Buying My First DB9...
Discussion
Hello everyone,
My first time posting here and (hopefully) my first Aston Martin soon
The cars I am looking at are the later cars 2013-2015 with the AM11 engine the last gen DB9 before it was discontinued. I am looking at the standard 510 bhp DB9 from these years (i.e. not the GT edition etc)
I will be viewing a car at some point next week, I have started doing my research over the past weeks but there seems to be almost nothing out there in terms of a buyers guide or specific information for the later cars, it all seems to be focused on the early pre-upgrade cars.
It would be great to hear from someone who owns/has owned one and is willing to share their experience?
Is there anything specifically I should look out for with these cars when viewing/driving? Are these any issues I should be aware of?
I am finding that quite a few cars including those sold by Aston Martin with inspection carried out and 12 months warranty due to the low miles vs years owned seem to have been serviced every two years (as they have done 4000 miles per year or less, in some years much less). Is this generally fine if s car is low miles/low owner?
Spec wise the reversing camera and B&O seem to be the desirable options, quite a lot is standard unlike Porsche/Ferrari, the exterior carbon pack/sports exhaust is great to have, but seems a much rarer option.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
My first time posting here and (hopefully) my first Aston Martin soon
The cars I am looking at are the later cars 2013-2015 with the AM11 engine the last gen DB9 before it was discontinued. I am looking at the standard 510 bhp DB9 from these years (i.e. not the GT edition etc)
I will be viewing a car at some point next week, I have started doing my research over the past weeks but there seems to be almost nothing out there in terms of a buyers guide or specific information for the later cars, it all seems to be focused on the early pre-upgrade cars.
It would be great to hear from someone who owns/has owned one and is willing to share their experience?
Is there anything specifically I should look out for with these cars when viewing/driving? Are these any issues I should be aware of?
I am finding that quite a few cars including those sold by Aston Martin with inspection carried out and 12 months warranty due to the low miles vs years owned seem to have been serviced every two years (as they have done 4000 miles per year or less, in some years much less). Is this generally fine if s car is low miles/low owner?
Spec wise the reversing camera and B&O seem to be the desirable options, quite a lot is standard unlike Porsche/Ferrari, the exterior carbon pack/sports exhaust is great to have, but seems a much rarer option.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!
Hi, I have owned a db9.2 for 3 years now. They are a great choice and relatively rare as many buyer went for the new Vanquish when it came out in 12/13.
B&O? Which car are you looking at with that spec as its not something I have come across before on these.
They are generally very reliable cars if serviced and maintained properly.
Like any luxury sports car things can get expensive. Carbon ceramic discs need looking after and are very expensive to replace if damaged or worn out. Mechanically I would advise buying with a minimum 1 year comprehensive warranty so any problems can be identified and resolved.
Edit - reversing camera and sports exhaust, they all have that I believe.
B&O? Which car are you looking at with that spec as its not something I have come across before on these.
They are generally very reliable cars if serviced and maintained properly.
Like any luxury sports car things can get expensive. Carbon ceramic discs need looking after and are very expensive to replace if damaged or worn out. Mechanically I would advise buying with a minimum 1 year comprehensive warranty so any problems can be identified and resolved.
Edit - reversing camera and sports exhaust, they all have that I believe.
Hi,
Good to hear that yours has been reliable, they are beautiful cars.
B&O- bang and olufsen sound system, it was an optional extra. I managed to find and download the official DB9 2013 brochure pdf and it lists it as optional extra in the specification. The camera according to that was optional also listed in the interior options. The sports exhaust too, although no details are given in the brochure of cost. I could be wrong about this, just going by what the brochure states...
I will be looking at cars that come with 12 month AM warranty.
The CC brakes were standard on all post 2013 cars, I will have a close look at them going by miles should be fine. Hopefully they don't suffer from the dreaded squeeking!
Does anyone have any thought on cars which have been serviced according to miles as not driven so much, e.g. once every 2 years as opposed to once every year as they have done on average 2500 miles per pear over the course of their life and have always been way under 10k miles per year. One car I am going to look at has been serviced at AM (always at AM) in this way and is being sold by them. I did speak to a very good independent specialist near me also and he said it is fine, and should not be an issue with a low miles low owner car?
Good to hear that yours has been reliable, they are beautiful cars.
B&O- bang and olufsen sound system, it was an optional extra. I managed to find and download the official DB9 2013 brochure pdf and it lists it as optional extra in the specification. The camera according to that was optional also listed in the interior options. The sports exhaust too, although no details are given in the brochure of cost. I could be wrong about this, just going by what the brochure states...
I will be looking at cars that come with 12 month AM warranty.
The CC brakes were standard on all post 2013 cars, I will have a close look at them going by miles should be fine. Hopefully they don't suffer from the dreaded squeeking!
Does anyone have any thought on cars which have been serviced according to miles as not driven so much, e.g. once every 2 years as opposed to once every year as they have done on average 2500 miles per pear over the course of their life and have always been way under 10k miles per year. One car I am going to look at has been serviced at AM (always at AM) in this way and is being sold by them. I did speak to a very good independent specialist near me also and he said it is fine, and should not be an issue with a low miles low owner car?
You have probably looked at the astonmartins.com website, but if not these links might be helpful.
https://astonmartins.com/db9-production-at-am-gayd...
https://astonmartins.com/car/db9-coupe-my2004-to-m...
https://astonmartins.com/car/db9-coupe-my2009/
https://astonmartins.com/car/db9-coupe-my2011/
https://astonmartins.com/car/db9-2013my/
B&O - my question was which car have you found with it as a fitted option, because I have never found one when I looked.
Regarding the servicing, yes to low mileage every 2 years, but imo cars that do few miles a year and are sat for long periods tend to have more gremlins than cars that get fair use.
Squeaking ceramics, well, they all do that sir, to some extent. Although disc life is often related to mileage, a couple of trackdays can eat a set of ceramics, as can aggressive cleaning products. Technically they should be kiln dried and weighed to determine the amount of wear but in reality no dealer does that (afaik), so a good visual inspection should suffice. BR have a good video about the ceramics on astons I recommend you watch before seeing the vehicle.
On the subject of main dealers, my experience has been woeful. Buy from a main dealer and then get the car inspected by a good indy. The multi point check dealers do is often not worth the paper its written on (if they even do it) sadly, so the timeless warranty is the ultimate piece of mind.
If you would like to by all means pm me the details of the car you are looking at if you dont want to identify it on here (not that that would be a problem). Either way I hope its a good car and you join the club!
Regarding the servicing, yes to low mileage every 2 years, but imo cars that do few miles a year and are sat for long periods tend to have more gremlins than cars that get fair use.
Squeaking ceramics, well, they all do that sir, to some extent. Although disc life is often related to mileage, a couple of trackdays can eat a set of ceramics, as can aggressive cleaning products. Technically they should be kiln dried and weighed to determine the amount of wear but in reality no dealer does that (afaik), so a good visual inspection should suffice. BR have a good video about the ceramics on astons I recommend you watch before seeing the vehicle.
On the subject of main dealers, my experience has been woeful. Buy from a main dealer and then get the car inspected by a good indy. The multi point check dealers do is often not worth the paper its written on (if they even do it) sadly, so the timeless warranty is the ultimate piece of mind.
If you would like to by all means pm me the details of the car you are looking at if you dont want to identify it on here (not that that would be a problem). Either way I hope its a good car and you join the club!
Just sent you a PM soofsayer.
I agree re the main dealers, generally I usually always prefer a good devoted independent specialist to a main dealer. Luckily there is a very good long established independent with excellent reputation not too far from me at all who I have had a chat with so will most likely use them. I did also visit my local AM main dealer, had a look at their service area etc, I would not have a problem using them if there wasn't a good specialist near me.
My intention was to ask the dealer of the car I have an interest for the print out of what has actually been done when it has been serviced, the book just shows a stamp and a tick not very detailed- a list of what has been done over it's life should give a clearer picture. I am assuming they have records of this and can/will supply if they see someone is serious about buying?
I have come across 2-3 cars with the B&O sound system, it's nice to have a guess but definitely not a must.
Is anyone aware of any recalls on these 2013-2016 cars?
I agree re the main dealers, generally I usually always prefer a good devoted independent specialist to a main dealer. Luckily there is a very good long established independent with excellent reputation not too far from me at all who I have had a chat with so will most likely use them. I did also visit my local AM main dealer, had a look at their service area etc, I would not have a problem using them if there wasn't a good specialist near me.
My intention was to ask the dealer of the car I have an interest for the print out of what has actually been done when it has been serviced, the book just shows a stamp and a tick not very detailed- a list of what has been done over it's life should give a clearer picture. I am assuming they have records of this and can/will supply if they see someone is serious about buying?
I have come across 2-3 cars with the B&O sound system, it's nice to have a guess but definitely not a must.
Is anyone aware of any recalls on these 2013-2016 cars?
I have a 2014 DB9, bought from an AM dealer just 13 months ago, with a 1 year warranty and 17300 miles on the clock. The standard-fit 700-watt AM Premium audio system is perfectly good and is an upgrade from earlier models. The reversing camera is a godsend.
My car had a few problems in the early months - emission warning light and broken B post (between the 2 side windows). The warranty did not cover the broken post. The dealer fixed the post and the warning light as goodwill gestures. I took the car to an independent for its 1st service and we found extensive corrosion of the front splitter support brackets - not covered by the 10 year corrosion warranty. The brake pipes to the front callipers were also corroded (positioned directly in the brake cooling airflow), but were easily cleaned and re-painted. So I suggest you give the car a thorough inspection before purchase and at the very least get all the wheels off and the engine cover plate removed so you can get a clear look under the engine etc.
It is certainly a good idea to find out what work has been done during the services. I was disappointed to find the air and pollen filters had never been changed on my car and were quite dirty when removed at its 6 year service this year.
So, bottom line is thorough inspection BEFORE purchase and don't expect either of the warranties to cover issues that crop up after purchase.
