DB7 - what are they like for day to day use?
Discussion
Fine to live with - pretty reliable etc however annual servicing budget at least £1500 if you're going to use it regularly. Every other year I'd say double that to include bits and bobs - tyres etc.
Bushes wear quite quickly and the rears need doing every 6k or so at the rear - that said you can buy every bush and vee-mount on the car for £500 and get an indie to do it all for a total of £1k - will see you for a 5 years at least apart from the 'consumables'.
I'd go for a later car if you can - '98 onwards with the revised seats as a number of changes under the skin were made that make it a much nicer drive.
I had a supercharger upgrade as it really isn't as quick as it should be - the factory sports exhaust is also a must!
Bushes wear quite quickly and the rears need doing every 6k or so at the rear - that said you can buy every bush and vee-mount on the car for £500 and get an indie to do it all for a total of £1k - will see you for a 5 years at least apart from the 'consumables'.
I'd go for a later car if you can - '98 onwards with the revised seats as a number of changes under the skin were made that make it a much nicer drive.
I had a supercharger upgrade as it really isn't as quick as it should be - the factory sports exhaust is also a must!
At risk of repeating myself, I have had mine since 2002 and done 41k miles. It was once my daily car, although I commuted by train at the time. They are generally fine but have fragile suspensions and everything is more expensive than you'd think, my full service hstory and commentary is here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
There is a lot of load through the rear due to the layout. I admit it isn't great but it's not a huge job - about £600 from a main dealer. You could say the same for service intervals on Evos or clutch life on Italian exotica. How often do TVRs need top end rebuilds on the straight six?
stats007 said:
There is a lot of load through the rear due to the layout. I admit it isn't great but it's not a huge job - about £600 from a main dealer. You could say the same for service intervals on Evos or clutch life on Italian exotica. How often do TVRs need top end rebuilds on the straight six?
The S6 is indeed legendarily bad and I wouldn't have one for that and other reasons. Perhaps I'm being too hopeful in expecting a 'proper' manufacturer like Jaguar/AM to sort things out!I've had largeish cars before (XJ40, BMW730, Merc 320)and they weren't overly hungry on tyres - in fact the 730iV8 lasted about 30K miles on a set of Hankooks. Oh well, such is life - and as I do about 8,000 miles a year it's not a massive issue.
f328nvl said:
At risk of repeating myself, I have had mine since 2002 and done 41k miles. It was once my daily car, although I commuted by train at the time. They are generally fine but have fragile suspensions and everything is more expensive than you'd think, my full service hstory and commentary is here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
O my god.......you have spent over 45k having your DB7 serviced and modified since purchase......Ive owned 3 Astons including 2 DB7 and Ive spent less than 5k on all 3........do you get a free holiday with each service !!!!!http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
michael gould said:
f328nvl said:
At risk of repeating myself, I have had mine since 2002 and done 41k miles. It was once my daily car, although I commuted by train at the time. They are generally fine but have fragile suspensions and everything is more expensive than you'd think, my full service hstory and commentary is here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
O my god.......you have spent over 45k having your DB7 serviced and modified since purchase......Ive owned 3 Astons including 2 DB7 and Ive spent less than 5k on all 3........do you get a free holiday with each service !!!!!http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
Out of the later Aston Martin cars the Vanquish and the DB7 are more expensive to run and maintain than the DB9, V8 vantage etc,
The bushes in particular on the DB7 do not last well, rear trailing arms and bushes, front antiroll bar bushes front and rear vee mounts are all common replacement items, Air con problems, air bag warning lights, brake judder and setting the geometry is no easy task, much easier in the later cars and coil packs on the vantage are an issue,
This said a well maintained DB7 is a great car, for me the manual is loads of fun, a sports exhaust makes quite a difference to he sound which really benefits the car, after all this is the car that bought the Aston Martin brand to a much larger market, also i have started to see that prices for these have started to climb, especially some of the volantes, and there are fantastic examples, compared to other top marques of the same era i think they had more issues than Aston,
Don't be put off truy one but be warned though you probably will not want to give it back,
The bushes in particular on the DB7 do not last well, rear trailing arms and bushes, front antiroll bar bushes front and rear vee mounts are all common replacement items, Air con problems, air bag warning lights, brake judder and setting the geometry is no easy task, much easier in the later cars and coil packs on the vantage are an issue,
This said a well maintained DB7 is a great car, for me the manual is loads of fun, a sports exhaust makes quite a difference to he sound which really benefits the car, after all this is the car that bought the Aston Martin brand to a much larger market, also i have started to see that prices for these have started to climb, especially some of the volantes, and there are fantastic examples, compared to other top marques of the same era i think they had more issues than Aston,
Don't be put off truy one but be warned though you probably will not want to give it back,
I have a 2000 DB7 Vantage. It's used everyday and lives outside. It's a manual and has one of Ricks sport exhaust systems on it so I can vouch for his comments and add that it is outstanding.
Pick your dealer carefully. Most of the guys on here have some experience of most of the 'usual suspects' who regularly sell DB7's so ask them to P.M. you with their warts 'n all assessment. They'll be restrained on public forums and you'll want to hear all of it.
Pick your dealer carefully. Most of the guys on here have some experience of most of the 'usual suspects' who regularly sell DB7's so ask them to P.M. you with their warts 'n all assessment. They'll be restrained on public forums and you'll want to hear all of it.
stats007 said:
Buy sensibly and there is no depreciation. I've sold my last four cars for the same or more money than I paid after 12 months use.
I bought mine with 4k miles at 18 months old in feb 2002, nearly 8 years ago. I might be able to swap 8 year old cars around today, but whatever DB7 vantage you bought in 2002 cost around £80k+ and today is worth £25-35k. If I'd bought a BMW I'd have lost the money faster and had less satisfaction.
stats007 said:
Simpo Two said:
Also relevant - I understand that after a couple of years, DB7s were facelifted and improved in various respects. What year/month did these kick in please?
1998 saw the revised interior introduced with airbags etc.The air-bags don't bother me but the two 'paintbrushes' either side of gear selector look really old-fashioned.
f328nvl said:
michael gould said:
f328nvl said:
At risk of repeating myself, I have had mine since 2002 and done 41k miles. It was once my daily car, although I commuted by train at the time. They are generally fine but have fragile suspensions and everything is more expensive than you'd think, my full service hstory and commentary is here:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
O my god.......you have spent over 45k having your DB7 serviced and modified since purchase......Ive owned 3 Astons including 2 DB7 and Ive spent less than 5k on all 3........do you get a free holiday with each service !!!!!http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1335819.htm
In answer to the original question one of the heater boxes went on my first DB7 i6 but cost me 79p for the part from Matlan Electronics (dealer wanted £850 for the repair) but had no probs with my DB7 Vantage apart from rear bushes
Edited by michael gould on Monday 30th November 12:15
Edited by michael gould on Monday 30th November 15:30
Edited by michael gould on Friday 4th December 09:26
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