DB9 for the day! What's the thought process on purchasing?

[J-P]

I'm going to caveat the following by saying that the example of the DB9 I drove was 5 years old and pretty ropey but having said that what an awful car!

The only good things were the engine and its looks.

I'd been really looking forward to driving this car, it's undeniably gorgeous has a massive V12 engine and fits 2 adults and 2 kids.

However, within a few minutes of being in it, I thought, there's no way I'd have spent £109k on this new and once it got moving things got a whole lot worse.

The suspension had all of the finesse and subtlety of a roller skate (in fact that may be unfair to roller skates). It creaked and squealed for no apparent reason (which some might call "character" but I just think is annoying). The steering was OK but inconsistent and therefore just scary on occasion - just a really poorly resolved car.

I even thought OK, it's a GT, let me try it on a motorway. Sure enough, the engine sounds great under load but at a constant speed it had this cyclical drone that made it sound like somebody was vacuuming in the back, which would really wind me up for a long journey.

And that doesn't even take into account the utterly outrageoulsy poor quality of the interior! The indicator stalks crack like something out of the 80's, in fact the whole car felt like it had come by time warp out of the 80's!

IMHO an utter pile of s**t (but better looking).

Funny thing is, I don't remember seeing any poor reviews, which is somewhat shocking given the ineptitude of the execution! Still maybe I had a poor example but it still made me wonder who buys this thing? It's such an expensive and poor quality product, cars a tenth of the price are better. In all honesty a Fiesta would be better to drive than the car I drove, just not as quick, not as pretty and with no premium badge!

It's a crying shame, Aston Martin has such a great brand, a fantastic heritage, builds amazing engines - if they hired a few people in quality control, they'd have an excellent car.

Hopefully, the brand new ones are a lot better!

[J-P]

moveover said:

May be the one you drove was hand-built by Abu Hamza.

[J-P]

Shmee said:

OP; more info, was it this one?

Yes I think so - and as stated appreciate not the best example but even so, there were some things that were surprisingly crap for £110k and not the sort of thing you'd expect, like naff graphics on the radio and instrument panel, the steering column stalks (seriously, the ones on our Mini are better although this is an understatement of such an extreme nature that I'm not sure that it's fair to describe them as the same thing!).

The gear change is rubbish (not so much the actual quality of the shift, which isn't great) but the way you access it. The light switch is in an impossible position, the seat mechanism is straight out of a Volvo and obviosuly so. The lever to fold the seat forward is utterly ste, like it's designed to fall apart.

So I accept that I drove a ratty example, poorly cared for, which is probably unrepresentative of how they drive but the actual quality of the interior is still useless and is presumably the same no matter how well it's been cared for?

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TheForceV4 said:

Blimey!? Really that bad?

Sadly yes - totally, utterly crap beyond belief. The thing is I do spend money on expensive things but there needs to be both a perceived and actual quality for me to justify paying over the odds for said item. Aston probably succeeds on the perception piece but not on the actual, lots of tacky plasticky bits in the car, nothing to surprise and delight as they say - a Golf of the same vintage is light years ahead in terms of interior quality, let alone a current one - god a Subaru runs it close!!!

[J-P]

Zod said:

The only negative bit I'm familiar with is the poor quality of the Ford stalks.

The interior is very high quality in my judgement, coming from long experience of BMWs.

Suspension has improved enormously from the original versions.

Sorry Zod, can't agree with you there - The headlining is nice (alcantara) and the actual dials themselves look quite nice but the main console is a huge shiny, plastic veneer with small buttons (they could have made it our of metal for that much cash!) E92 M3 has i-drive which is made out of metal, with higher quality plastic panel and more simple interface (which is surprising considering the ribbing that i-drive gets).

The switches for the heating were like those from a 1980's radio - My E92 M3 had a metal finish and was therefore much nicer to touch and all buttons are damped, so feel good on a BMW, not so the Aston.

Then there's the electric seat switches, which are obviously from a Volvo - if the car was about £40k, then fine but for £110k I'd want it to feel and look much higher quality than it does.

The switches for seat heating, window heating etc look like they were designed (and built) by my 3 year old son, actually that's unfair, he'd have done a much better job! And ergonomically, what a joke! The funniest irony was a button labelled "READ" that you guessed it; you can't actually read!

Sorry to be so harsh but seriously you can't call it a high quality interior and that's in fact proven by the fact that it looks so shabby in spite of the fact that it's been treated roughly. I've driven ropey 996 turbos, that live exclusively on the track and although the interior looks dated, the general qualilty of the car's materials is far superior, proven by the fact that they've lasted well in spite of rough treatment!

[J-P]

Zod said:

The light switch is in exactly the same position as on every BMW. The seat is tipped forward by pressing a button, not pulling a lever.

The other thing I have to say is that my first experience of an Aston was exactly the opposite. After a succession of BMWs (and I still have two), the interiors of which I have always liked, my first and lasting impression of sitting in an Aston was of class and quality (with the exception of a few Ford Group switches).

hmmm, no - the light switch on a bmw is directly to the right of the wheel. On the Aston it's sort of below right and kind of facing (down) away from you. And to be honest if you feel the interior has lots of class and quality, that's great; let's agree to disagree.

Are your BMWs new by the way?

[J-P]

Zod said:

I can call it what I like, given it was my impression. The horizontal part of the centre console is a flat sheet of metal. The vertical bit is indeed plastic. It has also changed since the car you drove was built. The heater control knobs are milled aluminium. I've never had that on a BMW. The seat buttons and stalks on the other hand are terrible Ford parts bin bits. In just about every car on the road, I can find buttons and trim parts that are dreadful. In a 996, the buttons might be OK in themselves, but the whole interior design is an awful dog's breakfast.

You haven't acknowledged that the car you drove was an utter dog. Drive a different one and then post again.

Sorry I didn't mean "you" as in Zod can't call it high quality but more "you" in general terms, so please don't take offence. And I also mentioned the car I drove's age and at the end hoped that it had improved. The heater controls on your car are clearly different to the one I drove - the one's on my 3 series were aluminium around the outside too! And yes, I do agree that lots of cars have crappy, poorly designed bits on them and I concede that a 996 doesn't have a well-designed interior but this car would have cost about £40k more than a 996 when new (if not more), so should exude quality at every touch point IMHO.

And I thought I'd made it clear in my original post with the initial caveat that the car my not be representative? perhaps not given your final line

[J-P]

michael gould said:

I dont really understand your post or what you hope to achive by it........I asume your intention is to wind up Aston Martin owners ?

Not at all, I don't like winding people up, it was just my opinion - I was interested in how they get bought (I'd assumed looks and engine) but it appears that not only was the car an acknowledged dog but that people have very different views on quality, which is understandable - the world would be a very boring place if we were all the same!

Maybe I'll try a new one and then post again as per Zod's earlier comment.

[J-P]

tuscaneer said:

i think that your best bet is to not buy one then

Or at least not one that's 5 years old And I can't afford a new DB9, so good advice!

I guess I just really wanted to love it, so was massively disappointed when I didn't - bit like pulling the best-looking girl at school and realising that she's not what you expected or wanted!

[J-P]

tuscaneer said:

i most recently drove a ferrari f430 and while it was a fantastic drive i didn't feel the interior was as nice a place (from a tactile point of view)to be as my aston.

Really? Is it signiifcantly different from a California then? I drove one of those last year and felt that it really was very well put together even the tired 360 I drove had a great "sense of occasion" about it...

[J-P]

Shmee said:

J-P said:

Really? Is it signiifcantly different from a California then? I drove one of those last year and felt that it really was very well put together even the tired 360 I drove had a great "sense of occasion" about it...

