DB9 purchase advise.

[so called]

Hi all,
I'm interested in buying a used DB9 and am interested in year 2006 example.

Can you please advise me if there is a buyers guide or can anyone advise me what I should look out for in the way of must have options, improvements or problems.

Thanks in advance,
Tony

[MarkW34]

This: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I should've got this before I bought my DB9 rather than afterwards! It'll tell you everything you need to know or should've known and is invaluable.

Mark

[johng39]

Welcome Tony and good luck in your search. As above, Grant's book is a must.

However, the best piece of advice I can give you when purchasing a DB9 is avoid burberry slippers and buy your pipe from http://www.smokingpipes.com/

[v8woollie]

johng39 said:

Welcome Tony and good luck in your search. As above, Grant's book is a must.

However, the best piece of advice I can give you when purchasing a DB9 is avoid burberry slippers and buy your pipe from http://www.smokingpipes.com/

And avoid yeti or you will end up with a DB9¾

[yeti]

Advice is easier to give with some sort of detail; anything, absolutely anything is helpful?

Big questions are; Volante or coupe? Manual or TT2 automatic? Sports Pack or Standard?

If you want a James-Bond-Resale-Grey automatic coupe with Suicide Black leather, you'll have no worries finding such a thing. There are thousands of them

06 I think saw satnav, rear parking sensors and (single stage) heated seats as standard. Options therefore were cruise, heated front windscreen, Bluetooth, tilt alarm, auto dipping mirror, front sensors and stereo options. From memory, so I stand to be corrected!

Whichever you pick, they're all great cars

[so called]

Thanks very much for the advise.
Mark, book is now on order. I have bought one or two TVR without researching first, so know what your saying.
John, dont like slippers so should be able to avoid that problem. Dont smoke anymore but I suppose an ornamental pipe could be considered. Does it have a particular position in the car (will that be in the book ?).

V8woollie, you lost me on the Yeti DB9 3/4 but now I see Yeti has answered.

Hi Yeti, I want to stay with a convertible and so a Volante Auto (so my Wife can drive if necessary). Not sure a Sports pack is a must. I'll be reading the book to understand the difference.
Light silver or silver blue with cream leather interior would be my choice but I will be flexible on that.

Thanks again,
Tony.

[johng39]

so called said:

Thanks very much for the advise.

John, dont like slippers so should be able to avoid that problem. Dont smoke anymore but I suppose an ornamental pipe could be considered. Does it have a particular position in the car (will that be in the book ?).

But as you are buying a DB9 it is a requirement . I hope you enjoy a bit of banter? If not you are in the wrong place . I will defer to an existing DB9 driver of greater standing than a mere Vantage owner like myself; even if it is called Lance

The book is excellent and a wise choice.

[kashn]

I would suggest you drive the Volante as I believe the scuttle shake on these earlier models was horrendous.
Alternatively, you can get Bamford Rose to strengthen the chasis for you.
The 08 model was better for the scuttle shake so I would go for that one if you're budget will stretch to it.

[tonyhall38]

Lightning.....;)

[v8woollie]

so called said:

V8woollie, you lost me on the Yeti DB9 3/4 but now I see Yeti has answered.

As an introduction to Yeti, may I refer you to the post from BamfordMike on 9th July on this forum page:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

The DeeBee Nine and three quarters remark is in reference to doing this to a DB9 in addition to the engine work described in that post:

Lightweight flywheel and twinplate clutch
Big brake kit (380mm discs / 6 pot calipers)
DBS 'quick' steering rack
Increased thickness and size front and rear shear plates
Roll bar and drop link bush upgrade
Bamford Rose electronic switchable suspension
20 inch DBS 10 spoke rims to enable PZero' from DBS / V12V
DBS bonnet and grill

Don't let him tempt you

[yeti]

v8woollie said:

Lightweight flywheel and twinplate clutch
Big brake kit (380mm discs / 6 pot calipers)
DBS 'quick' steering rack
Increased thickness and size front and rear shear plates
Roll bar and drop link bush upgrade
Bamford Rose electronic switchable suspension
20 inch DBS 10 spoke rims to enable PZero' from DBS / V12V
DBS bonnet and grill

You forgot high lift camshafts, short tract inlet manifolds, full exhaust manifolds with F1 style collectors, 200cpi catalysts and exhayst bypass switch. 446bhp increased to 522bhp

[yeti]

kashn said:

I would suggest you drive the Volante as I believe the scuttle shake on these earlier models was horrendous.

You believe wrong - I suggest you drive one

When released it was the stiffest cabriolet in the world, if you've ever seen the naked VH platform you'll see why. Torsional rigidity is of course reduced over the coupe (by around a 1/3), but the coupe is absurdly stiff. The standard car is fine... But 'fine' is relative.

Myself and Hartley have had the Bamford Rose 'Volante handling package' consisting of front and rear shear plates (from the MY11 Virage adding something like 20-30% stiffness depending what you read) and refitting of the rear anti-roll bar. The standard 06 Volante doesn't have an anti-roll bar, Aston did not deem it necessary, so BR fit an uprated one and then uprated drop links to hold it all together. Results are staggering, you would not distiguish it from the coupe to drive, which with my performance upgrades, was required.

But a standard car may be all you want; it's a wafter for sure, but can push on when needed

[so called]

To be honest, after several years of raw TVR driving, and I say that with all respect as I love TVR's, but I'm looking forward to a wafting machine with the umpf I'm used to and the AM class.

Plenty of banter in the TVR forum. Griffith drivers all wear medallions and Chimaera owners are apparently a bit less masculine ???

My understanding was that the DB9 Volante chassis is very good.
I've rented Covertible Mustangs and the Camaro Convertible and thats a bed frame with wheels.
Apart from my various convertible TVR's I've owned one or two others so I'll know with a test drive.

Hope the book arrives before I leave for work or it will be a 4 week wait.

Cheers all.

Edited by so called on Wednesday 24th October 21:33

[hartley]

Actually Yeti is the only one with the stiffer chassis . Mine went in to BR to have it done but we discovered my dampers were knackered so I had them done instead. I,ll probably get it done when the car next goes there but I have no problem with scuttle shake - only slightly more noticeable than a boxster and it 's a much bigger car.
You cannot get the sports pack on the Volante so the decision comes down to manual or auto - if you want to actually drive the car manual is great but hard to find . To be honest there are better damped cars if you want to waft but it gets better the faster you go ,it's reliable ,beautiful and ageless and a 2006 car will be greasy value.Happy hunting.

[Wobbly]

tonyhall38 said:

Lightning.....;)

Or Titanium !

[so called]

OK, fully armed with THE BOOK this morning.
I do enjoy this part.
Cheers all.

[tonyhall38]

to many Tony's....

[Tony V12V]

met another one last week.. Mr thetees

[so called]

tonyhall38 said:

to many Tony's....

Strange that, there are lots of Tony's in TVR land as well.
It's a good taste thing I suspect

[thetees]

so called said:

Strange that, there are lots of Tony's in TVR land as well.
It's a good taste thing I suspect

Absolutely correct. We are renowned for it - just ask GeorgeH