Aston Martin DB11 buying guide

The Aston Martin DB11 is a car to buy on condition and version, not on badge. Three problem areas decide most purchases: first-year electronics, interior leather that delaminates, and an airbag recall history that you should confirm has been dealt with.

It replaced the DB9 and sits on an all-new, stiffer and lighter structure. The coupe was unveiled at the March 2016 Geneva show, and it was replaced by the DB12 in 2023. Our tracked US model years run from 2017 to 2023, across the V8 Coupe, Volante, V12 and AMR.

Auto Express calls it an all-time Aston highlight. The rear seats suit only people under five feet eight, and boot space is 270 litres (206 for the Volante), so think of it as a two-seater with extras. If you are weighing it against the car it replaced, our DB9 buying guide covers that one.

Use this list at a viewing, then have a specialist repeat it properly.

• Confirm the exact engine and any AMR paperwork against the delivery documents, and read the full service book.
• Check the VIN at NHTSA's lookup for open recalls and ask for proof that recall work was done.
• Run the infotainment, sat-nav, alarm and air conditioning for a full drive, and ask whether the key fob battery has gone flat.
• Start the engine cold and listen for a rattle from the turbos, which can point to the wastegate actuators.
• Inspect carbon-ceramic brake discs and pads for wear and damage.
• Press and look over the dashboard and door-panel leather for bubbling or lifting.
• Examine the aluminum panels and paint for bubbling or localized corrosion.
• On a V12, ask whether the bonnet-vent water-shield service action has been completed, and listen for differential whine or clunking.
• On a Volante, cycle the roof and look for damp in the carpets, boot or roof storage.
• Check the anti-roll bar links for wear, which GetCarWise lists as the biggest MOT failure point on the DB11.
• Book a pre-purchase inspection with a marque specialist.

NHTSA holds four recall campaigns for the DB11. Three cover airbags: a driver's airbag that could deploy unexpectedly in 2017 to 2018 cars because of insufficient grounding, passenger airbag locking nuts that may not be tightened properly in 2018 to 2019 cars, and front seat airbag fasteners that may not have been tightened correctly in 2017 and 2019 cars. The fourth, for 2017 cars, covers a tire pressure monitoring system that may be incorrectly calibrated so the low-pressure warning does not come on when it should.

A campaign filed for a model year does not mean every car of that year was affected. Check any car's VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. NHTSA lists no owner complaints for these model years.

For most buyers, the V8 Coupe is the one to find. Both Fuel the Passion and CarsCounsel favor it, citing agility and lower running costs than the V12. Take the V12 or AMR if you want the bigger engine, but accept the plug service and the differential question. Look for a 2021 to 2023 car if you can, and be careful with a 2017.

Insist on the full service book, closed recalls and a specialist inspection. Then test every electronic function and check the leather panel by panel, since those are the repairs that hurt.