Buying a Bentley Arnage

[the sat diver]

After having to wait some 60 years I am finally close to realizing my childhood dream...
It's going to be a Bentley Arnage circa 1998 to 2001 but which one do I go for.. the BMW engined 4.4 or the later VW installed 6.75
My problem is I have no idea what faults I should be looking for..apart from the obvious.. tin worm etc:
Which engine is more reliable BMW or the VW original unit.. i'm not rich by any means so have to maintain a modicum of sensibility
in terms of running and maintenance etc..

There must be someone out there who can advise me.. ?

Cheers

[clarkmagpie]

I can offer no advice but...
Great choice either way!
Fantastic looking tanks, real quality looking things.

[the sat diver]

Ha... thanks and agree nothing really compares does it.. and i've had all sorts of supercars !

[stain]

Go for a 2001 Red Label with the 6.75 engine. Nothing much wrong with the 4.4 but the big engine suits the car better. There were also several revisions to the build quality around then which are worth having. Great cars but buy on history and condition. Buy the wrong car and you will spend the same again sorting it out.

[SilverWraith]

Totally agree with Stain. I am a purist and would choose the 6.75 engine. Lovely engine.

[dazzalse]

If budget allows there is a huge amount of difference between the 2001 model year and 2002 model year ( available late 2001) Bentley invested hugely in chassis and suspension and the difference in drive is very much noticeable, these cars were referred to as "R" and "T"

[the sat diver]

Thank you all very much for the input.. these comments are a huge help in decision making and the last thing I want to do is spend the same again on repairs so I will research carefully.. if that did happen my wife would probably divorce me i'm sure.. she says I spend far too much on cars as it is.. and yes sadly I do !!

[the sat diver]

I know this might sound sad but.. I have actually been thro' every page.. all 55 of them and the advice right the way thro' this forum is to buy with care but also without reserve you all love the marque which helps me no end

I cannot say I'm not frightened somewhat at the prospect of being caught out.. it's only ever happened once before.. however we are now talking BIG numbers and until I started reading what you all had to say I didn't realise quite how big these servicing and repair bills could be.. so more research is needed and the advice of several of you to seek an experts inspection before finally opening the wallet makes sense.. so this buying malarky is going to take slightly longer than anticipated..

Thanks

[2woody]

There is a vast difference in character between the 4.4 litre motor car and that equipped with the six-and-three-quarters.

the 4.4 is a "catalogue" engine from the BMW range, which the engineers in Germany thought would suffice. Yes, it produces the goods, but at the result of being "poked".

The six-and-three-quarters is a Crewe engine through-and-through. Designed and built by British engineers who understood the character and nature of the vehicle. It is a mixture of serene and sledgehammer, which delights in sticking its two-valve two fingers up at the motoring world.

If that doesn't convince, consider this :- There are already books written about the six-and-three-quarter. There will never be books about the 4.4 BMW engine.

[meistro]

I bought a 2002 Arnage T (black on black) about three months ago in Arizona. I live in Los Angeles. I paid $43000 for it (approximately 31800 Euros) and I can tell you I am as happy as a pig in the deep as well as the murky.

I actually bought it through the Internet. Naturally, I did lots of praying, hoping that after having seen the car only once and having committed myself to buying it, it would not let me down.

Everything on the car works which is hugely important of course; nothing needed to be fixed. From the research I have done I gathered that you should not buy the 2000 or 2001. The 6.75 liter engine got a complete redo for 2002 which I actually did not realize till I noticed my engine (2002) has a serpentine belt. The 6.75s before then did not. They had the many separate belts for the many separate components.

Fortunately my ex-wife (a Northern woman) divorced my sorry bottom many many years ago. Consequently I am able to dust and wipe and polish and go ooooh and aaaaah without limits nightly in my garage.

So...buy a 2002 and make sure nothing needs fixing. NOTHING!

[WelshBentleyBoy]

I bought a 2002 Arnage T about 6 months ago and have done about 4000 miles in it this summer. I have been to the South of France via the Alps, several UK trips and even used it for my son's wedding. It is magnificent and I can sit in it for 6 hours at a stretch in complete and utter comfort. I have just come back from a trip to the Lake District and came home in 4 hours on a trip of over 260 miles. The performance is terrific (So is the MPG) and I have yet to give it a good go in sport. The only problems I have had were an Autoride sensor which kept coming on and was fixed under warranty and slightly uneven tyre wear due to poor alignment, Now corrected.
A great Car!!

Paul

[the sat diver]

Last 3 comments have just about convinced me... but sorry I just couldn't keep up with WelshBentleyBoy
as I was on my Mountain Bike when you passed me.. ha
I live in the Lakes now but roads are not exactly M6 wide are they.. it's another consideration!!

[WelshBentleyBoy]

the sat diver said:

Last 3 comments have just about convinced me... but sorry I just couldn't keep up with WelshBentleyBoy
as I was on my Mountain Bike when you passed me.. ha
I live in the Lakes now but roads are not exactly M6 wide are they.. it's another consideration!!

The pleasure is just as great on the slower speeds. There can be few cars that offer such a combination of luxury limousine and towering performance. If all those tourists can get around the lakes in their great big coaches then an Arnage should be a doddle!

Paul

[meistro]

meistro said:

I bought a 2002 Arnage T (black on black) about three months ago in Arizona. I live in Los Angeles. I paid $43000 for it (approximately 31800 Euros) and I can tell you I am as happy as a pig in the deep as well as the murky.

I actually bought it through the Internet. Naturally, I did lots of praying, hoping that after having seen the car only once and having committed myself to buying it, it would not let me down.

Everything on the car works which is hugely important of course; nothing needed to be fixed. From the research I have done I gathered that you should not buy the 2000 or 2001. The 6.75 liter engine got a complete redo for 2002 which I actually did not realize till I noticed my engine (2002) has a serpentine belt. The 6.75s before then did not. They had the many separate belts for the many separate components.

Fortunately my ex-wife (a Northern woman) divorced my sorry bottom many many years ago. Consequently I am able to dust and wipe and polish and go ooooh and aaaaah without limits nightly in my garage.

So...buy a 2002 and make sure nothing needs fixing. NOTHING!

[WelshBentleyBoy]

This is my baby. I too could look at it and polish it all day.

[vpr]

I've hankered after one of these for a good few years now and took the plunge last Thursday

An 06 MY Mulliner with 28000 miles. Beautiful car to drive

Sorry about the wonky shots

[6750cc]

vpr said:

I've hankered after one of these for a good few years now and took the plunge last Thursday

An 06 MY Mulliner with 28000 miles. Beautiful car to drive

Sorry about the wonky shots

Congratulations - looks like a very nice example.

Cheers,

Andy

[the sat diver]

Looks like a Petrolheads Garage to me ??.. very nice indeed

[meistro]

Well, sat diver, it now is up to you to indulge yourself shamelessly.

By the way, Paul, beautiful baby.

Peter

[spyker138]

I bought a 2001 Red Label in 2005 and have had no problems at all with it in seven years and 30,000 miles. I have done servicing at independents every year ($500 per year, $3000 for the major hydraulic once every 4/5 years). Maybe later ones are better, but this has done great for me. I maybe tempted by a final series at some point, but I do like the chrome on the older ones!!