Purchase of 1968-72 DBS 6

[dotdog]

Hi - thimking happily of buying a DBS - who has experience of the 6 cylinder model - with su carbs - wondering whether to go for this or a V8, any comments?

[williamp]

There's plenty of advice and owners tales on the www.amoc.org forum. You'd be better to try there. Ignore the pub bores who will say the DBS is slow- its a very quick car, but slower then the DB6 which it replaced (hence the problem). The DBS is a fabulous car, and very "cool" at the moment, if that is your thing. It looks greta, and is very practical if thirsty.

The DBS V8, however is the one to have, though. Espeically in red....!

[dotdog]

Could you have one like that perchance?!
Thanks.. also been in touch with Davron in Wilts who have been very helpful

[hazzardv8]

pay extra for a v8,i've owned both (a black vantage dbs,in my opinion a real disappointment and a bright red dbsv8,a real rocket with the injection working well) probably the '74 on carburettor v8 is the best choice.
john

[dotdog]

John, thanks for that.. - i'm not so concerned with speed (recently sold a noble, and frankly even a vantage will feel like a lardy slug after that) - is the 6 not more economical and sweet to drive? have always liked straight 6's - just looking for something to tootle around in.. why was the 6 vantage a disappintment? - trying to be something it wasnt?
perhaps a basic six on su's would be fine - a different vibe.. what do you think?

[williamp]

dotdog said:

John, thanks for that.. - i'm not so concerned with speed (recently sold a noble, and frankly even a vantage will feel like a lardy slug after that) - is the 6 not more economical and sweet to drive? have always liked straight 6's - just looking for something to tootle around in.. why was the 6 vantage a disappintment? - trying to be something it wasnt?
perhaps a basic six on su's would be fine - a different vibe.. what do you think?

A lardy slug? wash your mouth out!
Economy wise, there is little to choose: mine does 18mpg on a steady run, but not more. The DBS might do a little better, but they are both heavy cars with big engiens.
Sweet to drive? They feel similar in handling terms, but the V8 is faster. You can always improve the dampers and tyres to make it feel better anyway.
Tootle around in? I honestly think they migth not be the car for you. Mine has 14 litres of coolant and 12 litres of oil to warm. That takes time, and you cant drive it properly unelss all of that is warm. Also, they need long journeys. To use a bad analogy, every thoroughbread needs its exercise. The plugs will foul up, and under the bonnet it will get veyr hot, so you might find hot-starting will be a problem with slow, infrequent use.

And using it for pootling about in? its best MPG figure is 18mpg. In town or traffic you can get into single figures. Easily. I drove from Leicester to fleet in Hampshire the other week. It included time in traffic, and was £60 each way in fuel.

As I said earlier, the DBS (by definition, all DBS are the striaght six, the DBS V8 is a different, albeit simnilar car. A DBS6 does not exist) is a quick car in its day, but slower then the car it replaced- the DB6, so it was always seen as slow. But it had better braking figurs in the wet then most classic cars had in the dry, it is a large, comfortable, great looking GT car. Just dont think of it as a sports car. its too big and heavy for that.

Hope that helps. Sorry to sound negative, but thats the truth about these cars. And I havent even mentioned the servicing costs, and every time you use it somehting will go wrong. And what about the rust?

Too many people have been seduced by the name, and the looks, and found out that they are not like modern cars, and they are very expensive, so these cars get neglected. I would'nt want that to happen to you.

[dotdog]

Will, thanks.. thought I might get some reaction from that one..!
Great advise.., all I meant was that I would not be thrashing round as usual,actually I would be using mine mainly for decent 'out of rush hour' runs between Malvern and Hungerford, a mix of good A roads and dual carriageway, so shouldn't be a problem..
The Aston Workshop in Durham have a 1972 DBS for sale www.aston.co.uk which I'm thinking of looking at - but the price looks a little steep - and I'm wary of hidden costs in this one - it's a 2 owner car, very original, and looks like the miles are genuine, the interior is amazing.. they tell me it needs very little, exterior sills, some brake pipe work and a good service.. going to see it on Monday..

Edited by dotdog on Friday 1st September 09:01