Is this for real ? £15k plus a year in maintenance on GT?

[Olidanides]

Hi everyone

I am contemplating a Conti GT or Conti R for £30-£40k, but have worries about the true running costs.
Fuel on 10-15mpg I can take.
Maintenance costs between £1500 to £3000 a year, I can take.

However, £15k plus like this guy describes seems outrageous for such a recent car, even if the maintenance is done by main dealer.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-reviews/bentley/co...

Does anyone seem to know the true average maintenance cost for a Conti GT ?

For the Conti R, the few independent specialists I have spoken to seem to reckon an average of £2500/year to cover for unexpected bits, as it is an older car.

Thanks for your input.

Oli.

[Monty Zoomer]

If you have to ask...

you can't afford it.

[Olidanides]

Thanks Monty for the encouragement.

This I know too well, but have chosen to ignore it on many occasions and glad I did.
You only live once and after all this is Pistonheads...

Still £10k/year difference between owner's experience seem steep, unless his car was a bit of a lemon.

[Mike Scott]

Olidanides said:

Hi everyone

I am contemplating a Conti GT or Conti R for £30-£40k, but have worries about the true running costs.
Fuel on 10-15mpg I can take.
Maintenance costs between £1500 to £3000 a year, I can take.

However, £15k plus like this guy describes seems outrageous for such a recent car, even if the maintenance is done by main dealer.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-reviews/bentley/co...

Does anyone seem to know the true average maintenance cost for a Conti GT ?

For the Conti R, the few independent specialists I have spoken to seem to reckon an average of £2500/year to cover for unexpected bits, as it is an older car.

Thanks for your input.

Oli.

I wouldn't read into this to much, the only way I can see these numbers would be if including depreciation......if this is the case then easily believable on a newer car.

Servicing is between £650 and £1700 for main dealer and just ensure you get a bentley warranty. That way you will limit the damage at least.

Tyres are cheap in comparison to some cars I have owned and brakes no more than a sporty Audi or Bmw.

Petrol will be your biggest expenses but that is part of the key reason you can now get a 140k car for £40k...... On a lighter note thank your lucky stars your didn't buy new and lose £100k in a few years

[Deva Link]

Olidanides said:

However, £15k plus like this guy describes seems outrageous for such a recent car, even if the maintenance is done by main dealer.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-reviews/bentley/co...

It's difficult to know from the way it's written, but he might be including fuel costs in that number. Although his estimate of close grand a month for fuel looks quite a lot too high if he was doing the mileage and MPG stated.

[mat430]

absolute rubbish the car must be a lemon.
I have had ours which is an early car for a year now and all it has cost me is an annual service from an independent, fuel wise on my 18 mile journey from knutsford to Manchester I get 17-18 ish

[2708420018]

I have run a Continental R for some 5 years. The annual inspection by a main dealer has cost £500 pa I then get any items found sorted by my own indie which has probably cost about £2-300 pa. I did have the hydraulic service done by the main dealer ( After a haggle) together with a few other things that they found. This came to £4500. With a set of tyres at £1000 I spent about £10k in 5 years or £2k a year. Without the hydraulic service it would have been about £1500 a year.
For this I had a car that I had full confidence in and a fully stamped service record. This is not an area for penny pinching!

Paul

[Olidanides]

Thank you all for your opinions.

And Paul, I appreciate your contribution as I have decided it will be a Conti R, not a GT. I am now on a mission to find the one ... :-)

I have seen 3 R's today and making progress on where I need to be regarding price/condition...

I will hopefully report back on purchase in the next few weeks.

Olivier

[ADP68]

Paul, sorry to ask a dumb question, but what does the main dealer inspection give that an independent doesn't?

[2708420018]

ADP68 said:

Paul, sorry to ask a dumb question, but what does the main dealer inspection give that an independent doesn't?

A well respected mark in the Service Book, I suppose. They are often advertised with "Main Dealer Service History"

The Indies can be variable although most of the devotees on here will know who are the good ones and the bad ones but a new purchaser may not and would take comfort from a main dealer.

Paul

[2708420018]

Olidanides said:

Thank you all for your opinions.

And Paul, I appreciate your contribution as I have decided it will be a Conti R, not a GT. I am now on a mission to find the one ... :-)

I have seen 3 R's today and making progress on where I need to be regarding price/condition...

I will hopefully report back on purchase in the next few weeks.

Olivier

Have a look at mine which is for sale at Phantom

http://www.pmcuk.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MarshallC...

I am only getting rid of it as I have bought an Arnage T as we needed four doors. Let me know if you need any more pics of the Continental R

Paul

[ADP68]

Thanks, so the inspection is a service then and the non-service things they pick-up are sorted elsewhere?
You learn something new every day!

[2708420018]

It is as set out in the Service Book and incudes all the oils and fluids. Most Bentley dealers will haggle on service and repair costs for older cars.

Paul

[K2MDL]

Hi Guys, just bought my 4th Conti GT, this time a Speed. Which club would you recommend (if any) for a fellow enthusiast? I see the drivers club and owners club but open to your suggestions. Located in Wentworth Surrey

[Olidanides]

I thought I'd update the thread now that...

...I have taken the plunge on a 1998 Continental R !

Drove it home today. Fantastic feeling.

Pics will follow soon.

[ringram]

I guess you could always go for a 3rd party warranty..

[jinkster]

Monty Zoomer said:

If you have to ask...

you can't afford it.

This really winds me up when people post this. Surely a second hand Bentley is affordable but however much money you have, you still have to be cautious about servicing etc. The OP doesn't want to buy a money pit!

[Bluebottle911]

jinkster said:

Monty Zoomer said:

If you have to ask...

you can't afford it.

This really winds me up when people post this. Surely a second hand Bentley is affordable but however much money you have, you still have to be cautious about servicing etc. The OP doesn't want to buy a money pit!

This is indeed a stupid thing to say, usually said by people who can't afford it, but want to pretend they can. People who really can afford not to ask, almost invariably do ask - that's why they can afford not to. People who are too stupid to ask, usually end up like Monty, with an empty garage!

[Olidanides]

Ok. First report then.

Honeymoon period... All good so far. 300 miles done this weekend and what a sense of occasion this car provides! It waft alongs effortlessly at serious speed.
I cannot quite believe my luck to be able to own and drive such a special machine.
Very early days of course but I am chuffed with my purchase. I just hope it doesn't bankrupt me because I am more of a 'Waffagolf' type and not a high net worth individual.
This is a proper pistonhead dream come true... So for the benefit of others who are not quite sure if they can afford it... i will try to keep you updated on my experience.

oh... And here is my car:


Regards

O.

[6750cc]

Olidanides said:

Ok. First report then.

Honeymoon period... All good so far. 300 miles done this weekend and what a sense of occasion this car provides! It waft alongs effortlessly at serious speed.
I cannot quite believe my luck to be able to own and drive such a special machine.
Very early days of course but I am chuffed with my purchase. I just hope it doesn't bankrupt me because I am more of a 'Waffagolf' type and not a high net worth individual.
This is a proper pistonhead dream come true... So for the benefit of others who are not quite sure if they can afford it... i will try to keep you updated on my experience.

oh... And here is my car:


Regards

O.

Congratulations - looks great and good that you are enjoying it!

Look forward to further updates.

Cheers,

Andy