DB9 owners 2008 +, couple of questions as Im looking to buy.
Discussion
Hi, I have a question for any DB9 owners of 2008 facelift cars onwards
Im looking into buying one soon and im having trouble speaking with owners as the facebook site wont let me join unless i own one and the AMOC wants £135 to join.
I'v looked at loads online and im familiar with the upgrades the 2008 cars onwards have and thats the year il most likely be going for.. 08/09 DB9 touchtronic coupe with the revised engine, DBS stack, Glass key etc
Just wanted to ask about:
- Reliability - Is there anything these cars suffer from with the engine, are engine or gearbox failures known or rare, anything like that?
- Tips on what to look out for when viewing one?
- Performance and the gear change? Is it worth trying to find a manual or is the revised auto on the facelifts a good choice?
I have already sorted insurance, I'm a young guy at 30 and I'm coming from an M5 which does 12mpg so I'm used to the fuel bills.
I guess I'm asking.. Am i making a wise choice going for one of these and can i expect reliability?
I know routine maintenance goes without saying.. brakes, tyres, servicing etc.
Il be using the car frequently at least 3-4 times a week but i work from home so it wont be a daily or anything like that. It wont be a driveway queen either.
Would be nice to hear from some owners.
Earlier owners also welcome but its the 2008 onwards cars I'm interested in mainly
All the best
Im looking into buying one soon and im having trouble speaking with owners as the facebook site wont let me join unless i own one and the AMOC wants £135 to join.
I'v looked at loads online and im familiar with the upgrades the 2008 cars onwards have and thats the year il most likely be going for.. 08/09 DB9 touchtronic coupe with the revised engine, DBS stack, Glass key etc
Just wanted to ask about:
- Reliability - Is there anything these cars suffer from with the engine, are engine or gearbox failures known or rare, anything like that?
- Tips on what to look out for when viewing one?
- Performance and the gear change? Is it worth trying to find a manual or is the revised auto on the facelifts a good choice?
I have already sorted insurance, I'm a young guy at 30 and I'm coming from an M5 which does 12mpg so I'm used to the fuel bills.
I guess I'm asking.. Am i making a wise choice going for one of these and can i expect reliability?
I know routine maintenance goes without saying.. brakes, tyres, servicing etc.
Il be using the car frequently at least 3-4 times a week but i work from home so it wont be a daily or anything like that. It wont be a driveway queen either.
Would be nice to hear from some owners.
Earlier owners also welcome but its the 2008 onwards cars I'm interested in mainly
All the best
First port of call should be the Definitive Guide post at top of the page and order Grants book. Drive both a DB9 and a Vantage to decide which you like best. I went from a 911 C4S to a 2007 DB9 and the DB9 is a GT car. Kept the car for 6 years and had no extra expense apart from routine servicing. Moved to a V12 Vantage 3 years ago and again all its needed has been servicing. Both car were Timeless but use your judgement when buying and ask on here if you find one you fancy. You may just find the previous owner is a member. The 2008 car has more power and a nicer interior. Make sure you see the Crystal key before you buy as they break if dropped! Hope you find one you like
kev1966900 said:
First port of call should be the Definitive Guide post at top of the page and order Grants book. Drive both a DB9 and a Vantage to decide which you like best. I went from a 911 C4S to a 2007 DB9 and the DB9 is a GT car. Kept the car for 6 years and had no extra expense apart from routine servicing. Moved to a V12 Vantage 3 years ago and again all its needed has been servicing. Both car were Timeless but use your judgement when buying and ask on here if you find one you fancy. You may just find the previous owner is a member. The 2008 car has more power and a nicer interior. Make sure you see the Crystal key before you buy as they break if dropped! Hope you find one you like
Thanks for the reply. Il have a read now. I used to like the vantage but I prefer the DB9 personally as it’s longer and sleeker imo. It’s just a shame there aren’t more manual DB9
The 08’s are meant have some nice upgrades and having the extra power and torque is nice given the weight. So seems like a good choice although there are some stunning pre facelifts
What’s the DB9 like power wise? Is it a fast drivable car with nice sharp handling or is it more of a straight line beast / cruiser?
My E39 M5 weighs 1795 kg and with 420bhp it feels really nimble for a saloon and I really do love driving it. I just hope the DB9 is everything I’m expecting
I’d love a manual but seems like the TT is going to be what I go for. Just hoping for a nice black or tungsten car with black leather interior if possible and sport pack / dbs rear lights.
But yes thanks il be sure to mention on here if I find one I like. Iv read the crystal key is expensive to replace so thanks il have a look at that and make sure everything works fine.
