What's a DB7 really like? QOTW #80
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 8 фев 2025
- What's a DB7 really like? QOTW #80s
Discover what the Aston Martin DB7 is really like in this engaging QOTW #80 episode.
Join us as we delve into the features, performance, and unique characteristics of this iconic car. Don't miss out on the insights and expert opinions shared by Mike.
Check us out on Facebook: / bamfordroseltd
Follow us on Instagram @Bamfordrose performance@bamfordrose.com 0808 123 1007
#astonmartin #bamfordrose #DB7 #manual #automatic
Having had both an XJS and an XK8 I can say that I rather liked the smooth, floaty ride of both and always drove with a big smile on my face. I am now fortunate enough to own a DB9, which it took a long time to bond with. The DB9 is undoubtably the better more accomplished car but the XJS/XK8 have more allure for me.
This review was very helpful as I sorted out purchasing a DB7 in January, 2021. I looked at both i6 and Vantage Volantes, and quickly focused on the Vantage. I drove DB9s as well, and in the end, the DB7 was the winner for me. I thought his comments fair on the various models, but with great emphasis on the high performance characteristics of the DB9. I plan to enjoy the GT aspects of the DB7, and its a perfect fit for how I will use the car. I enjoyed of these videos during my search, and they're a great resource.
Great comment, which I fully subscribe to. I own a 2001 DB7 V12 Vantage with stick shift. Not cheap to maintain, but well it's an Aston. I love the way the car drives. My focus is not on the driving dynamics but on the vintage aspect of the Aston. The interior is soo 90ies if not 80ies and I just love it. The outside is utterly elegant and beautiful. So, if I want driving dynamics, I really don't buy a DB7 but rather a 911, F430 or similar. Another important aspect is value increase. I am not sure if the DB9 or other high production number Astons that came after the DB7 will increase in value very soon. Maybe in 20-30 years or so. On the contrary, my V12 manual DB7 is now 22 years old. In another 10 years it will be a rare true classic, I have no doubt.
Very informative thank you...I'm considering either a late db7 or early db9..for looks its the 7 all day long but after watching this I'm hovering towards the 9👍
Good honest review. The looks are stunning but that’s about it.
Thank you so much, it is one of my hero cars I was going to message when are you going to do a review on it. It is finally in the range of my budget, I do want an automatic though. Thank you from Ohio usa!
Wise move about the Auto. I have a manual, and it is neither reliable or very good. Plus the auto is not a difficult unit to find second hand at all
Owned a DB7 for 20 years now and it’s cost me next to nothing, new coil packs, plugs, suspension bushes and tyres. I owned average of 8 other cars along the way at any time and all have had more faults including Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Jeep. Truth is any old car will need maintenance and DB7 Vantage is lovely V12 sound which makes a great gents cruiser. It’s not a sports car but due to this the ride is lovely and relaxing just slow down a bit for sharper bends and enjoy the exhaust note as you accelerate out of them. After all these years its still the badge that raises eyebrows when friends and family talk to me about my collection. In my opinion the low sleek lines are far nicer than cars that follow that had to be raised to meet new safety regulations.
I've owned a 2001 DB7 V12 Vantage with stick shift for 2 months now and I love the car. It has 94,000 Kilometers (58,000 Miles) on the clock and is in very good shape. Lovely Chiltern green paint and tan & green leather interior, walnut root trim. Its driving dynamics is great for my needs. I did not look for a race car. In my view acceleration is great, max. speed is also great and totally sufficient for the Autobahn here in Germany. I deliberately did not look for a DB9 (let alone a Jag) as I like the classic car feel of the DB7. Not many of the manual V12s were built and I am sure its just a matter of a few years until prices will shoot up.
love this brutally honest analysis.
have subscribed
Thanks for all the videos, they are always interesting. I happen to own an early i6 which i absolutely love, I thought your view was a little harsh but I do see the points that you are making. My car is low mileage and in great condition, I am also an ex factory mechanic so able to keep the car up to scratch. It will be interesting to see how the values change in the years to come, but with just 781 pre airbag i6 cars built they are certainly going to be far more rare than the DB9 will ever be.
Peter, I'm a retired BMW mechanic and was thinking about getting a DB7 and was more drawn to the i6 SC. Do you think it's a better engine, and does it respond well to mods?
@@diegomahishmaha9024 The i6 engine is pretty bomb proof, provided it has been well looked after. Given the low volume there hasn't been many mods devised. AM Works did a larger intercooler as part of the DD package, that gave a boost to c385 bhp from 340 as standard. The car is very much a GT rather than a sports car, the 500nm of torque is what it is really about, it makes the car super smooth in the delivery
Great comments. As I look for my first Aston I was drawn to the later DB9 and this confirms my decision to keep on that path and not go downmarket to an initially cheaper but eventually not less expensive DB7
I agree this was a great and informative video. Unfortunately here in America manual DB9s are double the price of manual DB7s. I have a feeling my first Aston will be a DB7, and I will definitely start with these suspension upgrades. Apparently a company called Gaz makes adjustable shocks for Jags, presumably XJSs, which fit on DB7s
Hardly foing down market, lol
@bamfordrose I really appreciate your rationale and honesty. More of an objective advisor rather than a seller. Top content.
