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FOR SALE

2003 Aston Martin Vanquish

£45,000

Low Mileage | Original Press Car | Beautiful Re-Trimmed Interior

  • Mileage~39,044 on clock
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Engine5.9-litre
  • LocationKilmarnock, Scotland

£45,000

2003 Aston Martin Vanquish

Premium Classified Sale

Introduction

Colin Bashford
Professional Consigner

A V12 grand tourer in Bond spec, the Vanquish exudes a touch of class.

The flagship of the Aston Martin range in the early 2000s, production of the Vanquish started in 2001, bringing with it new techniques such as a bonded aluminium chassis. The car features an aluminium and carbon-fibre tub, making it very rigid. The Vanquish was featured in the 2002 James Bond film Die Another Day, in which rockets were hidden under the front grille; sadly we didn't find any on this car.

Under the bonnet, we did find the 5.9L V12 which produces approximately 460bhp, plenty to power the Vanquish to 60mph in just about ~5 seconds and on to a top speed of around 190mph. This car comes to market after around two years of ownership with Norma, who had kept it in her collection as an investment. The Vanquish has covered fewer than ~40,000 miles over its approximately 21-year life.

The car comes with its original service book, some invoices for previous work, and Norma has had the interior re-trimmed in black Nappa leather with the Aston Martin logo embossed on the seat backs.

This listing was written from information supplied by Colin after meeting Norma the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

Exterior

The Vanquish is unmistakably an Aston; the grille, muscular stance, and wide hips give it a menacing look.

Wheels and Tyres

The standard Aston Martin wheels looked in good condition; we didn't notice any kerb damage on any of the wheel rims.

Being picky, the rear offside wheel did have a small area where the paint seems to have flaked off, the front nearside wheel did have a small chip on one of the spokes, and some of the centre caps did show some marks on them - but neither are of major concern when compared to the overall condition.

A matching set of Yokohama Advan Sport tyres were found on the car, 255/40ZR19 at the front and 285/40ZR19 at the rear - all looked in great condition with plenty of tread left on them; the fronts were both from 2018 and the rears were from 2015 and 2017.

Please have a look at the photos and video below to asses the condition of the wheels and tyres for yourself.

Bodywork

The bodywork of the Vanquish looked in great condition; we didn't notice any damage to any of the panels around the car. The shut lines looked good too, although we did notice the bonnet seemed to have a tighter shut line on the offside compared to the nearside, which may need a bit of adjustment to even it up.

We didn't notice any visible corrosion around the car either.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The grey paint looked in great condition; we didn't notice any swirls or scuffs on the paintwork. As to be expected, there was the odd stone chip on the front bumper.

The car has been in storage for the last two years or so and was just a little dusty.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass around the Vanquish looked in good condition; we didn't notice any chips or cracks, nor any discolouration.

The trim and lights around the car looked in decent shape too, although we did notice the passenger side front headlight looked a little cloudy.

Please view the photos and video below to review the condition of the glass and trim for yourself.

Interior

Norma has had the interior re-trimmed in black Napa leather, with the Aston Martin logo embossed into the seat backs; they look and smell great.

Seats and Carpets

As mentioned, the Napa leather seats have been re-trimmed in the last two years and looked in great shape with little to no wear noticed. They feature the Aston Martin logo embossed into all the seat backs.

The carpets looked in good condition; they would benefit from a vacuum, but we didn't notice any damage or stains.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to decide on the condition of the seats and carpets for yourself.

Dashboard

A grey-painted centre console matched the exterior, with the red starter button positioned in the middle.

The white clocks looked clean, showing approximately ~39,044 miles at the time of our visit.

The dashboard appeared free from any damage.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The black leather Aston Martin steering wheel appeared in great condition, with only slight wear noticed on the rim.

The paddle shifters showed some signs of age, but nothing of major concern.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to check the condition of the steering wheel and gear stick for yourself.

Mechanics

This is what it's all about; under the bonnet a 5.9L V12 lives, producing a lovely burble on tick over.

Engine and Gearbox

Due to the car being in storage for the last two years or so, the battery was flat, so we had to jump-start the Vanquish. The V12 fired up without issue once the battery was connected and sounded great too.

During the short drive with Norma, the engine performed well; although we didn't get a chance to properly test its performance - it did feel eager.

