I just sold my '07 Carrera S and I'm eyeing a '10 V8V as a weekend toy. I've never owned an AM and don't know much about the marque other than is the best looking car on the road, IMO. I don't really need that performance of the Carrera, but there's no denying that the new 911's (starting in mid-2012) are wonderful automobiles. Can anyone tell me if the 2010 V8V had any quirks that needed fixing and were addressed in the '11 model or if there's anything in particular to look out for? Were there any notable mechanical or electrical failures that the 2010 coupe is known for? I assume the bluetooth, MP3 and nav all work reasonably well. Is that accurate? I saw one reviewer who hated the automatic transmission (a leg injury prevents me from buying a manual) claiming it shifted really slow, and the new Porsche PDK is truly excellent, what's the general consensus on that? Finally, would an extended warranty be advisable and, if so, any idea of the cost?

Thanks very much in advance for your guidance.

 

Anyone?

 

Hi Don,
It's normally a reasonably active forum (for a limited marque such as this) but people may be out with the 3 day holiday.

I have a DB9 so I can't speak with any authority on the Vantage differences, but from what I've ready here the better engine came about in 2009, so your 2010/2011 decision would not need to worry about that.

This thread may help with some data for you.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...8-vantage.html

Another thread:
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ge-series.html

This one seems to have a lot better details:
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...questions.html

Jeff

 

I just bought an 09 with another 2 year factory warranty for about $6,000. It was a certified car from an Aston dealer.

 

I also came for a long string of 911 before I purchased my 09 Vantage 09 three years ago. I have never kept any of my 911s for three years, so this says something in of itself. I suggest you 1st buy Grants book on Astons, a very worthwhile purchase and then drive a V8VS. I took a test drive in the Sports Shift expecting to hate it, coming from a manual and ended up wanting the sportshift. It is not perfectly smooth, and the S is much better, but I prefer to the manual

 

I think the most important Q is what exactly you want out of this car? you are saying that performance is not what you are after, so what is it that you are looking for? List the 5 most important things you are looking for in their order of importance and lets try and answer them for you...

I own and drive an 08 997 convertible and at the beginning of the year bought V8S 11MY and they are very different to drive. the P is quicker and more nimble. Cant comment on the PDK since mine is manual.
I was concerned about not having a manual trans on the Vantage, but have to admit that despite its low speed issues and getting used to it.. I love it and enjoy it.

Its much more luxurious and there is a feeling that is hard to explain (you need to drive it) and you either feel it or you don't. Its like falling in love with someone.. no reason just a feeling in your heart....

I will say that my 911 usage was reduced to going to Gym and store since i dont want to get my V8s dirty but any other time i prefer the V8s. Its an emotional thing

I will also say that people stop me all the time and non stop photography since it is so beautiful. Noone ever cared about the 911.

Also- So far I had zero issues with it.

Hope this helps and i didnt ramble on too much

 

In the past I had about 7 Porsches, but not 911's which I found to light but instead 928's of various years and modifications. The 928's were somewhat bullet-proof, but when something did break it was not cheap to repair. While I had the 928's I also flew having planes ranging from Mooneys, to Bonanza's (my last was a nice A-36), a few P-210's and a Malibu. I'd always use the planes for business. Arriving at the airport in our own plane (it did not matter if it was a low cost or high price plane) carried a mystique to a client. In other words our competition which would show up in a Chevy would pale in comparison in a clients mind to a company pulling up in their own plane. A client would assume we would know what we were doing more than the competition. This mindset also works somewhat the same with the Aston. I quit flying in 2007 and sold the A-36 which I replaced with my first new Aston - an 07 Vantage fully optioned special ordered with custom work by Aston Works, and a 5 year extended warranty, all coming to $154,000. We design land developments and discovered entirely new ways to build suburban communities, literally working all over the world. The Aston was to be a car I drove hard for 5 years and then buy another, after all I had the warranties. I was surprised that the annual service done was extremely reasonable, no surprises, and not even any brake jobs needed in the 23,000 miles I drove the car. Every one of those miles felt special, unlike any car I ever owned. When the recession broke and my income dropped to zero, I sold my car collection, and traded down the Aston to a new CTS-V (before GM was bailed out, I got a great price). I was depressed for over 2 months giving up the Aston for the CTS-V, even though the CTS-V blew away the Aston on virtually every performance parameter. The car did not feel 'special'. I eventually downgraded to a Ford Focus before the worlds housing markets turned again for the better.

At 23,000 very hard miles the car was as solid as the day I first drove it. Keeping it at 75 MPH on the highway I got 21 to 22 MPG consistently.

For business, pulling up in the Aston was almost as good as pulling up in the plane. Nobody questioned our capabilities, as the guy in the Aston will always be perceived as knowing more than the competition in the Ford. Porsche does not have that mystique.

I now have an 09 with a two year factory warranty - will drive this one easier this time, as if a recession comes again I might be driving this much longer.

Porsche vs Vantage? It's not about performance, but the mystique of Aston ownership, the uniqueness, the luxury, the beauty, the solid feel, and of course the sound, none of which I've seen duplicated in a Porsche.

 

Prefurbia,
Well stated, and I applaud your willingness to make the tough choices. Many will hold on to everything until the bank hauls it off.

BTW, I had a 2009 CTS-V I bought new, and as awesome as the car was - it didn't make my heart skip when I came out of the office or grocery store and laid eyes on it. So it got sold to make room for my DB9. Problem solved!

Jeff

 

LOL- i thought i was the only one that gets palpitation with this car. Never experienced that driving anything else...

 

Every drive in an Aston is special....Enjoy !

 

My XK8 also did it for me, but with that car the biggest joy came from successfully starting it and not having anything break as a result !

 

We are all buying more then just a car. its an experience and an heritage....

 

Well said Boaz! couldn't agree more, excellent video! makes me want to go England again and take a factory tour as well as checking out the the Aston works heritage facility

 

Hey, I'm also going through the same motions. Coming from a 650AWHP R32 GTR on corn. Currently driving a tuned '17 M3 and I'm dying to get back into something AWD. I love the M3 but I hate always searching for traction, even at lower than idea power numbers.

So to share some of my research. You can upgrade the PDK for more power. My only beef with the PDK 997.2 I drove was the delay between pulling the paddle and it shifting, That doesn't exist in the 991 cars though. I've read that there are solutions to the problem though.

Also, fuel will be your limitation for power on these motors. You're looking at ~600WHP if you go FBO and tune. You can get port injection if you need to go beyond that, and that's an issue you'll run into with any DI car.

Good luck on your search. I've got my eyes on a few 997.2TT, The only reason I'd grab an S is if I can't find a good non-s with PCCB for the right price. Brake dust is my enemy,

 

... holy old thread. The OP may be dead by now... hasn't been on this site in nearly five years.