The Aston Martin DBS, a high-performance sports car known for its sleek design and powerful engine, was commonly sold on
Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and
Hire Purchase (HP) finance agreements during the FCA investigation period from 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024. These financing options allowed buyers to own a luxury vehicle like the DBS with manageable monthly payments.
## How the Aston Martin DBS was Typically Financed
Aston Martin DBS cars were typically financed through Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) agreements ranging from £15,000 to £30,000. PCP terms commonly lasted 36 to 48 months with a balloon payment at the end of the agreement, which buyers could either pay off or use as part of an option-to-purchase arrangement. Common lenders for Aston Martin DBS financing included
Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance,
Close Brothers Motor Finance,
MotoNovo Finance, and
Santander Consumer Finance.
Hire Purchase (HP) agreements were also popular among Aston Martin DBS buyers, allowing them to own the vehicle outright at the end of the agreement term. HP terms were similar in length to PCP agreements but did not include a balloon payment. Instead, HP required full repayment of the loan amount with interest over the agreed period.
## The FCA Motor Finance Investigation
During its investigation into motor finance practices between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that many lenders had been using
discretionary commission arrangements when selling PCP and HP agreements. These arrangements allowed dealers to earn additional commissions on top of their standard fees for each agreement sold.
The FCA estimated that these arrangements affected 12.1 million eligible agreements across the UK (FCA estimate). The total overcharges amounted to £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) (FCA, March 2026).
## How to Check Your Agreement Look for terms like "discretionary
commission arrangement" or "DCA." If you see these phrases in your contract, there is a high likelihood that your agreement includes an overcharge due to such practices.
Relevant dates are critical when checking your finance agreement. Ensure that the date of your Aston Martin DBS financing falls within the FCA investigation period (6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024). If you identify any issues or discrepancies, it is advisable to gather evidence and prepare a formal complaint.
## How to
Complain Directly to Your Lender for Free
If you suspect that your Aston Martin DBS finance agreement has been overcharged due to discretionary commission arrangements, the first step is to complain directly to your lender. Common lenders for Aston Martin include Black Horse, Barclays Partner Finance, Close Brothers Motor Finance, MotoNovo Finance, and Santander Consumer Finance.
You do not need a
claims management company to file a complaint; you can handle it yourself at no cost. Gather all relevant documentation, including your original finance agreement, payment receipts, and any correspondence with the lender. Provide detailed evidence of overcharges or unfair practices in your
complaint letter or email.
After submitting your complaint, allow sufficient time for the lender to review your case thoroughly. If you are unsatisfied with their response, you can escalate the matter to the
Financial Ombudsman Service (
FOS) for further resolution.
## Sources and References
- FCA estimate: 12.1 million eligible agreements (FCA, March 2026)
- FCA estimate: £7.5 billion (FCA, March 2026) total overcharges
- FCA estimate: £829 average per eligible agreement overcharge per customer
Based on 1,437 MOT tests conducted in 2024 (source: DVSA anonymised test data), the Aston Martin Dbs has a pass rate of 96.0%. This is above the national average of 79.6%, meaning the Dbs performs well in MOT testing.
The Dbs pass rate is better than the overall Aston Martin average of 93.4%. The average mileage at MOT for this model is 20,754 miles.
- MOT pass rate: 96.0%
- MOT failure rate: 4.0%
- Tests analysed: 1,437 (2024 DVSA data)
- Average mileage at test: 20,754 miles
- Aston Martin average pass rate: 93.4%
- National average pass rate: 79.6%
Data source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results 2024, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0.