Cost Confessions Of An Aston Martin Owner - Will My DB9 Bankrupt Me?

[@kevinmcg6747]

Glad to see your open and honest review of costs. I always recall someone saying when buying used cars, look at their original purchase price as that will give you an indication as to the likely running costs. Hope the channel continues to grow with your niche angle. Cheers, Kevin

[@dadcars]

Thanks Kevin! Absolutely, I did go into ownership prepared for the worse but hoping for the best 😅… hopefully being open and honest helps others though, a lot of it is preventable with correct due diligence pre purchase

[@IsaacReddinger]

This is true. You may buy a $100,000 car for $20,000. But when it needs to be serviced, you are still maintaining an $100,000 car. That does not change. Great work Ben!

[@dadcars]

@@IsaacReddinger this is true, you can get the costs down by switching to a specialist independent but it’s still going to be much higher

[@GRfourfun]

You deserve way more subscribers mate. You are so sincere, honest and comical too. My jaw dropped when you said the bill amounts, thank you for showing us what it’s like to own this magnificent car.

[@dadcars]

Thank you I really appreciate this. Fingers crossed the channel will continue to grow 😅

[@zarosderer4447]

its like a wife: the more beautiful, the higher maintance spendence

[@elcasho]

Your baby is so chill and inquisitive

[@dadcars]

She’s literally the best baby! We’ve been so lucky that number 4 is the most content 🙏🥰

[@stomlinson32ify]

I’m sure it’s painful paying those bills 😢 but I bet the smiles back within 30 seconds of starting her up and driving off listening to that Aston Martin V12 soundtrack 😊, how could it not be 😄

[@dadcars]

Absolutely, I was very exciting to get it back and the drive home was wonderful 😎

[@deaks25]

I own an '08 650i and when I was considering buying it one of the best bits of advice I read was this: it's a complex engine, with a high cylinder count and NEEDS to be serviced and maintained on time (twice a year, without fail!) and PROPERLY, ie use high quality oil, not cheap petrol-station swill. If you do that, the car is generally very reliable, any major problems are either a complete crapshoot lottery or sheer bad luck. If you don't, then the engine will have all manner of problems and that laziness will result in enormous bills. The advice went on to say if any prospective buyers didn't want to pay for getting servicing done, or you can't afford the costs, then best to look at a different option. And this video instantly reminded me of that. How many people would baulk at the plug and coil price and think "nah, that's £2k plus change I don't want to spend, it'll be fine..." and then the car develops major and very expensive problems, but you've done it properly with a specialist who know what they're doing. To me, this goes into "Good, honest, real world consumer advice." Major lifespan services can be expensive, but there's a good reason and rather than showing how expensive the car is, you're showing that, if properly serviced, even a 00's Aston WILL be reliable. The tyre and SRS modules are just terrible luck and any car can get a puncture that writes the tyre off, but even then, you didn't half-a$$ it and did the pair. I assume you looked into a tyre repair before replacing? I had a major puncture on a motorcycle tyre, and the repair done by a professional (not patch, proper repair) was fine for the life of the tyre, which saved what had been a nearly new tyre.

[@dadcars]

Thanks man I’m glad what I was trying to do with this video came across, go into owning one knowing it’s going to cost you and you absolutely have to do it properly. The rear tires were from the previous owner and I just didn’t feel comfortable with 470bhp going to those rear wheels with my kids on board with a repaired tire… peace of mind if nothing else

[@JonWhitworth]

Love the honesty here mate, it’s great that you’re able to share all elements of the ownership experience with us. My Maser should be due a service soon, keep your fingers crossed!

[@dadcars]

We go into ownership knowing it’s going to be like this but yeah hopefully it’s helpful to see the ins and outs of it 😊 fingers crossed your lovely maser is kind to you this year 🤞

[@thisveterancan]

You have such an awesome and genuine positive attitude, and these videos about your DadB9 make us feel like we own it with you (even if we're not chipping in for fuel 😜). Always a pleasure to watch. Take care pal.

[@dadcars]

Thank you my man really appreciate it 👏 by watching the videos and engaging you are definitely a part of it all and helping the channel grow so thank you very much 🤗

[@TommyWalls007]

Thanks for the transparent video. I feel fortunate that you have made your channel around the time I am shopping for my AM.

