Aston Martin isn’t having a great run of it right now. In fact, last I checked, the most successful division of that company was the Aston Martin Formula 1 team. However, that wasn’t always the case. Or maybe it’s the rose-tinted glasses. Now, if you’ve got the money, you can have what will either complete you or break you spiritually and physically: A 2009 Aston Martin DBS of questionable reliability. With a manual transmission!

How many manual Aston Martin DBS’ were made?

First, let’s justify that ridiculous $150,000 price tag that a used 2009 Aston Martin DBS commands with yet more numbers. Obviously, not a whole lot of these were made. After all, it is a luxury sports car with a six-figure MSRP. Even fewer were made with the coveted manual transmission. According to Sports Car Market, only 984 U.S. legal units were made with a manual transmission.

Evidently, that will command some premium on the used market. In fact, based on my research, there’s usually a $5,000 to $20,000 premium depending on color. Of course, everyone wants the Casino Royale grey that James Bond drove in, well, Casino Royale.

For some, the DBS is a childhood dream

And that’s really what this car is about, above all else. The 2009 Aston Martin DBS is for people to live their James or Jane Bond Aston Martin fantasy in. Go get an Omega Seamaster and a Walther while you’re at it. You may as well. Frankly, this is absolutely a dream car of mine. It’s the hero car in the first James Bond movie I saw in theaters, and something inextricably linked with the suave coolness of the world’s greatest spy.

That’s the case for a lot of people who were kids in 2006. At nine years old I knew I had to have one, and still have one hanging on my wall today. Moreover, that may be what causes values to climb. The children of the early 2000s want their dream cars, and this is certainly one. However, the ownership may break you financially and spiritually.

The coolest Aston is a not-so-long-forgotten relic

Obviously, the ownership costs are crippling. After driving his 2009 Aston Matin DBS for around a year, Freddy “Tavarish” Hernandez was quoted a $7,000 repair bill for routine maintenance like spark plugs and new fluids. And that’s perhaps the biggest issue with the 2009 Aston Martin DBS. It’s an old exotic car, and we all know how expensive those can be. At the end of the day, there’s only two questions you need ask. Can I afford this car, and is my childhood worth $150,000?