Used Bentley Continental GT advice?

[maxwellpinchbeck]

Hello!
I'm looking to purschase a Bentley continental Gt and I'd like any helpful advice on what to look for!
I've heard they are quite bulletproof and a lot of car for the money!
I'm 22 but I'd prefer to not let that sway an opinion and make it a (hate because he's propably spending daddy's money) sort of post as this will be one of my dream cars and have worked very hard for it!

Thankyou very much!
Maxwell

[saaby93]

Have you looked in the Rolls and bentley forum
Theres quite a bit to go wrong (and does) check Phaetons too for value for money and wider range of engines

edit to add
https://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-buying-gui...

Edited by saaby93 on Saturday 6th May 16:12

[Jonmx]

maxwellpinchbeck said:

Hello!
I'm looking to purschase a Bentley continental Gt and I'd like any helpful advice on what to look for!
I've heard they are quite bulletproof and a lot of car for the money!
I'm 22 but I'd prefer to not let that sway an opinion and make it a (hate because he's propably spending daddy's money) sort of post as this will be one of my dream cars and have worked very hard for it!

Thankyou very much!
Maxwell

What's your car history so far? 22 is young for a powerful car like a Conti GT, but that's not to say it's necessarily an issue. However, if you've only driven Polo's or Fiestas (I'm saying this as you indicate you've been working and saving money) it may be worth getting some experience in a more powerful car before stepping up. Another consideration is the running costs of one of these cars, whilst you can pick one up now for £20k, it still has the running costs of a £100k car. That means regular fuel stops, big, low profile tyres and parts with a Bentley tax on them. Insurance companies will also very much enjoy quoting you as you will not receive any quotes below 4 figures.
You haven't said exactly what your budget and circumstances are, but I'd very much suggest using that money as a deposit on a property and buying a cheap MX5 instead. That said, if I was 22 and had the money, a Bentley would have been my car of choice too!
You may find it difficult to get a test drive, when I was 22 and had a bit of money everyone told me to ps off apart from Mini who gave me a GP Works to play with. I ended up buying a £1k 200sx and through that learnt the fun of oversteer, turbos and owning a car that everyone turns to look at (dump valve).
Take your time, ask questions, pop into the Bentley area of PH and see if there's anyone locally who will let you come and poke around theirs (don't ask to drive it, they will tell you if you can have a go) and see what you think.
Final bit of advice is the same for any car, but even moreso for something like a Bentley and that is to do your research on the vehicle, so HPI, Service history, MOT History (I'd expect a well maintained one to have no advisories other than perhaps for things such as tyre limits or windscreen wipers) as this tends to show how well a car has been looked after. Chat to the seller, if they're decent and genuine they will talk to you endlessly about the car. Do NOT buy a car from Baz just off the M4 on a used car lot, Conti GT's don't end up in these places by accident. If you find one that looks good, get a second opinion from a friend who knows about cars, an AA/RAC inspection or post it up here.
Good luck with it.

[eltax91]

Your post got me looking at the price of these. They are certainlyntemptingly cheap. To say they are bullet proof though is probably a little optimistic. The first add I clicked on listed its recent history, check this, and no doubt all with the Bentley tax on parts/ labour.

2017 Feb, 85k, Service, Front and Rears Brakes Service
- 2016 May, Front Windscreen Replaced with Original Bentley Part
- 2016 Feb, 80k, Service, BG intake Cleaning
- 2015 Sep, 77k, Front Tyres
- 2015 Jun, 75k, All Front Suspension 8 Arms
- 2015 Jun, 75k, Referb Steering Rack, new steering links
- 2015 March, 73K, Rear Tyres, Exhaust Air Pumps Filters
- 2015 Feb, 73K, Big 10 years Service, including Air Pumps, Carbon Container
- 2014 Oct, 68k, Electronic Parking motor replacement
- 2014 Aug, 67k, Full body Polish
- 2014 Jul, 67k, Front Air Strut Replacement
- 2014 May, 67k, Power Steering Pump Replacement, rear callipers rebuild
- 2013 Oct, 63k, 9 years service, plus aux belt replaced
- 2013 Sep, 62k, 4 Wheel Refurbishment
- 2013 Mar, 57k, Top of the range Parrot bluetooth module in ashtray and digital TV tuner
- 2013 Feb, 57k, Rear Center console referb
- 2013 Feb, 55k, Dealer Replaced rear aerofoil broken due to blocked drain holes, 4 tyre pressure sensor, and engine mounts.

Please Be aware that those cars have few common problems that dealers will not tell you or will lie about:
- HAVAC module failures
- Blocked Drainage holes which you need to flush every service or more (one just behind engine, on in fuel cap and last one behind aerofoil)
- Adaptive Suspension
- Faulty Aerofoil
- Faulty Engine Mounts

[thebraketester]

Just remember. It's still a 100,000 quid car to fix when it breaks. They can be ruinous.

