So I'm thinking very seriously about trading my 05 DB9 for a beautiful, lightning silver 09 DBS. My question is for those of you who have either owned both or spent lots of time in both of these cars. My concern is the real world differences in driving experience between them. Are these cars different enough to warrant absorbing the obvious financial hit ill experience by trading my car. Both cars are 6 speed by the way. How is the overall quality/fit and finish between these years? I'd love to hear any input. Thanks in advance.

 

DBS is waaaay better than those early DB9s, esp the steering, which is artificially heavy on the DB9, making them a handful as the turn becomes tighter. And the interior is a whole lot better, considering it is the newer style with the better console and seats.

Unless you are comparing a DB9.2 to a DBS, then there is absolutely no comparison.

 

You said something that sparked my interest. What if I were comparing the DB9.2 to a DBS? Then what? What is the first year for the DB9.2? Please excuse my ignorance...I'm online now looking at DBS pricing and shocked at how low they are right now and wondering how much more an 09 DBS might drop 12 months from now...anyway not trying to highjack this thread with my thoughts.

 

Whoa....I beg to differ here. They are two different beasts and one should consider what they want here. The early DB-9 is no slouch in any category but is just a good GT performance touring car. The DBS is a harder edged, harder riding car with harder body lines to boot. I appreciate the softer body lines of the early DB-9's as more flowing and less in your face. The DBS is sharp and more focused in all aspects. I like the subtleness of the 9............02. How much is it worth to you for the change in image?

 

First model year for the DB9.2 is 2013, when it replaced the almost identical looking Virage. The fundamental differences between the Virage and the new DB9 is the added power (which is now the same as the outgoing DBS @ 510hp) and a more pronounced rear wing lip (inspired by the DBS).

I can't imagine much more depreciation on DBS's.

Personally... DB9.2 > DBS > DB9. The exhaust on the DBS is still a bit more aggressive (similar to the current Vanquish), but the new DB9 is quite a bit more refined inside and out.

 

I would take an 09 DBS over an 05 DB9 any day. The DB9 is a very soft touring car. The DBS has a myriad of improvements. Go drive one and see for yourself.
The 13 Db9 is a refined DBS. If it is in your budget you should certainly drive it and decide.

 

Thanks for knowledge blue_skies.

Since it's a 2013 I suspect that model year became available sometime in 2012. It hasn't been around long enough to determine if the 2.0 version is overall improved from a reliability and maintenance POV. I know a lot has been said about reliability of the AM franchise as a whole but I've got to believe and hope that this DB9.2 is easier (cheaper) to service specific to annual servicing.

One can never imagine further depreciation but Father Time seems to always win that battle. The only way I'd bet against further depreciation is if the number of DBSs made are considered so low of a number people consider them future collector vehicles like the Mercedes SLS.

I love the DBS and sometime in the near future will be able to seriously consider one. There's an angel sitting on my left shoulder saying go for it and then there is the devil aka my Porsche mechanic laughing and saying if you do get one you will not only regret it but the next time I see you, you will be naked because maintaining one of those things will have you lose your shirt and all else. He feels they are and have always been nothing but problems. Decisions decisions!

 

Is it a better car? Yes.
Is it 100k better? Probably not

Perhaps consider keeping you DB9 and getting something different like a new R8 or 991

 

Unless you've driven a later 9 or a DBS, you've no idea how improved the steering is. The early DB9 has very heavy steering feel once the wheel is moved more than a few degrees from center, so all of a sudden, as you turn more sharply into the corner, the steering loads up forcing you to apply more force for no good reason.

Many of the magazines complained of this, but Dr .Bez said he like it that way. Well, obviously buyers didn't cause it isn't a race car. So the steering was linearized for the DBS and then fitted to the DB9.

It is a shame that your 'soft' DB9 steers like a race car instead of the GT it is supposed to be. Once you drive a later DB9/DBS, you would never go back to an early DB9 just for the steering improvement alone.