[@dadcars]

Ah this is what I was hoping for, I highly recommend them just good to know what to look out for :) I love this car and will be sad when I have to get something bigger

[@markchip1]

The ANSWER is very simple - learn to do all the easy stuff YOURSELF!! Even in a wheelchair, I was able to do a lot on my own with my DB9... Until it was written off by another driver! Admittedly I never had any major problems over the two years I had it. That said most of my limited expenditure was on improvements and minor upgrades. The biggest issue was bubbling paint (on EVERY SINGLE PANEL!!) which I had got as far as being about to clearcoat the repaired spots. I will readily admit that this would never achieve a factory finish but it would pass unnoticed by most at 10 feet! I will be getting back into the brand, via a Rapide S, as soon as possible and maybe this could be a different experience - who knows! In your case, start by learning how to refurbish your wheels - it's an eminently DIY job and there's plenty of tutorials on KZbin!

[@dadcars]

Great idea, I’ve zero experience of working in cars though… mine has paint bubbling I need to sort as well 🥲

[@markchip1]

@@dadcars - I suspect that you will be able to find a couple of friends or acquaintances who wouldn't be averse to getting you started with a few of the very easy jobs. Once you gain a little more experience you can tackle other tasks in time. Just fully research everything beforehand - your local AMOC should be a great source of info and assistance too. Roughly in which part of the country are you based?

[@dadcars]

@@markchip1 I’m based in Hampshire

[@pkl8811]

Great pleasure seeing you in pain, Ben....it's all part of the Aston experience

[@dadcars]

🙈… is it a right or passage to ownership of these wonderful cars? 😅

[@sturex3084]

It's a great channel, and thank you for putting the content out! Hopefully someone on the channel will have a B7 RS4, that was a perfect Dad car when I had mine, but it was similarly expensive to run to my friend's V8 Vantage!

[@dadcars]

That’s a great shout! I have lots of cool German cars coming very soon 😜

[@metronetman]

Thanks

[@dadcars]

Ah thank you for this! Very kind of you indeed 🥹🙌 I’ll put it towards my latest bill 😅

[@dorianrees]

I’d be interested to know how much the costs would have been if you had replaced the spark plugs and coil packs yourself? Labour in garages is a rip-off and work like that can be done by somebody who’s relatively handy with cars without being a mechanic. Appreciate you probably haven’t got the time or maybe didn’t want to take the risk! These jobs don’t sound too bad to me - compared to a Ferrari this is straightforward stuff and comparatively cheap.

[@dadcars]

Absolutely, it would be double for a prancing horse 🫣 The sparks and coils on these cars is actually a fairly time consuming job by all accounts

[@cryptorich2317]

Parts for this job are circa £800 and a fairly proficient home mechanic could do it, however accessing the packs is labour intensive, inlet manifold off and hard to reach parts etc. If you have a good tool kit, space to do it and a 2nd car to use in case it goes tits up, you'd probably be fine 😄

[@nekite1]

I went to my local Lidl this afternoon and when I came out, there was a Maserati GranTurismo in the car park. Such an elegant car, but I'm sure that it would cost more to maintain than your DB9.

[@dadcars]

Yeah funnily enough the Gran Turismo I featured the owner has become a good friend, maybe I should do a video like this on his car, an update on the maintenance costs!

[@MrCarrera28]

It does not take long for service items to add up and I fully agree with your positive outlook, it's the price of driving an interesting car with the added bonus of helping to create good content for your channel 😜

[@dadcars]

Thanks my man 👏 Let’s just hope one day the content generates some money towards paying for it 😂

[@MrCarrera28]

@@dadcars You are on your way, journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step and your first steps have been engaging and entertaining!!

[@dadcars]

@@MrCarrera28 wise words and I appreciate the support my man 👏

[@richardburke952]

Refreshing video I enjoyed it! Where in the UK are you based the beach looked good on your BMW X5 vid !

[@dadcars]

X5 vid was filmed on Hayling Island 😎

[@Drewbie_T]

My new favorite youtube channel. I love the db9 and the ONLY thing that has prevented me from chasing this car is the idea of fitting carseats into it. You are slowly convincing me (even with the expensive bills).

