DBS SL sub £120k… tempting!
Discussion
Been keeping an eye on these and with a few cars now under £120k seems like a huge amount of car for the money. Pictures never seem to do the car justice as in the flesh they have so much purpose and presence .
Can any owners on here give some insight into how they are to own…generally reliable or are they prone to niggles?
I always felt the interior wasn’t quite up to the mark at the list price of £250k plus but at under half that it’s not such an issue imo. I had a V12VS a while back so getting back into a more modern V12 Aston albeit the biturbo holds a lot of appeal. Of course the elephant in the room is the Vanquish S but they are so similarly priced now it makes things interesting .
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024052902...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024062410...
Coupe of cars I like the look of …the Xenon grey paint looks incredible in the sunlight.
Can any owners on here give some insight into how they are to own…generally reliable or are they prone to niggles?
I always felt the interior wasn’t quite up to the mark at the list price of £250k plus but at under half that it’s not such an issue imo. I had a V12VS a while back so getting back into a more modern V12 Aston albeit the biturbo holds a lot of appeal. Of course the elephant in the room is the Vanquish S but they are so similarly priced now it makes things interesting .
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024052902...
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024062410...
Coupe of cars I like the look of …the Xenon grey paint looks incredible in the sunlight.
I've been thinking same for a while. These are now an absolute bargain. That blown V12 motor is all AM and it is an absolute monster in 900Nm DBS tune. Add to that near faultless looks and the fact it was a real halo car.
Sure the interior is the elephant - but let's face it, it's just the plonked plastic central screen that is really the issue. It was wrong, cheap and tacky from the outset, especially following the rotating display, and especially compared to the contemporary Bentley that showed the way for what an updated rotating display could be... I don't know what they were thinking for the 11's interior,
same for vantage and DBS, but whatever they were all smoking it cost a lot of people their jobs.
But it's just a tacky plonked plastic display. Surely it can be fixed? Maybe Aston Installations could develop something cool as a quality aftermarket solution... I feel there would be a market.....
Sure the interior is the elephant - but let's face it, it's just the plonked plastic central screen that is really the issue. It was wrong, cheap and tacky from the outset, especially following the rotating display, and especially compared to the contemporary Bentley that showed the way for what an updated rotating display could be... I don't know what they were thinking for the 11's interior,
same for vantage and DBS, but whatever they were all smoking it cost a lot of people their jobs.
But it's just a tacky plonked plastic display. Surely it can be fixed? Maybe Aston Installations could develop something cool as a quality aftermarket solution... I feel there would be a market.....
Edited by Calinours on Saturday 10th August 21:38
The interior is immaculately appointed with high quality leather and stitching in almost every imaginable nook and cranny …the central part and the screen sub optimal yes but like I said at £115-120k I can easily live with that. The Db12 of course really moves the game on interior wise but they are still £200k and most importantly not a V12 powertrain …god knows what the new V12 Vanquish will cost I’m guessing £300k-£350k before options so easily £400k when loaded up. In that light £120k or lower for one of these seems like a great entry point .
So many of the DBS SLs are specced too aggressively. Often with contrast black exterior elements, oddly interior combos, and the black wheels, black grill etc. Kinda meh with a spec like that.
Now DB11's I think are an absolutely bargain atm. Can find various DB11 volantes and coupes 100-110K USD atm.
Now DB11's I think are an absolutely bargain atm. Can find various DB11 volantes and coupes 100-110K USD atm.
Beckson said:
So many of the DBS SLs are specced too aggressively. Often with contrast black exterior elements, oddly interior combos, and the black wheels, black grill etc. Kinda meh with a spec like that.
Not sure what the interior was, but passed an all black one on the M1 last weekend. Didn't think it looked bad at all, even if it was not the colour combination I would have chosen (have looked at various reds and greens).RSbandit said:
cayman-black said:
Bargain, ones gone already!
Yes looked well priced and nice spec ! I’ve spent the last two days reading every review and watching YouTube …ok interior a common bugbear but looks, noise and performance wise it knocks it out of the park! It's an absolutely stunning monster of a car for that money, and surely can not go less than it is now.
