RE: Bentley Continental GT | High Mile Club
Discussion
I have mentioned it in previous threads, but these Bentleys are depreciating to rock bottom and i have been lusting after a non-ancient GT (super)car with a big petrol engine to complement my manual 300ZX twin turbo. The Nissan is a great JDM car, but i don’t want to increase its mileage too much and the Bentley would have much better practicality, comfort and highway speed. These dinosaurs are becoming obsolete in the EV age and running a 12 cylinder car is not going to get cheaper. Most cars of its ilk are actually appreciating, but the Maserati and the CGT are still insanely cheap to buy. Is it really going to be a financial suicide to buy a car like the one in the article, considering:
1)it would be going abroad as a (second)holiday car
2)it would be driving around Europe a few times an year
3)taxes, insurance, fuel and servicing would be much cheaper. Also there is no resident permit and ULEZ nonsense. For example, the 300ZX cost me around 400-500 pounds per year to tax, insure and service!
4)so it probably comes down to parts prices as the big gotcha and probably any engine out jobs even though labour is cheaper. Most of the parts should be Phaeton or other VAG staff?
1)it would be going abroad as a (second)holiday car
2)it would be driving around Europe a few times an year
3)taxes, insurance, fuel and servicing would be much cheaper. Also there is no resident permit and ULEZ nonsense. For example, the 300ZX cost me around 400-500 pounds per year to tax, insure and service!
4)so it probably comes down to parts prices as the big gotcha and probably any engine out jobs even though labour is cheaper. Most of the parts should be Phaeton or other VAG staff?
mainaman said:
I have mentioned it in previous threads, but these Bentleys are depreciating to rock bottom and i have been lusting after a non-ancient GT (super)car with a big petrol engine to complement my manual 300ZX twin turbo. The Nissan is a great JDM car, but i don’t want to increase its mileage too much and the Bentley would have much better practicality, comfort and highway speed. These dinosaurs are becoming obsolete in the EV age and running a 12 cylinder car is not going to get cheaper. Most cars of its ilk are actually appreciating, but the Maserati and the CGT are still insanely cheap to buy. Is it really going to be a financial suicide to buy a car like the one in the article, considering:
1)it would be going abroad as a (second)holiday car
2)it would be driving around Europe a few times an year
3)taxes, insurance, fuel and servicing would be much cheaper. Also there is no resident permit and ULEZ nonsense. For example, the 300ZX cost me around 400-500 pounds per year to tax, insure and service!
4)so it probably comes down to parts prices as the big gotcha and probably any engine out jobs even though labour is cheaper. Most of the parts should be Phaeton or other VAG staff?
I’m minded to agree with you…. But the big problem is the size of the W12 …. Access is to tight, it makes some minor work an engine out job. The Maserati or the v8 Bentley have more access round the engine. Although the v8 Bentley is still too pricy. My money is probably going towards a Maserati gt with the auto box I think, because it’s a cheaper to run and maintain proposition than the w12 Bentley.1)it would be going abroad as a (second)holiday car
2)it would be driving around Europe a few times an year
3)taxes, insurance, fuel and servicing would be much cheaper. Also there is no resident permit and ULEZ nonsense. For example, the 300ZX cost me around 400-500 pounds per year to tax, insure and service!
4)so it probably comes down to parts prices as the big gotcha and probably any engine out jobs even though labour is cheaper. Most of the parts should be Phaeton or other VAG staff?
I've spent far too much time lusting over these but prefer the flying spur. This seems overpriced despite the meticulous maintainance record. For under 20 grand you can pick up a very low mileage, low owner flying spur with full service history minter. It's still going to bankrupt you either way though but what a way to do it.
Gigamoons said:
For me this car only makes sense if you:
a) don't do a lot of miles
b) consider yourself to be the last owner and write off the £14k purchase cost
c) are of an income bracket / co car opt out payments that can lease a decent BMW 5 series etc
d) fancy rolling the dice for the lolz on this for a couple of years
Budget £2k/yr for an MOT and an oil change, that's £750/mth exc fuel and insurance over 24 months.
If you keep it longer / manage to sell if for anything after that, you win.
If it borks within 2 years, you lose.
Man maths
I'm on board with this logic... Plus: IF you've got the space / time to break it for spares - wouldn't be too hard to re-coup a big chunk of that £14ka) don't do a lot of miles
b) consider yourself to be the last owner and write off the £14k purchase cost
c) are of an income bracket / co car opt out payments that can lease a decent BMW 5 series etc
d) fancy rolling the dice for the lolz on this for a couple of years
Budget £2k/yr for an MOT and an oil change, that's £750/mth exc fuel and insurance over 24 months.
If you keep it longer / manage to sell if for anything after that, you win.
If it borks within 2 years, you lose.
Man maths
ducnick said:
mainaman said:
I have mentioned it in previous threads, but these Bentleys are depreciating to rock bottom and i have been lusting after a non-ancient GT (super)car with a big petrol engine to complement my manual 300ZX twin turbo. The Nissan is a great JDM car, but i don’t want to increase its mileage too much and the Bentley would have much better practicality, comfort and highway speed. These dinosaurs are becoming obsolete in the EV age and running a 12 cylinder car is not going to get cheaper. Most cars of its ilk are actually appreciating, but the Maserati and the CGT are still insanely cheap to buy. Is it really going to be a financial suicide to buy a car like the one in the article, considering:
1)it would be going abroad as a (second)holiday car
2)it would be driving around Europe a few times an year
3)taxes, insurance, fuel and servicing would be much cheaper. Also there is no resident permit and ULEZ nonsense. For example, the 300ZX cost me around 400-500 pounds per year to tax, insure and service!
4)so it probably comes down to parts prices as the big gotcha and probably any engine out jobs even though labour is cheaper. Most of the parts should be Phaeton or other VAG staff?
I’m minded to agree with you…. But the big problem is the size of the W12 …. Access is to tight, it makes some minor work an engine out job. The Maserati or the v8 Bentley have more access round the engine. Although the v8 Bentley is still too pricy. My money is probably going towards a Maserati gt with the auto box I think, because it’s a cheaper to run and maintain proposition than the w12 Bentley.1)it would be going abroad as a (second)holiday car
2)it would be driving around Europe a few times an year
3)taxes, insurance, fuel and servicing would be much cheaper. Also there is no resident permit and ULEZ nonsense. For example, the 300ZX cost me around 400-500 pounds per year to tax, insure and service!
4)so it probably comes down to parts prices as the big gotcha and probably any engine out jobs even though labour is cheaper. Most of the parts should be Phaeton or other VAG staff?
The 300ZX is only V6, but the engine bay is a nightmare. The W12 is even worse, but probably on par with any car with V10 or V12. The Panamera MK1 is also very cheap, but i cannot overlook the looks. Same with CL63. The W12 doesn’t sound that great, though, which is the biggest con for me. Alongside the reputation for bankrupting the hapless second hand owners, of course.
mainaman said:
The man maths are into overdrive as i don’t want to miss the boat like i did with so many cars in the past. The more downsizing and electrification the more the demand for big engined cars which are not being manufactured any more. Bentley churned a lot of CGTs and FSs, but sooner or later these cars(and the QP as well as the SL55 and the XKR) will follow barges of older vintage like the BMW 850 and the Porsche 928 into the collectors only bracket. In Germany the cheapest and ropiest CGTs are advertised for 30 000 euros.
The 300ZX is only V6, but the engine bay is a nightmare. The W12 is even worse, but probably on par with any car with V10 or V12. The Panamera MK1 is also very cheap, but i cannot overlook the looks. Same with CL63. The W12 doesn’t sound that great, though, which is the biggest con for me. Alongside the reputation for bankrupting the hapless second hand owners, of course.
Only someone who owns a ZX would look at this and think, "That's manageable." I speak as a former owner of a ZX, who has undergone cognitive behavioural therapy to understand why this way of thinking is not normal.The 300ZX is only V6, but the engine bay is a nightmare. The W12 is even worse, but probably on par with any car with V10 or V12. The Panamera MK1 is also very cheap, but i cannot overlook the looks. Same with CL63. The W12 doesn’t sound that great, though, which is the biggest con for me. Alongside the reputation for bankrupting the hapless second hand owners, of course.
mainaman said:
The man maths are into overdrive as i don’t want to miss the boat like i did with so many cars in the past. The more downsizing and electrification the more the demand for big engined cars which are not being manufactured any more. Bentley churned a lot of CGTs and FSs, but sooner or later these cars(and the QP as well as the SL55 and the XKR) will follow barges of older vintage like the BMW 850 and the Porsche 928 into the collectors only bracket.
Exactly this.We’ll rue the day we didn’t pick up a DB9 for £25k or a CGT for £15k.
You have a few years to get ‘on the bus’.
Once the economy up ticks again & 2035 looms it’ll be off to the races for 1997-2014 cars.
One of these just went up in flames not too far from me (news article in Dutch, but with video). Another reason to avoid ...
I have always liked these cars and seeing them at such low asking prices is quite tempting. I would not be put off by stories of financial ruin, I must say (famous last words).
Maybe I have gambled a bit with my current fleet, but it can pay off. My Boxster S was bought privately 10 years ago and was bought unseen, with original IMS bearing. My ML55 was bought privately 7 years ago, with no service history whatsoever. Apart from normal service items etc (which I do mostly myself) both cars have been no trouble and not cost me much, at all.
Surely this Bentley would not be any more of a gamble, would it?
Maybe I have gambled a bit with my current fleet, but it can pay off. My Boxster S was bought privately 10 years ago and was bought unseen, with original IMS bearing. My ML55 was bought privately 7 years ago, with no service history whatsoever. Apart from normal service items etc (which I do mostly myself) both cars have been no trouble and not cost me much, at all.
Surely this Bentley would not be any more of a gamble, would it?
el romeral said:
I have always liked these cars and seeing them at such low asking prices is quite tempting. I would not be put off by stories of financial ruin, I must say (famous last words).
Maybe I have gambled a bit with my current fleet, but it can pay off. My Boxster S was bought privately 10 years ago and was bought unseen, with original IMS bearing. My ML55 was bought privately 7 years ago, with no service history whatsoever. Apart from normal service items etc (which I do mostly myself) both cars have been no trouble and not cost me much, at all.
Surely this Bentley would not be any more of a gamble, would it?
The odds may be similar, maybe worse, but the stakes are even higher.Maybe I have gambled a bit with my current fleet, but it can pay off. My Boxster S was bought privately 10 years ago and was bought unseen, with original IMS bearing. My ML55 was bought privately 7 years ago, with no service history whatsoever. Apart from normal service items etc (which I do mostly myself) both cars have been no trouble and not cost me much, at all.
Surely this Bentley would not be any more of a gamble, would it?
It’s an old car, daft things break.
Daft things for Maserati and Bentley cost more (unless it’s a group share part you can cross identify).
But.
The CGT are notorious for massive strip downs for an awful lot of trivial repairs, Maserati are generally a lot more straightforward and less densely packed.
Daft things for Maserati and Bentley cost more (unless it’s a group share part you can cross identify).
But.
The CGT are notorious for massive strip downs for an awful lot of trivial repairs, Maserati are generally a lot more straightforward and less densely packed.
Rough101 said:
It’s an old car, daft things break.
Daft things for Maserati and Bentley cost more (unless it’s a group share part you can cross identify).
But.
The CGT are notorious for massive strip downs for an awful lot of trivial repairs, Maserati are generally a lot more straightforward and less densely packed.
The Maserati has some things going on for it, but even the QP 4.7S was cheaper at launch and one class below the CGT, which has genuine supercar performance even by today’s standards. The Maseratis coupes from that vintage are also tempting, some are even available with a manual gearbox, but the real rival of the CGT has always been the DB9. The engine out jobs for trivial things like replacing a vacuum line are a real red flag, but it is mitigated by the low cost of entry and the daft hope that no strip downs would be necessary. The parts are usually not that expensive if you don’t buy them from Bentley dealers. Daft things for Maserati and Bentley cost more (unless it’s a group share part you can cross identify).
But.
The CGT are notorious for massive strip downs for an awful lot of trivial repairs, Maserati are generally a lot more straightforward and less densely packed.
I've had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022 and a CGT last year.
Never gelled with them. The CGT felt a bit cramped inside. Headlining was sagging. EML light on - £850 later at a Bentley specialist, it was sorted.
But, never felt that quick to me. It was powerful, and made a nice sound. A well-appointed cabin made from high end materials. But, there was always a feeling about it then something is going to go wrong and it will be wallet-crippling.
The specialist told me how an alternator or water pump can potentially cost over £4k, as well as the dreaded vacuum hoses - engine out jobs. No room to work in the engine bay. Sure, there are people out there who have figured 'work arounds' to get the work done cheaper, but either way, it will set you back a fair whack.
A CL63 AMG / SLL55 AMG is just as quick, has more technology, sounds better in my opinion and available for similar money. Also, I've had a few Maseratis, and even those are pretty reasonable to run in comparison to these Bentleys.
Yes, this is well maintained with decent history, but no one wants to buy one of these with close to 200k miles on the clock. Most traders or breakers would offer you £7k for it.
Never gelled with them. The CGT felt a bit cramped inside. Headlining was sagging. EML light on - £850 later at a Bentley specialist, it was sorted.
But, never felt that quick to me. It was powerful, and made a nice sound. A well-appointed cabin made from high end materials. But, there was always a feeling about it then something is going to go wrong and it will be wallet-crippling.
The specialist told me how an alternator or water pump can potentially cost over £4k, as well as the dreaded vacuum hoses - engine out jobs. No room to work in the engine bay. Sure, there are people out there who have figured 'work arounds' to get the work done cheaper, but either way, it will set you back a fair whack.
A CL63 AMG / SLL55 AMG is just as quick, has more technology, sounds better in my opinion and available for similar money. Also, I've had a few Maseratis, and even those are pretty reasonable to run in comparison to these Bentleys.
Yes, this is well maintained with decent history, but no one wants to buy one of these with close to 200k miles on the clock. Most traders or breakers would offer you £7k for it.
If I was thinking of buying this which I'm not, I would always have that nagging feeling in my mind, that what if the previous owner has had the heads up from it's last service that there are big problems just around the corner, and maybe now is the time to trade it in whilst the going is good.
Pass on some potentially ruinous bills to some other unsuspecting mug who looks at all the previous invoices, discarding the mileage, thinking this is the most well cared for car ever, and what could possibly go wrong...
Pass on some potentially ruinous bills to some other unsuspecting mug who looks at all the previous invoices, discarding the mileage, thinking this is the most well cared for car ever, and what could possibly go wrong...
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff