First Aston - possibly
Discussion
Hi folks - as a previous owner of three TVRs and four Jaguars there is an itch needing to be scratched - and it has 'DB9 Volante' on it.
It's obviously going to cost more to run so I'm trying to quantify how much before I jump in...
Insurance: Where would be the best place to get insurance for an early DB9 that would do about 10K mile a year? A small specialist like A-Plan?
Servicing etc: The car I'm looking at - a 2005 model - has been recently serviced but I'll need somewhere to take it next time, and also for anything that goes wrong before then. I fear an AM dealer is going to lighten me of £1,000 the moment I step on the doormat so are there any good independents in Essex/Suffolk?
Any other info you wish to throw at me will be gratefully appreciated. Thanks!
ETA: I've had one reply from an indy re servicing - 50K mile service £750 + parts + VAT...
It's obviously going to cost more to run so I'm trying to quantify how much before I jump in...
Insurance: Where would be the best place to get insurance for an early DB9 that would do about 10K mile a year? A small specialist like A-Plan?
Servicing etc: The car I'm looking at - a 2005 model - has been recently serviced but I'll need somewhere to take it next time, and also for anything that goes wrong before then. I fear an AM dealer is going to lighten me of £1,000 the moment I step on the doormat so are there any good independents in Essex/Suffolk?
Any other info you wish to throw at me will be gratefully appreciated. Thanks!
ETA: I've had one reply from an indy re servicing - 50K mile service £750 + parts + VAT...
Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 20th January 15:29
Hi Simpo, scratch that itch!
Re insurance this depends upon your attitude to risk but many on here (including myself) just use ordinary insurance. Omoanies like Admiral, Aviva, etc. I'm with Aviva again this year (churned fro Admiral) as they were by far and away the cheapest and a well k own company.
However if you want a guaranteed value and that type of thing then there are the specialist insurers t look at. Plenty of choice!
Sorry I'm at the. Other end of the country so can't help you with the servicing suggestions but I understand there is plenty choice down there and some well regarded indys.
One of the others will be along shortly no doubt to give you specifics, but enjoy your choice if it goes that way!
Re insurance this depends upon your attitude to risk but many on here (including myself) just use ordinary insurance. Omoanies like Admiral, Aviva, etc. I'm with Aviva again this year (churned fro Admiral) as they were by far and away the cheapest and a well k own company.
However if you want a guaranteed value and that type of thing then there are the specialist insurers t look at. Plenty of choice!
Sorry I'm at the. Other end of the country so can't help you with the servicing suggestions but I understand there is plenty choice down there and some well regarded indys.
One of the others will be along shortly no doubt to give you specifics, but enjoy your choice if it goes that way!
Yeah... running a DB9 Volante also 2005. Don't really use it anymore as I have the vanquish but I'm sure it will come out in the summer a little. I read somewhere (I think Autocar magazine) that if you can't afford a new Aston you can't afford to run an older one, I thought that was a load of rubbish... however below are my last few service bills;
2016 £8k
2015 £1.8k
2014 £5k
That is just servicing and maintenance, not tyres, insurance tax etc. Now to be fair I take it to Trinity Engineering, and they are the most diligent AM people I;ve met checking every single nut and bolt pretty much! the last service identified seeps from radiator and oil cooler , then some issues with miss fire, so an expensive service. I guess some of these bits could have been put off but I want to make sure she is always 100% pristine. I don't think I'd want to take her to a cheap indy, I'd stick to Trinity or others like McGurk (spelling?!) or Bamford.
Point is - it can be very expensive, make sure all these little items have been done, if your 2005 doesn't have a long list of expensive receipts then it may have many problems to come, OR the owner did everything and simply lost the receipts. Either way it's an epic car and gives a wonderful experience! Don't let me you put you off!
2016 £8k
2015 £1.8k
2014 £5k
That is just servicing and maintenance, not tyres, insurance tax etc. Now to be fair I take it to Trinity Engineering, and they are the most diligent AM people I;ve met checking every single nut and bolt pretty much! the last service identified seeps from radiator and oil cooler , then some issues with miss fire, so an expensive service. I guess some of these bits could have been put off but I want to make sure she is always 100% pristine. I don't think I'd want to take her to a cheap indy, I'd stick to Trinity or others like McGurk (spelling?!) or Bamford.