It's also robust. I've had a DB11 V12 for years and can report that the merc systems/electrical architecture in it just work far more durably and reliably than the VH era cars - one of which I've also owned for the best part of a decade.
Crucially - the DBS SL has an uprated ZF8 gearbox, designed for all that monster torque.
Edited by Calinours on Monday 12th August 22:57
Calinours said:
It does/did. I also, with I'm sure many others can live with the central screen thing. As pointed out above, the rest of the interior is pretty good.
It's an absolutely stunning monster of a car for that money, and surely can not go less than it is now.
It's also robust. I've had a DB11 V12 for years and can report that the merc systems/electrical architecture in it just work far more durably and reliably than the VH era cars - one of which I've also owned for the best part of a decade.
Crucially - the DBS SL has an uprated ZF8 gearbox, designed for all that monster torque.
That’s good to hear, I have /have had McLarens more recently and there are niggles with them even though the 600LT itself is a fantastic car. I was thinking to change to something in a higher price bracket and trade out of the 600 but seeing where the DBS is now I could keep the McLaren a while longer and just run both for a while. A brutal V12 grand tourer and a track focused scalpel…that covers a lot of bases and I think more fun than having just one higher value car …higher running costs of course as will also need some off site car storage but I’m very keen to get into one of these. It's an absolutely stunning monster of a car for that money, and surely can not go less than it is now.
It's also robust. I've had a DB11 V12 for years and can report that the merc systems/electrical architecture in it just work far more durably and reliably than the VH era cars - one of which I've also owned for the best part of a decade.
Crucially - the DBS SL has an uprated ZF8 gearbox, designed for all that monster torque.
Edited by Calinours on Monday 12th August 22:57
I've long had a hankering for a 720S. Seems to me the ultimate sweet spot for McLaren. Love my Astons but would love to own a proper mid engined supercar, and a Brit world beater at that, which the 720 absolutely is.
My next car will be DBSS or 720S. Making way would be the DB11. I'd be keeping the V8VS though, as (relatively) slow/gutless and electrically fragile/unreliable as it is (sorry guys). I can't explain it, I just love it. I think it's the most beautiful car design ever and I wanted one for a decade....
My next car will be DBSS or 720S. Making way would be the DB11. I'd be keeping the V8VS though, as (relatively) slow/gutless and electrically fragile/unreliable as it is (sorry guys). I can't explain it, I just love it. I think it's the most beautiful car design ever and I wanted one for a decade....
Calinours said:
I've long had a hankering for a 720S. Seems to me the ultimate sweet spot for McLaren. Love my Astons but would love to own a proper mid engined supercar, and a Brit world beater at that, which the 720 absolutely is.
My next car will be DBSS or 720S. Making way would be the DB11. I'd be keeping the V8VS though, as (relatively) slow/gutless and electrically fragile/unreliable as it is (sorry guys). I can't explain it, I just love it. I think it's the most beautiful car design ever and I wanted one for a decade....
I quite fancied a 720S too. Still think they look amazing, but there are some awful stories about things going wrong and the level of dealer support/cost when they do. My next car will be DBSS or 720S. Making way would be the DB11. I'd be keeping the V8VS though, as (relatively) slow/gutless and electrically fragile/unreliable as it is (sorry guys). I can't explain it, I just love it. I think it's the most beautiful car design ever and I wanted one for a decade....
It was the pre-sales experience when going out to buy one (money transferred to current account) that resulted in me getting the V12VSM. Misled about the car from the outset and total disinterest from the dealer in arranging any test drive if I wasn’t going to buy the (unregistered) car they had in stock. This in spite of having bought a new supercharged FFRR and Bentley from the same dealer group within the past 12 months.
The sales side of AM had been OK up until that point (my view is less favourable now) but at least the service side still seems good. I can however believe the Mc servicing horror stories if they’re that disinterested in selling cars in the first place.
Things may have changed, other dealers might be better, but given there’s a paucity of dealers and very few (one?) independent, I decided wasn’t up for another car where servicing/repairs were going to mean getting it transported a significant distance.
