RE: Ex-Chris Harris Rolls-Royce Phantom for sale
RE: Ex-Chris Harris Rolls-Royce Phantom for sale
Monday 18th August

Ex-Chris Harris Rolls-Royce Phantom for sale

Former PH pedaller suggested he might quite like a VII back in the day. Like so many other dreams, it came true


A few years ago, big John H - currently available for your listening and viewing pleasure on the all-new PH Podcast - spotted a well-used Phantom for middling money, and claimed that it was ‘everything a Rolls-Royce should be’. He was right, of course, although that particular example, which was advertised at the time for £80k, remains on sale to this day, suggesting that the market for older secondhand Phantoms isn’t exactly white-hot. Or not fast-moving, at any rate. 

So it’ll be interesting to see how long this car - older still and with a positively galactic (in Phantom terms) 93k miles on the clock - sticks around for. As you might expect, it has affordability in its corner, being listed for a tenner under £60k, making it the cheapest Phantom currently loitering in the classifieds. Less predictably, it also lists Mr Chris Harris, formerly of this parish, among its six previous owners. Which is nice. 

Chris’s fondness for the Phantom is well known. In fact, we have documented evidence of his partiality because he was minded to winkle out a very similar-looking car back in 2013, and suggested that he wouldn’t mind owning one if other road users could ever be convinced that he wasn’t the hired help. Lest we forget, many fewer people knew Chris by sight back in the halcyon days of forever ago. 

With the tele putting paid to that problem and his pockets eventually bulging with BBC gravy, at some point in the indeterminate past (specific dates welcome below), Chris evidently followed up on his curiosity and bought a black Phantom from 2005. Ten seconds of internet-based research suggests he kept it on the road and appreciated it for all the reasons anyone probably would. Moreover, the current vendor suggests that his ownership did not interrupt a full Rolls-Royce service history. 

Doubtless it added numbers to the odometer, Chris being a man disinclined to sit still for long. Or to drive in the Wodehousian manner of a chauffeur, either. So we don’t doubt this Phantom has consumed super unleaded at an elevated rate at some point in its life; the question is, would that give us pause for thought when buying? And the answer is, probably not. Attentive servicing, as ever, is the key. And Rolls-Royce services tend to be attentive in the extreme. 

Additionally, increasing rarity seems to have preserved the seventh-generation Phantom from genuine bargain basement valuations. Our buying guide from 2018 reckoned you could buy one then for £75k; in 2025, the next cheapest VII after the two we’ve mentioned is £87k. It probably helps that the car’s reputation for excellence and opulence has solidified over the years, and, unimportant technology aside, the Phantom’s appeal seems unaffected by time. In other words, as we used to say: you know you want to...


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Author
Discussion

NineB

Original Poster:

41 posts

72 months

Just out of interest thought I look up what a similar Bentley would cost.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?make=Bentl...

CountyLines

3,316 posts

19 months

NineB said:
Just out of interest thought I look up what a similar Bentley would cost.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?make=Bentl...
Blimey.

PRO5T

5,977 posts

41 months

CountyLines said:
NineB said:
Just out of interest thought I look up what a similar Bentley would cost.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?make=Bentl...
Blimey.
Blimey indeed! I remember spending some time in one at the first Car Fest thing that Chris evens did, What a bit of kit-for travelling I had it figured as the best car in the world. If I won the lottery I’d love to spend a couple of years in one just to experience it.

swanseaboydan

2,040 posts

179 months

It’s just too big to park / enjoy if you ask me. Even a large 4x4 must be easier to live with than one of those ?

Lotobear

8,047 posts

144 months

..what a depressing interior

swanseaboydan

2,040 posts

179 months

I do like it though . . . 4 business people doing a round Europe trip visiting all their offices ? Executive airport transfer ?

nismo48

5,430 posts

223 months

NineB said:
Just out of interest thought I look up what a similar Bentley would cost.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?make=Bentl...
V8 though scratchchin

Demonix

676 posts

228 months

Just have visions of Chris hooning in the Rolls, smoking tyres and sideways slides around numerous corners, thoughts of wear and tear on numerous components brakes, suspension , engine, gearbox, drivetrain etc and it becomes a less attractive prospect. That and a preference for the Bentley Mulsanne's less hunchbacked styling.

