V12 DBS Superleggra

[sone]

After years of Lamborghini, Ferrari and many others I’ve decided I fancy giving DBS a go. I’ve been looking at 20/21 coupes and been taken by there looks mainly. If I buy outside the network will it be a mistake? What can I expect with regard reliability? I’ve run V12 Ferraris and V12 Lambo’s does anyone else have similar experience they could possibly share.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Steve

[Calinours]

sone said:

After years of Lamborghini, Ferrari and many others I’ve decided I fancy giving DBS a go. I’ve been looking at 20/21 coupes and been taken by there looks mainly. If I buy outside the network will it be a mistake? What can I expect with regard reliability? I’ve run V12 Ferraris and V12 Lambo’s does anyone else have similar experience they could possibly share.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Steve

1. Possibly to probably. There’s no reason to do it. Costs are same but cars will always be the best from a main dealer. The MD know what are the best cars, they sold and maintained them, so they only buy in the best. Wait for the right spec, negotiate, buy from MD and fully enjoy the AM ownership experience.

2. reliability not an issue. The blown V12 is an absolute and completely underrated peach. See my thread on PH ‘the Aston martin turbo V12’.

3. I own a DB11 V12. DBS has exact same engine, but a different factory map, a better transmission and an extra cooling rad. I’ve never owned any Ferrari or Lambo, but do currently own two other Aston V8’s and a Range Rover and have previously owned Porsche and Alfa Romeo products among others, and have worked in the automotive industry at system design/development level so know a thing or two about design, validation and long term durability/reliability.


Other notes - watch the 5th gear DBSS/812 comparison test. The Superfast is clearly the sharper tool. If budget permits, go for the last of the line 770 ultimate. Many of the traction and torque delivery issues addressed, chassis tweaked etc, as is customary for AM. It’s always best to buy a last of the line car, never been more true than with any AM.

Good luck - if how nice the sat nav looks isn’t the most important thing to you but how a car actually looks, goes, drives is, (strangely unusual these days) then you will love the DBS/S

Edited by Calinours on Monday 29th January 21:25

[sone]

Calinours- many thanks, very informative.

Steve

[XJR500bhp]

I have to disagree regarding the comment above “they only buy the best” is not the case. Some of the best used Astons are sold by well established reputable specialists, so do not discount a car from them. The main dealer will offer Timeless, but in some instances and I have seen it, they do not prepare the car to the highest standards before delivery.

Reliability elements you need to ensure latest software updates and ideally leave the car on trickle charge when not using it, they hate flat or low batteries.

[Jon39]

It has been noticed occasionally that a main dealer has sold a car using an auction.

Either they were 'strapped for cash', or hopefully more likely, part exchange cars that were not very good.

[BiggaJ]

I think whichever way the OP decides to go, the onus is on them to do their due diligence. I'm with XJR500 here and would agree the best cars are not always found at main dealers as there are those specialist out there that have built a reputation on buying and delivering the best cars, Nicholas Mee is one such company.

Getting involved and asking questions on a forum specific to the brand is the right first move but then learning about the pitfalls, issues etc of a given model is going to give anyone interested in buying a good heads up and the right questions to ask.

[Familymad]

Did you buy one? I drove a 2019/19 on thr weekend at works. It was utterly mental.

[M1AGM]

Bumping this thread as have been thinking of a DBSS next and rather than start a new thread…

I watched a review the other night and the owner said that over x thousand miles the car had averaged 11mpg doing usual mixed daily driving, giving him around 100 miles range on a full tank. 100 miles between fill ups is not what I would consider as reasonable for a car for touring.

Is there anyone on here with real world DBSS mpg experience they could share?

[Calinours]

M1AGM said:

Bumping this thread as have been thinking of a DBSS next and rather than start a new thread…

I watched a review the other night and the owner said that over x thousand miles the car had averaged 11mpg doing usual mixed daily driving, giving him around 100 miles range on a full tank. 100 miles between fill ups is not what I would consider as reasonable for a car for touring.

Is there anyone on here with real world DBSS mpg experience they could share?

Not DBSS, DB11, but same engine with lower boost, so likely only going to see any difference if always driving DBSS hard, max acceleration, which in reality is unlikely to be possible very much in most conditions with a 900Nm RWD only car. I find the above quoted mpg very hard to believe as anything representative of quick driving on normal roads. Was it a review from USA? Remember their ‘gallons’ are smaller.

The DB11 V12 easily averages about 21mpg in mixed driving with some faster stuff. A bit more than my n/a V8 Vantage which averages about 19mpg. Someone will no doubt be along soon to tell you that their n/a V12 Vanquish gives 30mpg ‘on a run’.

I can’t imagine how suicidally you would need to drive to get 11mpg (even a US gallon) and especially a 100mile range from a DBSS - it could not be ‘mixed driving’ as stated. Did the owner live in the Grand Canyon? Maybe the individual is Jeremy Clarkson and it was on track or all those amusing runs along the main drag or sprint section of Baku…

Edited by Calinours on Sunday 17th March 12:06

Edited by Calinours on Sunday 17th March 12:09

[M1AGM]

This was the review:

https://youtu.be/ZzdAqV5GDKg?si=y_ynrY0Y-Mxg_Tgs

[Familymad]

Just buy it. MPG for that sound. Fair trade.

[Calinours]

M1AGM said:

This was the review:

https://youtu.be/ZzdAqV5GDKg?si=y_ynrY0Y-Mxg_Tgs

Well, the first thought is that like most YT’ers he is talking absolute bks. Then if you look in the comments he backtracks a bit from all the disbelief and says it’s just in town, and it’s much better on a motorway. Someone should explain to him a) what mixed driving actually means, b) how to correctly calculate mpg from brim to brim and c) how to measure a real range from a tankful.

If we were to believe what every plonker writes or says on the interweb, we’d never leave our house let alone buy anything.

For the DBSS the official fuel economy is 23mpg and CO2 is 285g/km, both significantly better numbers than the Ferrari 812 Superfast.

If you are put off buying a six figure modern V12 Aston because of what someone on youtube says about fuel economy, then, respectfully, perhaps you should be looking at other types of car? - this is coming from one who owns a car that really does do 11mpg, which is around half as many real world mpg as the Superleggerra.

[M1AGM]

Calinours said:

Well, the first thought is that like most YT’ers he is talking absolute bks. Then if you look in the comments he backtracks a bit from all the disbelief and says it’s just in town, and it’s much better on a motorway. Someone should explain to him a) what mixed driving actually means, b) how to correctly calculate mpg from brim to brim and c) how to measure a real range from a tankful.

If we were to believe what every plonker writes or says on the interweb, we’d never leave our house let alone buy anything.

For the DBSS the official fuel economy is 23mpg and CO2 is 285g/km, both significantly better numbers than the Ferrari 812 Superfast.

If you are put off buying a six figure modern V12 Aston because of what someone on youtube says about fuel economy, then, respectfully, perhaps you should be looking at other types of car? - this is coming from one who owns a car that really does do 11mpg, which is around half as many real world mpg as the Superleggerra.

Makes me smile when I ask a simple question about owner’s real world mpg feedback I get a patronising response from a non-owner questioning my choice of car. I already own a DB11 AMR, its the second V12 Aston I have bought. I use my cars almost daily, so 100 miles between fills would be rather inconvenient if thats ok with you, hence why checking with actual owners.

[Emilio Largo]

[BenAstonV12]

M1AGM said:

Bumping this thread as have been thinking of a DBSS next and rather than start a new thread…

I watched a review the other night and the owner said that over x thousand miles the car had averaged 11mpg doing usual mixed daily driving, giving him around 100 miles range on a full tank. 100 miles between fill ups is not what I would consider as reasonable for a car for touring.

Is there anyone on here with real world DBSS mpg experience they could share?

From my experience (3 years with a DBSS until last year), 11mpg isn't accurate. Longer journeys you can easily get into the 20-25mpg range, city driving obviously drops that a lot, would guess (half remember) it being around 18mpg on average. Pretty sure the range was mid to high 200 miles rather than 100! It's the best looking car on the road, the car that received the most positive reactions from petrol heads to non-car people, given where the prices are on them right now, they are one of the best buys out there. Depending on what the new DBS/Vanquish looks like, even considering getting one again at some point (though maybe a 770). Stunning car, great to drive and it has a V12! Good luck with your search/decision.

