An itch that just won't go
Discussion
A couple of weeks ago my M5 went into the bodyshop for some work made necessary by a pleasant, well-upholstered chap in a Jag who wasn't looking where he was going. I was offered a range of courtesy cars and settled on a Vantage, because the other "closest equivalent" I was offered was a tiptronic C4 and I hate tiptronic Porsches.
When the Vantage arrived, it turned out to be a roadster. I had it for six days, which turned out to be my busiest six days this year so far. I spent most of the weekend in the office, dealing with a major emergency that continues to be all over the financial press, so all I really managed was a quick run up through the Hatfield tunnel to do some of my favourite Hertfordshire roads on the Saturday evening with the top down and my two year old son in the passenger seat (in his ISOFIX seat). I put less than a hundred miles on the car.
Nevertheless, it had an effect on me that no car has ever had before. It handled well and sounded magnificent (especially in that tunnel). It had much less straight-line acceleration than the M5, but was hardly slow. The interior felt special, despite the steam-powered navigation and difficult-t-read rev counter and speedo. But there was something else.
I loved my M3 CSL. That was a love that was easy to rationalise: it looked good; sounded fantastic, handled brilliantly and was pretty quick. I love my M5: it is just ridiculously fast, particularly on an Autobahn. There is something more that I felt with the Aston though, something beyond rationalisation.
So, I've been thinking a lot about Aston Martins since I gave it back with shamefully few miles added to its odometer. Do I buy a V8 Vantage? It would only ever be a toy. We have a two year old son and whenever we go anywhere at the weekend, he comes with us, so it's not really an option. I can keep the M5, but I wouldn't be able to use the V8 at the weekend.
I am therefore considering a DB9. I will be testing one a couple of weeks on Saturday. Manual cars seem to be vanishingly few in number, so it would have to be a touchtronic. Generally, I hate autos, but I read only good things about this one. A reasonable drive on the Saturday should help me decide on the gearbox.
Even with the DB9 over the Vantage though, there are questions of practicality. Will I be able to fit a seat for my two year old in the rear? Will the three of us be able to go away for the weekend in it and take enough luggage?
Then comes the question of what to do about the need for a more capacious car for long trips. My wife drives a Polo and refuses to upgrade. She likes having a small car in London. If I sell the M5, I could buy a two year old 330d Touring for about £20k and put the balance from the M5's sale (£20k, I hope - it's an 06 with 12k miles in perfect condition) into the Aston or I could just keep the M5.
Keeping the M5 feels a bit extravagant, but I do love that car. I could never persuade my wife to drive the M5 (and she would kerb the wheels in any case), but I might eventually persuade her to drive a 330d Touring.
Finally, I could just not buy an Aston, but that itch would remain thoroughly unscratched.
Will I be disappointed with a DB9 after a while and wish I were driving a Vantage or a Porsche? (I know I'm going to get tempted if BMW do another M3 CSL and it is good).
I suppose I just want you to tell me to buy a DB9.
When the Vantage arrived, it turned out to be a roadster. I had it for six days, which turned out to be my busiest six days this year so far. I spent most of the weekend in the office, dealing with a major emergency that continues to be all over the financial press, so all I really managed was a quick run up through the Hatfield tunnel to do some of my favourite Hertfordshire roads on the Saturday evening with the top down and my two year old son in the passenger seat (in his ISOFIX seat). I put less than a hundred miles on the car.
Nevertheless, it had an effect on me that no car has ever had before. It handled well and sounded magnificent (especially in that tunnel). It had much less straight-line acceleration than the M5, but was hardly slow. The interior felt special, despite the steam-powered navigation and difficult-t-read rev counter and speedo. But there was something else.
I loved my M3 CSL. That was a love that was easy to rationalise: it looked good; sounded fantastic, handled brilliantly and was pretty quick. I love my M5: it is just ridiculously fast, particularly on an Autobahn. There is something more that I felt with the Aston though, something beyond rationalisation.
So, I've been thinking a lot about Aston Martins since I gave it back with shamefully few miles added to its odometer. Do I buy a V8 Vantage? It would only ever be a toy. We have a two year old son and whenever we go anywhere at the weekend, he comes with us, so it's not really an option. I can keep the M5, but I wouldn't be able to use the V8 at the weekend.
I am therefore considering a DB9. I will be testing one a couple of weeks on Saturday. Manual cars seem to be vanishingly few in number, so it would have to be a touchtronic. Generally, I hate autos, but I read only good things about this one. A reasonable drive on the Saturday should help me decide on the gearbox.
Even with the DB9 over the Vantage though, there are questions of practicality. Will I be able to fit a seat for my two year old in the rear? Will the three of us be able to go away for the weekend in it and take enough luggage?
Then comes the question of what to do about the need for a more capacious car for long trips. My wife drives a Polo and refuses to upgrade. She likes having a small car in London. If I sell the M5, I could buy a two year old 330d Touring for about £20k and put the balance from the M5's sale (£20k, I hope - it's an 06 with 12k miles in perfect condition) into the Aston or I could just keep the M5.
Keeping the M5 feels a bit extravagant, but I do love that car. I could never persuade my wife to drive the M5 (and she would kerb the wheels in any case), but I might eventually persuade her to drive a 330d Touring.
Finally, I could just not buy an Aston, but that itch would remain thoroughly unscratched.
Will I be disappointed with a DB9 after a while and wish I were driving a Vantage or a Porsche? (I know I'm going to get tempted if BMW do another M3 CSL and it is good).
I suppose I just want you to tell me to buy a DB9.
I am running an M5 (for the wife, and now two children, 3 days and 22 months) and a Vantage for me (and occasionally the wife), and I love them both. I have looked/tried/driven a DB9 but it does not give me what I want from my sports car, it is too heavy and too big (IMO ofcourse) (I was a 996 man before the Vantage). If you can keep the M5 and the Vantage (its not about affording the cars, its more about affording the petrol!) then you have the perfect combination, I think!
Hmm, I think driving te DB9 will give me my answer. If it doesn't give me what the Vantage did, then it will have to be a Vantage as a toy (a little silly, given I've considered another CSL or even a Caterham). Still a Vantage is positively puritanical next to the M5 in fuel consumption terms.
Murph7355 said:
Vantage seems to get much better as the miles loosen the engine up.
Mine was getting low 16s at first, now it's mid-19s. That said, I don't use mine for town driving much either.
Ive had mine for 2.5 years and 16,000 miles and is nicely loose (a recent rolling road test showed it a 398BHP), I dont do any town driving, but have some fantastic a/b roads round my way. I must stay off the loud button! Mine was getting low 16s at first, now it's mid-19s. That said, I don't use mine for town driving much either.
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