$27k? That leaves me speechless. I can't believe mileage has that much of an impact on value. I would have happily paid you more than that.

If anyone else is getting shafted that badly hit me up.

 

I must disagree wth Deckman. That would be significant mileage for any car. IMO exotics are much less durable and repairs significantly more expensive than conventional vehicles.
I would never even consider an 80,000 mile Aston regardless of price.
Just my 2 cents

 

I posted my thoughts in the previous thread regarding my move from a 911 Carrera S to a Vantage.

Thinking about it since then, I've also been disappointed by Porsche's 997 engine class division (m97 wet sump vs dry sump metzger) and all issues associated with it (RMS leaks, IMS failure, no racing slicks allowed). Although I didn't experience any of those things personally with my Porsches, hearing about them from my Porsche service advisor didn't sit well.

The Vantage has been amazing in that respect. I've learned a lot about the Vantage engine from the service advisors and the Aston Martin racing team: so many similarities between the GT4 and the standard Vantage and many interchangeable parts and upgrades.

The new PDK transmission is amazingly fast and efficient but not very involving. If I were in the market for a new 991, I'd be looking for a GT3 or Turbo with a manual transmission. Unfortunately, no such thing is offered, which narrowed my choices and made my move to Aston Martin much easier.

I only hope they continue to offer the manual transmission option with the new Astons.

 

I have had a number of P cars, and in 2013 started driving a new 991 as my dd. It was great as a dd (I put winter tires on to handle chicago winter).

Last spring I bought an 08 v8v, thinking I would keep both. I found myself taking our suv if I needed practical, or the AM when I wanted fun. Got rid of the 991 this fall.

I think the v8v prices for 2006-2012 are crazy cheap. You won't pay much more for an '08 that gets you improved center console (inside of 08 U.S. like 09). I've also seen 09 fir pretty cheap.

If it is not a DD I would get AM in heartbeat.

Thus far I have only had to change oil, replace battery and reprogram seat/window memory. This forum helped me keep costs down. I also added a 2nd key fob (using volvo guts)

 

Gotta disagree that Astons aren't durable or reliable. They have some issues, sure. But for an exotic, they're VERY stout cars. I abuse mine and it keeps asking for more. I'm sure eventually it's going to bite me in the butt, but I've got 55k very hard miles on the car and it's still driving beautifully. They really are drivers' cars and meant to be driven. Beware the low-mile garage queen!

I DD'd my V8V for a few months in Georgia during the fall while I was in between second cars. No issues at all driving it daily, running errands, etc.

Maintenance can be very expensive, but that's a different issue (dealerships have to charge a premium due to lack of volume, many buyers want a dealership-stamped service record, so some owners are "forced" to pay a lot for regular maintenance). If you do it yourself, it's very inexpensive for an exotic ($400/yr for engine oil, gear oil, filters, thermostat, etc...). I can replace the thermostat in a V8V in an hour using Jag parts. Let's call it $50-60 in parts and free (me) labor. That's a $450 job at the dealership. Savings are out there if you want to find them. But if you're worried about the dealership stamp, there's no avoiding the premium.

When I was shopping around, I drove a 997 C2S. Great car. Did nothing for me. It was excellent and I had no issues with it, but I didn't need it. The first time I drove an Aston, I knew I had to have one. You're spending a lot of money on what's basically a toy. You might as well get the one that appeals most to that fact - a toy should excite you. Drive both and see which one sticks with you.

 

So I have a 991.1 with a 991.2 on order and also a '15 GT roadster .... They're just different cars. Simple as that. One is a fast supercomputer that literally anyone could drive and is awesome. The other is like a classy divers watch ... It's no iWatch, but damn if it's not awesome in literally every way - engaging, restless, dangerous if mishandled, capable of so much and gorgeous in ways the 911 will never be. So, I'm fortunate to have both ... But in having both I can appreciate that they are totally different cars. And on lazy days when I'm going for a drive, there's no choice .... Me and the Aston.

 

Larryg $27k will get you a similar mileage 2002 Porsche 996 C2 that cost maybe $80k when new. Which do you think is a better value?

 

Point well made.
I have always ranked low mileage as a must when purchasing any previously owned car.
Purchasing my first AM (new V8V) in May, admittedly I don't know this marque very well.
I have always assumed that they were rather fragile.

 

These are beautiful cars, but the technology behind how its made and the drivetrain is not exotic by any means, I think they are quite reliable.

There are no industry innovations / or firsts in the way the chassis was build, the suspension was designed, maximizing power from the engine etc, it's pretty much old tech all around and I don't mean that in a bad way.

 

I'll say this about my Aston. I bought it to drive it and I did. I do not save my cars for the next owner but I do keep them well maintained. The Aston ran just as strong with 80k miles as it did with 10k. It had the AMT2 transmission and didn't need a clutch replacement until 75k miles. Thats not because I drove it like an old lady. In fact it had 3 track days under its belt, 3 hot Texas summers and one ridiculously icy winter. I had the dealership do the regular service, I added an oil change in-between each 10k mile regular services and gearbox flush at ever 20k miles (or post track day). I put more tires on it than I care to count and changed the all the rotors and pads like my life depended on them.

Never got any engine codes, it never left me stranded on the side of the road (except when the clutch went out) and in spite of the ridiculously high service prices, I really liked the guys in the shop at the dealership. They were all car guys. I was ready to drive the car for another 80k miles but some flash flooding and cocky driving put the old girl into a wall... she held up pretty good for that too. I can't speak for the V12 but the V8 motor is a solid piece of engineering that will last 100k + miles if you take care of it.

 

I'm convinced.... Now I just have to find the right car. Just missed a local car that sounded great.

Any leads appreciated!

 

I have both currently, and there are definitely a LOT more DIYs and how-to's for Porsche. I'm 6'3" and find the 911 more comfortable as well. But the A-M has style. It turns heads, much more so than a 911.

 

I do everything myself, in terms of repairs and such. I've found that PARTS are hard to find online for the Aston. There's the dealership and a few online places in the UK, but haven't found a good online supplier here in the US. Like a Pelican Parts-type place that has not just OEM parts but the exact same part from the same OEM supplier but at half price b/c it doesn't have the Porsche part number on it.

 

...and I imagine there aren't any Aston dealers that do a brisk, somewhat discounted internet parts service? Like Sunset, Suncoast, Sonnen, etc. in the Porsche world?

 

Maybe, but I haven't found one yet. Anyone have a name?