[turboman786]

Ive got a 2019 Vantage. Over 3k miles the computer is showing 13mpg average....so to me the DBS is likely to be worse/similar

[V8LM]

By the onboard computer, around town I get high teens, motorway driving is mid twenties, and being careful ....

IMG_1130 by v8lemon, on Flickr

[Minglar]

M1AGM said:

This was the review:

https://youtu.be/ZzdAqV5GDKg?si=y_ynrY0Y-Mxg_Tgs

I don’t wish to be patronising or indeed upset you in any way but I’m curious to understand what has led you to focus on this one particular review. This Content Creator has been mentioned before in this forum and personally I’d take what he says very lightly indeed. A brief look at his YT playlist would suggest that to me, particularly some of his later helicopter videos. Of course asking the question here is a good idea but I would have thought asking for an extended test drive of a car over a few days could be worth a go too. BRM.

[flow99]

M1AGM said:

Calinours said:

Well, the first thought is that like most YT’ers he is talking absolute bks. Then if you look in the comments he backtracks a bit from all the disbelief and says it’s just in town, and it’s much better on a motorway. Someone should explain to him a) what mixed driving actually means, b) how to correctly calculate mpg from brim to brim and c) how to measure a real range from a tankful.

If we were to believe what every plonker writes or says on the interweb, we’d never leave our house let alone buy anything.

For the DBSS the official fuel economy is 23mpg and CO2 is 285g/km, both significantly better numbers than the Ferrari 812 Superfast.

If you are put off buying a six figure modern V12 Aston because of what someone on youtube says about fuel economy, then, respectfully, perhaps you should be looking at other types of car? - this is coming from one who owns a car that really does do 11mpg, which is around half as many real world mpg as the Superleggerra.

Makes me smile when I ask a simple question about owner’s real world mpg feedback I get a patronising response from a non-owner questioning my choice of car. I already own a DB11 AMR, its the second V12 Aston I have bought. I use my cars almost daily, so 100 miles between fills would be rather inconvenient if thats ok with you, hence why checking with actual owners.

had a V12 DB11 for 3 years and have had a DBS for 15 months, both used in a similar vein, as a weekend car (circa 5k miles pa). I have never monitored the mpg in detail, however, it doesnt feel that the DBS is any worse than the DB11.

[M1AGM]

BenAstonV12 said:

From my experience (3 years with a DBSS until last year), 11mpg isn't accurate. Longer journeys you can easily get into the 20-25mpg range, city driving obviously drops that a lot, would guess (half remember) it being around 18mpg on average. Pretty sure the range was mid to high 200 miles rather than 100! It's the best looking car on the road, the car that received the most positive reactions from petrol heads to non-car people, given where the prices are on them right now, they are one of the best buys out there. Depending on what the new DBS/Vanquish looks like, even considering getting one again at some point (though maybe a 770). Stunning car, great to drive and it has a V12! Good luck with your search/decision.

Thanks Ben. Sounds about right then.

V8LM said:

By the onboard computer, around town I get high teens, motorway driving is mid twenties, and being careful ....

IMG_1130 by v8lemon, on Flickr

Impressive, I might struggle to get that economy with my heavy right foot!

Minglar said:

I don’t wish to be patronising or indeed upset you in any way but I’m curious to understand what has led you to focus on this one particular review. This Content Creator has been mentioned before in this forum and personally I’d take what he says very lightly indeed. A brief look at his YT playlist would suggest that to me, particularly some of his later helicopter videos. Of course asking the question here is a good idea but I would have thought asking for an extended test drive of a car over a few days could be worth a go too. BRM.

Thanks, it just suprised me that the claim was made, hence wanting to check it. Out of all the reviews none of them mention mpg so nothing really to compare with. I havent seen any of his vids before, it just popped up during my searches.

flow99 said:

had a V12 DB11 for 3 years and have had a DBS for 15 months, both used in a similar vein, as a weekend car (circa 5k miles pa). I have never monitored the mpg in detail, however, it doesnt feel that the DBS is any worse than the DB11.

Thanks, was hoping it would be similar to the 11 which seems to be the case thankfully.