Early 720s’ were the most problematic so 2017/67 cars, from my personal experience level of service varies greatly across the dealer network with some dealers being notably more incompetent than others. V Engineering and Thorney are two very viable Indy’s now if you are running one without warranty. I was thinking of a 765LT coupe but the cost of that is a 600 and a DBS combined. I am fond of a few track days a yr also but not sure if I’d want to risk a £250k plus car on circuit tbh.
Edited by RSbandit on Tuesday 13th August 09:47
Just to muddy the waters one of the lowest priced main dealer Vanquish S Ultimates I’ve seen:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041787...
Still £20k more than I’d want to spend but it’s been sitting at that dealer since April and originally listed at £160k. Seems the mkt is v slow in general for higher end cars v little shifting at the minute.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041787...
Still £20k more than I’d want to spend but it’s been sitting at that dealer since April and originally listed at £160k. Seems the mkt is v slow in general for higher end cars v little shifting at the minute.
RSbandit said:
Just to muddy the waters one of the lowest priced main dealer Vanquish S Ultimates I’ve seen:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041787...
Still £20k more than I’d want to spend but it’s been sitting at that dealer since April and originally listed at £160k. Seems the mkt is v slow in general for higher end cars v little shifting at the minute.
I bought my 2017 vanquish S volante for £133k, 2 years ago, so i think theres still some adjustment to go tbhhttp://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024041787...
Still £20k more than I’d want to spend but it’s been sitting at that dealer since April and originally listed at £160k. Seems the mkt is v slow in general for higher end cars v little shifting at the minute.
I actually didnt like it much, had a long test in a dbss volante 8 weeks ago and much preferred it tbh, negotiating on a 2023 volante at the moment, target £173k.
LooneyTunes said:
If Vanquish S is the other option, ask owners of each if they’d do a straight swap. No way would I do so.
Indeed, last year could have swapped my V12VSM for a DBSS… slightly tougher decision, but the Vantage is still in the garage.
Tried a DBSSV when they were launched. Way more power than you need and no way would I swap for my VSV.Indeed, last year could have swapped my V12VSM for a DBSS… slightly tougher decision, but the Vantage is still in the garage.
So 600hp isnt way more power than you need? 
Seriously, once you’re used to using 700hp, it just feels right, its more about how accessible 5-600hp is, more importantly, the available torque.. just makes driving very easy
The dbss is a very heavy car so its power to weight ratio isnt that high, i guess some of it is what you are used to, on my test i used it easily with no issues and it felt very smooth to me, my very young co-pilot from Aston seemed to shat his pants quite easily though.
You dont really use a gt like that though, its full power bursts are tolls and straight line passes but mainly the torque for wafting past things without trying too hard.
The new ZR1 will be a step up for me when i get one, even the old one was a bit of a handful in the wet at 1650kg/755hp and rear drive, the dbss at 300kg with less power & heavier felt very tame in comparison to that.
Seriously, once you’re used to using 700hp, it just feels right, its more about how accessible 5-600hp is, more importantly, the available torque.. just makes driving very easy
The dbss is a very heavy car so its power to weight ratio isnt that high, i guess some of it is what you are used to, on my test i used it easily with no issues and it felt very smooth to me, my very young co-pilot from Aston seemed to shat his pants quite easily though.
You dont really use a gt like that though, its full power bursts are tolls and straight line passes but mainly the torque for wafting past things without trying too hard.
The new ZR1 will be a step up for me when i get one, even the old one was a bit of a handful in the wet at 1650kg/755hp and rear drive, the dbss at 300kg with less power & heavier felt very tame in comparison to that.
I agree, but the other reason for full power on the Vanquish is the noise it makes. 
My reason for considering swapping the Vantage for a DBSS was with a view to having a longer-distance coupe (my Vanquish, being a Volante, is a little compromised on boot space). I may yet buy one, but no rush… keep having my attention drawn by all sorts of other stuff, mainly classics.
My reason for considering swapping the Vantage for a DBSS was with a view to having a longer-distance coupe (my Vanquish, being a Volante, is a little compromised on boot space). I may yet buy one, but no rush… keep having my attention drawn by all sorts of other stuff, mainly classics.
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