Looking to buy a Rapide and would like to hear opinions or experience on "higher mileage" V12's.

There are several Rapide's for sale with 20-40k miles on them at around 10K discount over the under 20k mile cars. To me it seems a car with 30k miles for 2011 would be a car that has had constant use and should run well. I get nervous seeing the same car with 10k; should I be? Am I opening myself to issues from lack of use or not shaking out issues to fix on warranty?

Spoke to an AM dealer in FL and they said their season starts in January and expect more Rapide's to come on market as DB11 trade-in's. Think that is the case?

I can wait until then, but anxious to settled on a car and move on. Would need to buy snow tires which I see is $1400 on Tire Rack. The local AM dealer matches their prices.

I haven't seen the ideal car in my price range yet, but a few that are 90% of what I'd spec myself. Trade in values for my car are all over the place.

 

Mileage: If you buy with 40k, but in 3 years the car is at 60k; there goes your value to a degree, or trade in will hit you hard most likely. Question is this: Is it worth for you to pay 10k now and in 3 years have the 40k car, or wait. I would bet down the road the higher mileage would cost you more than the 10k when you go to sell it.

Plus, you with a higher milage car might not drive it the way you would really want too. All in trying to not put much mileage on it.


I bought a 30k mile car when for the same money I could have gotten a 15k mile car. My purchase was based on absolutely knowing the history of the car, it being rare too, and knowing it was well sorted out and taken care of. But, I worry about getting to the 40k mark and higher all the time. Hell, its only at 32k now, and I still slightly worry about it.

Hope all this helps

 

The mileage I put on it does not worry me, since it was me who got to put them on. I think the Rapide is a car I could hold onto for a while on looks alone. The other factor is whether the lower mileage car will be as reliable as the higher one. Those repairs are not an insignificant cost.


The next thing is waiting to January really worth it and passing on some good contenders right now? Two dealers both up here and in FL are saying January is better.

 

January is a great time to be buying in the North, I don't think there's ever a great time in Florida where they don't sit in garages or on dealers lots all Winter.


I'd always go for the lowest mileage, means the least wear if it was driven responsibly and serviced correctly. You have to remember how many of these cars never get driven, weekend date night, stored all winter, etc. Even Sherriff has only put 2000 miles on his and it's already considered high mileage at 30k.


Buy the right car for the right price, the when is when you find it.

 

Issue I have is trading my car in. Quotes are all over the place and on the low side. AM dealer have more want for than a regular high line dealer.


Working on one deal right now, but are like 5K apart. I don't think either one will budge. I know I have future cars and am not in any situation. Just drove the Vantage back from the gym and man is that car a driver! The sports suspension is a little hard for roads around Boston.

 

Any trade you'll take the short stack, doesn't matter the dealer.

You just got the Vantage, why the new desire for the Rapide? Though I admit it's the most beautiful 4 door ever built, the Vantage is the most beautiful 2 door

 

Previous to buying the Vantage, I had only driven a Rapide once. I thought the Vantage would have enough utility for me with a decent size trunk and some space behind the seats (owned an Evora and XK Coupe), but in the end I need more space than I realize. My girlfriend can't drive a manual and it's much harder over bumps than the Evora. Evora at least had a back seat for our dog. In the end, this car as amazing as it is to drive, just doesn't suit my life at the moment. I bought the Vantage without ever having a chance to drive one. Local dealership seemed tentative at letting me test drive a new one and they did not have a used Vantage in over 5 months waiting for them to find one.


I work from home, but this is my only car. The real sports car drives are few and far between; more so than I day dreamed. I spend more time looking at the car in the garage than I do driving it. The Rapide just looks more wicked to me in that respect.


I'd like to sell it private party, but don't have the energy for tire kickers and scammers. Maybe someone looking on this forum would be into it?


It's not the end of the world hardly if I hold on to the Vantage, but I would like to get this settled so we can plan for road trips in the Rapide next season.

 

FWIW... Try to sell private and if the right car is still available, you could get the dealer to do a sale to the private party and take a trade on paper. Save sales tax ( at least here in Florida, trades reduce sales tax, only at a dealer)

 

I was going to mention that, have a dealer handle the sale so you don't pay the sales tax twice.

 

NOT! Vantage is entry level crap.

 

I'm so glad they make these little crappy 2 seat sports cars. I surely wouldn't want one of those over bloated 2 doors with child seats.

Must really suck that the real Bond is currently driving one of those crappy red V12V roadsters, and he can choose any car he wants. Hmmmm.

 

If I had a third garage space, I'd keep the Vantage and buy a third practical car. My better half drives our Jag XE R-Sport which was mine before the Aston. She was leasing a Volvo that is over miles and I can use that until Feb.

I planned on putting snow tires or snow wheels on the Vantage, but everything is up in the air. I am covered until Feb with the Volvo, but March and April will be tough if I don't have a 2nd set of wheels or tires. I am leaning on a used set of wheels with snows the dealer has right now. The heat and heated seats in the Vantage work great.

 

I'd never put snow tires on the V8. I make sure I have 3 days essentials if a bad storm is coming. I won't drive it when the streets are white, I can wait till they're mostly black. I work from home too so I only have to have food and water

If I have to do something during a storm Enterprise will pick me up!

 

I too would wait until the streets on plowed, but the temps are too low for summer tires. I did several season in all seasons in my XK, and had snows on my VDP that rocked. I think the Vantage could be fun in the winter as long as it is clear. I can wash the car in my garage.

 

Summer tires are fantastic fun in the winter. It takes very little stress on the driveline to throw it around corners, or just play with it hanging out a little. And they still grip good enough to stay planted in a hot curve. Wet, not so much.