Had the 2007 DB9 for a week now, and so here's my impressions so far after coming out of an 2008 V8VR, and my first drive.

This car was immaculate inside and out with no stone chips - after a flawless front repaint I'm guessing - and the interior was like new with only slight wear on the driver's seat. It had done only 14k miles... but the last 5 years were an average of 1k miles/yr.

So there were some small leaks which the service I had done immediately had picked up and fixed, but otherwise the engine was sound and the fluids were the right color.

Another downside of the low mileage was the interior smelt a little musty. My son, a tech with 30 years experience, said it's quite a common smell when they're not driven often. I wiped all the leather down thoroughly with a damp soft towel, cleaned the carpets with Meguiar's Carpet Cleaner, and after leaving the windows open for the last 4 days (except for driving) the new smell is starting to return!




After my Roadster the DB9 felt a big car. Even though the cabin is exactly the same from the front seats forwards, it just seemed much larger. Like the Vantage I couldn't see the where the bonnet ended, and the big DB9 haunches took up some of the space in both rear mirrors, making it seem a massive length and width from inside.

I liked the airy light given by the side windows and quarterlights and the large rear window, and the two pseudo-seats behind made it seem more spacious too. With the off-white alacantara interior roof instead of the claustrophobic black lining of the Roadster, this felt like a bigger cabin all round.

The next impression was the feel after I started the engine. It caught immediately, not appearing to wait even for the start motor to engage.

The throttle was very responsive, and I had a little trouble keeping the speed manageable as I was backing out of the dealer's park. It seemed to want to get up and go.

So here I was at the end of the short street, sitting in 1st on the paddles, waiting to get into city traffic. Then the familiar scene as some of us experience every day in Astons... a car stopped when it didn't need to, to let me out. Anxious not to hold up traffic, I put my foot down and with a screech of tires I flew out into the lane. Wow. I've never spun the wheels of any car from takeoff before.

At the lights I double-checked to see that I wasn't in Sport mode, and then when the lights changed, unthinkingly, I did it again! What was going on? After 50 years on the road in all types of cars, had I forgotten how to drive?

Well, turns out my model was before the engine was remapped to ease back on the 1st gear takeoff. As well, the rear tires were old - as old as the car, and with only 4mm tread left. These two factors combined probably had a lot to do with it. Others have said the same too about the wheelspin, so I'm not alone.

I settled down into traffic. First impression was what Jeremy Clarkson had said after driving a DBS a few years back. It wasn't old fashioned, it was instead old school. The feel in the ride was of an aging platform but beautifully balanced by the raw power sitting there waiting to be used. The ride was firmer than I expected which surprised me. New tires might fix that.

But the steering was delightfully light, better than it should be for a car this size. It was responsive too, going exactly where I pointed it and cornering easily. The drive was starting to be quite enjoyable even in heavy traffic.

I stopped for gas and got the usual positive looks we get in these stunning looking cars.

Then came the familiar problem. Exiting the service station I scraped the nose as I had experienced many times before with my Vanquish. There is no right way to approach a steep or even shallow kerb to prevent this. I mentally noted not to use this exit again but the other two looked just as bad. As it turned out I managed to find the one that worked without any more damage and so this was sorted out.

For the next 10 minutes of stop-go traffic I put it into D and let the gearbox manage changes (smooth!) while I checked the gauges and tried to fine tune the seat position. I liked the side hugging bolsters but I hadn't quite got it to where I was comfortable. Everything was starting to settle down though.

The engine noise was a little more than I expected. It was much noisier inside than the Vantage Roadster with its extra soundproofing, but pleasant enough.

Then up came the on-ramp to the motorway and I floored it. Within seconds I had reached motorway speeds and merged into the lane. This was better - it was fast but had a planted, secure feel that gave me a lot of confidence.

There's too much to talk about with this DB9, I could go on forever. My impression a week later is that it is getting better and better as I grow used to the handling. The ride is very comfortable, the car very light for such a heavy beast, and it has miles of instant acceleration when I use the right gears.

The PO had mismatching brands of tires. The front set were new and there were the original tires on the back, and I knew this was a disaster when I read in the manual that we should never combine new and worn tread front and back - or there would be dire consequences. So a new set of OEM Bridgestones with the AM9 emblem has been ordered and I'm looking forward to the new improved ride when they arrive in a couple weeks.

So far I've driven it daily for about 50 miles a day, mainly high speed runs where I can, and it's a beautiful driving experience. I'm sometimes tempted to compare it to my past 2012 Bentley Continental GT which was a predictable and pleasant ride with W12 power, but the fact is I'd rather have the character of the DB9. It gives a different driving experience in so many ways that each trip is new and interesting, and you don't get that with many other brands.

As this is my third Aston Martin I guess it means I'm now a qualified enthusiast!

 

Beautiful write up, felt as if it was my first week of owning the car

 

Thank you for providing this well-detailed input; as a future prospective DB9 buyer I want to know everything I can about them before making my mind up, and without any local cars on hand to test out, it's proving to be difficult. I'm quite happy to hear you're enjoying the car so much, especially compared to the other excellent cars you've owned!

Is it just my imagination or does your car not have the pop-up display on the top of the dashboard?

 

Thanks. Nice that other owners have similar experiences too.

 

Yes, there's no pop up display screen on mine, and there wasn't one on my V8VR either. I don't need it or miss a map, but I do like its unique concept even though I'm undecided on the aesthetics when the display is open.

There are many design factors in the Aston Martin I enjoy and that set it apart from other brands: the pop-up screen; the waterfall instrument panel design flow; the P R N D control buttons that keep the waterfall clean by not needing a gear selector; the ECU key (I'd like in my next model) especially--how unique is that!; the anticlockwise tachometer; the fly off handbrake, that funny elbow resting pad that sits in the center console in later models; the popout pen.

They remind me that this small company is unique in the world of supercars and we're driving something special, and these parts contribute to the sense of occasion. What other sports car manufacturer includes an umbrella as an option?

The main attraction to me and many others is the eye watering body shape. It looks spectacularly good from any angle and that's rare in any car. Most sports cars have only one or two good sides, but there isn't a poor angle anywhere with modern DBs or Vantages.

Hope you get to test and buy one. The DB9 is seen as a cruiser, but believe me it handles just as quickly as many other cars that weigh less.

 

Well, have just joined you with a 2007 DB9 of my own, except convertible. 11K miles. Love it already (so does the other half). Photos to follow...

 

Congrats, Steve! Any chance it's green

 

Great, love the Volante style and open air experience can't be beat. Do you still have the DBS?

 

Green of course AND rolling on PSS...

 

California Sage?

 

Yup. It's one of those colors that looks much better in real life than in a photo. I really like it, and more importantly, the OH really likes it.

 

My favorite Aston color

 

I have a friend with a DB9 coupe in California Sage -- as you say, looks great in real life. Such a fine metallic flake.

If you have bamboo inside that would make it just about perfect set of colors.

Well done.

 

After seeing the pic of the cali sage... I have to go down to the garage to stare at mine. Be right back

 

Excellent write up. It is no wonder we fall in love with these cars. I just completed a 930 mile drive down the california coast and back. Words don't do the experience justice!