porsche to aston = who has done it, experiences pls..
Discussion
As some may have already figured out in my recent threads, I drive a 996 tt manual which is an astonishing car.
It is just the fact I have had porsches for a decade and fancy a change. An Aston v8v or v12v is likely to be next on the list.
I also have a stunning black mercedes 300sl (type r107) in top condition which I keep for the special moments... I will probably never sell this one though.
I am no racing driver, and only do very little trackdays nowadays so I need more of a road car rather than an out and out racer such as the 964rs or 996 gt3 I used to own.
I am looking at two options:
1/ a 4.7 v8v cab in manual with sport chassis.
2/ Or: a v12v.
I know they are very different. I drove the former and really loved it, but not the latter.
I live in central London and like going away at weekends either to France or somewhere in the british countryside looking for nice roads.
I would really appreciate some views from people who have made a similar move..
It is just the fact I have had porsches for a decade and fancy a change. An Aston v8v or v12v is likely to be next on the list.
I also have a stunning black mercedes 300sl (type r107) in top condition which I keep for the special moments... I will probably never sell this one though.
I am no racing driver, and only do very little trackdays nowadays so I need more of a road car rather than an out and out racer such as the 964rs or 996 gt3 I used to own.
I am looking at two options:
1/ a 4.7 v8v cab in manual with sport chassis.
2/ Or: a v12v.
I know they are very different. I drove the former and really loved it, but not the latter.
I live in central London and like going away at weekends either to France or somewhere in the british countryside looking for nice roads.
I would really appreciate some views from people who have made a similar move..
Eric, I changed in January from a 996 GT3 Comfort to a V8 Vantage. Having had 911's for the past 13 years I was looking for a change.
The Aston Martin is a very different car compared to the 911's , particularly the GT3.
During my time with Posrches, other than routine servicing, I never had any problems save for the air mass meter on the GT3 going down during a " spirited" drive around Silverstone.
I bought the Vantage in January this year , and since that time it has been back to the dealership 6 times for small niggly faults.
I test drove a V12 a few months back on Public roads, so can't give an accurate description of what it would be like on a track. I would describe it as very quick , but then at £146000 it ought to be. I estimate it was was not far short of 996 GT2 performance .
Running costs for the Vantage are much higher than the 911's. This includes general servicing.
Would I change again ? Probably the answer is " Yes ".
My advice to you as you have enjoyed the 996 Turbo is to go for the V12 Vantage as opposed to the 4.7 .Otherwise I think you may be disappointed performance wise.
The Aston Martin is a very different car compared to the 911's , particularly the GT3.
During my time with Posrches, other than routine servicing, I never had any problems save for the air mass meter on the GT3 going down during a " spirited" drive around Silverstone.
I bought the Vantage in January this year , and since that time it has been back to the dealership 6 times for small niggly faults.
I test drove a V12 a few months back on Public roads, so can't give an accurate description of what it would be like on a track. I would describe it as very quick , but then at £146000 it ought to be. I estimate it was was not far short of 996 GT2 performance .
Running costs for the Vantage are much higher than the 911's. This includes general servicing.
Would I change again ? Probably the answer is " Yes ".
My advice to you as you have enjoyed the 996 Turbo is to go for the V12 Vantage as opposed to the 4.7 .Otherwise I think you may be disappointed performance wise.
Edited by runner911 on Monday 29th November 09:27
Edited by runner911 on Monday 29th November 09:28
Depends if out&out performance is the most important thing to you...
I went F430 to N420 Roadster & absolutely love it, on road the performance difference is not as huge as I expected, however on track I'm sure the difference would be greater..
I've had many Porkers including a 996GT2 & the Aston is a much nicer place to be & other road users actually like you!!!
I test drove the V12V & absolutely loved it but I fancied a soft-top for a while, however I may change to one next year.. The N420 is my 1st Aston & it definately wont be my last!
I went F430 to N420 Roadster & absolutely love it, on road the performance difference is not as huge as I expected, however on track I'm sure the difference would be greater..
I've had many Porkers including a 996GT2 & the Aston is a much nicer place to be & other road users actually like you!!!
I test drove the V12V & absolutely loved it but I fancied a soft-top for a while, however I may change to one next year.. The N420 is my 1st Aston & it definately wont be my last!
I've gone V8 to 997 to V8, DBS, V12V and back to 997TT. You won't regret either choice of Aston (add DBS to the search too) though as said you may be a little frustrated by the acceleration and braking performance of the V8 relative to your 996TT - however the 'occasion' thing of the Aston experience helps offset this. Not the case with the V12V - that's your safest bet, though it's clearly a costly step up
Edited by polar8 on Monday 29th November 10:32
That's the thing, I would like a cab and the v8v is one good looking car in this configuration + you can hear the stunning noise. The performance may be a bit of a step back, but is it a bad thing?
