GTS MC Shift vs Aston Martin Vantage Roadster

Could I ask those of you who have owned both these vehicles to take a moment to pass on their thoughts
On a comparison.
Reliability , maintenance costs, exhaust sound, driving experience etc?
I would really appreciate it.

Well, I have only owned a 4200, and I have been thinking for my next car should I go GTS or DB9 etc next as I love the shape/form of the AM, well, in York today I was parked 1 car away from a DB9 while the missus popped in a shop, AM owner comes out, I put windows down, slight burble on start up and nothing....................
Not for me, my 4200 before I got the the exhaust mods was more enticing......

a friend has the AM, not sure the year. I played with it for a while, two lasting impressions:
- the exhaust sounded average, and he had stuck the valves open
- inside the engine bay looked like it came from the 70's - ugly looking, engine and all

The car itself was beautiful, but I would chose a GTS over it any day.

A friend had an Aston. He had nothing but issues with it. The final straw was when the wing mirror glass fell out onto the road driving at 10 mph


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azapa said:

a friend has the AM, not sure the year. I played with it for a while, two lasting impressions:
- the exhaust sounded average, and he had stuck the valves open
- inside the engine bay looked like it came from the 70's - ugly looking, engine and all

The car itself was beautiful, but I would chose a GTS over it any day.

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That reaffirms My impression is that although people say the AM sounds amazing - it's because they haven't heard a GTs.
Will be interested to hear from those who have owned both.
I just don't like how the DB9 looks even though The +2 would be nice

Iain, I have not owned either but driven both. I am probably going to give a different view from most on here as its a Maserati forum.....I would take the Vantage....4.7 though as the 4.3.needs working to get the best out of it. I love both but the Vantage for me is still the best looking, best proportioned car on the road even after all these years.

They are both very different cars though as one in a GT and one very much a sports car. The Vanage is a point and squirt car that you take down your fav twisty road on a Sunday and smile. The GT car cover ground and continents in comfort and quickly and even though it hides its bulk well it's still a big car to hustle.Both sound amazing and both are lovely places to be. I prefer the interior of the Vantage as it cacoons you and wraps around you and with its shallow side windows feels very sporty and special.......but with only two seats is no where near as practice as the GT S.

As with both cars you can buy a lemon but I think for the vantage reliability improved over time and if you read the Aston forums the 4.7 engine is pretty reliable. Clutches are expensive for both manual and the sport shift and finding a car that has had one recently is a plus.....So much the same as the GT S. Good 4.3's are around 35k but they do seem to start at 30k but there is a lot of rubbish out there that hasn't been looked after. If buying an early car main dealers still sell the odd 2005/2006 cars and they seem to start at around 37kish and the warranty you get is really good.....the experience buying from them is really good. My friend bought a 2006 4.3 from Bristol Aston Martin and was treated like a King. If I was in the market then I would aim for a 2006 with the upgraded seats as these are better cars. 40k though gets you an N400 which is the 4.3 to have with its upgraded suspension and 400bhp. 4.7s though start around 45k and these are just a better car and on par with the GTS performance figures....My friend loves his 2006 car and has had no issues with it so far.

As you can probably see I have a bit of a thong for the Vantage....such a beautiful car ...... But the so is the GTS......For me it depends what you want a toy to do as I said very different driving experiences.

Agree with what Andy says. I've had 4.3 and 4.7 coupes. Really liked both aesthetically, but whilst the 4.3 is no slouch, the 4.7 has the performance that the looks demand. I had the Aston sports exhaust fitted to both and pulled the exhaust valve fuse. The exhaust then sounded every bit as good, albeit not the same, as a GTS imho. As he also says, very different car. More a true sports car than the GTS. Can't speak for whether the roadster loses a bit of that by have the roof lopped off.

You have certainly had and have a great taste in cars Rwc13.....The car my friend bought has the Aston Sports exhaust and it does sound as good as the Maserati but as you say a different sort of sound. Had a ride in an N430 at Brunty and that sounded awesome.

Not comparing like for like Iain, Vantage Roadster is a 2 seater roadster, GTS MC is a 4 seat grand tourer.

I've experience of both, agree with the above about the 4.3 being underpowered, interiors are dated, boring places and the cabin is cramped. Gearbox, clutches hard work on a manual, sportshift is same as a Gransport. Exhaust note is superb on chat with fuse 33 out or valves open, but as Dave says, start up noise is underwhelming.

