Bentley GT vs Aston DB9 vs Mas Gran Turismo

I think in terms of reliability it will go; Bentley > Maserati > Aston Martin. In terms of performance they all have their strengths and weaknesses, the CGT will have the greatest straight line speed but would be the least fun car to drive when the roads get twisty.

The Gran Turismo is a great drivers car but it's biggest knock is that it has "just" 405bhp, I happen to think the power is sufficient but there is a new S model comming for '09 with 440bhp if you're so inclined.

The DB9 is a nice mix of the Bentley and the Maserati. You get that wonderful feel of a traditional bespoke British interior plus the V12 sounds fantastic. It's not quite as fun to drive as the Maserati nor is it as fast as the Bentley.

If it were my choice, the Maserati would be parked in my garage

 

My number one factor would always be new car > used car in terms of reliability.
As for the brands, I think Bentley is quite solid, and if I am not mistaken maintenance is included; however, since you are buying a used one, chances are maintenance has expired. Aston's have gotten alot of negative press in terms of reliability largely due to the Vanquish. I have an 08 Aston Vantage that has been superb (4 months and 1800 miles though). My friend has an 05 Aston DB9 and other than the subwoofer in the Linn system acting up (which was fixed) he has had ZERO problems. He has 30000 miles on his DB9. servicing is quite expensive. Expect $1500-2000 for its 10k service and $3500 for its $20k service.
Cannot comment on the Maserati, but I do know some folks had problems with clutch wearing out at 5k miles on the QP. I looked at the QP, and found some minor flaws that stemmed from hand craftsmanship, i.e. the glove compartment does not line up perfectly with the rest of the dash and wiggles when in open position.
My suggestion is if you are considering a new Gran Turismo, then also consider the Vantage, since they have similar prices and performance speccs. most dealers are discounting new left-over 2007s for $20-25k below sticker and $10-15k below sticker for 2008s. that means an 07 with a $130k MSRP for under $110k. Vantage for MY09 is due for a horsepower increase to 420 hp and upgraded interior to mirror the DBS's interior. There will be a 5-10% price hike as a result of this.

 

I vote for the Bentley CGT. The Maser is a looker, but unfortunatley it is relatively underpowered. DB9 is a distant 3rd in this group...

back seats of both the Bentley and the Maser are usable... the DB9 back seat doesn't fit my wifes handbag...

 

I vote for Maser.

 

+1

The bentley is sooo tacky.

 

+1

 

Please tell me why you think the CGT is tacky. Of all of the current Bentleys, I think the CGT is the least controversial car in the line-up.

 

its a boat, trying too hard to be both a sports car/an attention grabber while being extremely luxurious. I am not crazy about the design either

 

I think the Granturismo is the most stylish GT car on the market today save the Alfa Romeo 8C (which is unobtanium). Pictures do not do this car justice. It is very dramatic in person. It is a little color sensitive in order to really see some of its curves. Both the DB9 and the new Vantage are very nice, but in in a crisp, tailored fashion. Not curvaceous like the Maserati. The Bentley is cool in the GTC version, but then it's kind of a womans car. (No offence to owners past, current and future)

As an aside, I think it's comical that a car with 405 horsepower is now considered inadequate and slow. Besides, with cars that look so good, why would you want to zoom past everyone in a blaze of glory anyway. That's what sports cars are for.

 

The GranTurismo will have torque converter, so you will not have a clutch problem with this car.

 

CGT is tacky and overplayed. Granturismo for sure!

However and older Bentley Mulliner is amazing!

 

Maser.

 

Being located where you are, buy the most reliable. Having to have it shipped to wherever to be serviced if something goes wrong in between scheduled maintenance is going to be a b*tch. That being said, the Aston is darn sexy and I might ignore my own advice if I were in the position to buy.

 

the bentley is tacky because kirstie alley has one

 

go out and test drive all three in my opinion.

