Pick of the Day: 2005 Aston Martin DB9

Some cars are just magical. They are cars that, when you park them in the garage after a drive, seem to make you look back at them before you go into the house. Some of this is due to styling, but there is also the intangible aspect of what owning a car that is truly special makes you feel when you see it. Knowing it is actually your own car and conveying a sense of achievement. Some of these are cars such as BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Ferrari, but the single marque that hit me personally has always been the cars of Aston Martin.

Aston Martin is one of the most storied brands in the entire world of automobiles, with a mythology, if you will, that includes racing at Le Mans with legendary drivers, some of the best automobile styling the world has ever seen, and of course the heavy connection the Aston Martin brand has with the 007 franchise.

Of all the cars Aston has built in the last 25 years, the one that I feel is the best looking of them all by far is the Aston Martin DB9. Since I first attended the press launch for the DB9 I have felt this the DB9 is legendary automobile designer Ian Callum’s masterpiece. Every single element of the DB9 is automobile design perfection. There is simply not a single bad angle anywhere.

The interior of the DB9 is the same, with the company using some of the best materials and incorporating elements like what is possibly the most stunning gauge cluster in any modern car, to make the inside as exquisite to look at as the outside. Combine that with an exceptional V12 engine under the bonnet, with an exhaust note that will raise the blood pressure of any enthusiast, and you have what to me is modern automobile perfection. Aston Martin called the DB9 the quintessential sporting grand tourer and I wholeheartedly agree.

The Pick of the Day is one of these amazing cars, a 2005 Aston Martin DB9 for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

This 2005 DB9 is painted in Quantum Silver Metallic over a red leather interior with walnut wood trim.

Options on this car include heated door mirrors, heated seats, HID headlights, illuminated entry, the fabulous sounding Linn Premium 128 Watt Audio System, navigation, and power seats. The audio system is a marvel and allows you to feel as if you are seeing your favorite artist in person, that is if you are looking for a break from the amazing sound of the V12 engine.

The selling dealer states that this DB9 is serviced, inspected, and fully detailed. I would want to see a service history on the car, as the one downside of Aston ownership is fairly expensive running costs for service. I personally would not buy a DB9 without a service history, and if they do not have one I might get the vin and inquire at an Aston dealer to see if there is any history of service available. Most will be happy to tell you what they have, and many buyers forget that this is a way to find out more information.

In addition I would get a pre-purchase inspection done on any DB9 I was considering just to prevent discovering any surprises after I purchased the car. That all said, the DB9 over the last 15 years has proven to be a reliable car and I have seen more than one example with mileage in excess of 120k miles and still happily driving down the road. The mileage on this DB9 at 48,000 miles is kind of the sweet spot, as it shows the car was used and it is likely to be more trouble-free than a super low mile car that spent most of its life sitting in a garage.

And driving is what the DB9 is all about. Behind the wheel the car just feels perfect with good ergonomics and is a very comfortable place to spend hours behind the wheel. The 5.9 liter naturally aspirated V12 engine has a strong and usable 470 horsepower and 443 ft/lbs of torque which allow the car to cover the 0-60 in 4.8 seconds, and that give this sophisticated GT car a staggering top speed of 190 mph.

The prices for the DB9 have been way too low to way too long. These cars are direct competitors with the best Ferrari GT cars, and yet sell for a fraction of the price of the car with a Cavallino on the hood. I am not sure if the DB9 will increase in price, but it should. If offers everything the Ferrari 550 and 575 offer in a body that to me is much more sophisticated. It is also much more usable that the aforementioned Ferrari cars and is as good on a morning commute as it is at crossing the continent.

The asking price for this 2005 Aston Martin DB9 is only $38,765 making these cars the single best exotic car bargain available today.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.