--- title: "Save This ‘Cheap’ Aston Martin Vantage With a Salvage Title. It Deserves It" date: "2025-01-16" modified: "2025-01-16" authors: - name: "Ronan Glon" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/ronan-glon" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/save-this-cheap-aston-martin-vantage-with-a-salvage-title-it-deserves-it" categories: - "Culture" - "For Sale" - "News" tags: - "Aston Martin" - "luxury" - "sports car" - "Vantage" --- # Save This ‘Cheap’ Aston Martin Vantage With a Salvage Title. It Deserves It ![]() *\eBay\* Fixing up any project car is a challenge, but the level of complexity increases exponentially [when we're talking about an exotic](). If you want to put your restoration skills to the test, there's a [2009 Aston Martin]() [Vantage]() with a salvage title [listed on eBay Motors]() waiting for your bid. The photos mostly speak for themselves, but don't tell the whole story. "One afternoon driving on a country highway, I drove \[the car\] into the gravel," the seller writes, adding that veering off the road was necessary to avoid a collision. The seller's insurance company wrote the car off, and the seller bought it back with a salvage title to fix it up. While there's allegedly no structural damage, the rest of the body didn't fare all that well and there's a lot left to do. The fenders need to be painted, the front bumper needs to be replaced (it looks like it's coated in burnt lasagna?), the hood is dented, and the grille is nowhere to be seen. Crucially, there are some pretty gnarly dents in the driver-side A-pillar. ![2009 Aston Martin Vantage project car]() *eBay Motors/gillpower74* ![2009 Aston Martin Vantage project car]() *eBay Motors/gillpower74* ![2009 Aston Martin Vantage project car]() *eBay Motors/gillpower74* Beyond the body damage, the next owner will need to address a diverse selection of issues including a locked seatbelt, a downshift paddle that no longer downshifts, and a reverse gear that, according to the auction description, is "not responding." While those words probably ring a bell, odds are hitting "control + alt + delete" isn't going to fix it. The seller clarifies that the transmission shifts up as it should, but downshifting to first requires putting it in neutral. It's not ideal, but it might be a simple fix; sometimes you get lucky. The only way to find out is to roll the dice. It's not all bad. The seller has 100% positive feedback, which is always a good sign, and the AutoCheck report shows that this Vantage has been California-owned since new, so it should be relatively clean underneath. And, this coupe has traveled less than 50,000 miles in 16 years. The list of recently installed new parts reported by the seller is long, and it includes the windshield, the control arms, plus a set of aftermarket wheels. ![2009 Aston Martin Vantage project car]() *eBay Motors/gillpower74* ![2009 Aston Martin Vantage project car]() *eBay Motors/gillpower74* ![2009 Aston Martin Vantage project car]() *eBay Motors/gillpower74* Bidding currently stands at $10,800 with about seven hours left in the [auction](). The reserve is set at $11,000, so we're guessing someone will take this project home. It will be interesting to see what the market decides a wrecked 2009 Vantage is worth. For context, auction site Cars & Bids [sold]() a 2009 Vantage with 9,100 miles, no modifications, and an accident-free Carfax report for $46,500 excluding auction fees in January 2024. Would fixing up this Vantage make financial sense? It depends on your definition of "financial sense." Worst case scenario, we can think of a lot of cars we'd want to swap that 4.7-liter V8 into. Dropping it into a first-generation Miata would be too predictable. How about a Crown Vic? *Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Ronan is a contributing writer for The Drive. He draws on over 15 years of experience to cover breaking industry news, cool one-off builds, and anything in between. He began writing for The Drive in 2021 and stepped into his current role in 2024. His obsession with cars started when a relative gave him a Majorette die-cast shortly after his first birthday. It hasn't flickered since. Ronan lives in France; He swapped Utah's Rocky Mountains, where he grew up, for the Alps. He's an avid hiker, mountain biker, and musician. He also restores classic European cars and mopeds, including a 1978 Citroen 2CV that he's rebuilding from the ground up. ### Author social links [Twitter]()