Cheap Aston Martin Vanquish alternatives from £1,000 _ Fifth Gear

The Aston Martin Vanquish: A Bargain or a False Promise?

If you're looking for an affordable alternative to the Aston Martin Vanquish, consider the following options. One such car is the Puma, which shares many similarities with the Vanquish but at a fraction of the price. The Puma's 5.0-litre V8 engine produces around 450 horsepower, making it a capable roadster. However, if you're feeling flush, let me introduce you to the BMW 850i. This car may not be as luxurious as the Vanquish, but it shares the same number of cylinders and offers a similar driving experience.

The Puma is a genuine bargain, with prices starting from around £15,000. However, before buying one, make sure to check for rust, particularly in the inner arch liners, which can be prone to damage. The heater system is also worth checking, as it's a common fault. Additionally, ensure that the engine has been properly maintained, including regular oil changes and the use of the correct type of oil.

The BMW 850i, on the other hand, offers a more refined driving experience than the Puma. With its V12 engine producing around 500 horsepower, this car is capable of accelerating from 0-60mph in just 4.5 seconds. However, to truly appreciate the car's performance, you'll need to make some modifications. The throttle response can be improved with a new ECU chip, which costs around £300. Additionally, the exhaust system has been modified to produce a more distinctive sound.

If you're looking for an even more affordable option, consider the Jaguar XK. This car offers similar performance to the Vanquish but at a significantly lower price point, starting from just £15,000. The XK's 5-litre V8 engine produces around 380 horsepower, making it a capable roadster. However, be aware that this car is not as powerful as the Vanquish, with only half the number of cylinders.

One of the main advantages of the Jaguar XK is its lightness and agility. With an aluminium construction, this car feels incredibly responsive to drive, particularly in corners. Additionally, the XK's build quality is on par with the Vanquish, making it a credible alternative. However, before buying one, ensure that all the interior gadgets are working properly and check the tyres for wear.

Finally, consider the cost of replacing parts such as suspension joints and ball bearings, which can be expensive if they need to be replaced. Additionally, make sure to check the service history and have any necessary maintenance carried out to ensure the car is in good condition.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enit's time now for our cheapskate alternatives for those who want all the qualities of the expensive cars elsewhere on the show but on a budget of pure peanuts slinky styling front engine power and a spine tingling chassis these are the best beer money substitutes to the vanquish that jason grappled with earlier only instead of costing 190 grand these bad boys can be had from just a thousand i'll begin with the most affordable the ford puma these little pussycats started at around 12 000 pounds when they were new now you can pick one up for just a thousand what's mad about this car is that it's over 15 years old and in my eyes it just doesn't look that old perhaps it's because it was designed by the same man that designed the aston martin db 9 and vanquish and db7 and the current crop of beautiful jaguars you're getting any 40 to the gallon outer one unless you drive it like me but the great thing is the chassis is built to cope with all the power that you're chucking it you can just plug it into any corner you like and it's got your back so you're tempted but what should you check before buying let's talk about rust because rust really likes a puma the reason being these inner arch liners here are made of fabric and they draw in and they hold the moisture and that rots out the edges here replace the arch panels and have them painted can cost you 300 quid a corner also check the heater works as it's a common although not too pricey fault finally while the 1.4 and 1.6 engines are pretty tough the 1.7 is a bit picky when it comes to oil first things first make sure it's got oil in it second thing make sure it's been changed regularly every 5000 miles is perfect and make sure it's had the right oil put in it the 5 to 30 weight semi-synthetic the puma is a genuine bargain but if you're feeling a little bit more flush then let me introduce you to the bmw 850i the reason why i'm showing you the 850 is because it shares the same number of cylinders as the aston vanquish there's two choice changes that the owner of this car that i'm driving has made to improve it one of them is the throttle response it was known to be sluggish with the v12 so for 300 quid you can buy a different ecu chip and it just revolutionizes the throttle response it's now really really tight the other thing is the noise you can tell this is definitely got a different exhaust fitting because the standard exhaust was just a bit too quiet 60. the 850 is a chest wig on wheels but what should you check before buying one area to check thoroughly is the suspension because there's an awful lot of ball joints and bushes on this complex setup and because the car's quite heavy and also they're getting on a bit in terms of age they tend to wear these bits out get it on a ramp ideally and have a visual check or take it out on the road get it up to motorway speeds and check to see if the car's meandering or shuddering around if you need to replace all four suspension joints it can cost you 1500 quid next start the engine the v12 is known for being a dependable tank of the motor but listen to it when it's running for any loud cam noises because the oil rail that lubricates the camshaft underneath there it's known to have bolts that work loose and if they do so it starves the camp of oil and if that happens you'll expect a two grand fill the 850 is a striking motor but i have one more trick up my sleeve something so modern that it's still for sale brand new today the jaguar xk believe it or not these cost from just 15 000 pounds 15 grand for this it's just astonishing bang for your buck now the only difference between this car and the jag xk that you can go and buy today the new one is that the engine's five litre and there's some very very small design changes which you or i won't really notice and your neighbors definitely won't i don't think of this as being a poor man's aston i think it's a car that's credible it's down on power but it really isn't down on anything else it's certainly not down on build quality compared to an aston but the great thing about the xk is it's not just fast it just loves corners it just feels so much lighter thanks to its aluminium construction you wouldn't buy this and be disappointed in fact it's probably the best 15 grand you'll ever spend the xk is incredibly reliable but it's worth checking that all the snazzy interior gadgets do work and have a look at the tyres that's a powerful rear wheel drive car you can easily get through a set of these in under 15 000 miles and when the back ones cost 600 quid for a pair it's worth checking there's plenty of meat left on them before you buy it's a given that a car this young and of this caliber should have a full service history but also check whether it's ever had a gearbox oil change because although jaguars say it doesn't need to be done a lot of specialists we spoke to recommend it being done every 80 000 miles to keep it tip-top these three offer some of the aston martin experience for a fraction of the price if you can't afford a vanquish these are the best cheapskate alternatives youit's time now for our cheapskate alternatives for those who want all the qualities of the expensive cars elsewhere on the show but on a budget of pure peanuts slinky styling front engine power and a spine tingling chassis these are the best beer money substitutes to the vanquish that jason grappled with earlier only instead of costing 190 grand these bad boys can be had from just a thousand i'll begin with the most affordable the ford puma these little pussycats started at around 12 000 pounds when they were new now you can pick one up for just a thousand what's mad about this car is that it's over 15 years old and in my eyes it just doesn't look that old perhaps it's because it was designed by the same man that designed the aston martin db 9 and vanquish and db7 and the current crop of beautiful jaguars you're getting any 40 to the gallon outer one unless you drive it like me but the great thing is the chassis is built to cope with all the power that you're chucking it you can just plug it into any corner you like and it's got your back so you're tempted but what should you check before buying let's talk about rust because rust really likes a puma the reason being these inner arch liners here are made of fabric and they draw in and they hold the moisture and that rots out the edges here replace the arch panels and have them painted can cost you 300 quid a corner also check the heater works as it's a common although not too pricey fault finally while the 1.4 and 1.6 engines are pretty tough the 1.7 is a bit picky when it comes to oil first things first make sure it's got oil in it second thing make sure it's been changed regularly every 5000 miles is perfect and make sure it's had the right oil put in it the 5 to 30 weight semi-synthetic the puma is a genuine bargain but if you're feeling a little bit more flush then let me introduce you to the bmw 850i the reason why i'm showing you the 850 is because it shares the same number of cylinders as the aston vanquish there's two choice changes that the owner of this car that i'm driving has made to improve it one of them is the throttle response it was known to be sluggish with the v12 so for 300 quid you can buy a different ecu chip and it just revolutionizes the throttle response it's now really really tight the other thing is the noise you can tell this is definitely got a different exhaust fitting because the standard exhaust was just a bit too quiet 60. the 850 is a chest wig on wheels but what should you check before buying one area to check thoroughly is the suspension because there's an awful lot of ball joints and bushes on this complex setup and because the car's quite heavy and also they're getting on a bit in terms of age they tend to wear these bits out get it on a ramp ideally and have a visual check or take it out on the road get it up to motorway speeds and check to see if the car's meandering or shuddering around if you need to replace all four suspension joints it can cost you 1500 quid next start the engine the v12 is known for being a dependable tank of the motor but listen to it when it's running for any loud cam noises because the oil rail that lubricates the camshaft underneath there it's known to have bolts that work loose and if they do so it starves the camp of oil and if that happens you'll expect a two grand fill the 850 is a striking motor but i have one more trick up my sleeve something so modern that it's still for sale brand new today the jaguar xk believe it or not these cost from just 15 000 pounds 15 grand for this it's just astonishing bang for your buck now the only difference between this car and the jag xk that you can go and buy today the new one is that the engine's five litre and there's some very very small design changes which you or i won't really notice and your neighbors definitely won't i don't think of this as being a poor man's aston i think it's a car that's credible it's down on power but it really isn't down on anything else it's certainly not down on build quality compared to an aston but the great thing about the xk is it's not just fast it just loves corners it just feels so much lighter thanks to its aluminium construction you wouldn't buy this and be disappointed in fact it's probably the best 15 grand you'll ever spend the xk is incredibly reliable but it's worth checking that all the snazzy interior gadgets do work and have a look at the tyres that's a powerful rear wheel drive car you can easily get through a set of these in under 15 000 miles and when the back ones cost 600 quid for a pair it's worth checking there's plenty of meat left on them before you buy it's a given that a car this young and of this caliber should have a full service history but also check whether it's ever had a gearbox oil change because although jaguars say it doesn't need to be done a lot of specialists we spoke to recommend it being done every 80 000 miles to keep it tip-top these three offer some of the aston martin experience for a fraction of the price if you can't afford a vanquish these are the best cheapskate alternatives you\n"