07 GTC good idea or not?
Discussion
Hi everyone. There is a chance I will be in the position to get a nice convertible this year and I was looking at the GTC, but one of the early ones. I have a one year old too, so having a car that I can put a baby seat in the back too really is a must. I’m not planning to keep the car long, just to scratch an itch.
If I’m thinking of going for around the 30-35k mark, do you think it’s a wise idea. I have seen a few cars on here and some of them have aftermarket sat nav screen, which is a big no no for me.
My questions are. If I keep it for 3-4 months, will I lose much money on it when I come to sell it or are they pretty much as low as they are likely to go?
Does it have a half way decent boot and had anyone got one and put a kids seat in the back?
If I’m thinking of going for around the 30-35k mark, do you think it’s a wise idea. I have seen a few cars on here and some of them have aftermarket sat nav screen, which is a big no no for me.
My questions are. If I keep it for 3-4 months, will I lose much money on it when I come to sell it or are they pretty much as low as they are likely to go?
Does it have a half way decent boot and had anyone got one and put a kids seat in the back?
Hi , been exactly where you are buddy, I bought a 07 gtc w12, one owner metallic black and cream leather and walnut from a main dealer as I wanted a stress free ownership but I got anything but . unbe knownst to me the rear hoop of the roof was cracked and 5 months in to ownership the roof exploded into three pieces didnt locate flush with the rear deck on the right hand rear side and as the car was parked up in my driveway I found 2 extremely expensive looking bits of matt black painted aluminium in my rear seat foot well £13k for the replacement ex fitting excluding the fabric , . The previous owner , a lady from Monaco had opened the roof at above 24mph and stress fractured the roof. In addition there were countless issues with ecu , brake pedal sensors , a blown rear strut suspension bag , seat memory and faulty ECU's, which are extremely difficult to reset , faulty rear boot closing mechanism , flaps on the air-conditioning vents and abs issues, 02 sensors , vacuum bloody sensors and a pair of dirty mass airflow sensors which caused a cataclysmic over fueling as in blue smoke apocalyptic trail out of the exhaust ..... So my sincere advice is this .....The GTC w12 is one of the fastest point to point Cross country cars i have ever driven , my Murcielago included , but .... You need to go into any purchase with a gigantic list of questions and even if there is so much as a slightest hint...... of problems , ffs walk away quickly ...... Kids yes , can fit in the back with a seat, even adults for 70 mile drive , no probems and a very generous boot indeed . Dunlop tyres are the best bar none , superb grip no tyre wall deflection and no tyre noise whatsoever , utter quietness , for this car the worst are the horrendously awful Pirelli P Zero standard Bentley fitment , yuk f&%king dreadful, bin unless you want to under steer into a 35mph crash ... Hope that helps you dude.! Lastly . Eyes wide open . M8 convertible ... Could be a great alternative dude but ......that w12 is is stonkingly immense and a little tickle on the turbos via more psi and that will be one of the fastest cars you have ever driven as 700hp is but a little tweek away. Let me know how it goes !!
