I think it's hard to avoid a vehicle when visual, test drive and PPI all checked out, regardless of mileage.

 

For what it's worth IMHO, some color combo's are often the reason cars sit "for sale" for long periods of time. I think one would need to prioritize the 3 most important characteristics of a car they would consider buying used. Mechanical, appearance and options. We all want a great car mechanically....as for options and color combinations - it's hard to speak for someone else making a $60,000+ purchase. Truly an individual decision. Good luck in your search. I'm a happy owner of a DB9 - I look forward to every drive !

 

PPI will definitely be key to help identify problems. And when you test drive, listen very closely for anything that sounds odd. Squeaks, rattles, etc. Feel for vibrations - tires can develop flat spots when a car sits for too long.

I'm not trying to steer you clear of anything based on super-low mileage, my point was mainly that high mileage shouldn't be a dealbreaker, especially if the car checks out and it fits your budget.

 

It's definitely worth your while, if you can find cars locally, to drive both cars and determine which model you prefer. Of course all the reviews on the cars were positive when they first came out, but to get a feel for them now that they've had a chance to age a little can definitely help.

If you're driving a Cayman now and want a similar feel, I reckon the Vantage is more in line with what you're already driving, vs. the DB9 which seems more of a big GT car; think Ferrari 575M, Jaguar XKR, Porsche 928GTS, etc. Certainly no slouch and totally capable of tearing up a road course, but more comfortable and less focused than other sports cars. I've yet to drive either myself; I haven't found any available locally but I will as soon as they pop up for sale. I generally prefer smaller, sharper cars but I find the big Aston more alluring than the small one for some reason. (This is what made me buy a 911 rather than a Cayman S, even though I knew the Cayman had sharper handling; I preferred the looks and pedigree of the big-brother.)

Considered a Vanquish? Their prices have plummeted to record-lows:
http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...2787/overview/
http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/de...946/overview/#

Hard to find one in a pleasant color combination (I don't know what they were up to in the early 2000's) and the Ford parts-bin bits are a little more prevalent, but it has a unique presence that definitely commands attention!

 

I spent 2 years looking for my first perfect Ferrari. Won't get into details. In the end the 550 seemed to be my best bet, as I really wanted a nice GT cruiser that could still handle the twisties. I liked the V12 and the stick. Like other Ferraris, prices skyrocketed for anything nice, so a friend suggested the DB9.

WOW!!!

Why I wasted all that time looking for a Ferrari is beyond me. I LOVE my DB9!!! Yes it has a stick Low miles, perfect paint, beautiful interior. (smells incredible) Sounds nice too!

Maintenance is pretty easy, although a few bits need to be removed to do certain service items. No big deal, especially since there are so many great write-ups on this forum.

I'm sure the Vantage is a great car. I may be wrong but it seems the Vantage has a few more potential maintenance glitches than the DB9. Not an expert on the Vantage so please don't take that as gospel.

DB9 (with a stick) is the way to go. You'll never look back.

 

Wow man.. It's like you were telling my story. Exactly the same.. I looked at the 550 and then the 599 (for twice the money as my 05 6-speed DB9).

I hate talking about depreciation as it's so speculative and debatable but I paid 72k for my DB9 4 years ago (17k miles) and today it's probably worth 55k?? Maybe?? With 26k miles and as clean and perfect as you'll ever see. I think you buy a clean, early, 6 speed DB9 today which are crazy cheap and keep the service up to date and miles reasonable, you can't get hurt too bad moving forward. In 10 years people are going to be climbing all over each other for V12 6-speed cars.. IMO.

 

Went and drove the Vantage down the road from me and I must say it put a smile on my face. I doubt that particular car is the one for me though. The options are few and even though it's a 1 owner car, the lack of service records and only possessing one key are issues for me. With that said I could probably get a stupid deal on it seeing as how it's sat on their lot now for 15 months. No matter, the hunt will definitely go on.

 

To find the Aston you want, expand your search to the whole US. It's cheap to ship the car if you must, but better yet take a Vacation-drive when you get it. You could spend a few days with a "Permagrin" driving it home (My trip was from Chicago to Lake Tahoe, NV). I think it's wise to avoid the earlier model Sport Shift and go with Manual--there are several complaints about idiosyncracies of Sport Shift. Get a well Optioned car--and a lot of the must have features are options--Mine had $15,000+ Options (MSRP). Most Astons are "Non-smoking" cars, and that was very important to me. Color Combinations make the car! The 2008 V8 Vantage may only be about $10K more than the 2006, but it will be the 3rd model year with some kinks worked out. The 2009 will be more expensive because of the higher HP engine and interior face-lift.

 

I might have missed this in the FAQ section, but is there a way to decode the VIN and get a build sheet like you can with Porsches? I would love to be able to know exactly what each car I look at was optioned with without having to guess based on pictures alone.

 

Yes sir that's exactly what I'm doing. Taking my sweet time as well especially since I don't have my current vehicle sold and wouldn't have the garage space anyhow. Def leaning towards 07 and up vehicles, although I think 09s will be outside my budget for the time being, I would more than settle for an older one with the sport pack though.

I've asked this as well but haven't seen anyone post anything so I'm guessing maybe this doesn't exist for AMs =/

 

To be clear Shottermcgav1n, the above comment is relevant to the Vantage. The DB9 has a traditional automatic transmission as opposed to the Sport Shift.

 

Thanks for the clarification but that's what I had believed originally as well (DB9 has the ZF right?)

Did they get the sportshift sorted for the '09 and up Vantages?

 

You cannot decode the VIN for that info. However, with the VIN, you can call a friendly AM dealer and get a copy of their printout listing the configuration of the car (colors, options, etc.). This is not exactly a build sheet, which you won't be able to get unless you are VERY friendly with a dealer and they press the factory for it. The build sheet is very detailed, while the dealer printout covers only the basics.

 

Good info. Would a friendly AM dealer also be able to pull maintenance records, assuming they were serviced at AM?

 

Unfortunately no. AM dealers do not sure maintenance records. However, records of the warranty work and recall service performed are centralized and can be pulled.