Pre-Owned Aston Martin Buyer's Guide - Things to know when buying a DB9, Vantage, Rapide, DBS, etc. 

Very strange to view anything on the internet that is genuinely informative. This video is excellent, informative with non of the "in your face" stuff that younger people love to transmit. Great job.

HUGE Aston guy here. Thanks for the video! I can confirm you can fit a car seat in the back of a Rapide S and your two year old will be laughing her ass off as you put your foot down!

As a current Aston owner I might be a bit biased but I don’t think you will find a better looking or more stylish car on the planet. Astons have always been stunning to look at. Art on 4 wheels. Keep up the good work Brian.

Hahaha “Supercar Douchebag Scale”. I nearly spit out my iced tea lol. Your Vanquish is stunning!

Def saving this video. Thanks for such a detailed and well informed video.

This is one of the best automotive buyer's guide videos I've ever seen. The one thing I learnt from this video - low mileage with a full service history do not necessarily mean a good buy. Gotta put some mileage on that Aston to keep it in good mechanical condition.

clicked thumbs up when the "Supercar Douchbag Scale" came up :)

Came back to this after some time

Supercar Douchebag Scale got me good 😂😂

Traded in a 2016 Porsche 911 Targa 4S, just not comfortable to drive for my back anymore. Bought a 2015 Vanquish Volante Diavolo Red only had 22500 miles on it, bought a 5 year extended warranty. Glad I bought a 2015 has the 8 speed auto trans, they say its a big improvement. Live in the US local AM dealer has bad reputation, friend of mine is a Rolls/Bentley mechanic gave me the name of a good English car specialist. A couple of months of ownership check engine light cost me $5000 + $2500 paid by warranty company, needed coils & injector seals & spark plugs, said cars in good shape should have no more problems with it. They say good things about AM compared to other exotics lambo's Ferraris. Basic 1 year service for the 911 at the Porsche dealer was around $1800, $1400 for the AM. I love the car stunning color no regrets.

Fantastic video - thanks for posting. Of course a couple weeks ago I went out and broke most of your rules to buy a 2006 DB9 Volante sight unseen. In fairness, it was an incredible price and I was looking for a unique project. One common issue among DB9s (and I think all V12 from the Graydon-era AMs) is the development of piston slap with warped cylinder sleeves and/or very slightly loose wrist pins. It makes an unmistakable ticking noise that shows up after the car is up to operating temperature. This is *likely* not catastrophic until you start burning oil although the cylinder(s) where this is taking place will lose compression and result in lower power. The fix is an engine out rebuild...which is a bit more intimidating of a project than I had anticipated!! Not many engine shops will touch it and the cost at the dealership is higher than what I paid for the car. Still though....what a car - I've been fortunate to own a 996 Porsche and a couple AMG Mercedes, which I loved, but this is something next level. Hard to describe the feeling of having the top down, starting up the engine (uncorked of course), sitting in some truly amazing seats, with the beautiful wood trim. I've still got a lot of work to do on the car and I doubt it will ever be restored / mint condition (using lots of bits from the Mazda / Ford / Land Rover / Volvo parts bin...) but I just don't care about that!! It looks amazing and all the neighbourhood kids (and dads) want me to rev the engine when I pull it out.

Phenomenal content. Been in the market for a Vanquish they are finally hitting their bottom depreciation curve.

Thank you for filming this and creating the PDF. You've got great taste as exemplified by your beautiful Skyfall Vanquish.

An excellent prospective purchasers guide; superbly delivered by Brian, with the credibility you’d hope for when considering to spend the necessary on this marque. Really enjoyed it. Looking for when we return to Houston, so the advice comes from the right location too.

I'm in the UK and still found this very useful. Not sure we'll have the same sort of problems with the interiors as you do in Texas, but the rest was solid advice and part of my "checklist" when I purchase a used AM sometime in the next 18 months!

I want to send along my most sincere appreciation for this video. You are honest, knowledgeable, humble, and so informative. I took notes for when I look at a car this week.

Great video thanks for putting our 2003 Vanquish in there! One more thing about buying an Aston Martin, join the AMOC club you’re gonna love it, Being a member of the club and getting to meet all the wonderful people actually is the second best thing about owning an Aston

Very educational and sophisticated video, thank you!

Now this shows up on my feed??. Lol, took me a long time to gather this info when I first went Aston shopping and you just laid it out in 20 short minutes. Wanted a DBS for years but ended up with a db9 carbon after driving every VH Aston. Btw Vanquish S is only car I’ll trade up for and that includes the new cars. This should be a must watch for any prospective VH buyer.

OUTstanding level od detail and solid reporting with no bias and no 'opinion' except that based upon Brian's personal experience. A+. Thank you sir.

Exotic cars are expensive to maintain period, but when you get a great deals on these ones its very tempting to purchase, but u have to get extended warranties which adds up to your expenses.

I love the VH gen DBS, later DB9 and Virage. Thanks for the video. This helps a lot.

Nice review Brian, very helpful for those looking to enter the Aston world!

I live in the UK and I stumbled on this very honest and informative video. It makes a refreshing change not to see a petrolhead showing off and making a complete ass of himself. Thank you....keep them coming!

Killer advice. Thanks so much! I can’t wait to join the club

Great video. Very informative. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge, very useful to me

Excellent video! Thanks for the owner (and club member) experience.

Brilliant video Brian. One day.... I live near the Aston Martin workshop in Durham (UK). I went on a guided tour there a few years ago and have loved the cars ever since. Happy driving.

I owned the AM Vanquish since it was launched until today. I love the designs in all the AM variants, they are sexy with the wide buttock and the duck tail, of which other brands are following now. It is really really marvellous .. Thanks bro

Wow, what a wonderfully informative and generous video! Thank you for making this.

This was an incredible video for someone considering a used DB9... I think I'll pass for another few years until the "teen" models drop into my price range, but I'm glad to know much more about these gorgeous cars!!

Brian, kudos to you and your fellow AMOC members for the video. You’re a superb brand ambassador, and by the time I got here, I’d been through so many amped-up over-energized over-edited whiz-bang presentations on Astons that your video was like an afternoon in a forest glade. Initially drawn to the V8V circa 05-08 for the low purchase price (which I could JUST about afford), I’m grateful to you for laying out running costs so clearly. (Love how you context new V8V clutches in the category of “It’s just one of those things you do every 20K miles.”); forewarned is forearmed, and I clearly can’t afford these cars, yet I can’t stop gathering info about them. Would some of your AMOC pals be interested in putting together another video, with several owners presenting their cars with the cars' individual pitfalls and pleasures detailed? Would love to see that! Thanks again.

Fantastic video. Looking for a used DB9 or DBS. This helps so much.

Thank you for all the detailed information and honesty

Excellent buyers guide. Many thanks 👍

Exceptional Video. Great work!

A honest "review". Nice! Thanks a lot.

My dude - you've got taste. Great video as well - thanks for sharing.

Valuable information, thanks! I'm considering to purchase a 2007 DB9, I'll definitely check the points you mentioned...

Excellent presentation really useful thank you

Love the video. I’m also part of AMOC North America!

Phenomenal content sir. Looking into a DBS now. Also had a 09 Vantage 6 speed two plus years and no issues.

Love your Vanquish Volante!

Brian - Great video, still very relevant today! One thing about 2015-2017 Vanquish is that in addition to the 8spd ZF box, AM also stiffened the suspension spring rates by 15% in the front and 35% in the rear. I think that will be too stiff for me. The 2018 Vanquish S had the suspension retuned for both more comfort and performance. For me, I would take a 2014 or 2018 Vanquish because I need reasonable ride comfort. Also, I always drive my 8spd Rapide S in manual mode any way (except on the highway), so I think I can live with the 6spd on the '14 Vanquish. Hoping to add to my garage in the years ahead!

Great video, I'm shopping for a Aston Martin so I need this information

Great informational video.

Great video!! Thanks buddy💯🤙🏾

Great video, thanks very much. Subscribed and look forward to further wisdom!

Perfect video. Thanks from France.

I love the old-school vanquish, and the sound of that exhaust is like a symphony. But I keep talking myself out of it because of the age of the car at this point and the potential cash cow that will have to come to fix the car. Great video and thank you very much for the information.

Great info. I love real world user car reviews.

Really well done and informative.....

Excellent video- thank you!😊

Worth watching. Thank you. I’ve been looking for a ‘15 V12VS.

Awesome video! Thanks 👍

Have to say, really appreciate this candid listing of all the things to watch out for. I haven't completely ruled out the idea of getting a Vantage, but considering I'm looking for something that can handle being a daily driver as a potential replacement for my 2014 Z51 Corvette, it's sounding more and more like an Aston Martin wouldn't be it. My Corvette has nearly 90k miles on it and is still on the original clutch, with no signs of it going out any time soon. It also has sat outside in hot California weather day in and out for the past several years with no signs of damage to the dash or interior. It's actually a little disheartening to hear how much you have to pamper a car like the Aston to avoid high cost repairs. That said, they are gorgeous cars with an amazing sound, will have to see if I want to take the risk of getting something that my regular activities would potentially thrash.

Excellent information thank you !!!

Fantastic Brian. You totally rock👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👌🏻

The video is very informative.. Thank you very much.. appreciated

Thank you just got a DB9 And love it so far so good. You just made my day just left the dealer for some oil and drives like a dream. Fingers crossed. Oh and good presentation.

Wish other videos were as straight forward as this one👍

Very informative. Thank you.

Great points. Thank you!!!

Great info, thank you!

Thanks for this super informative video. I agree they are exotics but also practical to own and maintain.

Very helpful, many thanks.

That Vanquish is absolutely amazing... pretty much peak Aston for me.

the front end on those are awesome

Hi from over the pond Your info is so helpful thank you

Thank you very informative you have talked me out of buying one.

One of the best and most informative videos I have seen about buying any used super car, never mind an Aston Martin. A first rate and very very watchable video. Well done Brian! On a side note, here in the UK the cost for repairs seems to be a lot lower than stated in the video, well according to the AM forums here in the UK (eg a vantage clutch typically costs circa £1500 so they say on the AM owner forums). Could it be that the repair prices quoted are simply higher in the US, cheaper in the UK or simply varies per market/region?

Awesome video very helpful, think I’ll put off buying an Aston for a few years, try an advance down my career more. Really don’t want to go buy one then be unable to run it, love the Vanquish S definitely my dream car, though that’s a long way off!!

Gorgeous Vanquish, sir!!!! As an Ohio State alum, I appreciate the grey color with the red brake calipers.

Great tips!!!

Brian, excellent video, thank you so much _ James, UK

Great non-bias information!

Excellent, thanks.

Well done! Anyhow, you should add, that all in this car is, what it seems: Alu is Alu, Leather is Leather etc. and ... you are driving the disinguish way without excesses. I do 12000 Miles a year on my V8V and it works: abolutely perfect, beeing a "wow" everytime I drive it.

Great video, thank you for the insight.....I just sold my Maserati gran tourismo and am actively searching for a 2013-2016 db9.....slim pickings out there so far though.....

Great video! Thorough and informative! Looking for a 2009-12 DBS, manual shift. So sad that they stopped making these in manual, but with the new ownership, perhaps they'll respect driving pleasure over fast shifting.

hahaha awesome I'll keep an eye out for you at the Austin events sir.

Great video. In my experience 2012 V8V One item to watch for is the window regulators. One of mine was replaced under first year of warranty. 2nd unit being replaced at present t under second year of warranty. In the UK these are about £600 installed by dealer.

Greetings from London! What a sensible, informative and authoritative guide.Might you now post some more on say the DB7, the original Vanquish and Vanquish S and the DB11? I hope so: anyway many grateful thanks for posting this.

douche bag scale is the scale i didn't know i needed--- but damn its so powerful! lol

Great video

Good note about the 6 speed and 8 speed transmissions in the Vanquish, the newer one is a big improvement. The Rapide has a similar issue, the first models and the 2013 Rapide S had the 6-speed but they didn't upgrade to the 8-speed until 2014 models.

GREAT VIDEO !! VERY INFORMATIVE , GREAT ADVICE AND ENTERTAINING ! I ALSO OWN A 2014 VANQUISH VOLANTE . I HAD A 2000 DB-7 VANTAGE VOLANTE. ALL THE BEST TO YOU .

thanks for the info

thank you this help a lot...

very well done

Great video and top advice! Happy with my 2016 DB9 GT Volante (4th DB9) and absolutely agree with you, the latest GT variant is way better than all previous versions by far! You forgot to mention condensation in the tail lights (probably not a big problem in the southern states of America as it is here in the UK). Another thing to check, especially on DB9's, is the window gaps to the roof seal. It's common that the window modules end up needing replacing or adjusting as well (if not fixable via a soft reset). As proof, this has needed doing on ALL 4 of my DB9s for at least 1 of the windows if not both. Thankfully all work was done under warranty.

this guy is very very knowlegable and just great speaker, im a new subscriber, considering my first Aston, bentween DB9 and new generation Vanquish. Any suggestions? Maybe facelifted Rapide?

Very good video. Planning to buy another car beside my 911. I’m thinking about Rapide. Hopes there’s more info about that model.

Beautiful vehicle.

One other thing the dealer told me to do is NEVER shut my 2015 Rapide S off UNTIL the coolant reaches operating temperature. I would probably stay away from any V12 Aston that has frequently been driven very short distances, especially in the cold. Something about exhaust gas recirculation that can hurt the engine when unburnt fuel hits primary catalyst, damages it, and then ingests some of the damage. Bamford Rose and Aston 1936 have some videos about this. I don't understand the science, but I either never drive short distances or wait for the coolant to reach that 9 o'clock mark. 🤞

very cool and thank you

Good video Brian! Have just purchased a DB9 on the other side of the pond! (Waiting for the result of the PPI!) First time I’d ever driven an Aston and my o my I’m smitten! The Speeeeeed!👍🤣

Los mejores autos.Sin duda. De Aston y Martín...

What a great advert for Porsche ,