I believe the DB7 is a woefully underrated Aston, possibly having to do with the stigma of having been conceived during Ford's fortunate or unfortunate ownership, depending on one's viewpoint. Let's also remember the dire financial straits the company had been in before the Ford takeover.
owned a 1995 6 straight manual for 10 yrs great gt car ,then owned a 4.3 vantage sportshift 2007 for 2 yrs , now own 4.7 manual vantage 2016 for last 2 years , db7 costs know where near the vantage service costs or up keep ,db7 not respected enough and supercharger sounds superb.
Hi Mark, are you saying that DB7 service cost are much lower than your 2016 Vantage service cost? Thank you, Sm
@@v10cylinder Hi yes over the 10 years I owned the db7 it was a lot cheaper to run than the newer models.
@@marknokes3431 Thank you very much, Mark! I just bought a 2001 DB7 V12 Vantage with stick shift a couple of months ago and havent taken the car yet to the Aston Martin dealership yet... So, I am still to find out how shocking the dealer's invoices are going to be...
Very informative and enlightening appreciation of the main differences between the models. As the owner of both the 6 & 12 cylinder XJS I can attest to the extremely close similarities between the flagships. If one were to convert an XJS V12 to a manual gearbox I will vigorously argue that blindfolded the Jag would come out on top. While it may be true that the money spent on upgrading the Vantage’s suspension would put you in DB9 territory, money aside, there’s a good argument to be made for increasing the handling capabilities of the DB7 to a drivers satisfaction (that may not be worth it in terms of dollars & cents, but driver enjoyment is worth something.)
Thanks Mike, As usual a very good video which will help some sort out which model to buy. How about a comparison of Classic Vanquish vs Gaydon, covering differences, reliability, and your views on driving and future values.
Really do think this guys reviews are first class.
Great video, stumbled across this video after High Peak Autos DB7 video :D
As an owner of a DB9 I must say that I fully concur with this fine gentleman's opinion. He's a jolly super sort of chappie.
Good honest review the guy hasn't got a clue about db7 any 20 year plus car will need work. If you want modern driving experience buy a new one. He does say the db7 saved aston martin the original cars were six cylinders yes the db7 came from the xjs. A db5 doesn't drive as good as a db7, it's the car you want that you buy for looks and heritage bamfordrose if I had a db7 I wouldn't bring it to you if your workmanship was crap your just say well it's a db7????
As soon as you said 'Jag in drag' 🤦♂️
Db7 is a fantastic entry to the Aston Martin brand
as with any old car you cant compare with new and most would like the db9 but just can’t afford it
As a recent owner of a DB7 Vantage (Stornway silver over parchment and red interior) and it being my first Aston (Porsche nutjob) I must say I couldn’t be happier with the car. Luckily it has the factory sport exhaust and I bought it with just 25.000 miles on the odometer. It’s been very well taken care of and, thanks to the gentle Spanish weather, shows no sign of rust or corrosion. Definitely this won’t be my last car from Gaydon.
Getting into a db7? Well at 6’ 2” and ‘well built’ I struggled to actually fit in comfortably.
Very well considered. I’m exploring where to go after my Maserati 3200 which certainly has the ‘driving dynamics’! I’m considering a V12 and I prefer the looks of the 7, but now I’m hearing what you say about the 9 … 👍
So if your buying an Aston as a fun weekend car and maybe an investment, would you go for a db9 over db7?
You SHOULD! (don't tell me how I know...)
I have seen your fantastic build. I was about to buy a DB7 v12, but the potential costs of owning one has stopped me. It looks wonderful, but seems hurried too much into production without proper development. I am looking for a Maserati GranTurismo now.
Really good info and food for thought from someone who clearly knows his stuff. I think anyone looking to buy with their head is going to buy the Jag XK 5.0 for less than 20K, but of course, it's 'only' a Jag. Any Aston comes with grossly inflated servicing costs, and I think that the Jag still compares rather well with the DB9 for still a significantly lower purchase price and cost of ownership. However, I think most people considering such cars are struggling with their heart's desire, and the pull of the likes of the Aston name. It just needs to be understood that the likelihood of keeping an Aston could cost you some very big bills for those struggling to buy such a car in the first place. Personally, I think the waterfall dash in the DB9 and V8 Vantage is not ageing well, and I think most of these cars have rather dull interior specs. I'd like to suggest the Maserati GranTurismo as a good alternative if the Jag name just doesn't make the cut. To my eye the interior is ageing quite well and most examples seem more reliable than a DB9. There are of course common issues to beware of, such as the variator issue that can cost 3-4K to fix (fixed at the factory on later cars), and rusty subframes for which there are no new replacements available. But a PPI should enable you to steer clear of a bad example, and if the car is susceptible to the variator issue, at least you can budget for it. And it's still a relatively cheap repair compared to common Aston repairs. Of course, all these cars are relatively heavy and go through brakes and suspension components relatively quickly. I think it's fair to say that in this regard, while more expensive than the Jag, the Maserati is still significantly cheaper to maintain than an Aston. All that said, I often feel the pull of the Aston badge, hence watching this vid. I like the more classic interior of the DB7, but if I spent mid to late 20s, I wouldn't have enough in reserve if something significant went wrong. I think with most cars you need to keep a couple of grand in reserve, maybe four or five grand for a Maserati, but I get the inpression that you could fairly easily spend 20K on an Aston. Not that I haven't seen the odd horror story about Maseratis, I just think the potential for really big bills is generally significantly less. If I were a sensible chap, I'd just go right ahead and buy an XK 5.0 and be done.
