Used Aston Martin DB9 Volante 2004 -2012 review

The Italians aren't the only ones who can make fabulous-sounding 12-cylinder engines. The 450bhp V12 in the Aston Martin DB9 Volante has a note that is as good as any, and with the roof down there's less to separate you from the this.

On smooth, fast roads, the Volante feels composed and grippy, but it begins to be a bit fidgety over more varied surfaces. Although the ride is more forgiving than the coupe's, bumps and broken surfaces can cause shudders through the steering wheel. The 19in wheels kick up road noise and wind buffeting is a problem.

The Volante retains the back seats of the hard-top DB9, but don't go thinking these can comfortably accommodate people. With a couple of average-sized adults up front, rear legroom is virtually non-existent. You're better off using the space for any luggage that the smallish boot can't swallow.

Only about 360 DB9 Volantes are sold in the UK every year, so prices for used cars are likely to remain high. Any Aston Martin is going be costly to run if you do it properly, and failing to do so will hurt your wallet when it's time to sell. Service intervals are every 7500 miles.

The official fuel consumption figure is 17.1mpg, but conservative driving could put this into the high teens. You may find the 200-mile range of the 85-litre tank annoying. With the car in insurance group 20, your premiums are likely to be in four figures.

The DB9 shouldn't be as expensive as some supercars to run, but your bills will be lower if you go for a Porsche 911 Cabriolet or BMW 6 Series Convertible. The Jaguar XKR Convertible is another serious alternative, but although it will be cheaper to buy and run, it doesn't offer as much panache.

There was only one engine option, but buyers could choose between a six-speed manual gearbox and a six-speed automatic with manual override. The latter swaps ratios smoothly, but feels a little slow when you want full speed ahead.

As you would expect with a car that originally cost more than £115,000, climate control, powered seats, sat-nav and a high-end stereo are all fitted as standard. However, this still leaves the DB9 missing some luxury kit that cheaper rivals, such as the Mercedes SL55 AMG, always include.

Aston Martin was keen for original owners to customise their cars, and there was an impressive selection of paint, leather and carpet options to chose between when ordering. There were also lots of upgrade kits to further enhance the car.

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