Ive always liked both marques. One of my current cars is an Aston DB9 and I really absolutely love the car, everything about it. However I've also really liked the Bentley GT. Wondering what are some of your thoughts I regards to the differences in these 2 cars? My DB9 is a sports pack and 6 speed manual so it can do the grand touring long trips highway duty or spirited drives like a tight sport handling coupe, so it's versatile and a pleasure to drive, and the v12 is just splendid. I've admired Bentley for a long time, very powerful cars, interiors are sumptuous, similar to Aston but differences well. Would be nice to get some of your opinions, I am not a bentley expert. Would you ever replace an Aston with a bentley of vice versa. They are both full size big front engine GT cars, both british, and both have their own personality. Does it make sense to have both in that they are different enoughor are they similar enough to have one over the other and do basically the same thing with either one. Thanks guys

 

Hi Sunir,

Had this debate a few years ago and came away with the 2006 CGT. It basically boiled down to wanting a smoother ride than the AM and higher quality interior craftsmenship (and higher reliability/lower TCO).

 

I'd also imagine driving a manual versus an automatic would factor in as well. I own neither but I am considering both within the next year or two so I am a not close but leaning toward a GTC. While I love the look of the Aston I've heard and read so many things about their reliability that it concerns me. You own one so you certainly have real experience there.

I currently have a 964 Turbo and it has been rock solid for the five years I've had it so I am spoiled. The Bentley is a German car with a British name and origin.

 

I vote for owning both. Something to drive while the AM is in the shop.

 

Come on guys Astons are reliable I've had mine for almost a year now and it spent less time at the shop than my 997 TT. That being said it is a tough choice between the Bentley and the Aston and I almost went for the Bentley. The CGT is an incredible car!

 

I love them both. Such awesome vehicles. But if it came down to the wire, I would take the Bentley GTC over the Aston.

 

Norm what's scary about that comment is you said "it spent less time at the shop"....You've had it less than 12 months and it has already been to the shop? Say it ain't so buddy! Please tell me it isn't new...then again for your sake I hope it is so it is covered.

Aston owners have a warped sense for what's an acceptable level of reliability! Do you celebrate every time you hit the start button and it activates?

I'm not taking any personal shots at you so please understand that...I love these cars but I'm trying to figure out do I love them enough to roll the dice...maintenance costs are one thing...unpredictable repairs are what can make ownership great or a nightmare...even if you can afford it...the other car I am considering is the 997TT so not good to hear that's a regular to the repair shop.

 

Sorry Norman I should have said "just kidding" instead of using the icon.

Regarding: "Does it make sense to have both in that they are different"
I still vote yes especially if you consider the GTC (convertible) as your Bentley choice. If you like convertibles, it would provide you widest variety of driving experiences. If not and you decide to get the GT, it would still make the purchase of the Bentley a safer bet. That is, if in the unlikely event that the Bentley did not ultimately suit you, you could ease out of it and keep your AM. If you decide you ultimately want only one of them and you prefer the Bentley, you can ease out of the AM.

You would be a lucky man indeed if you get both.

 

No it was at the shop only once for a belt replacement other than that it was über reliable. My Porsche however spent quite a few night at the shop over the same amount of time.

 

What year is your Vantage? I live in the NY area and the other thing I have to consider is servicing of the car. I live in Westchester and get my car serviced at Rennwerke in Elmsford versus going to a Porsche dealership where it is likely they have limited experience in working on a car that is only a few years younger than them.

I'm assuming you since your car is newer or new you get it serviced at the "stealership"....

 

It's an 08. I got it serviced at AM Long Island.

 

Tuned up Bentleys are pretty sporty guys. Souped up Bentleys are even faster. By all means, they are not true sports cars because of the weight and nimbleness. Carbon fiber her out, remove the spare, tune her up and with the AWD, the driving experience is simply amazing I only had one bad experience with her because of a bad tuning program. Besides that, she was one of my daily drivers. My Audis put me at the stealership more times than the Bentley. Thank god for warranties!

