2004 Aston Martin Vanquish V12

Finished in Meteorite Silver with a Black Cherry leather, this 2+2 Aston Martin Vanquish has kept in dehumidified storage since the seller bought it in April 2023.

With fewer than 33,000 miles under its belt ‘YA04 VZL’ still benefits from no fewer than 13 services, all of them via either Aston Martin-appointed agents or well-regarded independent specialists.

Running beautifully and looking as magnificent as only a silver Aston Martin can, this no-reserve Vanquish will be considered to have sold after the very first bid has been placed.

The Meteorite Silver coachwork looks stunning, doesn’t it? With a very good shine backed up by impeccable shutlines, Ian Callum’s lines have rarely looked better.

Or more contemporary because the combination of the underlying design and the way it’s been treasured over the years means it looks like a much younger car; hard to believe it’s now well into its third decade…

And it has been very well looked after: Apart from dehumidified storage for the past three years, all four corners are free of park-by-feel scrapes, the door mirror caps are free of inner-city-yes-I-can-just-squeeze-through scuffs, and the flanks are free of ripples.

The lamp lenses are also in good shape with headlamps that are still perfectly clear and show a faint iridescent sheen when the light catches them at the right angle. The rear lamp units are similarly colourful and free of damage.

Aston Martin didn’t use a great deal of chrome on the Vanquish but what there is still looks great with a marked absence of the sort of heavy pitting and tarnishing that some examples have started to suffer from.

It’s the same story with the 19-inch, multi-spoke alloy wheels, which are free of the sort of scuffs and kerbing scrapes we usually see. Their design also allows you to appreciate the vast slotted brake discs and subtle grey brake calipers. 

The wheels are fitted with a matching set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. Made and fitted in 2021, they’ve only covered a couple of thousand miles, so still have plenty of tread left on them.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

As for wear ‘n’ tear, the front bumper has a few stonechips, the nearside front wing has a small dent near the headlight, the nearside door has a small patch of bubbling on the bottom corner, the tailgate is bubbling above the numberplate, the middle of the rear bumper is scratched, and the offside front wing has a scratch beside the headlight as well as light stone chips. 

The wiper arms are also a bit crusty but replacing those would be easy and satisfying.

The colour of the Black Cherry leather interior is an unusual twist, but it also works unusually well; throw in a contrasting Ivory suede headlining and Platinum Silver trim and the cabin feels airier and more spacious than the deep colour might lead you to suppose.

The electrically adjustable and heated front seats feature the Aston Martin emblem embossed at the top of their backrests. Still extremely comfortable and supportive, the patina they’re developing on the Old Money colour simply adds to their desirability.

The rear seats, ideal for children or adults for short journeys, are in an even better condition. 

Goodies include a heated windscreen, rear parking sensors, Powerfold mirrors, an elegant analogue clock, a two-tone, leather-covered steering wheel, and even Black Cherry leather trim on the alloy flappy paddles.

It has also retained its period Motorola carphone, which sits inside the extra-cost storage compartment/armrest fitted between the seats.

The boot is beautifully trimmed and large enough to hold luggage for a fortnight’s grand tour of Europe. Some space has been lost to a huge Linn amplifier that forms an important part of the Vanquish’s high-end audio system that includes a subwoofer from the same manufacturer on the rear parcelshelf.

The boot also contains the DVD player for the sat-nav as well as a CD multi-changer, and other nice additions include an umbrella on the underside of the boot lid, a small tool kit, two cans of tyre inflator, a netting pocket, and a brace of lamps.

Speaking of nice additions, the glovebox contains a Leatherman tool plus a notebook, pen, and a Mini Maglite torch, items that invariably go missing over the years as previous owners keep them as souvenirs.

Everything works as it should, except the Motorola carphone, which is now a conversation piece rather than something you can use to hold an actual conversation.

Which leaves the only flaws being a small hole in the Wilton carpet in the passenger’s footwell, slight damage to the trim on the outer edge of the driver’s seat, and stickiness to the wing mirror trim. 

