Hello all,


To give you a little background, My previous cars have been among many, E92 M3 6MT, GTR, and now F10 M5 with Competition Package.
I bought the M5 thinking that it's the best all arounder, being able to haul my family (wife, 2 year old son and daughter being born next month) and golfbags and etc and using it as a daily driver for work commute (around 45~1hr with traffic)
Unfortunately, my love for the car is disappearing daily as I find it *boring*. Don't get me wrong, the sheer power of the 575bhp the car has is intoxicating when you step on the gas, but let's face it, I live in NY and how often do I really get to use all that power. I believe it has to do with the fact that its not MT, the sound is bleh, and last but not least car is just too heavy.
Also, the two BMW Ms I've owned both had/has interior noises, though I am very sensitive about it, it has been driving me crazy and I simply do not think a $100K car should have these problems. You take it to the dealer and they are so busy with servicing the 328s and the x5s due to its "free maintenance warranty" they are always coming back to me with "unable to duplicate concern" With that being said, I believe my M5 will be the last BMW I will be purchasing.
Enough ranting, here are my picks so far and I need your help


1. 991 911 Turbo (Unforunately not available in MT )
Likes - Performance, great design, resale value, daily-able, rear seats
Dislikes - Exhaust/Engine sound not really there, no 6MT,most expensive option out of the three


2. Aston Martin Vantage V8 GT (6MT)
Likes - Classic hand made luxurious feel, 6mt, ENGINE AND EXHAUST SOUND!!!
Dislikes - Reliability? Maintenance Cost, Resale Value, performance compared to cars in the price range, technology


3. AudI R8 V8 (6MT, I was informed they will stop making MTs starting for 2016 models)
Likes - Head-Turning design, V8 NA sound
Dislikes - Maybe the same experience as the BMW? Expensive compared to performance, outdated interior, no storage.


Any thoughts? Am I misinformed about anything? Please let me know what you think.


Best regards,
Sejin.

 

I think your assessments are spot on.

I recently went through a similar process before finally making my choice to get a v8 Vantage.

I love the new 911 (991) turbo S and took it on a track test drive through my dealer. It is insanely fast and is an overall impressive package. I liked the sound of the exhaust and jet engine woosh noise of the turbos. PDK is the best automatic I have ever driven, but after driving it, I don't think I'm personally ready to move on like the rest of the world with the advanced tech of dual clutches. Driving it helped me realize that. I also had issue with the price and how "special" the car felt, inside and out, if that makes any sense. I had a 911 before, and here in Northern California, there are tons of 911's everywhere. For that price, there should be more exclusive options added to the car to make it stand out against the other 911s.

I settled on the v8 Vantage because it does have a special character to it (british made, hand built charm) and felt like an event to drive. The exhaust noise is pretty unique and rowing through the gears at full throttle is amazing fun. As for dislikes: It is not the fastest car, but fast enough in terms of the driving experience it delivers. I bought used, so that addressed the depreciation issue.

Good luck with your search. You can't go wrong with any of your choices.

 

I also owned the latest M5 and found that it just did not send the heart stirring. It was a manual…. just to heavy to toss around. After looking at the F Type R and the 991, I placed an order on the Vantage GT m/t. Nothing else out there like it. Sounds great, beautiful interior and gorgeous body. Last but not least a blast to drive. The last of the natural aspirated V8's and a stick…. and you will be hard pressed to find another on the road.

 

Thank you both for your insights. I am leaning heavily towards the AM as I want to get out of the *generic* market if you know what I mean. Too many A4s and Cayenne being driven by teenagers and soccer moms around my neighborhood

 

Interesting. This is my take on these:

1. 991 911 Turbo
Likes - Performance, daily-able, realiability, fantastic dual clutch, technology, fit and finish.
Dislikes - Bland, re-hashed design that I've seen countless times on the road (as common as a 3 series here in LA), overpriced when new, depreciates a lot when new, useless back seats (kinda like a DB9).

2. Aston Martin Vantage V8 GT
Likes - Has that je ne sais quoi, engine note, badge, rare car even in LA. Can fit skis in the back!!!
Dislikes - Reliability, maintenance cost, depreciates a lot all the time, technology, ride as a dd is harsh (sports pack), fit and finish, horrible SS transmission, starting to look very dated.

3. AudI R8 V8
Likes - Supercar-like stance, dd-able, somewhat rare car, fit and finish, reliability.
Dislikes - Outdated interior, no storage, badge, starting to look dated.

As you can see I'm not a fan of manuals .

 

Greetings,
Here is a discussion from earlier this year on member's experiences with repairs.

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...or-issues.html

Jeff

 

I can't help with comparing 991 and the M5 with the Vantage but i can help you make a decision. Aston Martin is a very special car and it is very good with making you feel SUPER special and lucky, the interior and leather is just perfect. The ride quality for a daily driver isn't great (i have the auto + sport pack) but for weekends its a blast to drive. I've owned the car for 5 years and smile every time i look/start/drive the car. I love the fact that you have to learn to drive the car, with time you get really good at it. I drive it 99.9999% with the paddles, so much smoother and much more fun. Power wise i think its enough, the sound of that V8 engine is breathtaking. I would go on and on about how much i love driving the Vantage but i think you should give it a test-drive and see how you feel.

 

The Vantage is not just a car, it is a design tour deforce. I've only had my 2007 since August I've doubled the miles the car had when I bought it (5900 now) it is so far it's been very reliable. My car has 400 hp with the PowerPac, I find the power to be more than adequate and the driving experience with the six speed manual to be great. I'm a stick shift guy all the way back to my first car ( I am 57 now) all I can say is if you want to stick in anything now is the time later it'll be too late.
Ron

 

Does the AM have any interior rattle noises? This is a huge pet peeve of mine and all my M cars had this problem

 

My car does not have any rattles at all. It is one of the best built cars I've ever owned in my 41 years of sports car ownership.
Ron

 

Mine has a few, they come and go. Expected from a hand built car...

 

Me too, but the exhaust note always makes me forget about these noises.

 

No more than any of my BMWs, Porsche, Vettes did.

 

Ive heard somewhere that AM will be taken over by AMG tech such as engines and tranny and therefore it will depreciate any current AM without it. Is this true? Or am I misinformed?

 

Astons take a harsh depreciation hit regardless.

As for the effect the AMG drivetrains will have... no idea. Just as you found your F10 M5 boring, I've found most other modern cars the same. The current AM lineup has tons of personality. In my opinion, I think the AMG-based AMs will lose a lot of it. Purely speculation, and I hope I'm wrong.