California is a world above F430 in interior terms; completely different league.

Fair enough!!

[J-P]

Shmee said:

I feel like my 2009 V8V is like pulling the best looking girl at school and she's exactly what I wanted

You, my friend are one lucky man! I drove a V8V last year, beautiful car, great driving position and pretty quick too - not as pretty as a DB9 (IMHO) and still didn't like the console in the middle but a lovely car to drive. Although as it was a track experience, I was paying a lot more attention to what I was doing and the feel of the car at speed than I was to how it looked anyway.

[J-P]

michael gould said:

I suggest you never apply for a job with the Corp Diplomatique !!! let me tell you how you original post reads to me as a proud DB9 owner

you stupid wker why are wasting your money on this dog of a car are you totaly insane ??? maybe i'm just a bit sensative

In that case, Michael, I apologise profusely. Whenever I drive something that I've never driven before I'll write about it afterwards and normally post on PH, so not intended to insult. I was just surprised by my perception of it, given that I love cars.

[J-P]

Captain Beaky said:

J-P said:

I guess I just really wanted to love it, so was massively disappointed when I didn't - bit like pulling the best-looking girl at school and realising that she's not what you expected or wanted!

You're still at school ? That explains a lot.

If only - sadly I'm now considered an old git

[J-P]

Zod said:

If you do decide to drive another DB9, think about what you'd want from it: until the very latest ones with the adjustable dampers, the standard DB9 has been very much a GT. The TT2 gearbox is now very good, but I still prefer a manual. To get a proper sports car feel from any DB9 other than the latest ones, you need a sports pack car. The ride is harsher and the car sits a little lower, but it has far more driving feel. It also comes with better looking wheels.

I don't mind a firm ride but I don't want a car that has a suspension which makes funny noises (like it's hitting its bump stops in normal road driving conditions). I'd also prefer a manual and I'd want the inside to feel like I'd just bought £100k + of car. What age do you need to get for the adjustable dampers? Do they need a lot of servicing? What's the depreciation like?

I've given my view of an admittedly poor example of the car - what's your view of the DB9 as an ownership proposition?

[J-P]

tuscaneer said:

my local aston dealer commented that db9's from my08 onwards are an overall improvement from the previous car.just a more cohesive machine.

This is the real issue - you guys are talking about a much newer and presumably much better car anyway! Perhaps you should drive an 05 version to see how much your cars have moved on. No doubt it'll make you feel even better about the car you own!

[J-P]

Zod said:

Servicing is not much more expensive than an M BMW. Adjustable dampers are only on MY 2011 cars, but the sports pack ahs been available for a long time. I never get bad sounds from the suspension, but travel is limited (my garage is entered from a steep hill sideways, so there is a difficult transition from downhill to flat on the way in and one of the rear wheels leaves the ground momentarily as I reverse in. My CSL would have had the same issue, I think).

As for depreciation, it's a problem for just about any expensive car, but it's not in anything like F612 territory.

Is it in the Maser GT territory? I'll have a look online to see what's available at what price. Thank you

[J-P]

williamp said:

When brand new, the interior was praised, but the game has moved on a lot since then (think of the original TT and how ground-breaking that seemed at the time. Now its worse then "normal"

The Autocar test from June 2004 noted that the "rotary heater controls feel cheap and the headlamp switch is nasty, but the rest is a joy"

And, as we're all agreed, driving any tired car will feel like a chore. In fact, I'm surprised you didnt mention the sat-nav too!

Unhappily, Aston have NEVER had the budget to develop a car like Ferrari or Porsche (or the longevirty to develop the car like a Porsche) and their interioprs have always been a bit parts-bin. My 1971 Aston had door handles from an MGB/allegro, ford cortina indicators, Midget switches, Jag switches, Hillman rear lights. I could go on...

