Db9 pre production prototype?

[JACK GTR]

Hi there, I’m currently looking at purchasing a db9 and one has come up close to me described as : RARE PRE PRODUCTION CHASSIS A00111 - 1 OF 200 CARS PRODUCED.

Just wondering if anyones got any experience of pre production db9s? Do they differ in anyway from a normal db9? is there anything to watch out for?
I always thought pre production cars were usually used for testing and then destroyed afterwards.

Im a total newb to Aston Martins but I’ve reading this subforum for advice on db9 buying and I’ve been looking more towards 06 or later cars as I believe it avoids the engine tick cars earlier cars can develop, so this car isn’t exactly what I’m looking for but it’s so close to me that I may still take a look.

Any advice welcome.

[ian448]

I’ve got 00045 , had it for 6 yrs with no issues whatsoever, superb drive and not a hint of any engine tick .

[paulrog1]

I very much doubt it will be a pre production DB9 car but a very early customer car, I suspect the seller is making it sound more rare than it actually is.

Mine is A00249 so not long after that one, mine has been very well looked after, no tick and is absolutely brilliant.

Biggest by far problem with these early Cosworth built engines, built before Sept 2005, is the dreaded DB9 tick, google Bamford Rose dreaded DB9 tick on youtube and you'll know more about it.

Also look at primary cat delete and engine misfire on these cars.

So apart from the normal car stuff like tyres, brakes etc, the things I would look for are -

1 - On pre-purchase inspection try to develop the DB9 tick, if no tick your good to go!
2 - Look at misfire counts and replace the coilpacks/sparkplugs if required.
2 - Look for oil draw through the PCV valves into the airfilters, replace the PCV's if required.
4 - Look at any paint bubbling, mainly around door handles.
5 - Disconnect the tracker & replace the battery, that will eliminate most electrical gremlin's overnight.
6 - Look at the rear subframe, thats made of steel so it corrodes, to do a proper job I removed mine and had it powdercoated.
7 - Inspect the engine radiator, these can warp and crack.
8 - Replace the gearbox oil and rear diff oil.
9 - Front & Rear light condensation, ok with just abit but severe condensation can lead to LED failure.

Most of the above jobs are straightforward stuff done in your garage, except for the tracker and primary cat delete, a very good AM independent I mentioned above can do this.

A very good resource for home DIY info is Aston1936.

Good luck.

Edited by paulrog1 on Saturday 19th February 17:30

[JACK GTR]

That makes sense if it’s not actually a pre production car, just an early one. Kind of puts me off the seller though.

Thanks for the fantastic advice, much appreciated I will definitely keep all of that in mind when buying.

Cheers

[AdamV12V]

I dont recall specifically and I may be wrong, but 200 pre production cars seems very unlikely too, there is usually only 1 or 2 pre production cars, so it does indeed sound like the seller is trying to make out the car is something more than it is. In which case proceed with caution because if he/she is prepared to tell porkies about that, what else are they not being truthful about?

[JonnyCJ]

I’d use the pre production angle as a negative negotiation point. “What - you mean it wasn’t good enough to be released as the final production model ?”

To me it’s just one of the first 200 DB9s - nothing to get excited about and with the added potential cat ingestion issue.

[LTP]

AdamV12V said:

I dont recall specifically and I may be wrong, but 200 pre production cars seems very unlikely too, there is usually only 1 or 2 pre production cars, so it does indeed sound like the seller is trying to make out the car is something more than it is. In which case proceed with caution because if he/she is prepared to tell porkies about that, what else are they not being truthful about?

200 does seem high, but is plausible for an all-new model. Aston will always be operating at the lower end of the possible pre-production cars due to cost, and will perform fewer tests and rebuild cars in between tests where the volume manufacturers wouldn't bother. Also there will be a blurring between what some might consider late prototypes and others count as early pre-production vehicles. But there will be many more than "1 or 2" pre-production vehicles.

[David Ramsbotham]

True pre production cars as indeed some early press cars can sometimes include prototype parts that change when the engineering team/supplier finalise their spec. This can mean they may not be easily retrofitted if the part fails!
Someone in mainland Europe was advertising what was supposed to be a pre production DB9, sometime ago. From what I can remember he was wanting some totally ridiculous price ( six figures iirc ) and was ridiculed by so many posters of the group , he ended up banning any more comments.
With no disrespect to owners of early cars ( I have a very early DB7 ), the OP would be better off looking at a nice example from well into the production cycle, of which, I am sure, there are many.

[paulrog1]

Look at this -

https://astonmartins.com/car/db9-coupe-prototypes/

[Hutch525]

I have number 174.
It's done 98k miles and still runs like a sewing machine and pulls like a train.
Like any car it's needed some love and spares through the years, but providing the history is good and the car is smooth to drive, I wouldn't be concerned.
Like any old car things can suddenly fail, so make sure you have a little in reserve to cover the unexpected.
Also buy a good one code reader with aston software ( I have the foxwell 530) it will save you lots.

[p102768]

If they are anything like Jaguar then a number of cars go down the line to get all the processes bedded in then 'car number 1' becomes the first official production model.

e.g. the VIN of the first official production X150 4.2 Jaguar XK's is B00379 but there are quite a few with VINs lower than that on the road. They have interest value and some have things not on other production cars but I wouldn't pay extra for one.

[Rps1106]

JACK GTR said:

Hi there, I’m currently looking at purchasing a db9 and one has come up close to me described as : RARE PRE PRODUCTION CHASSIS A00111 - 1 OF 200 CARS PRODUCED.

Just wondering if anyones got any experience of pre production db9s? Do they differ in anyway from a normal db9? is there anything to watch out for?
I always thought pre production cars were usually used for testing and then destroyed afterwards.

Im a total newb to Aston Martins but I’ve reading this subforum for advice on db9 buying and I’ve been looking more towards 06 or later cars as I believe it avoids the engine tick cars earlier cars can develop, so this car isn’t exactly what I’m looking for but it’s so close to me that I may still take a look.

Any advice welcome.

I went and had a look at this - I think it is the same car. It looked in good condition, but there was rust on the seatbelt slide and the CD slot was a bit chipped. Looking at the MOTs online, it had done 4,000 miles in 10 years and there were a couple of times where a MOT wasn't done so I think it may have been in storage for sometime. I decided not to buy it too.

[Shiners10]

Did you see this car at a dealership in Surrey ?