sandysinclair said:
Hi , been exactly where you are buddy, I bought a 07 gtc w12, one owner metallic black and cream leather and walnut from a main dealer as I wanted a stress free ownership but I got anything but . unbe knownst to me the rear hoop of the roof was cracked and 5 months in to ownership the roof exploded into three pieces didnt locate flush with the rear deck on the right hand rear side and as the car was parked up in my driveway I found 2 extremely expensive looking bits of matt black painted aluminium in my rear seat foot well £13k for the replacement ex fitting excluding the fabric , . The previous owner , a lady from Monaco had opened the roof at above 24mph and stress fractured the roof. In addition there were countless issues with ecu , brake pedal sensors , a blown rear strut suspension bag , seat memory and faulty ECU's, which are extremely difficult to reset , faulty rear boot closing mechanism , flaps on the air-conditioning vents and abs issues, 02 sensors , vacuum bloody sensors and a pair of dirty mass airflow sensors which caused a cataclysmic over fueling as in blue smoke apocalyptic trail out of the exhaust ..... So my sincere advice is this .....The GTC w12 is one of the fastest point to point Cross country cars i have ever driven , my Murcielago included , but .... You need to go into any purchase with a gigantic list of questions and even if there is so much as a slightest hint...... of problems , ffs walk away quickly ...... Kids yes , can fit in the back with a seat, even adults for 70 mile drive , no probems and a very generous boot indeed . Dunlop tyres are the best bar none , superb grip no tyre wall deflection and no tyre noise whatsoever , utter quietness , for this car the worst are the horrendously awful Pirelli P Zero standard Bentley fitment , yuk f&%king dreadful, bin unless you want to under steer into a 35mph crash ... Hope that helps you dude.! Lastly . Eyes wide open . M8 convertible ... Could be a great alternative dude but ......that w12 is is stonkingly immense and a little tickle on the turbos via more psi and that will be one of the fastest cars you have ever driven as 700hp is but a little tweek away. Let me know how it goes !!
If you stare at this long enough you see a dolphin.paddy328 said:
Hi everyone. There is a chance I will be in the position to get a nice convertible this year and I was looking at the GTC, but one of the early ones. I have a one year old too, so having a car that I can put a baby seat in the back too really is a must. I’m not planning to keep the car long, just to scratch an itch.
If I’m thinking of going for around the 30-35k mark, do you think it’s a wise idea. I have seen a few cars on here and some of them have aftermarket sat nav screen, which is a big no no for me.
My questions are. If I keep it for 3-4 months, will I lose much money on it when I come to sell it or are they pretty much as low as they are likely to go?
Does it have a half way decent boot and had anyone got one and put a kids seat in the back?
If you're putting the baby in the back, getting it in and out will be a bit awkward and also he / she will have no view at all. I am not sure if that is a problem.If I’m thinking of going for around the 30-35k mark, do you think it’s a wise idea. I have seen a few cars on here and some of them have aftermarket sat nav screen, which is a big no no for me.
My questions are. If I keep it for 3-4 months, will I lose much money on it when I come to sell it or are they pretty much as low as they are likely to go?
Does it have a half way decent boot and had anyone got one and put a kids seat in the back?
A £30k GTC might be brilliant. It might also be ruinously expensive. There are plenty of known problems, resolving them will make you financially unhappy. If you have a roof go badly wrong a new one is about the same price as the car.
The boot is reasonable and it has a ski hatch. You'll get a pushchair in there, unless it's a big one, plus baby stuff. You'll obviously check.
IF (IF IF IF) you can find a good one for your budget, you can probably run it for a few months and lose no money. If you buy and sell well. A convertible Bentley will always be worth something.
But in your situation I wouldn't buy one. They are glorious cars, really great cars, but at your price point very high risk. If you're unlucky, a five-figure repair bill could take the shine off the ownership experience. If you want a convertible, something more modest will be a less stressful experience.
Oh and buy Junior a really good hat.
