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I had a deposit on one for February delivery that got pushed off until May. That allowed me to drive my business partners C8 which arrived 2 months earlier than mine. Cancelled my deposit. I will get a 2019 or 20 Vantage instead. Funny , I thought the dealer would be upset I cancelled and wanted my deposit back. They were actually stocked. Guess they intended to get a premium over MSRP.
The reasons I cancelled are numerous. In the end it's a ton of car for the money, no arguing that. However it had small shakes and wiggles, noisy interior bits mostly. Interior looked okay in pictures, felt cheap in person. No doubt it's a ton faster than my current Vantage 0-60, but pulling from 20mph is another story. I can keep up with my buddy on a roll no problem. Just can't launch the AM. The C8 seemed to handle well enough, though in the flat part of the Florida Panhandle, there are no twisties to know for sure.
In the end it was aesthetes, perceived build quality, and that Camaro rear end that were deal killers for me. No regrets at all. There are at least 15 C8s in the small town of Pensacola and only one AM.
Yes, the dealerships are real cocky right now.. $20K over MSRP... I am seeing the private owners prices drop below $95K ... resell inventory in the DMV is growing...
I think you will see the prices drop fast after labor day....
Yep. Dealers in my area are marking them up $30k. Even the "used" ones (i.e. opportunistic flippers) I've seen on cars.com are $100k for a 2LT, which is, what, a $71k car? Yeah, nah. I feel sorry for any rube dumb enough to pay that much for a barely-over-base-model Corvette, especially considering the same money could get you TWO Astons; a 6MT Vantage coupe for you, an automatic DB9 Volante for the significant other, and $20k left in the pocket.
Yep. Dealers in my area are marking them up $30k. Even the "used" ones (i.e. opportunistic flippers) I've seen on cars.com are $100k for a 2LT, which is, what, a $71k car? Yeah, nah. I feel sorry for any rube dumb enough to pay that much for a barely-over-base-model Corvette, especially considering the same money could get you TWO Astons; a 6MT Vantage coupe for you, an automatic DB9 Volante for the significant other, and $20k left in the pocket.
Two 10-year old Vantages vs. a new Vette is not exactly the same. The local dealer is selling at sticker. Or, buy a new 2020 Vantage then watch it depreciate a C8's entire value over the course of the year. Aston has a severe pricing problem across their lineup in the face of low demand whereas the C8 you scoff at is flying off the shelves.
My buddy overpaid about 15K on his Shelby GT350 and when he went to trade it in, the 15K was like it never happened. The resale value is where it would as if it sold at sticker...
I wouldn't. Yes, they made a big leap with this generation and it's the new hot thing but at the end of the day it's a corvette. They're high production run vehicles that are great at what they do (and I'd say it's probably the best bang for the buck out there) but the build quality / fit & finish reflects this. As production ramps up you'll start to see these EVERYWHERE. If you just want a great sports car that performs well a C8 is your ticket but I personally value the special feeling I get from the Aston... not to mention it's still a perfectly quick car for street use.
At the end of the day it's all about how you feel about a car but... the Aston is subtle and I'd say universally appreciated by those who know while the Vette is universally recognized and has that stigma of "look at THIS guy"
911 guy here (993 and 996 GT3), put a deposit in anticipation of a future GrandSport or Z06.
Pulled my deposit once sanity kicked in.
Still looking for the right (local) prior gen Vantage, and will consider a used Z06 some time down the road - provided it comes with a (reliable) flat plane N/A V8.
Only so much room in the garage LOL!
Last edited by Matt Lane; Jul 29, 2020 at 08:37 PM.
Because of Covid (business slower) I made a decision to move from my beloved 2017 V12S to a C8 - which was supposed to arrive next spring but was moved up in production because of the color (Blade Silver) no longer being available. The equity in the V12S allowed me to pay cash for the C8 ($68,000) which was LT2, with front lift and exhaust. I did not get the Z-51 but ordered it with the rear wing which was discontinued, so no wing, which I think looks better. I had a chance to drive back to back a Z-51 and my V12S which oddly handled (to me) very close. The ride was much better and more comfortable in the Vette (they changed the tires and the tire noise was non-existent). The Z51 I drive had the mag shocks. The C8 I ordered was a non- Z51 because I was intending to keep the V12S and use the C8 as my daily driver, but with Covid I had to make a decision- one or the other. Needless to say, a non-Z51 without mag shocks the handling is sacrificed for a smoother ride, so any Vantage will feel the road much better than a standard C8, so if I could redo the order, I would have at least ordered the mag shock option now available as a stand alone in 2021. The first few weeks in the C8 bothered me because I gave up the road feel. But now with 3,000 miles - so I'm used to the difference.
When I picked up the car, I extended the bumper-to-bumper with a non-deductible warranty through seven years - $1,800. No annual inspection needed to 'keep the warranty' as required with the Aston. I get 21 MPG in the City - about 30 MPG on the highway - about the same aggressiveness as I drove my V8 and V12 Vantages. You cannot tell when the car is in 4 cylinder mode other than a display as such.
