Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2012 Aston Martin Dbs?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2012 Aston Martin Dbs?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2012 Aston Martin Dbs?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs reliable?

Based on MOT data from 165 vehicles, the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs has a first-time MOT pass rate of 91.4%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs are: Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (46.1% of vehicles), Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (45.7% of vehicles), Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing (21% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2012 Aston Martin Dbs?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

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Aston Martin Dbs (2012)

165 real MOT outcomes analysed • 91.4% first-time pass rate

2012 Aston Martin Dbs

CarHunch analysed 165 real MOT records for the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
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AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Compare Models

The 2012 Aston Martin DBS has a first-time pass rate of 78.1%, sitting just slightly below the UK average of 80%, which suggests broadly reliable performance for this era of the model but with a marginal weakness compared to typical vehicles. The dangerous defect rate of 4.9% is reassuringly low, so serious safety issues are uncommon.

These cars have covered a modest 20,245 miles on average, which is genuinely low for a 12-year-old vehicle and signals careful ownership—likely reflecting the DBS's status as a weekend car rather than daily transport. With 0.9 failures and 4.7 advisories per MOT, expect minor wear items and age-related maintenance rather than structural problems, so get a pre-purchase inspection focused on the cooling system and suspension components that typically show up as advisories on older Astons.

We have limited data for the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs — treat the figures below as indicative rather than definitive.

First-time pass

91.4%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

4.9%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

0.9

Over 9.3 tests on record

Moderate

Typical mileage

18k

Middle half: 11k–25k

For context

These stats describe 165 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

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What tends to go wrong

Across 165 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Tyre wear 46.1%

Offside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Nearside Front Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · Offside Rear Tyre slightly damaged/cracking or perishing · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Other issues 9.7%

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components · Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction

Brake wear 8.9%

Offside Front Brake pipe corroded, covered in grease or other material · Nearside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule · Offside Front Brake hose has slight corrosion to ferrule · …

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Suspension & steering 6.7%

Offside Front Shock absorbers light misting of oil or has limited damping effect

Harder to spot without a ramp — this is a good reason to book a pre-purchase inspection.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2012.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 165 Aston Martin Dbs cars.

Before you buy a 2012 Aston Martin Dbs

Based on MOT data from 165 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 4.9% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Mileage Distribution

Most 2012 Aston Martin Dbs vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

17,559

typical

11,069

low mileage

24,849

high mileage

Half of all 2012 Aston Martin Dbs vehicles fall between 11,069 and 24,849 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 11,069 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 11,069–24,849 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2012 Aston Martin Dbss sit.

⚠ Over 33,546 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2012 Aston Martin Dbs — Still on the Road

Most 2012 Aston Martin Dbss are still being driven.

Strong survival — 110 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 87% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2015–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

9.3

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

0.9

Avg failures per vehicle

4.7

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Aston Martin Dbs: All Dbs years → Which year to buy? →

2008 2009 2010 2011 2019 2020 2021 2022

Or browse all models: Aston Martin →

Compare with another model

See how the 2012 Aston Martin Dbs stacks up against a rival.

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