Thanks 👍🏼
Getting a DB9 is a great choice, I love mine.
They are reliable when looked after, use a ctek charger all the time as the cars do drain the battery and the car is sensitive to battery charge, I would replace the battery when you buy it.
Look at the front and rear light condensation, common fault.
So are window modules and central locking modules.
Check the servicing is upto date and the coils/sparkplugs have been replaced.
Check for the paint bubbling, very common fault, around the door handles and run your finger around all the panel lines, where the rear quarters meet the lights, boot edges, door edges etc.
Check the MOT history. check the shock absorbers are not leaking as they are expensive to replace.
Check aircon works, it has the shorter engine oil dipstick, and no oil leaks from the front engine timing chain cover.
Sometimes the PCV valves stop working forcing oil to go in the airfilters so check for excessive oil in the airfilters, (this is a difficult thing to do pre purchase as you need to remove the undertray and wheel liners to get to them)
Decide how to service it, dealer, independent or DIY, serviced every year, major service every other year.
Have a good test drive and get a warranty.
Good luck.
They are reliable when looked after, use a ctek charger all the time as the cars do drain the battery and the car is sensitive to battery charge, I would replace the battery when you buy it.
Look at the front and rear light condensation, common fault.
So are window modules and central locking modules.
Check the servicing is upto date and the coils/sparkplugs have been replaced.
Check for the paint bubbling, very common fault, around the door handles and run your finger around all the panel lines, where the rear quarters meet the lights, boot edges, door edges etc.
Check the MOT history. check the shock absorbers are not leaking as they are expensive to replace.
Check aircon works, it has the shorter engine oil dipstick, and no oil leaks from the front engine timing chain cover.
Sometimes the PCV valves stop working forcing oil to go in the airfilters so check for excessive oil in the airfilters, (this is a difficult thing to do pre purchase as you need to remove the undertray and wheel liners to get to them)
Decide how to service it, dealer, independent or DIY, serviced every year, major service every other year.
Have a good test drive and get a warranty.
Good luck.
I have a 2009 model automatic with Sports Pack. I bought a one-owner low mileage car that was in mint condition.
You're making a good choice, but I would say that!
The performance is superb. At any speed, in any gear you put your foot down and it goes. I've had mine up to 165 in Germany and it was still accelerating hard before I had to slow down. It is the first car I have driven that feel properly motorcycle quick. It's especially fun getting to a long hill in France and blasting past every other vehicle on the road as they struggle to get up it.
Handling wise it's a GT car for sure but it's a fundamentally well-designed and engineered car, doesn't weigh too much and with 50:50 weight distribution. It can be cornered, and at surprisingly high speeds. The Sports Pack improves things a lot without compromising on the ride quality. The unsprung weight is reduced the car is stiffer, and the stiffer springs really help handling. The steering is great.
The auto box is excellent and perfectly suited to the car. You can stick it in drive and let it do its thing and it does it very well, or you can take over. I find, especially in sports mode, that the gearchange is perfectly responsive enough. I don't think a manual would be an improvement, personally.
The Aston is the most reliable car I've owned. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it. Mine has had 2 issues though. The stereo would occasionally stop talking to my iPod and needed me to turn the car off and start it up again to clear that. Also once I got a message saying manual gear selection was no longer possible. Again, stopping the car and restarting it fixed that problem. I've since had a gearbox software update which may have permanently cured it.
Bubbling paint was mentioned. I haven't got that problem, but the cast aluminium door mirror arms are starting to lose their paint, so you will probably see that a bit as you shop around. You'll also probably find a lot of kerbed alloys as the extremities are not easy to judge.
Find a car with full Aston (or specialist) service history - there are a couple of recalls that need to have been done. Don't buy a neglected car; there are plenty of cared-for examples about. Try and find a Sports Pack car. It has nice wheels anyway, but its lower and has better dampers.
There's not a lot on the options list on a 2008+ car. Most of it's standard. You could get the B&O stereo from the DBS but the standard one is really good anyway - a vast improvement on the older models.
You're making a good choice, but I would say that!
The performance is superb. At any speed, in any gear you put your foot down and it goes. I've had mine up to 165 in Germany and it was still accelerating hard before I had to slow down. It is the first car I have driven that feel properly motorcycle quick. It's especially fun getting to a long hill in France and blasting past every other vehicle on the road as they struggle to get up it.
Handling wise it's a GT car for sure but it's a fundamentally well-designed and engineered car, doesn't weigh too much and with 50:50 weight distribution. It can be cornered, and at surprisingly high speeds. The Sports Pack improves things a lot without compromising on the ride quality. The unsprung weight is reduced the car is stiffer, and the stiffer springs really help handling. The steering is great.