Louis Balfour said:
sandysinclair said:
Hi , been exactly where you are buddy, I bought a 07 gtc w12, one owner metallic black and cream leather and walnut from a main dealer as I wanted a stress free ownership but I got anything but . unbe knownst to me the rear hoop of the roof was cracked and 5 months in to ownership the roof exploded into three pieces didnt locate flush with the rear deck on the right hand rear side and as the car was parked up in my driveway I found 2 extremely expensive looking bits of matt black painted aluminium in my rear seat foot well £13k for the replacement ex fitting excluding the fabric , . The previous owner , a lady from Monaco had opened the roof at above 24mph and stress fractured the roof. In addition there were countless issues with ecu , brake pedal sensors , a blown rear strut suspension bag , seat memory and faulty ECU's, which are extremely difficult to reset , faulty rear boot closing mechanism , flaps on the air-conditioning vents and abs issues, 02 sensors , vacuum bloody sensors and a pair of dirty mass airflow sensors which caused a cataclysmic over fueling as in blue smoke apocalyptic trail out of the exhaust ..... So my sincere advice is this .....The GTC w12 is one of the fastest point to point Cross country cars i have ever driven , my Murcielago included , but .... You need to go into any purchase with a gigantic list of questions and even if there is so much as a slightest hint...... of problems , ffs walk away quickly ...... Kids yes , can fit in the back with a seat, even adults for 70 mile drive , no probems and a very generous boot indeed . Dunlop tyres are the best bar none , superb grip no tyre wall deflection and no tyre noise whatsoever , utter quietness , for this car the worst are the horrendously awful Pirelli P Zero standard Bentley fitment , yuk f&%king dreadful, bin unless you want to under steer into a 35mph crash ... Hope that helps you dude.! Lastly . Eyes wide open . M8 convertible ... Could be a great alternative dude but ......that w12 is is stonkingly immense and a little tickle on the turbos via more psi and that will be one of the fastest cars you have ever driven as 700hp is but a little tweek away. Let me know how it goes !!
If you stare at this long enough you see a dolphin.Only some are brave [?] enough to buy a £30k Bentley GTC, though.
Thanks for the comments guys. £35k for an older car seems to be a risk, but worth it if I can get a good one. There seems to plenty of them for sale. Insane that the roof would cost so much!
I’ve heard of tale of damp footwells and a few other things to look out for, but the last thing I would want to do is buy a car and then have to spend a fortune on it.
I’m a detailer, so as such, I would be able to look out for repairs and imperfections etc, but I wouldn’t be any good with the electrical and mechanical side of things. Would it be worth having a specialist take a look at it if I find a good one I liked?
Is a full service history a must? Stupid question to a point, but our cayenne has a bit of an uncertain service history and is faultless. I would’ve thought Bentleys are very well built. Plus, near 700 brake sounds insane lol.
I’ve heard of tale of damp footwells and a few other things to look out for, but the last thing I would want to do is buy a car and then have to spend a fortune on it.
I’m a detailer, so as such, I would be able to look out for repairs and imperfections etc, but I wouldn’t be any good with the electrical and mechanical side of things. Would it be worth having a specialist take a look at it if I find a good one I liked?
Is a full service history a must? Stupid question to a point, but our cayenne has a bit of an uncertain service history and is faultless. I would’ve thought Bentleys are very well built. Plus, near 700 brake sounds insane lol.
Does number of keepers matter? I’ve seen some as high as 9 and that makes me a bit dubious.
This one tickles my fancy.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106143...
Did the steering wheel change from a rounder to a more pointy centre from a certain year?
This one tickles my fancy.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106143...
Did the steering wheel change from a rounder to a more pointy centre from a certain year?
paddy328 said:
I would’ve thought Bentleys are very well built.
There's well-built and well-built. Just because the paint is thick and the leather soft, doesn't mean they're not stuffed full of a load of complex hardware in the space not occupied by the 4wd system that will require the engine to be dropped to fix it. Then there's Toyota's well-built, where the paint is just good enough, but they're engineered and built to be reliable.Worldboss used to fix them - see his post part way down this page: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Edited by trevalvole on Sunday 20th March 15:08
paddy328 said:
Is a full service history a must? .
No, and you'll probably struggle to find one with FSH. For reasons that I have never fathomed, Bentley owners are remiss with regard to servicing, if the car has done few miles. In fact I am struggling to think of one example I have seen with every stamp at the right time, and I have seen a lot.paddy328 said:
Does number of keepers matter? I’ve seen some as high as 9 and that makes me a bit dubious.
This one tickles my fancy.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106143...
Lovely looking car and my fave wheels on an early one.This one tickles my fancy.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106143...
But it means nothing, it may be an utter nightmare.
trevalvole said:
paddy328 said:
I would’ve thought Bentleys are very well built.
