Considering V8 Vantage
"The Aston forums are full of people who used to own 911s, and many of us still do, so we have a solid basis for comparison. We LOVE our Astons. When I went car shopping, I looked at and drove the 997 (and various other cars), and I bought the Aston. If it had not been great to drive, I would not have bought it. It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own."
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I own both and they drive, feel and behave very differently. I have to admit that except the days i want the top down i take the vantage over the 911.
I got the 11 V8S and LOVE every minute I drive it. will never not own one.
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I own both and they drive, feel and behave very differently. I have to admit that except the days i want the top down i take the vantage over the 911.
I got the 11 V8S and LOVE every minute I drive it. will never not own one.
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Best answer: buy Grant's book.
A few things come to mind: MY07 brought new seats, and the side airbags added head protection to the previous seats' chest protection bag.
MY08 brought a few updates including an iPod connection, and the antenna was moved from the roof to the windshield (which spelled the end of the heated windscreen option).
MY09 was the 4.7 and the numerous updates that came with it.
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Bryce, additional info, 09 Vantage has 420bhp and the VantageS has 430bhp, the interior also gets an update with most of the DBS components, and let's not forget the crystal key haha!
Good luck!
Good luck!
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"That is about it." 
Everyone is entitled to his opinion, but much of what you said is simply untrue. Many of us on this forum are past and current Porsche owners (myself included), so we've experienced both.
The notion that a 997S is "much faster" than a V8V (4.7) is simply not true -- look at the road test figures, especially if one is comparing manual 'box cars. The figures are nearly identical for a 4.7 and a 997S. I've run mine against a friend's 997S -- nothing in it (much to his surprise).
"Handles better" is clearly subjective. The V8V is an extremely well-balanced front-engined rear-drive car, and it handles superbly on the road, especially in Sports Pack form. A 911 has rather unique handling characteristics. I love them, but many don't, and for good reason. A very talented driver can get a 911 to truly perform, but most merely excellent drivers will be able to get closer to a V8V's also very high limits.
Reliability... The ease with which some of the posters here dismiss the V8V’s reliability is amusing given the disaster that the 996 engine has proven to be (no, most don’t go BANG, but far too many do). The 997 was better, but still shares those major engine problems. So bad was it that it took a whole new engine to “fix” it (hopefully) for the 997.2. Some early V8Vs had some fairly minor (mostly electrical) issues. The later cars have generally proven to be extremely reliable. Mine (owned from new) has been essentially faultless so far, which seems to be the norm, not the exception. BTW, the V8V engine uses a real dry sump. Like Porsche used to. Oh, and Aston races the V8V with the same basic engine that they use in the road car. Like Porsche used to, before they began putting a cheap engine in the Carrera and only using the serious engine in the GT3, Turbo (through 997.1) and GT2. When they start to race the new engine (the 991 GT3 now uses it, but the race cars DON'T), I'll be convinced.
Build quality: Porsche uses lots of plastic. Nice plastic, mostly, but plastic. All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal. It’s not perfect, but the Aston is exquisitely built, with materials quality and craftsmanship that is in an entirely different league from Porsche’s. The 991 is better than the 997, but still not in the Aston's league.
The Aston forums are full of people who used to own 911s, and many of us still do, so we have a solid basis for comparison. We LOVE our Astons. When I went car shopping, I looked at and drove the 997 (and various other cars), and I bought the Aston. If it had not been great to drive, I would not have bought it. It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
Everyone is entitled to his opinion, but much of what you said is simply untrue. Many of us on this forum are past and current Porsche owners (myself included), so we've experienced both.
The notion that a 997S is "much faster" than a V8V (4.7) is simply not true -- look at the road test figures, especially if one is comparing manual 'box cars. The figures are nearly identical for a 4.7 and a 997S. I've run mine against a friend's 997S -- nothing in it (much to his surprise).
"Handles better" is clearly subjective. The V8V is an extremely well-balanced front-engined rear-drive car, and it handles superbly on the road, especially in Sports Pack form. A 911 has rather unique handling characteristics. I love them, but many don't, and for good reason. A very talented driver can get a 911 to truly perform, but most merely excellent drivers will be able to get closer to a V8V's also very high limits.
Reliability... The ease with which some of the posters here dismiss the V8V’s reliability is amusing given the disaster that the 996 engine has proven to be (no, most don’t go BANG, but far too many do). The 997 was better, but still shares those major engine problems. So bad was it that it took a whole new engine to “fix” it (hopefully) for the 997.2. Some early V8Vs had some fairly minor (mostly electrical) issues. The later cars have generally proven to be extremely reliable. Mine (owned from new) has been essentially faultless so far, which seems to be the norm, not the exception. BTW, the V8V engine uses a real dry sump. Like Porsche used to. Oh, and Aston races the V8V with the same basic engine that they use in the road car. Like Porsche used to, before they began putting a cheap engine in the Carrera and only using the serious engine in the GT3, Turbo (through 997.1) and GT2. When they start to race the new engine (the 991 GT3 now uses it, but the race cars DON'T), I'll be convinced.
