2006 Aston Martin DB9

First supplied by Stratstone of London on the 3rd May 2006, this wonderful Aston Martin DB9 spent a large part of its life in the sunnier climes of the Channel Islands.

The seller bought it in 2020 while he was living in Jersey and brought it back to the mainland with him when he moved shortly afterwards.

Being in his seventies, he’s finding it harder and harder to get out of (“I can fall in it okay!”) and driving it from his home to our HQ was the longest journey he’s done in it for a year or more.

Still showing just 38,000 miles on the clock, beautifully maintained, and benefitting from a £5,600 service in 2021, ‘BC06 PEO’ is one for the collector and enthusiast alike.

What sort of condition would you like your Aston Martin DB9 to be in? 

Presumably you’d like tight and consistent shutlines? Plus, ripple-free flanks? And it goes without saying that you’d rather not have to deal with any serious dents, dinks, or other damage. 

And presumably, given the firm’s heritage, you’d like it in a sober metallic silver?

Which is handy because that is exactly what this one has. Plus, excellent badges, lamps, and window glass. A set of new numberplates, too.

We’d also be confident you wouldn’t object to matching tyres either, which, again, is fine because the four Michelin Pilot Sport tyres – 235/40R19 on the front and 275/35R19 on the rear – are not only matching but were also only fitted in August 2023 and are still like new.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

All of which means there isn’t much for the new owner to do. 

Top of the list would be to refurbish the alloy wheels. After that you might like to take a look at the flaking paint on the nearside door handle, door skin, and mirror. There are also some marks and chips on the front valence.

The interior is ultra-contemporary but just when you think it’s just brushed metal and blue leather you notice the solitary vast slab of wood veneer on the dashboard, which simultaneously nods at the British tradition while cleverly maintaining the Nordic-esque minimalism.

It’s a clever trick and one Aston Martin pulls off better than most.

And yet, that clever design would count for naught if its condition was poor. 

Good job this one isn’t.

The deeply sculpted seats are as comfortable and supportive as they are beautiful. Their blue colour adds to the Aston’s new-twist-on-a-conventional-theme riff too, and the rest of the hide trim is as extensive as it is beautiful.

The non-leather bits are good too including the carpets, the headlining, and the brushed metal controls and trim.

The steering wheel is satisfyingly fat in your hands, and there are a pair of flappy paddles within fingertip reach. 

The dashboard is the beautiful one we’ve come to know and love, and while the pop-up sat-nav is a bit Old School these days, doesn’t that retro look remind you of the one Sean Connery had in his DB5?

As you’ll have come to expect by now, the seller tells us that everything works as it should.

The boot is pretty good too, and it even still has the umbrella that usually goes AWOL.

Which just leaves a couple of minor flaws: the driver’s seat is a little rumpled with a slightly softened outer edge, and the wood veneer would benefit from being refinished.

The Aston’s service history is recorded as follows:

• 24.04.2006 and 46 miles – pre-delivery inspection by Stratstone
• 06.07.2006 and 1,163 miles – service by Stratstone
• 24.04.2007 and 4,795 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 17.04.2008 and 8,795 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 08.05.2009 and 11,803 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 29.04.2010 and 16,219 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 03.05.2011 and 18,664 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 04.11.2011 and 22,311 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 21.12.2012 and 25,015 miles – service by Jacksons (CI) Ltd
• 20.01.2014 and 27,204 miles – service by Harrison Automotive
• 29.01.2015 and 28,353 miles – service by Harrison Automotive
• 03.04.2016 and 31,432 miles – service by Harrison Automotive
• 19.06.2018 and 34,323 miles – service by Harrison Automotive including fresh brake fluid and rear brake discs and pads
• 06.08.2021 and (unknown) mileage – service by Bamford Rose including new differential oil, brake fluid, and coolant plus all new sparkplugs, ignition coils, and the removal of the primary catalyst. The latter job also involved having the ECU remapped and a three-way exhaust valve control switch fitted. 

All in all, the final bill from Bamford Rose came to more than £5,600 but the seller was keen to forestall any potentials problems with fuel getting into the catalysts and catching fire, something he tells us is a known issue.

As you can see, the servicing regimen has paid off because the six-litre, V12 engine fires into life with alacrity and does so with the characteristic Aston snarl that is so much of the DB9’s appeal.

The owner tells us that it drives as it should and he isn’t aware of any faults with the car, something the lack of dashboard warning messages supports.

That said, the last service was three years ago so it’s due another as you can see.

Cosmetically, you might also like to replace some of the screws and fasteners under the bonnet too, as many are rusty and spoil the look of the engine bay, which is otherwise very good.

As for the underside, it looks straight and strong, with no serious scuffs or other marks. Again, there is some slight surface corrosion to some of the fasteners and suspension components, but this all looks superficial rather than anything more serious.

The DB9’s MoT certificate is valid until August 2024, and it was issued, like the one before, with no advisories. (Its only previous UK test was in 2022.)

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the DB9 comes with three keys and two key fobs in addition to the stamped service history booklet and some recent invoices.

The DB9 is every inch the modern Aston Martin. Beautifully built and utterly gorgeous, its cutting-edge engineering and uber-modern design is wrapped round one of the best engines in the business.

And yet, for all its many attractions its price has remained stubbornly constant, something that surely can’t continue for much longer. This is, after all, a hand-built British coupé with a V12 under the bonnet and supercar performance…

Which makes the £20,000 - £25,000 we think this one will fetch astonishing value, even when you factor in the need for a service.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.