Does anyone know of a Aston Martin forum that is more active and focused on them? Dont get me wrong I love 6speed as much as the next guy but we have to admit this is a Porsche dominated board and I'm looking for a more Aston dominated scene also?

 

I frequent these two:

http://www.amoc.org/

http://pistonheads.com/gassing/forum.asp?f=70&h=0

 

BTW, not many boards out there are as active as the Porsche ones. The AM forums are dry and slow by comparison .. If you come up with any others, please let me know.

 

Thanks and I definetly will. Amazing DB9 by the way.

 

Riozilla - Are you enjoying the DB9 ? I am thinking about switching to one from my modded 996tt. Is the AM a maintence nightmare ? ie I know the Ferrari's are so expensive to maintain as compaired to a Porsche - I was at a F-car dealer and they pretty much talked me out of a 360 !

 

I am loving it so far - I've put about 1500 miles on it since early December and have had no real problems.

I almost bought a 550 Maranello (2000 or 2001) and the maintenance issues and costs scared me away at the last minute. It remains to be seen if I jumped out of the pot and into the fire, so to speak, as I've not had the Aston for that long.

Any exotic you go to will be a little more delicate than the Porsche. I came from a 2004 40th Anniversary Porsche 996 to the DB9 and you definitely get the sense that the AM is a bit more precious, a bit less 'bullet proof' that seem to me to come from the hand-built nature of it and the british quirkiness of it. There are two common problems people have with DB9's - these are the tire pressure monitor and the stereo/electrical bugs on cars that have the Linn 950w high end stereo package. Having all of the service bulletins done is a must. I have had no problems with the stereo/electrical (and I have the 950w Linn) but I get tons of random errors and messages from the tire pressure monitor unit. Mostly annoyances, no show stoppers. I have not had the car long enough to know the true cost of ownership and to know the full cost of the services. I just had the 1500 mile service done and it cost about $1200 (for basically an inspection and oil change) - so that seems like Ferrari territory to me .. I don't know the costs of the later services ..

 

R- thanks for the explanation and heads up. They sound like a lot of fun and I am looking for something a little different - have had quite a few P-cars over the years. If you don't mind - Keep me in mind over your ownership - I'll probably get real serious in about 3 months. I think I just got my neighbors 996 Cab sold to another friend - so this neighbor will start buging me about selling him my tt.

BTW - would you still stay with the DB9 or go w/ the AM8 now ?

 

I definitely am happy with the DB9 over the AMV8.

I drove the V8 and its a very different personality (more porsche like) - smaller, but less of a 'grand tourer' - it has less presence and torque than the DB9. You can toss the V8 around a bit more but the DB9 was the overall package I wanted. Remember, if I was going to get a Ferrari it would have been the 550/575 - I am not a 360 or 430 kind of guy, so the big V12 and more of a GT feel was what I was looking for. Also, the AMV8 is expensive for what you get, IMO - it's not even 400HP and my DB9 (2005 very lightly used) was about the same price as a new AMV8 fully optioned.

 

Riozilla could you post interior pics of your car, it sounds amazing. Thanks man.

 

Here are some interior pics, on an earlier thread I posted when I got the car.

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...t=66060&page=2

 

I think I spoke too soon. Took her out tonight to grab some dinner and promptly got an engine warning light stating "Emissions System Failure Service Error" or something like that ... Would not go off - car drives fine, but now I have to take her in.

I would not buy an Aston if you live more than an hour or two from your local service center
]

 

R - read your other thread too - thanks for the great insight. I'm full of questions - sorry - did you ever look at/into a DB7 ? I have read about a few GTs for sale - prices seem very "reasonable".

 

No, I did not seriously consider a DB7. Prices were low but it's really a 'Jag in Drag' as Jeremy Clarkson has said.

Other then the vintage appeal of the classics (DB5, etc.) Aston's did not really become attractive, modern super cars for me until the Vanquish came out in 2001/2002 and then the DB9, etc. I did toy with getting a used Vanquish (also depreciated to about the same price as a used DB9) but the DB9 had a much more modern interior, a fantastic gearbox compared to the Vanquish and looked more elegant, IMO.

 

is there much difference between stock, 260W system and 950W linn?
i had a db9 with the stock stereo and it was horrid

 

I don't know since I've only experienced my premium system and not the other two stereo system options.

Mine is pretty good in terms of power and fidelity. I get comments from people about how clear the imaging is and how great it sounds when I turn up the music. I have zero complaints (other than the lack of a line-input or iPod interface).

Personally I like the keep the stereo off, put down the windows, hit the sport button, blip the paddles and take her to 6K RPM to listen to the V12 wail through the sweet exhaust music..