The 996turbo is almost stupidly fast => I have a fearnsport remap boosting the power by 15% to 20%, whilst keeping turbos blowing at a reasonable 1 bar.
I think I would go for either a 4.7 v8v (I drove it and power was sufficient for me). Budget would be 65k for a sub 10k miles, manual, sport chassis (would have to be black or midnight blue).
Or a black v12v, and in this case, budget would probably rise to 100k.
The 996turbo is almost stupidly fast => I have a fearnsport remap boosting the power by 15% to 20%, whilst keeping turbos blowing at a reasonable 1 bar.
I think I would go for either a 4.7 v8v (I drove it and power was sufficient for me). Budget would be 65k for a sub 10k miles, manual, sport chassis (would have to be black or midnight blue).
Or a black v12v, and in this case, budget would probably rise to 100k.
ferdi p said:
Depends if out&out performance is the most important thing to you...
I went F430 to N420 Roadster & absolutely love it, on road the performance difference is not as huge as I expected, however on track I'm sure the difference would be greater..
I've had many Porkers including a 996GT2 & the Aston is a much nicer place to be & other road users actually like you!!!
I test drove the V12V & absolutely loved it but I fancied a soft-top for a while, however I may change to one next year.. The N420 is my 1st Aston & it definately wont be my last!
I went F430 to N420 Roadster & absolutely love it, on road the performance difference is not as huge as I expected, however on track I'm sure the difference would be greater..
I've had many Porkers including a 996GT2 & the Aston is a much nicer place to be & other road users actually like you!!!
I test drove the V12V & absolutely loved it but I fancied a soft-top for a while, however I may change to one next year.. The N420 is my 1st Aston & it definately wont be my last!
If the performance isn't a major concern then I can think of at least three aspects of the Vantage that should seal the deal for you:
1) The design - it's simply gorgeous, every time I go to my garage I can't help but take a moment to admire it.
2) The interior - coming from a 996 you will think you have moved into a new era, it's a great place to be.
3) The noise - I had PSE on a 996 and it doesn't come close to the aural pleasure offered by the Vantage V8.
HTH
1) The design - it's simply gorgeous, every time I go to my garage I can't help but take a moment to admire it.
2) The interior - coming from a 996 you will think you have moved into a new era, it's a great place to be.
3) The noise - I had PSE on a 996 and it doesn't come close to the aural pleasure offered by the Vantage V8.
HTH
I've owned Porsches for 16 years, and still have the 993 Carrera I've had almost 11 years. I bought a new V8V last year -- MY09, 4.7 Coupe, manual with Sports Pack. It's very fast. With 420 hp, it has 5 more hp than the 996 Turbo. A stock 996 Turbo, anyway. The Aston does weigh 95 lbs more (as a Coupe), and yes, a 996 TT is quicker than a 4.7 V8V, but the difference isn't as great as people often think. Looking back at some old magazine tests, I found a Car&Driver test on the 996 TT that showed 0-60 in 3.9 and 0-100 in 8.9. MotorTrend's test of a 4.7 V8V Coupe showed 4.1 and 9.9 for the same tests. Of course, in standing start acceleration tests, all 911s benefit at launch from the traction resulting from their rear-engine layout, and even more so with all-wheel-drive. I think that 1/4 mile times and speeds are more useful than 0-60 since the longer run lessens the launch advantage, and the results are: 996 TT, 12.3 @ 116, V8V 12.5 @ 115. That's just a 1 mph difference. FWIW, Road&Track did 12.8 @ 113 in the near-200 lbs heavier Roadster, which is what you're looking at. My point is, yes, the 996 TT is faster, but the V8V in 4.7 form is faster than many give it credit for. Of course, it won't have a turbo's mid-range torque. There's a point at which a car really is fast enough for the street, and I think the V8V easily qualifies.
As for the V12V, I drove it, and it's wonderful. It is, obviously, faster than the V8V, and won't leave you wanting more performance. Well, it didn't leave me wanting any more. That said, I remain absolutely delighted with my V8V.
As for the V12V, I drove it, and it's wonderful. It is, obviously, faster than the V8V, and won't leave you wanting more performance. Well, it didn't leave me wanting any more. That said, I remain absolutely delighted with my V8V.
erics said:
As some may have already figured out in my recent threads, I drive a 996 tt manual which is an astonishing car.
It is just the fact I have had porsches for a decade and fancy a change. An Aston v8v or v12v is likely to be next on the list.
I also have a stunning black mercedes 300sl (type r107) in top condition which I keep for the special moments... I will probably never sell this one though.
I am no racing driver, and only do very little trackdays nowadays so I need more of a road car rather than an out and out racer such as the 964rs or 996 gt3 I used to own.
