New to DB9 Ownership - the storey so far ..
Discussion
Hello Everyone. I am new to this forum and Aston Ownership.
Having just purchased a DB9 I thought I would post my journey so far which may help other looking to buy.
My wife has been the driver of Aston ownership. She has always wanted a DB9, so a good year and her wish has been granted!
I hired one for the weekend for her birthday and she loved it – which was a good start. This car was probably a bit rough round the edges as it had never ending gearbox and emissions warnings, but at least we did not own it!
The search for a car was mostly concentrated around Ebay, Autotrader and the Aston Approved website.
We had settled on a black / graphite / silver colour preference with either a magnolia or black interior. The majority of the cheaper vehicles seem to have either Iron Ore (red) or Blue interior none of which appealed to us. The Aston dealer – read on – told me that Ore was initially popular as it was the launch colour. Not for us!
My main vice is boats, and the most recent one I purchased was very low hours. When I got it it looked like new, but had endless small issues – fortunately fixed by the nice Fairline dealer – but this sent me more towards something with normal mileage as opposed to a garage queen. The though of more aggravation and paying more for the privilege did not seem great! We care for everything we have – but equally we intend to use the car daily including the school run, so something 100% perfect with a premium to match was probably not what we were after.
I made a few calls about cars in Autotrader, but it seemed remarkably difficult to see any of the cars. We actively considered a 2007 car with 75,000 in Black but as after the first call they never called back that one died! Probably just as well.
The only car we looked at was the one we bought. Stratstone of Wilmslow had an October 2007 DB9 with 40,000 miles on in grey with beige leather. They were asking a fair price. The bill for preparation reached a staggering £7000 including a service, new tyres, disks, pads etc. The car came with 1 years warranty. They would not move £1 on the price, but I did manage to get 2 years warranty thrown in.
I had a careful look at the car and they corrected a series of panel fit issues before delivery. The car has a few teething problems, but they are picking it up next week to correct them. These are variously the drivers window not closing properly, the remote locking not locking the drivers door 90% of the time, severe headlamp misting (never clears) A/ C acting up and heated rear screen a bit dodgy. Quite a list if I am honest, but they are fixing it without haggle. Not sure what a 140 point check actually checks!
The later cars seem to have more standard options. Memory Seats ( 2 of us drive it so this is actually useful) Heated Seats (rather nice given it is -2 outside) a button to tilt the seats etc. The heated front window is also pretty handy!
It has the Linn 260 W audio system. This comes in for stick on the forum, but it seems to work well. I tested the CD auto-changer which seems a weak point. The Bluetooth phone works really well. The Sat Nav comes in for a lot of stick. I bought a 2012 disk which gives full postcode search and includes Terminal 5 at Heathrow! Is it a good as a Tom Tom? Not really, but it is built in and seems to work OK. It is off 95% of the time in any event.
I looked at adding an iPhone link but this seems to involve a £250 box and taking most of the car to bits. A £17 widget that clips on my iPhone now transmits if to the FM Radio which sits on the right side of the cost/ agro curve.
In terms of driving, my trips to date have comprised the school run and the office. Using the Auto box the car is very drivable. I put my foot down hard once having waited for about 10 cars to pass in a narrow road. I wont be doing that in a hurry again as I think it is fair to say all hell broke loose! I have had a play with the paddles, but if the Auto is quite docile until provoked the paddles are the opposite. One for the open road as opposed to London streets. The paddles get some criticism , but as someone who has not has them before they seem great. For some reason only known to Aston Martin the trip computer tells you the average miles per gallon. Given this currently reads 9, I would perhaps suggest they might want to remove this rather distressing information!
I have read the forums end to end and will fit LED interior lights this weekend, and hopefully by new Autostyle car mats will arrive tomorrow. E Bay is an endless source of Aston iPhone covers, business card holders, tax disk holders, valve covers and more. 
I used our BMW X3 this evening – which I don’t hold out to be a sports car – but it does bring it home just how fantastic the DB9 is. Very fantastic to be honest.
