Bentley Turbo R, a future classic?

[keith9849]

When I started work in the City in 1974 I remember scanning the pages of Exchange & Mart for a Bentley Mark VI. I saw one for £900, but as that about equalled my annual salary, it was out of my reach. Even in 1974 the Mark VI, which finished production less than 20 years previously, seemed like something from a bygone era.

35 years on I was scanning Autotrader for a Turbo R. I figured that it made more sense to buy a top-of the-range car, than, say, the Bentley 8, which when new retailed at 60% of the cost of the Turbo R. I also supposed that previous owners would have better-maintain a car that cost new the same as a 3 bedroomed house in an OK outer-London suburb (bad call there!). So, I took the plunge.

In the last 6 years I have steadily spent money dealing with the mechanical and electrical issues, until I finally got round to dealing with the bodywork, and a lower-half re-spray. In the meantime the car has been my daily driver, and has been a pleasure to own.

This is a good car in the best colour (dark blue with parchment interior), runs strong, but will need a driver seat ECU (£200 from flying spares), a tidy-up of the our sill (no welding required but cosmetic finish was poor), and in due course a decent re-spray. Mechanics, hydraulics and electrics are all good.

Unfortunately due to illness I am not going to see the project complete, and I would like to pass it on to someone who will see the project through, and eventually have 'a classic'. Basically you have to leave a dedication and love of these cars for the joy of owning and driving them, and if there is anyone out there with that dedication please drop me a message.

[Balmoral]

Future classic? Surely they already are (it's one of those cars that is arguably a classic from new, merely ageing is not required to qualify).

Question is, when are they going to start to be recognised with the blessing of appreciating in value? I had my car for 15 years, lovingly cared for and maintained it (at great expense) and sold it a couple of years ago for beans (it broke my heart). All through my tenure, it steadily depreciated in value, whilst other vehicles I could have bought, of similar iconic status, have gone through the roof.

I know that one or two reputable independents can command into the high teens and early twenties, but on the whole, they are still sub £10K cars, even for a really good one.

I know that looking at these things in terms of simply "What's it worth?" is distasteful, but why are they still so criminally undervalued?

Edited by Balmoral on Monday 18th June 10:37

[RB CV8]

Balmoral said:

...... but on the whole, they are still sub £10K cars, even for a really good one.

I don't really think this is the case, even though some of the classic car press still insist on regurgitating their "bargain Bentley" stories . Any "cheap" Turbo R I've seen has, on closer inspection, been that for a reason, or more accurately, several.

A recent experience a friend of mine had when selling indicates that specialists will pay into the mid-high teens for the right car, and I don't think they'd be doing that if there was a ready supply available for four-figure sums.

[keith9849]

I agree with both posts. The SZ were, in their day, modern cars, with all the toys, and that means there are very many things to maintain. I think this means that no-one can say his car is perfect. They are always ongoing projects, needing very specialist knowledge (and tools) to maintain.

However, many examples are now in (and beyond) the breakers yard (perhaps like the Mark VI and R series, which were mass-production of sorts), so a situation of scarcity may eventually prevail, and market forces help to preserve the worthy examples that are out there.