Usually dealers can budget 2-3k tops if it's a legit dealership. I still think there are even better ones out there but they are getting increasingly rare. Keep looking and be patient

 

the manuals seem to be harder to find. The atlanta Aston dealer at the time I was looking had several 06-08 vantages but all were the sport shift.

 

When I was searching for my Aston, I nearly bought from Los Gatos. In fact, I would have, but somebody pulled the trigger on the car before I did... beat me to it.

They were very professional and good to work with. The sales associate kept in touch and offered other choices as they became available (However, I eventually found a vehicle elsewhere).

Good luck in your search, and remember to post lots of photos when you find a car!

 

Great to know you had a good experience at Los Gatos! I keep getting giddy when I think of that scenery on the drive back... Hopefully everything pans out - it does look like quite a shining example of a pre-owned Vantage...

Now I just gotta figure out what stocks I'm gonna sell... decisions decisions!

ninja edit: I also just noticed the Vantage at Los Gatos doesn't have the "Vantage" badge on the rear... guess I'm gonna be asking for that along with the tint haha.

 

as I found out, most US astons do not have the vantage logo on the boot. (deleting it is an option when ordering the car), very few that I looked at online had the logo.

I bought one from astonmartinbits.com havent installed yet, here's a thread about it:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...logo-boot.html

 

Interesting. Looks like the replacement is cheap enough that I can put it off and see if I like the de-badged look.

 

I had mine in for the annual & other items at ForeignCars in Greensboro. They said manuals are becoming very difficult to find & hence are commanding a premium. They don't have any preowned vantages in stock right now but do have a huge client base always trading goodies in. midwestamv8 I can recommend a salesperson if you are interested.

 

yep, owenrs manuals on ebay are around $500.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-2006-200...0ab974&vxp=mtr

and an original brochure

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aston-Martin...item1c42f13482

 

In addition to the one DonL posted at Los Gatos, I found an 07' in Scottsdale at Scottsdale Sports and Classic Motor Cars with ~10k miles, certified pre-owned with one previous owner for $69,950. Does this sound like a fair price for the miles? I think I like the Meteorite Silver more than the Tungsten and the all black interior w/ accent stitching is exactly what I want. Thoughts? Anyone have experience with this dealership?

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...63799816&Log=0

Edit: Looks like this one isn't CPO. Wonder why not?

 

The Arizona car isn't CPO as it's not being sold by an AM dealer.
It does have the bluetooth and memory seat options that are not on the Los Gatos vehicle.
If it's what you want, negotiate hard for it, as it's priced at the "upper end" of your budget and the market.

That being said, I think you made a good decision to pass on the multi-owner Vantage. There has to be a reason for it to have changed hands so many times.
I personally don’t know of anyone in the Bay Area that could do a PPI for you, but the one year CPO warranty certainly reduces your exposure.
However, you’ll need to confirm that your local AM dealer will honor the warranty terms.
You should ask when the fluids were last changed, as Los Gatos has done all the yearly services. They may not need to be changed.
New brake pads may be a better request…or your window tinting.
They can also pull the build sheet for the car, confirming all the installed options and interior color choices; it’s a nice document to have.
You should also verify that it has two remote fobs and 3 keys, the tire inflator kit and an owner’s manual, as well as current set of navigation DVD’s.

You mentioned in an earlier post that you were having “difficulties” with the interior. I believe it is Obsidian with slate blue accents, rather than grey.
Personally, I think the interior colors reflect well on the vehicle and its owner…as both being something special!

Purchasing a car is an excellent excuse to see some of the beautiful scenery in America…the Canyonlands National Park in Utah rivals the Grand Canyon for spectacular views, IMO. And you could also stop in the Black Hills of South Dakota on your way home, after making the trip through the Eisenhower Tunnel at over 11k feet in elevation…certainly a great way to see the Rockies…after visiting Lake Tahoe of course!

Good luck in your negotiations!

 

Thanks for all the advice! I realized it wasn't an AM dealer shortly after posting this. It seems like it would be silly for AM to offer a CPO program if all the authorized dealers didn't honor the warranty... I know Porsche NA handles the CPO program for them so I would assume it was at the national level for the warranties. I'll double check though...

And thanks for the advice on negotiating and what to look for. Would $67,500 be more fair for the car in Scottsdale, or are you thinking more negotiations are warranted? I'm really attracted to the color and low miles. There's a similar one in Chicago that's CPO but they want $75k... (here).

 

I have never seen one without the vantage badge. All mine had it along with everyone I have seen here in town.

 

He Scottsdale car is a very good option, mine came from there and a lot of the good one owner cars seem to come from Scottsdale as they are barely driven.

That aston in Scottsdale is realistically a $65-67k car. Because it's an independent they probably ha a much higher margin on it. They probably bought it wholesale for $62-63k. $65k should be the right number on that car if you can get it. It has most of the right options.

You honestly don't need warranty on these cars as long as previous owner took good care of it and did all the maintenance. At 9k clutch is not issue either (and won't be for many years... If ever depending on how little you drive it).

 

While we're here, the other car I seem to be considering quite heavily is this 07' with 13k on the clock in NJ: here

Love the red calipers, it also has bluetooth like the one in Scottsdale, 1 owner, they say they have the service history (I will inquire). Wonder what "performance exhaust system" is on it though, or if they have the original (is it important?)... 62k almost seems too low of a price though... is it about right for one like this from an independent dealer?

 

Awesome, good to have some solid price points to keep in mind - it's beautifully equipped and the darker silver is quite attractive. In case I do pull the trigger on the one in Scottsdale, do you have a recommendation for someone to do a PPI in Scottsdale since you got yours in the same city?

Also, I could use some advice for how to handle a long distance buy like this - I've never flown somewhere to buy a car before. I assume I put down a deposit contingent on me driving and inspecting the car myself and having my own PPI done on it. Has this process gone smoothly for many of you? Any road bumps to look out for?