after reading this forum for 6 months i bought a ford gt. your enthusiam and knowledge of all kinds of exotics convinced me to write the check. now that most gals are stored for the winter i would appreciate some advice and counsel on the bentley gt. i have admired their good looks for 4 years but know little about the ownership of one. any comments pro or con would be appreciated.
bentley gt experience/advice
- Thread starter clements
- Start date
Apollo
GT Owner
My wife will be jealous! She fell in love with the Bentley GT. For what it is worth, I have a business associate that has one and we have only had limited time in the car but I can tell you the W engine is surprisingly strong and the car has all the great tactile and wonderful smells and features you expect from the brand. We were pleasantly surprised. He has had the car for about two years now and still loves it.
Good luck.
TEXAS GT
2006 Twin Turbo
I see you're in Dallas. There's a Continental GT going across the block at the Leake Auction at Market Hall on saturday. You might get a good deal.....(or not).
They depreciate like a rock.:frown I have kinda desired one (preferably the GTC) for a couple of years but every time I think what is a good deal comes around I find out they have dropped another $10-20K. If you don't care about the depreciation then by all means go for it. I just can't enjoy cars that depreciate...or at least heavily depreciate. I like to drive for free (or make money) other than insurance, gas and minor maintenace and so far in my 38 yrs of driving I have done quite well at it. :thumbsup
I need to find one a bit below current wholesale mkt, drive it a few months, get it out of my system and sell it before it tanks again. :cheers
I need to find one a bit below current wholesale mkt, drive it a few months, get it out of my system and sell it before it tanks again. :cheers
they do depreciate about 25,000 per year (ouch) but the 2005 model with low mileage can now be had for $80,000. seems like a good value if no other ownership issues.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
I know 3 people who own (or HAVE owned) one, and all 3 say they LOVE(ED) the car...but, just couldn't (can't) BELIEVE the amount of $$$ lost to depreciation.
Predictably, they have nothing but praise for it's ride, handling, power, fit & finish, and it's all around high quality.
So, as Nardo suggested, if you aren't concerned about it's depreciation - the car itself is not likely to disappoint.
(Obviously, if you buy one that's a year or two old, you'll AVOID the r-e-a-l-l-y "hard hit" in depreciation that's typical of those cars in the 1st couple years. :cheers)
Predictably, they have nothing but praise for it's ride, handling, power, fit & finish, and it's all around high quality.
So, as Nardo suggested, if you aren't concerned about it's depreciation - the car itself is not likely to disappoint.
(Obviously, if you buy one that's a year or two old, you'll AVOID the r-e-a-l-l-y "hard hit" in depreciation that's typical of those cars in the 1st couple years. :cheers)
BlackICE
GT Owner
fjpikul
GT Owner
Oil changes are expensive (similar to the GT), and you need a dealership nearby to work on them. Limiting factors in my opinion.
Neilda
GT Owner
I had a Bentley GTC which I picked up new - I think I had one of the very first in the UK.
Bad things first:
1. This is not a beautiful car from the outside. You do not shut the door and then back away looking at it for 20 minutes as you do with the FGT! It's fugly, no question.
That's it.
The good things:
2. Fantastic interior - one of the best in the business. Unrelenting luxury and the feeling that everything is beautifully made and bespoke.
3. Get the GTC! The convertible adds a completely new dimension to this car, the rear looks better for a start. The hood is a thing of joy - it even has an interior light, so there's no sensation that you're in a soft-top with the hood up.
4. It's fast. Not scary Murcielago fast, but fast all the same. It literally thunders along. At 180mph it's solid and squat on the road. The power delivery is like sitting in your favourite armchair and then being wafted to 100mph in a few seconds...
5. It handles. Sort of. I've been around a track in one (not mine!) and was suprised at just how well it coped. All wheel drive and some clever electronics keep it well mannered. I would say it handles like a Vanquish - big and brutish, but shouldn't get out of shape even with silly driving.
6. Uber-reliable. Everthing works and will keep on working. The electronics are great and the engine is understressed. I didn't find it expensive to service.
7. You can fit two adults in the back with ease! Whilst you might not want to drive to Alaska with four in it, it's not like most 'super GT's) in that you need to be disabled to fit in the back.
Ultimate advice...
If you can get a used one do it. I lost a ton of money on mine when I sold it. If you can find a nice example (which you can) with maybe under 20k on the dials you'll save a bundle.
Hope this helps - happy to answer any owner questions you might have...
