Buyer’s guide: Aston Martin DB7

By Malcolm McKay

| 22 Feb 2019

Classic & Sports Car – Buyer’s guide: Aston Martin DB7

Why you’d want an Aston Martin DB7

The late, great, Walter Hayes was the saviour of Aston Martin in the early ’90s, appointed chief executive by Ford to sort out an acquisition with such tiny production lines the US giant couldn’t possibly understand it.

The DB7 was styled by Keith Helfet and Ian Callum, and engineered by Tom Walkinshaw’s TWR Group using a high proportion of parts from Jaguar, which was also owned by Ford at the time. The car was unveiled at Geneva in ’93 and in production the following year, at a factory in Bloxham where the XJ220 had been built.

TWR took the Jaguar AJ6 ‘six’ and added an Eaton supercharger to produce more power and torque than the venerable Aston 5.3 V8. With judicious use of composites in the body to keep weight down, it gave superb performance overlaid with an evocative whine.

TWR also did a tremendous job of developing what were basically XJ-S underpinnings to achieve rave reviews for handling from testers at the DB7’s launch: not bad for a set-up designed about 35 years earlier.

Just 100 Zagatos were built (left) while GT packed same 435bhp V12 on stiffer set-up

Though the car had rear seats, they were for emergency use only – legroom didn’t exist with a tall driver, headroom was inadequate for adults and children found them too low to see out. Back seats were even more pointless in the Volante.

Despite criticising wind noise and a lack of detail refinement, Autocar declared that the DB7 joined ‘the McLaren F1 in re-establishing Britain at the cutting edge of specialist car making’.

Aston did make rapid improvements, claiming that 600-plus new parts were developed for the Volante, of which 200 were also fitted to the coupé. The Volante structure was stiffened and suspension softened to mask any scuttle shake: it succeeded, and the electric five-layer hood was super-effective and looked great up, though its manually fitted cover was fiddly and often lost.

The arrival of Jaguar’s XK8 forced Aston upmarket because it couldn’t compete on price. Ford contracted Cosworth to meld together two Duratec V6s to make a new 6-litre V12 that put Aston back at the top of the tree, aided by a six-speed Tremec manual ’box. ‘Only Lamborghini makes a V12 that sounds better,’ said Autocar.

Suspension was uprated all round and the shell was stiffened: it worked so well that the earlier DB7s suddenly seemed inadequate.

The last are best and the ultimate Zagato – shorter, sharper, with exquisite echoes of the DB4GT version – rounded off DB7 production with a flourish.

Aston Martin DB7: what to look for

Bodywork

See above for trouble spots

Engine

On the straight-six, the oil coolers for the engine and gearbox can leak so check the levels, while timing-chain tensioners can fail and destroy the unit (rattles mean urgent replacement is needed). V12s are prone to radiator thermostat failure, and hoses collapsing on the inside, both causing overheating. Examine service history in detail.

Eaton supercharger gives a great spread of torque and is reliable if kept oiled; the bigger intercooler on ‘Works Prepared’ cars leads to overheating: best removed.

Transmission

Transmission wiring chafes between body and gearbox on auto sixes, leading to shift problems. V12 auto ’box cooling system can leak into unit and wreck it

Suspension

Pre-2002 cars had better rustproofing; radius-arm mounts are a check point. Jag-derived rear set-up is effective, but worn bushes cause wayward handling.

Electrics

Headlight misting can be cleaned by removing lamps; the unit costs £1058. Electrical faults are costly to fix: c£1500 to replace a window motor/regulator.

Interior

Inspect the leather seats for damage. Tall drivers may find the driving position cramped, especially on early cars, and rear seats are only practical for luggage.

Air-conditioning

Air-con is dear to fix: £575 evaporator fails, necessitating dashboard removal (£2500-plus). Check thoroughly: ‘A/C’ means Automatic Control not Air-Con!

Aston Martin DB7: on the road

A good DB7 is exhilarating to drive, while delivering the driver cool and unruffled to their destination: anything less may need considerable expenditure to regain its (and the owner’s) composure.

Few specialists can fix early Zytec systems; these cars have many differences, including the unique brake master cylinder whose spool valves for each circuit stick: an Aston exchange item is £4500. New calipers and so on often hide the fact that the true fault hasn’t been resolved.

Service history is vital, backed by proof that the car has not just had oil and filter changes for years. On the ‘six’, look for a cracked exhaust manifold and listen for timing-chain tensioner rattle; if short of power, the intercooler may be clogged.

The most visible filler cap in the engine bay is for the intercooler: if the level is low, it may be leaking into the inlet manifold, which is costly to fix.

On V12s, a misfire is probably a failed pencil coil but should be properly investigated. For both, check all fluid levels and condition – avoid cars with incorrect coolant and low, dirty oil levels. Questions might include: has the rear axle oil been changed every 30,000 miles?

The dual-mass clutch on the ‘six’ is unobtainable, necessitating a new flywheel and clutch kit (at least £2700 plus fitting). Front top suspension mount bushes deteriorate, plus wheels and tyres are costly: uneven wear is a good indicator of other issues.

Check Volante soft-top for operation, and wear on the rear three-quarter area; a good trimmer can repair it. Genuine Aston soft-tops are expensive, but quality aftermarket items can be supplied and fitted for less than £2000.

