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I've always had an Aston thing. In fact, I'd test driven the previous model used Vantage (with every intent of buying it). While it was beautiful, it didn't move the needle enough for me...so I went F-Type and have been completely happy with my choice. That said, the Aston affair hovered in background so when my local store took a new look Vantage (2900 miles) in, I took it home for the evening to see if it made sense to make a trade. After some long drives and swapping between the two cars, some random thoughts. Styling is really close. The Vantage doesn't photo especially well, because it looks fantastic in the metal. I like the tautness; it's got a sense of stretching thin skin over muscle. But it also has some messy details that the Jag handles better, especially the rear. Paint quality. Both cars were essentially the same color, the Aston a touch warmer. That said, my Jag's paint is great, no orange peel...nearly flawless. The Aston's just that bit better. Interior. I really like the interior materials and design of the Jag. Very practical and sports car simple. The Aston is more complex, but much more of an occasion too. The dash's jewelry is really interesting... nice balance between flash and taste. I liked that I never had to enter the menu (previous version of MB's interface), all the necessary actions were a physical button away. This Aston's interior was primarily blue with orange highlights (the previous owner was a U of Virginia graduate). Sounds garish but is flat out spectacular in the flesh. And that's where Aston kills it. The ability to specify/tailor "Q" the car so it reflects your specific tastes is something I feel Jag missed the boat on completely. Maybe you don't like this particular combination, but there something compelling about specifying every little aspect of the interior. I'll pay for it (within reason). Design/engineering. I was surprised at how sophisticated the Aston was. It's apparent they know sports cars. Case in point, while their footprints are close, the Aston's body space covers much less ground. It's a smaller car. But the interior is incredibly roomy...despite an engine that's halfway nestled under the firewall. I think a big part of that comes down to the Jag's large transmission tunnel, but you can also move the seats much further back than in the Jag. The Aston's transmission at the car's rear helps, but even there, the cargo room was comparable to the Jag's. And that engine placement is key for dynamics. If you look at the photos, it's clear the Jag's motor sits well above the wheel arches, while the Aston's is well below. Appreciate the supercharger adds to the height, but that lower, mid-engine configuration makes a big difference. Speed: About equal. But the Aston's engine is spectacular (I know it's an AMG lump). It revs like crazy and is a beautiful match to the eight-speed auto. The Jag's still great, but you can tell some real money went into the Aston's engine. Both engines sound wonderful, the Aston sounds more polished, but still snarls. The Aston's more of a sports car. Full stop. It's just more planted and responsive...and frankly breeds more confidence. The Jag has it on ride. All that said, it came down to whether I was in to spending about $125K for a car that's got some real advantages over the Jag, but really close in other areas. Ride (and likely sustainment costs aside), the Aston is a real step up for me. If I were shopping for a new Type R, I'd probably go for the used Aston. But I'm not. The 16 R stays home.
Had a 2009 Vantage that I put 50,000 miles on in 5 years, still one of my favorite street cars. Will likely trade the F-Type for a new version, I've just been stalling waiting for prices to come down to reality. I'm trying to stall a little longer, but I may fail.
Dollar for dollar, the F-Type is a better deal, both in terms of price and maintenance. Both love to depreciate. But the Aston is more "special". There's also a lot more choices in terms of colors, inside and out, and many of those choices are really gorgeous. Of course, that also makes it tougher to find exactly what you want.
If costs are a concern, then sticking with an F-Type R (is there really any other version that matters??) is a no-brainer. Otherwise, go with the Aston.
I really like the look of the vantage. There are some problem areas, but the side view is out of this world. If they were price wise on a par with the f Type R (before the prices when crazy), and you could still get the manual, I'd be on it like a fat kid on a cupcake as it would tick my 6 goals : looks/interior comfort/V8/manual/handling/noise. Currently I have the F type to satisfy looks/interior comfort/handling/noise and the Mustang GT for v8, manual and noise, but I would prefer to have one car rather than 2.
I took a friends Vantage F1 out for a spin a few weeks ago and was shocked at how much road noise there was in the car. We could hardly hear each other speak above 60mph and the ride is pretty stiff as well. I was pleased to get back into my Virage and I find that a lot noisier and has a harder ride than my XKR! Brilliant on long runs but not so comfortable on the daily commute.