Bad things first:
1. This is not a beautiful car from the outside. You do not shut the door and then back away looking at it for 20 minutes as you do with the FGT! It's fugly, no question.
That's it.
The good things:
2. Fantastic interior - one of the best in the business. Unrelenting luxury and the feeling that everything is beautifully made and bespoke.
3. Get the GTC! The convertible adds a completely new dimension to this car, the rear looks better for a start. The hood is a thing of joy - it even has an interior light, so there's no sensation that you're in a soft-top with the hood up.
4. It's fast. Not scary Murcielago fast, but fast all the same. It literally thunders along. At 180mph it's solid and squat on the road. The power delivery is like sitting in your favourite armchair and then being wafted to 100mph in a few seconds...
5. It handles. Sort of. I've been around a track in one (not mine!) and was suprised at just how well it coped. All wheel drive and some clever electronics keep it well mannered. I would say it handles like a Vanquish - big and brutish, but shouldn't get out of shape even with silly driving.
6. Uber-reliable. Everthing works and will keep on working. The electronics are great and the engine is understressed. I didn't find it expensive to service.
7. You can fit two adults in the back with ease! Whilst you might not want to drive to Alaska with four in it, it's not like most 'super GT's) in that you need to be disabled to fit in the back.
Ultimate advice...
If you can get a used one do it. I lost a ton of money on mine when I sold it. If you can find a nice example (which you can) with maybe under 20k on the dials you'll save a bundle.
Hope this helps - happy to answer any owner questions you might have...
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THE1GT
GT Owner
We had a black 05 GT which we absolutely loved. Bought is used for a good price, held it about two years and came out of it relatively unscathed. We had a GTC on order but I could not pull the trigger on it when it came in. I just could not justify the $210K plus tax, etc. price. Glad we held off as we picked up a slightly used white GTC about a year later for about $85,000 less.
I would highly recommend the car and I would highly advise you to let someone else take the initial hit.
Good luck!
I would highly recommend the car and I would highly advise you to let someone else take the initial hit.
Good luck!
timcantwell
Le Mans 2010 Sponsor * Moderator
I agree with Neil. I own a Continenal Flying Spur. Not the prettiest, but does everything very well. It's basically an Audi, so it is reliable. Go for it!
thanks for the comments. the group experience has answered a lot of my questions. the car is apparently well made and a solid performer. beauty seems to be in the eye of the beholder. the issue of depreciation is a common problem with all cars until they are awarded collectable status. in the old days financial depreciation and physical depreciation were more or less the same. it seems to me that is not true today. cars now routinely are good for 150,000 miles if you don't get bored with their ownership but used car values are determined more by age than mileage. at some point doesn't this create an opportunity for special exotics that are fun to own ? combined with the efficient internet market why would anyone buy a new car ?
Neilda
GT Owner
The Bentley will never be collectable unfortunately. I bought a new one because it was a brand new model with no used examples - and we all know that boys cannot wait if there's a new toy to be had! :lol
I think the other Bentley owners here would agree that it's a terrific car, a monster GT and luxurious too. I would urge you to get the GTC, it's worth the extra cash... really.
I agree with Neil on the GTC....definitely. Yes, you can get an 05 coupe for $80K but you can get an 07 GTC (teen miles) for $120K. Perhaps less if you are a tough negotiator. Miles hurt these cars value.....If you buy a "baby mile" car , say less than 10K the prices are higher as owner's are more "proud" of them. Be careful on the value of say a 20K mile car. It would need to be considerably less.....nothing wrong physically, just hurts the price and perhaps a bit harder to sell even at a lower price. I would buy a 20K mile car, but it if would have to financially justifiable. Now a 40K mile car (even an 05) would have to really be a bargain. Color is a resale factor too...black on black is good for sure.
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Gulf GT
GT Owner
We have a flying spur, and the car is great. Bought it new in 2007 and since we are not selling it for many years, depreciation really doesn't matter to us. It's a great car, relaible, comfortable, fun to drive. We have almost 40,000 miles on it. Will keep it another 5 years or so and buy another, or the possibly the Rolls.
Neilda
GT Owner
I don't think high mileage is going to damage anything other than the price on a Bentley - it's a bullet proof engine, unlikely to have been thrashed and is very understressed.....
I have a Bently GT and love it. No where near as heart-thumping in looks and performance as my Ford GTs but really an awesome car. Smell and feel of the interior is intoxicating and I can take my whole family out for a ride. I prefer the GT over the GTC, better looks and better handling.