Continental GT V8 as a daily driver: Opinions please!
Discussion
Hi
I'm toying with the idea of buying a lowish-mileage Bentley Continental V8 (The standard base model, not convertible or speed, and definitely not the W12 due to fuel consumption) as a daily-driver school-run car, and for weekends away.
I used a Ferrari 456 for this role before, but got fed up with the servicing, fuel and repair costs so sold it. Likewise the immediate replacement Aston Martin DB9, which had similar issues.
Do any Continental owners on here have any opinion on using such a car as a daily driver, and not having to be too careful, or too worried about sudden major expenses? By major I mean ten-grand shocks. The odd £1K here and there is OK: an acceptable exchange for being in such a pretty vehicle.
I have a full workshop and can do simple things myself, and electrics/electronics don't scare me, but major mechanicals are beyond my skill set.
What I want is a bit more comfort as I get older (!) I've been through the flash sports-car stage, I no longer need to pick up women outside night clubs (although I do retain a Countach if the need arises), and want something that's quality and just works, without the headache of exotic models (the cars, not the women).
All advice appreciated, as I'm on the fence at the moment. I use a Tesla right now, but abhor the eerie silence: I'm sure many of you will understand :-)
Cheers, Mark
I'm toying with the idea of buying a lowish-mileage Bentley Continental V8 (The standard base model, not convertible or speed, and definitely not the W12 due to fuel consumption) as a daily-driver school-run car, and for weekends away.
I used a Ferrari 456 for this role before, but got fed up with the servicing, fuel and repair costs so sold it. Likewise the immediate replacement Aston Martin DB9, which had similar issues.
Do any Continental owners on here have any opinion on using such a car as a daily driver, and not having to be too careful, or too worried about sudden major expenses? By major I mean ten-grand shocks. The odd £1K here and there is OK: an acceptable exchange for being in such a pretty vehicle.
I have a full workshop and can do simple things myself, and electrics/electronics don't scare me, but major mechanicals are beyond my skill set.
What I want is a bit more comfort as I get older (!) I've been through the flash sports-car stage, I no longer need to pick up women outside night clubs (although I do retain a Countach if the need arises), and want something that's quality and just works, without the headache of exotic models (the cars, not the women).
All advice appreciated, as I'm on the fence at the moment. I use a Tesla right now, but abhor the eerie silence: I'm sure many of you will understand :-)
Cheers, Mark
I know a few people that run them as dailies (including one chap who has only been without one for about 6 months since they were released) but they’re not doing journeys that see them needing to leave the cars in stations/supermarkets/etc.
As with any 2 door, the doors are long... rather too long if you’ve a passenger in the back and need to exit the car in a regular car park having given your passenger a bit of legroom. Tends to be a passengers out then park type of affair when a better space can’t be found.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure it was the right choice when we bought it, but it seems to be working out well so far for what we use it for. Not had it long enough for it to spit any big bills at us, but any car at that sort of price point probably has the potential to do so.
As with any 2 door, the doors are long... rather too long if you’ve a passenger in the back and need to exit the car in a regular car park having given your passenger a bit of legroom. Tends to be a passengers out then park type of affair when a better space can’t be found.
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure it was the right choice when we bought it, but it seems to be working out well so far for what we use it for. Not had it long enough for it to spit any big bills at us, but any car at that sort of price point probably has the potential to do so.
LooneyTunes said:
I know a few people that run them as dailies ...
Thanks for the response. Good point about the size of the thing, I hadn't thought of that. I do however drive a converted Unimog truck for fun as well, so size and parking doesn't scare me per se, but I do note your comments about stations and supermarkets.Do you mean they are just a hassle to get out of if parked in a small space, or that they they attract vandalism? If the latter it would be a big negative for me, as needing to worry about that kind of thing is a bore.
There would only rarely be a back seat passenger - my 14 y/o son - and he can of course be off-loaded before parking, as you say.
My main concern is whether there's a history of major, very expensive, failures in the newer V8s. I've been through all the forum posts, but most of them refer to the W12s, which may be very different, and opinion varies greatly. Perhaps it's all down to luck!
Edited by iridium_moon on Saturday 29th June 09:53
I don’t think there are any major expensive faults, just small niggles, only problem I’ve had and sorted under warranty, is the self close doors.
Great everyday car, or I should say my wife uses it everyday, fuel consumption not bad for touring, we regularly take ours abroad and see high twenties when not hanging about.
I suppose the proof of how much we like it is we’ve had it longer than any other car.
Great everyday car, or I should say my wife uses it everyday, fuel consumption not bad for touring, we regularly take ours abroad and see high twenties when not hanging about.
