Townshend

Has anyone made this (or a similiar) move to a Vantage or anyone happen to own both? I'd be curious your thoughts. Thanks!

papashango

I sometimes contemplate this too. Pretty sure the Vantage will be slower but it's am Aston Martin at the end of the day. I might be going down this route a few years down the line. We will see. If you can, go ahead.

darkus

I was about to pull the trigger on one before the C63, but then after driving two different examples with different generations of the sportshift transmission, I said forget it. Its a truly horrid transmission in an otherwise stellar car.

The other irksome thing about the car, when looking back compared to the C63 was the relative lack of grunt from the motor, but it isn't a major issue if you car more about the dynamics of driving rather then being pushed back into your seat.

BUT if you really enjoy the torque or need an auto-transmission (for commuting/etc) then forget about the AMV8 and wait for the replacement in a few years. If you are going to get manual and are into a drivers car, then its a great choice

I got the C63 and have never looked back, mainly because of the transmission issue which made it a no deal

realjones88

Do you mean a used Aston in the same price range as a C63 or a brand new one?

I did consider the V8 Vantage when I was looking for a car. The 2009 and earlier models under 75K are amazing cars if you want that feeling of being in an Aston. The Aston is about A to B in style, like a grand tourer. The newer models have more power, but considering the price tag of the car the performance is just not on the level you might expect it to be. The Aston still has beautiful lines, but the Ford Fusion and the like have made it feel more dated to me.

From a performance and usability side, the C63 is better in every way. Much faster, reliable, Nav system isn't a tiny Garmin from 2006, but the Aston does have full interior leather.

want attention, want to go fast: ferrari, lambo
fast with no attention: porsche
fast, no attention, but need four doors or a backseat: m3, C63, etc.

It's like the V8 vantage gets considered just because it's an Aston, but there are other cars that do what it does better.

roadtalontsi

cant speak for a vantage. There is no denying the looks of any aston. I have driven a DBS and i was loved it. Only thing i didnt like was the engine, it was very weak. for the money it needed atleast another 100hp to make it exciting (too heavy). Ya i know thats not it's purpose but any car with carbon brakes should atleast have an engine to justify them.

Lotus Evora is another good alternative, not the fastest but looks the part and blast to drive.

g-f

BEAUTIFUL car! I know three guys that have one. They all look great!

But it is not a fast car. Coming from a modded 996TT I don't even consider my flashed C63 to be quick. But it is a rocket compared to the V8-Vantage.

It all depends on what you want. But if style is high on your list, there is no denying that the Vantage is an amazing looking car!

C..Mr Amg

These are completely in two different classes..I remember when i went from a Mazda to my 06 C230 Sport...my friends were like you're gonna have nothing but problems..after doing my research on the brand..I pulled the trigger and went for my Merc..so using your situation..do your research wisely and make your decision from there...I will say this...you live once so **** it and go for the Aston...

deadfission

The aston will pull much less than your 63 AMG. I drove an 08 V8 Vantage before buying my C63 and was utterly unimpressed by its performance. That being said, AM is my favorite car manufacturer on earth and I would buy the Vantage just because it was a AM. The only reason I didn't was because I wanted 4 doors so my dogs could ride with me.

The DB9/10 will be my next toy

papashango

This reminds me of a funny little story from a few years ago. I was a lot younger and living with my parents. They reside in a pretty affluent neighbourhood with large houses and fancy cars. For example, neighbours have Lambo's, Bentley's, AM etc. I had a 350Z at the time and was with a buddy working on it on our driveway inside the gated lot. We notice a guy and her little kid walking by on the sidewalk and as the cars drove by the kid would yell out, 'dad look a BMW', 'dad look a Mercedes' etc. I still remember this so vividly, the father just stops the kid, looks at him and in the most serious tone says, 'listen Ben, only poor people drive BMW's and Mercedes', your daddy drives an Aston Martin'.

Haha...I laughed pretty hard. The dad looked very serious but to this day I am not sure if he actually was or was just joking around with the kid. If he was serious, not exactly the best kind of things you should be teaching to your kid.

