Purchase choice: Ferrari California or Aston Vantage S Roadster

In the UK, second hand Astons fall off a fiscal cliff. The interior of the Aston als seems very old fashioned whilst the Calis is beautiful and stylish. I would not even think twice as whilst the Aston is a very good car in its latest guise, it is no Ferrari.

 

Same here. Keeping the Cali for 4-5 yrs would still leave some warranty/free maintenance and should make it financially in comparison to the Aston a no brainer in addition to having a faster, more modern and regardless of top up or down a very nice car.

 

CALI

 

+1

 

Good to have this choice!

Well Bob I think you certainly answered your own question above in terms of driving experience.
I have a 430 Spider and a DBS. Previously owned a Nurburgring Edition V8V N400. Reason I sold it was that it just didn't have the visceral driving experience and can't compare to Ferrari. So I traded the Vantage for the 430. HOWEVER, there is something sultry and seductive about Aston, which IMO is the most elegantly designed car ever made. Thus, I had to get back into Aston and picked up a DBS. Once I appreciated the car for what it was meant for - a GT luxury car - I fell back in love with it. The DBS is my DD of which I love the V12 note.
430 Spider is the weekend car that I love to drive for the sporty experience.
So depends in what you are looking for in the car.

 

I'd say go with the Cali because you've got a comfy GT in the SC, the Aston may be a tad redundant.

 

Get the Aston if looking at the car from outside it is most important. Get the California for all other reasons!

 

Unbiased since I own neither and was thinking about both. I don't know if this will help you, but here is my opinion

I own my 3rd XK. I just love GT cars and the 5.0 XK Convertible is a beautiful daily driver. I do about 20.000 miles per year.

Was thinking of moving to the Cali or Vantage. I wanted a convertible. The Vantage Roadster looks terrible compared to the coupe and I am not too fond anymore of the Calis lines. I decided to get a DB9 Volante as a DD and a 458 as a fun car when I have the money. Best of both worlds.

I feel that the Vantage S is more engaging to drive - the little thing feels like a go kart. The trunk of the Cali is considerably bigger. The Cali is more the GT car and the Aston more of a boy racer.

 

I am usually very understanding of questions like this -- "do you think I ought to get X or Y." But I really don't see this one as a question, unless it is a matter of cool British lines vs. more curvacious and flamboyant Italian design. In every other way, the answer is the same.

 

I would expect expect that the Aston would be more common in London than a Cali. Could be wrong.

We see more Astons and Bentleys parked on the street than Fcars here. Fcars get much more attention as they are more rare here. Never seen a red Aston. Metallic green, metallic blue and silver.

There is nothing like driving a red Fcar. Nothing.

 

There's a dark red Rapide and a light red Vantage V8 here in Omaha.

 

It's Nebraska.

Do you know what the "N" on the Nebraska football helmet stands for?























Nowledge.

Ski Nebraska.

 

Well, you're on a Ferrari site so you would think we would be prejudiced but honestly, it's the Cali.

12's are maintenance free for 7 years. That will save you about $1100/year. 12's are good because they have a lot of the early bugs worked out.

The Cali is more reliable, faster, has a better top, and has a better gearbox. Resale for the Cali has been better historically than the AM, especially a new one. One person here on Fchat drove his 2009 over 20K miles in 2 years and then turned around and bought another new one. That may tell you something.

The only issue is really the looks. The AM is prettier IMO but the Cali is sportier and newer.

Good luck with your choice!

 

One out of left field.....

A 2004 Aston Martin current shape car starts at about £25,000 in the UK

Get one and update wheels, lights and exterior to look more current

You still get the driving feel of an expensive one without the depreciation

And perhaps add a 599 for special occasions

The total price would be around a new Aston

Anyone that buys a new Aston must be "very wealthy" knowing they are going to loose $X over Y years

I love all the high depreciation cars, range rovers, maserattis, Aston

But I laugh out loud at the people that buy the brand new and sell them after 18 months or two years later having lost about 50% of the cars value.

I hope the people keep buying them new so I can pick up a bargain two years later

 

Greed.

It works.

Enjoy.

 

This is all very subjective. Your 'smart', may be another man's 'idiocy'. Even when you pick up an aston 24 months down the line, there is a fair way for it to depreciate. I'm sure the car that your car would go to next would say the same about yourself. So before you 'laugh out loud' just have a think maybe there are plenty of people doing the same when you sell on in another 24 months or so. You can be hit with other problems with a car if you buy second hand. I do not think I like the idea of buying these cars, the high end super cars without knowing exactly how they were driven before hand or how they were maintained. Maybe I am really really anal, but I just would not buy a car that I could not afford brand new including depreciation etc without actually worrying about how much you drive it as well. But when we as a family buy these high end cars, we plan to keep them at least for their production cycle, if not beyond that and just pass it down the line to our family once we get a new one. I know that, circumstances permitting, I will be keeping the 458 for life from new once it arrives this month.

It is just how a person wants to use their money. To most people anyone buying even a second hand ferrari/aston/bentley/lambo etc etc is probably an idiot with maintenance costs being a huge percentage of their take home pay at the end of the day.

Ps. You were mentioning the UK market. Im in the UK too. Astons/Bentleys/Jags took a massive massive hit during the recession as the bankers and the fallout from the recession really took its toll, then too many came onto the second hand market. Technology was old along with engineering. It all had an impact. Will be interesting to see how the new range of Vanquish and DB9 holds its value (I went to exclusive showing of these cars and they are absolutely stunning and first cars will definitely have a premium on them).

 

I can assure you the new models will tank the same as the old. AM have no idea how to control their market, something Ferrari really understands.

 

I concur too, but that should not really put off buyers. If they love the car and can afford it - brilliant. I love seeing them on the roads.

 

EXACTLY!!!!!!

 

My ideas are just my own and are prejudiced by my own circumstances.

If I was working full time or if I was over 50 or if I had a family or if I leased my cars I'm sure I would think differently

There are very few absolutes with what car to buy

The best car is the one that suits YOUR needs best, and not mine

I just throw my ideas out there as something different to consider

Unpaid anonomous opinions are seldom anything other than subjective

I could be a 17yo kid posing as an owner that has never driven a Ferrari

 

I had both and sold my Aston. Hmm, guess that says something!

 

Now ask the exactly same thing at the AM forum

 

I am not a fan of the Cali but it is a much better car than the Aston. I used to love Aston (Still love them up to the old Vanquish) but they just became lazy with their design and engines. Nothing really new in terms of Design or Technology in over 10 years other than the One-77.