The leather is also starting to ease away from the back of the instrument binnacle, but you have to look really closely to spot that.

The Vanquish’s service history is recorded as follows:

• 17.08.2026 and 32,875 miles – service by Aston Martin Dorset
• 06.05.2021 and 31,045 miles – service by Aston Martin London including a new lower coolant hose and fresh coolant, repairs to the front subframe, and fuel line cleaner
• 13.06.2019 and 29,241 miles – service by Nicholas Mee including fuel filters and fresh coolant
• 24.11.2017 and 27,466 miles – service by Christian Lewis
• 21.07.2015 and 25,953 miles – service by Christian Lewis
• 30.07.2013 and 22,051 miles – service by Christian Lewis
• 26.01.2012 and 19,329 miles – service by Aston Service London including additional work to the exhaust system, front suspension, front subframe, and fresh brake fluid
• 19.03.2008 and 13,438 miles – service by Aston Martin Leeds
• 29.03.2007 and 11,737 miles – service by Aston Martin Leeds
• 06.07.2006 and 9,429 miles – service by Aston Martin Leeds
• 24.01.2006 and 6,011 miles – service by Aston Martin Leeds
• 25.08.2005 and 4,606 miles – service by Aston Martin Leeds
• 07.01.2005 and 3,319 miles – service by Aston Martin Leeds
• 15.06.2004 and 8 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Aston Martin Leeds

Nicholas Mee also carried out a few minor repairs to the exhaust and braking system in January 2019, replacing the fuel filler cap and offside lower anti-roll bar link at the same time.

Aston Martin Works replaced the clutch in January 2013, and the engine wiring harness had been changed a year earlier.

As you can see the V12 engine starts well, albeit with a bit of a rattle when it is cold. 

It makes a glorious sound otherwise, both from the engine and the exhaust system, a carefully-calibrated combination that’ll have you flowing from bend to bend, snicking up and down the gearbox and playing some of the best tunes of the 21st century. 

Being a V12 it’s also silky-smooth, even at higher revs and it does all this without illuminating any warning lights on the dashboard or expelling excessive smoke.

The engine bay displays its engineering with pride, leaving the carbonfibre strut brace, alloy strut tops, and that addictive V12 engine open to view. The oil filler cap is as beautifully designed as everything else, and doing your weekly fluid checks will be a joy. 

It also appears to have encouraged successive owners to keep it clean and nicely ordered, a state of affairs that leaves the new owner with nothing to do other than give it a wipe with a microfibre towel every now and then.

The underside is in a very good condition with only the inevitable scratches and scuffs to the underside of the front valence plus surface corrosion on steel fasteners and components. 

The Aston Martin’s MoT certificate, which expires in August 2027, has just two advisories, one for either rear brake disc. 

It was otherwise a clean sweep, which potential bidders should find reassuring, especially as the record since 2011 has been stellar with one failure (for headlamps being set too high) and one advisory (for rear tyres getting low). 

That’s it.  

The mileage creeps up steadily over the years too, which suggests it’s accurate when you also factor in the service history booklet and the invoices we have on file.

Plus, of course, the recent Vehicle History Check, which also confirms the mileage and shows it’s never been written off and is clear of finance.

The Aston Martin also comes with two keys, and the history file contains invoices, expired MoT certificates, an Aston Martin specification sheet, and a printout of its service history.

Everyone loves an Aston Martin and few of the Newport Pagnell firm’s cars are as desirable as the Vanquish: Still largely analogue and fitted with a thumping V12 petrol engine, the advent of Chinese-built electric SUVs means they’re only going to become more desirable as the years roll by.

So they can’t stay this cheap for much longer, surely?

The much-missed Quentin Willson certainly thought so, writing in the June 2025 issue of Classic Cars: “At current prices this Aston Martin is a major supercar bargain.”

And they really are very reasonable at the moment: We suspect bidding on this one, even with its many attractions and so few negatives, is likely to run out of steam somewhere between £35,000 and £40,000 – but as it is being offered with no reserve, it may be even cheaper…

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.