[@dadcars]

Ah thanks man! That’s awesome! They are wonderful cars I absolutely love mine 😊 thanks for the kind words

[@rudeboyranking642]

I’m so glad I did my YTS mechanics apprenticeship as a kid and can find my way around my DB9 now

[@dadcars]

Being able to work on these types of cars must make it so much more manageable to own them 👏

[@rudeboyranking642]

@@dadcars get yourself a decent tool kit brand new or second hand and just have a go. I think people have a degree of fear to try it but you’d be surprised what one can achieve. It’s all about confidence and patience.

[@dadcars]

@@rudeboyranking642 that’s definitely the case with building work so makes sense it’s similar with cars, I removed and re installed my rear light when I got that refurbished and that felt like an achievement 😅

[@rudeboyranking642]

@@dadcars onto the next job then…the spark plugs and coil pack replacement…get yourself decent good Jack and some good axle stands and you can do your own oil change too. Changing the brakes are so simple too. Btw great videos 👍

[@dadcars]

@@rudeboyranking642 lol sounds so simples! Thanks man 😊

[@andrewstevenson9747]

Thanks for the vid. I’ve been lucky with my Rapide. I’ve had two door struts go on me which wasn’t too bad. My most recent service was a biggy £1k. I don’t have an extended warranty which was a good call as that would cost £2500. Which would have been a waste of money. One thing you forgot to mention is the car tax. That is £630 per year, ouch!

[@dadcars]

Yeah that’s brill, the rapides are so awesome, incredible value 👏

[@b4rkietb]

Wow dude! That is painful. I just hit the 7 year service interval on my MY2016 V8V. Rather than the "standard" cost of 900 for a regular service, I hit 1700 quid! Turns out there were quite a few filters and other sundries that all needed doing. Seems also that some of the filters hadnt been done by the dealer I bought it from which was irritating. I was pleased with Hardwoods Chichester, but will give Phoenix AM a try later this year.

[@dadcars]

Yeah apparently the air filter on the V8V is hard to access so it’s often missed! Crazy to think On cars like these. The chaps at phoenix are brilliant 👍

[@FRFRANKIE]

Hi Ben and kids & Monte. Hope your all doing good. That was one hefty bill for the car. I just finished paying the bill for my car. $2400.00 for a new turbo intercooler and plus wires and brakes for a 1991 Mazda MX6 GT Turbo. Take care and stay safe.

[@dadcars]

You know I love 90s JDM cars 😍 we hope they’ll be kind to us but love them so much we’re happy to pay what it takes to maintain them properly 👏

[@FRFRANKIE]

@@dadcars Your exactly right Ben. I'm getting ready to send my Mazda MX6 GT Turbo back home to UK, Sussex so I'll have something else to drive when I go back, hopefully for Easter.

[@dadcars]

@@FRFRANKIE if timings work out we could do a review on it 😎

[@FRFRANKIE]

@@dadcars That sounds so cool.

[@jesdadotcom]

Found you through JayEmm. Gorgeous car! Considering buying one here in the US.

[@dadcars]

They are very special indeed, if you can comfortably afford one… go for it 🤙😎

[@monicaolivares3902]

This is the reality check my husband needs, as he dreams of having an Aston Martin (I love them, too).

[@dadcars]

Just ensure you get a pre purchase inspection and set aside 3k a year for servicing and maintenance… if you get to the point you can comfortably afford to do it I still highly recommend 😊

[@monicaolivares3902]

That's good to remember. Thanks!@@dadcars

[@markcarter9476]

There's not a single job that you listed on your service invoice that you could not have undertaken yourself. A DB9 is just a car, it operates just like any other car and whilst jobs may require more stuff to be removed for access, they are all doable. Plus in doing the work yourself you get a better understanding of how the car works. Personally, I am looking forward to the time when my DB9 requires a coil + plug service, its roughly £1,600 for all the parts and probably a couple of days of fun time.

[@rh9583]

I have a z4 35is and was planning to get this exact car next, this has definitely changed my mind. I'm 25 and don't even own a property yet. I feel like a wee cheap 2nd car is the better option at the moment then buy a house/flat when the interest rates go down

[@dadcars]

Yeah buy a property before you buy an expensive car 🙌 I wouldn’t be put off by the high interest rates either as you’ll be able to buy a property cheaper… if when interest rates go down prices will go up 🤷‍♂️

[@Pete_Finch]

I just picked up an '05 DB9 with just over 15k miles from a very reputable dealer I've dealt with before and it's been put on a flatbed to the mechanic twice in the first three days of ownership 😂 she's so beautiful and fun when actually working that I just don't care

[@dadcars]

One that’s not been driven will have some issues to iron out for sure but you’ll have a wonderful car :)

[@kevinlong6482]

8 weeks into my ownership I had a new clutch fitted, with some discount as it took quite a while to get fixed was 3600, and that did not include a new ASM pump which was another grand but that was covered by the warranty Expensive yes but sell it ? Hell no It’s the mist wonderful thing I have ever owned and I just dont care , I love mine to bits, it’s beautiful and a joy to own, and when I get out , I look back at it and smile.

[@dadcars]

That’s bad fortune 🥲… thing is I tried to get a PPI but the place I emailed and called just didn’t get back to me so I went for it and in hindsight could have picked up on things… I hope to make content that can help others some financial pain 😅

[@kevinlong6482]

@@dadcars Well I forgot to get the clutch wear checked before I bought it😂 I checked everything else but then went back and it was 80% worn at 48k so decided to just get it done Just one of those things, second hand cars are always a gamble , you win some you lose some but I know it’s now done and drives like a rocket! Keep up the good work mate but I cringe when I see your dog in the car, I just about let the wife in mine!!!

[@dadcars]

@@kevinlong6482 lol he was on my jumper! Got blooming muddy running around that field though 🫣

[@celestialtoystore]

That sidelight is a £5 part off a Transit. JH-R at Aston Installations replaced both my fogged up ones for nothing when they upgraded it.

[@dadcars]

That’s a nice touch 👌 to be fair the guys at phoenix have helped me out massively with various things at no cost 😊

[@andybroer651]

Thanks for the video. I've commented before and really enjoy your Dadcars videos. I Own Maserati GranTurismo and Cabrio S in lieu of the Aston DB9. I've been happy with them, but don't use them, as my daily - Abarth500 for that. I hope the DB9 doesn't eat your bank account and await your next video. Cheers!

[@dadcars]

Yes I remember 👏 that’s a nice fleet 😅

[@rosewood1]

Overall I think your bills while expensive are actually pretty reasonable for the parts and labour involved. The ignition modules are expensive even in a Toyota and not too different. If anything more expensive. Personally I think your Aston DB9 is a really good vehicle that makes allot of financial sense if want to own an exotic classic. You have a great original car that hasn't had to be restored. I bought a lovely but older Silver Shadow. One bill had 300 hours of labour! Just do the maths on that! Plus parts. And buying an old Aston cheap ish nah doesn't exist but the bills sure do. Enjoy your Aston superb.

[@dna9838]

You've just taught me that having an extra set of arms and legs joining yours in gesticulating really helps when you need to rant.

[@dadcars]

😂

[@cobra1010]

Fantastic reviews - and your children are wonderful! And your dog also!

[@dadcars]

Thank you I appreciate it 🤗

[@michaelmottlau5941]

Great car, I would love to be able to afford the Aston Martin DB9 Volante 2010 model. Such a beautiful car.

[@dadcars]

Yeah the db9.2 looks stunning as a volante 😎

[@computerrefurbishment9748]

To be honest most of that won't be needed for a long time hopefully (sparks/coils for example). Have you had the primary cat delete to stop risk of failure (and debris ingestion into engine?).

[@dadcars]

It’s up for sale now! So the next owner will benefit from these big bits of maintenance 🙌

[@computerrefurbishment9748]

@@dadcars Hope you get a decent price to reflect this! I'd review primary cat delete as mentioned if applicable. Although missfire less likely now you have had the coils/sparks done).

[@James-RJM]

😮The joys of motoring, especially prestige cars 😢 A few of those extra jobs would possibly be covered under a decent warranty? I'm lucky to have 10 years/100K miles on the GR4, but wouldn't know "exactly" what was covered throughout that warranty period. The "renowned" small print and clauses!! For older cars it's arguably better to just put aside the 600 quid or so for an aftermarket car warranty or likely 2K+ for an A.M equivalent, lol.. I'm hoping your A.M servicing is actually being substantially discounted due to your video promoting😉 Did you have someone else there monitoring your sweet dog outside the car? The thought of him running back to the car and jumping up on the door with a repetitive paw scratch is further 🤯💰

[@dadcars]

Lol he’s pretty good, I had an eye on him. He was just laying in the sun on the field 😅 my experience with a general warranty wasn’t very good… and I didn’t buy it from Aston themselves but would recommend that to others

[@w4ryd]

I own a jaguar xk 4.2 V8, I think this would apply to all exotic big engine car. The only way you can keep them at reasonable cost is by doing most of the work your. Luckily I have carried out all works on my XK myself from service full brakes replacement pads and disk. Full drain coolant and topped up. Full service all oil n filters spark plugs etc.