I am looking at two options:
1/ a 4.7 v8v cab in manual with sport chassis.
2/ Or: a v12v.
I know they are very different. I drove the former and really loved it, but not the latter.
I live in central London and like going away at weekends either to France or somewhere in the british countryside looking for nice roads.
I would really appreciate some views from people who have made a similar move..
Easy decision, V12V and a Cygnet - Aston luxury everyday of the week.It is just the fact I have had porsches for a decade and fancy a change. An Aston v8v or v12v is likely to be next on the list.
I also have a stunning black mercedes 300sl (type r107) in top condition which I keep for the special moments... I will probably never sell this one though.
I am no racing driver, and only do very little trackdays nowadays so I need more of a road car rather than an out and out racer such as the 964rs or 996 gt3 I used to own.
I am looking at two options:
1/ a 4.7 v8v cab in manual with sport chassis.
2/ Or: a v12v.
I know they are very different. I drove the former and really loved it, but not the latter.
I live in central London and like going away at weekends either to France or somewhere in the british countryside looking for nice roads.
I would really appreciate some views from people who have made a similar move..
Driven both.. currently have a V8V.
The V12V is noticably wider, and with buckets the 2nd, 4th and 6th are slightly annoying, which may hinder regular driving??
Power is epic though.
For daily drive, I went for the V8V, it's fantastic (a nice package). I would like to get a V12V though at some point or a DBS.
The V12V is noticably wider, and with buckets the 2nd, 4th and 6th are slightly annoying, which may hinder regular driving??
Power is epic though.
For daily drive, I went for the V8V, it's fantastic (a nice package). I would like to get a V12V though at some point or a DBS.
cerealsurfer said:
Driven both.. currently have a V8V.
The V12V is noticably wider, and with buckets the 2nd, 4th and 6th are slightly annoying, which may hinder regular driving??
Power is epic though.
For daily drive, I went for the V8V, it's fantastic (a nice package). I would like to get a V12V though at some point or a DBS.
Don't understand your comment re width. The V12V and the V8V are both the same length and width. The V12V is slightly lower. The V12V is noticably wider, and with buckets the 2nd, 4th and 6th are slightly annoying, which may hinder regular driving??
Power is epic though.
For daily drive, I went for the V8V, it's fantastic (a nice package). I would like to get a V12V though at some point or a DBS.
I also don't understand the comments re gears. I have moved from an N400 (after a C4S and a GT3 - both 997's)and have now driven 9500 miles in my V12V over the past 12 months and have no problems with any gears ( I have the bucket seats) and can highly recommend as a daily/regular drive. As for performance the V12V is perfect, finally overcoming my loss of the performance and drive of the GT3 when I swapped for the beauty and sole of a V8V. I haven't driven the 996 TT or the 4.7 V8V but would expect you to be delighted by such a move. The V8V handles superbly, particularly with the sport pack (also on N400 and N420) and, as has already been pointed out, the real world performance should be a reasonable comparison to your current car. However, if you can stretch to the V12V, you can have it all.
I used my 996tt as my only car for nearly 4 years, until I bought a Jag for the daily grind (visiting customers) and kept Porker for weekend fun, covering 55k miles in that time. It was a seriously quick car and very capable in all weather, but it didn't have the sense of occassion or noise that my Cerb or Tuscan had (they were daily drivers/only cars too, but couldn't handle it really). The Porsche was good, but not without quite heavy upkeep costs (rear spoiler, alternator, coils, tyres etc etc ... I didn't find it as 'faultless' as people say, although most issues were age or mileage related to be fair.
Changed the 996tt for a ferrari 360 12 months ago, which was absolutely faultless (not one issue) and brilliant fun - a real race car feel compared to the Porsche and an absolute pleasure to choose, buy and own - if there is you and 1 other, definitely worth considering if it's a weekend or few days per week type car.
I've just changed the 360 to a Vanquish (my first Aston), as the three of us could never go out anywhere in the 360. The Vanquish is a completely different car but still epic to drive and own (so far after 3 weeks) and probably the best sounding car I've owned. I was originally looking for a DB9 but then saw a Vanquish stood next to one ... the Vanquish is an absolute beast of a car, where the DB9 (IMO) is a very beautiful car, better interior but the Vanquish looks a brute in comparison.
Can't comment on the V8V/V12V other than the test drive I went on in a V8V when I was looking for a weekend car. Felt a very good overall package but didn't excel enough in any one single area and the 360 ticked more boxes for me (at the time). However the Aston cabin felt a nice place to be and would definitely have tipped the scales if I was looking for a 2 seat daily driver.
Buy with the heart ... you're only here once you might as well enjoy yourself!
If you don't like it, change it!
