RE: £10k Bentley Continental GT | Spotted
Discussion
A lot of car for the money.
I actually picked one up early 2023 for £9k. Blue with magnolia hide.
On collection, the EML came on, so I got some money knocked off (original deal was agreed at £9750).
Drove ok, but with a light hesitation. Took to my Bentley specialist, and it needed a new MAF and hose was cracked. Got those replaced and it drove better.
However, I just never gelled with it. Sounded nice, interior was a decent place to be with good quality finishing. But just made me feel a bit numb.
To me, didn't feel rapid (also had an F10 M5 with 700bhp at the time, therefore it was slow compared to that).
It liked a drink, but still had a bit of old school Bentley charm about it. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't love it.
Also had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022, and I felt the same way about that.
There always seems to be something that needs doing on them, and any work on these is never cheap.
I actually picked one up early 2023 for £9k. Blue with magnolia hide.
On collection, the EML came on, so I got some money knocked off (original deal was agreed at £9750).
Drove ok, but with a light hesitation. Took to my Bentley specialist, and it needed a new MAF and hose was cracked. Got those replaced and it drove better.
However, I just never gelled with it. Sounded nice, interior was a decent place to be with good quality finishing. But just made me feel a bit numb.
To me, didn't feel rapid (also had an F10 M5 with 700bhp at the time, therefore it was slow compared to that).
It liked a drink, but still had a bit of old school Bentley charm about it. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't love it.
Also had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022, and I felt the same way about that.
There always seems to be something that needs doing on them, and any work on these is never cheap.
pSyCoSiS said:
A lot of car for the money.
I actually picked one up early 2023 for £9k. Blue with magnolia hide.
On collection, the EML came on, so I got some money knocked off (original deal was agreed at £9750).
Drove ok, but with a light hesitation. Took to my Bentley specialist, and it needed a new MAF and hose was cracked. Got those replaced and it drove better.
However, I just never gelled with it. Sounded nice, interior was a decent place to be with good quality finishing. But just made me feel a bit numb.
To me, didn't feel rapid (also had an F10 M5 with 700bhp at the time, therefore it was slow compared to that).
It liked a drink, but still had a bit of old school Bentley charm about it. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't love it.
Also had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022, and I felt the same way about that.
There always seems to be something that needs doing on them, and any work on these is never cheap.
I borrowed a friends one for a while and agree it doesn’t feel rapid to any degree. Also handled like a boat but had to remind myself it’s very much a big GT. I actually picked one up early 2023 for £9k. Blue with magnolia hide.
On collection, the EML came on, so I got some money knocked off (original deal was agreed at £9750).
Drove ok, but with a light hesitation. Took to my Bentley specialist, and it needed a new MAF and hose was cracked. Got those replaced and it drove better.
However, I just never gelled with it. Sounded nice, interior was a decent place to be with good quality finishing. But just made me feel a bit numb.
To me, didn't feel rapid (also had an F10 M5 with 700bhp at the time, therefore it was slow compared to that).
It liked a drink, but still had a bit of old school Bentley charm about it. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't love it.
Also had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022, and I felt the same way about that.
There always seems to be something that needs doing on them, and any work on these is never cheap.
Still quite fancy a later one mind.
As a former XJ-S V12 owner when I was in my twenties these occupy the same territory that they used to.
The most exotic engine, at the time, that the man on the street can afford for small hatchback money.
The first major issue will consume the purchase price of the car.
Styling and image that are divisive, both the XJ-S & the Continental GT have an air of provincial nightclub owner about them.
Appalling fuel economy.
Parts shared with far lesser cars, British Leyland in the case of the XJ-S, Deutches Leyland (sorry VAG), in the case of the CGT.
Too many made to become valuable classics.
Many will be seen rotting on driveways.
Incredibly capable and in many ways a better car then the equivalent Aston Martin or Ferrari. XJ-S vs Aston Martin V8 vs Ferrari 400 / CGT vs DB9 vs 612 Scaglietti.
They both remain wonderful things.
The most exotic engine, at the time, that the man on the street can afford for small hatchback money.
The first major issue will consume the purchase price of the car.
Styling and image that are divisive, both the XJ-S & the Continental GT have an air of provincial nightclub owner about them.
Appalling fuel economy.
Parts shared with far lesser cars, British Leyland in the case of the XJ-S, Deutches Leyland (sorry VAG), in the case of the CGT.
Too many made to become valuable classics.
Many will be seen rotting on driveways.