There's well-built and well-built. Just because the paint is thick and the leather soft, doesn't mean they're not stuffed full of a load of complex hardware in the space not occupied by the 4wd system that will require the engine to be dropped to fix it. Then there's Toyota's well-built, where the paint is just good enough, but they're engineered and built to be reliable.Worldboss used to fix them - see his post part way down this page: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Edited by trevalvole on Sunday 20th March 15:08
I know I’m taking a gamble, but I don’t want a merc that’s creaky and cheap on the inside. Id rather a better car that is older, but I know 15 might be risking it a bit, but I would never get near a car like this normally and it had the space, speed and prestige. Just got to find a good one (if I end up getting one) and hope it doesn’t become a costly mistake. I’ll be making sure the roof is in good order, that’s for sure!
I’ll take out a warranty of some kind too. I am slightly concerned though with some of the responses lol. I have a friend with a couple and it has had some door window issues and the display on the dash has gone funny, but that’s about it.
I’ll take out a warranty of some kind too. I am slightly concerned though with some of the responses lol. I have a friend with a couple and it has had some door window issues and the display on the dash has gone funny, but that’s about it.
paddy328 said:
I know I’m taking a gamble, but I don’t want a merc that’s creaky and cheap on the inside. Id rather a better car that is older, but I know 15 might be risking it a bit, but I would never get near a car like this normally and it had the space, speed and prestige. Just got to find a good one (if I end up getting one) and hope it doesn’t become a costly mistake. I’ll be making sure the roof is in good order, that’s for sure!
I’ll take out a warranty of some kind too. I am slightly concerned though with some of the responses lol. I have a friend with a couple and it has had some door window issues and the display on the dash has gone funny, but that’s about it.
The only warranty I would pay for would be a Bentley one. But the cars you are looking at are too old for that.I’ll take out a warranty of some kind too. I am slightly concerned though with some of the responses lol. I have a friend with a couple and it has had some door window issues and the display on the dash has gone funny, but that’s about it.
I am a big fan of buying top end cars a few years old. But I would draw the line at around ten years, unless for the entire period of my ownership the vehicle is covered by a full main dealer warranty.
Bentley will cover cars up to ten years old. Rolls Royce offers what is called the Provenance program on cars of any age (I think), whereby for two years all servicing and warranty is covered, you only pay for tyres and wiper blades.
I can understand why you are drawn to early GTCs, I really can. But can you afford five figure bill if one comes up?
If I am in a position to buy the car then yes I would, but I really wouldn’t be happy if I had to. Hence why I would be checking the roof, damp, coolant, suspension etc and ideally getting someone in to inspect the car before I bought it. If everything isn’t working as it should, I’ll be walking away.
I’ve seen some cars with what looks like excessive seat wear for the mileage they have. Is this common or evidence of clicked cars?
I’ve seen some cars with what looks like excessive seat wear for the mileage they have. Is this common or evidence of clicked cars?
paddy328 said:
If I am in a position to buy the car then yes I would, but I really wouldn’t be happy if I had to. Hence why I would be checking the roof, damp, coolant, suspension etc and ideally getting someone in to inspect the car before I bought it. If everything isn’t working as it should, I’ll be walking away.
I’ve seen some cars with what looks like excessive seat wear for the mileage they have. Is this common or evidence of clicked cars?
Thing is, with a car of that age it may look fine at the inspection and then blow a hose a week later that requires the engine out. IIRC even a starter motor is an engine out job.I’ve seen some cars with what looks like excessive seat wear for the mileage they have. Is this common or evidence of clicked cars?
Our local Bentley service manager told me that they find age rather than mileage is what brings the big bills.
Shiny seats and steering wheels tell a story.
My General advice would be this . If you really really want it and it's a lovely specification identical to mine apart from the wheels then do the following .
1. Pay 200-300 get it properly inspected and I mean not just a 20 minute look over get a decent mechanic pay him for the day check and test all day with VAG OBD equipment. I suspect all sorts of codes will be hidden deep in its memory , there was on mine ......