Anyway, moral of the story AM is an AM even if it's not that fast. lol

avery.whss

they are sick cars but not faster, i've raced a white vantage V8, funny thing is it's for sale @ the mercedes dealer now

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...1e9d9462b83147

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.n...459f13e5b9f00f


heres a picture of it actually lol funny it's sitting with a few other AMG's

The asian kid must of traded it in after the race

350Zed

Skip the AM aisle and look toward Jaguar...

C..Mr Amg

^^^^ Great other option..

g-f

Or just get the C7 Z06 and call it a day.

SL55_Forever

SL65 with tune is a MUCH better choice

PeterUbers

Jag is impressing me with every new car they put out...

Diabolis

I have had both. My C63 is a 2013 Canadian APX coupe (P30 stiffer/lower suspension + P31 powertrain + LSD) and the Vantage was a manual 6-speed 2007 coupe (first-gen 4.3L 380 hp motor w/o the 20 hp retrofit power upgrade), so a performance comparison is obviously somewhat unfair. I haven't driven one, but I am told that the Vantage S is a much better performing car and thus would likely equal if not better the C63, as would the V12.

Compared to the '07, my C63 outperformed it in almost every aspect and is certainly much better suited as a daily driver. I only tracked the Vantage once (very carefully) and it does handle better than the C63 owing to its proportions, lower CG, weight balance and geometry, but then again so does my 25-year-old 928 GT. The C63 is considerably faster, more comfortable, quieter when you want it to be, has two extra seats and a trunk and is much more suited to daily life.

The interior fit and finish of the Aston was margianlly better than the C63 (LCI car so itself already an improvement over the pre-2012), from the quality of the leather to the complete absence of any rattles, and IMHO scored considerably higher on the sexiness scale with the dash layout and those metallic gauges and counter-clockwise tach that you keep glancing at because they're just freakin' sexy. The nav sucked but the audio was better than the premium C63 HK LOGIC-7 system. I fortunately didn't have any reliability issues with the car during the two years I owned it and I bought it used with 42K km on the clock, but I know the original owner personally and thus the complete vehicle history and how he drove it, and he did have his fair share of issues. And, in all fairness, I only took the Vantage out on nice weekends in the summer and only put about 5K km on it in two years.

Image-wise, to most people on the road in the C63 you're usually just another middle-class dude. In the Vantage, you're always a rich ****** despite the fact that I got mine for less than half of what I paid for the new C63. And, if you're self-employed or run a smal business, you do have to take this into account. When your clients see you drive a C63, to them it's just a C-class and it says "he's good at what he does and moving up in the world". If they see you driving an Aston, the first thing that goes through their mind is "I am overpaying this guy". Just somethign to keep in mind if it applies to you. The large majority of my clients didn't even know I had the car.

So - if there ever was an apples-to-oranges comparison, this is it. For a more meaningful one, you really need to compare the Vantage to a 911. As it is, the C63 is logically a better car in all regards -- but it doesn't make you feel like you're James Bond when driving it. You don't buy an Aston to go fast or because it's practical - you buy it only because of the way it makes you feel. Put another way, the C63 is your beautiful, intelligent, well-educated, well-maintained, elegant and still sexy wife that you make love to once or twice a week. The Vantage on the other hand is your gorgeous but high-maintenance, immature and unsophisticated 22-year-old college-student mistress that you only see once every couple of months, but when you get back to her place after a night out she ties you up to her bed and comes back in the room wearing a black leather corset, stockings and 5" heels and has her way with you until she decides she's had enough. Does that put things in perspective?

papashango

Image is the only reason I contemplate getting the Aston over the C63. I already know it won't be as fast and fun to drive. Although being able to drive in winter is important to me I don't care what kinda car it is. I don't think the Aston should be any mor difficult than the c63 in the winter? I drive the c63 year round so expect it to be decent as well.

Viper98912

I love the DBS, hope to have one one day. Such a beautiful car, sexy V12, etc etc. I also love the new Vanquish, but that's just because it's awesome in general. Don't know if it's $300,000 awesome though.

