Euro road trip in a DB9.
Discussion
I have been doing a few trips to the south of France / Italy over the last couple of years in 911's.
Last year I had a PDK coupe and went to the Monaco GP, and 8 weeks ago I took my Cabriolet (also a PDK) to Rome. It was a great trip but on the way, we made the decision to change from a 911 to a GT car as we are not getting any younger and the additional comfort for 95% of the trip would outweigh the loss of performance that the 911 would give in the Alps, and so I brought an Aston Martin DB9 Volante when we got back.
The old Ferrari factory gates earlier this year in my 997.2 Cabriolet.
The plan was for my wife and I would take the Aston followed by our daughter and her boyfriend in my wife’s 2.7 Boxster. Hours of route planning and learning how to take 4 peoples luggage in 2 cars with small storage later and we were off.
My daughter (driving my wife's Porsche 987 Boxster) managed just under 300 miles before the engine blew-up (Porsche Rheims wanted 28,000 euro for a replacement - being done in the UK for less than £5K at Porsche torque).
The Aston, on the other hand, was superb.
Zero oil pressure (it was all over the road) and the engine noise best described and a bucket of spanners in a tumble dryer, marked the end for my wife’s Boxster.
Its dead.
The RAC came to the rescue and gave my daughter and her boyfriend a lovely little Renault Capture for the trip - not the same as a Boxster but still......
We drove through France, into Switzerland and made out first stop in Annecy.
Switzerland.
The next day we drove south, over the Col Du Bonet - the highest road in Europe at 10,000 feet. if you like twisty hairpins with massive drops and no guard rails, then this is the road for you. We then went cross country and drove Route Napoleon for the last part of the day.
Col Du Bonet.
We then stayed in Nice visiting St Tropez and Monaco a couple of times. Driving around the F1 circuit and having dinner in the Cafe de Paris was a real highlight, although I preferred the food at the Stars 'n Bars which no trip to Monaco would be complete without a visit.
Outside the Stars ’n Bars in Monaco.
After a few days it was time to move on to our next stop, and off we went into Milan (to watch qualifying) then on to our hotel next to Lake Como.
Street Parking in Como.
On race day we were the only things blue in a sea of red. The crowd when mad every time Vettel passed, and hurled abuse at Hamilton. They gave us some stick us when Danny Ric's engine broke but (to our delight) went silent when Hamilton took the lead.
Blue is the colour….
The next day we drove the Tremola (the oldest road in Switzerland), then the Furka Pass and finally the Susten
The cobbled mountain road called the Tremola.
The top of the Furka Pass.
Our Hotel View.
After that it was a lot of motorway munching (boring), a nights stay in Paris (been there done that) before the final euro tunnel trip home.
All in all, it the Aston averaged 25.2mpg which I thought was amazing - apart from the day I spent hooning around the Alps. I Didn’t check it but it was probably single figures.....
The DB9 is made for trips like this and I would highly recommend it. It's not that expensive on fuel and if you're too worried about adding miles to the car and its residue value, then you shouldn’t have brought one in the first place. Cars are meant to be driven.
We normally do a couple of these every year and I can’t wait for the next one.
Last year I had a PDK coupe and went to the Monaco GP, and 8 weeks ago I took my Cabriolet (also a PDK) to Rome. It was a great trip but on the way, we made the decision to change from a 911 to a GT car as we are not getting any younger and the additional comfort for 95% of the trip would outweigh the loss of performance that the 911 would give in the Alps, and so I brought an Aston Martin DB9 Volante when we got back.
The old Ferrari factory gates earlier this year in my 997.2 Cabriolet.
The plan was for my wife and I would take the Aston followed by our daughter and her boyfriend in my wife’s 2.7 Boxster. Hours of route planning and learning how to take 4 peoples luggage in 2 cars with small storage later and we were off.
My daughter (driving my wife's Porsche 987 Boxster) managed just under 300 miles before the engine blew-up (Porsche Rheims wanted 28,000 euro for a replacement - being done in the UK for less than £5K at Porsche torque).
The Aston, on the other hand, was superb.
Zero oil pressure (it was all over the road) and the engine noise best described and a bucket of spanners in a tumble dryer, marked the end for my wife’s Boxster.
Its dead.
The RAC came to the rescue and gave my daughter and her boyfriend a lovely little Renault Capture for the trip - not the same as a Boxster but still......
We drove through France, into Switzerland and made out first stop in Annecy.
Switzerland.
The next day we drove south, over the Col Du Bonet - the highest road in Europe at 10,000 feet. if you like twisty hairpins with massive drops and no guard rails, then this is the road for you. We then went cross country and drove Route Napoleon for the last part of the day.
Col Du Bonet.