If you're really looking for something more akin to the Aston experience, get a 4.2 XKR Jag, and you'll have an arguably more reliable car, with more of a GT spirit than the muscle car 5.0 XK.
Sadly you didn't mention the DB 7 GT which is a quite different car. It's more of a sports car with firmer suspension and overall better performance, whereas the DB 7 Vantage is closer to a limousine. I owned a 7 GT for a couple of years and enjoyed every mile. Now I own a V 12 V, but still miss the 7 GT.
Hi Mike, enjoyed that as always, unfortunately for me never floated my boat but I can see the appeal of the car they do look well, but as you say I'd like to keep it on the road not keep it in a garage being repaired. Thanks as always
some good points. but you omit the gt and gta..
I've owned s db7 v12 manual for about 6 mths now and love it . Do you think the values are going to climb much?
Hi, so why are you selling yours now?
A series 3 e type is a faster better handling and has more equipment than a series 1 .but which would you rather have ? The db7 i6 will always be the car that saved aston
Great video
db9 or vanquish ?
After owning a DB7 i6 manual for ten years now, covering many miles also on long journeys I absolutely cannot agree with you.This car is not about breathtaking acceleration or enormous top speed. This car is about cruising in style and comfort in a gentlemen's grand tourer which you do not see in every parking lot with more than enough grunt for safe overtaking and relaxing travelling. It is also ridiculous to compare it with a more than 15 years younger Jaguar XKR. After this video we had the impression of bad preconception from your side. Guess you're better of in a modern and characterless Porsche 911 wich will give you everything you seemed to be looking for.
I agree. I own a DB7v and it is a matter of timeless driving. It will survive any of my future electric cars as long as legislation will allow it... Then, it will rest in the garage as one the most desrable design masterpiece. I had my friends from the Lions Club, owners of brand new 911 or BMW M's cruising in my DB7 on the motorway and feeling all the sudden like rednecks.
I couldn’t get rid of my DB7 i6 quick enough. They were built by mr potato head. Much happier with my V8V.
Does this version of the V12 have the same spectre of missfires leading to catastrophic failure as per DB9 if the plugs are ignored, and similarly do they suffer with the same bore wear / piston knocking issues?
Mike, can you review a DB9.2 anytime soon?
It’s like a jaguar xk8!
Driving dynamics? If you said it once you said it a hundred times. Please explain what you mean.
Why no mention of the DB7GT. Uprated brakes, suspension, bhp and looks. The model the DB7 should have been all along I'm told.
No it wasn’t built by Aston. It’s not really an Aston Martin. It was built by TWR in an old XJ220 factor. The only Aston part on this car is the badge. 😂
I wonder how many DB7s have disappeared? I don't think they have aged well. Db9 is a million times better
Rubbish. Since a DB7 is mostly an XJS the parts and service are as affordable as it gets. Also the late XJS which the DB7 was based on was a very reliable car. Vantages are very rewarding to drive. The DB7 GT was a fantastic driving car with even better dymanics an had a better Nordischlife time than its contemporaries... 335i, S4 and Boxster. Don't listen to this guy... Did you see how he drives at the end? Rubbish driver too.
Yep I heard that the db7 shares parts with Ford and jaguar so its not that expensive to fix.
The i6 DB7 is still going to cost a lot more to run than a 335i or S4, probably more than the average owners of said cars can stomach/afford.
Some of the parts are not shared with the Jag, and can be eye watering. I know a few owners. £2-4k service bills are not uncommon even avoiding main dealer prices. I know of one owner who spent £11k on one service! If you're running a DB7 i6 I'd budget a few grand a year in maintenance costs or just have deep pockets. The A/C unit fails and is a £2500 dash out job. The early cars can have ECU issues, and they are not made anymore. And no-one knows how to use the old diag ports on those early DB7's as it predates OBC.
For the money I'd rather have an XKR with that glorious V8.
The DB9/V8 Vantage are well known for being less needy than the DB7 ever was.
Keep ur eyes on the road bud lol
so really buy a db9
Mate look where you're going not at the camera!
He hasn't owned the car long enough to know they're built well, reliable and not a Jag.
9 sounds much better have to drive.
ずっと自分を映して喋っているだけ。何だこりゃ。