 

Oops, forgot an important part of the equasion. The Bentley is AWD and since we get snow by the meter in these parts for 3 to 4 months of the year... whereas the RWD AM would be left for dead.

So as a daily driver including snow = Bentley FTW

 

Wow guys awesome conversation, first off thanks to the Bentley forum guys for being open minded and trying to give some great options, I'm in the Aston forums (matter of fact I'm the moderator of that forum) so I wanted to post here to see what the other half had to say. Here are some of my thoughts...

So lets talk about British cars, I've loved German cars for a long time and have a few, but the Aston was my first Britiish car. First off I love Aston Martins to me they are amazing cars they are an iconic marque, they represent refinement and sport, they have great lineage and pedigree, they offer stunning great looks, interiors are gorgeous and they have an amazing sound (the DB9's V12 is music!) and overall performance, power, handling etc for a GT with sport pack and manual it's a superb car.

Now onto the Bentley I LOVE the diamond stitched leather, I've always likd VW so their influence on Bentley is not a bad one in my esimate, I also have heard great things about the turbo W12. It's a big motor and noteworthy for it's performance. The Bentley may be an incredible cruiser and long distance car. I could take or not take the AWD, don't care about that as a factor, I prefer RWD for sports performance but the AWD setups these days from Porsche, Lambo, Bentley are superb. My main concern would be the car's girth and it's sheer size.

Now it seems that a lot of the talk here is in regard to reliability. I do not know about reliability on the Bentley, no experience there. However I can tell you on my Aston it's been dead nuts reliable. I've had the rear rotors replaced, pads replaced, and new tires put on and an oil service over the past year but nothing has gone wrong on the car, it's been rock solid. Aston has an annual maintainance in 2 varients for alternating years, next year I will have all the fluids changed. Again these are all standard maintainance but the car has been absolutely problem free (knock on wood )

I'm not considering a convertible or comparing to a soft top car, I don't really like convertibles except for very few instances, and on certain cars. I have an SL55 AMG Mercedes hard top convertible that I've modified wtih a bunch of go fast parts which is a very fun car, and that's a convertible I like due to it's hardtop which makes it a coupe when needed.

In terms of relaibility I think I've been fortunate...aside from my BMW race car which I've had the engine rebuilt twice , the others have not been basket cases for trouble. My Porsche GT2 has been solid over the years, and my VW 337 has been dead on reliable. I like German cars a lot and have found them to be pretty solid, my DB9 was my first English car and it has been solid relaible also. I am hoping should I add a Bentley at some point to the mix it too will keep that trend alive !

here are some pics of my Aston...from a pic thread I put up a few weeks ago... https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ent-shots.html










Here's the race car...(the one that has required the most "shop time" but also the one that's most fun, track driven only, campained for 4 seasons and now I use it to instruct students out at PCA, BMW, and other track events)



...and the very reliable Porsche! It's a Eurospec GT2, made to German market standards and just really a strong, very fast, reliable and solid car...unlike the 997 cars, this car came without TC, no PSM, basically and not nanny's to me it's a pure drivers car and it can really take some punishment...it's what they nicknamed "the widow maker" when it was first released.







And my SL55 AMG...this one I've had extended warranty and it has gotten a replacement batttery, and other items donw on warranty but nothing major...it too has been extremely reliable Currently selling this one if you know anyone interested have then give me a shout!

 

Too many sensible answers here. Did you select your wife on a proven list of her housekeeping abilities, or her looks?

The heart should always win with car selection too.

Having had both of these cars, I'd get both again and enjoy the big differences in temperaments of these lovely vehicles. In fact I'm looking for a black DB9 early next year as an addition to my stable.

As for maintenance, it took a long time before I was able to accept that many exotics are good at one things (looks) and bad at others (fixin' costs), but the CGT is one of the rare examples of everything working together well. The Aston isn't - it will always be a thoroughbred and should be treated as one when it comes to estimating its effect on the pocket.

PS. Just seen the photos of your cars sunir, stunning! There's something about the DB9 like no other profile out there.