The auto box is excellent and perfectly suited to the car. You can stick it in drive and let it do its thing and it does it very well, or you can take over. I find, especially in sports mode, that the gearchange is perfectly responsive enough. I don't think a manual would be an improvement, personally.
The Aston is the most reliable car I've owned. Nothing has ever gone wrong with it. Mine has had 2 issues though. The stereo would occasionally stop talking to my iPod and needed me to turn the car off and start it up again to clear that. Also once I got a message saying manual gear selection was no longer possible. Again, stopping the car and restarting it fixed that problem. I've since had a gearbox software update which may have permanently cured it.
Bubbling paint was mentioned. I haven't got that problem, but the cast aluminium door mirror arms are starting to lose their paint, so you will probably see that a bit as you shop around. You'll also probably find a lot of kerbed alloys as the extremities are not easy to judge.
Find a car with full Aston (or specialist) service history - there are a couple of recalls that need to have been done. Don't buy a neglected car; there are plenty of cared-for examples about. Try and find a Sports Pack car. It has nice wheels anyway, but its lower and has better dampers.
There's not a lot on the options list on a 2008+ car. Most of it's standard. You could get the B&O stereo from the DBS but the standard one is really good anyway - a vast improvement on the older models.
Thanks for the reply. Yes I will get a Ctek charger, I almost got one before Christmas.
Do these use a special type of battery or just a big 096 or 100?
I have noticed the light condensation in a few, is it a simple fix or?
I hate light condensation it does really bug me. I didn’t realise the rear suffered too.
Il definitely be checking service history’s up to date.
Thanks for the tips of the oil leak and paint bubbling, Iv wrote everything down for when I view.
Il check service prices for dealer and independent. I just need to find my nearest for both
Thanks
Do these use a special type of battery or just a big 096 or 100?
I have noticed the light condensation in a few, is it a simple fix or?
I hate light condensation it does really bug me. I didn’t realise the rear suffered too.
Il definitely be checking service history’s up to date.
Thanks for the tips of the oil leak and paint bubbling, Iv wrote everything down for when I view.
Il check service prices for dealer and independent. I just need to find my nearest for both
Thanks
Thanks for the reply. Sounds like you have a really nice car. Is tungsten popular for the facelifts? as I see more black or silver facelifts.
Performance sounds just what I’m after. I want to put the X pipe mid and DBS exhaust on mine eventually and have it mapped to around 510 so should be like a DBS then. I bet driving a DB9 round France is epic
Thanks for the insight on the handling. I realise it’s not going to handle like a hot hatch just wanted to know it’s still a sports car as these tend to have a rep for being for pipe and slippers men but I disagree.
The auto box sounds nice. Iv only ever owned 1 auto before so it’ll take some getting used to anyway but I’m glad it feels responsive in auto and paddle, I can’t wait to have a go in one.
Is the gearbox software an expensive update? Did it make the shifts and response any quicker? Or just cure the problems you mentioned.
Il have a close look at the paint and mirror arms, thanks. I’m quite anal with paint so if anything needs doing like that I have a friend who’s very good and has his own insurance approved Bodyshop.
Wheel wise, I plan to upgrade my wheels but I do want to keep the originals so if I have to have them refinished, it’s not a problem.
It’s definitely the plan to get a facelift with sports pack even if I have to wait so I’m not in rush. I’m happy to take my time to find the right car but I’d like a 1 or 2 owner car if possible. Service history will be a very important factor though.
I doubt il touch the stereo if I have that v12 to listen to 😂
Are the engines generally reliable, no catastrophic failures or anything? Iv seen one for sale that mentioned a new engine at 11k which Sounded worrying
Is it common for the engine to let go on a DB9 or rare? Iv read a lot of other ads with no engine replacements mentioned
Thanks for the heads up
Performance sounds just what I’m after. I want to put the X pipe mid and DBS exhaust on mine eventually and have it mapped to around 510 so should be like a DBS then. I bet driving a DB9 round France is epic
Thanks for the insight on the handling. I realise it’s not going to handle like a hot hatch just wanted to know it’s still a sports car as these tend to have a rep for being for pipe and slippers men but I disagree.
The auto box sounds nice. Iv only ever owned 1 auto before so it’ll take some getting used to anyway but I’m glad it feels responsive in auto and paddle, I can’t wait to have a go in one.
Is the gearbox software an expensive update? Did it make the shifts and response any quicker? Or just cure the problems you mentioned.
Il have a close look at the paint and mirror arms, thanks. I’m quite anal with paint so if anything needs doing like that I have a friend who’s very good and has his own insurance approved Bodyshop.
Wheel wise, I plan to upgrade my wheels but I do want to keep the originals so if I have to have them refinished, it’s not a problem.
It’s definitely the plan to get a facelift with sports pack even if I have to wait so I’m not in rush. I’m happy to take my time to find the right car but I’d like a 1 or 2 owner car if possible. Service history will be a very important factor though.
I doubt il touch the stereo if I have that v12 to listen to 😂
Are the engines generally reliable, no catastrophic failures or anything? Iv seen one for sale that mentioned a new engine at 11k which Sounded worrying
Is it common for the engine to let go on a DB9 or rare? Iv read a lot of other ads with no engine replacements mentioned
Thanks for the heads up
The V12 engines, IMO are bomb proof IF maintained and looked after properly, the cars which have had the engines replaced normally have either of these 3 issues -
1 - The early DB9's manufactured in 2004 and early 2005 can get a specific ticking issue, new engine required.
2 - If the PCV valves stop working oil starts to go into the airfilters and if driven alot between services and if the owner never checks the oil the oil level will reduce to a dangerous level so oil starvation happens, Aston Martin knew about this and replaced the oil dipstick (this was years ago so all DB9's should have the shorter dipstick) so the engine would have an extra 1 litre of oil, this would normally prevent the engine damage happening.
3 - If the sparkplugs and coil packs are not replaced every 5-7 years you can get misfires happening, you might spot it on tickover and certainly not whilst driving, this can cause primary cat ingestion, this wrecks the pistion liners, new engine required.
So proper maintenance and regular checking of levels and you won't go wrong.
I hope this helps.
1 - The early DB9's manufactured in 2004 and early 2005 can get a specific ticking issue, new engine required.
2 - If the PCV valves stop working oil starts to go into the airfilters and if driven alot between services and if the owner never checks the oil the oil level will reduce to a dangerous level so oil starvation happens, Aston Martin knew about this and replaced the oil dipstick (this was years ago so all DB9's should have the shorter dipstick) so the engine would have an extra 1 litre of oil, this would normally prevent the engine damage happening.
3 - If the sparkplugs and coil packs are not replaced every 5-7 years you can get misfires happening, you might spot it on tickover and certainly not whilst driving, this can cause primary cat ingestion, this wrecks the pistion liners, new engine required.
So proper maintenance and regular checking of levels and you won't go wrong.
I hope this helps.
Edited by paulrog1 on Sunday 9th February 18:47
paulrog1 said:
The V12 engines, IMO are bomb proof IF maintained and looked after properly, the cars which have had the engines replaced normally have either of these 3 issues -
...
3 - If the sparkplugs and coil packs are not replaced every 5-7 years you can get misfires happening, you might spot it on tickover and certainly not whilst driving, this can cause primary cat ingestion, this wrecks the pistion liners, new engine required.
Best to get the primary cats removed then, just to be on the safe side ;-)...
3 - If the sparkplugs and coil packs are not replaced every 5-7 years you can get misfires happening, you might spot it on tickover and certainly not whilst driving, this can cause primary cat ingestion, this wrecks the pistion liners, new engine required.
Edited by paulrog1 on Sunday 9th February 18:47
Hi Guys,
Just thought i would update since i last responded.
I managed to pick up a very tidy 05 DB9 with the rare 6 speed manual in Grigio Titanio and Mulberry Leather interior.
Some may have seen this pop up on PH classifieds not long ago. The cars a real gem and with only 42'000 miles i am very very happy. The drive back to Wales was probably the most memorable iv ever experienced.
So in love with the drive and being able to go through the gears and work that V12 is epic.
Really pleased to have found a manual and shes definitely a keeper!
Just wanted to ask if there are any good AM specialists in either Hereford / Mid Wales / Worcester?
Thanks
Jamie
Just thought i would update since i last responded.
I managed to pick up a very tidy 05 DB9 with the rare 6 speed manual in Grigio Titanio and Mulberry Leather interior.
Some may have seen this pop up on PH classifieds not long ago. The cars a real gem and with only 42'000 miles i am very very happy. The drive back to Wales was probably the most memorable iv ever experienced.
So in love with the drive and being able to go through the gears and work that V12 is epic.
Really pleased to have found a manual and shes definitely a keeper!
Just wanted to ask if there are any good AM specialists in either Hereford / Mid Wales / Worcester?
Thanks
Jamie
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