We then stayed in Nice visiting St Tropez and Monaco a couple of times. Driving around the F1 circuit and having dinner in the Cafe de Paris was a real highlight, although I preferred the food at the Stars 'n Bars which no trip to Monaco would be complete without a visit.
Outside the Stars ’n Bars in Monaco.
After a few days it was time to move on to our next stop, and off we went into Milan (to watch qualifying) then on to our hotel next to Lake Como.
Street Parking in Como.
On race day we were the only things blue in a sea of red. The crowd when mad every time Vettel passed, and hurled abuse at Hamilton. They gave us some stick us when Danny Ric's engine broke but (to our delight) went silent when Hamilton took the lead.
Blue is the colour….
The next day we drove the Tremola (the oldest road in Switzerland), then the Furka Pass and finally the Susten
The cobbled mountain road called the Tremola.
The top of the Furka Pass.
Our Hotel View.
After that it was a lot of motorway munching (boring), a nights stay in Paris (been there done that) before the final euro tunnel trip home.
All in all, it the Aston averaged 25.2mpg which I thought was amazing - apart from the day I spent hooning around the Alps. I Didn’t check it but it was probably single figures.....
The DB9 is made for trips like this and I would highly recommend it. It's not that expensive on fuel and if you're too worried about adding miles to the car and its residue value, then you shouldn’t have brought one in the first place. Cars are meant to be driven.
We normally do a couple of these every year and I can’t wait for the next one.
Fantastic, what a great choice of chariot 
that’s made my morning seeing these pictures. We will be on the Eurotunnel at 6.60 tomorrow morning, heading to Salzburg for 4 nights then on to Navis which is just south of Innsbruck for a further 5 nights Then heading up to the Black Forest for a further 3 nights will be the V8V with our friends in their 911
Can’t wait
that’s made my morning seeing these pictures. We will be on the Eurotunnel at 6.60 tomorrow morning, heading to Salzburg for 4 nights then on to Navis which is just south of Innsbruck for a further 5 nights Then heading up to the Black Forest for a further 3 nights will be the V8V with our friends in their 911 Can’t wait
Speculatore said:
Epic trip with a few friends including Route Napoleon, Monaco, Lake Como and Stelvio
I wanted to get a photo of my Aston outside the Casino, but it was at night and the carpark was already full of Bugattis, Ferraris and new Rolls Royces, so my old Aston was shown the carpark opposite. :-( I did the Stelvio last year in a 911 Coupe but prefered Route Napoleon - which I thought was superb.
Next time your down there, if you head north from como you go up the Tremolo, across the Grimsel & Furka Pass's which leads you onto the Susten Pass. By then you will have had enough of the twisty roads for the day.
Edited by LesF on Friday 14th September 13:52
LesF said:
I wanted to get a photo of my Aston outside the Casino, but it was at night and the carpark was already full of Bugattis, Ferraris and new Rolls Royces, so my old Aston was shown the carpark opposite. :-(
I did the Stelvio last year in a 911 Coupe but prefered Route Napoleon - which I thought was superb.
Next time your down there, if you head north from como you go up the Tremolo, across the Grimsel & Furka Pass's which leads you onto the Susten Pass. By then you will have had enough of the twisty roads for the day.
From Stelvio we went through the Fluela Pass, Davos on to Mulhouse to the Bugatti museum.I did the Stelvio last year in a 911 Coupe but prefered Route Napoleon - which I thought was superb.
Next time your down there, if you head north from como you go up the Tremolo, across the Grimsel & Furka Pass's which leads you onto the Susten Pass. By then you will have had enough of the twisty roads for the day.
Edited by LesF on Friday 14th September 13:52
LesF said:
My daughter (driving my wife's Porsche 987 Boxster) managed just under 300 miles before the engine blew-up (Porsche Rheims wanted 28,000 euro for a replacement - being done in the UK for less than £5K at Porsche torque).
The Aston, on the other hand, was superb.
Zero oil pressure (it was all over the road) and the engine noise best described and a bucket of spanners in a tumble dryer, marked the end for my wife’s Boxster.
Its dead.
Blimey... Assuming it was gen1, was it IMS? How many miles on it when it failed? The Aston, on the other hand, was superb.
Zero oil pressure (it was all over the road) and the engine noise best described and a bucket of spanners in a tumble dryer, marked the end for my wife’s Boxster.
Its dead.
Still waiting for the Boxster to come back from France.
I've had 8 Porsches over 27 years and had to replace or rebuild 5 engines, so for me they all have engines made from chocolate but I still love 'em - just not so much.
The first engine to go was a 1970 911 2.2E which broke its timing chain (apparently a known issue with the early cars).
The second was broken rocker on a 3.0 911 Carrera - again a common falt.
The third was a 3.0 911Turbo (930) which broke an oil line and starved the engine - not unknown.