Good luck - and it's worth having a little smile to yourself that you are in the fortunate position of having to make such a tough decision! Enjoy!
Changed the 996tt for a ferrari 360 12 months ago, which was absolutely faultless (not one issue) and brilliant fun - a real race car feel compared to the Porsche and an absolute pleasure to choose, buy and own - if there is you and 1 other, definitely worth considering if it's a weekend or few days per week type car.
I've just changed the 360 to a Vanquish (my first Aston), as the three of us could never go out anywhere in the 360. The Vanquish is a completely different car but still epic to drive and own (so far after 3 weeks) and probably the best sounding car I've owned. I was originally looking for a DB9 but then saw a Vanquish stood next to one ... the Vanquish is an absolute beast of a car, where the DB9 (IMO) is a very beautiful car, better interior but the Vanquish looks a brute in comparison.
Can't comment on the V8V/V12V other than the test drive I went on in a V8V when I was looking for a weekend car. Felt a very good overall package but didn't excel enough in any one single area and the 360 ticked more boxes for me (at the time). However the Aston cabin felt a nice place to be and would definitely have tipped the scales if I was looking for a 2 seat daily driver.
Buy with the heart ... you're only here once you might as well enjoy yourself!
If you don't like it, change it!
Good luck - and it's worth having a little smile to yourself that you are in the fortunate position of having to make such a tough decision! Enjoy!
thanks gentlemen. With the crappy weather, I am quite happy in the turbo at the moment. Will defo look at the aston in first half of 2011. Thinking v12 is the more 'special' one and this does it for me. Need to drive one now...
If any one fancy a fair PX of their astons on my 996 turbo (sub 20k miles, manual, black, garaged, porsche warranty), I am more than happy to consider. Has to be manual and black or midnight blue though...
If any one fancy a fair PX of their astons on my 996 turbo (sub 20k miles, manual, black, garaged, porsche warranty), I am more than happy to consider. Has to be manual and black or midnight blue though...
I went from Porsche (996 C2 Cab) to Aston (V8V 4.3) and back again (997 TT Cab).
The Aston was a huge disappointment for me personally and I did regret it, in all honesty my 996 was a better car overall for less than half the price.
In comparison to your current TT you'll find it much more of a GT, so not a spritely (although can't speak for the V12) and handling much more sedately and imo not as easy to live with as an every day car, but on the plus side the looks are amazing and the sound awesome.......however, I could not put up with the poor build quality or 'features' and was so happy to get out after 5 months.....
The Aston was a huge disappointment for me personally and I did regret it, in all honesty my 996 was a better car overall for less than half the price.
In comparison to your current TT you'll find it much more of a GT, so not a spritely (although can't speak for the V12) and handling much more sedately and imo not as easy to live with as an every day car, but on the plus side the looks are amazing and the sound awesome.......however, I could not put up with the poor build quality or 'features' and was so happy to get out after 5 months.....
drove another 4.7 v8v manual yesterday (had done this a year ago). It is a very nice car. Problem is my 996tt has 20k miles on the clock, is also a very nice car (and faster than the aston), and I struggle to convince myself the aston is worth twice as much as my car. Basically, if I want a seb 10k miles, manual car, in a nice color with good options, it is about £65-70k... Bit of a tricky one this one...
The aston really is a 'feel good' car. Pretty to look at. Nice to be in. Nice to drive. The car I drove had stock suspension and it sucked up the english crap roads very nicely. What a pleasure to be in a cab that is so well isolated when the roof is up. Really a lovely thing. I will have one once I hve sorted out what I want to do with the turbo... Don't want to dump it. Paid close to 50k for it last year, and dealer offered px for 30k... I said: thanks, but no thanks... My car still looks new!
On another aspect, they had a N420 there with the sport exahust (strd I think). The noise coming out of that thing was stunning. Really makes the car. They offered me a fully kitted brand new 420n roadster in black with all the toys at 100k (vs 110k sticker price), although tempting, i declined. For me, it would be 2nd hand v12v or dbs for that money.
The aston really is a 'feel good' car. Pretty to look at. Nice to be in. Nice to drive. The car I drove had stock suspension and it sucked up the english crap roads very nicely. What a pleasure to be in a cab that is so well isolated when the roof is up. Really a lovely thing. I will have one once I hve sorted out what I want to do with the turbo... Don't want to dump it. Paid close to 50k for it last year, and dealer offered px for 30k... I said: thanks, but no thanks... My car still looks new!
On another aspect, they had a N420 there with the sport exahust (strd I think). The noise coming out of that thing was stunning. Really makes the car. They offered me a fully kitted brand new 420n roadster in black with all the toys at 100k (vs 110k sticker price), although tempting, i declined. For me, it would be 2nd hand v12v or dbs for that money.
Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff