Disappointed

[TJB69]

After owning a V8V I recently purchased a 2008 DB9 Sports pack. Oh dear!!!! I thought that the DB9 would be a step up but it just does nothing for me. The V8V was so much more involving to drive and sounded a million times better. Has anyone else has the same experience. Or am I expecting too much?

[3200gt]

Felt exactly them same about the DB9 versus my 3200gt. Luckily for me I had both at the same time and opted to keep the 3200 and sell the DB9.
Pretty though aren't they!

[Steve*B]

TJB69 said:

After owning a V8V I recently purchased a 2008 DB9 Sports pack. Oh dear!!!!

No test drive beforehand?

[TJB69]

Yes had a drive of one localy before I purchased this one.

Admittedly it was only a 20 min run but I thought it was ok.

To be fair did not expect it to be such a change from my V8V.

The car is stunning to look at but just leaves me cold.

Big lesson learned though!!!

[Mr Aston Martin]

After test driving the AML range at millbrook I felt the same about the new Virage. Loved the design but I felt the DBS was more raw and undiluted but the looks are too aggressive for my taste.



However I was stunned by the Rapide. Not as ball achingly beautiful as the Vantage but then again what is but still a very desirable and capable car.

[clorenzen]

Agree with your experience at Millbrook. The Rapide was the big surprise.

Try to live with the DB9 a little longer - and drive it a bit harder. My experience with my DB9 which i had prior to my V12 Vantage was that once driven a bit more on the edge using the paddles it starts to shine.

[yeti]

Is your DB9 a manual or TT? The manual brings the chassis to life!

There are a couple of things you can do, H&R springs will sharpen it right up and lower it an inch. Different car.

A DMS remap will also sharpen throttle response and give a massive mid range punch. I'd try both of these before binning the car.

I thought my DB9 was too smooth compared to my 4200, now it'd murder it and anything else I've ever driven.

[Jockman]

TJB69 said:

After owning a V8V I recently purchased a 2008 DB9 Sports pack. Oh dear!!!! I thought that the DB9 would be a step up but it just does nothing for me. The V8V was so much more involving to drive and sounded a million times better. Has anyone else has the same experience. Or am I expecting too much?

Yes, you are expecting too much. Your perception needs to change.

I've never seen myself as 'stepping up' to a DB9 as I don't see the car as superior to the V8V - they are different cars for different types of drivers.

You should really have spent more than 20 mins in the car before parting with your money.

This would then have verified to you that you remain a sportier V8V driver at heart

[George H]

Jockman said:

Yes, you are expecting too much. Your perception needs to change.

I've never seen myself as 'stepping up' to a DB9 as I don't see the car as superior to the V8V - they are different cars for different types of drivers.

You should really have spent more than 20 mins in the car before parting with your money.

This would then have verified to you that you remain a sportier V8V driver at heart

This sums it up pretty much perfectly, the DB9 is more of a GT than a sports car, though with the sports pack, it's not a bad effort.

Can't agree with the OP where he said the V8V sounds better though, the 6 litre V12 sounds inferior to nothing

[JohnG1]

George H said:

This sums it up pretty much perfectly, the DB9 is more of a GT than a sports car, though with the sports pack, it's not a bad effort.

Can't agree with the OP where he said the V8V sounds better though, the 6 litre V12 sounds inferior to nothing

I think this depends on how you drive. When you hit 4k rpm in the V12 it can be a bit droney. Under acceleration I agree the V12 sounds better, but just driving I think the V8 sounds great.

I am doing some research on how exhausts work in terms of harmonics, pulsing and scavenging - there's a lot more to the sound than the usual aftermarket route of removing the sound deadening materials...

[yeti]

JohnG1 said:

I am doing some research on how exhausts work in terms of harmonics, pulsing and scavenging - there's a lot more to the sound than the usual aftermarket route of removing the sound deadening materials...

Dead on - I spent good money have my standard system removed and replaced by a beautifully made lightweight stainless system that removed the massive backbox and had 2 x 19in silencers. Saved over 20kg with the race cats as well. It sounded... well, it killed the noise, drama and distictiveness of the car, I had it chopped off and chopped up and a QS SuperSports fitted. Now the car sounds like an Aston again, albeit a very annoyed one. It was merely slightly miffed before...