Augustus Windsock

3,640 posts

171 months

No matter how ‘cheap’ this may be, I know I wouldn’t buy one as in the back of my mind are the running costs.
Even a lottery win couldn’t convince me (ok I’ve got long pockets and short arms..)

Familymad

1,325 posts

233 months

Muslanne pls

Turbobanana

7,323 posts

217 months

swanseaboydan said:
It’s just too big to park / enjoy if you ask me. Even a large 4x4 must be easier to live with than one of those ?
Very probably true, but don't forget that anyone in the market for one of these probably lives a very different life to the majority of us, so parking in Sainsbury's car park is likely less of an issue. They'd have a person for that, who'd have a car for that.

BigChiefmuffinAgain

1,416 posts

114 months

The interior doesn't seem to be wearing very well - leather in particular looks very worn and uncared for.

AmyRichardson

1,766 posts

58 months

Those seats look beaten to hell for the mileage; presumably Harris (being a tiddler) is easy on the bolsters - the other owners must have been built very powerfully (or corpulently.)

Firebobby

840 posts

55 months

I couldn't care less if the Shah of Iran owned it, I wouldn't have it on my street let alone drive! Hideous looking monstrousity..

coates848

102 posts

149 months

I seem to remember him posting an absolutely horrendous invoice on Twitter back when he was active on there. Something like £8k for a routine service or something like that.

mattlehec

21 posts

185 months

I parked next to Chris in this in my 355 in the paddock parking at the British Grand Prix. He was getting out and i casually said Hi...... he turned round gave me the evilest stare and blanked me.
Then when Frank Bruno got out of my car and Chris see him he came running over saying oh my god and shaking his hand.
Still blanked me although he did tweet about my car saying he see Frank exit it 🤣🤣🤣
All I got to say on him

Augustus Windsock

3,640 posts

171 months

Firebobby said:
I couldn't care less if the Shah of Iran owned it, I wouldn't have it on my street let alone drive! Hideous looking monstrousity..
I know what you mean, but I’d rather have this than the 4x4 London Taxi look alike that RR make..

J4CKO

44,593 posts

216 months

Demonix said:
Just have visions of Chris hooning in the Rolls, smoking tyres and sideways slides around numerous corners, thoughts of wear and tear on numerous components brakes, suspension , engine, gearbox, drivetrain etc and it becomes a less attractive prospect. That and a preference for the Bentley Mulsanne's less hunchbacked styling.
I doubt he did much of that, its weird, I have a hot hatch and drive it quickly, I also have a Jaguar XJ which as barges go is one of the lighter and more nimble examples of the genre, but flinging it about just doesnt really enter my head, dont get me wrong it can get a move on and handles pretty well for what it is but it just seems wrong, like going for a run in a suit.

So I expect Mr Harris just wafted imperiously in comfort in this top level barge, even in my comparatively diminutive Jag the parking is a challenge and this is getting on for a meter longer, plus wider and taller, it really will be a pain in smaller car parks but with a bit of work you can do it.

I do think the Bentley is that bit more appealing though.

PRO5T

5,977 posts

41 months

Augustus Windsock said:
Firebobby said:
I couldn't care less if the Shah of Iran owned it, I wouldn't have it on my street let alone drive! Hideous looking monstrousity..
I know what you mean, but I’d rather have this than the 4x4 London Taxi look alike that RR make..
Imagine living on the type of street that people park on!

mattlehec

21 posts

185 months

I parked next to Chris in this in my 355 in the paddock parking at the British Grand Prix. He was getting out and i casually said Hi...... he turned round gave me the evilest stare and blanked me.
Then when Frank Bruno got out of my car and Chris see him he came running over saying oh my god and shaking his hand.
Still blanked me although he did tweet about my car saying he see Frank exit it 🤣🤣🤣
All I got to say on him