Iain, not driven a roadster so my thoughts are on the Coupe but again an N400 would be the way to go if you wanted a 4.3 but they are far and few between as pretty rare. They do hold there value now though. Seem to have hit as far as they will go maybe. There is only one N400 Roadster for sale in the classifieds at the moment and can't remember the last time I saw another. There is a lovely N400 Coupe though for sale at an Aston dealer for 39k in Orange....Colour will not be for everyone but I love it. N400 came in three colours orange, black and lightening silver.....Most seem to be black though......

iainw said:

That reaffirms My impression is that although people say the AM sounds amazing - it's because they haven't heard a GTs.
Will be interested to hear from those who have owned both.
I just don't like how the DB9 looks even though The +2 would be nice

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Rear seats in the DB9 are there for decoration! Probably worse than in a 911!
Friend is on his second Aston. He bought instead of a Stradale. Running costs are less than I was on the 4200.
As with Maserati buying a good one is key. He has had no issues with his cars and from what I can gather most issues on older cars have been addressed under warranty or as cars improved. Main dealer warranty on used cars is impressive.

I am with Andy, the only modern Aston I would seriously consider is the Vantage, I just don't like the bigger Astons style post DB7 I just find them clumsy and I hate that centre console they all have. The Vantage has lovely proportions, it just looks right and the old adage if it looks right it probably is goes well with them. Also I agree the 4.7 is the one to have but it does carry a hefty premium still but a good N400 can bridge the gap (oh and I love the Orange).

But would I have one over a GTS tough call, different cars, to replace my Spyder maybe but it I was looking for something to use more often I would probably go for the GTS.

I did consider selling the SZ and buying a Vantage last year but that was only a moment of madness

I went from a 4200 and to a Vantage, a 4.3.

The biggest difference between Maserati and AM of the same era is build quality. The AM is in my opinion a much more refined and better engineered machine - the exterior, the chassis, the engine, the interior.

From my knowledge AM DB9s and Vantages (4.3 and 4.7) are very reliable. The major issue being very few DB9s with a ticking noise that is very bad news. Pretty sure there was a similar variator issue on Masser GTs?

The gearshift on the early manuals is a tad stiff, but my wife like it and wonders what all the fuss is about - so that should answer exactly how difficult it actually is.

One place where it does excel in stiffness is the chassis which you can feel when driving in the twisty stuff,it feels so much more planted. I am pretty sure saying it's chassis is as stiff as a Gallardo.

All of that said, if I ever need four seats I will be back in a Masser and a GT. The DB9 rear seats are not seats.

Never driven an Aston, but when I was looking for a Maser, I looked at a V8 Vantage, sat in in, and decided it was too cramped and claustrophobic inside. Maybe because I'm a big lad, but I'd expect a bit more room in a car.
Oh, and the Ford switches.........

Just to clear up the GM/Ford thing. That was in the DB7.

It is not the case for the DB9 or Vantage. In fact it is another thing that I like, everything is the material you expect it to be from sight.
If it looks like leather it is leather, not vinyl.
If it looks like metal it is machined single piece metal, not plastic.

I thought that the interior and build quality of the Vantages I have driven or been in was pretty impressive and felt solid. Certainly more so than Maserati.

rossyl said:

I went from a 4200 and to a Vantage, a 4.3.

The biggest difference between Maserati and AM of the same era is build quality. The AM is in my opinion a much more refined and better engineered machine - the exterior, the chassis, the engine, the interior.

From my knowledge AM DB9s and Vantages (4.3 and 4.7) are very reliable. The major issue being very few DB9s with a ticking noise that is very bad news. Pretty sure there was a similar variator issue on Masser GTs?

The gearshift on the early manuals is a tad stiff, but my wife like it and wonders what all the fuss is about - so that should answer exactly how difficult it actually is.

One place where it does excel in stiffness is the chassis which you can feel when driving in the twisty stuff,it feels so much more planted. I am pretty sure saying it's chassis is as stiff as a Gallardo.

All of that said, if I ever need four seats I will be back in a Masser and a GT. The DB9 rear seats are not seats.

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The build quality should be better, as you're comparing a 2004 4200, at £55k new, used £15k, or a Vantage at £85k new, £35k used and at least 3 years newer.....

Andyk said:

I thought that the interior and build quality of the Vantages I have driven or been in was pretty impressive and felt solid. Certainly more so than Maserati.

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I drove a mates a few years ago and it felt cheap to me. Switchgear from Fords etc..4.3 was not impressive at all.

I would suggest Iain that you go on an Aston forum and ask the same question.
Then compare those answers with this on here and somewhere in the middle might be a better indication!

Loads of good advice and thoughts here I really appreciate.
Agree with the above thoughts re: it's not like
For like etc- and opinions differ on the interior.
Mine would be hard to match sound and interior wise- but I just love my convertibles.
In an ideal world I need 1) a tin opener for mine 2) wait until facelift MC sport grand cabs start with a 5. 3) somehow get a 4.7 am Vantage roadster with sports exhaust whilst convincing my wife it's due to austerity.
All of which seem unlikely.
Truth is - I am in love with the GTs for what it is- but circumstances have changed since getting the Evoque- I am using it far more
Than I thought I would.