DB7 nose cones

[steve lyden brow]

All of my previous cars (mainly 911's) have been able to cope with the sort of minor touches that often occur when careless parkers reverse back into a space in front of me.
I now have an Aston DB7 and don't have a clue as to just how the Aston would be able to cope with these. Is the front deformable to any degree in order for it to cope with low speed parking shunts ?....if so, then I assume the rear is too ?
Also, whilst I am online :- can the power outlet socket in the centre console be used to accept power from the sort of trickle chargers that are used nowadays to keep the battery charged ?

[danny hoffman]

My early DB7 has a socket in the boot for a tricle charger

[steve lyden brow]

Mine is a year 2001 car and has a power outlet in the centre console( which cannot be used for a trickle charger) but I have yet to find any type of socket in the boot. Whereabouts should I look ? Do you think that yours is a standard factory fitment or might it have been a post sale add-on ?
Cheers,
BG

[danny hoffman]

Mine is the factory fitted socket for the spare wheel pump. Details in the handbook

[DavidBarr]

I have a DB7 Vantage, year 2000. The dealer fitted a lead to the battery so that I can plug in a battery conditioner. It was only in the later models that a socket was fitted by the factory. The parts manual shows that battery conditioner kits became available from Chassis (V) 302253.

[steve lyden brow]

Nice one , thank you, David. This is useful info !
Cheers,
Steve.

[f328nvl]

Mine's chassis no 300781 and I have the charger in the boot. It was fitted before delivery to John Oldfield (Then Chairman of Aston Martin) by the factory at a cost of £120 + VAT.

[f328nvl]

On nose cones, they're made of a honeycomb filled plastic so they are flexible to a degree. A similar construction applies to the rear. You do have to watch for kerbs when parking though as they will tear, hence they're always miles from the front kerb when you see them parked in a bay. They can be be invisibly repaired to an astonishing degree, but it's expensive and skilled work. A new one is about £2-£3k depending on whether it's properly blended into a resprayed bonnet and wings or not. My issue has always been the amount of chips the front spoiler picks up from everyday road debris, annoying and a pain to get reprayed.

jg

[wezzer-45's]

The DB7 was fitted with a battery off switch and a charging point in the boot from 2002 model onwards. Your local dealer can fit a plug in your boot and supply a battery conditioner so you can leave your car plugged in for as long as you like. As for the rear bumper I would be carefull as you can end up with 2 lumps from the mounting points and paint cracks if you bump it.

[steve lyden brow]

Thanks, guys, for your additional input re nose cones and battery charging. I have spoken to my supplying dealer and he has agreed to fit the boot socket when the car returns for it's next service.
Insofar as stonechips are concerned, I had my nose cone and mirrors covered with a plastic film which greatly reduces this type of damage. On my car ( which is painted Solent silver ) the film is virtually invisible.
SLB