Point is - it can be very expensive, make sure all these little items have been done, if your 2005 doesn't have a long list of expensive receipts then it may have many problems to come, OR the owner did everything and simply lost the receipts. Either way it's an epic car and gives a wonderful experience! Don't let me you put you off!
I appreciate that a V12 is harder to maintain/tune/service than a V8, but what is it exactly that contributes to the massive servicing costs? Price of parts? Hourly rate? Premium for skills? £15K in three years is nuts! Mind you I recall people quoting scary costs over TVR servicing - yet mine was about £300pa and remarkably reliable. So maybe just down to the car you buy and a bit of luck?
Simpo Two said:
I appreciate that a V12 is harder to maintain/tune/service than a V8, but what is it exactly that contributes to the massive servicing costs? Price of parts? Hourly rate? Premium for skills? £15K in three years is nuts! Mind you I recall people quoting scary costs over TVR servicing - yet mine was about £300pa and remarkably reliable. So maybe just down to the car you buy and a bit of luck?
It could just be that Trinity are top and check absolutely everything. A cheap indy service may just follow the service book and not for example check brakes every time, Trinity will always check all critical components and strip brakes etc. Could also be bad luck on my behalf! Plug service will be expensive obviously. I imagine it's best to forecast £1k a year for servicing and then hope things don't go wrong! The reality (especially on a 2005) is that "hand built in England really wasn't as good as built by robot in Germany! I'm seriously underselling the car here! It's an epic car and I wouldn't change it at all, even given the above. Besides a lot of these items are one offs. The £8k was a bad luck service discs, pads, radiator, oil cooler etc. all being due at same time. To be fair they did say the radiator and oil cooler could wait, but I wanted it tip top. Wished I hadn't posted now, by the car with your heart, not your mind 
Simpo Two said:
... it's clear to me that an Aston is like a boat. You don't need one and it will never make financial sense. At least I have the boat!
You have been given an example by an owner who perhaps has been a little unlucky, but who commendably wants his car to be maintained perfectly.
I have a 2008 4.7 Vantage and so far it certainly has made financial sense.
Irrelevant anyway because it is a keeper, but main dealer servicing has been about £1,000 per year, and no faults have occurred yet. It is even still on the original tyres.
Had I bought a new £20,000 eurobox instead, that would probably now be worth almost nothing.
Dealers seem to be selling model year 2009 Vantages for almost what I paid, over five years ago.
Hopefully this might be encouraging and all that I would suggest, is take your time and find the most pampered car you can.
These companies that check everything with a fine tooth comb and report back are all very well but you have to challenge them on their findings and what you are prepared to put up with.
If they say something is worn and needs replacing: How worn is it? If I only do 2000 miles a year and don't thrash the car will it last another year? two years?, five years? What is the chance / consequence if the worn part fails? Just because they say £XXXX of work needs doing to make the car perfect it doesn't mean it all needs doing immediately.
Equally if you have a year with a low bill then it probably means you will get a big bill next year so you have to average out the costs over the long term.
Also as per last post you are saving money on depreciation and getting to drive a nicer car.
If they say something is worn and needs replacing: How worn is it? If I only do 2000 miles a year and don't thrash the car will it last another year? two years?, five years? What is the chance / consequence if the worn part fails? Just because they say £XXXX of work needs doing to make the car perfect it doesn't mean it all needs doing immediately.
Equally if you have a year with a low bill then it probably means you will get a big bill next year so you have to average out the costs over the long term.
Also as per last post you are saving money on depreciation and getting to drive a nicer car.
Edited by Agent57 on Saturday 21st January 13:12
Regular servicing is not really the *scary* bit. Yes, they can be more expensive with higher labour rates and V12 engines have lots of bits that need replacing/checking but often that's offset by glacial depreciation after a couple of years (10k main dealer margins distort this slightly).
What drives the cost is "when something goes wrong". Simple stuff can be astronomical: I was lucky (V8V) and only had a rear parking sensor go awol but IIRC the bill was over a grand. I had a screen fail (bonding) but that was under warranty.
What drives the cost is "when something goes wrong". Simple stuff can be astronomical: I was lucky (V8V) and only had a rear parking sensor go awol but IIRC the bill was over a grand. I had a screen fail (bonding) but that was under warranty.
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