is much better for normal use, even light track. The DB9 tiptronic uses a ZF automatic transmission, much faster and reliable shifts than the Vanquish tremec(Aston basturd'd T56 if memory serves me right)..the vanquish uses the first gen sportshift, much more slow and notorious for stripping out syncro's for 4th and 5th gears...little rumor, when the Vanquish was a delevlopped concept for show, the sportshift stopped working, Aston needed to take care of this fast for the revealing event, they took it to a local barn yard tech, tech jimmy rig'd it to work...that design wetn to final development..in other words if it works..Build It!! ..lol ..heard that from a friend of a friend

But all this really comes down to..what do you like more..when you buy an Aston, your not buying it for reliability, performance, and costs of servicing, or else you would of bought a Mustang and throw cash into it for a 600whp goal..when you buy an Aston your buying the image and art work ..although deep pockets are always needed to take care of any costly art work..

 

You listed 2 goals in the order of 1) resale value and 2) driveability.
My opinion is to switch the priorities of your goals otherwise you'll be flipping cars like me more than once a year. As an example, I was looking at 360's for a long time but people kept telling me don't buy a car just because it's a bargain or at the bottom if depreciation. I stretched a little and got the 430 with no regrets. Sure it will be depreciate a bit more than a 360, but you can't put a price in driving "fun" factor.
Segue way to second point for me was buy the most modern car you can afford. In your case I'd go with DB9. The technology and updated software in the DB9 will be more advanced than the Vanquish. The interior will look more modern and sleek.
I looked at the Vanquish a few years ago and test drove one because that was the first Aston I had ever wanted. I agree with Sunir the front looks stunningly beautiful but the tail lights nowadays look dated. The other thing that drive me away from it was the gearbox issues I kept hearing about, expensive maintenance, and now out of production. I would look at the Vanquish more of as a collector's car at this point in time (but not in terms of value).
As mentioned above if you can stretch to a DBS that would be the ultimate!

 

Great responses, here - I really appreciate the opinions and feedback. DBS is stretching it for me on the up front tag but it is a pretty car. I'm 29, a bit of a business builder but plan my purchases pretty carefully. At 29, I have no business dipping to a $200k purchase price for another car IMHO. The notes in this thread are well noted, I'll enjoy the marketplace the next month or two!!

 

I would do the DB9, improved quality and timeless styling. If you get the paddle shifter there is no clutches to replace as its just a autobox with paddle shifter which improves durability.

 

Just to add my two cents, from what I have read the Vanquish S is a beast but a bit more quirky in practical use. There are some items, like fuel pump warm-up and use of the paddles that are different from the DB9 and would make me nervous about handing the key to even a talented valet. The DB9 is a very practical car on a daily basis, but gives you plenty of growl and obscene power. Should you want to trade out of it at some time, you are more likely to find a willing buyer. My vote - DB9 (but pay a bit extra and find yourself an '09)

Best,
Mike

 

Get the DB9. You already know that it's better for you for the use you intend.

The Vanquish is a really cool car. It's the last of the handmade Astons. I had a private tour of Newport Pagnell when I bought my Vanquish in 2004. The panels are rough pressed and then shaped by hand to each car. I met almost everyone in the plant (because there were't that many). It was a great experience. The Vanquish is a car that car guys at car shows can talk for hours about. It's awesome. It's aggressive. It has more road presence than almost every other car on the road. Unlike some others, I don't find it dated. That's like saying the Porsche 911 2.7 RS looks dated. The interior is not great, but the pre-2009 DB9 is not much of an improvement. The Vanquish, however, is not a very good daily driver. The transmission, which was an improvement over the initial version used in the Ferrari 355 and 360 is still not great. The brakes squeal like no others. If you need a new front quarter panel, one will need to be shaped to fit your car. Ownership could be very expensive.

The DB9 was the first mass-produced Aston. It has essentially the same engine as the Vanquish, but everything else was new. Fit and finish was much improved over the Vanquish. The interior from 2009 onward actually looks worthy of a $200k car. Repairs, while not inexpensive, will be easier to handle than with the Vanquish. There are no issues with the transmission.

You are right is your assumptions. The DB9 will depreciate more than the Vanquish, and the DB9 is more of a cruiser. Everybody knows that.

 

Vanquish. The DB9 is nice, but it's no Vanquish.