2. At the end of the inspection you will have a long list of stuff usually front suspension or electrics related to get replaced .
3. If it vaguely passes and nothing immense is seen , then simply negotiate against the price with the findings of the inspection so your savings on the purchase price pay for your work that needs to be carried out .
Go in with your eyes wide open and budget a minimum of £5k over two years for breakdowns and annoying electrical issues as they will pop up .Every single bill I had on the GTC was always in the £1200-2000 range.
4. Get rid of those awful noisy pirellis pzeros which make an unbelievable drone at 65mph and replace with the silent smooth riding Dunlop Sports Maxx.
5. Make sure there is evidence plugs and coil packs have been changed recently as they have a 4 year life span (so should have been changed at least 4 times ) and that's a top of the engine off to complete.
Ask any Bentley Main Dealer for a printout from their computer of the first few Service history years see what's been done and or missed .
Don't think owners really matter as it's an 07 so expect 5 or more so nothing unusual .
Above all, enjoy and good luck !
1. Pay 200-300 get it properly inspected and I mean not just a 20 minute look over get a decent mechanic pay him for the day check and test all day with VAG OBD equipment. I suspect all sorts of codes will be hidden deep in its memory , there was on mine ......
2. At the end of the inspection you will have a long list of stuff usually front suspension or electrics related to get replaced .
3. If it vaguely passes and nothing immense is seen , then simply negotiate against the price with the findings of the inspection so your savings on the purchase price pay for your work that needs to be carried out .
Go in with your eyes wide open and budget a minimum of £5k over two years for breakdowns and annoying electrical issues as they will pop up .Every single bill I had on the GTC was always in the £1200-2000 range.
4. Get rid of those awful noisy pirellis pzeros which make an unbelievable drone at 65mph and replace with the silent smooth riding Dunlop Sports Maxx.
5. Make sure there is evidence plugs and coil packs have been changed recently as they have a 4 year life span (so should have been changed at least 4 times ) and that's a top of the engine off to complete.
Ask any Bentley Main Dealer for a printout from their computer of the first few Service history years see what's been done and or missed .
Don't think owners really matter as it's an 07 so expect 5 or more so nothing unusual .
Above all, enjoy and good luck !
sandysinclair said:
My General advice would be this . If you really really want it and it's a lovely specification identical to mine apart from the wheels then do the following .
1. Pay 200-300 get it properly inspected and I mean not just a 20 minute look over get a decent mechanic pay him for the day check and test all day with VAG OBD equipment. I suspect all sorts of codes will be hidden deep in its memory , there was on mine ......
2. At the end of the inspection you will have a long list of stuff usually front suspension or electrics related to get replaced .
3. If it vaguely passes and nothing immense is seen , then simply negotiate against the price with the findings of the inspection so your savings on the purchase price pay for your work that needs to be carried out .
Go in with your eyes wide open and budget a minimum of £5k over two years for breakdowns and annoying electrical issues as they will pop up .Every single bill I had on the GTC was always in the £1200-2000 range.
4. Get rid of those awful noisy pirellis pzeros which make an unbelievable drone at 65mph and replace with the silent smooth riding Dunlop Sports Maxx.
5. Make sure there is evidence plugs and coil packs have been changed recently as they have a 4 year life span (so should have been changed at least 4 times ) and that's a top of the engine off to complete.
Ask any Bentley Main Dealer for a printout from their computer of the first few Service history years see what's been done and or missed .
Don't think owners really matter as it's an 07 so expect 5 or more so nothing unusual .
Above all, enjoy and good luck !
I concur with everything except point 5: I'm unsure whether you've done the job yourself, or are repeating what you've been told, but honestly a coil and plug swap is not a complicated job for a home mechanic. Yes, the plenum has to come off, but that task from memory involves:1. Pay 200-300 get it properly inspected and I mean not just a 20 minute look over get a decent mechanic pay him for the day check and test all day with VAG OBD equipment. I suspect all sorts of codes will be hidden deep in its memory , there was on mine ......