I was cross-shopping the SL with the AMV8. Sure enough a dealer I went to had both. The guy had owned both before and when I asked him his opinion, he said the Vantage is no contest to the SL. The SL is a better car in every way shape and form in everything, EXCEPT for maybe looks. The Vantage makes you feel good in getting from A to B, and does a great job doing it. It's a nice, sporty car. But its just that, a nice, sophisticated, cruising in my tuxedo in an awesome sports car.

But the truth is it isn't all that fast and doesn't leave you feeling like it's a mind blowing, high performance, my car is faster and awesom-er than 99% of the cars near me right now, experience. And for the price of the Vantage V8, it's just not that "good" of a buy, to me at least, for what you get.

So for me, SL AMG it was.

Bazman

My tuner supercharged a V8 Aston. It's STILL slower than my tuned C63.

My C63 Coupe 507 hangs with the latest and fastest production Aston - the 205mph Vanquish S V12. No way can you compare that wimpy 4L V8 to the AMG 6.2. It's like Robin vs Batman

Now looks are another matter. The Aston is classically beautiful.. but only the V12 is worth it IMO as it can perform like it looks.

papashango

What about the Masersti Granturismo? How does it compare to these two cars in question? It's a gorgeous looking vehicle as well.

Townshend

Wow incredible feedback for just posting last night, thank you guys! Need to be a heavier user on this forum. This would be a V8 Vantage in the $60-70k range. For a time my C63 was my only vehicle and I love it. This winter I picked up a Porsche Cayenne and now daily that. The Aston would be a replacement to the C63 and be a secondary vehicle. I'm eyeing the 6sp, not the sportshift.

911 doesn't do anything for me. If I were to pick up a Porsche it would be a Cayman.

Maserati Gran Turismo and SL63 are the others on the list.

350Zed, The F-type is a beautiful car, however, don't want to purchase as it is too new of a model and don't want to take that depreciation hit on effectively a toy.

roadtalontsi, not the Evora but I've thought about the Exige.

g-f, C7 Z06 is a great car, but doesn't quite move the needle for me either.

Understood the V8 Vantage is slow, however, speed isn't everything for me. It's about the whole package.

papashango, if he said it seriously (which is likely since he was talking to a kid) those people annoy me.

Diabolis, you should be an AM salesman, you pretty much have me sold lol. Although I'm single and 22 wouldn't be unusual to "date"

Townshend

Gary, first, do you actually still have AOL Instant Messenger? If so I am impressed.

Second, that is a poignant statement. Are you looking to enter into another vehicle? What is your take on the SL63, GranTurismo, etc?

Patrick B

I'll echo Diabolis' comments on this, as this is the exact move I made, with an intermediate stop along the way.

I had a 2012 C63 Coupe (APX package) which was a fantastic car to drive. My biggest complaints about the car was that it's not the best looking coupe on the road (it's been compared to a Honda Accord coupe, and there isn't much to distinguish between a C63 Coupe and a C250 Coupe unless you know what you're looking for), and the fact that it didn't have a proper 3-pedal manual gearbox.

So my first swap was for a 2010 Aston Martin V8 Vantage with a 6-spd. Great car, fantastic sound, but still felt it was a little underpowered for the noise it made (by the way, the C63 sounds great...the Aston Martin sounds absolutely glorious by comparison). I then swapped the V8 Vantage 6-spd for a V8 Vantage S with the 7-speed Graziano gearbox (single clutch).

Honestly the V8VS "feels" a little faster than the V8V 6-spd, but neither feel as quick as the C63. That being said, the C63 encouraged me to drive more irresponsibly than I would have otherwise liked, and on city streets it's not feasible to really take advantage of the torque the C63 has.

The Aston Martin gets attention just because of it's looks and it's sound, and you don't need to drive like a hooligan quite as much to have it put a huge grin on your face.

Performance: C63 wins. The V8VS isn't slow, but it doesn't slam you into the seat either.

Looks: Not even close....the C63 isn't a bad looking car, but the Aston Martin is classically good looking. My analogy would be the opposite; the Aston Martin is the classic, elegant lady that you can admire sitting across the room from you (or in your driveway, in this case). The C63 is the wild-child who ties you up and has her way with you and probably scares the crap out of you on occasion. The Aston Martin is the car you love even if you're NOT driving it. The C63 is the car you love ONLY when you're driving it.

Stigma: Yeah, the Aston Martin is the car that it's hard to drive to a lunch meeting with your customers....they're not gonna like it much. The C63 (especially the sedan) is as mainstream, middle-class luxury as it gets, so nobody thinks twice about it.

Reliability: I've had no problems with either of my AMs or my C63. I'd hazard a guess the C63 is cheaper over the long term.

Daily livability: The V8VS doesn't have the most room around, as it's a proper two-door, two-seat coupe (smaller than a 911). You're not packing two sets of luggage and two sets of golf clubs for a weekend away in the Aston Martin, but you could in the C63. My wife doesn't golf, so it has enough room for me. I picked up the V8VS just because driving downtown can be a pain with a stick on a daily basis. Note to buyers...if the Graziano gearbox packs it in, it's a $25,000 replacement ONLY (Aston Martin won't open the transmission to repair anything). The clutch also has some longevity issues, so you can expect to replace those every 2-3 years.

I don't care for either Sat Nav (the Garmin only came out in the Aston Martin in 2012.5 model year....previous to that it's a reskinned Volvo system which is horrendous). But again, I don't care about Sat Nav much, and I'm not a huge fan of the Mercedes setup either. The iPod integration in my C63 was crappier than the uConnect system in my Jeep Grand Cherokee (winter beater / customer friendly car).

I don't have the B&O sound system in my V8VS (it was in a car I missed buying by one day), but the Premium audio system is pretty good. Honestly though, my primary "sound" system is an open window and my right foot. I never minded the HK Logic-7 system in my C63, and the Aston premium sound has been every bit as good to me (I'm not a real audio-phile).

Grin Factor: Don't get me wrong...I loved driving my C63 every time I did, and it's a truly great car. I miss mine for the pure performance of it, but whenever I got to the office or back home, I never turned around and just stared at it thinking "now that's an awesome car". It's the car that thrills you when you're driving it, and is "ok" when it's parked.

The Aston Martin, on the other hand, gives your third-eye a tingle just looking at it (credit to Jason Plato....)

If you want a fast, livable, reliable and relatively pedestrian daily driver, then the C63 is the better choice.

If you want something that makes a statement, the Aston Martin does that (just be aware...the statement isn't always a good one...you will draw more attention, good and bad, than you might otherwise want).

As a 22 year old, your insurance broker will be funding his new cottage off your Aston Martin.



Patrick

Townshend

Patrick, thank you for taking the time to do the write up, that is great.

A few of the negatives would be moot in my case: I don't have an image concern with clients (my Cayenne would be my daily driver anyways) and sat nav/boot space are of little consequence as this would simply be a vehicle to putz around in during the spring/summers. Essentially joy riding on a nice day down Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Glad to see reliability isn't much of an issue.

Are you planning on holding onto your V8 for some time?

I just picked up The Definitive Guide to new Gaydon era Aston Martin by Grant Neal to read through. It is an impressively thorough book for anyone who is in the market as well.

(FYI, I meant 22yo wouldn't be out of the ordinary for me to date although on the low end of the scale. I'm actually 30.)

Patrick B

Still almost 20 years younger than me!

Grant's book is excellent (loaned mine out to a co-worker....he's had it for 6 months now!). It's a big reason why I skipped the 4.3L generation and held out for a 4.7L one.

All things being equal, I'd take a V12 Vantage, but they're fairly rare, and tend to hold quite a price premium when they do come on the market.

Enjoy the search...and don't buy the first one you fall in love with. They tend to be very "different" in terms of the options they come with (most are custom-ordered, instead of purchased off the lot). So if you want a unique combination there is a good chance that it will show up on the market, even if you have to travel to go buy it.



Patrick