Aston Martin Vanquish Maintenance

I don't really have an answer to any of your questions but the new DBRS9 (the next James Bond car) will have 500 hp in the customer version so that and the Vanquish S may be affecting the market. Maybe SCM has a good idea about whether or not it is a good time to buy?

DBRS9
http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060906/FREE/60905029/1065/rss01&rssfeed=rss01

Some interesting points about the car here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Martin_Vanquish

Also it looks like the V12 uses a timing chain.

 

The Vanquish prices should continue to fall given AM's historical depreciation curve, but I would expect that curve to have reached the flatter part and wouldn't expect them to go below $100K anytime soon. This is the last year of the current body style Vanquish. It will be re-designed and re-introduced in 2 years, if my dealer is correct. In the meantime, the DBS (or the DBRS9 as the case may be) will be the flagship. The DBS/RS9 is just the DB9 with some nice appointments and upgrades. However, the look is far more "aggressive" than the DB9 and more "boy-racer" than the Vanquish. So, the point is that the old body style Vanquishes shouldn't get completely crushed until the new Vanquish is introduced.

The cars you are referring to (the lower priced cars) are probably all out of warranty. This makes ownership quite expensive if anything should go wrong. You can purchase an extended on any AM that isn't "redflagged" by their system, however an extended warranty on a car that has gone out of warranty already is a much more limited one. If the car is still under warranty, you can purchase a fairly comprehensive warranty for several thousand $.

You are correct about the clutch issue. However, remember that the clutch is a true manual clutch with paddles. The problems people are having are mostly related to the fact that at each stop the car should be put into neutral. Most drivers experiencing early clutch failure is because they're not going into neutral. Treat it like any other manual, and my dealer has advised me I will be fine.

According to the service manager, I should expect a $4.5K to $6K annual maintenance expense. Maybe that is conservatively high, but with rates of $100+ for service techs, they can go through a fair bit of that amount pretty rapidly. Also, parts are very expensive and are only available from the dealer.

I've been told a funny story that I swore I would not repeat about the Vanquish and the folks at SPa Ferrari. While I won't break my promise, I will say that the factory acknolwedges that the Vanquish is very attractive.

CW

 

Can't recall the service intervals.

The clutch engagement is somewhat jerky. I can compare it to both a Stradale and an Audi RS6. The Audi is more like an automatic transmission, while the Stradale is smoother (but equally precise). The computer in the Stradale, IMO, is superior, but the software upgrades in the Vanquish S have supposedly made the shifts smoother.

CW

 

IIRC the Ferrari and AM system is identical in terms of hardware, both being MM systems.

 

That sucks.

 

Ah, yes, but WHICH components?

As long as it's not the block, crank, pistons, conrods ...

Maybe it's just the license plate screws?

Hang on...didn't Ferraris share components with Fiats? And, doesn't Lamborghini share components with Audi?

CW

 

Based on the Mondel engine. Built by Cosworth. Nothing to be upset about. Good engine.

 

Heck YES it's a good engine!

CW

 

The engine. The Vanquish V12 which contrary to rumours at the time, was not a hybrid of two V6 Ford Duratec engines. That said, the original
V12 did make use of Duratec pistons, connecting rods and
valvetrain. Also 18.1kg removed from the engine
internals, more than half of which involved rotating parts such as
the crank, camshafts and flywheel.

 

7500 miles b/w service.

My 05 Vanq S has 10000miles on it. So far $0 for service, including getting the car picked up/dropped off by truck.

No issues.