DBS V8 vs. 400/412 ?

The 400 is a much more complete package than a dbs, DBS feels like a car from the 60's.....400 from the 70's
suprisingly the 400 has far better parts availabilty as well (which is a first for an old v12 Ferrari)


And the most important part is the 400 is a V12......

 

Depends on what year Aston you are talking about. 80-89s are reliable but cost a lot more than a 400i especially the convertibles. The 400 is aging well whereas the Astons look a bit too Camaro Like.

 

All things being equal (which they never are), the reliability and maint/repair costs will be fairly similar, however, the rebuild on the 400 v12 is likely to be more than the comparable rebuild on the Aston. I think it boils down to relative condition of the car - in other words, if you like the styling equally, then go for the particular car you find in your search that looks like it has had the best maintenance and reflects the best overall condition. Restoring either of these is a very expensive proposition so getting an original car in good running condition is critical. Personally, I'd go with the Ferrari for the Italian flair over the more stately Aston but then I'm hardly impartial.....

 

Always reminded me of the Ford Maverick (ouch, I know).

 

I've owned both, as well as mulitple other Ferrari's and I will give the nod to a good V8 coupe over a 400 / 400i. I used a 1977 V8 Saloon (not a Vantage) as a near daily driver for 25,000 miles, I thought the cars strong points were: Excellent Steering, great seats, more usable rear seats & boot, better A/C (admittedly compared to a 400 with front only A/C). For me the seating position was bang-on and controls were laid out superbly. Better build quality and motor required much less fettling. Parts were easy acquire (Stratton Motor Company in Norwich) and generally cost less than equivalent Ferrari bits. I had one epic Seattle to Sun Valley trip with four up and skis on the roof, truly Grand Touring.


I love the way 400's look (and sound if it's on carbs!), and I like the motore...I am less keen about the steering and (manual) transmission. The rear seats are very marginal and I cannot imagine two adults sitting there for 800 miles. Heating / ventilation is marginal.

If I were going to purchase a 400i I were certainly buy a Series II car and I would expect a 412 to be significantly better....

 

Just a little contribution. Having read a uk magazine about classics last month, it was said that it was no longer possible to get a dbs at the price this car used to be proposed a few years ago. DBS - not show room condition - used to be priced around 15 k£ (30 k$ I guess). All of sudden, it has reached 30-40 k£. I had a look on the ads at the end of the magazine, that was right.
Maybe it will happen to our cars one of these days.
Olivier

 

Both cars, if chosen wrongly can cause a lot of heartache. A decent 400 will be much cheaper to purchase than a decent DBS - at least that's the case here in the UK. So you are more likely to get a good one for your money and have some left over for running costs.

Another consideration is if you want a manual or auto gearbox. Nearly all 400s will be autos, earlier 365 GT4 2+2s are all manual. DBS have a more even mix of manual and auto so will be easier to find a manual if that's what you are after.

 

Hi Dan
I see you live in Brighton.
I bought this magazine during a trip to ... Brighton. I saw the arrival of the London-Brighton car race. This is a very nice city you live in.
Olivier

 

Thanks Olivier,

I have driven through your country many times, and been skiing in the french Alps, it is also a good country!

I am a member of the Brighton and Hove Motor Club, that hosts the arrival of the vintage cars on the seafront.

http://www.brightonandhovemotorclub.co.uk/aboutus.htm

I'm glad you enjoyed the trip. I don't know of any other place you can see so many old cars running in one place.

Dan

 

oliver, looks as if i will be eating french fries again, since your last election.

 

Hi. Thanks for your comment. Before having the buck on him, N Sarkozy was, among other positions, the mayor of the city I live in. So, as a Neuilly citizen, I've attended two meetings (50 people) where he was and I can say that he appears to be a pragmatic, realistic and energic man. I think his team does relay his convictions and alike many people I hope this will have very positive effects on the long run. The prime minister loves classics, he drove a car (maybe a Ferrari, not sure) at Le Mans classic some years ago.
Cheers.
Olivier

 

I went through the same analysis some time ago before I bought the 365 and 412. My mechanic swore off the Astons. With Ferraris, at least the drivetrain is solid. With both cars the ancillary stuff is likely to be troublesome, though most of that should sorted out with cars of this age.

One other consideration is that Aston actually sold these cars in the US in the 70s. To do that, they complied with crash and emissions rules that uglied and slowed the cars, respectively. All of the Ferraris were grey markets entries and, as I understand it, underwent fairly modest changes that were often promptly reversed by their owners largely without consequence--and they're now typically emissions exempt in their states. I don't if Aston reduced compression ratios or did other basic mods that would be as easily rectified subsequently, but I'd like to see, for example, my 365 dyno'd against, lets say an 86 Aston made for the US market at the same time my car came in. I'll bet there's a noticeable difference.

 

I've serviced, driven and have substantial experience, including track experience (!?!?!) with both, and I think there are a LOT more similarities than differences.

The performance of the '70's US Aston V8's was emasculated due to smog controls, but so was the Series 3 Quattroporte... That hasn't, IMO, taken away from the pleasure of driving the cars.

It's easy enough (with a decent checkbook) to build a Vantage-spec motor, along with the 48 IDA's, out of a standard engine but again, that's not necessary to have an enjoyable car.

The maturation of the V8 parallels the maturation of the 365 GT4 2+2 through the 412. Both manufacturers were responsive to change. That said, I didn't care for my wife's 412 as much as the earlier 400i, whereas the Aston seems better the newer it is.

The Oscar India update in 1978 did help the styling. I have had a lot of fun with Peter Livanos' personal V8 Vantage (with an SVC engine and in Balmoral Green with green-piped tan leather, no less, along with his initials in wood on the inside of the glovebox door!), and for me, even as much of a die-hard 400i fan that I am, it would be a tough choice... <grin>

-Peter
www.peterkrause.net