4.3 Vantage vs DB9 - what would you do?
Discussion
I've had a quick scan through the forums, and don't think this is an annoying repost
Basically I'm looking to move from Porsche 911 into Aston Martin ownership, and I'm not sure which model to pursue
On the one hand, I prefer the looks of the Vantage. On the other hand, I have 2 young kids and could really use the rear seats of the DB9
I worry that coming from the Porsche, a DB9 will feel massive and heavy
Any thoughts/experiences welcome
Basically I'm looking to move from Porsche 911 into Aston Martin ownership, and I'm not sure which model to pursue
On the one hand, I prefer the looks of the Vantage. On the other hand, I have 2 young kids and could really use the rear seats of the DB9
I worry that coming from the Porsche, a DB9 will feel massive and heavy
Any thoughts/experiences welcome
Depends on how fast you expect to be driving with the kids - talking as someone who had a Cerbera when mine were little 
2+2 is the choice if you're often traveling with children.
Oddly now my kids have grown I'm also looking at moving to Vantage ownership.
2+2 is the choice if you're often traveling with children.
Oddly now my kids have grown I'm also looking at moving to Vantage ownership.
Edited by southendpier on Wednesday 18th October 10:36
Have a look at Dadcars https://www.youtube.com/@dadcars/videos.
Ben has run an Aston DB9 for 2 years with his kids and tested many other cars, including my Granturismo.
Ben has run an Aston DB9 for 2 years with his kids and tested many other cars, including my Granturismo.
Joe5y said:
Have a look at Dadcars https://www.youtube.com/@dadcars/videos.
Ben has run an Aston DB9 for 2 years with his kids and tested many other cars, including my Granturismo.
Link didn't work for me - try thisBen has run an Aston DB9 for 2 years with his kids and tested many other cars, including my Granturismo.
https://www.youtube.com/@dadcars/videos
Coming from a 911, the DB9 will likely feel much more like a long legged grand tourer, and the Vantage will feel a nicer size but possibly a bit lethargic compared to a 911 (depends which 911 you’re coming from, obviously).
Rear seats: I don’t know whether child seats fit in a DB9 rear, but worth looking into if your kids need them. From what others have said, there’s a sweet spot where a child’s legs are long enough in the femur that they can hang their lower leg down and not have it pointing horizontally, *and* their lower legs are skinny enough to fit into the limited legroom space in the rear. Otherwise, think about using it four up for short journeys only.
Rear seats: I don’t know whether child seats fit in a DB9 rear, but worth looking into if your kids need them. From what others have said, there’s a sweet spot where a child’s legs are long enough in the femur that they can hang their lower leg down and not have it pointing horizontally, *and* their lower legs are skinny enough to fit into the limited legroom space in the rear. Otherwise, think about using it four up for short journeys only.
therealsamdailly said:
I have 2 young kids and could really use the rear seats of the DB9
Now these are rear seats... https://www.carbodydesign.com/gallery/2009/11/asto...Plus you get two more doors, and the hatchback of the Vantage. That's what I'd have in your position.
It depends what you liked most about your 911 and how you expect to drive the Aston.
A DB9 will feel much bigger, heavier and far less responsive and fun in the corners. Also it will in general be around 50% more thirsty than a Porker, if that matters, and likely have the potential for bigger bills.
But, if you have no choice other than to continue carting kids around then you have only one choice of those two.
Alternatively keep the 911 until you don’t need to cart kids around and then choose your Aston. If it really has to be an Aston, and it has to be now, you could also consider a Rapide.
If you can somehow find your way into your preferred Vantage, and you run a 911 because you appreciate a real drivers car, it’s generally worth stretching to a 4.7, many early niggles were sorted, there were fewer made, the DBS interior and fancy key was generally considered much more special and the near half-litre bigger motor (4280cc went up to 4735cc) is not only stronger across the board, it’s also more efficient. You can continue upgrading a Vantage to get it to 997 levels of dynamism, but if that may be an idea it may perhaps be better to start with the later car.
No Aston is going to be cheap though.
A DB9 will feel much bigger, heavier and far less responsive and fun in the corners. Also it will in general be around 50% more thirsty than a Porker, if that matters, and likely have the potential for bigger bills.
But, if you have no choice other than to continue carting kids around then you have only one choice of those two.
Alternatively keep the 911 until you don’t need to cart kids around and then choose your Aston. If it really has to be an Aston, and it has to be now, you could also consider a Rapide.
If you can somehow find your way into your preferred Vantage, and you run a 911 because you appreciate a real drivers car, it’s generally worth stretching to a 4.7, many early niggles were sorted, there were fewer made, the DBS interior and fancy key was generally considered much more special and the near half-litre bigger motor (4280cc went up to 4735cc) is not only stronger across the board, it’s also more efficient. You can continue upgrading a Vantage to get it to 997 levels of dynamism, but if that may be an idea it may perhaps be better to start with the later car.
No Aston is going to be cheap though.
Edited by Calinours on Wednesday 18th October 14:44
I have 2 young kids and went for a Rapide S. I came from 911 ownership (via a C63 AMG). You dont say if you are thinking a V8 or V12 Vantage, but if you are "only" at the V8 level, but rear seat room is clearly on your mind so I would suggest you test drive a V12 Rapide (one of the last naturally aspirated V12s) and see how you get on. The kids love it in the back of the Rapide ... and i love it in the front
One of my closest friends has a 997.1 Carrerra S, 6spd
I have a 2011 DB9 (470bhp, Adaptive Dampers), ZF6 auto.
Driving around town in normal mode, ride quality is ~3 series - firm yet comfortable, but can feel some larger bumps for sure. Put it into track mode on the dampers, and it instantly firms up, improves steering feel, reduces the roll and you get more rotation in the corners. Vs my friends 911, the DB9 brakes later, can maintain similar apex speed, and with the power, is is faster out of every corner. He has driven with me and is amazed by the torque of the car.
The difference? The 911 is 15 seconds faster at the 'ring, how could the DB9 do this? Well the Aston at 8/10ths feels like a bullet train, composed and on rails. At 8/10ths, the 911 is an animal needing taming. So you can comfortably get very close to the limit of tire grip in the Aston while enjoying music from a premium sound system
Don't even consider a V8 Vantage vs a 911. And definitely not a 4.3. The car is beautiful but if you get the same beauty plus the song of the V12, you want the DB9. The only "modern" car I would move to from my DB9 is a V12VS or GT4RS.
I have a 2011 DB9 (470bhp, Adaptive Dampers), ZF6 auto.
Driving around town in normal mode, ride quality is ~3 series - firm yet comfortable, but can feel some larger bumps for sure. Put it into track mode on the dampers, and it instantly firms up, improves steering feel, reduces the roll and you get more rotation in the corners. Vs my friends 911, the DB9 brakes later, can maintain similar apex speed, and with the power, is is faster out of every corner. He has driven with me and is amazed by the torque of the car.
The difference? The 911 is 15 seconds faster at the 'ring, how could the DB9 do this? Well the Aston at 8/10ths feels like a bullet train, composed and on rails. At 8/10ths, the 911 is an animal needing taming. So you can comfortably get very close to the limit of tire grip in the Aston while enjoying music from a premium sound system
Don't even consider a V8 Vantage vs a 911. And definitely not a 4.3. The car is beautiful but if you get the same beauty plus the song of the V12, you want the DB9. The only "modern" car I would move to from my DB9 is a V12VS or GT4RS.
Edited by greyboxer on Friday 20th October 14:37
Edited by greyboxer on Friday 20th October 14:38
Edited by greyboxer on Friday 20th October 14:39
Every aspect of V8V is a disappointment compared to a 911 other than looks, I ran both side by side so I had a regular reminder of this!.
Space in a DB9 is very disappointing for a car that size and it still suffers from most of the other Aston shortfalls. I tried several. DB9gt was the most sorted.
Rapide is your only solution if you feel you need to scratch the Aston itch.
Space in a DB9 is very disappointing for a car that size and it still suffers from most of the other Aston shortfalls. I tried several. DB9gt was the most sorted.
Rapide is your only solution if you feel you need to scratch the Aston itch.
David W. said:
Every aspect of V8V is a disappointment compared to a 911 other than looks, I ran both side by side so I had a regular reminder of this!.
Space in a DB9 is very disappointing for a car that size and it still suffers from most of the other Aston shortfalls. I tried several. DB9gt was the most sorted.
Rapide is your only solution if you feel you need to scratch the Aston itch.
May I ask which Vantage you tried ?Space in a DB9 is very disappointing for a car that size and it still suffers from most of the other Aston shortfalls. I tried several. DB9gt was the most sorted.
Rapide is your only solution if you feel you need to scratch the Aston itch.
There is a world of difference between a 2005 4.3 and a 2016 GT8. The Vantage was gradually developed over its run, with the two big steps being in 2008 (4.7 engine) and 2012 (2011 if an S) with bigger brakes, faster steering and the S 7 speed box. 2013-on interiors developed further, then came the best resolved run out stuff like AMR and GT8.
Then there are the popular modifications to manifolds and cats, clutch and flywheel and suspension which seriously improve (earlier) or polish (later) any version of Vantage.
To state that ‘every aspect’ of the Vantage will disappoint when compared to a 911 (I am assuming the design-period comparable 997S, 1 and 2) is absolutely not correct, especially if the Vantage is an upgraded 4.7, an S or a 2012-on car, if a both later AND suitably upgraded, the V8 Vantage then becomes in most respects a better sports car than a 997S.
Even a standard, early Vantage was the equal and better of the highly developed 911 in terms of steering and balance respectively. It wasn’t as good dynamically due to poor throttle response, heavy flywheel and ‘value engineered’ suspension, and the excess mass, highly tuned V8 and heavy controls made it feel underpowered and lethargic in comparison to the lithe 911, especially lower in the rev range. The common modifications mentioned above were all developed to address precisely these issues.
It’s true that in the early days many 911 owners switched to the far more beautiful V8 Vantage and then switched right back again. But many more switched to a later 4.7 V8 Vantage, then an even later V8 or even a V12 Vantage.
I had a 996 and a 997S, for me the Vantage finally got better than a 997 with the 2011-on S, then N430 etc, where it had both (just about) sufficiently enhanced power and dynamism to compensate for the lard, especially if fitted with decent tyres.
They are fundamentally different cars though, I’ve tried to compare apples and pears above, but you can’t really compare any Porker to any Aston. In the mid 2000s era, one was a concept (rear engine sports car) had at the time already been developed, honed and refined by engineers for over 50 years. One was a clean sheet design, hand assembled boutique car with knockout supermodel looks.
Little AM took full advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to squeeze decent funding out of a (then) cash rich and benevolent parent (though who later pinched the elegant design language) to develop and produce the best cars they could.
In reality, the fact that there was even any sort of conversation comparing the early Vantage to a 911 dynamically is the most amazing thing. The V8 Vantage (and the DB9) was a brilliant effort from a plucky little Brit outfit who had somehow survived for nearly a century (at the time) and for that reason alone any Gaydon Aston is well worth owning.
Anyhow - enough defending the old n/a Vantage against its detractors. The OP is thinking of getting into AM dom so presumably is already aware that all Aston Martins are Majestic, and completely different propositions to his beetle.
He wants to know opinion re 4.3 Vantage or presumably early DB9
Here’s a couple of youtube early V8 Vantage and early DB9 comparisons that might help. The first is a US based but evidently European car dealer comparing two rag top autos, not a great vid at all but it might help, he says he prefers a more sporty experience so his view may be relevant to the OP. The second is another terrible video but by a UK dealer, the main chap talks mostly utter drivel, but it’s two early auto coupes. The Vantage has the later 4.7 engine though. If you want a manual, it will have to be the Vantage, they do exist in DB9 but are quite rare.
I hope they are helpful in your decision process.
https://youtu.be/U7jvmG4-_BA?si=XaM5mbzvZ5fYahP2
https://youtu.be/R8IF8XnmqAU?si=c98J_l6MmJQZ89XH
Finally - here’s this, the view of a journalist testing both old models back to back, though admittedly it’s the 4.7. It’s a well written piece, and one that concludes what I suspect most coming from 911s would conclude of the two cars in debate…
https://prestigeandperformancecar.com/aston-martin...
There is in fact no wrong answer - Best wishes with your decision !
Edited by Calinours on Saturday 21st October 17:38
At the time a N400 with suspension clutch, flywheel and other upgrades and a 997S. The ergonomics drove me potty, the even with the upgrades lacklustre engine performance, I could go on from the headlights with condensation at one end through the had door armrest (a piece of leather on plywood) the back to front window switches to the boot lid nipple and non rising lid making it difficult to open and condensation in the rear lights at the other end. Oh and the gear change! Yes I know the later S models were better, I actually liked the SS shifter and the later comfort suspension took some of the shocks out of the ride and Michelin tyres would have helped but after 18 months and to much spent on trying to make it good we parted company. Never missed it for a day.
Every aspect of V8V is a disappointment compared to a 911 other than looks, I ran both side by side so I had a regular reminder of this!.
Space in a DB9 is very disappointing for a car that size and it still suffers from most of the other Aston shortfalls. I tried several. DB9gt was the most sorted.
Rapide is your only solution if you feel you need to scratch the Aston itch.
Space in a DB9 is very disappointing for a car that size and it still suffers from most of the other Aston shortfalls. I tried several. DB9gt was the most sorted.
Rapide is your only solution if you feel you need to scratch the Aston itch.
I had three 911 coupes before I bought my first Aston Martin. All three of them (996 C4, 996 C4S, 997 Carrera S) were bought brand new, and imho the worst of the three was the last one. Maybe the 4.3 V8 wasn’t quite as quick, but it always felt fast enough to me at the time, although it did need plenty of revs to get the best from it. But imho it was just a nicer place to sit, was surprisingly better finished inside, looked so much better from the outside and at the time (early 2007) was quite a rare sight. The interior of my 997 was awful, a definite step down on the 996 C4S I had beforehand. An early 4.3 Vantage is still a great car. It’s quite incredible how well they have aged in what is close to twenty years since launch. DB9 is bigger of course, and has the luxury of a torquey V12 mated to a lazy auto, although there are a few manuals out there. But the rear seats are nigh on useless, and I think it’s actually less practical than its smaller brother. So imho, Vantage over DB9, and I suspect if you do make the move from your 911 you won’t regret it. Good luck and please report back with your decision. BRM.
Lot to think about there - thanks for all the input
I'm leaning towards DB9 currently. For context my current car is a 996, which makes the gap in terms of sports car - GT car even bigger
But I'm telling myself its probably a better idea to move to a wholly different car.
Moving to a Vantage would be a little more apples for apples, and I might feel disappointed by the drive and the compromise of only having 2 seats
Whereas the DB9 is apples for oranges. Totally different experience, sounds awesome and looks like nothing else on the road
I totally get that its not going to be the last word in handling and performance. But if that was all I cared about I'd get a leased Golf R or something
I'm leaning towards DB9 currently. For context my current car is a 996, which makes the gap in terms of sports car - GT car even bigger
But I'm telling myself its probably a better idea to move to a wholly different car.
Moving to a Vantage would be a little more apples for apples, and I might feel disappointed by the drive and the compromise of only having 2 seats
Whereas the DB9 is apples for oranges. Totally different experience, sounds awesome and looks like nothing else on the road
I totally get that its not going to be the last word in handling and performance. But if that was all I cared about I'd get a leased Golf R or something
In your position I’d test drive both DB9 and Vantage. Any Aston is going to feel very different from a 996, and even a big standard 4.3 will feel just as quick if not quicker than a 996. Even that’s quite a jump in power, from 296BHP (early 3.4 C2) or 320BHP (3.6, later C2S) right up to 380BHP. Also a Vantage has over 300kg more mass than a 996.
I’m assuming you have a fairly tight budget?
Remember it’s not just the decision of car, it’s coupe or cab, manual (rare in DB9) or auto. DB has a lazy smooth slusher, Vantage has a marmite automated manual gearbox. Some love it, many more hate it, especially on that critical first unfamiliar drive. Then there’s spec, and modified or original.
Let us know how you get on, remember when you buy to post an obligatory photo.
I’m assuming you have a fairly tight budget?
Remember it’s not just the decision of car, it’s coupe or cab, manual (rare in DB9) or auto. DB has a lazy smooth slusher, Vantage has a marmite automated manual gearbox. Some love it, many more hate it, especially on that critical first unfamiliar drive. Then there’s spec, and modified or original.
Let us know how you get on, remember when you buy to post an obligatory photo.
I think you may have your gearboxes mixed up a bit there Calinours. Most of the early 4.3 cars will have a non automated, non marmite, very straightforward six speed manual, albeit with a heavy single plate clutch (if that part hasn’t been updated of course). As far as I can remember SSI was a relatively rare option until the engine was enlarged to 4.7 litres. I think it was standard on the first roadster cars though and even now manual roadsters are quite hard to find. BRM.
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