No idea what's on the backbox... I suspect a lot of unequal length pipework, oddly shaped chambers and fixed valving to make the very distinctive noise we know and love!

[alpinepass]

TJB69 said:

After owning a V8V I recently purchased a 2008 DB9 Sports pack. Oh dear!!!! I thought that the DB9 would be a step up but it just does nothing for me. The V8V was so much more involving to drive and sounded a million times better. Has anyone else has the same experience. Or am I expecting too much?

The local Aston garage invited me to drive the DBS for an hour on the local roads near the garage a week or two ago, which means a climb to St Cergue in the Jura at about 1200m. It is a super car very easy to drive very quickly, but there is the nub of the matter, the V8 isnt so easy but as a result I think it is more satisfying even than the DBS. The instructor with me reckoned it is a function of the wheelbase..

As to the noise, a marine engineer friend of mine reckons that a V8 is about as bad as it comes as an engine configuration "two inline fours having a fight" is his view of it.

Must be why it sounds so angry...

[TJB69]

All points taken.

Yes I should have had a longer run in a DB9 I suppose I wasnt expecting such a difference.

Is the DBS a more involving car?

I may take a slightly longer test drive in one.

Still think V8 sounds better though

[Steve*B]

TJB69 said:

Still think V8 sounds better though

At full chat it's good but I still can't can't get overly excited at the low down 'agricultural' sound that, to my ears, it makes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uTZG0cDMcc&fea...

[Luckyluciano]

Steve*B said:

TJB69 said:

Still think V8 sounds better though

At full chat it's good but I still can't can't get overly excited at the low down 'agricultural' sound that, to my ears, it makes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uTZG0cDMcc&fea...

That V8 sounds like it's trying to cut out?

[yeti]

TJB69 said:

All points taken.
Is the DBS a more involving car?

Never driven one, but it's 10 stone lighter, 40bhp more powerful and a lot of the weight saved is unsprung i.e. the brakes so should seem a lot keener off the mark as well as well as being able to lean on those CCMs. Traction control is less intrusive (I've never even set my DB9 control off!) and the tyres are wider and grippier.

You have the same steering rack if you have sports pack. It'll have adaptive damping but it's a longer wheelbase and therefore more stable car designed for a different purpose. The world's best GT.

Vantage must have seemed more light and pointy and has a lower CofG due to the dry-sumped lump sitting lower.

[don4l]

yeti said:

Never driven one, but it's 10 stone lighter, 40bhp more powerful and a lot of the weight saved is unsprung i.e. the brakes so should seem a lot keener off the mark as well as well as being able to lean on those CCMs. Traction control is less intrusive (I've never even set my DB9 control off!) and the tyres are wider and grippier.

I had the traction warning light come on at least three times yesterday!

Twice, it came on while I was going round roundabouts... which is fair enough. Once, it came on on a straight bit of road.

The DB9 can be awesome fun if it driven on the flappy paddles.

Then again, I might be a bit older than the OP.

Don
--

[yeti]

don4l said:

I had the traction warning light come on at least three times yesterday!

Twice, it came on while I was going round roundabouts... which is fair enough. Once, it came on on a straight bit of road.

The DB9 can be awesome fun if it driven on the flappy paddles.

Then again, I might be a bit older than the OP.

Don
--

I've never set it off to my knowledge! Is it obvious when it does cut in? Was getting plenty of chirrups from the rear wheels in France... I just don't drive like that in London, there isn't enough room!

[Jockman]

yeti said:

I've never set it off to my knowledge! Is it obvious when it does cut in?

Oh yes, it's obvious. I think Don may have hit a bit of oil or something if it has come on when going straight

[yeti]

Jockman said:

Oh yes, it's obvious. I think Don may have hit a bit of oil or something if it has come on when going straight

It's pretty relaxed then, let me get up to all sorts in France without interfering. No 'back-end out' stuff but plenty of very, very rapid acceleration and some early powering out of corners! Good system then, my old 4200 was a bit more whingy.