Very happy with our new toy.
We booked a weekend in France in February – and an out one day, return the next is currently £53 return on Eurotunnel if of interest to anyone else. We will head to Reims for the weekend. 2nd and 3rd of Feb if anyone fancies a trip.
My only hope now is that the man coming to look at our Boxter tomorrow buys it and lets the DB9 in the drive!
![](http://thumbsnap.com/sc/hqkG29ra.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="http://thumbsnap.com/tkZXcQmI" Target="_blank">[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/tkZXcQmI.jpg)
Having just purchased a DB9 I thought I would post my journey so far which may help other looking to buy.
My wife has been the driver of Aston ownership. She has always wanted a DB9, so a good year and her wish has been granted!
I hired one for the weekend for her birthday and she loved it – which was a good start. This car was probably a bit rough round the edges as it had never ending gearbox and emissions warnings, but at least we did not own it!
The search for a car was mostly concentrated around Ebay, Autotrader and the Aston Approved website.
We had settled on a black / graphite / silver colour preference with either a magnolia or black interior. The majority of the cheaper vehicles seem to have either Iron Ore (red) or Blue interior none of which appealed to us. The Aston dealer – read on – told me that Ore was initially popular as it was the launch colour. Not for us!
My main vice is boats, and the most recent one I purchased was very low hours. When I got it it looked like new, but had endless small issues – fortunately fixed by the nice Fairline dealer – but this sent me more towards something with normal mileage as opposed to a garage queen. The though of more aggravation and paying more for the privilege did not seem great! We care for everything we have – but equally we intend to use the car daily including the school run, so something 100% perfect with a premium to match was probably not what we were after.
I made a few calls about cars in Autotrader, but it seemed remarkably difficult to see any of the cars. We actively considered a 2007 car with 75,000 in Black but as after the first call they never called back that one died! Probably just as well.
The only car we looked at was the one we bought. Stratstone of Wilmslow had an October 2007 DB9 with 40,000 miles on in grey with beige leather. They were asking a fair price. The bill for preparation reached a staggering £7000 including a service, new tyres, disks, pads etc. The car came with 1 years warranty. They would not move £1 on the price, but I did manage to get 2 years warranty thrown in.
I had a careful look at the car and they corrected a series of panel fit issues before delivery. The car has a few teething problems, but they are picking it up next week to correct them. These are variously the drivers window not closing properly, the remote locking not locking the drivers door 90% of the time, severe headlamp misting (never clears) A/ C acting up and heated rear screen a bit dodgy. Quite a list if I am honest, but they are fixing it without haggle. Not sure what a 140 point check actually checks!
The later cars seem to have more standard options. Memory Seats ( 2 of us drive it so this is actually useful) Heated Seats (rather nice given it is -2 outside) a button to tilt the seats etc. The heated front window is also pretty handy!
It has the Linn 260 W audio system. This comes in for stick on the forum, but it seems to work well. I tested the CD auto-changer which seems a weak point. The Bluetooth phone works really well. The Sat Nav comes in for a lot of stick. I bought a 2012 disk which gives full postcode search and includes Terminal 5 at Heathrow! Is it a good as a Tom Tom? Not really, but it is built in and seems to work OK. It is off 95% of the time in any event.
I looked at adding an iPhone link but this seems to involve a £250 box and taking most of the car to bits. A £17 widget that clips on my iPhone now transmits if to the FM Radio which sits on the right side of the cost/ agro curve.
In terms of driving, my trips to date have comprised the school run and the office. Using the Auto box the car is very drivable. I put my foot down hard once having waited for about 10 cars to pass in a narrow road. I wont be doing that in a hurry again as I think it is fair to say all hell broke loose! I have had a play with the paddles, but if the Auto is quite docile until provoked the paddles are the opposite. One for the open road as opposed to London streets. The paddles get some criticism , but as someone who has not has them before they seem great. For some reason only known to Aston Martin the trip computer tells you the average miles per gallon. Given this currently reads 9, I would perhaps suggest they might want to remove this rather distressing information!