I was spoiled by having a drive in a DBS as well though. If the price of those ever drops inside my budget I would have one of those in a heart beat! Very easy to drive around town and turns into a snarling monster with a couple of prods on the sports button!
I had high hopes when the new Vantage came out, I frankly loved the previous generation and current am considering an old V12 Vantage. The new generation design just doesn't do it for me (except the back looks amazing). And you are right, it has presence in the flesh.
That being said, in the same way I saved to get my dream car F-Type, I'm saving for a superleggera dbs for the next decade.
I had high hopes when the new Vantage came out, I frankly loved the previous generation and current am considering an old V12 Vantage. The new generation design just doesn't do it for me (except the back looks amazing). And you are right, it has presence in the flesh.
That being said, in the same way I saved to get my dream car F-Type, I'm saving for a superleggera dbs for the next decade.
yes, one in red is essentially my dream car but they look great in any colour or shade. The best bits of the f Type and Aston combined, with an agro maw that reminds me of the planet killer from Star Trek TOS. Made a guest appearance in the latest Bond movie.
At $600K over here, out of reach for this little black duck.
I took a friends Vantage F1 out for a spin a few weeks ago and was shocked at how much road noise there was in the car. We could hardly hear each other speak above 60mph and the ride is pretty stiff as well. I was pleased to get back into my Virage and I find that a lot noisier and has a harder ride than my XKR! Brilliant on long runs but not so comfortable on the daily commute.
I was spoiled by having a drive in a DBS as well though. If the price of those ever drops inside my budget I would have one of those in a heart beat! Very easy to drive around town and turns into a snarling monster with a couple of prods on the sports button!
Be aware that the F1 version of the Vantage has a tighter suspension and larger wheels, so its better on track, but I could see the noise/roughness being worse on street. That's why I think the standard version is better for the street. In my test drives of the standard version I had no issue with a rough ride or road noise (I only tried the coupe, not the convertible). Obviously the DB11 is softer/smoother, but I thought it was too soft and liked the Vantage better.
The thing is, if you think about it, the F-Type R is a pretty awesome car, all-around. My problem is that I've been spoiled by previously having had the Vantage and a McLaren 570. But I knew that when I got it and I specifically knew when I bought the F-Type that is was a "transition" car to last me until the car market got sane again. But if you haven't been spoiled, its tough not to be happy with the F-Type, with the worst aspect of it being the dealer service experience.
The dealer service experience is about as arbitrary as there are dealers. From my experience it matters little what brand car you own, there are always going to be negative remarks concerning dealers. I consider myself very lucky in that I have never had a "bad" dealer experience with any of the brands I have ever owned. My Jaguar dealer is just fantastic, they have a great crew and we get along famously. My down the street neighbor refuses to go to his Lexus dealer and another returned his McLaren after less than six months due to all the gremlins in the car.
About the only car brand I have not have experience with either directly or indirectly is Rolls Royce so I presume their dealer experience is what one would expect from such a brand. All others are hit and miss and in my opinion largely the result of how one interacts with their dealer.
... in my opinion largely the result of how one interacts with their dealer.
That is such utter BS.
There are good dealers, bad ones, and really bad ones. There's two aspects to dealer support, how they manage things and how good they are technically. They can be good or bad on one or both of those aspects. For something like Chevy, there's usually a ton of dealers to choose from. For dealers like Jaguar and Aston, you usually don't have much of a choice of who you can deal with, so if they are bad in one or both of those aspects, then its a problem.
The best dealer I've ever dealt with is a Chevy dealer. I've had good experiences with McLaren and Lincoln dealers. I've also had bad experiences with Jaguar and Aston dealers. The only reason I would get an Aston again is that I happen to have a choice and don't have to go to the dealer I had problems with.
Percentage-wise, I've seen a lot more people have issues with their Jaguar dealers, so yes, that's an issue.
