2003 Aston Martin DB7 Vantage Volante

This 2003 Vantage Volante - one of the last made - comes to us courtesy of a vendor we know well and several of whose cars we have auctioned on his behalf.

This car has been the recent recipient of over £9,500 of work carried out by Aston Service Dorset.

The car had spent the previous 3 years in storage and the vendor wisely decided that a thorough recommissioning was required. .

A brief perusal of the car’s online MoT history reveals that the car has lived a very quiet life over the last decade or so.

The odometer today reads 80,807 miles. 

In 2015 it was showing 77,795.

Like we said, it’s been a quiet time for this particular DB7 Vantage Volante and a few further jobs will need ticking off.

The car presents very well in general and it’s only when you get up close to it that a few cosmetic issues swim into focus.

The bodywork is free from any dinks, dents, ripples, scuffs or other aberrations of any real consequence.

As you’d expect of a car that’s 23-years-old at the time of writing, the car has a few stone chips, light scratches and small scuffs here and there. 

We also spotted some nascent blistering in both offside wheel arches; some faded paint in the centre of the driver’s door; a little rubbing between the driver’s door and the surrounding bodywork; some chips to the paint on the driver’s-side sill; and a scratch to the centre of the boot lid. 

The Slate Blue finish has held up pretty well and its overall condition is rather more a reflection of the car’s very reasonable mileage than its age.

The shut-lines and panel gaps are good and seem consistent throughout.

The dark blue fabric hood is decent, aside from the odd spot of lost stitching and some rust to the internal fasteners and metal retaining edges.

It goes up and down with a minimum of fuss but the closing latches might need some remedial adjustment to get them optimally aligned and user-friendly. 

Although mostly decent, the wheels are showing some tarnishing under the lacquer on the nearside front and there are a few scratches and scuffs on its offside counterpart.  

All wheels are shod in matching Bridgestone S0-2 rubber than appears to have plenty of tread left on it.

Aside from some clouding to the headlamp cowlings, the badging, lights, lenses and other exterior fixtures and fittings are all in pretty decent condition.

The interior gets much the same condition report as its exterior counterpart: namely, that it is fundamentally decent but there are a few age- and wear-related issues here and there.

The dark blue and light grey trim has endured the passage of time with plenty of fortitude, and although the leather would probably thank its next owner for a really good, deep-clean and feed, the only signs of wear to the upholstery are some creases and scuffing to the outer bolster of the driver’s seat backrest alongside some discoloration.

The rear seats, as ever, don’t look as if they’ve ever been called upon to support anything heavier than a Panama hat or a prawn sandwich.

The carpets are reasonable in most places, but there are multiple areas, where some particularly voracious members of the Lepidoptera order have been at work.

There is also some wear to the carpet in the driver’s footwell.

The roof lining is untroubled by any rips or tears but it is a little grubby around the edges in places and, as before, would no doubt respond well to some effective cleaning products and a bit of elbow grease.

The wood veneers on the dashboard, centre console and door cards have successfully resisted any temptations to crack, fade or shed their lacquer.

The instruments, dials and switches all seem decent, as do the steering wheel, handbrake and gear selector. 

One thing that will need attention is the cover for the airbag compartment on the passenger-side of the dashboard - it’s loose, unattached at one end, and dropping down. 

The boot is in fine fettle and contains a blue fabric tonneau hood cover in a bag, an owner’s manual, a CD disc changer, some tyre weld and a few tools.

Although its contents are mostly obscured by cowlings and covers, everything we can see in the engine bay looks to be reassuringly clean and dry, with everything on and ancillary to the engine apparently in its right and proper place.

The plaque tells us that the magnificent, hand-built V12 powerplant lurking beneath the covers received its final inspection from a Mr. Phil Jefferies.

The undersides are also obscured behind protective trays and covers, but nothing we’ve seen has given us any cause to doubt the car’s structural integrity or character.

Our short test drive did notice a lack of power although the car does still pull through the rev range, a pull to the left under braking and also a metallic knocking noise when hitting a bump or on an uneven road service. 

Please note this car is not being sold with a valid MOT

In addition to the bill for £9,500 recently incurred at Aston Service Dorset, there are receipts and invoices attesting to remedial and maintenance work carried out over the years, with many of them issued by main dealers.

It comes with a V5C, a recent HPI report and full sets of keys.

Yes, there are one or two cosmetic and mechanical issues to take into consideration, but none of them hopefully add up to much and, overall, this car presents very well indeed.

We think you’d be hard pressed to gain access to pedigree V12 GT open-air touring - in a car with an Aston Martin badge, no less - at a more reasonable price point.

It’s a hell of a lot of car for what will probably be not a lot of money.

What’s not to like?

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £10,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.