This weekend I was invited to Calistoga Ranch in Napa for an Aston Martin drive and a wine tasting dinner with the local dealership, some executives of Aston Martin and the owner of Silver Oak.

It was a chance to get to drive the new DB9 and meet the owner of Silver Oak which if you have ever had any of their wines, you know they make a great wine.

I really didn't fit in the DB9 nor did I like the way it drove. It did however look incredible.

I had to chance to meet the marketing person, the Senior United States Operations executive for Aston Martin and many others. They were obviously incredibly nice.

I have on order the new 2008 Vanquish S which is supposed to redone for that year. I hadn't really ever driven the car before but had heard so many wonderful things about it.

Well, I noticed that they had a 2005 Vanquish S at the hotel and this time I decided I wanted to take this car for a ride. They gave it to me and said come back when you want. Well, I went through the winding and straight roads of Napa and I had a blast. I never realized that a car could ride like this. It was really like nothing I had driven. I had only heard about cars like this but never driven them. The paddle shifters were easy and the car road incredibly smooth for a carbon fiber car.

I thought my SL600 V12 sounded great. The Vanquish S takes that V12 sound to a new level.

Bottom line, I got back to the hotel with a smile a mile long. I went over to the salesman for Aston Martin and placed my order. Right then they went to the Operations Executive for Aston Martin USA and he gave me a 2006 model year car with an August 2005 build slot. I picked out my colors and we were done.

The really is no comparison to this car and the Mercedes SL600. They are really two different cars and should be for the price difference. The SL600 is great for what it is but as far as the performance goes, the SL600 is not even in the same class as the Vanquish S. I was also amazed at the luxury of this car and how many creature comforts the car had as the DB9 had none.

The Vanquish S is in a class by itself and I am still smiling about my drive through the streets of Napa. I thought the SL600 was fast, well it is but this car is a rocket ship.

I can't wait for it to come in.

I am going to St. Barths on April 21st for three weeks and when I get back the SL600 goes on sale. Hopefully with it's new door panel. My "Buy it now price" on e-Bay will be $135,000 and the car still only has 2780 miles. The MSRP without the upgrades I did was $150,299. Hopefully someone will fall in love with the car and think that is a good price including all the upgrades I did upon delivery. I think it is and hey, look at that wax job. They will also know the car is in perfect condition.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend. Mine has certainly gotten off to a great start.

 

I would sure as hell hope so at its $255k base price.

 

Congrats. Just curious, what creature comforts does the Vanquish have that the DB9 lacks? I thought it had the same, if not more. Also, performance wise your SL should be very close to the Vanquish, is it not?

 

A few of the items I remember that the Vanquish S has that the DB9 does not are the rain sensor wipers, auto rear view dimming mirrors and garage door openers.

The performance is not even close. The Vanquish S is much faster, it has way more contact with the road yet it is incredibly smooth. You can feel how rigid the car is yet it drives smoothly. You can feel the road, yet it doesn't have that hard feeling. You can feel the car.

The SL600 is much smoother and you don't get the contact with the road. You also don't feel as attached to the car. It is hard to explain as I have never driven a car like this before today but the Vanquish S engages you as you drive the car while the SL600 does not.

Again, being so new to driving cars like this it is hard for me to put the experience and differences into words. I guess the best way to expalin it is last night when I was starting to think about this my wife was challenging me on why I would ever spend that much money on a car. She kept saying how could any car be that much better than the SL600 as she realized how well the SL600 drove and how exiciting it was.

When we got done driving the Vanquish S today she wanted the car as much or more than me. She felt that ride was a "natural buzz". She was so amazed by how it felt and she too felt the connection between the car and the road.

When you corner with the SL600 it does great but you don't know for sure. With the Vanquish S you want the corner badly. It's yours to challenge and you know you will win.

I really wish I could explain it better but I can't. It's kinda frustrating. Hopefully I will learn to better express it in time but for now I can only say, there is no comparison.

Sorry I couldn't do better. As part of the price you pay for the car they send you to a driving school to train for driving the Vanquish S. Hopefully after that I will be be able to express the differences better.

 

Is the august 2006 build date correct? Or did you mean august 2005 build date as a 2006 model? As far as your sl 600 goes, good luck with that, it will be difficult to find a buyer, the 600 market is very wierd. Its one of the fastest smoothest cars on the road but they depreciate like stones. Never could understand it. You can now buy new 05's (in colors that are considered safe ie silver and black) for invoice or back. Did you think of just trading it in on the vanquish an getting the tax credit? You might lose more but it would be a lot easier and less stressful, at least you know the government will be getting a less than the twenty something thousand in taxes you would pay if you purchased the vanquish without the trade in.

 

Well I have read your review with interest. The Old AM Vanquish S had a big problem with it's paddle gear box as when you went to change gear it took a few secs before it kicked in. I am glad they have ironed that out for the recent models. I agree with the view expressed earlier that with the price tag you do expect more but because AM is so exclusive they do treat you like a king so you might like that a lot - whether it is worth the double price tag is a matter of opinion. The only problem with AM is that for their volante (convertible) designs they have gone for a softtop and therefore sadly the SL still remains the only truely sexy hard top convertible much to our annoyance. But I agree if you want a truely exclusive sexy unbeatable non-convertible then AM is the way to go - with the DB9, AMV8, Vanquish - 3 models that rule. I have heard problems with reliability a little but they treat you so well it doesn't make that much difference - after all there is a reason why Jaguar are copying the designs for the new XJR (apart from the fact they have pinched the designer)!

 

Yes, it is a 2006 car with a August 2005 build date. I will make that correction in the post if I can, thanks.

Unfortunately, in California the state law is that trading it in does not give you the tax credit. Under any circumstances in California you are going to pay taxes on the full amount. That is really bad so it forces me to sell it privately. They would take a trade but it would be for much less and since you don't get the tax credit you really have no choice but to sell it privately to minimize the hurt.

The SL600 slots are really rare. I know the SL500's were going for really cheap prices but are the SL600's as well?

Isn't that a bummer. So I really have no choice to sell it privately. Well, good luck to me.

 

They have fixed the paddel gear box problems. Even with my poor and limited experience I was almost able to shift it seamlessly. The saleman that drove it did so in a way you could not even feel the shifting and boy was it fast. The car is made to be driven near redline so you get this power and rush that is unbelievable when you push it. I told him that the car wasn't as fast as my SL600 and that was the mistake of my life. He scared the heck out of me. I was so impressed with the SL600 speed I thought nothing could be faster. Boy was I wrong. The car went so fast I was afraid to take my eyes off the road to see how fast I was going.

I agree that unless you are going to the Vanquish which is basically, with all the options, twice the price, you still find that when comparing the SL to the Volante or the DB9, the SL600 remains your best choice by far. The looks of the DB9 and Volante are great but with no hard top and with the speed and smoothness of the SL600, that would be the way to go which is basically why I ended up with my SL600 having done that analysis.

I never saw myself getting a car like the Vanquish S. I was very happy with my SL600. With everything that has happened with Mercedes and the great amount of disappointment in the brand they basically forced me to look for other choices.

If money is not an issue and you drive the Vanquish S you really are left with no choice. The car is intoxicating and the feeling you get by driving it can not be produced by anything Mercedes builds. I am told, but am too inexperienced in this kind of car to really know, that nothing compares to it.

Anyway for me, I am really happy with the car as it blows my mind. Now it will be time to really get the leather gloves.

 

I have given up on Lovin's mood swings on his SL600. Hopefully, this does not extend to women, since that can be a much more expensive mistake.

Just remember that your imagination and anticipation are always better than everyday ownership. If it is automobile perfection you are seeking, well, this is a journey not a destination. Best wishes with Aston and hang onto the SL as the daily driver.

P.S. there are a lot of Napa wines superior to Silver Oak, so you have another enjoyable journey ahead of you.

 

As for the wines, I understand. I have 2000 plus bottles in my celler and a collection that could pay for several SL600's.

Personally, my all time favorites are the French Bordeaux's from the 80's

 

The SL600 and the whole Mercedes brand is out.

I was thinking about the BMW 750 that is coming out but I am not sure. It seemed kinda boring although they have done a great job with the car.

I looked at the LS430 and while #1 on reliability, it didn't excite me.

Anyone have any suggestions on something bigger and sporty as my daily driver when I am not driving the Aston? You know, something that the rain drops are allowed to hit.

 

Lovin- Did you ever think you would see the day that you would own a "Ford" ? I know you have been clamoring for a good reason to part company with that SL6 of yours and I wish you good luck with the Aston !

 

Funny you should say that. Remember what they used to say Ford means.

Well, hopefully it hasn't gotten into the Aston line and if so, hopefully they will take care of things.

I will tell you, Aston treats you like a king in every way. We will see what happens after I take delivery and pay for the car.

Several months ago I bought my daughter a Mustang and it has been doing great. Absolutely no problems so far which is good because she will only drop it off at the house for me to take it to the dealer to be repaired.

Thanks for the good wishes.

 

Have you ever thought about the new BMW M5 and M6? If I had your resources, I think that's were I'd look for a beater. Hey, you don't have to worry about snow over there, right? Right now, I'm stuck with my 2000 Bonneville SSEi , but I am considering one of those ultra performance Suberus. That and the top Mitsu Evo probably give you the most bang for your buck from a performance standpoint. Incredible cars for just over 30K. If you never looked at them and would consider driving around in a 30K car, give them a look. Performance machines.

 

I have to say I have always looked with great interest on this forum and SL600'swebsite. It has been a true diary of someone for whom money is no option and so he is just going through the variety of cars that are out there. I have to say I doubt I will ever be able to spend more than £70k on a car but i have always smiled when i have looked at SL600's posting. I agree he does seem to have had terrible luck with his Merc - but to be honest the price he paid it should not have been that bad. I am interested at his life with AM - i have no doubt it will be wonderful - after all if it is good enough for James Bond.....Certainly if money was no option I would like an AM - as i definately would not get a top end SL - for a daily drive i may purchase a low end SL although i presume by the time I will end up buying (3 years time) they will have new engines for the SL - perhaps in line with the new SLK - so i wouldn't be surprised if they produce a more fuel economic SL350, an SL280 or maybe even a diesel SL - who knows. But if I ever had over £70K to spend on a car - Aston Martin here I come

 

Actually going today to track down a M3. Wifey wants a new car too and she is in love with the BMW M3.

We are going to be selling her 2004 Toyota Celica GT-S. Now this is going to be a great deal. A $27,600 car with over $15,000 in after market extras.

Here is the link to her car.

http://community.webshots.com/user/sama4ms

Maybe we can look at the M5 or M6 too. Thanks.

I also saw yesterday the BMW 645 convertible. I was amazed. What a gorgeous car.

 

I agree, not to diss you LOVIN, but you are ridiculous. Why can't you keep the SL and get the Aston. You claim to have a LARGE yacht and enough wine to fund a good CLINTON party, but you have to sell the SL. You made earlier claims that you would be without a car if you sold your 600. Something is fishy here.

 

congrats the vanquish S is absolutely beautiful. What color combo did you chose? i saw a black on red one and i couldn't breath. It was breath taking. If i might ask, why not get a lambo murci roadster or an SLR for a little more?

 

What in heavens sake are you talking about or intimating? If you have something to say, just say it. I am a big boy, my feelings don't get hurt easily.

 

I got the Meteorite Silver with black headliner, black upper leather environment and black cherry lower leather environment.

I am putting the diamond quilted black alacantara in the center panel of the headliner and matching that black diamond quilting with black diamond quilted alcantara in the middle of the black cherry leather seats.

Carpeting will be black cherry. The stitching will be matching.

Should be gorgeous.

I have been thinking about the Aston's for years and am somewhat familiar with the Vanquish S but had never driven it up until this weekend.

To start getting into the cars you are talking about would put we way out of my league from a knowledge point of view. Would take a lot of time to educate myself.

The Aston slot was there for the 2006, loved the drive so I went with it. It was an amazing feeling and I am excited.

Thanks and take care.

 

Did you not read his previous posts? He is not keeping the mercedes because he is fed up with the ownership experience, it has nothing to do with money. If you do your homework you can see he is defenitely real. His saga with his car is way too much for someone to make up, check your facts before you go attacking people. Granted there are a lot of fools on this board claiming to own things that they dont but having read most of his posts regarding his sl600 i am 99.9 sure he is real.

LOVIN have you thought about the audi A8 with the w12 in it? 450 Hp ,all wheel drive and tons of gadgets.

 

Well Lovin, if you have the unlimited resources you refer to, why not just keep the SL600 that you LOVE on occasions and buy the aston. You could use the SL to drive up to napa on the nice days to restock your $300,000 wine collection.

 

PA500SL,

You don't understand me and obviously how could you from a forum.

I am done with Mercedes no matter how much I love my SL600. To me it is the principle of the matter and I made the decision when I got off the phone with the President's office that I was done with Mercedes.

If you call an office that is representing the President and it is obvious to you (and it was obvious to me) that they really don't give a heck about you, then you can make a decision. Do you or do you not want to do business with a company that doesn't care if you are happy?

You may feel Mercedes does care and you are entitled to those feelings and I would respect them. My experiences of lately tell me that Mercedes does not care and from a principle point of view, I won't do business with a company like that even if I have to sell a car that I love.

I am lucky because I found a car that was better. Yes, do I still love my SL600, of course but I won't keep it on principle alone. That is who I am and that is how I ran my company before I sold it. No matter who called my office or one of my executives they had better have treated them like they were the last customer in the world. Mercedes chooses not to do that so I choose not to do business with them.

It is that simple.

I know I will lose my *** on the SL600 but thankfully I can afford it. It is also going to be a pain because now I have to buy another car because the Aston can not be driven exactly as often as the SL600 although it is close, so yet another expense.

I have been fortunate in my life because I have lived by my principles that were based upon honesty, fairness and most importantly, doing right by others. I don't feel Mercedes lives by those principles and I can afford thankfully to tell them to take a hike.

That is exactly what I am doing.

Again, these are my own experiences and my own decisions based upon my principles. I would never look at anyone in a negative way if they thought differently or just did not agree with me. Everyone is entitled to their own thoughts and to live their life and spend their money as they see fit.

Regards and thanks for your honesty.

 

I have read all his posts, and quite frankly the problems are not that bad. Other than the stupid door panel issues, which are ridiculous, the other things were resolved in do time. If he has all this money he refers to, why did he not have other nice cars to drive? Anybody who actually owns a SL, should have any number of other cars to drive during repairs.

 

Ajf1,

Thank you for understanding. You obviously have read all the posts and get it.