Bentley Continental GTC

[xcentric]

Considering one for summer cruising around the UK, carrying the kids in wafty splendour to accompany my wife as she drives her sports car for the fun parts, since foreign road trips are unlikely.....

Looking at the earlier (cheaper) ones - and have four questions:

1. Anything particular to look for when buying? They seem to be pretty solid, though all electrics need checking at that age and the drainage channels too (exactly where?)

2. Are they ruinously expensive to run, or am I looking at okayish prices assuming nothing major goes bang? It'll be going to an independent for servicing and fettling

3. Does any warranty company warranty them that old, and is it worthwhile, or not?

4. Is there any particular benefit in revised version (newer and hence more expensive) for massive reliability improvement, for e.g., or is it just that it's a bit newer so fewer chances for things to have gone wrong.....

Will probably keep it for a couple of years, max.

all experiences welcomed.....

[hairy v]

I assume you have read: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

[xcentric]

yes, thanks - personal experiences etc welcomed too

[Rich westy]

I have a gtc and love it, what a fantastic car.

[LooneyTunes]

We have a 2017 GTC V8S for MrsLT. It’s a nice car but the costs are not for the faint hearted. 3 year service and MOT was £1900 (2x what I paid for the same on a V12 Aston).

Only major issue has been some sort of boot/hood seal going and allowing water into the cabin. Was fixed under warranty by main dealer but based on the routine servicing cost I shudder to think how much it would have cost. Washing it the other day I noticed the finish of the wheels isn’t holding up too well either.

Dealer service hasn’t really met expectations, in fact it’s been pretty lacklustre with a real lack of ongoing engagement. TBH I don’t think I’ll be in a rush to give them more of my money when I next add to/change my cars and will likely be sending it to specialists in the future.

[MrReg]

LooneyTunes said:

Only major issue has been some sort of boot/hood seal going and allowing water into the cabin. Was fixed under warranty by main dealer but based on the routine servicing cost I shudder to think how much it would have cost.

If it helps my went and they wouldn't cover it under the Bentley warranty.
£2500 to investigate it, another £1500 to fix it. Rear main seal on the hood was letting water in, and two blocked tubes.
I think I'll be writing to Bentley to complain now...

[xcentric]

thanks for the inputs. It's a possibility, though might be relooking at more sporty numbers too.....

[LooneyTunes]

MrReg said:

If it helps my went and they wouldn't cover it under the Bentley warranty.
£2500 to investigate it, another £1500 to fix it. Rear main seal on the hood was letting water in, and two blocked tubes.
I think I'll be writing to Bentley to complain now...

Ouch. What was their reason for not covering it? Any modern convertible should be able to happily live outside without flooding.

There was no arguing at all about them doing the work on ours, although it did take quite some time and I was a bit surprised they didn’t insist on parking something else in its place (to be fair to them MrsLT did say that she didn’t need another car, but equally I had indicated that I might be tempted by a Mulsanne and they’d been trying to pitch me a Bentayga as a FFRR replacement).

xcentric said:

thanks for the inputs. It's a possibility, though might be relooking at more sporty numbers too.....

If you’re wanting top down transport for four than I fear you‘ll find few alternatives. The back seats are woeful on most convertibles, unless you fancy a Royce then we got the list down to Maserati GranCabrio (dealer shot himself in the foot!), Mercedes S class (a bit barge like), or the GTC. Maybe a BMW 850 too but wife doesn’t like they way BM’s drive so it didn’t get a look in.

Edited by LooneyTunes on Friday 9th April 09:04

[xcentric]

yeah agree - Maserati is about the only other sensible option. But maybe leaving the kids at home is a good one, hence looking at other things too :-)

[MrReg]

LooneyTunes said:

Ouch. What was their reason for not covering it? Any modern convertible should be able to happily live outside without flooding.

There was no arguing at all about them doing the work on ours, although it did take quite some time and I was a bit surprised they didn’t insist on parking something else in its place (to be fair to them MrsLT did say that she didn’t need another car, but equally I had indicated that I might be tempted by a Mulsanne and they’d been trying to pitch me a Bentayga as a FFRR replacement).

They said external seals were not covered under warranty. If it had done any damage to anything in the interior that would have been covered, but the investigation and fixing the leaking part was not covered.
I've sent them an email to challenge it now.
Just to add it was a week after a £3k service!

[LooneyTunes]

I could see an extended warranty provider try to wriggle on that but if it was the original/Bentley warranty then I’d have been livid if they’d taken that stance with me on a car just a couple of years old. Needless to say, I am rather hoping that the new seals are better than the originals!