2. At the end of the inspection you will have a long list of stuff usually front suspension or electrics related to get replaced .
3. If it vaguely passes and nothing immense is seen , then simply negotiate against the price with the findings of the inspection so your savings on the purchase price pay for your work that needs to be carried out .
Go in with your eyes wide open and budget a minimum of £5k over two years for breakdowns and annoying electrical issues as they will pop up .Every single bill I had on the GTC was always in the £1200-2000 range.
4. Get rid of those awful noisy pirellis pzeros which make an unbelievable drone at 65mph and replace with the silent smooth riding Dunlop Sports Maxx.
5. Make sure there is evidence plugs and coil packs have been changed recently as they have a 4 year life span (so should have been changed at least 4 times ) and that's a top of the engine off to complete.
Ask any Bentley Main Dealer for a printout from their computer of the first few Service history years see what's been done and or missed .
Don't think owners really matter as it's an 07 so expect 5 or more so nothing unusual .
Above all, enjoy and good luck !
Undo eight bolts, a couple of electrical connectors, loosen two jubilee clips, cut off two Oetiker clamps, pull six pipes, lift away plenum. Refitting as Haynes would say is the reverse of removal, oh and you'll need a new gasket (£8) when refitting.
I seem to remember the job taking a couple of hours at a very leisurely pace, and so long as you don't insist on seeing the new plugs and coil packs come out of boxes with Bentley printed on them, then the parts costs aren't enormous, although obviously the fact that you'll need twelve of everything does amplify the costs: i.e. £420 in total for coils and plugs.
Cabs have a poorly designed hood with a internal strap that breaks .This leads to the classic snake bite marks at the rear corners .Also a shed load of micro switches to go wrong , or get damp .
If a coil pack fails a light will be thrown and if a plugs not quite firing correctly again the CEL will illuminate as the fuel ing will be thrown .So looking for a coil pack / plug job is rather like looking down the wrong end of a telescope .Aside as said ^^^ it’s pretty DIYer able anyhow .
just figure £2 K Pa maintenance and be able to put your hand on the odd £5 K as and when .
For the tin top GT , but most will apply .Heavy cars with a lot of weight up front + age so figure most of this ....Suspension bushes , lower arm and both upper , have short lives compared to “ normal “
Power steering pipes corrode there are three , two fairly easy one may need heat .If that fails a new rack .Track rod ends .Geometry ....absolutely important the difference between correct set up and a little off is huge in terms of steering feed back and overall feel of the car. Alloy radiator in a salted road environment has a life it will corrode and leak .Poly bent is life d for 10 years .Its tensioners too ought to be replaced at the same time ....this is a front end + rad off job .Alternator coolant pipes £2 gasket perishes at about 10 + years onwards ....leaks and kills it - another front end “ off “ job .
Exhaust gas temp sensors - actually it’s the wiring that heat degrades .Turbo waste gates solenoids.
Scuttle drains blockage = complete engine ECU destruction.
Aircon drip tray drains blockage = wet relay box under the front passenger foot well and damp key less go relays = burnt out starter motor ( amongst other things ) .New starter motor requires engine out @ £5 k + mostly labour .
Blocked rear boot lid or loose drain tubes = boot fills up with water = knackered suspension air pump = dropped wheels making recovery v difficult.
Various aircon HVAC micro motors control flaps not working = poor temp control.Rear spoiler wires in the umbilical fracturing = rear spoiler packing up .
Front hood latch miss alignment = broken micro switch in the sensors .
Chartwells body shop has a steady steam of repairs to the A pillar when bonets fly up inadvertently.
Inner front disk corrosion as the inner pistons cease and don’t press hard enough = mot hassles.Head light washer inoperable due to coagulation of dissimilar fluids restricting the pipe diameter and insufficient pressure to operate.