I suppose the proof of how much we like it is we’ve had it longer than any other car.
iridium_moon said:
Do you mean they are just a hassle to get out of if parked in a small space, or that they they attract vandalism? If the latter it would be a big negative for me, as needing to worry about that kind of thing is a bore.
Yes, the former. That’s not to say that there aren’t places that we wouldn’t leave it, but a conti is not exactly an uncommon sight round here. It’s probably got more chance of being damaged by Doris, 93 and getting through clutches every 3000 miles, trying to manoeuvre her car in the local supermarket car park than through vandalism.I used my W12 for 18months as a daily, through all weathers and for about 20k miles I think it was.
No issues whatsoever. Servicing is mileage dependent, but as with any Bentley I'd keep the warranty going to have piece of mind when it comes to the small niggles...things like the bushes and lower arms tend to break fairly often with high use. Tyres last well.
Great daily, but takes the specialness out of it. Now got an Abarth 595 for daily duties instead
No issues whatsoever. Servicing is mileage dependent, but as with any Bentley I'd keep the warranty going to have piece of mind when it comes to the small niggles...things like the bushes and lower arms tend to break fairly often with high use. Tyres last well.
Great daily, but takes the specialness out of it. Now got an Abarth 595 for daily duties instead
Oh well, lots of conflicting advice all over the web, but nothing too terrible, and since forums select for horror stories - people rarely start boring threads simply to say their car is fine - I've taken the plunge and ordered a 2013 Continental GT V8 from HR Owen in Cheltenham.
I can't fault their customer service so far: they took the trouble to drive the car to Norfolk just for me to look at. That alone gave me confidence - they'd hardly bother if the car was a rat that I'd probably reject.
Needs a service and new MoT and a small dent removing, then I'll collect on 1 Aug. I'm too mean to pay for a part-month's road tax!
The car has an unusual history: first registered to the Bentley factory as a press/demo car in 2013, then upgraded to the 2015 spec and sold into the retail market through Bentley Cambridge in 2015.
With the option code 'Engineering Cars' it gets a shed-load of goodies, including the ten-grand (!) Naim stereo, Mulliner spec with beautiful quilted two-tone seats, adaptive cruise, 21" propeller wheels, rear view cam, leather headlining, rear veneered console, ski hatch, Tv (Yuk!), full Bentley tracking, a valet key, power boot, phone handset; and the later 2015 software, including bluetooth and Google nav. God knows what that lot would be as cost options!
And all in an entirely tasteful non-footballer colour scheme which won't limit the market on resale.
I only hope it hasn't been driven into the sea by Jeremy Clarkson. Or something. :-)
I can't fault their customer service so far: they took the trouble to drive the car to Norfolk just for me to look at. That alone gave me confidence - they'd hardly bother if the car was a rat that I'd probably reject.
Needs a service and new MoT and a small dent removing, then I'll collect on 1 Aug. I'm too mean to pay for a part-month's road tax!
The car has an unusual history: first registered to the Bentley factory as a press/demo car in 2013, then upgraded to the 2015 spec and sold into the retail market through Bentley Cambridge in 2015.
With the option code 'Engineering Cars' it gets a shed-load of goodies, including the ten-grand (!) Naim stereo, Mulliner spec with beautiful quilted two-tone seats, adaptive cruise, 21" propeller wheels, rear view cam, leather headlining, rear veneered console, ski hatch, Tv (Yuk!), full Bentley tracking, a valet key, power boot, phone handset; and the later 2015 software, including bluetooth and Google nav. God knows what that lot would be as cost options!
And all in an entirely tasteful non-footballer colour scheme which won't limit the market on resale.
I only hope it hasn't been driven into the sea by Jeremy Clarkson. Or something. :-)
The Bentley Continental has been brilliant. But not the one above which was indeed a rat! It immediately leaked oil from some strange transmission issue.
HR Owen were great about it - they immediately took it back and offered me trade price on a replacement, a 2016 V8 GT-S in Thunder.
Original dealer picture below. I did ask HR Owen to swap the wheels between the two cars as I believe the 'Propeller' rims from the first car look so much better! They do work very well wih the 'Thunder' paint. I won't post a current picture as it's so dirty you couldn't see it anyway
It's a lovely car and definitely a keeper. No scary problems beyond routine servicing.
Are you looking at one yourself?
HR Owen were great about it - they immediately took it back and offered me trade price on a replacement, a 2016 V8 GT-S in Thunder.
Original dealer picture below. I did ask HR Owen to swap the wheels between the two cars as I believe the 'Propeller' rims from the first car look so much better! They do work very well wih the 'Thunder' paint. I won't post a current picture as it's so dirty you couldn't see it anyway
It's a lovely car and definitely a keeper. No scary problems beyond routine servicing.
Are you looking at one yourself?
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