What does an Aston Martin service include?
Servicing an Aston Martin starts from the schedule the manufacturer set for the model, engine and year. A 4.3-litre V8 Vantage, a V12 DB9 and a DBX share neither the same fluids, nor the same checks, nor the same periodic tasks.
The car is road-tested first, then lifted and examined. Every finding goes into an estimate itemised task by task, and nothing is added without your agreement.
- Engine oil and filter, gearbox and differential oil, coolant, brake fluid
- Spark plugs, air and cabin filters, auxiliary belt
- Clutch and its hydraulic actuation on manual and Sportshift gearboxes
- Hoses, radiators and fans, leaks and seepage
- Brakes, bearings, ball joints, bushes, dampers, tyre age
- Reading the control units and stored fault codes with a diagnostic tool
Aston Martin V8 Vantage service: 4.3 and 4.7 litres
Built from 2005 to 2017, the V8 Vantage is the most widespread Aston Martin of the Gaydon era, and the one whose servicing people search for most. Its 4.3-litre V8, enlarged to 4.7 litres from 2008, sits in a front-mid position behind the front axle, with the gearbox at the rear as a transaxle.
The clutch is the item that comes up most often. On manual and Sportshift Vantages alike, it wears faster or slower depending on use: town traffic, manoeuvring and hill starts take far more out of it than open roads. Its condition is judged on a road test — slip, biting point, release-bearing noise — and, on Sportshift cars, with the help of the diagnostic tool. Our clutch page explains what is checked and what is replaced.
DB9, DBS, V12 Vantage, Rapide: the 5.9-litre V12
The 5.9-litre V12 powered the first Vanquish and the DB7 Vantage, then the DB9, DBS, V12 Vantage and Rapide. A long engine, mounted low in a tight bay, it calls for careful inspection of the cooling system, hoses and wiring looms, which heat ages over time. When a misfire appears, the ignition is checked cylinder by cylinder with the diagnostic tool.
On the DB9 and the Rapide, the Touchtronic automatic, supplied by ZF, sits at the rear: its oil and checks follow the manufacturer’s schedule. The V12 Vantage and the DBS were also offered with a manual gearbox, whose clutch is then monitored just as on the V8 cars.
DB11, Vantage, DB12, DBX: the AMG-sourced V8 and electronics
With the DB11, unveiled in 2016, Aston Martin adopted a 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12, then a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 supplied by Mercedes-AMG. The same V8 is found in the 2018 Vantage, the DBX and the DB12. On these generations the electronics matter as much as the mechanics: reading the control units and stored faults is part of every visit, and electronic diagnostics have their own page.
The torque-converter automatic, supplied by ZF on the coupés and convertibles, is checked at each visit: quality of shifts, leaks, and its oil change as the manufacturer’s schedule requires. Carbon-ceramic brakes, fitted to some versions, are inspected using the method Aston Martin prescribes.
DB7 and the first Vanquish: modern classics to look after
The DB7, built from 1994 to 2004, and the first Vanquish, from 2001 to 2007, are now entering collector-car territory. The DB7 has a supercharged 3.2-litre six and the DB7 Vantage a 5.9-litre V12; their steel bodies need watching for corrosion at the sills and wheel arches. The Vanquish, with its paddle-operated automated manual, needs its hydraulic system and clutch kept under review.
On these cars, time counts as much as mileage: hoses, seals, mounts and rubbers age even when standing. When the overall condition justifies it, an Aston Martin restoration takes over from routine servicing.
Warranty, history and winter storage
Having an Aston Martin serviced outside the dealer network does not void the warranty, provided the manufacturer’s schedule is followed with parts of equivalent quality: European law allows it. For a recent car, we go through with you, before any work, what that schedule requires.
Every task appears on a detailed invoice, part by part, with its origin: it serves as the service record and counts towards the car’s value. For an Aston Martin that spends the winter under cover, seasonal preparation and storage complement the service. The workshop’s general approach is described on the servicing page.