1999 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage

A rare manual example, this Aston Martin DB7 Vantage is fitted with the mighty six-litre V12 engine which develops 414bhp and 400ft/lbs of torque, enough for a top speed of 184mph and a 0-62mph time of around five seconds. Capable of whoofling gently at tickover, or SHOUTING VERY LOUDLY at full chat, it is one of the great engines of our time.

First registered in October 1999, this turn-of-the-century gentleman’s express is the model that relaunched Aston Martin as a contender in the ever-expanding luxury grand touring market. The vendor has used it for that very purpose, as well as commuting, enjoying the Aston’s ability to thrill on the back roads and lope gently across entire continents with equal aplomb. It has, he tells us, been “very reliable and huge fun!” Lucky beggar.

It has been with the vendor for the past fifteen years, during which time he has maintained it exactly as you’d want it to be maintained. Only having had two previous keepers, it is fully up to date with its servicing and is ready to excite and delight its new owner. The car is sold with the V12 DBA number plate.

Dressed in its stunning, practically unblemished deep blue paintwork, this gorgeous example shows just how well the DB7 can age when it’s owned by someone who loves and understands the marque. Always garaged and kept plugged into a trickle charger under a custom-made dust cover when it’s not being driven, this achingly pretty little coupe reminds you of how delicate and nimble the early ‘modern’ Astons are.

The alloy wheels are pristine, and fitted with matching tyres. The front tyres will need replacing soon but the rear tyres are fine.

And that’s it. Boring, but accurate. Which is nice, really.

The interior is as good as the exterior, which means it is very, very good indeed. The seats are almost unmarked and certainly don’t suffer from anything as vulgar as rips, tears or other visible damage.

Sadly, the driver’s seat has stopped working, so is stuck in one position. This might be something simple but we’d urge potential bidders to come and inspect the car in order to assess the position for themselves. After briefly browsing through the old invoices, it looks like this has been a bit of a feature in the car’s history. Still, you’ll have one up on the dealer network when you finally nail the problem once and for all, won’t you?

But that is the extent of its interior problems. We’d love to show you round the DB7, if for no other reason than we get lonely sometimes and would welcome the company. But you’ll be wasting your time if you think it’s worth your while coming to see us to beat us down to an even lower reserve on the basis that this is a ratty, mis-described Aston Martin. That’s not how we roll – but we do make a decent cup of tea…

Please be aware that the Aston includes the fleece cover, and the boot-mounted umbrella, 1st Aid Kit, CTEK charger and triangle.

As mentioned, the front tyres will need replacing soon as they’re a bit worn, but that’s the extent of the problems you need to resolve as the owner tells us that it drives very well and that it doesn’t have any faults that he is aware of. 

We’ve taken it on a quick test drive (well, you would, wouldn’t you?) and can confirm that it is a lovely thing to drive, feeling much tighter and more taut than any 20-year-old British sportscar generally has a right to.

This is largely because it has been looked after properly. It’s worth taking the time to read the attached invoices as the maintained-regardless-of-cost description is warranted in the case of this DB7: if it has ever needed anything doing to it, then it has been done.

Recent work includes a new clutch and a rebuilt gearbox, plus a new rear silencer and new trailing arms and droplinks. It also had its water pump, spark plugs and coils replaced in 2018, which was a helluva job from the look of the invoice: the former work resulted in a nigh-on £7,000 job, while the latter set the owner back £4,400; that these two jobs have been done so recently should take a load off the new owner’s mind.

We have just noted that the handbrake lever has parted company with the cable, however the handbrake components underneath are working just fine.

The car comes with its Owners Manual which includes the service book with 14 service stamps. The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and only ever mentions worn and punctured tyres. The car’s low mileage is also faithfully recorded and this, in conjunction with the servicing paperwork, leads us to believe that the mileage is correct. 

The car comes with a current MOT certificate along with a number of expired MOTs. Genuinely maintained without regard to cost, the invoices in the documents section give an insight into just how meticulously the Aston has been cared for.

Of course, it also has two sets of keys, plus a V5 registration document in the owner’s name.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to the very highest standard.

The price of Aston Martin DB7s has been in the doldrums for a while now, a situation we find inexplicable. They’re not only achingly pretty, mechanically robust and bloomin’ fantastic to drive but they also ushered in the modern era for Aston Martin and so are important from an historical perspective. This makes the recent softening in their prices all the more baffling.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that we think this one is likely to be a bit of a steal. With a guide price of £22,000 to £30,000, we’ve had to lock our cheque books away because we can’t believe how much you get for your money when you’re looking at something that is DB7-shaped. 

And this is, remember, an almost unblemished, meticulously maintained, low-mileage Aston Martin with a V12 engine under the bonnet for less than the cost of a top-end Ford Focus. 

Really, the world’s gone to hell in a handcart…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment 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, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.