One thing I never expected to be writing about was a headlamp. But here we are, and this is exactly why I wanted The True Cost of Owning My Aston Martin Vantage to remain honest and transparent. These cars are beautiful, but even modern Astons can have their quirks, and this became one of them.

Toward the end of 2025, the right-hand headlamp on the FTP Vantage began developing noticeable condensation inside the lens. At first it was minor, a light misting after heavy rain, but over time it became progressively worse. Eventually, the moisture built up to the point where the headlamp failed completely, triggering a warning on the dashboard.

With winter approaching and the FTP Vantage involved in the AMOC New Year’s Day Parade in London which was on the horizon, the timing couldn’t have been much worse.

I began investigating likely causes and potential solutions. Some Aston owners suggested that light condensation can be normal, but this clearly wasn’t. The moisture lingered, pooled inside the unit, and ultimately began affecting the headlamp electrically. The concern, of course, was cost: a replacement headlamp for a 2019 Vantage can be eye-wateringly expensive, with labour only adding to the impact.

At this stage, I started speaking with specialists to understand what options might exist. I shared detailed photos and described the symptoms, persistent condensation, visible water inside the lens, and eventual failure of the unit, while also exploring practical considerations such as vehicle collection and transport.

What became clear during those conversations is that this issue is rarely seen on my generation of Vantage, and that when it has occurred previously, it has typically resulted in full unit replacement under warranty rather than repair.

My hope, initially, was that the headlamp could be repaired, opened, dried, resealed, or internally rebuilt, rather than needing a complete new assembly. I explored whether any specialist might be willing and able to attempt this, but it soon became apparent that this was unlikely to be a straightforward or proven route.

As the situation developed, it was clear that proper diagnosis, access to new parts, and warranty considerations would play an important role in resolving the issue correctly. I started my research, speaking to specialists and exploring every sensible option before committing to anything.

My first call was to Aston Workshop, who know these cars inside out. Chris came back to me quickly and confirmed that this was something he’d seen before, although usually while the car was still under manufacturer warranty. In those cases, the solution had been a direct replacement of the headlamp unit.

He checked their parts system and explained that a brand-new headlamp would cost £3,272.33 plus VAT, with £180 plus VAT to fit it. The fitting itself would only take around an hour, as thankfully the front bumper didn’t need to come off. All in, including VAT, that brought the total to £4,142.80. Chris also gave me the part number should I want to source a used unit myself, which was genuinely helpful advice.

I’ll be honest, that figure came as a shock, although, in hindsight, I was probably a bit naïve not to expect a modern Aston Martin headlamp to be that expensive.

Wanting to explore repair options, I then contacted Greasley Electronics, who have experience repairing Aston Martin headlights. They explained that they’d repaired quite a few units in the past, but the process would involve the customer removing the headlamp casing first so they could inspect the electronics and then advise whether a repair was possible.

The challenge for me was logistics. Greasley Electronics are based in Coalville, which meant I’d need to find a garage willing to remove the headlamp, at that stage I believed the bumper would need to come off, then transport the unit down for assessment. Even then, there was no guarantee it could be repaired, and crucially, it wouldn’t address the underlying issue of moisture getting into what is meant to be a sealed unit.

Looking for another option, I came across AstonMartinBits.com, who happened to have a right-hand-drive headlamp in stock at a reduced price. In theory, I could have bought that and asked Aston Workshop to fit it. But that route carried its own risks. If it didn’t work once installed, or if the same issue returned, I’d have no warranty and would potentially be back to square one, having spent a significant amount of money already.

I should say at this point that I was particularly unlucky with timing. This all happened just two to three months after my Aston Martin warranty had expired.

I also spoke to McGurk, who advertise headlight repairs on their website. I had a really positive conversation with one of their team, who took the time to make some enquiries on my behalf. They came back honestly and said they hadn’t repaired a headlamp from my generation of Vantage before and, at this stage, weren’t comfortable taking it on. I genuinely appreciated that transparency.

My final call was to Bamford Rose, but that conversation was brief. My opening question was whether they serviced and maintained a 2019 Vantage, and the answer was no, so I thanked them and moved on.

At that point, I took a step back. I didn’t want to gamble on a second-hand headlamp with no guarantees. I didn’t want to spend money removing parts, transporting components and chasing a possible electronic repair that might not solve the moisture issue. And while Aston Workshop remained a viable option, the cost was undeniably high.

So I contacted my most local main dealer, Aston Martin Leeds. They quoted £3,800 all in, for a brand-new headlamp, fully fitted, and backed by a 12-month Aston Martin warranty.

I think it’s still a huge amount of money for a headlight, and there’s no getting away from that. But for my circumstances, at that moment in time, it was the most practical and reassuring solution. One visit, one fix, and the confidence that if anything went wrong again, I’d be covered.

To watch the full video about this headlight replacement, which includes a look around some of the lovely new Aston Martins in the Leeds showroom, click on the Thumbnail below and we’ll take you straight there;