Bentley Arnage 4.4
Discussion
Welcome to my thread for my latest purchase. Some may remember my previous readers threads on the smart car that my brother and I drove to the sahara desert for charity that looked like a Little Tikes kids car, and the Mercedes Pagoda I bought from American eBay. An eclectic mix.
This was another eBay unseen adventure, I swapped an R129 SL merc and some cash for it. The guy I bought it off was honest about it and I wasn't disappointed when it arrived as all fails had been mentioned.
I have wanted one since I was at school when they were launched, this was £148k new which is a bit of a comedy stat. It has dinks and dents, 53k miles (showing 43k on the clocks though, no idea why) and currently doesn't run properly but more about that later.
It has been living in my unit at work since I got it and I have taken it out a few times. For something which cost me slightly more than a Dacia Sandero it doesn't half turn heads.
Black on black, 4.4 BMW engine (my preference) and it has been fitted with the T lights and wheels which I love.
A few late 90s BMW bits on the inside (HVAC controls, seat controls) but overall the quality is incredible - everything inside is wood, metal or leather. Interior is in better nick than the exterior.
So far I have swapped the old OEM alpine for a new bluetooth alpine, which then meant the door for the stereo didn't shut because there is a hole in the wood door that is too small. Annoying.
More to follow on what is wrong with it and how I am planning on fixing...
This was another eBay unseen adventure, I swapped an R129 SL merc and some cash for it. The guy I bought it off was honest about it and I wasn't disappointed when it arrived as all fails had been mentioned.
I have wanted one since I was at school when they were launched, this was £148k new which is a bit of a comedy stat. It has dinks and dents, 53k miles (showing 43k on the clocks though, no idea why) and currently doesn't run properly but more about that later.
It has been living in my unit at work since I got it and I have taken it out a few times. For something which cost me slightly more than a Dacia Sandero it doesn't half turn heads.
Black on black, 4.4 BMW engine (my preference) and it has been fitted with the T lights and wheels which I love.
A few late 90s BMW bits on the inside (HVAC controls, seat controls) but overall the quality is incredible - everything inside is wood, metal or leather. Interior is in better nick than the exterior.
So far I have swapped the old OEM alpine for a new bluetooth alpine, which then meant the door for the stereo didn't shut because there is a hole in the wood door that is too small. Annoying.
More to follow on what is wrong with it and how I am planning on fixing...
It has two batteries, which seem to get referred to as the house battery and the starter battery. I hadn't been charging the house battery and when it is low, all hell breaks loose - things randomly were and weren't working. One window would open then not shut, sunroof would open part way then stop. Seems to be sorted now the "house" battery is on charge.
Recently (and prior to me getting it) it has had at a specialist; new fuel pumps, new alternator, wiring mess fixed and he got it running. It still wasn't running right so the vendor chucked in the towel and sold it.
Symptoms are no power - it will run and drive / idle fine, but when you floor it, it just cuts out, and the fuel pumps are noisy. It is either fuelling or turbos. The turbos seem to be about £120 a piece online new and are used on a few cars of the era.
I have a cunning plan involving a friend of a friend who is a retired bentley tech so watch this space...
Recently (and prior to me getting it) it has had at a specialist; new fuel pumps, new alternator, wiring mess fixed and he got it running. It still wasn't running right so the vendor chucked in the towel and sold it.
Symptoms are no power - it will run and drive / idle fine, but when you floor it, it just cuts out, and the fuel pumps are noisy. It is either fuelling or turbos. The turbos seem to be about £120 a piece online new and are used on a few cars of the era.
I have a cunning plan involving a friend of a friend who is a retired bentley tech so watch this space...
A few weeks back I had it on the ramps in the unit next door (he is my tenant so was accommodating of my nonsense and questions).
I caveat this with I am not a mechanic merely an enthusiastic "try things then break them more" amateur; removed pipe from tank to pumps - gushed out, so no blockage likely there. Swapped the pumps about, and it is always only the second pump that is noisy. Then bypassed the fuel filter temporarily; same. So we too gave up although a plug change and fuel pressure check were next on the list and I await the man who fixes these coming for a look.
In the interim we also had another baby so with three under five and a business that is chaos I dont have a spare 30 secs to my name so I dont really know what I thought I would be doing fixing anything
I caveat this with I am not a mechanic merely an enthusiastic "try things then break them more" amateur; removed pipe from tank to pumps - gushed out, so no blockage likely there. Swapped the pumps about, and it is always only the second pump that is noisy. Then bypassed the fuel filter temporarily; same. So we too gave up although a plug change and fuel pressure check were next on the list and I await the man who fixes these coming for a look.
In the interim we also had another baby so with three under five and a business that is chaos I dont have a spare 30 secs to my name so I dont really know what I thought I would be doing fixing anything
I love these, reeeeeeeally want one,...however
my garage is too short and no way to extend it, could I bear to leave it outside year round
clients might get the wrong idea, I have a 22 year old beaten up 150,000 mile boxster on permanent loan that might be worth all of 5 grand from 5 yards away and there have been comments on that
man maths tell me that if I do about 8000 miles per year the difference in fuel cost to the diesel Fpace I have will make a difference of only a few hundred quid per annum and the pleasure of looking over my shoulder as I walk away from it would make every penny worth it. My brain will hurt when I work out that a return trip to town (9 miles each way) has just cost me a fiver.
I have a five year old boy who clearly has a bright future in demolition, the thought of what he could do to the interior hurts
Bork factor: how often will I get a four figure bill for something trivial
I also really want to buy a thing called a Rinker 27 boat........can I justify having two cash drains at once
I need the PH collective to figure out a way to justify it
I have been looking at this one https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11104115 it looks just perfect
trying to work out how to justify it to management without having to pay a jewellery fine or something similar
my garage is too short and no way to extend it, could I bear to leave it outside year round
clients might get the wrong idea, I have a 22 year old beaten up 150,000 mile boxster on permanent loan that might be worth all of 5 grand from 5 yards away and there have been comments on that
man maths tell me that if I do about 8000 miles per year the difference in fuel cost to the diesel Fpace I have will make a difference of only a few hundred quid per annum and the pleasure of looking over my shoulder as I walk away from it would make every penny worth it. My brain will hurt when I work out that a return trip to town (9 miles each way) has just cost me a fiver.
I have a five year old boy who clearly has a bright future in demolition, the thought of what he could do to the interior hurts
Bork factor: how often will I get a four figure bill for something trivial
I also really want to buy a thing called a Rinker 27 boat........can I justify having two cash drains at once
I need the PH collective to figure out a way to justify it
I have been looking at this one https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11104115 it looks just perfect
trying to work out how to justify it to management without having to pay a jewellery fine or something similar
I had a few of the same thoughts but it is / will be only an occasional car. In the time it has sat in my unit people that have seen it almost always make some sort of comment, something I didn't expect. Car people know it isn't new; non car people think you've won Euromillions. I won't ever use it for work.
I could have (and it may turn out should have, depending on how much it costs to fix) got a more expensive and better example; but with three wee boys a more expensive one would just get goosed - mine has had a hard paper round already so I have zero worries about using it. I intend to get the mechanicals tip top and leave the rest as is.
I could have (and it may turn out should have, depending on how much it costs to fix) got a more expensive and better example; but with three wee boys a more expensive one would just get goosed - mine has had a hard paper round already so I have zero worries about using it. I intend to get the mechanicals tip top and leave the rest as is.
if you have kids it makes sense to get a "pre scuffed" version then you won't worry about crayons being forced into any available orifice and drool on the inside of the windows. I have the added problem of the traditional devon pinstripes on the left hand side of all my cars from narrow country lanes with strategic bramble plantations.
My one hope with management is the story of my 911 (996) that I bought about 8 years ago for £7500 which was the going rate for a 75000 mile tiptronic. the 911 became a new kitchen at £9500. I got a call a few months ago from a bloke who had found me in the history and had just paid £16,000 for it.
If I can sell the story that this at the bottom of its depreciation curve (which I doubt it is) I might be allowed to spend my money on something I want for me
My one hope with management is the story of my 911 (996) that I bought about 8 years ago for £7500 which was the going rate for a 75000 mile tiptronic. the 911 became a new kitchen at £9500. I got a call a few months ago from a bloke who had found me in the history and had just paid £16,000 for it.
If I can sell the story that this at the bottom of its depreciation curve (which I doubt it is) I might be allowed to spend my money on something I want for me
Awesome cars, I've always loved them. A friend's dad had one at school around 2000/01 in gold, before that became a popular thing. He was insured on it so we'd regularly go out hooning around. 160mph is easily achieved, though in hindsight it's better with an experienced adult behind the wheel rather than spoilt teenagers. 
I seem to recall the only issue his dad ever had was the indicator stalk regularly falling off.
I seem to recall the only issue his dad ever had was the indicator stalk regularly falling off.
My old man had one of those albeit a red label V8 one. Went like stink, awesome turbo lag and always felt like it was about to break down any minute (which it didn't to be fair) Remarkably small inside for a huge car, I'm only 5'8 and had the seat right back and was still a bit cramped.
Congratulations I remember you posting it on the barges thread and it's the king of barges for sure, it's a lot of car and hopefully not too much money.
There's a black one the same as yours drives about here occasionally and it's certainly eye catching. It just glides along in a grander way than most big limos.
All the best in getting it back to rude health.
There's a black one the same as yours drives about here occasionally and it's certainly eye catching. It just glides along in a grander way than most big limos.
All the best in getting it back to rude health.
This is exactly the kind of thread that makes PH worth sticking with - bravo on such a grand choice, looking forward to more updates.
A couple of years ago I looked at cashing in part of my pension for something like this and bottled it, but doing the research was most enjoyable and it has to be said, delightfully dreamlike at times. I had trouble deciding which engine to go for though, as I kept reading conflicting opinions on which is the safer bet. One example which really caught my eye was a dark blue 4.4 with a black interior, a rare combination I believe since most of the darker body colours come with a pale interior.
Good luck
A couple of years ago I looked at cashing in part of my pension for something like this and bottled it, but doing the research was most enjoyable and it has to be said, delightfully dreamlike at times. I had trouble deciding which engine to go for though, as I kept reading conflicting opinions on which is the safer bet. One example which really caught my eye was a dark blue 4.4 with a black interior, a rare combination I believe since most of the darker body colours come with a pale interior.
Good luck
Engine with the covers off. Cosworth built BMW M62 - if there’s anything significant up with this then it’s spares or repairs time I fear. My man says they are bulletproof so I’m sure it’ll be fine.
Original Jack Barclay sill plates which are pretty cool and look like they weigh a couple of Kgs each. I’m sure this car would have some stories to tell from its 9 previous owners.
Original Jack Barclay sill plates which are pretty cool and look like they weigh a couple of Kgs each. I’m sure this car would have some stories to tell from its 9 previous owners.
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