DB7 V12 Vantage advice for ignoramus please

[Gem_man]

Hi

I am adamant I want a British made interesting car in addition to my TVR but a replacement for my daily piece of rubbish.

This popped up http://www.derekcmowat.co.uk/GetDealer.do?did=2581...
and I am getting kinda interested. I have not seen it yet but wondering whether at this mileage and age (70K 2000) I would be buying a heap of trouble. I am well used to trouble and expense being a TVR owner but I cannot handle two in the family at once!

Can anyone reassure me that it is worth considering? or am I kidding myself?

I don't do big mileages so consumption is not a big issue.

What are the servicing costs like?
Reliablity on a car of this age/mileage?
What normally goes "TWANG" on this model at this age?

All comments would be most welcome

Thanks

[williamp]

There are a few things to look out for:

Rust. Especially under the scuttle. Check the aircon works fully. These are often related (blocked aircon vents allows water build up, rusting scuttle. Which is an MOT failure, and involves removing windscreen and dashboard to fix. Gulp!

Engine: each cylinder has its own coil, then these tend to go around 40k miles. If one goes (= misfire) then do the lot, as the main expense is in labour, and another is bound to go soon after. Very common

They use a lot of brakes and a lot of suspension bushes, but these are do-able on a dit basis.

They are great cars but overshadowed by the advanced DB9. Which is not as hand built (good thing or band thing??) and in its own factory, with the engine (slightly revised) built in Germany, rather then by Cosworth in Northants like the DB7V. The latter is, of couse more modern and better built, but its built on a production line. Almost every DB7 is still unique

There are the usual checks you should do with every car- check history, get the best for the money etc. And, as with every car like this, get it checked out. The few hundred ££ spent here could save you thousends.

Oh, and its an Aston. Get some trousers with deeper pockets!

[Gem_man]

Thank you Wiliamp. Points noted.

So, on the basis of what you said, I would be well advised for a main dealer to carry out a pre-purchase inspection then, yes?

What would be your best guess at servicing (specialist, not main dealer) costs and general upkeep?
I know that is a "piece of string" question but best guess?

Many thanks

[12 POT]

The best advice that I am able to pass on to you would be to get an Aston "specialist" to check the car out, there are a number that you could consider using, depending on the location of the vehicle. The best place to actually research the main issues relating to the DB7 Vantage is the AMOC website, which has a very comprehensive thread dedicated to helping those considering ownership. I have now owned my DB7 Vantage Volante for just over a year and have spent a reasonable sum of money getting things up to scratch, nothing mechanical all bodywork so far. I have had the underside of the car cleaned of and then rust protected, the front end of the vehicle has been re-sprayed (stone chips are very easily picked up).
I don't use mine as a daily driver, but I am aware that a number of club members do without any major problems to report. The prices at which one can now purchase a good DB7, either i6 or V12, is very appealing, but do take care and do get sound advice from those that know, i.e. AMOC, (Bloxham Section).

[hartley]

Derek Mowat has been around a long time - have not heard anything bad about them.
If you find an Aston specialist anywhere near Edinburgh let me know . However , Murray are the local Aston dealer and know their stuff if you want to use them to check the car out.

[Gem_man]

Thank you for the assistance chaps.

I have made enquiries about the vendor and indeed he comes very highly recommended and he seems a straight up sort of chap. This I believe is the starting point of a successful transaction.

I have checked with the Aston main dealer in Edinburgh and they can do a pre-purchase inspection based on the procedures they use to establish validation for extended warranties.

Although I am not quite sure on the "form" regarding this done with regard to the vendor. Clearly he wont let me take it without stumping up in full first and yet I don't feel I can ask him to deal with it. Any advice in this area?

I have joined the AMOC forum as suggested but sadly they seem to be having trouble with their server at the moment.

Off to view on Friday afternoon, wish me luck!

Thanks again for your assistance.
Adrian

[Knights of Aston]

Most car sales people should not have a problem allowing their cars to go through a main dealer check. Usually the potential buyer gets the vendor to book in with the dealer. Quite often the vendor won't ask for payment upfront either but I suppose that could depend on their confidence in the car. Chances are the check over will show something up (It always does, after all the vendor probably isn't an Aston specialist) and from this you can negotiate as neccessary (with out taking the piss obviously!) Most work is usually minor and so probably irrelevant but watch out for A/C faults (as someone else as posted). In may experience the DB7 V12 tends to suffer from evaporator failure which is an expensive part and requires the removal of the dash. All in all though they are great cars and a good main dealer should be able to give you a 'yes it's worth it' or a 'bloody hell it's a death trap' sort of answer. Hope it's the former (only the badly maintained cars turn into the latter) and you get to own a great car. I've spoke to a few people who traded up from a DB7 to a DB9 and while they don't regret doing it most of them regret selling their DB7 because of it. Best of luck!

[Gem_man]

I have just come across this thread that I started some time ago.
Just to round off the story......
This car was sold before I could get my financial ducks lined up. Just to add salt in into the wound, it was sold to someone local to me, so I was regularly taunted by seeing it around. However, I have just recently bought another manual DB7 Vantage from the same dealer.... and glad I waited, it is a cracker.

I am happy to report that in the intervening period I have had regular contact with Derek Mowat and can thoroughly recommend him. He is an honest straight forward person to deal, and whilst not solely an Aston specialist, he turns over loads of Astons and really knows his stuff.
One nice little touch is that when I collected the car, he ran me through all the points to watch out for to keep it behaving well, ran through all the procedures and timings for fluid top-ups etc. Simple thing to do but a pleasing unexpected service.

All the best.

[LordBretSinclair]

Useful to know Adrian, shame but he couldn't be further away from me if he tried