I can recommned you drive a good one. One which has been serviced properly, looked after and whose owner has been more attentive then, perhaps the one you drove has. Then you'll see the difference, and jhopefully see the DB9 for the car is really is: A "Stunning British GT" as Autocar summised

You know what - you all seem like nice chaps, not mad or delusional or anything, so I'll just accept the car I drove was rubbish and a poor example and I think I'll do just as you've said and try a good example.

[J-P]

alxce said:

I'm a bit late getting to this thread and most of the valid responses have already been made but I would just like to say that your assessment lost all credibility with me when you made the 996 interior comparison. It's just wrong on so many levels as the 996 was already very dated when I had mine back in 2006 and a great example of poor design poorly executed.

As for claiming the interior lasts well that's just nonsense. All interiors need a reasonable amount of care and attention to keep them in good condition. Sounds like you have been in a neglected DB9 but there are examples of 996's and 997's around that exhibit the same levels of neglect.

As I said to Zod, let's agree to disagree. I wasn't actually talking about wheel shineyness or any of the typical naffness you see with neglect - I meant buttons that look out of place in £100k car, that aren't damped properly as they would be in a Golf (indicator stalks). If you read what I said about the 996, I acknowledged that the design was crap - I wasn't referring to a dated-looking interior, I meant that even though the design is rubbish the actual quality of it especially the touch points are better. Everybody is different, I had a Merc e-class a few years ago and I hated a bit of plastic trim behind the interior door handle - it looked crap but at least I wasn't constantly reminded of its crapness unlike the indicator or windscreen wiper stalks which presumably you have use at least some of the time. And the big shiney plastic bit in the middle doesn't appear to stand the test of time particularly well. Although in later cars it looks like you can order this in some kind of piano black lacquer, which looks much nicer!

And you're wrong some interiors do last very well - Audi springs to mind in this regard. My Dad has an 8 year old A4 convertible, which isn't looked after at all - still looks good though!

[J-P]

alxce said:

J-P said:

alxce said:

I'm a bit late getting to this thread and most of the valid responses have already been made but I would just like to say that your assessment lost all credibility with me when you made the 996 interior comparison. It's just wrong on so many levels as the 996 was already very dated when I had mine back in 2006 and a great example of poor design poorly executed.

As for claiming the interior lasts well that's just nonsense. All interiors need a reasonable amount of care and attention to keep them in good condition. Sounds like you have been in a neglected DB9 but there are examples of 996's and 997's around that exhibit the same levels of neglect.

As I said to Zod, let's agree to disagree. I wasn't actually talking about wheel shineyness or any of the typical naffness you see with neglect - I meant buttons that look out of place in £100k car, that aren't damped properly as they would be in a Golf (indicator stalks). If you read what I said about the 996, I acknowledged that the design was crap - I wasn't referring to a dated-looking interior, I meant that even though the design is rubbish the actual quality of it especially the touch points are better. Everybody is different, I had a Merc e-class a few years ago and I hated a bit of plastic trim behind the interior door handle - it looked crap but at least I wasn't constantly reminded of its crapness unlike the indicator or windscreen wiper stalks which presumably you have use at least some of the time. And the big shiney plastic bit in the middle doesn't appear to stand the test of time particularly well. Although in later cars it looks like you can order this in some kind of piano black lacquer, which looks much nicer!

And you're wrong some interiors do last very well - Audi springs to mind in this regard. My Dad has an 8 year old A4 convertible, which isn't looked after at all - still looks good though!

There will always be examples of cars that stand the test of time, I have had several of them. I have a Merc E-class and a BMW X3 and can find fault with the interiors of both of them but the AM is in a different (and way better) class than both of them. That's why I can't agree with your scathing condemnation of AM interiors, so yes, we agree to disagree.

Fair enough - to be honest I either have owned, actually own or will own a number of cars that you have listed in your profile, so in general our tastes (in cars) appear to be quite similar. This is one (small) area where they are not.

Ps: Your V8V looks very nice by the way