A lot of great advice in this thread. Thanks.

 

To be clear, I did not get this car inspected at an Aston Dealership prior to purchase. It was not a certified used car from an Aston Dealership. It was sold through a used exotic dealer in Texas.

I asked all the right questions and got the answers prior to purchase. I knew It needed tires soon and brakes as well. The Rotors were a bit of a surprise, The broken e-brake cable was a total shock (though others have documented the ebrake failure to fully release).

The headlight operated with no problem for the last 6 months and I seriously doubt that it would have been flagged on any inspection! The motor for the auto DIP just crapped the bed = new headlight.

My car has only seen 4 laps on a track.

So NO! I'm not expecting to replace the brakes and rotors and tires every year. I'm also not beating the car to death. I was only sharing my experiences as I have had them. I'm not bashing the car, I'm not saying everyone will go through what I had to do. In all honestly beside the e-brake and headlight I would gladly accept the other items as usual wear and tear pieces that always need to be replaced at one time or another.

My point however IS that I consider the 1,500 per year to be a very conservative number. some years might be like that but all it's gonna take is one headlight, one clutch, one e-brake etc. and you are already at or past the estimated 1,500 per year.... not including budgeting for tires and rotors and brakes when those come due.

Bottom line- As far as exotics go: Aston makes a solid car that is more trouble free than most and less expensive. So cost of ownership of an Aston is not cheap- But it is cheaper than many others!

 

Very well put.

Yeah, these aren't Chevys.

 

How would ownership compare against a Jaguar XKR?

 

The Aston is much more expensive to maintain and the Jags (both 4.2 and 5.0) have proven to be very reliable. The 4.2 block is very similar to the V8's that Jaguar supplies to Aston.

You have to drive both... in another comparison thread someone said something along the lines of being hard to explain but easy to experience. I love my XKR and on paper it is a better car than even a V12 Aston (way better on paper than any V8) but a Jag will never be as special as an Aston. Aston's are hand made pieces of art and while the XKR's have a lot more done by hand than most they are nowhere near the artistic level of an Aston.

Any difference that can be "talked" about in quantifiable data is going to have the Jag come out the better car. The reason people get an Aston Martin is not this.

I sold my Aston for my 5.0 XKR. I love my XKR and do enjoy it more than I did my Aston but the Aston was very special for very different reasons. This level of car is an emotional choice (not decision). It's like being gay - you are or you aren't. You can't catch it and you can't be cured from it. [I'm not gay but that's what I hear]

 

Great information thanks guys.

FYI I did get the service history for the silver aston

11/3/2011

C 1 R&I Lower Engine Shield 0.5 B
C 2 Repr Lower Engine Shield 1.0 B
C 3 Repr Front Bumper Lower Cover 2.0 B
C 4 Reprogram SRS Module Sublet 200.00 O
C 5 Install & Balance Winter Tires 1.0 M
C 6 ComplimentaryWash Package
C 7 Repl Oil FIlter 33.30 F
C 8 Repl Synthetic Oil 219.50 F
C 9 Oil Service 1.0 M
C 10 Shop Materials 25.00 B

4/1/2013
C 1 Check & Reset Warning Lights 1.0 M
C 2 Mech Inspection - No Charge
C 3 Refinish 4 Rotors 2.0 R
Bridgestone Potenza REO5OA 235/40/ZR19 92y -
QTY 2
C 4 792.82 A 0.6 M
C 5 Tire Stewardship Fee 5.84 A
C 6 R&I Drivers Door Armrest 1.0 B
C 7 Refinish Drivers Door Armrest/Match Colour 1.0 R
C 8 Adjust & Reset Left Door Glass 2.0 M
C 9 Replace Left Wiper Blade 55.02 F 0.3 M
C 10 Replace Right Wiper Blade 59.80 F 0.2 B
C 11 Interior Shampoo & Detail 2.0 D
C 12 Exterior Wax & Detail 2.0 D
C 13 Engine Shampoo
C 14 R&I All 4 Rims, Clean & Polish 2.0 D
C 15 Factory Hardware 25.00 F
C 16 Oil Service @ Dealer 650.00 O
C 17 Paint Materials 60.00 P
C 18 Shop Materials 23.29 B

 

Karlfranz the engine is cranking but very slowly. Oil still moves and pressure builds. You may be right but this was recommended to me by some really knowledgable tuners who certainly know more than I.

 

A couple of comments;

Dry start procedure, I would not use for a couple of days inactivity, a week most likely, a month or more Always, very easy with the Aston, hold down the gas pedal and hold it down, crank the engine until you have oil pressure (light goes out) usually takes a couple of seconds. You then can just let of the gas pedal while cranking and the car will start or stop cranking take foot of pedal crank and start.

Why, turning over the car at a couple hindered rpm with no load allows the oil pump(s) to supply oil to bearings, cylinder walls, chains etc without the thousand of pounds of pressure on the bearing journals etc when the engine fires. Race cars, or any valuable vehicle that sits for extended time should achieve oil pressurization before firing.

 

So far, 4 years and 15K on my 2009 Vantage I have only had to have annual maintenance performed. I changed the break pads to port fields to reduce break dust but they would have lasted years more. I am still waiting for the tires to wear out so I can put on PSS on, none of my 911s had tires that lasted this long.

As I do my own maintenance my cost has been about 200-350/ year depending if I needed Air Filers, cabin filter, or trans fluid for that particular service. I flush the brake fluid every year ( only about $30) as it only takes a few minutes with a good vacuum system. So far I have been lucky!

 

millsjq, I'm with you on the oil pressure procedure after a couple of weeks of setting (noted in the owners manual). Take only a few second to move the oil. If I lived in a cold climate, not sunny FL, I would consider it for various starting conditions. What do the Northern AM dealers recommend?

 

I owned an 08 for about a year and it cost me a little over 1k in maintenance for the annual. 0 issues and I believe I put about 6-7k miles on the car. I also bought the car from the dealer and sent it back to them a few times to fix squeaks and rattles for free. They drive me crazy

 

Cranking the engine without starting (put accelerator all the way to the floor and hold it there while cranking, will keep it from starting), was recommended to me to be done after an Oil and Filter Change. The cranking should be done about 15-seconds at a time until the Oil Pressure light goes off. This procedure will take about 4-cranking sessions.

 

It used to be that the procedure for firing up a car that had been sitting for a long time involved removing the spark plugs and squirting oil into the cylinders. Of course, that is a lot more difficult these days with the layout of modern engines—just sayin'!

From now on, I think we should end all our posts with "—just sayin' " LOL

 

As TKO has detailed **** happens and on cars that cost upwards of 100k+ MSRP new sensors and simple things like headlights etc can get expensive very quick. That being said you would have the same worry with the M3 (unless manual) DCT transmissions like too have little hiccups and complete failure out of warranty, same can be said about the SL55 with it's Intercooler and fuel pump problems or failing ABC suspension all are very costly too fix out of warranty. Checking liquid levels and service history is good way too see how the previous owner treated the car. If you inspect the car well and make sure the TSBs are done there's not much you can do. Try to find a very reputable Aston specialist and that will be your best bet avoiding out of pocket expense they can usually tell you what is about too fail, or soon, or needing maintenance/common problems if anything.

You have too pay too play, you can always consider a third party warranty that would give you some relief that you are covered for major malfunction.

 

We could all add it as a signature.