 

to start with, i would rule out the Bentley... They are nothing exciting (at all) and do not appear to look intriging.. atleast to anyone with taste.

The DB9 is great, but the DB9S is better (yet quite similar). If you want a 6MT, the DB9S is perfect for your specified needs. The Maserati GT is virtually flawless.. My wife recently took delivery of hers and enjoys it more than my 355. Granted it is basically full autobox, it is still loads of fun, and loads of luxury, worth every coin. I would check out the GT*S as well (new S trim).

Overall choice would come to the Maserati, as i have not owned an Aston. . . There are more benefits with the Maserati from what i see. At any rate, DO test drive your options before making a blind chioce...

 

Having actually owned a CGT I don't get the tacky coments. The car to me is solid,great quality and you can personalize it just the way you want it with tons of interior options. I would choose the Bentley over the other two for a daily driver any day. The DB9 looks great but rear seat room is non existent. The Masers do nothing for me. Any car can be bought by someone that puts 24's on it and make it look over the top so to call the CGT tacky is just silly.

 

I looked at all three for several months. I love the looks of the Aston but would compare it more to a MB SL, or BMW M635. Smaller on the inside but a blast to drive. Sorry, but the Maser brings back too many memories of the BiTurbos spontaneosly catching fire . I picked the Bentley. Last week, we went to dinner with another couple. Comfortable for 4. Go drive one. The speed,comfort and handling is great. If you are looking for a car as a dd for 2 people, I'd get the Aston. 4 people, CGT.

 

How is the CL63 in comparison to these? Saw one on the road today and it actually looks pretty decent. I am pretty sure it would be more reliable than the Bentley, Aston or Maserati as well.

 

I have looked at the CL63 also. Great car but two problems. All the AMG cars drop 50% or more in 18-24 months, and the car already looks like a $60k MB, not a $137K car which it costs new.

 

I would go with the DB9 (POWER, BEAUTY, SOUL) DB9 is faster than the Maserati, about as fast as the bentley, sounds better than the bentley, handles better than the bentley. Maserati's interior is a bit too weird there's like 50 buttons and it's not arranged as well as the DB9 interior. Both Bentley and DB9 are the best looking, but overall I think the DB9 is a clear winner

 

DB9 or a Bentley.. you cant go wrong..

heard too many horror stories about Maserati!!! unless its a MC12

 

Did not drive GTurismo S ,so no opinion on that one.
Hated DB9 for "feminine feel",average performance,rattles,inconsistent fit and finish (had it for 4 months,lost my shirt on it),current Maserati is definitely too gutless,don't like the Bentley's handling,throttle response (laziest ever),brake feel,piss poor AM reception(virtually non existent) and sub par performance next to any AMG.
Bentley Speed however,all my beefs with the CGT are answered and more,performance on par with CL65 (more accesible because of AWD),better ride and handling,terriffic brakes (CCBs),otherworldly sound system and absolutely gorgeous interior.
Put my $$$ where my mouth is,have a Spur ordered for October (for wife's carpools,Target or pedicure trips).

 

Didn't want to open a new thread.. but I have a similar question, so here goes:

In my quest for getting a Ferrari by 2009, I found myself at the local Ferrari dealership.

Off on a tangent... I test-drove a 2008 Maserati GT while I was there. It was awesome, to the say the least. I loved it, and have now started looking for new cars in this segment instead of a used Ferrari (which I still long for, but I digress...)

Today, I had the pleasure of test-driving a 2008 Aston Martin V8 Vantage... OMG, words cannot express the white-knuckle driving experience in this beast. I was concerned about safety and reliability, but the (very friendly and helpful) salesman told me that Vantage is very safe and reliable, and requires less maintenance than a Ferrari.

Just wondering if someone here can give me an independent opinion of the AM vs the Maser?

I have also test-driven the SL - which seems to be the logical step up from an SLK - but I definitely enjoyed the cars above more than the SL... more "grunt"

Thanks!
~shahedc
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