The automated manual gearbox selected gears smoothly at low speeds, and we didn't notice any hesitation.

Please take a look at the cold start video below to see for yourself the engine and gearbox performance.

Suspension and Brakes

The suspension felt comfortable on the road with Norma's partner; it absorbed bumps easily, and we didn't notice any unwanted noises from it during our short drive.

The large drilled brakes stopped the Vanquish effectively, with no noticeable pulling on the steering wheel.

Please take a look at the on the road video below to see how the suspension and brakes performed.

The Drive

On the road with Norma's partner, the Vanquish gave us a small glimpse into its GT credentials. The V12 encouraged acceleration with a lovely howl, and the gears engaged smoothly both up and down the box.

No unwanted noises were noticed from the engine or gearbox.

The suspension provided a comfortable ride with no unusual sounds coming from any corner of the car.

The brakes performed well as expected, with no squeaking or other noises.

To see the Vanquish in motion please take a look at the on the road video below.

Electrics and Other

As mentioned earlier, the battery was flat, but once jump-started, everything seemed to work well. We didn't test everything thoroughly, but Norma informed us later that everything was functioning as expected.

One issue we noticed was that the windows didn't move back up after closing the doors, although they did move down when opening them. This is likely related to the previous flat battery, requiring the simple hold / reset process.

The car is equipped with a Linn stereo system, which includes an amp and CD changer in the boot, along with a subwoofer in the car's parcel shelf.

History and Paperwork

Buying the Vanquish as an investment, Norma has kept it on display in her garage with her other cars, bikes, and memorabilia.

Originally registered to Aston Martin Lagonda, suggesting that this was one of the original press cars, the Vanquish has a good service record documented in its service booklet. It was serviced every year for its first seven years. Since 2010, the car has only covered approximately 3,500 miles, and in its entire life, about ~39,044 miles.

In 2019, the Vanquish received a new fuel pump, front brake discs, and pads. At the same time, the gearbox was removed and checked along with the clutch. All this work and more amounted to a total cost of around £10,500.

Norma bought the car in June 2022 to add to her collection as an investment - she mentioned she hasn't driven the car since purchasing it and the James Bond-inspired number plate J80 AMV is included in the sale.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
24.05.2022 MOT 39,008
27.09.2021 MOT 38,863
12.08.2021 Suspension Arms 38,790
03.08.2021 Service (MD) 38,797 (Inaccurate Reading)
13.05.2019 Fuel Pump, Brakes, Belts and Gearbox Check 38,624 (Inacurate Reading)
15.04.2019 MOT 38,632
14.09.2016 Starter Motor
31.05.2016 Clutch Kit
18.03.2016 MOT 37,980
11.03.2015 MOT 37,667
19.03.2014 Service (MD) 37,268
19.02.2014 MOT 37,195
30.05.2012 MOT 36,876
24.05.2012 Service (MD) 36,852
30.09.2010 MOT 36,370
18.03.2010 Service (MD) 35,622
25.08.2009 MOT 34,858
16.04.2009 Service (MD) 34,434
10.03.2008 Service (MD) 31,880 (Inaccurate Reading)
06.03.2008 MOT 31,882
03.08.2007 MOT 30,474
01.08.2007 Service (MD) 30,471
23.08.2006 Service (MD) 25,744
01.06.2006 MOT 24,120
04.02.2005 Service (MD) 16,871
19.02.2004 Service (MD) 11,432
11.08.2003 Service (AM Works) 7,678
09.04.2003 Service (AM Works) 1,775
12.03.2003 PDI 104
10.03.2003 Delivery to AML
Key Details
  • ModelVanquish
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Reg. Date10.03.2003
  • CC5,935
  • Mileage~39,044 on clock
  • ColourGrey
  • Interior ColourBlack
  • Interior TrimNapa Leather
  • Chassis #SCFAC13373B500805
  • Engine #AM3/00884
  • Last Service03.08.2021
  • MOTExp. May 2023
  • HPi ClearYes - All Clear
  • Former Keepers7
  • Tyre BrandYokohama
  • Tyre Age2015, 2017 & 2018
  • # of Keys2
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~2 Years, 1 Month
  • Key FeatureInvestor Quality
  • Vehicle RegistrationJ80 AMV
  • Driver’s SideRHD
  • Fuel TypePetrol
  • Body TypeCoupe
  • Auction ID2017