I have read the forums end to end and will fit LED interior lights this weekend, and hopefully by new Autostyle car mats will arrive tomorrow. E Bay is an endless source of Aston iPhone covers, business card holders, tax disk holders, valve covers and more. 
I used our BMW X3 this evening – which I don’t hold out to be a sports car – but it does bring it home just how fantastic the DB9 is. Very fantastic to be honest.
Very happy with our new toy.
We booked a weekend in France in February – and an out one day, return the next is currently £53 return on Eurotunnel if of interest to anyone else. We will head to Reims for the weekend. 2nd and 3rd of Feb if anyone fancies a trip.
My only hope now is that the man coming to look at our Boxter tomorrow buys it and lets the DB9 in the drive!
Yes the colour is Meteorite and the interior sandstorm - graphite and magnolia did not really cut it!
I added several pics to the first post but only one came out - some more are attached - better luck this time!
The other thing I forgot to mention is that people come up to you in the street and say nice car and start talking about Astons - and people let you into the traffic which is astounding!
On the waiting list for Goodwood on Sunday. Hope it stops raining!
Autostyle mats arrived today - look great. Also The Definitive Guide to Aston Martin will provide hours of bedtime reading.
I added several pics to the first post but only one came out - some more are attached - better luck this time!
The other thing I forgot to mention is that people come up to you in the street and say nice car and start talking about Astons - and people let you into the traffic which is astounding!
On the waiting list for Goodwood on Sunday. Hope it stops raining!
Autostyle mats arrived today - look great. Also The Definitive Guide to Aston Martin will provide hours of bedtime reading.
Just enjoying the same experience ! We picked up our Glaciall blue roadster from Wilmslow last Friday ( you may have seen it ) We too have a boat, 43ft Sealine on the Hamble at Rk Marine, did you buy the Fairline from Trevor? Could be tempted with a quick trip to France, I'll run it past Mrs H and come back to you. Paul
The niggles such as drivers window not closing, and the door not locking are a right nuisance. An Old DB9 previously owned had these same problems and depsite numerous resets and replacmeent of switches etc it was still a total nuisance. Plus it would sound like speaker feedback comink through the left hand door speaker, very bizarre. But put your foot down and listen to it and the niggles are forgotten.
Beautiful looking car, I changed the interior bulbs in my Vantage to LEDs what a difference and a really cheap mod.
Nice to see fellow boat owners joining this friendly and informative forum, I have a sports cruiser on Windermere, nearly as much fun as driving the Aston! Enjoy your new toy.
Ian.
Nice to see fellow boat owners joining this friendly and informative forum, I have a sports cruiser on Windermere, nearly as much fun as driving the Aston! Enjoy your new toy.
Ian.
Thanks to the OP for this post. I'm seriously tempted by one of these machines when I look at what the prices are falling to. My only battle to win with SWMBO are the rear seats. Are they useable for children ? I've read they are only fit for shopping !
2007MY onwards seems to be the best received but what about transmission ? Manual or Auto.
2007MY onwards seems to be the best received but what about transmission ? Manual or Auto.
My kids are 3 and 5 and fit fine BUT I have the seat all the way back and the 3 year old does not mind but as they grow. ...
At a guess they are ok upto 7 or 8 but beyond that could be challenging.
Manuals are very rare. The auto is great but then I live in London so am biased! The paddles work well for me but I gather they are not as good as others - howeve I have no comparison.
At a guess they are ok upto 7 or 8 but beyond that could be challenging.
Manuals are very rare. The auto is great but then I live in London so am biased! The paddles work well for me but I gather they are not as good as others - howeve I have no comparison.
dkatwa said:
Ah...so would my 15/17 year olds (bigger than me now) fit in, for short journeys at least??
No, not a chance, unless the short journey is the end of the driveway? I have had a person in the back, but they're forced to sit sideways i.e. bum on one seats, legs over the central tunnel! Not suitable to drive anywhere really...Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff