Probably the best looking car $50,000 can buy.
Value. A topic that often comes up, and is difficult to define as it means different things to different people. What does it mean for you? The cheapest? The most capable? The fastest for the money?
For me, it's the car that delivers the most for the least price. It doesn't mean the cheapest. Or the outright fastest. Or the most capable. It's a blend of a number of categories.
For a long time I have held the Porsche 996 911 Turbo as the "value leader". Hear me out.
The car is tremendously capable. It's all wheel drive, making it a true year rounder. It's powerful, thanks for a 420hp twin turbocharged flat six. It comes in a coupe or convertible body style, with either a manual or automatic transmission.
As it's a Porsche, it is well engineered, reliable, and is as comfortable at 20mph just as it is at nearly 200mph. And for the past several years, good ones could be found in the $50,000-$60,000 range. This is half of what a similar year Ferrari 360 can cost.
But recently that has changed. Prices have spiked and they are now creeping into the high five figures on the top end, with a couple outstanding examples crossing the $100,000 mark.
That's getting to be a lot of money for what it is. Six figures buys a lot of other cars these days. Sadly, I think it's value is starting to slip a little. They're still one of the all time great cars and I would never dissuade someone from buying one, I just think we need to look at other potentials.
For this, I offer the 2005 and newer Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Again, hear me out.
"Value" and "Aston Martin" typically don't belong in the same sentence, but I believe it apples to the V8 Vantage.
I've been keeping my eye on these for a while and good ones are surprisingly in the $40,000-$50,000 range, with some convertibles even dropping to the mid $30s.
A prime example is this 2007, found on BringATrailer.
Just look at it. It's gorgeous. These cars don't have a bad angle, and this one in its Goodwood Green exterior and Sandstorm interior is just so good looking.
The V8 engine sits pushed way back towards the firewall, giving it a front mid-engine layout. This aids the Vantage's athletic prowess.
Backing up those looks is a 4.3 liter V8 that sends 380 horsepower through a six-speed manual transmission, which is good for a sub five second 0-60. Certainly no slouch. Plus, that V8 is in a front-mid engine layout, while the transmission is a rear mounted transaxle. All this is in the name of weight distribution, and are features you won't find on most sports cars in this price range.
What a great place to be. Plenty of leather, a six speed manual transmission, and the Aston Martin logo on the wheel that you will never tire of seeing. Out of focus are the speedometer and tachometer that move opposite each other, and the Engine Start button, located just below the center vents.
Inside, the interior is a stylish as the outside. Leather abounds, and it has some of the coolest gauges this side of a Volvo S60R. Yes, the navigation is hilariously outdated by today's standard, but you'd probably just use your phone anyway.
The generous trunk and space behind the seats is perfect for luggage, groceries, or golf clubs. It's giving me "discount Ferrari 575m" vibes.
It also has a rear hatchback style trunk (ahem, "boot") with a large shelf behind the front seats, perfect for a road trip.
So, we have a good looking sports/GT car that is quick, handles well, comfortable, and reasonably priced.
Plus, it's an Aston Martin. A brand that is firmly in proper exotic territory. It's up there with Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren. And those marques are way more expensive.
And yeah, the price. Say this one goes for $50,000. New Vantages are $200,000. Sympathies to those that buy new and the depreciation hit they will take, but kudos to those who scoop these up on the used market.
Downsides of course, well.....it's an Aston Martin. It will likely be less reliable than other cars, with more expensive parts, with the added complication of dealers being far fewer in-between. I want to make clear that I do not interchange "value" with "cheap".
On the positive side these cars reportedly are relatively accessible for the DIYer, and there are certainly independent shops that specialize in British marques. A buyer would certainly need to factor this in, though.
But in there there are few cars that offer what these do at the prices they are found at. So for this, I submit the 2005+ Aston Martin V8 Vantage as one of the best value buys out there.
What says you? Do you agree or disagree? If the latter, what's your pick?
