[gmyles]

Hi there,

I'm about to take delivery on a 2006 DB9 convertible with about 30,000 miles on it. I had a PPI done by the nearby AM dealer, and the car is in good shape.

Is it worth getting the Extended Service Contract?

TIA,

Greg
Los Angeles, CA

 

[Snowy]

Greg,

have just looked into the E W issue on a Vantage and it seems things have changed somewhat. I was prepared to put down the $4500 I had thought would obtain a two year Aston warranty, only to be advised that the program had changed and Aston had withdrawn their extended warranty from the USA. Now, to support their loyal customers, they have handed us over to an insurance based "service contract" at a mere $3,700, per year! Of course, the contract will be rich with exclusions, deductibles and all kinds of games. However, you still get to pay about $500 to have the vehicle undergo a 140 point inspection so the insurance company doesn't get exposed to the terrible faults that seem to be expected on a three year old hand built automobile.

Please excuse me if I sound a tad disappointed with this, but it certainly makes me question the wisdom of adopting a vehicle the manufacturer seems afraid of. Like yourself, however, the choice may already have been made.

Best Regards

 

[Wolfmanica]

Greg, It has been about almost 2 years since you posted your comment. I am wondering what is your experience with the 06 DB9 V that you purchased. Did you buy a warranty? any major breakdons. I am looking to purchase an 06 - 07 DB9 and debatig the same. I am thinking about spending the extra $$.

 

[gmyles]

Hi Wolfmanica,

My EW is going to expire in June.

It was definitely worth it. There have been a number of repairs that were covered and overall it probably at least paid for itself.

It has had some issues which have been repaired, but no major breakdowns (except for some bad cooling line work done by the non-AM dealership in Texas that I bought it from):
- The fuel cap lid wouldn’t open unless you pressed the button (under the dash near your left foot) with your toe while you reached back outside the car to push the lid open.
- Various rattling sounds.
- Annoying and inaccurate “Trunk open” message stayed on for a long time after you opened and closed the trunk.
- A/C barely blowing air

There are more, but I don’t remember them. I can check the records if you’re interested.

This is our first “ultra-luxury” car. Previously, the closest thing to an AM we have owned was probably a BMW 650i convertible.

The DB9 is fun to drive, but my wife (she's the main driver; it's her daily ride) and I have complaints:
- The front end is really so incredibly close to the ground that we have loudly scraped front bumper a million times on even smallish bumps. Getting in and out of the driveway apron must be undertaken with utmost care. The possibility of scraping makes you have to feel like you are tiptoeing around the world, afraid of damaging your fancy car at any moment.
- The car rides very stiffly. On the highway any irregularities in the road are palpable.
- If you unlock the door with the key (instead of the fob button), when you open the door, the car alarm goes off.
- iPhone integration is poor. You can only use the car for speaker and microphone functions, not for answering or making calls.
- No satellite radio – this really bums out my wife!
- No keyless entry/start
- Trunk button on the fob doesn’t pop the trunk open as you would expect; it just unlocks it so you can then manually press the button on the trunk and pull it open.

These complaints might sound silly to seasoned AM owners, but we just compare it to my Mercedes GL450 suv and other cars we’ve had. We are just normal car drivers who figure that a car this expensive should be awesome in every way!

I hope some of this helpful…

Greg

 

[Wolfmanica]

Greg, Your message was right on the money... I decided not to purchase the DB9. I am also a normal car driver that expect a car this expensive to be awsome in every way... I will end up buying a new BMW M6 convertible and be happy in everyway. Thanks a lot.