1995 Seamonster Green Aston Martin DB7
Discussion
While watching a small classic car auction at SWVA looking to spend a couple of grand on a Rover 800 or something else for the Festival of the Unexceptional I got a bit carried away outbidding someone expecting them to counter and semi accidentally and sight unseen bought an early (140th built) Aston Martin DB7...
As an early car it has a composite bonnet for extra shoddy fit and finish, and as you can see it's the same colour as the Loch Ness monster and has the undesirable option of a 4 speed automatic. Perfect.
I've been looking for something new to mess around with, I love the XJS, so why not try a more shoddily assembled XJS with aspirations?
The car is getting delivered to Ryzard at Aston Keeper on Monday for a once over before I start smoking about in it, the auction house boasted of a fabulous history with £40k+ of past invoices so we shall see. Oh and the best bit is that it was £9,550 + fees.
As an early car it has a composite bonnet for extra shoddy fit and finish, and as you can see it's the same colour as the Loch Ness monster and has the undesirable option of a 4 speed automatic. Perfect.
I've been looking for something new to mess around with, I love the XJS, so why not try a more shoddily assembled XJS with aspirations?
The car is getting delivered to Ryzard at Aston Keeper on Monday for a once over before I start smoking about in it, the auction house boasted of a fabulous history with £40k+ of past invoices so we shall see. Oh and the best bit is that it was £9,550 + fees.
Robertb said:
I love 6 cyl DB7s, especially with those wheels.
I find the 6cyl ones much more appealing, it's not exactly rational but they're just about old and shoddy enough to get away with being a charming old and shoddy "classic" but once you are looking at a car sold in the 21st century with 400bhp and a V12 my expectations change and it just feels a bit crap and I'd rather have a DB9. Also see a lot of V12s with engine issues that basically write the thing off, and that's not fun, and I have been burned more than once by that ZF 5 speed auto.I also love it because it made such a huge impression on me when they initially showed the car in I think 1993 before it went on sale late '94.
It is amazing what the Aston Martin enthusiast with a taste for risk and a budget of between £10k and £30k can buy though, I've been looking at V8Vs from the earliest leggy ones up to 2014 cars on 40k miles, 2010 onwards DB9s, even a 2016 Rapide.
Best thing about this DB7 is there is plenty left in the "idiot" budget for a V8 F-Type or V8V later in the year when I get the itch again
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Thursday 7th May 15:36
GeniusOfLove said:
Best thing about this DB9 is there is plenty left in the "idiot" budget for a V8 F-Type or V8V later in the year when I get the itch again
The excitement and anticipation appear to have got to you already - you have bought a 7 not a 9. Edited by GeniusOfLove on Thursday 7th May 14:11
I bid on the 280SL in that auction, but it went a bit far for me. Nice one. It does make it almost £10,700 with the fees though. I'm surprised they were down to £50 bids at the end! Unless it was £100s after £9250?
I like classic auctions at places with their own premises, you've a bit of time to organise collection, or insurance and drive yourself.
I like classic auctions at places with their own premises, you've a bit of time to organise collection, or insurance and drive yourself.
Edited by sixor8 on Thursday 7th May 16:50
sixor8 said:
I bid on the 280SL in that auction, but it went a bit far for me. Nice one. It does make it almost £10,700 with the fees though. I'm surprised they were down to £50 bids at the end! Unless it was £100s after £9250?
I like classic auctions at places with their own premises, you've a bit of time to organise collection, or insurance and drive yourself.
No it was down to the fifties and came in below the reserve so they had to call the seller to see if they'd accept the bid. I like classic auctions at places with their own premises, you've a bit of time to organise collection, or insurance and drive yourself.
Edited by sixor8 on Thursday 7th May 16:50
Having had a look around (after buying it, naturally) for what £10,700 gets you in DB7 world I've found one with twice the miles and a few with obvious issues and that need money so I don't regret my impulsivity too much and I'm not going to stress too much that maybe I could have had a different one from a different auction for a grand less, maybe.
They claim it has marvellous history but we'll see when it turns up, they've been an absolute pleasure to deal with compared to BCA that's for sure!
What I found interesting is that I paid a grand deposit to be allowed to bid and put it on my AMEX card, which they then applied to the final price which means the car is subject to Section 75 protection. I'm sure if it really came down to it you'd get sod all because your expectations for a 30 year old auction car should be minimal, but if there is something obviously wrong and/or hidden it could mean a load of hassle for the auction house. I wonder if they're such straight arrows they don't mind because if there IS something egregrious they just push it back on the seller.
Very very very surprised they'll take credit card payments at all though, for the fees if not the Section 75 ballache. So far I get the distinct impression that SWVA are very straight arrows.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Thursday 7th May 17:50
Today in "doing the research I should have done before bidding" it turns out there is a video of it moving and running that SWVA made
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk3tOmM4dbY
So that's reassuring. It looks great in that albeit in need of some TLC on the misty headlights. Maybe this won't be a disaster!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk3tOmM4dbY
So that's reassuring. It looks great in that albeit in need of some TLC on the misty headlights. Maybe this won't be a disaster!
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