The forth was a 996 which broke a valve seat (and on strip down it was found to have borescore - a VERY common fault with all water cooled 911's)
and finally the Boxter, which looks to be oil starvation related as it covered in oil, but runs and sounds terrible.
My gen2 997 coupe's engine was fine but it did suffer from a leaky PDK which I had sorted, and my other Gen2 (this time a cabriolet) was mechanically fine but always had electrical issues. BTW, a lot more Gen2's are now being reported with boresocre, just like the 996 and gen1 997. Must be a flat 6 thing.
So for me and Aston Martin is 10 x more reliable than a Porsche. Yes, you get electrical issues - sensors and control units etc, but what is rare is a £15K invoice which unfortunately I've had many times with Porsches.
I've had 8 Porsches over 27 years and had to replace or rebuild 5 engines, so for me they all have engines made from chocolate but I still love 'em - just not so much.
The first engine to go was a 1970 911 2.2E which broke its timing chain (apparently a known issue with the early cars).
The second was broken rocker on a 3.0 911 Carrera - again a common falt.
The third was a 3.0 911Turbo (930) which broke an oil line and starved the engine - not unknown.
The forth was a 996 which broke a valve seat (and on strip down it was found to have borescore - a VERY common fault with all water cooled 911's)
and finally the Boxter, which looks to be oil starvation related as it covered in oil, but runs and sounds terrible.
My gen2 997 coupe's engine was fine but it did suffer from a leaky PDK which I had sorted, and my other Gen2 (this time a cabriolet) was mechanically fine but always had electrical issues. BTW, a lot more Gen2's are now being reported with boresocre, just like the 996 and gen1 997. Must be a flat 6 thing.
So for me and Aston Martin is 10 x more reliable than a Porsche. Yes, you get electrical issues - sensors and control units etc, but what is rare is a £15K invoice which unfortunately I've had many times with Porsches.
Edited by LesF on Monday 17th September 16:24
LesF said:
Still waiting for the Boxster to come back from France.
I've had 8 Porsches over 27 years and had to replace or rebuild 5 engines, so for me they all have engines made from chocolate but I still love 'em - just not so much.
The first engine to go was a 1970 911 2.2E which broke its timing chain (apparently a known issue with the early cars).
The second was broken rocker on a 3.0 911 Carrera - again a common falt.
The third was a 3.0 911Turbo (930) which broke an oil line and starved the engine - not unknown.
The forth was a 996 which broke a valve seat (and on strip down it was found to have borescore - a VERY common fault with all water cooled 911's)
and finally the Boxter, which looks to be oil starvation related as it covered in oil, but runs and sounds terrible.
My gen2 997 coupe's engine was fine but it did suffer from a leaky PDK which I had sorted, and my other Gen2 (this time a cabriolet) was mechanically fine but always had electrical issues. BTW, a lot more Gen2's are now being reported with boresocre, just like the 996 and gen1 997. Must be a flat 6 thing.
So for me and Aston Martin is 10 x more reliable than a Porsche. Yes, you get electrical issues - sensors and control units etc, but what is rare is a £15K invoice which unfortunately I've had many times with Porsches.
All of the above is rather alarming, but glad the 2.7 going bang didn't ruin your trip too much.I've had 8 Porsches over 27 years and had to replace or rebuild 5 engines, so for me they all have engines made from chocolate but I still love 'em - just not so much.
The first engine to go was a 1970 911 2.2E which broke its timing chain (apparently a known issue with the early cars).
The second was broken rocker on a 3.0 911 Carrera - again a common falt.
The third was a 3.0 911Turbo (930) which broke an oil line and starved the engine - not unknown.
The forth was a 996 which broke a valve seat (and on strip down it was found to have borescore - a VERY common fault with all water cooled 911's)
and finally the Boxter, which looks to be oil starvation related as it covered in oil, but runs and sounds terrible.
My gen2 997 coupe's engine was fine but it did suffer from a leaky PDK which I had sorted, and my other Gen2 (this time a cabriolet) was mechanically fine but always had electrical issues. BTW, a lot more Gen2's are now being reported with boresocre, just like the 996 and gen1 997. Must be a flat 6 thing.
So for me and Aston Martin is 10 x more reliable than a Porsche. Yes, you get electrical issues - sensors and control units etc, but what is rare is a £15K invoice which unfortunately I've had many times with Porsches.
Edited by LesF on Monday 17th September 16:24
sagarich said:
All of the above is rather alarming, but glad the 2.7 going bang didn't ruin your trip too much.
Pretty shocking indeed. I knew that early water-cooled cars (911 and boxster) were crap, but did not know that air-cooled cars also had issues. We had two in the family,both needed engine rebuild. Mine was old 986, did not hurt that much and my dad's 997 gen1 went bonkers just before warranty expired. Both nearly cheap escapes, but put me off or the future models for sure.Gassing Station | Aston Martin | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff