Continental GT

Author
Discussion

whoami

Original Poster:

13,157 posts

247 months

Friday 9th February 2007
quotequote all
I am thinking of changing my 997C2S for the above.

I am looking at ones which are c2 years old.

Any owners care to share their thoughts on the car.

Also, are there any options which are considered "must haves"?

Finally, any views on colour combinations?

Thanks



Edited by whoami on Friday 9th February 20:03

whoami

Original Poster:

13,157 posts

247 months

Friday 9th February 2007
quotequote all

whoami

Original Poster:

13,157 posts

247 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
quotequote all
MODS - CAN THIS PLEASE BE MOVED TO GENERAL GASSING?

THANKS

nda

22,334 posts

232 months

Saturday 10th February 2007
quotequote all
[quote=whoami]I am thinking of changing my 997C2S for the above.

I am looking at ones which are c2 years old.

Any owners care to share their thoughts on the car.

Also, are there any options which are considered "must haves"?

Finally, any views on colour combinations?

Thanks

Apart from being a completely different type of car - one a decent handling sports car, one a powerful waft-waggon.... so there's no comparison between the two, which is maybe not what you're after anyway.

Options to retro-fit to a two year old GT? Probably not many - I've had a trickle charge fitted (as I don't drive it very often), however it has a second back-up battery for starting when the main one drains, so a trickle is not strictly needed. I'd be tempted to fit a Road Pilot which Bentley can put in the ashtray quite neatly. I also fitted the Janspeed exhaust system which makes it sound a bit more like the 12 cylinder it is.

Have you driven the GT? It doesn't give a lot of driver feedback, but it is a seriously quick rocket and will see the sunny side of 200 if pushed. The interior is superb - far better than most cars I've had, it has an excellent range of electronic toys from Sat Nav through to tyre pressure monitors etc.

There are, of course, those who criticise the GT - footballers car, not like the old Bentleys etc. Whilst there's an element of truth in some of the sniping, it is a proper Bentley and is beautifully made. It's not a 'looker' but that's not its purpose really, it's an extremely reliable (I'm told!) Brit built luxury car. I've been lucky to have had many exotic or luxury cars over the years and the Bentley is the best made of the lot - by a mile.

Colour is a personal choice - I think dark colours and a tan/parchment/oatmeal leather. I went for Magnolia leather which is very light.

If you can find a 2 year old one at a decent price, you'll get a lot of car for your money...

Edited by nda on Saturday 10th February 11:08

whoami

Original Poster:

13,157 posts

247 months

Sunday 11th February 2007
quotequote all
NDA - thanks for the input.

I drove the car today and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

It seemed to disguise its obvious size and weight quite well.

However, I think I may well go for an AMV8. I have a test drive lined up this week.

Cheers.

nda

22,334 posts

232 months

Monday 12th February 2007
quotequote all

The new Aston V8 is a far closer comparison to the 911.

flashgitindenial

823 posts

260 months

Wednesday 14th February 2007
quotequote all
I've been running my Conti GT for just over 12 months and just over 20k miles. My previous daily runner was a Tuscan S Mk2. I get a little fed up of some folk talking waft wagons and I suspect that they have never handled one in full sports mode on a twisty mountain road in northern Spain. The Conti GT obviously has plenty of grunt. However, stick it sport mode and you can forget the wafting wagon bit It goes around corners almost flat and is a joyous surprise to drive. I seriously considered a DB9 prior to my purchase of the Bentley. I was seriously dissapointed with the DB9 after a lengthy test drive. I will agree that the Aston is a very pretty car but it's not (IMHO) in the same class as a Conti GT.

nda

22,334 posts

232 months

Thursday 15th February 2007
quotequote all

Flash - I do own a GT, so I have some qualification for pointing the difference out between a 911 and the Bentley. It does feel rather wafty in comparison - whatever mode you put it in. But it is a nice car all the same....

Balmoral Green

41,754 posts

255 months

Thursday 15th February 2007
quotequote all
Having been driven at speed in a big four wheel drive V8 Audi S4 saloon, and also in a four wheel drive W12 Phaeton, which were both very impressive, I can well believe that the GT is a little more sporting than its Grand Tourer badging would suggest.

I've not had a proper drive in a GT yet, would love to have a good go in one.

lambojim

691 posts

246 months

Friday 16th February 2007
quotequote all
I've had both a 997 and Conti GT.
At first I was blown away by the 'waft' factor of the GT, it's as fast a car as you could want and beautifully made, no dount about it. I sold it after 3 months because I found it SO BLOODY BORING.

I think it boils down to where you are going to drive it, I did a blast up to the Highlands and it covered 1000 miles in total comfort, but even in the sport setting, you are pretty unconnected to whats going on underneath you, especially compared to the 997. With hindsight, the 997 really is a fantastic car and unless you want to waft, think carefully about the GT. for the first month I was in awe of the craftsmanship and sheer speed (it really is fast) but ideally you'd have something else in the garage to have some fun in.

I had a Mulliner in black with magnolia and thought this was the best combination. I bought and sold through Dion at Elms Collection who made it close to painless financially - if I'd have bought it through Jack Barclay, the biscuits and coffee would have cost me over £20k, as it was, I hardly felt a thing.

nda

22,334 posts

232 months

Friday 16th February 2007
quotequote all
lambojim said:
I've had both a 997 and Conti GT.
At first I was blown away by the 'waft' factor of the GT, it's as fast a car as you could want and beautifully made, no dount about it. I sold it after 3 months because I found it SO BLOODY BORING.

I think it boils down to where you are going to drive it, I did a blast up to the Highlands and it covered 1000 miles in total comfort, but even in the sport setting, you are pretty unconnected to whats going on underneath you, especially compared to the 997. With hindsight, the 997 really is a fantastic car and unless you want to waft, think carefully about the GT. for the first month I was in awe of the craftsmanship and sheer speed (it really is fast) but ideally you'd have something else in the garage to have some fun in.

I had a Mulliner in black with magnolia and thought this was the best combination. I bought and sold through Dion at Elms Collection who made it close to painless financially - if I'd have bought it through Jack Barclay, the biscuits and coffee would have cost me over £20k, as it was, I hardly felt a thing.


James, I think you nailed it, particularly about being impressed (for a while) by the craftsmenship, the unconnected to what's underneath you and finally 'ideally you'd need to have something else in the garage to have fun with....'

I saw a chum of mine yesterday who's had a GT for about 6 months having come out of an AMG55. Did he love the GT? 'Not love, but I admire it'. Fun to drive? 'Hmm, not fun, but it does it very well...' You get the picture!

I'm glad I chose the convertible as it adds a new dimension - I think there's a sense of occassion driving it - but your description pretty much ties up with my own.