Build quality: Porsche uses lots of plastic. Nice plastic, mostly, but plastic. All that “metal-look” plastic in the 997 is a huge disappointment. In the Aston, there is very little plastic and, moreover, everything that looks like metal is metal. It’s not perfect, but the Aston is exquisitely built, with materials quality and craftsmanship that is in an entirely different league from Porsche’s. The 991 is better than the 997, but still not in the Aston's league.
The Aston forums are full of people who used to own 911s, and many of us still do, so we have a solid basis for comparison. We LOVE our Astons. When I went car shopping, I looked at and drove the 997 (and various other cars), and I bought the Aston. If it had not been great to drive, I would not have bought it. It’s not only a wonderful thing to look at, it’s a wonderful thing to drive, and it’s a wonderful thing to own.
Other's may take another view, but the Astons are far more special than the mass produced 911s.
+1
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I was in the same boat as you were 3 months ago. Wanted another car for the stable. For me the "draw" for the AMV8 above many many other choices were: Looks, Exclusivity, Sound, and the brand itself. My budget was 60k, so it meant a 2006 used AMV8 with 30k miles. I was nervous about the costs of ownership, in particular the clutch life.
I met a guy who has one that he bought with 17k on the car and now has 65k and he gave me all the confidence I needed to move forward. He is still on the original clutch, no mechanical faults, no electronic issues. He has only had to replace tires, rotors, brake pads and fluids...
So I bought mine. It needed new rotors, brake pads, tires, and replace a broken E-brake cable to get it road worthy. Since then no issues (apart from bedding in the stupid a$$ break pads that squeaked like a demon for 1 month!!!) The car is a total joy- it's lived up to the hype and rewarded on all levels I expected for it! Find a good car and go forward with confidence.
I met a guy who has one that he bought with 17k on the car and now has 65k and he gave me all the confidence I needed to move forward. He is still on the original clutch, no mechanical faults, no electronic issues. He has only had to replace tires, rotors, brake pads and fluids...
So I bought mine. It needed new rotors, brake pads, tires, and replace a broken E-brake cable to get it road worthy. Since then no issues (apart from bedding in the stupid a$$ break pads that squeaked like a demon for 1 month!!!) The car is a total joy- it's lived up to the hype and rewarded on all levels I expected for it! Find a good car and go forward with confidence.
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If budget permits get the 09. Better power and the revised center control console make a big difference. On the. Per-09 u can get a power upgrade package but it's not same as the 4.7. The center console of the pre09 cars is the weakest link of the interior
My two cents on Aston vs porsche and other makes debate. Aston is a piece of art that happens to go fast. Porsche is more like a tool to go fast in. If out right speed and lapmtime are the only things u are after then I would say a Porsche or a Nissan gtr will give u better bang for the buck.
The Aston makes me smile every time I look at it.
My two cents on Aston vs porsche and other makes debate. Aston is a piece of art that happens to go fast. Porsche is more like a tool to go fast in. If out right speed and lapmtime are the only things u are after then I would say a Porsche or a Nissan gtr will give u better bang for the buck.
The Aston makes me smile every time I look at it.
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Like so many others here, I was a Porsche guy (fanatic). Still am in some ways. My DD was an 86 911 that I kept for 11 years, and then a 97 993 for 16 years that I still own. Both those cars were special. When Porsche went mass production it lost something for me. In North Dallas they are more common than a Chevy. My 07 Aston was a lot like the natural next step for me. Its an experience to own. To look at, sit in, and to drive.
As to the debate between the pre- and post- 09 cars, I think it depends on how you drive it, and how much you are willing to spend. 07 and 08 cars are bargains in my view (don't know anything about the 06). I mean sure, I would rather have more hp and torque, so I would rather have the 09+, and even more the S, and even more the V12. But the value play is overwhelmingly the older cars. Easy to find pristine examples. The cars are drop dead gorgeous, inside and out. I don't see the interior of the 09 to be a meaningful improvement over the 07. In fact, I think I prefer mine. But I prefer manual. If you have to have the auto then maybe (from what I read) you need to buy the later model.
As to the debate between the pre- and post- 09 cars, I think it depends on how you drive it, and how much you are willing to spend. 07 and 08 cars are bargains in my view (don't know anything about the 06). I mean sure, I would rather have more hp and torque, so I would rather have the 09+, and even more the S, and even more the V12. But the value play is overwhelmingly the older cars. Easy to find pristine examples. The cars are drop dead gorgeous, inside and out. I don't see the interior of the 09 to be a meaningful improvement over the 07. In fact, I think I prefer mine. But I prefer manual. If you have to have the auto then maybe (from what I read) you need to buy the later model.
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Aston Martins are special, hand built cars. Porsche is about state-of-the art robotic precision. However, it annoys me when you spend north of $100K for a 911 and leather is an option. The plastic interior dash and doors are standard on the 911 and you need to open your wallet for the remedy. The new 911 turbo will be close to $200K with options. I am a long time Porsche fan, still have a 911. For me and this amount of money the AM is the better car.
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