Aston Martin DB7 Buying Guide - A Cheap Supercar You Can Afford?

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The DB7 has long been the cheapest way into an Aston Martin, but that doesn't mean they're trouble free, nor cheap to repair. Paul tells you all you need to know!
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[@suzuki-gsxr6008]

Just got 2001 DB7. Done 600 miles in 4 days and i think its such a comfortable car. Obviously it's 20+ years old so cant compare with a newer car. Looks amazing 😻

[@jjefferyworboys8138]

Super car and cheap are not words that appear in the same sentence. The DB7 is very pretty and buying the very best you can afford is excellent advice.

[@gerardbodenheimer7522]

I own an early DB7 i6 manual for 10 years now, using it regularly also on long journeys without any trouble, besides the check engine lamp coming on for a certain time without any apparent reason and it is no off again without fixing anything. Consumption and maintenance are not more expensive as for the Jaguar XJ r 6 cylinder I had before that if you know where to source the part from. It my eyes it is one of the most underrated classic cars in the market and I can only recommend to buy one if you like this sort of gentlemen's grand tourer. Of coarse it is much cheaper to buy a more expensive one which has been looked after than to try to restore a neglected example. I love this car!

[@kevinsenior8155]

I had 3 DB7's back around 1998 - 2006. Two of them were new, and as part of the deal, I had factory tours near Banbury, where I saw my actual cars on the assembly line. This was when Aston and Jaguar were all part of Ford. I recall seeing rear subframes with the Jaguar sticker logos still on them! So they may be suped up XJS', but I loved them.

[@anakinskywalker4113]

Good video guys, The biggest issue with a lot of these modern classics as a mechanic myself has to be water ingress. If there has been water into the foot well then the wiring on these things can be a real hornets nest of trouble. diagnosing electrical issues can be very problematic. Most of the mechanical stuff can be sorted out, it is not a cheap exercise but doable. The electrics on the other hand can be thousands $$$ especially cars that have had a lot of water in places where it shouldn't be.

[@tibchy144]

alternative option is to get a contemporary XK8 or XKR

[@smoothmicra]

Thanks for the honest review, easy to fall in love with such a handsome motor, and buy with the heart not the head. You have frightened me off acquiring one, the Jag seems a much better bet as an affordable classic. However, I can see the Aston rocketing in value, so perhaps more of an investment?🤔

[@CarsofGlasgow]

Great honest video. I seen some of these DB7 cars up for sale at Goodwood FOS. Weirdly they were priced £2-3k less than the DB9's the vendors offered. If I was looking for a used Aston I think I'd go for the newer DB9

[@gsc512]

They have UV protectors. You can soak those rubber gaskets in and it really does extend their life. You can do the same thing with your serpentine belt. It's best to soak it as an individual piece and then install it😅 Most new engines benefit greatly from an oil catch can put in line with the PVC system😅 Yes it's a little bit of extra maintenance but you can retrofit it so it has a drain valve on the bottom and you just open it during your oil change😅

[@edmunds4635]

Great video, especially the engine part, most of them applies to db9s and later model down the line. This man knows his shit and this is the type of content that I’d recommend from my personal experience maintaining my v12 engine, ticked three out of five boxes he gave and I wish I have saw this earlier

[@ukzerocom]

So when you find a DB7 with none of the issues described it will be "must buy" I guess! The car people love to slate, right up until the point they fall in love with one and buy it. In the metal few cars look more beautiful - not often I agree with Jeremy Clarkson.

[@SailorBen]

One just pulled out infront of my XJR en route home this evening... didn't get a chance to play tho!

[@StephenGraves]

I find it kind of hilarious that because of the positioning of the single-DIN stereo it's impossible to fit a fold-out screen, so you can't get CarPlay or Android Auto on it (well, I suppose you could get Porsche's single-DIN CarPlay unit if you don't mind the logo…).

[@darrensurrey]

Great video. Sadly, you've put me off! The prices make my current car seem cheap.

