Musing on a change to suit my age group..

[richbk]

So after 12 years of Elise and exige ownership , and stretching my man maths to the limit I have been looking at a couple of cars to consider replacing the exige and boxster S with in the spring. It would be pretty rarified air for me and car price reflects keeping some cash back for service, maintainance and upgrades. 

i don't have deep pockets to buy new but love the idea of owning both of these cars.

Pluses and minuses to both I guess, so figured I would ask the MLOC massive which way they would go, and crucially any experiences with either car. 

Couple of links below to spec and price I would consider. But not specifically these exact cars.

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/audi/r8/audi-r8-4-2-fsi-quattro-2dr/9166495

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/aston-martin/v8-vantage-coupe/aston-martin-vantage-vh2-v8-2006/9051068

So if you could, would you, and if you would, which one ??, oh and which will be worth most in 12 years time so I can buy a mclaren !!

 

[scatty]

I’m not really an Aston fan. I like the r8 though.

have you thought of an Evora or did you just want a complete change.

[Jonathan E]

Nice quandary to have Rich

Never owned either but have friends that do/have, and been lucky enough to drive both on more than one occasion.

 Neither comes close to the sense of occasion that you get from a Lotus. Both are very quick, Aston maintenance costs are stupidly expensive even through an independent and the Audi just feels like a bigger faster TT, Aston build quality isn’t good especially on older cars.

In answer to the last line of your post,

I couldn’t afford either, if I could, I wouldn’t, and the Aston would probably hold its value better if buying at the value in your post, although both will go down in value unless kept for a very long time and not used.

Stick with the Lotus until there’s enough in the Mclaren fund.

Just my 2p’s worth

 

[Dr H]

Funnily enough I've been toying with getting an Aston V8 or an R8 for a few months now!

I just love the overall size / look of the Aston then I realised that the R8s were cheaper than I thought.

I have no direct experience but apparently the Audi is faster and handles better, it's more of a sports car, whereas the Aston is a GT really.

Would have to be a manual for me. Apparently the early Aston sports shift boxes are awful anyway, not sure about the Audi. Interior of the Aston wins hands down for me but Audi will have more gadgets etc.

Have a look at the stories of earlier R8s suffering from cracked chassis (at the front), pretty scary and although not guaranteed, there do seem to be enough occurrences for it to be a concern.. Audi do offer chassis strengthening plates to be welded on but have never admitted it's a design fault so any repairs are at the owners cost. A cracked chassis would write the car off as far as an insurance company is concerned.

I'd have to drive them to make a proper decision but for me it would be the Aston on balance. Probably a bit more 'useable'.

 

 

[richbk]

Hi folks

thx for the feedback, hadn't heard of the R8 chassis issues, more googling required.

manuals definitely, I'm not that old yet !!

Looks, inside and out  I love the Aston , tech and driving reviews the R8 seems to win, and are a little rarer, with i imagine more sense of occasion when driving it, lower, firmer, mid engined

the evora i am conflicted about, i see some lovely examples on runs and at events and i think ...maybe, but just something about its looks don't do it for me on the standard cars that would fall in my price bracket. 

[DeanB]

Have a look at Phil S1s Evora Rich - that would be in your price bracket and is a great looking car - it's not for sale but shows what can be had.

Please don't buy an Audi because ...well, it's an Audi!  It's just not special is it?  Maybe if it wasn't ugly, but it is.  A car born as a cynical marketing excercise to create a halo effect for A3s & A4s.  Nasty.

I like the Vantage.  A genuinely great looking car.

And what about a 996 Carrera 2S? A truly great car.  Classic.  History will judge them very well indeed - trust me.

:-)

 

[Phil S1]

For a little under 40K Rich you could pick up a NA Evora Sports Racer and an S like the one below for a little bit more...

https://www.classicandsportscar.com/classifieds/classic-cars/lotus/evora/lotus-evora-v6-s-sports-racer-4-ips---------2015/9171798

I've never driven an R8 or Aston come to that but have read that the R8 can seem a little bit....well...dull in the handling department. The Aston would get my vote, if only for being British but I'd be terrified by the likely running costs, that's why I ended up with my Evora 

[timbo]

Same as DeanB said about the Audi. It's just not special.

These days Aston's seem to be driven by either the terminally self-impressed or minor league footballers.

Stick with Lotus!

[DeanB]

19 hours ago, DeanB said:

Have a look at Phil S1s Evora Rich - that would be in your price bracket and is a great looking car - it's not for sale but shows what can be had.

Please don't buy an Audi because ...well, it's an Audi!  It's just not special is it?  Maybe if it wasn't ugly, but it is.  A car born as a cynical marketing excercise to create a halo effect for A3s & A4s.  Nasty.

I like the Vantage.  A genuinely great looking car.

And what about a 996 Carrera 2S? A truly great car.  Classic.  History will judge them very well indeed - trust me.

:-)

 

I meant 997 Carrera 2S, sorry.  The 996 is the one with the fried-egg lights isn't it?  If so it's hideous!

[Mutley00]

Can we take a step back here and ask the fundamental question - how old are you Rich?

If you are younger than me (60) I would say 'man up', get some warm up exercises done, and continue squeezing into your Exige as neither of your proposed replacements do anything for me at all.

Hope this helps?

Regards, Andrew

[StokieAfro]

The R8s dull as dish water it's the Aston every day of the week.

[chris_h]

Definitely have a drive of an evora.

I tried everything before I bought mine and driving wise nothing was close.  I loved the look and sound of the aston but disappointed with how it drove.

[Alex B]

Rich, 

I'd say get out there an drive as many examples as you can. I don't have any experience with either however audi auto/trip tronic boxes are mega money if and when they fault. 

Marcus Garner has had experience with the vantage and more than likely the r8 as well. 

I'd say give it a try we are only here once and not for as long as we'd like. 

Worst case you buy it don't enjoy it you just sell it again! 

[Eric]

Evora would be favourite.  If you can find a lightly used 410 then that would be the one to go for.

Failing that, a low mileage Evora SR or Evora S SR (which have gorgeous, high spec. Recaros).

Avoid the ugly 400 though.

[The Cakes]

6 hours ago, Eric said:

Evora would be favourite.  If you can find a lightly used 410 then that would be the one to go for.

Failing that, a low mileage Evora SR or Evora S SR (which have gorgeous, high spec. Recaros).

Avoid the ugly 400 though.

Why is a 400 ugly in comparison to others? I’d quite like a 400 and a 410 has got to be £70k+?