Wraith advice/experience ?
Discussion
Following a 'life-changing' incident my much-loved 458 had to go as it wouldn't really have suited conversion to hand controls. Thoughts have turned to future motoring and I find the RR Wraith winking at me. Never owned or even driven that class of car, but somehow don't fancy starting with a Bentley, great machines though they are. So I'm hoping for advice or anecdotes on the Wraith from any current owners.
Its a great car, we've got a Phantom but have had a number of Ferrari's in the past, however I was intrigued when we were on a Ferrari track day last year and one of the drivers (who are all self employed) said of everything he had driven that year the most surprising car was the Wraith and he thought it was one of the best all round cars he had driven!
I actually then made a point of driving the car when I was at the factory last year and spend about 2 hours on the Goodwood track, it really is a great car felt as quick as my wife's California!
I actually then made a point of driving the car when I was at the factory last year and spend about 2 hours on the Goodwood track, it really is a great car felt as quick as my wife's California!
dazzalse said:
Its a great car, we've got a Phantom but have had a number of Ferrari's in the past, however I was intrigued when we were on a Ferrari track day last year and one of the drivers (who are all self employed) said of everything he had driven that year the most surprising car was the Wraith and he thought it was one of the best all round cars he had driven!
I actually then made a point of driving the car when I was at the factory last year and spend about 2 hours on the Goodwood track, it really is a great car felt as quick as my wife's California!
Yes, it's the 'sports' Rolls, isn't it? But one thing I'd like to find out is how much of a pain-in-the-ass it is from a maintenance perspective? Prior to the 458 I'd always found F-cars to be really pretty fragile. And that's just a euphemism for 'poorly put together'. How does the Wraith fit in? Is it back to the AD every few hundred miles for the next silly annoying bit of warranty work? Or will it do 10000 miles a year from service to service as reliably as a German box (usually) does?I actually then made a point of driving the car when I was at the factory last year and spend about 2 hours on the Goodwood track, it really is a great car felt as quick as my wife's California!
I can't lie and say the Phantom has been trouble free, there is a thread on here running about it but I do cover about 6,000 miles a year in it including motoring down to Portugal every summer, but its swing and roundabouts you might just get a perfect one, interestingly both Ferrari's I've owned have been completely trouble free and in fact the only cars that have never had to go back for anything! some of our problems with the Phantom will be lack of use over the winter no doubt, but if your using this as every day transport should be fine
I have had a Phantom Drophead since 2009 and very little has gone wrong with it in the 20,000 odd miles I have put on it. The most irritating problem was a log running issue with the Sat Nav which has since been fixed. I am based outside the UK and have car acquisition disorder - mostly old ones. This means the Phantom spends most of its life with a cover on it in London or France with occasional requirements for a long journey. It never fails to start or proceed. Just like a BMW in a posh frock really.
IMHO they look best in solid or single colours & I think will age better. They also look much better on the optional solid polished monoblock alloy wheels the "standard spec" two tone wheels are just a bit err, well you decide.
These are possibly two of the prettiest ones I have seen & I've seen more than most
These are possibly two of the prettiest ones I have seen & I've seen more than most
Edited by cptsideways on Tuesday 9th February 16:12
I was considering one to run alongside a Phantom and Ghost so had an extended try last year. It is a very accomplished car and has some nice features. The gearbox is linked to the nav and works very well with such a torquey engine. The cabin is also a notch up from the Ghost but it is still a bit too close to BMW for my liking. It is bonkers fast but it is so isolating from what's going on, you're left with a slightly odd feeling. Personally I feel it is too fast bearing in mind you can't firm up the ride or manually control the gears. Other points - visibility out isn't great and the doors are very thick and open very wide. If it matters, access into the back isn't brilliant and the chairs take ages to motor back and forth.
Have you seen this video of a Wraith, it's pretty impressive and will probably convince you once and for all; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap9eROAo82U
I have a Mclaren 12c at the moment and have always had sports and supercars, to run alongside my family 4x4's. I had a very painful operation on my knee last year which has reduced my mobility considerably. Long story short, getting in and out of the Macca comfortably has become increasingly more difficult . Thoughts turned to an FF or GT speed , and I had never really considered a Wraith, but I have absolutely fallen in love with it. I take delivery of my anthracite ( polished 21 inch 7 spokes) car on Good friday, and I cant wait. I do feel a bit self concious about the rolls image of old ( and will have to see how road reaction is to that), but for those in the know, this really does look like the business. I will really miss the Mclaren , but I cant really justify keeping both. So a totally different car for me and an exciting new journey. Already planning some "grand touring" with more than a toothbrush in the boot.
Have you taken the plunge yet may I ask?
Have you taken the plunge yet may I ask?
Poshbury said:
Sorry to read that braindrain.
Having re-read your OP I presume it's for med' reasons.
Good luck for the future.
Thanks for that old chap. But you're right. It's the side effects of morphine DVLA didn't like, but (as the doc has said to them via letter) I'm well off it now, so the licence should be coming back soon. However a strange thing's happened:Having re-read your OP I presume it's for med' reasons.
Good luck for the future.
Like I suspect many on PH, I've loved cars since I was a wee nipper old enough to make brm brm noises as I rode my 3 wheeler around the house. But since the accident well (don't know how to say this) I've become sort of ambivalent to them. The missus thinks it's because I'm running on someone else's blood (mine having been left at the crash scene) and I'm beginning to wonder if she's right! I mean you know you've become ambivalent when you look on the Mobility website and you find yourself fancying the Skoda Superb above the BMW 320i
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