Bentley Reliability | FerrariChat

Bentley Reliability

Discussion in 'British' started by redjeeper, Jan 8, 2004.

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  1. redjeeper

    redjeeper Formula Junior

    Nov 4, 2003
    282
    Flowood, MS
    Full Name:
    Anthony Griffin
    I have been looking around the pre owned market and I have given serious thought to purchasing a Bentley. I am especially fond of the new GT Coupe. Does anyone know what the service costs on one of these would be and are they fairly reliable. I would hate to spend that much money for a car that isn't close to the reliability of my current Lexus.
     
  2. West777

    West777 Formula Junior

    Aug 28, 2003
    311
    I have never owned one (i wish) but I would imganie the reliability of a Bentley is quite good. Plus, the powerplant in the GT is manufactured by Volkswagen right? That should boost the reliability.
     
  3. redhead

    redhead F1 Rookie

    Dec 26, 2001
    4,869
    Full Name:
    ~Red~

    are you asking about the CGT or the older Bentleys? Older cars have been talked about many times on this forum.

    CGT's, no idea yet. US techs leave for Crewe on THe 19th for two weeks to learn the car. As far as pricing on anything, nothing has been released.
     
  4. redjeeper

    redjeeper Formula Junior

    Nov 4, 2003
    282
    Flowood, MS
    Full Name:
    Anthony Griffin
    redhead, I am referring to the newer cars, especially the CGT. I noticed that the Arnage has depreciated quite a bit and I may look at one of those if the price is right.
     
  5. TC (Houston)

    TC (Houston) Formula Junior

    Feb 5, 2002
    781
    Houston
    I was wondering the same thing last night while I was following a black Arnage down I-10 west for a few minutes. If I had the coin I'd probably pick one over an S Class or 745. It has a lot more character.

    I highly doubt it will match the reliability of your Lexus, however. :)
     
  6. AJF1

    AJF1 Karting

    Nov 3, 2003
    93
    NJ
    Full Name:
    AJ
    A friend of mine just picked up an 02 Arnage R. The car is awesome! The torque pulls you through the seat! The ride is very smooth. The only thing is the car is kind of cramped. From the outside the car is huge, but looks are deceiving. Also the stereo is a piece of crap for a car costing 220k. All in all it is a great car and they are not a dime a dozen. I helped him look for the car, he looked at 99 arnages for 90k but passed because after 2000, the red labels had more horsepower and torque. The bentley salesguy said there were over 1000 improvements from the 99 to 2000.
     
  7. redhead

    redhead F1 Rookie

    Dec 26, 2001
    4,869
    Full Name:
    ~Red~
    Bentley(VW/Audi) is taking a completly different approach to this car. They are doing a lot more training all across the board. They are putting a lot of resources into making this a product unlike any other. In my opinon, Bentley USE to put a car on the market and work out the bugs. They are not doing that with this car at all. I saw a working car back in April of 03 in Hunnington Beach(@ a Bentley meeting). Thats how long they have been testing road going models. They are going to make sure that this car hits the market running. Are there going to be slight hiccups, most likely, but I think that they will be far and few between.

    A few months ago, they had a worldwide confrence in Italy, Wiston Goodfellow was there and I saw his write up in Autoweek I belive, anyways, our GM went to it as well, and had a chance to drive it. He fell in love with it. This is a Ferrari diehard kind of guy. He said it drove a lot like a 575/Vanguish, but with a lot more feeling to the road.

    In my opinon, this car will change the 150k market drasticlly. This is not your fathers Bentley anymore, but at the same time, it is a grocery geter if need be. Having sat in more then one, I can tell you that it is pure Bentley.
     
  8. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
    17,673
    Tauranga, NZ
    Full Name:
    Pete
    I have been informed by a very reliable source that the new Bentley coupe can have its engine removed in 15 minutes!!!, and just about everything requires this. This source is very impressed with the attitude given to servicing.

    As for the older ones ... the closer you get to Rolls Royce the higher the operating costs (remember the Bentley turbo motor is a Rolls Royce v8 with a turbo hanging on it and the name changed on the valve covers). Rolls Royce did not design their cars with maintenance in mind and hence just about everything takes ages and is overly complicated IMO. Thank God Germans are now designing them as the English are a worry in some engineering fronts.

    I remember my father working on a friends Rolls which had, I think, a braking fault at it was a real pain in the arse to work on ... required a special tool for just about everything ... and the thing drove like a yacht. The cornering speed was pathetic but man it could go in a straight line ... faster (by the seat of ya pants) than my fathers Jensen Intercepter. I believe the Bentleys had a suspension fix that made them corner atleast as well as a $15,000 Jap family wagon, or light truck :)

    Pete
     
  9. whart

    whart F1 Veteran
    Honorary

    Dec 5, 2001
    6,485
    Grandview NY
    Full Name:
    Herr Prof.
    I did a little research on this very topic a month or two ago and got some good input. You might want to do a search. Eg, http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2659&highlight=bentley At least one chatter has picked up a late Arnage and enjoyed it and Taek ,another poster here, has among his family, owned a few of them. There are no bargains in this world, though. The horror stories i heard, even from guys that owned several, and went back for more, made me think twice about using the car as a daily driver. And, the parts prices are apparently shocking, at least on the older cars, even for those of us who are used to ferrari pricing. Can't comment on the newest models, since i wasn't prepared to plunk down that kind of money for a "city" car. If you ante up, though, i'll gladly support your decision. They are quite beautiful.
     
  10. redhead

    redhead F1 Rookie

    Dec 26, 2001
    4,869
    Full Name:
    ~Red~
    FWIW--

    The Robb Report from Sept. 2003 has the CGT on the cover, and a good write up on what dealers have had to do to "qualify" to become a CGT dealer. As well, what Bentley has done to change the image that Bentley portrays.
     
  11. Juice It

    Juice It F1 Rookie

    Sep 22, 2002
    3,233
    Maryland (DC Suburb)
    Full Name:
    Jeff
    Although I haven't had the car long enough to really need anything done to it, it seems pretty well built. I too picked up a red label with 6k miles over a new s55 just for something a little different. I think the Benz has a few more gadgets but the feel of driving the Bentley can't be beat. I have a new Cont. GT convert ordered and can't wait to give that a little seat time. All in all, I think the Arnage is an awesome car but unless money is no object 220 is absolutely crazy to spend on it. It is however a good used car deal to me. Although I will still lose money, I figure it will be in line with what I would lose on a new s55 and I get to drive an almost new Bentley instead.
     
  12. redjeeper

    redjeeper Formula Junior

    Nov 4, 2003
    282
    Flowood, MS
    Full Name:
    Anthony Griffin
    Jeff, the Arnage Red Label and the new CGT are the cars that I am considering. I currently have an LS430 and I am very happy with it except I see one on every block nowadays. I think that there only 3 or 4 Bentleys where I live so it stands out like a sore thumb. What are the service requirements on your car, timing belt or chain, etc. Keep me posted.
     

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