I've always wanted an Aston and really wanted the updated Vantage. However, I was buying new and the faster zero to 60 of the Jag, the lower price, better warranty, covered maintenance, availability of dealerships, etc. pushed me to the Jag. Also, i dont like that the Aston uses the MB drive train. If I wanted that, I'd go for the AMG GT. I also like supercharged versus turbos. BUT, the Vantage is simply gorgeous. Next to the Jag, it makes the Jag look really dated and bloated. The roof line is even lower than the Jag... The F type, even with the refresh is showing its 10+ year old age. Still gorgeous, but missing that modern edginess for sure.
The Aston marque is way more prestigious and really gives off that Supercar vibe.
I can't shake the Aston and I'm currently shopping for a slightly used Vantage. I'm going to lose my **** on the Jag though to a tune of about $30k and I only have 2300 miles on it. Ouch! That's my fault for buying it (yellow '21 F Type R with most of the bells and whistles) new at $120k minus a $10k mfg rebate (110k). Good thing I bought it outright, would hate to also be paying interest on a loan. Lol
I like the Jag, but I love the Vantage!! Thanks for the side by side. You just made up my mind. Gotta get a Vantage!!
Regarding the percentage of those who have problems with Jag dealers…
Well, let me skew your percentage-wise survey towards the positive. My Jaguar dealer is exemplary in terms of service and expertise….and they will happily and correctly service older Jags, a fact that I know from experience. In fact next week they will be servicing my 20 year old X-Type. It gets the same treatment as my F-Type.
There are good dealers, bad ones, and really bad ones. There's two aspects to dealer support, how they manage things and how good they are technically. They can be good or bad on one or both of those aspects. For something like Chevy, there's usually a ton of dealers to choose from. For dealers like Jaguar and Aston, you usually don't have much of a choice of who you can deal with, so if they are bad in one or both of those aspects, then its a problem.
The best dealer I've ever dealt with is a Chevy dealer. I've had good experiences with McLaren and Lincoln dealers. I've also had bad experiences with Jaguar and Aston dealers. The only reason I would get an Aston again is that I happen to have a choice and don't have to go to the dealer I had problems with.
Percentage-wise, I've seen a lot more people have issues with their Jaguar dealers, so yes, that's an issue.
I have an awesome dealer. White glove service, excellent staff, and pristine facility with glass-walled drop off, delivery, and garage! Got lucky.
But if you haven't been spoiled, its tough not to be happy with the F-Type, with the worst aspect of it being the dealer service experience.
BS to me is making an overarching negative statement about Jaguar dealers because you may have had an issue with them that you could not resolve. I have just never had that problem, not with a Jaguar dealer or any dealer for that matter.
Clearly there are differences, often significant ones. I’ve had experiences with several, widely spaced geographically, with 2 XE’s and 3 F-Types (‘16 v6 base conv, ‘18 R conv. and present ‘21 R coupe). Rating depends on employee attitude and willingness to accommodate, competence, availability, quality of facilities and intangibles (availability of loaner, quality of waiting area, etc.), in that order. Based on numerous experiences as buyer, seller and/or the poor schmuck whose convertible top would not go up or down (for the third time!), here’s my ranking (hint: you overfill the oil and characterize the vehicle as “certified,” you go to bottom of my list): Montréal, Cleveland, Rochester, Buffalo, Norwood (Boston) and Buckhead (Atlanta). As for other dealers I’ve experienced in various places, I’d rank as follows, somewhat arbitrarily: Volvo, Subaru, Toyota, BMW, Chevy, Pontiac.
BS to me is making an overarching negative statement about Jaguar dealers because you may have had an issue with them that you could not resolve. I have just never had that problem, not with a Jaguar dealer or any dealer for that matter.
No, the BS has to do with blaming the customer for any problems with ANY dealer.
As far as your experiences go, either you are lucky or you let people take advantage of you, which is why the dealers think they can do it to everyone.
As an FYI, the only time I have had to get a lawyer was with GM. The issues where not the dealer's fault, it was GM. Which is also why people need to understand what issues are caused by the dealer vs the manufacturer.
My issues with the Jaguar dealer were resolved, but they shouldn't have happened. Why should I have to expect a headache every time I have to interact with the dealer? I should also mention that having one issue with a dealer can simply be a mistake, its when things keep occurring that indicates a real problem.
12-07-2022, 02:38 PM
Test Drove 2019 Aston Martin Vantage: Thoughts