[@bm7760]

Oh, man.... I love this car but have to concede I can't afford one. My 'Scouse Knob-Head', know-all brother-in-law is fond of saying: "The easy part's buying them". Hate having to admit he's right.

[@Number27]

Ah mate!! what a shitter..especially that bulb.. £94!! better luck next year

[@dadcars]

Thanks Jack 🙈 you’d have been able to do it all yourself! Hope you’re enjoying the Bentley 😎

[@Hali88]

Unlucky mate, those bills must have really stung, especially with the cost of living crisis and 4 young kids! Your bills this year are more than what I spent on buying my current car lol. Every time I think of getting something fast or fancy, I remind myself that they can cost a fortune to keep in good condition.

[@dadcars]

Yep, those bills cost the same as my s2000 was to buy in my 20s 🫣

[@odl21]

Those prices seem quite reasonable to me. Labour costs must be quite economical.

[@dadcars]

Yeah the guys at phoenix are brilliant, I’d be fascinated to know how much it would have been at main dealer 🙈

[@chaoringmeister]

Been looking at your videos on DB9 ownership, may I honestly ask how much of the work could have been done yourself? I’ve done plugs and coil packs before and can’t see that being especially challenging, ditto a lot of the other service jobs seem reasonable for a home mechanics but does it affect resale value?

[@JBsC6]

Beautiful grand tourer. Worth the cost of repair and probably will happen year after year. That’s what Aston martins cost to keep running and still it’s so beautiful how could you not fix the car year after year. Still the worlds most beautiful car is worth every cost. JMO and good luck

[@dadcars]

I completely agree Jonathan 🙏 I was prepared for the worse just hoping for the best. Genuinely worth every penny

[@Nick-vp7lp]

I was looking at Vantages (way over my budget ultimately) did lots or research but decided I wanted a toy with more "sensible" running costs....... So I bought a maserati 4200 😂 Tbf I got a very well looked after car, for well under half what the CHEAPEST Vantage has ever been. Absolutely love the beast and have been doing some simple DIY upgrades to make it the best it can be. Service costs though (well known independent) sound VERY similar to your DB9. However the ferrari drive train is meant to be bomb proof if serviced correctly. It's not my daily, but I will be driving it!!!!

[@dadcars]

Awesome! I’d love to see what they are like. I did a 3200 review early on the channel and loved it

[@Nick-vp7lp]

@Dadcars I've only had mine a little while. The 3200 is meant to be the enthusiasts choice, but has reliability issues, the 4200 solves those issues but loses some character and the Gransport fixes that. Mine was less than 10k, but I lucked out really. I've just retrofitted cruise control and I'm changing out the pedals for custom aluminium ones 🙂

[@mm345-0]

If it makes you feel better, you could have purchased a McLaren 12C. The 10 year service, along with various hand built issues was >$10k USD (and that was with warranty covered work and not fixing everything). That along with depreciation I think makes your Aston by comparison good value for money!

[@dadcars]

British cars in America are even more expensive to maintain as well aren’t they?

[@mm345-0]

@@dadcars My last labor charge was ~$265/hr so ~212quid/hr? How much is it about for you?

[@ianhortonplant]

Are they special Aston Martin spark plugs and coils? Or just normal ones? Could you have sourced them yourself with the specialist fitting them for you? I understand maintaining the specialist stamp is important but changing spark plugs really isn't a specialist activity! Keep up the good work on the videos.

[@dadcars]

By all accounts it seems sparks and coils on these cars isn’t the easiest or fastest… lots of people suggesting I diy but I’ve never even changed a set of break pads before 😅

[@ianhortonplant]

@@dadcars good point. A gorgeous Aston might not be the best car to learn on!!!

[@cryptorich2317]

That's a bad run of luck, I hope it ends there and you can enjoy some trouble-free Aston ownership 🤞 I've truly wanted one of these for a while, and whilst I can handle the purchase, service and even coil pack costs, the killer is unexpected items - I've researched endlessly costs of replacement exhaust parts, suspension parts, even items such as the front grille. They're staggeringly expensive almost without exception. It does seem as though just the name Aston Martin warrants a 300% price hike on some parts. There are a number of parts which are shared with other manufacturers, identical, but heavily inflated owing to the name which proves just this. Frustrating isn't the word! On a happier note, another excellent video, real world stuff 😁

[@dadcars]

Yeah it’s true, That’s what’s good about a good independent, they gave me the option of brembo discs when I had them all changed, costs an extra 20% to have the identical part in a Aston Martin box 🤷‍♂️

[@felixneri8608]

Great review. Absolutely right re using it every day v only once in a blue moon. Btw, this kind of car needs to be used on a regular basis. You will have probably avoided many more problems. And yes, exotic cars are expensive to run!

[@dadcars]

Reliability has been brilliant! And I do put that down to using it all the time like you say. The one time I went on holiday and it sat for a few weeks I did have some gremlins pop up but now have a trickle charger thankfully for if it’s sat longer than a few days

[@felixneri8608]

@@dadcars Well done., especially with (new) classics like a DB9. I almost bought one (then went for the Maser GT Sport). My then AM dealer told me that unless the battery had been changed and upgraded (in the DB9 I was eyeing) he recommended to keep it charged whenever parked in the garage.

[@dadcars]

@@felixneri8608 another DadCars absolute favourite well done, I spotted a lovely light blue one in the wild today. Yep keeping on trickle is absolutely essential, I even did it over the winter when it would not be driven for over 4 days

[@JensensChannel]

I love how you’re trying to break down the costs into £ per day of use and £ per memory created ❤man maths at its absolute best!!

[@dadcars]

🙈 lol…

[@garymcaleer6112]

Thanks for the heads-up, Dad. You have just explained why so many of these cars have at least three owners.

[@dadcars]

Yeah… add up the costs though and it’s similar to a very special holiday 🤷‍♂️ worth it IMO 😊

[@guylambrechts2303]

AM should sponsor your wonderful channel! Keep up.

[@dadcars]

Lol I wish! I’ll settle for a DBX on loan for a week please AM 🫡

[@tnutss]

would love to see some luxury sports sedans on the cheap like an XJL V8, quattroporte GTS, CLS amg, etc.

[@dadcars]

I’d love to feature all of those, I’ll see what I can do :)

[@samwilde595]

You couldn’t repair the tyre? That’s so unlucky man. I had the same a week after a new set of 4 on my xc60. £200 for a tyre lol Is it still feeling worth owning it?

[@dadcars]

Thing is with a RWD 470bhp v12 with kids on board I just couldent risk a repair… had to get fresh rubber 🥲… I’m fine with it all as I use it DAILY! So averaged out it is what it is :) can’t go swimming without getting wet and you can’t buy an Aston without expense 😂

[@samwilde595]

@@dadcars lol totally. I admire your commitment!

[@dadcars]

@@samwilde595 🥰

[@DonDon-df5ie]

Loving your channel

[@dadcars]

Thank you my man really appreciate it 🙏

[@philipezra8671]

I’m sticking with my 911 Bloody ell, those costs are insane. VW parts are quite cheap if you know the right mechanics

[@modmod392]

Great content man !!

[@dadcars]

Thanks! 😊

[@MrLocol1]

will you recommend this for a US dad lol or the rapide? im considering

[@dadcars]

Depends how old your little ones are, the Rapide is great for children of all ages

[@DiscoticUK]

Brian Cox says "tyre soft, screw sharp"

[@dadcars]

But how does it flick up perfectly to push into a tire?! I feel like you could drive over one several times without it going in! Maybe I should make a video experiment on it when I’m next due a tire change lol

[@DiscoticUK]

@@dadcars often it's the rears because the front tyres flick the screws up and the rears hit them at the right angle.

[@dadcars]

@@DiscoticUK what are the odds on that! 😅 I’d love to make a video experiment on it

[@DiscoticUK]

@@dadcars might be a bit costly!

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

Whole industries charge people far more than that for installing commercial industrial machines. You should see power generation and aerospace for heavy bills. A good servive provider will clean and inspect everything while they are in there, so disassembly is reliability, a viable expense.

[@tnutss]

hold up, you paid 1400 for spark plugs and then another 1200 for coils and labor? i mean plugs were to be removed and replaced anyways. how hard is it to unplug the coils and plug new ones in while changing the plugs?!?!

[@dadcars]

It was a full service as well as the plugs, I’ve always heard plugs and coils alone on a DB9 is around £2k… all in all it’s a fairly time consuming operation 😅

[@tnutss]

@@dadcars just something interesting to mention, even though the CLS 55 amg is a v8 it takes 16 plugs!

[@dadcars]

@@tnutss jesus that’s a cool fact 😅 can’t wait to feature one

[@roycedot]

The baby's so cute!

[@dadcars]

🥹

[@ESKATEUK]

Get the primary cat removed if you want peace of mind. The cat they used in these was ceramic and can break up and be ingested back into the engine, which is a disaster. You can pay to have these removed by Bamford rose, an Aston Martin tuning company, they will also install high flow secondary sports cats so the car is completely road legal, remap the car for the change in air flow, it makes a considerable difference to the performance of the car, and it sounds incredible. They also install a button that allows you to close the exhaust valves making it almost silent if you’re driving on a long journey and for whatever reason don’t want to hear the car constantly. They also do an option where they fit a high performance manifold, which is more expensive, but adds even more power, taking up it up to about 510bhp from 450. The engines on DB9s are very restricted, and can comfortably achieve 600bhp without forced induction.

[@dadcars]

Absolutely, I have thought about getting the cat removed for peace of mind and if it makes it sound better that’s a welcome bonus 😅 this is why I stopped driving it as soon as the misfire was detected

[@ESKATEUK]

@@dadcars definitely look into getting it done mate, it brings so much peace of mind! And yes the sound afterwards is brutal, it unleashes how this car should truly sound, and it already sounds good stock. Definitely look into it, and good luck!

[@92Fergy007]

I really hope they didn't charge you labour to do the coils after they charged you to do the spark plugs since they remove the coils to get to the spark plugs 🤨🤨

[@dadcars]

Yeah Im sure it worked out much better for me getting it all done at the same time :)

[@benpenagonzales6014]

You’d have lost that in depreciation on a new 3 series. And if anything the value will be going up

[@dadcars]

Great point 👏 on new cars the cost is depreciation… on old cars the cost is maintenance 😅

[@tabathv1]

Dogs a character!

[@dadcars]

He’s lovely 😅

[@markscars1069]

Love a good bit of pragmatism 👍👍👍

[@dadcars]

Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best ☺️

[@jamesharte8390]

timeless design

[@dadcars]

Someone said that to me in person yesterday 😅

[@milan.muk95]

Your content is amazing, keep it going and I'm sure you'll be getting enough views to pay for the repairs :)

[@dadcars]

Ah thanks man let’s hope! I’ll keep at it and hopefully down the line 🤞

[@strictlyyoutube6881]

So we can safely say its about 3-4k a year running cost?

[@dadcars]

Lol I don’t think so no, if you buy one that’s had all the key work done and paperwork to back it up it should be sub 3k 😅

[@strictlyyoutube6881]

@@dadcars Your videos are invaluable because it brings home why spending a bit more is less of a negotiable. In addition to that, ENSURING that it's had a proper service before it hands over to you. I am still eyeing up a Virage and have conceded we will need a Normie car. So looking at a Q5 for the wife and then after that, I can justify a Virage. I just need to work harder this year.

[@dadcars]

@@strictlyyoutube6881 thanks man, sounds like a plan 👍 virage is super rare so don’t rule out a db9.2 which will be similar or a little more money, they are basically an improved virage but find one at the right time and you have a special car there 😎

[@strictlyyoutube6881]

@@dadcars Ok I will take your word for it. I will try and check in this year if I get it.

[@dadcars]

@@strictlyyoutube6881 yes please do let me know how you get on 👍

[@carlgeorgtsigakis498]

Just came to see you in Pain.. :) hehehehe Just kidd'n. Know you have 4 kids, but did you consider doing any wrenching yourself? Many of those jobs you mentioned are eady DIY jobs

[@dadcars]

I do struggle for time as it is at the moment, but for sure I’ll give things a go in the future 👍 start with basics though can’t see me doing sparks and coils on a v12 any time soon 😅

[@carlgeorgtsigakis498]

@@dadcars It is Very simple to change coilpacks and sparkplugs. Its like a bmw 316 x 3 :)

[@dadcars]

@@carlgeorgtsigakis498 By all accounts it’s fairly time consuming and a specialist job on these V12s

[@Birmingham_racing]

It's expensive but it's worth it if you can afford it

[@dadcars]

Yep and if it’s being driven! 🙌😊

[@hughmcneillie1032]

Will stick with my Jag XKR - poor man's DB9.

[@dadcars]

I love the XKR! Can’t wait to feature one

[@joe5y]

Might be cheaper to run a Maserati…. Oh!

[@dadcars]

Perhaps we could do a similar video update on the gran Turismo?! 🫣

[@MrApacis]

My opinion: If you complain about the price of maintenance for the car you own - you can't afford that car. Go for something you can afford.

[@dadcars]

Sound advice and I agree, I hope this video didn’t come across as complaining though, that really wasn’t the intention. It was a bigger bill than I was hoping for but was completely prepared for the worse. I’ll always be the same person who worked and saved his little heart out to buy a s2000 in my early 20s and paid the same amount for that whole car as I paid for the maintenance in this video… even if I became really wealthy one day I think I’d always have that perspective on things 😅

[@geirarnesen6531]

Fingers crossed.

[@dadcars]

☺️

[@sp7873]

the baby is looking as if it knows what exactly is going on..

[@dadcars]

So funny you say this, I’ve always said that about that one! 😅

[@djpalindrome]

Even Ferrari owners are shocked at the astronomical cost of Aston Martin parts repairs and maintenance

[@MrCaterhamr500]

Hey, why don’t you bang on about your kids again, it’s so interesting 😂

[@DavidBrown-bs7gg]

And this is why I don't buy expensive cars without a good warranty

[@dadcars]

Only warranty worth getting is one you get from Aston themselves when buying used from them

[@robertlloyd7493]

👍

[@dadcars]

Lol 😂 how do you get it every time! 👏

[@robertlloyd7493]

@@dadcars coincidence 😀

[@dadcars]

@@robertlloyd7493 lol 😂 hopefully one day when the channel grows you’ll have some competition 🤣

[@daveetchells8206]

Yep just like its going to its new owner jay emms and the dbs witha very dubious history from a less that cosha 2nd hand car deAler

[@DinoAlbert.]

Wealth killer, but how can we resist to these beauties?

[@dadcars]

As long as you go into it eyes wide open 😅

[@darkmandarkman3121]

Cars that cost this much should not have these kind of problems.

[@TIGERSDFW]

what the hell is a pound? pounds of gold or silver ? or something else ?

[@dadcars]

A pound of salt 😙

[@ElectricPaoloIAM]

These all seem to be things you could do yourself.

[@dadcars]

My invoices and service history helped me sell the car… would have been harder if I had a 2 year gap and only had my word

[@Mr.Atlanta850]

🤨 you do not drive that car every day. It's not a Honda or Toyota, you Drive those every day. Look at it as an investment,not a daily drive NO.

[@dadcars]

DBS is a garage queen… DB9 is a special daily 👌😎

[@martinmcdonald4207]

A perfect Sunday drive to keep everything moving. Toyota Prius the rest of the week for reliability.

[@Mr.Atlanta850]

@@martinmcdonald4207 I know I have 2 Model S.

[@roninthedestroyer8958]

Aston Martin and Ferrari owners have money to pay for maintenance. If you don't have the money to maintain it don't buy it

[@OllieHicks-Sandri]

We brought a 2005 db9 early 2021 and then not even 8 months of owning it, my dads best mate wrapped it around a tree. So we brought a 2008 one and it is 10x better they are really good vehicles

[@dadcars]

Has the 2008 car got sports pack? I too was shocked at the difference between an 05 and my 2009

[@lukeshardlow768]

Oh don’t, mines going in for a service in a couple of weeks 🥹 I’m lucky in the fact that I have a technical job so when my coils and plugs are needed then il do them over a weekend. Changing a fuel pump on one of my Jags tomorrow. That would of been well over a grand at main dealer. I’ve only had my DB9 9 months but it’s definitely worth the pain/financial doom 😂

[@dadcars]

Lol 😂 lot of people saying DIY! I can do anything in a house but nothing on a car 😅

[@martinmcdonald4207]

Labour of love, no pain no gain.