 

Not sure I agree wholeheartedly with your mechanic, but you raise an interesting question on depreciation and future desirability. I wouldn't say that any of the Gaydon-Era Astons will ever be true, true collector's items. However, I personally have an expectation/theory that the manual DBS's and the V12V's will be a reasonable long-term bet. There will not be anymore large-engined, normally aspirated manual cars from any manufacturer, let alone V12's. (With the possible exception that AM might bow in to the pressure and make a few V12VS's in manuals.)

Either way, a manual V12 is a pretty rare beast. Very few DB9's, a few more DBS's I'd guess, but again many made in touchtronic. Food for thought.

 

This is my real point. I'm going to be going to my pocket for around 80K to make this move. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to drive the DBS yet (I'm in Chicago and so is the car.. enough said!). Is it 80K better than my absolutely perfect, very rare, 6-speed DB9? Maybe??

On another note I honestly thought my next car was going to be a Ferrari 599. A couple weeks ago I was in LA and visited a dealer out there to check out a 08 599 and was able to drive it. All I can say is that I'm glad I got it out of my system because I was totally disappointed. I absolutely love the look, sound and presence of the 599 but (for me) it always comes back to the gear box. The 599 has the F1 paddle shift and I just hated it! Much like I hated it in my Porsche 996 Turbo and any AM I've ever driven with it. At least now I can stop thinking about the Ferrari. Driving that car made me LOVE my DB9 all the more. However, the DBS, to me is the most beautiful (modern) car I've ever seen and I think I just gotta have one!.. but not at any cost I guess.

I agree with Stuart's comment regarding the future value of 6-speed exotics. The day will come (sadly) when they are just a distant memory and people will long for the feel of a proper driving experience that only happens with a manual transmission and I have driven many exotics but there is something certainly special about an Aston with a 6-speed..especially when it's attached to that amazing 12 cylinder beast. If the new DB9/Virage was available with the 6 speed, I would definitely be considering it as well but now it's just not an option.

One more little fun note. My first car was a 1968 Ford Bronco. I absolutely loved it and the 3 speed transmission in that old piece of crap was responsible for my love affair with cars. I'm currently having one custom built/restored for me at a shop near Detroit that specializes in these early Broncos. It will be ready in April finally and I'm pretty excited. What color is it going to be?? Casino Royale! I'm sure it will be the only Casino Royale, vinatage Ford Bronco in the world. I'll be sure to post pictures.

 

All of us over 20 folks would agree with this but in this day and age, kids are growing up without even knowing what a manual is. Games don't have them, race cars don't have them, so where would they experience a manual? The cars might go up in value for people like us but for the next generation of owners, I feel the manual will be a relic like the double clutch, rollup windows, non-fuel injection, etc. I wouldn't bet on it or have it drive my decision in purchasing a car. I'd buy one because I want a manual not for collectability. Cars need more factors to become collectible.

 

Excellent points. That said you would think a manual DBS might just be a collector car one day and at a minimum desirable to one who doesn't want what 95% of the other DBSs are. Certainly food for thought and something to think about for a DB9 as well. Hmmm...the plot thickens.

 

I hear you loud and clear but I'd bet most of us in these forums are warped car nuts that enjoy their cars to drive...their cars (like girls) to pursue and their cars in the stop light Grand Prix to flog on occasion. I would be a little surprised if someone here claimed to have gotten their car because they felt it was going to be an appreciating asset during their ownership. I will say that if money were no option and I had the space..or if I were Jay Leno or Steinfeld, there would be a few cars I'd buy right now to put in mothballs knowing they will appreciate in time...but now that I think about it ...I'd rather put that money in the market and not pay for storage and insurance and maintenance. Oh well scratch that thought give me the keys to a manual DBS and lets roll!

 

Don't take this the wrong way but what makes the DBS special enough to be a collectible? What differentiates from all other Aston's or cars of that time period? The market is still depreciating so indications there are it's not? The V12V on the other hand feels special to me and the market has been holding for a while with them.