[@ajamino4107]

The most beautiful car I never want to own. Looks to kill for, build quality to lose your mind over. I was surprised at how tatty the interior is on this particular car. I could never live with a car that rattles, would make you not want to drive it. Shame, such a looker. Jag XK buying guide would be good please. Alternative and for a hell of a lot less money could be a Mercedes CL 600?

[@tris7]

Great buyers guide! Although they did do exactly what they said you shouldn’t do. Which is buy a cheap tatty one that needs work. I think Bamford Rose said this one was a bit of a shed 😬

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Pay peanuts, you may well get monkeys!

[@maxeluy]

If you have a Cassette head unit buy yourself a Bluetooth Cassette, AUX Jack Cassette or an FM Transmitter and you are good to go.

[@nathanw7114]

Also possibly to get BT plugs/modules soldered into the back of the original stereo, this may prove valuable for the people looking for the OEM+ look.

[@MRFUCKOFF202]

This is one of the best buyers guides I've seen. Personally I think it's a tough sell this compared to the XKR. XKR looks just as good, same performance, same chassis, nicer interior, no overpriced AM parts, more reliable engine and ZF6 gearbox and cheaper. Only reasons I can see to buy this is V12, factory manual gearbox and badge, not sure they justify it.

[@Punisher9419]

I would get an XK8/R instead. That is what I did instead. The interior in the DB7 is a joke comapred to the XK8 which is weird because the Aston was much more expensive then the Jaguar.

[@alexandrecouture2462]

Great video! What about buying a late XJS instead?

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Another tempting option! Fancy an XJS buying guide?

[@alexandrecouture2462]

@@ClassicsWorldUK Absolutely!

[@flyinghedgehog3833]

After watching this...wouldn't touch one ! Honest review

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Living with one teaches you a lot!

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Interesting video 🚗🚙🚘👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@v10cylinder]

This is a very instructive video, many thanks. But also quite worrisome: this is the first time I've heard about the engine tick. I own a 2001 DB7 V12 Vantage (manual stick shift), which produces exactly that noise when the engine is warm. Not when it's cold. But the car drives very well. What will happen if I do nothing? Will the engine eventually blow up? How much would it cost to be fixed? Would Aston Martin's diagnosis instruments show some error/warning message if the engine has the ticking noise? If so, which error message would that be? In other terms, if the AM diagnosis instruments do not show any error/warning message, would that mean that the ticking noise is no probem and can be ignored? Many thanks, Sm

[@colinthebeard]

I read about a DB9 that had a £15k rebuild, this was a good while ago.

[@v10cylinder]

@@colinthebeard Thank you, Colin!

[@liverpoolscottish6430]

Buying an older Aston appears akin to playing Russian Roulette with a loaded revolver! What a potential money pit. RISK v REWARD? Not worth the RISK £££££££££!

[@fasthracing]

Seem to remember that they "forgot" to underseal some of them.

[@GregApe007]

Rot? Rust? Only outside the U.S. I suppose. I'm on my 5th DB7 and here in the Southeast US.....simply bone dry. No major repairs to date. Only a brake job. :)

[@seancooke7332]

Give me Warp Factor 4 Mr Sulu please

[@ianmangham4570]

I love it

[@fasthracing]

Squeak and rattles. Not for me. Give me a Jag XK V8 any day.

[@greg8022]

So buy a DB9 instead!

[@rob5944]

What do you need to know? Answer, don't. Buy something else instead.

[@explorer806]

You lost me at rot.

[@nigelwest3430]

The worst car to ever wear the Aston badge, A bodged development by TWR/Jaguarsport

[@ianmangham4570]

Ouch

[@Tobi-05]

yeah, i like the design tho

[@nigelwest3430]

@@Tobi-05 I am in the minority that think this car is not as beautiful as everyone else, I was working for Astons when they decided this proposal for an XJS replacement would be slightly restyled and called an Aston Martin (then labelled NPX, DB7 came later) we were taken to the Jaguarsport factory at Bloxham and shown the prototype (still as a Jaguar) I didn't like it then and I still don't, probably the only Ian Callum designs that I don't like.

[@bernardwarr4187]

Disagree, totally, a TWR triumph, and every Aston since is inspired by it. Some might say, Aston went down hill and more common since?