Hope that helps but also happy to answer any other questions you may have.
My car had a few problems in the early months - emission warning light and broken B post (between the 2 side windows). The warranty did not cover the broken post. The dealer fixed the post and the warning light as goodwill gestures. I took the car to an independent for its 1st service and we found extensive corrosion of the front splitter support brackets - not covered by the 10 year corrosion warranty. The brake pipes to the front callipers were also corroded (positioned directly in the brake cooling airflow), but were easily cleaned and re-painted. So I suggest you give the car a thorough inspection before purchase and at the very least get all the wheels off and the engine cover plate removed so you can get a clear look under the engine etc.
It is certainly a good idea to find out what work has been done during the services. I was disappointed to find the air and pollen filters had never been changed on my car and were quite dirty when removed at its 6 year service this year.
So, bottom line is thorough inspection BEFORE purchase and don't expect either of the warranties to cover issues that crop up after purchase.
Hope that helps but also happy to answer any other questions you may have.
Edited by DB9newbie on Sunday 19th July 17:43
Hello Chad, have had my current DB9.2 for 3 years too now and have fortunately not had to do anything other than routine servicing. Owned a DB9.1 for 3 years prior to this one and that was also largely reliable. Would have no hesitation recommending the DB9.2 and think they currently represent fantastic VFM. I have had the Bamford Rose primart decat and remap on mine and sports back box, sounds awesome.
You are right about the optional reverse camera and B&O sound, fortuntely I have both on mine. Below is a pic of my interior for those who have not seen the B&O sound, the motorised tweeters on top of the dash and central lower speakers are visible.
Looks like there's a very similar one for sale here too
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224081784982?ssPageName...
You are right about the optional reverse camera and B&O sound, fortuntely I have both on mine. Below is a pic of my interior for those who have not seen the B&O sound, the motorised tweeters on top of the dash and central lower speakers are visible.
Looks like there's a very similar one for sale here too
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224081784982?ssPageName...
@OP - If you'd like to PM me I have a brochure I could send through to you so you can see what all the standard and optional equipment was? There's hardly any options on these later cars; B&O stereo, choice of headrest embroidery, brake calliper colours, wheels are the main ones besides the obvious paint and interiors colours.
https://www2.astonmartin.com/en/accessories/db9/dy...
Not saying you're wrong just intrigued. My MY14 didn't sound like a sports exhaust from stock
soofsayer said:
Edit - reversing camera and sports exhaust, they all have that I believe.
I didn't think the DB9.2s had a sports exhaust as standard? In fact i'm looking at an MY13 brochure and can't even see it as an option.. though it can be found on AM's website:https://www2.astonmartin.com/en/accessories/db9/dy...
Not saying you're wrong just intrigued. My MY14 didn't sound like a sports exhaust from stock
Chad_Hugo said:
Just sent you a PM soofsayer.
I have come across 2-3 cars with the B&O sound system, it's nice to have a guess but definitely not a must.
Is anyone aware of any recalls on these 2013-2016 cars?
I purchased from new a 2014MY DB9.2 in the US. I had it for about 5 years but put few miles on it as I was rarely in the same country as the car. My spec was a little more "lively" than what you will typically come across in the UK but I liked it so that is what counts. Selene Bronze with Kestrel Tan interior and mahogany facia. I had the carbon pack (front splitter, wing mirrors etc.). They look good but the carbon splitter sits at about the same height as the concrete parking "bumpers" in a car park and is doubtless rather expensive to fix, so you do find yourself sticking the back end of the car half way out of a parking space. I don't recall a sports exhaust being an option. However, I recall the exhaust sound does perk up (along with throttle response) when you put the car in "sport" mode. I had the reversing camera option and used it. I have come across 2-3 cars with the B&O sound system, it's nice to have a guess but definitely not a must.
Is anyone aware of any recalls on these 2013-2016 cars?
Flicking through my files I see I had at least 4 recalls (accelerator pedal, seat heater, door locks, parking lock). None caused failures in my car. They were just pre-emptive safety recalls which I had attended to at service time.
I had the B&O sound system. The sight of the tweeters going up and down on the top of the dash was entertaining but I didn't think the sound was extra special (plus I rarely have the sound on in a car, preferring to listen to the engine) so it's definitely not a must have. Moreover, my audio system terminally failed one day for no reason which could be explained by the dealer. It was in year 4 of my ownership so was outside warranty. The "fix" was a replacement B&O amplifier which was a $5,250 part plus $750 in labour. In truth, I think the main reason I sold the car was I was so pissed off about having to pay $6,000 to fix the radio.
Yes the ceramic brakes squeal but are very effective.
I don't recall any significant mechanical issues or a "failure to proceed". I had the car serviced every year by the main dealer, irrespective of minimal use, but that's just me.
It wasn't the most thrilling car to drive that I have owned (but that may be partly down to where I drove it - they don't really have bends in South Florida...). It was certainly among the best looking cars I have owned.
Would I buy another one? I do look at the classifieds from time to time...
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