Noise: I had a 2009 V8 Vantage without the Sport Exhaust - no noise - big mistake. All other of the 6 Vantages I owned had incredible sound that makes it's way to the drivers ear - always. The C8 is very loud - possibly more so than any of my past Vantages - but only when you floor it with the exhaust active. Only then does some of that sound makes it way to my ears. That firewall and insulated glass and long distance from driver to the exhaust acts as a pretty good sound barrier - one I'd rather not have. You can put the car in tour mode to start quieter (still loud but not as much) to make a better neighbor. A Vantage sounds better than a C8, and it makes the driving experience better.
Transmission: I liked both paddle shift and manual on the Vantages - although the heavy clutch on my 2007 was vey irritating in traffic. With the sportshift I found it delightfully involving - loved it. When I test drove the new Vantage with the automatic - Slam on the gas, and it drops instantly to a lower gear - then let up and it hangs on far too long to that lower gear - very irritating. C8 is identical. Using the paddles does not involve lifting on the pedal - zero involvement. A Vantage you can paddle shift listening to the exhaust - the new Vantage and teh C8 far less involving - so I'd rather have old school.
Instrumentation and Interior: I have the tan interior - fake leather. If I'd re-order I would do the LT3 all tan real leather, but specify the dash in black - did not know at the time of the order it was available that way. I loved the analog instruments in the Vantage, hated the digital in the new Vantage - there was just something cheap looking about both DB11 and that I-pad cheap looking too-small display. I'm assuming some third party will come up with some replacement switches that is less 'plastic', but overall in some ways the interior is far better than the Vantage - but nothing is as elegant than the Vantage and DB9 - maybe the Roma, but that's quite the benchmark. That said, all of the digital stuff is great. I set the recorder (high definition) to record full time so I have a dash cam. The electronics for the rear vision is a must - forget driving this car without it. The cameras and parking aids are incredible, the automatic front lift, the seat that automatically allows easy enter and exit, the various drive modes instantly and easily available all add up to missing the Vantages quite a bit less. The car has some 'star wars' Lambo elements I'm not so fond of - the Hurcan looking shift mechanism to me is weird and awkward - and the frunk hood line not a fan of - minor problems.
Washing: No problem with any past Vantage - you cannot take the C8 through a car wash - even hands free. The solid belly pan cannot drain water fast, so the engine bay can fill up with water... we are working on a possible fix.
Front and side radiators and vents. All C8's will get radiator damage without a third party screening - I'm assuming next gen C8's will have this fix. The side vents like to collet stuff, especially leaves in the fall, so adding screens (when someone makes them available) probably a good idea.
Overall Impression: If you have a Vantage and like it - keep it but use the C8 as your daily driver. I'll likely have an older 4.7 Vantage in the future when things pick up. The C8 by far - for the value is the best deal on the planet. Just as quick and fast as any exotic for the price of a decent SUV. It does not drive anything like the past Corvettes which I never liked. I certainly won't miss the mandatory inspections and warranty extension pricing and having to argue with Aston Martin to cover things that should be warranty coverage - that was one of the key issues that I considered moving from the V12S to the C8. You can change the exhaust on the C8 and do other mods that will not impact warranty - no so much on Aston's.
I de-badged the C8, and are adding my own touches without breaking the bank.
Because of Covid (business slower) I made a decision to move from my beloved 2017 V12S to a C8 - which was supposed to arrive next spring but was moved up in production because of the color (Blade Silver) no longer being available. The equity in the V12S allowed me to pay cash for the C8 ($68,000) which was LT2, with front lift and exhaust. I did not get the Z-51 but ordered it with the rear wing which was discontinued, so no wing, which I think looks better. I had a chance to drive back to back a Z-51 and my V12S which oddly handled (to me) very close. The ride was much better and more comfortable in the Vette (they changed the tires and the tire noise was non-existent). The Z51 I drive had the mag shocks. The C8 I ordered was a non- Z51 because I was intending to keep the V12S and use the C8 as my daily driver, but with Covid I had to make a decision- one or the other. Needless to say, a non-Z51 without mag shocks the handling is sacrificed for a smoother ride, so any Vantage will feel the road much better than a standard C8, so if I could redo the order, I would have at least ordered the mag shock option now available as a stand alone in 2021. The first few weeks in the C8 bothered me because I gave up the road feel. But now with 3,000 miles - so I'm used to the difference.
When I picked up the car, I extended the bumper-to-bumper with a non-deductible warranty through seven years - $1,800. No annual inspection needed to 'keep the warranty' as required with the Aston. I get 21 MPG in the City - about 30 MPG on the highway - about the same aggressiveness as I drove my V8 and V12 Vantages. You cannot tell when the car is in 4 cylinder mode other than a display as such.
Noise: I had a 2009 V8 Vantage without the Sport Exhaust - no noise - big mistake. All other of the 6 Vantages I owned had incredible sound that makes it's way to the drivers ear - always. The C8 is very loud - possibly more so than any of my past Vantages - but only when you floor it with the exhaust active. Only then does some of that sound makes it way to my ears. That firewall and insulated glass and long distance from driver to the exhaust acts as a pretty good sound barrier - one I'd rather not have. You can put the car in tour mode to start quieter (still loud but not as much) to make a better neighbor. A Vantage sounds better than a C8, and it makes the driving experience better.
Transmission: I liked both paddle shift and manual on the Vantages - although the heavy clutch on my 2007 was vey irritating in traffic. With the sportshift I found it delightfully involving - loved it. When I test drove the new Vantage with the automatic - Slam on the gas, and it drops instantly to a lower gear - then let up and it hangs on far too long to that lower gear - very irritating. C8 is identical. Using the paddles does not involve lifting on the pedal - zero involvement. A Vantage you can paddle shift listening to the exhaust - the new Vantage and teh C8 far less involving - so I'd rather have old school.
Instrumentation and Interior: I have the tan interior - fake leather. If I'd re-order I would do the LT3 all tan real leather, but specify the dash in black - did not know at the time of the order it was available that way. I loved the analog instruments in the Vantage, hated the digital in the new Vantage - there was just something cheap looking about both DB11 and that I-pad cheap looking too-small display. I'm assuming some third party will come up with some replacement switches that is less 'plastic', but overall in some ways the interior is far better than the Vantage - but nothing is as elegant than the Vantage and DB9 - maybe the Roma, but that's quite the benchmark. That said, all of the digital stuff is great. I set the recorder (high definition) to record full time so I have a dash cam. The electronics for the rear vision is a must - forget driving this car without it. The cameras and parking aids are incredible, the automatic front lift, the seat that automatically allows easy enter and exit, the various drive modes instantly and easily available all add up to missing the Vantages quite a bit less. The car has some 'star wars' Lambo elements I'm not so fond of - the Hurcan looking shift mechanism to me is weird and awkward - and the frunk hood line not a fan of - minor problems.
Washing: No problem with any past Vantage - you cannot take the C8 through a car wash - even hands free. The solid belly pan cannot drain water fast, so the engine bay can fill up with water... we are working on a possible fix.
Front and side radiators and vents. All C8's will get radiator damage without a third party screening - I'm assuming next gen C8's will have this fix. The side vents like to collet stuff, especially leaves in the fall, so adding screens (when someone makes them available) probably a good idea.
Overall Impression: If you have a Vantage and like it - keep it but use the C8 as your daily driver. I'll likely have an older 4.7 Vantage in the future when things pick up. The C8 by far - for the value is the best deal on the planet. Just as quick and fast as any exotic for the price of a decent SUV. It does not drive anything like the past Corvettes which I never liked. I certainly won't miss the mandatory inspections and warranty extension pricing and having to argue with Aston Martin to cover things that should be warranty coverage - that was one of the key issues that I considered moving from the V12S to the C8. You can change the exhaust on the C8 and do other mods that will not impact warranty - no so much on Aston's.
I de-badged the C8, and are adding my own touches without breaking the bank.
The Corvette was designed by GM, tested for years, then built, then sold and it cannot go through any kind of carwash? And has other baked in issues? I just remembered why I don't buy GM cars. Ever.
If you haven't had a chance to drive the C8 do it. It really is an amazing car. I have 4 buddies that own them already and I have driven one of theirs. The acceleration off the line is crazy and it handles very well. I would love to have one as a daily driver but I'm not getting rid of any of my cars to get one. The problem with any Vette is still the same. They are mass producing them and already when the weather was still decent here there were lots on the road. In one drive to go downtown and back I saw 5 of them driving around and they were just starting to deliver them around here. Now they are delivering them all winter and in the spring you will see a **** ton of them and they will be as common as 911's. I still like to drive something that you don't see every day and is still special.
So I have cooled down on the C8 buy... After several coffee and cars this year, I still saw Lambos, Ferrari's and other exotics get the most camera time. I see you have to really customize it to make it stand out and the dealer markup is still outrageous...
I'm watching the used prices on the 458/488's too...
So I have cooled down on the C8 buy... After several coffee and cars this year, I still saw Lambos, Ferrari's and other exotics get the most camera time. I see you have to really customize it to make it stand out and the dealer markup is still outrageous...
I'm watching the used prices on the 458/488's too...
THE MID-ENGINE ITCH....
How about an Evora GT? Probably the best handling one out of the bunch.
Seen few of the new C8's in local cars & coffee, it's not for me, I'm not a fan choppy lines & specially that side vents & interior is boring too. As much as I don't like the new Vantage design, but I'll still take that over new Vette.