Aston Martin DB7 price guide

3.2

Show: £35,000
Average: £24,000
High mileage: £16,000

3.2 Volante

Show: £40,000
Average: £33,000
High mileage: £26,000

5.9

Show: £45,000
Average: £30,000
High mileage: £22,000

5.9 Volante

Show: £50,000
Average: £35,000
High mileage: £29,000

GT(A)

Show: £55,000
Average: £40,000
High mileage: £33,000

GT(A) Volante

Show: £60,000
Average: £45,000
High mileage: £38,000

Aston Martin DB7 history

1994 Sep DB7 enters production: 0-60mph 5.8 secs, 160mph top speed; Prodrive and Aston build prototype DB7 GT race cars (one each)

1996 Jan DB7 Volante launched; 0-60mph 6.4 secs, 155mph; no rear anti-roll bar July Series 2 coupé with many improvements from Volante, inc softer suspension, twin airbags; Ford ECU replaces Zytec

1999 Mar Vantage and Volante added: 5.9 V12; 0-60mph 5 secs, 185mph coupé, 165mph Volante

1999 Apr six-cylinder production ends

2000 Touchtronic option added on Vantage auto

2002 Aug Zagato, 100 built, short chassis, 435bhp, double-bubble roof: five-spoke alloys, Analine hide

2002 Nov V12 GT/GTA: 435bhp manual (auto standard), stiffer set-up, mesh grille, bonnet vents, boot spoiler, Brembo 14/13in discs: 302 produced

2003 Limited editions, inc DB American Roadster 1 (Zagato for US): 100 made

2003 Dec DB7 discontinued

The owner’s view

Multiple-classic owner John Martin has mixed feelings about his ’97 DB7: “I bought it in 2000, with only 2500 miles. For three years, I did 15,000 miles annually, commuting from Calais to Rotterdam, often hitting 150mph.

“I had my fun, but fell out of love with it because it’s so badly made, although my wife won’t let me sell it. The cabin is too small for me and I’ve spent thousands on the air-con, which still doesn’t work. It eats tyres in 5-10,000 miles and, unless you keep the drain free, the fuel filler floods with rain water that gets into the tank.

“In 61,000 miles, the engine has given no trouble, but we’ve rebuilt the front suspension – it had dropped – and fitted an uprated anti-roll bar. It costs about £5000 a year to run.”

Also consider

Jaguar XK8/XKR (left) and Porsche 993/996 are alternative buys

JAGUAR XK8/XKR

Also launched under Ford, with new 4.0 V8, XK8 was much cheaper than DB7. Blown XKR came in ’98 and 4.2 with six-speed ’box in ’02. Fab value, good support, but some repairs are costly.

Sold 1996-’06 • no built 90,064 • mpg 16-30 • 0-60mph 6.7-5.2 secs • top speed 155-175mph • price new £50,655-67,005 (’99) • price now £4-24,000

PORSCHE 993/996

The last air-cooled 911 is more sought-after than first water-cooled one. Both are compact 2+2s, with strong performance, coupé/cabrio and AWD options. Durable; pricey to fix when worn out.

Sold 1994-’04 • no built 243,291 • mpg 13-35 • 0-60mph 6.3-3.6 secs • top speed 155-200mph • price new £64,800-78,100 (’99) • price now £10-130,000

Aston Martin DB7: the Classic & Sports Car verdict

Now could be the time to buy a DB7, but cheap ones could be costly to sort; autos go for c20% less

Like all Astons, the DB7 (notably the Vantage) is a highly strung, sophisticated thoroughbred that likes neither huge mileages nor standing around.

Look for a wad of bills and budget to maintain that. Try to find a car that has been cossetted and used. Collectors are snapping up mint sixes and special editions, but run-of-the-mill V12s may continue to depreciate.

FOR

Gorgeous styling
Huge performance
Great handling/ride compromise
Luxurious continental cruising

AGAINST

Many parts are very expensive
Air-con is unreliable and pricey to fix
Prone to more rust than you might expect, as well as electrical gremlins

Aston Martin DB7 specifications

Sold/number built 1994-’03/9138

Construction steel monocoque, with composite bumpers, front wings, sills and bootlid (bonnet to July 1996)

Engine all-alloy, dohc, 32-valve 3228cc ‘six’, with Eaton supercharger and Zytec/Ford multi-point injection, or 48-valve 5935cc V12 with sequential injection; 355bhp @ 5500rpm-435bhp @ 6000rpm; 360lb ft @ 3000rpm-410lb ft @ 5000rpm

Transmission 5-speed man/4-speed auto; Vantage Tremec 6-speed manual or ZF 5-speed auto, RWD

Suspension independent, at front by double wishbones, coil springs, anti-roll bar rear lower wishbones, driveshafts as upper links, trailing arms

Steering power-assisted rack and pinion, 2.7 turns lock-to-lock Brakes discs, fr 285mm vented, r 295/305mm solid, with servo and ABS; Vantage all vented, front 355mm, rear 330mm

Length 15ft 2in-15ft 4in (4631-4666mm)

Width 6ft 6in-6ft 8in (1990-2036mm)

Height 4ft 1in-4ft 2in (1238-1268mm)

Wheelbase 8ft 6in (2591mm)

Weight 3795-4125lb (1725-1875kg)

0-60mph 6.4-4.9 secs

Top speed 155-185mph

Mpg 15-26; V12 10-22

Price new £84,950/92,500 (1999: 3.2/Vantage)

BUY A CLASSIC ASTON MARTIN DB7

View all Aston Martin DB7 classic cars for sale in our classified listings

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