Incredibly capable and in many ways a better car then the equivalent Aston Martin or Ferrari. XJ-S vs Aston Martin V8 vs Ferrari 400 / CGT vs DB9 vs 612 Scaglietti.
They both remain wonderful things.
Shnozz said:
pSyCoSiS said:
A lot of car for the money.
I actually picked one up early 2023 for £9k. Blue with magnolia hide.
On collection, the EML came on, so I got some money knocked off (original deal was agreed at £9750).
Drove ok, but with a light hesitation. Took to my Bentley specialist, and it needed a new MAF and hose was cracked. Got those replaced and it drove better.
However, I just never gelled with it. Sounded nice, interior was a decent place to be with good quality finishing. But just made me feel a bit numb.
To me, didn't feel rapid (also had an F10 M5 with 700bhp at the time, therefore it was slow compared to that).
It liked a drink, but still had a bit of old school Bentley charm about it. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't love it.
Also had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022, and I felt the same way about that.
There always seems to be something that needs doing on them, and any work on these is never cheap.
I borrowed a friends one for a while and agree it doesn’t feel rapid to any degree. Also handled like a boat but had to remind myself it’s very much a big GT. I actually picked one up early 2023 for £9k. Blue with magnolia hide.
On collection, the EML came on, so I got some money knocked off (original deal was agreed at £9750).
Drove ok, but with a light hesitation. Took to my Bentley specialist, and it needed a new MAF and hose was cracked. Got those replaced and it drove better.
However, I just never gelled with it. Sounded nice, interior was a decent place to be with good quality finishing. But just made me feel a bit numb.
To me, didn't feel rapid (also had an F10 M5 with 700bhp at the time, therefore it was slow compared to that).
It liked a drink, but still had a bit of old school Bentley charm about it. I didn't dislike it, I just didn't love it.
Also had a Continental Flying Spur in 2022, and I felt the same way about that.
There always seems to be something that needs doing on them, and any work on these is never cheap.
Still quite fancy a later one mind.
Think the smart money is on a later v8 one for 25/30 grand.
Definite buyers market for stuff like this at the moment though, talking to a friend who has an Aston Martin and he could not get shut of it, ended up part exing it against a lovely Jag XK 5.0, last of the line, had to put cash to it to get the Jag, he had one before and just prefers them. His Aston was for sale for like a year, another one locally, I knew the owner of that one who passed away has been for sale since he died nearly three years ago.
WPA said:
POORCARDEALER said:
If you are unlucky with your purchase these are ruinous - some pipe issue that’s a common failure is engine out £5k minimum.
Friend has one he bought for £13k, he’s had no issues in 2 years - that’s the gamble
Yes, the vacuum pipes are prone to cracking they run around the back of the engine over the gearbox, around £6k to replace but then most jobs on this is engine out.Friend has one he bought for £13k, he’s had no issues in 2 years - that’s the gamble
It might be £10k but the first big bill could match that easily, might be me but these look so dated now.
Alternator / water pump can cost over £4.5k (the parts are around £500 each) and vacuum pipes are usually over £5k, due to the aforementioned engine out. Labour cost is the killer.
However, there are knowledgeable people out there who can replace items with the engine in situ, thus reducing the prices quite significantly.
Stick Legs said:
As a former XJ-S V12 owner when I was in my twenties these occupy the same territory that they used to.
The most exotic engine, at the time, that the man on the street can afford for small hatchback money.
The first major issue will consume the purchase price of the car.
Styling and image that are divisive, both the XJ-S & the Continental GT have an air of provincial nightclub owner about them.
Appalling fuel economy.
Parts shared with far lesser cars, British Leyland in the case of the XJ-S, Deutches Leyland (sorry VAG), in the case of the CGT.
Too many made to become valuable classics.
Many will be seen rotting on driveways.
Incredibly capable and in many ways a better car then the equivalent Aston Martin or Ferrari. XJ-S vs Aston Martin V8 vs Ferrari 400 / CGT vs DB9 vs 612 Scaglietti.
They both remain wonderful things.
I can identify with much of this. I had a number of V12 Jags and Daimlers from my twenties onwards. They are the broad equivalent in terms of their role and place in the market but the massive difference is that those V12s were both reliable and pretty easy to work on. I can remember changing the alternator on a Daimler Double Six on my drive in a few hours (with more support under it than the Forth bridge!). They were also free of the myriad sensors and electrical gizmos that you know will fail on cars like this Bentley. I worried about rust and leaks, never electrical or mechanical problems.The most exotic engine, at the time, that the man on the street can afford for small hatchback money.
The first major issue will consume the purchase price of the car.
Styling and image that are divisive, both the XJ-S & the Continental GT have an air of provincial nightclub owner about them.
Appalling fuel economy.
Parts shared with far lesser cars, British Leyland in the case of the XJ-S, Deutches Leyland (sorry VAG), in the case of the CGT.
Too many made to become valuable classics.
Many will be seen rotting on driveways.
Incredibly capable and in many ways a better car then the equivalent Aston Martin or Ferrari. XJ-S vs Aston Martin V8 vs Ferrari 400 / CGT vs DB9 vs 612 Scaglietti.
They both remain wonderful things.
I think the only two versions of the Conti I would contemplate would be one like this for a couple of grand less, where if it broke, I'd out it broken and swallow the loss, or one where some poor sap has just spent £20K making one perfect, promptly died and left it for his widow to get rid of at any price.
RandomCarChat said:
I really fancy a Conti but would rather go down the 4.0 V8 route. Surely its slightly less ruinous 
Yes that 4.0 V8 is used in other VAG models and generally more reliable and easier to maintain than the W12.But, they keep their value more due to this and are still £25k+ for earlier ones.
For the money, it is a lot of car. Even 10 years ago, these early W12 Conti GTs were selling for up to £30k.
So under £10k it's good value, providing it's a gamble which pays off. If it doesn't, you'll be into it very deep!
J4CKO said:
Interested to see they dont feel all that rapid, but looking at the figures, 0-100 mph in 10.9, though still fairly quick, can see why its not mind blowing as thats not as quick as a standard M140i which does it in 9.9, that Supersports one I went in did feel pretty fast.
Think the smart money is on a later v8 one for 25/30 grand.
Definite buyers market for stuff like this at the moment though, talking to a friend who has an Aston Martin and he could not get shut of it, ended up part exing it against a lovely Jag XK 5.0, last of the line, had to put cash to it to get the Jag, he had one before and just prefers them. His Aston was for sale for like a year, another one locally, I knew the owner of that one who passed away has been for sale since he died nearly three years ago.
It’s perhaps just well masked by the soft suspension set up, sound deadening and the fact it’s generally built like a tank. Think the smart money is on a later v8 one for 25/30 grand.
Definite buyers market for stuff like this at the moment though, talking to a friend who has an Aston Martin and he could not get shut of it, ended up part exing it against a lovely Jag XK 5.0, last of the line, had to put cash to it to get the Jag, he had one before and just prefers them. His Aston was for sale for like a year, another one locally, I knew the owner of that one who passed away has been for sale since he died nearly three years ago.
If you were in the market for an early 4.0 engined one (I am not but always wondered) would it be a better prospect to veer off towards the equivalent Audi S8?
What I am asking in a long winded way is whether the scare stories are justified or driven by the badge. Would the Audi be any less expensive or less likely to go wrong etc.
What I am asking in a long winded way is whether the scare stories are justified or driven by the badge. Would the Audi be any less expensive or less likely to go wrong etc.
I'm repeating what's already been said in the thread, but the running cost of these cars(not just this Bentley but in Astons, Maseratis, M5s etc) are so high in comparison to the purchase price/depreciation/financing, that the overall yearly costs of running this one at GBP10k, aren't much different to the overall cost of a GBP20k one.
So the price goes into a viscious circle of having to be reduced even more, which then pulls down the price of the 20K one etc.
I think it could make sense at 5000 miles/year, where you DIY as much as possible, and are prepared to scrap it off if/when the inevitable happens.
So the price goes into a viscious circle of having to be reduced even more, which then pulls down the price of the 20K one etc.
I think it could make sense at 5000 miles/year, where you DIY as much as possible, and are prepared to scrap it off if/when the inevitable happens.
BOR said:
I'm repeating what's already been said in the thread, but the running cost of these cars(not just this Bentley but in Astons, Maseratis, M5s etc) are so high in comparison to the purchase price/depreciation/financing, that the overall yearly costs of running this one at GBP10k, aren't much different to the overall cost of a GBP20k one.
So the price goes into a viscious circle of having to be reduced even more, which then pulls down the price of the 20K one etc.
I think it could make sense at 5000 miles/year, where you DIY as much as possible, and are prepared to scrap it off if/when the inevitable happens.
Does anyone have a real world experience of running a circa 2016/2017 facelift V8 CGT? Are they potentially almost as ruinous?So the price goes into a viscious circle of having to be reduced even more, which then pulls down the price of the 20K one etc.
I think it could make sense at 5000 miles/year, where you DIY as much as possible, and are prepared to scrap it off if/when the inevitable happens.
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