Aston Martin V8 Vantage and V12 Vantage (2006 to 2018) buying guide

The 2006 car had a 4.3-liter dry-sump V-8 and a six-speed manual. Sportshift, an automated manual developed by Prodrive, followed in the second quarter of 2007. Early cars have yellow LED readouts in the instrument panel, changed to white soon after launch, and much of the switchgear and audio is Volvo and Ford parts.

The big change came in May 2008, when the engine grew to 4735 cc with a forged steel crankshaft. Hagerty adds a modified clutch and flywheel, Bilstein dampers and stiffer springs to that update. Autocar gives the 4.7 as 420bhp and 347lb ft, against 380bhp and 302lb ft for the 4.3. Car & Classic calls the 4.7 the more developed engine, a reason to begin the search at 2008.

Gearboxes sort the later cars. The V8 Vantage S arrived in January 2011 with Sportshift II as its only transmission. The 2013 SP10 had a manual as standard, and the 2014 V8 Vantage GT offered manual or Sportshift II in both body styles. Car & Classic also says the coupe is lighter and more commonly available than the roadster, and Which Car expects manual cars, being scarcer than automated ones, to hold more collector interest.

The special editions are small runs. The 2017 GTS was built in 100 examples, all for the United States, and the GT8 coupe was capped at 150. Condition and history matter more than a badge on a daily driver. We track every Roadster and Coupe for sale if you want to compare specific cars.

The buyer's guides keep returning to a short list of faults.

Rusting steel subframes

The steel subframes can rust, and structural rot means replacement. Prestige & Performance Car and Hagerty both advise leaving a car with rusty subframes alone.

Clutch wear

Hagerty says many six-speed manual cars have clutches fried by owners who ride the pedal. Retro Motor's reports of failure under 30,000 miles come with a note that gentle use could double the life.

Sportshift fluid leaks

The ASM pump and pipework on Sportshift cars can fail and dump all their fluid. NHTSA's records include two recalls for hydraulic leaks from connectors, covered below.

Valve shim tapping

A tapping noise from the 4.7 is normally shim adjustment. Left until the gap grows too big, the cam lobes can punch a hole in the shims.

Sat-nav and electrics

The flip-up sat-nav screen runs on plastic gears that turn brittle with age and break. Hagerty also reports owners complaining of the usual electrical issues, navigation included.

Door struts

Struts weaken over time until the door drops onto your shin. They are cheap to replace.

Early trim and belt squeal

Aluminum trim on early cars can corrode and whiten, on the mirror stays, door bottoms and interior door handles. Alternator belts can also squeal when cold.

Hagerty calls a clutch replacement easily a $4000 expense. In the UK, Retro Motor warns that a car without receipts may be due a £2,500 clutch.

The same source puts an annual service at as much as £1,000, or closer to £700 if you shop around. Its figure for tires is around £200 each, with the rears sometimes gone in under 10,000 miles.

Prestige & Performance Car quotes around £1,500 to take a subframe off, clean it and re-powdercoat it. Door struts are small money by comparison, according to Hagerty. Our guide to Aston Martin ownership costs covers the wider picture.

Find a 4.7-liter manual from 2008 or later, with a full specialist history, documented battery care and a clutch invoice. Autocar calls the 4.7 rock solid, and Which Car says the V8 powertrain lasts if properly maintained. The price guide shows where the market sits by year.

Sportshift cars carry a record of fluid leaks and a software recall, so a manual saves worry as well as earning collector interest. Whatever you buy, get under it first: a rusty subframe is a reason to walk away, and structural rot means replacement.