2000 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

This car was purchased by the current owner as an insurance write off, only a Cat D however, the owner had the car fixed at a local body shop, placing the car on a jig to make sure everything was straight before fixing the paint. The owner reports that the car drives very well and lives up to its Grand Tourer reputation, despite being 21 years old. There are a few things the owner wanted to point out, and to reassure potential buyers that they are minor things to be aware of but that have not affected the enjoyment of the car. These are an intermittent ABS light, that is down to a spade connector in the wiring, a central locking unit fault that causes the central locking to be unresponsive (entry can still be gained through the key however), and a ‘tapping’ in the engine which, the owner reassures, has been looked at professionally and all major failing points have been ruled out.

The owner is keen to point out that this car drives fantastically and is a real joy on the road, the iconic shaped Aston is becoming a rare site on the roads now and this could be a good opportunity to own a British icon at a fraction of the cost of new.

The exterior of the Aston is painted in ‘Antrim’ metallic blue, highlighted by the silver wheels, it gives the luxury cruiser a subtle and grown-up appearance. It gives the car just the kind of understated suave that Aston were going for, seeing a DB7 instantly brings to mind its starring role in the Hollywood blockbusters. The paintwork is in good condition, with the repair work not being obvious at all, a good sign that the paint shop was doing a thorough job. There is one patch on the front bumper which looks like it might need some attention, perhaps from a fight with a speedbump or a high curb. Luckily the front of the car isn’t sheet metal so it shouldn’t suffer from any corrosion whilst waiting to be sorted.

The rest of the exterior of this Aston is in great condition however, the 10 spoke, 18” alloys look to be in excellent shape, with very little, if any curbing to mention, and the grills, lights, badges, and exhaust tips are all clean, crack and haze free and all work as intended. The exterior of this car is handsome and sleek, it was to continue the design language we all know and love from Aston Martin and this example holds the reputation of the line well.

To match the ‘Antrim’ metallic blue exterior, is the cream parchment, blue highlights and walnut burr veneer inserts of the upholstery. Being a 21-year-old grand tourer, this Aston has given its owners plenty during its time, as such there is some minor wear and tear to some of the busiest contact points in the cabin. The main point is the driver’s seat which has some wear to the leather on the base and backrest bolsters, this could be remedied with some leather feed, a good decontaminate and some dye, however. The steering wheel and automatic gearbox selector look to be in great condition however, with no cracks or tears in the leather or any worn areas either.

The rest of the upholstery in the cabin however is in great condition, with only some small marks on the leather, but no rips, tears or fraying of the stitching. The walnut burr veneer is in great condition with no lacquer peel or warping at all and the carpets look to be in great condition also with no staining, excessive wear or discoloration. The headlining looks to be sagging however and may well benefit from being replaced rather than being re-glued. This must be a common problem on luxury cars from this era and after 21 years of service, is something that should be expected to need attention. Saying that however, it does not impede driving or visibility at all and is something that could quite easily be lived with, if that were your choice.

The underside of the Aston has had some work on in the past and much of the components underneath have had attention during the car life as stated in the MOT’s and garage work. The exhaust system looks to be healthy along the length of the car from the manifold to the tips. The brake lines and fuel lines, which have been advisories in the past, look to have been taken care of. The suspension components also look to have some surface rust on them, but this clearly hasn’t impeded there function so far. In the photo gallery below, you can see the axle brace frame which was fitted last year holding on strong. The arches look good and show no signs of any potential rust forming in them, which should be good news for potential buyers.

The driver’s side jacking point does look to have some corrosion to the strengthening plate, which has been sited on MOT documents. Again, this must be a common problem on cars of this age due to jacking up without rubber padding. In the engine bay however, what can be seen of the well packaged unit looks to be in good working order, there is some damage to the plastic covering by the power steering reservoir filler neck. The pipes and wires all look supple in the bay too, with no signs of dehydrated rubber cracking or exposing bare wires at all. The engine proudly bares it identification plate at the rear of the 12 cylinders with the intake manifolds neatly bookending the overall aesthetic.

The history file that comes with the Aston is thoroughly comprehensive and lists the work done to the car recently and during its lifetime. A Brief overview of the documentation is provided below.

New axel brace frame fitted – Autochek Garage – 14/12/2020

New suspension damper, brake pads and discs, rear axle stripped, bushes replaced, fuel filters replaced. – Autochek Garage – 12/08/2020

Frame placed on jig and straightened, parts repaired and resprayed – VRV LTD

Anti-roll bar restored; central locking unit replaced – Autochek Garage – 14/08/2019

Rear brake hoses and calipers replaced – Autochek Garage – 14/08/2019

New spark plugs, ignition coils, inlet manifolds and throttle body gaskets – Autochek Garage - 19/03/2013

Engine check and fix of misfire – Autochek – 26/09/2011

Camshaft sensor and MAF sensor replaced – Autochek – 29/05/2015

The Aston that saved Aston and ran the highest production numbers for the company in their history at the time. The DB7 was the car that brought the company into the modern world and the car that consolidated the design language for all subsequent models. It’s a beautifully designed and styled car with a huge V12 to boot, a smooth grand tourer and a civilised city car, they’re also priced exceptionally well when considering how much car you’re getting and the market for these has been set for some time.

This example is placed perfectly for the next owner to add value to it by tidying up some of the small blemishes that come from being used as intended. The current owner clearly looks after the car and has spent considerable time and expense on fixing a lot of the small jobs. This could be the perfect opportunity to bag an iconic V12 Aston for a bargain price to only add value in years to come. In addition to that, you’d have a car that still turns heads to this day and would take a long road trip in its stride.

Our estimate for this car is £11,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our headquarters near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, so to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.