Coninental GT Questions
Discussion
Hi all,
First post in this area of the forums and potentially one that’s been asked a million and one time in the past so apologies if that is the case.
I currently drive, and have done for 15 years, a TVR. However, I find myself using it less and less and am looking to change. Shortlist so far is a V* Vantage, Maser GranTurismo or a Conti GT and it’s this last option I’d like to pick your brains on.
First, is there a guide to the different models and how they differ from each other? I’m seeing Mulliner spec, Speed, V8 etc. Budget would be anywhere from 40-mid 70s.
Are the V8s cheaper to run/service than the V12s? MY TVR can be anywhere from a £600 service to a few grand per annum over 3-5k miles. Not bothered about MPG.
What are the essential options and colours to look for?
What are they like to drive? I’m not expecting balls out sportscar like my T350 but would like that effortless comfort coupled with the ability to have a bit of fun if the mood takes me.
How reliable are they and are some models/years more or less so than others? I’m comfortable with preventative maintenance but would prefer not to be having to replace expensive widgets every year because they’re made of cheese.
Any good dealers/Indies in the Cambs, Beds, Bucks area you can recommend? Especially ones that can give honest opinions of ownership and running of these?
What sort of warranty would people recommend given any I choose will be out of manufacturer warranty? Presumably Bentley approved used is best for this but will cost more than from an indy?
An example of one I do like the look of based on nothings barr the pictures is this V8 - https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/... which is right at the top of my budget.
Any advice much appreciated
First post in this area of the forums and potentially one that’s been asked a million and one time in the past so apologies if that is the case.
I currently drive, and have done for 15 years, a TVR. However, I find myself using it less and less and am looking to change. Shortlist so far is a V* Vantage, Maser GranTurismo or a Conti GT and it’s this last option I’d like to pick your brains on.
First, is there a guide to the different models and how they differ from each other? I’m seeing Mulliner spec, Speed, V8 etc. Budget would be anywhere from 40-mid 70s.
Are the V8s cheaper to run/service than the V12s? MY TVR can be anywhere from a £600 service to a few grand per annum over 3-5k miles. Not bothered about MPG.
What are the essential options and colours to look for?
What are they like to drive? I’m not expecting balls out sportscar like my T350 but would like that effortless comfort coupled with the ability to have a bit of fun if the mood takes me.
How reliable are they and are some models/years more or less so than others? I’m comfortable with preventative maintenance but would prefer not to be having to replace expensive widgets every year because they’re made of cheese.
Any good dealers/Indies in the Cambs, Beds, Bucks area you can recommend? Especially ones that can give honest opinions of ownership and running of these?
What sort of warranty would people recommend given any I choose will be out of manufacturer warranty? Presumably Bentley approved used is best for this but will cost more than from an indy?
An example of one I do like the look of based on nothings barr the pictures is this V8 - https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/... which is right at the top of my budget.
Any advice much appreciated
Good afternoon,
Firstly, I would say have a test drive in the V8 and the W12 via a Bentley main dealer. I recently had a V8 on loan for a week end, and felt that it lacked the grunt to which I am accustomed in my W12. Some say that the V8 is more agile but I think it's a bit of a Marmite issue - love one or hate one. Bentley will guarantee your car up to 14 years old, if you buy from a main dealer.
Please don't be fooled by the simplicity of your TVR. GTs are laden with electronics, and rely on them to make forward progress. Unless your electronics are in good order you will quickly become disillusioned. Needless to say, much of the electronics are nought but a pain in the butt. Tyre pressure monitors run out of battery, spurious error codes will appear, and they are best serviced by a main dealer or a well regarded indie. Above all, when buying, make sure that you get a file full of service records and receipts, so that you know what has been done. Hopefully your Bentley will live in a garage, and will not get spiders, bugs and vegetation into the drain holes, which can block up and cause leaks.
Join the Bentley Drivers Club to get the most out of your car.
Good Luck!
Firstly, I would say have a test drive in the V8 and the W12 via a Bentley main dealer. I recently had a V8 on loan for a week end, and felt that it lacked the grunt to which I am accustomed in my W12. Some say that the V8 is more agile but I think it's a bit of a Marmite issue - love one or hate one. Bentley will guarantee your car up to 14 years old, if you buy from a main dealer.
Please don't be fooled by the simplicity of your TVR. GTs are laden with electronics, and rely on them to make forward progress. Unless your electronics are in good order you will quickly become disillusioned. Needless to say, much of the electronics are nought but a pain in the butt. Tyre pressure monitors run out of battery, spurious error codes will appear, and they are best serviced by a main dealer or a well regarded indie. Above all, when buying, make sure that you get a file full of service records and receipts, so that you know what has been done. Hopefully your Bentley will live in a garage, and will not get spiders, bugs and vegetation into the drain holes, which can block up and cause leaks.
Join the Bentley Drivers Club to get the most out of your car.
Good Luck!
Whether you belong to a golf or cricket club, or a car club, what you get out of it is proportionate to what you put in. You can do everything from a noggin and natter in a local pub, or you can sign up to an international tour from California to Alaska. We're not all rich toffs - many of us are just pensioners who happen to like the Bentley camaraderie. We are very aware that we have a lot of old members, and have had too much of a bias towards vintage cars. We want to engage with potential new members in the 40 to 60 age group, and this will mean aligning ourselves with the Continental GT generation.
If you need to know what is going on, look at the BDC web site. There you will find a full diary of events across all our regions. Thus you can dine at a special event at a London club, tour Princess Yachts in Plymouth, tour Tasmania or have a day out at Stonor Park for our annual Concours.
We recognise that if we were starting a car club today, we would probably make it internet centred. But we are where we are, and trying to move in a more youthful direction. Whilst we want younger members and cars, we can not throw our heritage out with the bathwater. If you can help with this, join us and get influence through committee work.
Best wishes,
David.
If you need to know what is going on, look at the BDC web site. There you will find a full diary of events across all our regions. Thus you can dine at a special event at a London club, tour Princess Yachts in Plymouth, tour Tasmania or have a day out at Stonor Park for our annual Concours.
We recognise that if we were starting a car club today, we would probably make it internet centred. But we are where we are, and trying to move in a more youthful direction. Whilst we want younger members and cars, we can not throw our heritage out with the bathwater. If you can help with this, join us and get influence through committee work.
Best wishes,
David.
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