# Is the Aston Martin DB9 Volante a reliable car? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** db9\ **Created:** [May 7, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190 "2009-05-07T23:29:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![heywoodubuzzoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@heywoodubuzzoff](https://community.cartalk.com/u/heywoodubuzzoff)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/1 "2009-05-07T23:29:57Z")
Hi everybody, A friend is offering me a great deal on an early Aston Martin DB9 convertible. Colleagues have told me however that Aston Martins are not great when it comes to reliability despite their price. I know its a luxury car but I am wondering if there are any figures about the reliability of Aston Martins, esp. the DB9? Does anyone have experience at all with Aston Martins? Since its a very expensive car I have no doubt that repair costs will also be sky high. Thanks in advance ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/2 "2009-05-08T00:45:41Z")
Too late, April 1 is long passed…you really need to know about the reliability of a super-expensive limited production vehicle? No stats on that, too few out there. ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/3 "2009-05-08T02:27:57Z")
This is a car that if you have to ask the price you probably can’t afford it. In a similar vein if you are asking about reliability you probably can’t afford repairs and upkeep. Certainly too rich for my blood. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these on the road. So who is qualified to even work on it? ---
**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/4 "2009-05-08T04:53:21Z")
If you can afford a DB9 you can afford a half-dozen other cars as well. I’m sure one will start when you need to get to “work”. Twotone ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 10:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/5 "2009-05-08T10:15:05Z")
Define “great deal.” The purchase price is just the beginning. There are no reliability ratings on Aston Martin vehicles because their owners don’t worry about such things. If you’re worried about it you can’t afford the car. Before you purchase a DB9 you better line up a mechanic who’s willing (and able) to work on it. You won’t buy Aston Martin parts at Advance Auto or Pep Boys. Good luck. Send photos. ---
**Author:** ![heywoodubuzzoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/51bf81/32.png) [@heywoodubuzzoff](https://community.cartalk.com/u/heywoodubuzzoff)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 10:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/6 "2009-05-08T10:37:14Z")
Its a 2005 for $ 38.000. The car belonged to my friends ex wife that passed away. I have some money saved but I don’t want to spend my entire money on repairs. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/7 "2009-05-08T12:26:10Z")
If you are not a man of significant, and I do mean significant means, do not buy this car. Repairs and even normal maintenance costs could bankrupt most small countries. This not a car for the unwashed masses. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 1:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/8 "2009-05-08T13:48:15Z")
The DB9 is built on a Ford VH platform and powered by a Ford Duratec V-12 engine. Reliability might not be so terrible. Basic maintenance might not be blisteringly expensive. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 1:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/9 "2009-05-08T13:57:30Z")
I agree with FoDaddy. That price is about half the going rate, sounds kind of odd. If you can barely afford this car, you CANNOT afford the upkeep. ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/10 "2009-05-08T14:43:06Z")
The only cars that share the platform and engines are other Aston Martins. Trust me this car’s upkeep costs are staggering, it’s not car that Joe Jack down at the corner garage can work on. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/11 "2009-05-08T15:09:55Z")
The cheapest DB9 convertible ad I’ve found is for $80,000. Why would your friend throw away $40,000? Is there something wrong with the car? ---
**Author:** ![AlfaDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@AlfaDriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/AlfaDriver)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/12 "2009-05-08T15:10:35Z")
I think you are trying to win this contest… > **[Auto Forum Troll Of The Week: Rock-Bashing Edition](https://jalopnik.com/5159377/auto-forum-troll-of-the-week-rock-bashing-edition)** > > Welcome back to Auto Forum Troll Of The Week, where we shed light on the seedy, clever and sometimes-annoying world of forum trolling. This week, taking the term "welding the differential" a little too seriously. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/13 "2009-05-08T16:42:30Z")
If you care about reliability forget the car and look elsewhere. Cars in this “class” are added to collections. If it fails to start in the morning you simply take your Bentley instead. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/14 "2009-05-08T21:59:47Z")
If the “check engine” light comes on and you need an emissions test, it’s “game over” as far as repair costs are concerned…And they are UGLY… ---
**Author:** ![bscar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar/32/34_2.png) [@bscar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/15 "2009-05-08T22:55:11Z")
By all means, buy it and let us know how it works out for you ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/is-the-aston-martin-db9-volante-a-reliable-car/30190/16 "2009-05-11T00:03:15Z")
This is ridiculously cheap, assuming there’s nothing wrong with it. Buy it and flip it, make some money and walk away, but don’t even think about trying to keep it. It will bankrupt you in short order.