A host of check engine lights due to low voltage “ house battery “ and stuff like widows dropping when ECU s run low on volts .
EPB hassle like any other VAG car —- Mostly a water ingress issue.
Seat back locked micro switches fracturing , Front hood closed micro switch failure .Airsuspension sensor links fractures.
Some historic stuff ( as most will have had it repaired by now ) 3 rd brake light water ingress = fails .Headlining drops glue deteriorated.I guess all older inc 04 /05 will be on @ least the 2nd set of vac pipes .The replacement part is same plastic ......so a 12/14 plater is maturing nicely waiting to start leaking .
Apart from ^^^^^ . They are great .
Keep it undercover and on a trickle charger .
Oh mileage .....irrelevant as the W12 is bomb proof ...it’s the rest of the car so buy on history ....a deep detailed history .To see where you are , get on so to speak - on the perpetual merry go round of replace / repair .
https://differentcarreview.com/2019/02/11/bentley-...
If a coil pack fails a light will be thrown and if a plugs not quite firing correctly again the CEL will illuminate as the fuel ing will be thrown .So looking for a coil pack / plug job is rather like looking down the wrong end of a telescope .Aside as said ^^^ it’s pretty DIYer able anyhow .
just figure £2 K Pa maintenance and be able to put your hand on the odd £5 K as and when .
For the tin top GT , but most will apply .Heavy cars with a lot of weight up front + age so figure most of this ....Suspension bushes , lower arm and both upper , have short lives compared to “ normal “
Power steering pipes corrode there are three , two fairly easy one may need heat .If that fails a new rack .Track rod ends .Geometry ....absolutely important the difference between correct set up and a little off is huge in terms of steering feed back and overall feel of the car. Alloy radiator in a salted road environment has a life it will corrode and leak .Poly bent is life d for 10 years .Its tensioners too ought to be replaced at the same time ....this is a front end + rad off job .Alternator coolant pipes £2 gasket perishes at about 10 + years onwards ....leaks and kills it - another front end “ off “ job .
Exhaust gas temp sensors - actually it’s the wiring that heat degrades .Turbo waste gates solenoids.
Scuttle drains blockage = complete engine ECU destruction.
Aircon drip tray drains blockage = wet relay box under the front passenger foot well and damp key less go relays = burnt out starter motor ( amongst other things ) .New starter motor requires engine out @ £5 k + mostly labour .
Blocked rear boot lid or loose drain tubes = boot fills up with water = knackered suspension air pump = dropped wheels making recovery v difficult.
Various aircon HVAC micro motors control flaps not working = poor temp control.Rear spoiler wires in the umbilical fracturing = rear spoiler packing up .
Front hood latch miss alignment = broken micro switch in the sensors .
Chartwells body shop has a steady steam of repairs to the A pillar when bonets fly up inadvertently.
Inner front disk corrosion as the inner pistons cease and don’t press hard enough = mot hassles.Head light washer inoperable due to coagulation of dissimilar fluids restricting the pipe diameter and insufficient pressure to operate.
A host of check engine lights due to low voltage “ house battery “ and stuff like widows dropping when ECU s run low on volts .
EPB hassle like any other VAG car —- Mostly a water ingress issue.
Seat back locked micro switches fracturing , Front hood closed micro switch failure .Airsuspension sensor links fractures.
Some historic stuff ( as most will have had it repaired by now ) 3 rd brake light water ingress = fails .Headlining drops glue deteriorated.I guess all older inc 04 /05 will be on @ least the 2nd set of vac pipes .The replacement part is same plastic ......so a 12/14 plater is maturing nicely waiting to start leaking .
Apart from ^^^^^ . They are great .
Keep it undercover and on a trickle charger .
Oh mileage .....irrelevant as the W12 is bomb proof ...it’s the rest of the car so buy on history ....a deep detailed history .To see where you are , get on so to speak - on the perpetual merry go round of replace / repair .
https://differentcarreview.com/2019/02/11/bentley-...
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