2 seater with a family, some advice

[Steedie]

Hey guys,

Need your help, my conscience is getting in the way of a car purchase so I either need reassurance or some sense talking in to me

So, agreed a deal on a 2019 Vantage, can pick it up tomorrow. Absolutely in love with the car, I've always wanted an Aston Martin, and admittedly, I always thought I'd have the older shape, but the values on those for a good one is higher than ever now and I'm not sure I want to run an older car like that with the potential headaches that older Aston's bring.

Anyway, as I say, love the car, love the spec, ticks every box, I should be chomping at the bit to get there tomorrow and bring it home. However, I have 2 kids, one 8 and one 3, and I can't help but feel guilty and almost selfish for getting a 2 seater. We have another family car, an SUV with plenty of space, and I've already had this conversation with my girlfriend that on the rare occasion she needs to go somewhere and I'm at home with the kids, she can take the Vantage (yikes) and I'll have the SUV at home in case of an emergency. So in theory, it shouldn't be a problem.

I do maybe 3-4k miles a year. I work from home every day and haven't been in the office since March 2020, that isn't going to change as my contract is now fully remote. So my C63 has basically been a weekend toy, but due to it being just that, I've started to have my head turned which is why I've started looking. The Vantage is what I always come back to, I've entertained the idea of 570, an R8, Porsche GT4 but I always just come back to the Aston and spend time looking at those and finally bit the bullet and went for one.

Talk to me, should I stop being a dick and get a 4 seater or should I snap out of it and go ahead? Plenty of other families do it, so it's not like I'm in a unique position, I just can't help feel it's a bit selfish of me.

Thanks!

 

[Steedie]

I’m in a similar position with my Honda Insight… so I sympathise…

But do it. Any real emergency’s you just dial 999 rather than let the GF take the vantage.

Crikey, wouldn't want to rely on an ambulance at the moment

 

[Steedie]

I mean it's entirely up to you, you have another car so it's totally doable you just need to plan it a bit more so the big car is always where the kids are.

I have use of a van with only 2 seats and we only have 1 daughter and even then if feels like a hassle but i put up with it as it's free, i personally wouldn't want to go down to 1 car being essentially useless for anything other than fun but then me and the wife both work so we use our cars more than you will.

If it's your halo car though there's nothing stopping you, is this a life long goal type car?

Oh 100% it's a dream car.

The Merc does everything, since being mapped it's effectively a 600bhp family car as it does all the main driving. Drove to Disneyland, does all the weekends away etc so I'd effectively be putting all that work on to her car, which is probably more suited to long journeys being a diesel, but as I say, just something in my mind saying "Don't be so selfish" but...it doesn't really change or prevent anything, as I'm always home, and if I'm not home, she still has her car like she always has done, and if she's not home and I am, she'll take the AM and I'll have her car.

 

[Steedie]

The other option is to keep the C63 as well and continue using that as the main family car and the Vantage for my own fun. But given my already small annual mileage, that seems massively overkill

 

[Steedie]

Not really keen on the 911, the ones I’d want are too old for the money. The AMG would be a similar story, again, a GT R would be the pre facelift with the old style interior, wouldn’t want to go back in to that after being used to the luxuries of the newer interiors.

Plus, again, it all comes back to wanting the Vantage as that dream car. I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but I just love them despite the rubbish interiors

 

[Steedie]

Sorry for only just replying!

Money isn’t the issue, it really was just about it being a 2 seater and the potential headaches or limitations that brings with 2 kids as well as the guilt I was feeling for bringing on those limitations myself. I decided to go ahead with it, so providing his camera angles and filming skills are extremely good at hiding some glaring problems, then I’ll bring it home Monday

 

[Steedie]

You eyeing up anything else now you're not going for the AM?

Negative

Nothing I'd want more than the AM. I did have a brief spell looking at 911's, but after talking to a friend about them, who's also on the boards, I'd be looking to get an older one for that NA noise and I don't really want to be running an "older" car as a daily. 991.2 and 992's just sound dead and they'd feel slow as well coming from a 600bhp C63, and as much as I'd love to get a Turbo, they don't quite fit in my budget

I'm just going to have to wait until we move in a couple of years and hopefully have three parking spaces. The faff of planning around a car, and knowing how my girlfriend treats her car, would mean I'd be forever on edge about something coming up that could cause a headache with the car situation, or her damaging it like she has both of her previous cars (only a matter of time for the current one I'm sure )

 

[Steedie]

Has there been an update in a different thread or something? I thought he was getting the AM?

As for something else, but similar(ish) - what about a Maser GranTurismo or GranCabrio? Similar sort of proposition, but it does have 4 seats, so more usable.

No I should have updated this thread but it was only really sorted yesterday, where I decided not to go ahead, partly due to a dealership messing me about as well, but mostly because of the issues. I could have made it work, 100%, but it would have definitely added stress, it would have meant extra planning and potential arguments when the car is the reason we can't do this or that, and as mentioned, she'd have to drive it from time to time, and I really wouldn't have been too comfortable with that

So ultimately, until I'm in a position to have a third car and not have to park it on the street, it's not happening. My next car will definitely be a Vantage, 100%, but I just need it to be at a time when it's going to be an enjoyable experience and not one that's stressful when I'm not driving it