[Piersman2]

My father has a Flying Spur - most people would NOT believe the cost of parts. I have a Ranger Rover and Jaguar, and even I simply cannot fathom the price Bentley charge for bits and pieces.

Replacement window finishing strips as his were a bit corroded - £2k+, plus fitting, plus VAT. Mind you he solved it by having the existing wrapped for about £50.

[maxwellpinchbeck]

Jonmx said:

maxwellpinchbeck said:

Hello!
I'm looking to purschase a Bentley continental Gt and I'd like any helpful advice on what to look for!
I've heard they are quite bulletproof and a lot of car for the money!
I'm 22 but I'd prefer to not let that sway an opinion and make it a (hate because he's propably spending daddy's money) sort of post as this will be one of my dream cars and have worked very hard for it!

Thankyou very much!
Maxwell

What's your car history so far? 22 is young for a powerful car like a Conti GT, but that's not to say it's necessarily an issue. However, if you've only driven Polo's or Fiestas (I'm saying this as you indicate you've been working and saving money) it may be worth getting some experience in a more powerful car before stepping up. Another consideration is the running costs of one of these cars, whilst you can pick one up now for £20k, it still has the running costs of a £100k car. That means regular fuel stops, big, low profile tyres and parts with a Bentley tax on them. Insurance companies will also very much enjoy quoting you as you will not receive any quotes below 4 figures.
You haven't said exactly what your budget and circumstances are, but I'd very much suggest using that money as a deposit on a property and buying a cheap MX5 instead. That said, if I was 22 and had the money, a Bentley would have been my car of choice too!
You may find it difficult to get a test drive, when I was 22 and had a bit of money everyone told me to ps off apart from Mini who gave me a GP Works to play with. I ended up buying a £1k 200sx and through that learnt the fun of oversteer, turbos and owning a car that everyone turns to look at (dump valve).
Take your time, ask questions, pop into the Bentley area of PH and see if there's anyone locally who will let you come and poke around theirs (don't ask to drive it, they will tell you if you can have a go) and see what you think.
Final bit of advice is the same for any car, but even moreso for something like a Bentley and that is to do your research on the vehicle, so HPI, Service history, MOT History (I'd expect a well maintained one to have no advisories other than perhaps for things such as tyre limits or windscreen wipers) as this tends to show how well a car has been looked after. Chat to the seller, if they're decent and genuine they will talk to you endlessly about the car. Do NOT buy a car from Baz just off the M4 on a used car lot, Conti GT's don't end up in these places by accident. If you find one that looks good, get a second opinion from a friend who knows about cars, an AA/RAC inspection or post it up here.
Good luck with it.

Hello thankyou very much for your reply! thorough and easy to understand it has helped a lot!
I have had powerful cars and I used to race in formula ford a few years ago as well!
Car history wise;
at the moment I have a Porsche Cayenne Turbo S and a E92 M3
These are lovely cars and I don't want to sound annoying or whatever but Ive always just fancied a Bentley!
My budget is around 30-40k
Any other advice would be one hundred percent welcome and encouraged!

Thankyou again,
Maxwell

[Poshbury]

Hi.

Check for proof that the vacuum hoses on top of the gearbox have been replaced on early cars. It's an engine out job which cost me over £3k when I had mine done 3 years ago.
The best advice is to find a good Indie and avoid the main stealers.
They are great cars and real fun to drive. I've done 35k miles in mine since I bought it and other than a couple of expensive faults, it's been fine.
Lots of parts are VW/Audi too, so there's no point paying for a box with a Bentley logo on it.

Good luck with your search.

[turbobloke]

I'd recommend a pre-purchase inspection by a Bentley specialist, it's more money but the aim is to save money.

The RR&B forum has threads which discuss Continental GT issues, from memory and my own experience looking at numerous examples I would add the following to points already made, in no particular order and it's comprehensive but not exhaustive. PHers may wish to add to the list. It doesn't include some of the more obvious things such as cracked headlights/windscreen, body dings etc.

- previous owners may get regular oil services but check brake fluid / coolant condition
- car in storage for some time may have perished tyre rubber and both batteries dead
- scuttle dry and free from detritus?
- front left footwell damp? electrics...
- boot lid mechanism
- all suspension components will wear on a heavy car and aren't cheap, check everything
- dipsticks break, replacement (revised type) sorts it
- gearbox sump leaking?
- cv boots
- kessy bung missing?
- check adjustable dampers
- check aerofoil operation
- spark plugs last changed when?
- coil packs (uneven idle)
- electronic parking brake
- radiator corrosion
- rear screen demist
- tyre pressure sensors
- washer motors
- front-end prone to stone chips
- paint finish is good so obvious orange peel / flaws on a panel indicate respray
- two keys?
- a service logbook with FSH stamped two or four per page (check the price of a new one)

That last point, about the replacing a 'full' service book, is hardly the most critical but price-wise (bearing in mind what it is) it can make toes curl.

I saw so many FSH cars in poor condition due to lack of attention to other faults that in the end I stopped wasting more and more time on journeys to see superficially attractive but flawed cars, found one with the spec I wanted and then fixed it after getting a PPI to help negotiations.

Buying Guide links:

https://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-buying-gui...

http://www.evo.co.uk/bentley/continental-gt/6251/b...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/used-car-buying...


Best of luck, a good one will indeed be an amazing car.

[tonys]

If you find a good one they're great cars. A bad one can cost a few pounds to put right. However carefully you check one, things can go wrong but, if you're happy to spend, for example , £5k on fixing something, then running one won't cause sleepless nights. The same applies to other marques as well, not just Bentley.

Or you could just spend £5k on some sort of Dacia and have a warranty. Not really the same though, is it

The sad fact is many are bought by people who want the car but try to skimp on the running costs. I seem to recall reports of high-level brake lights on early ones costing c£3k to have fixed at a dealer, I have no personal experience of that but you might want to research further.

Edited by tonys on Sunday 7th May 19:05

[Poshbury]

There is lots of relevant info on the Conti GT here too; https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/bentley-42/

[gjlelec]

My advice is buy off a franchise dealer with such a complex car. Simply because if the car is part of the Bentley "Pre-owned Programme" the dealer has to do a huge number of checks (79 item checks shown on the copy i have) that are inflicted on them by Bentley. Its a" Pre-owned Technical Inspection report", the price they pay for being a franchise dealer. Also, ask them for a copy of it, they should readily supply it, its only a series of tick boxes but they are then putting their name to having checked these things. Items like brake disc run out tolerance and tyre tread depth minimum (below 3mm ,they have to replace it, legal limit is 1.6mm) are something that Barrys Corner Garage is not going to do. It costs more, going the franchise route initially but you are getting a certain amount of peace of mind too. (22 in a 500bhp car !! I wouldnt have made it to 23.) Good luck

[enjoythemusic]

Too many problems to list, yet if you get a 2012 or newer it might not be too bad, except for the large depreciation and 'basic' cost of ownership. Parts costs are downright frightening.

[turbobloke]

enjoythemusic said:

Too many problems to list, yet if you get a 2012 or newer it might not be too bad, except for the large depreciation and 'basic' cost of ownership. Parts costs are downright frightening.

That first point is in my view why a PPI is worth the cost.

If there's no PPI then a list might help with some of the common stuff!

[memzy88]

Great choice Maxwell, i am 27yo and took the plunge October 2016. I would strongly advice the Speed version. They are superior to normal GTs. The most desirable optional extras on the GT comes standard with the Speed variant including sport exhaust with valve control and also they are quicker with 601 bhp as opposed to 552 on normal GT.

They were face lifted in 2008 and infotainment was improved in 2009 with full ipod integration which can also be used for Bluetooth streaming with additional aftermarket tools £80.

Mine is 2009 GT Speed, i bought it at 33k miles privately. Car came with full Bentley service history and extended Bentley warranty for a year. I wouldn't touch one of these without Bentley warranty. Bentley extends warranty after thorough check so if car comes with Bentley warranty you know its at good nick. All the pre-approved from main dealers comes with extended warranty but their cars demand almost 7-8k premium. So i would suggest find a private seller which has the warranty on it. Warranty is transferable to your name for £60 fee.

Servicing is at every year or 10k miles whichever comes first. I have all the service invoices since new, i can share those with you so you can have more insights on the running costs but its not more that C63, M6, RS6, etc.

During my 6 months of ownership and 4.5k miles i have only had issue with knocking noise from suspension which ended up replacing both front air struts and bushes. Bentley replaced them under warranty no questions asked and i have been advised it would cost around 5k if i havent had the warranty. Otherwise car is behaving really well and Bentley service is exceptional but steer away from London dealerships as they are bit spoiled with mega rich customers. I find Bentley Pangbourne really good.

According to trip computer my avg for 4.5k miles is 12.4mpg. I am London based so mixture of motorway and city driving. I get 19-20 mpg on the motorway at 80-90mph.

Let me know if you any further information.

[DSLiverpool]

maxwellpinchbeck said:

Hello!
I'm looking to purschase a Bentley continental Gt and I'd like any helpful advice on what to look for!
I've heard they are quite bulletproof and a lot of car for the money!
I'm 22 but I'd prefer to not let that sway an opinion and make it a (hate because he's propably spending daddy's money) sort of post as this will be one of my dream cars and have worked very hard for it!

Thankyou very much!
Maxwell

I spotted this one with the most amazing MOT history ever - never had an advisory. For your budget you could do far worse
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...