What’s is like to drive and own a Bentley?

[oldcardriver]

Derrick the boss of Mathewsons, said on Bangers and Cash that everyone should at some stage in life own a Bentley. You can buy a 1990s Bentley for around £10,000 from Mathewsons. I could probably afford to own one for a year, consequently I wonder what they are like to own and drive, although I suppose they are not the best car to go to Tesco’s and parking is going to be a problem. Has anyone driven or owned one?

 

[Mottie]

I had to do a first MOT on a Continental GT once. 3 years old and with just 25k on the clock. Owned by a pole dancing lady! She left it with me so I thought I’d take it out for a spin. It was like a plane taking off - the acceleration was outstanding as you would expect from a 6 litre W12 motor, I had to back off pretty quickly. Anyway, on the way back I went round the backstreets. It was the most noisy, rattley car I’d ever driven and I’ve driven some wrecks. The dash rattled, the seats squeaked and even the door panels rattled. It wasn’t even a repaired wreck as I knew she’d had it from new but I would have been disappointed if I’d owned it.

 

[just pumps]

Never owned one but driven a good few as a hired driver. Absolute bliss to drive, so quiet and the feeling of driving on air but with sky high repair bills no thanks. Pistonheads have a recent thread running. Buy a nice big Lexus instead.

 

[Peter.N.]

A friend on mine had one and chauffeured us on our wedding, that was in 1963 though. I think it was a Barker Sports Special 1949. It was quite a sumptuous car but had the odd quirk of having the gear change on the right of the drivers seat which impeded entry and egress somewhat. Spares were very reasonably priced for it though.

Peter

 

[adenough]

I watched that programme and Derek was selling it to me on his review. I was tempted. But the possible repair costs put me off not the mpg. I'm pretty envious of his lifestyle though, Drivng classic cars around without the responsibility or bills. Plus he's being well paid for it. James May said, "running classic cars is like tearing up twenty pound notes over a fire". Still tempted though for a classic.

 

[just pumps]

Can always hire one for a weekend to scratch that itch.

 

[Rad1o]

Hang on, I will ask my chauffeur.

 

[norseman]

James May said, "running classic cars is like tearing up twenty pound notes over a fire". Still tempted though for a classic.

I have a lot of respect for James, but that is a sweeping statement to make. The cost of keeping any car, regardless of age, often depends on the level of preventative maintenance & older (pre. early 'nineties for example) vehicles do not have the plethora of electronic functions that plague later models. I've owned a number of 'Classics over the decades, some as old as the early 'forties & do not agree with May's opinion of the hobby

Even entry level models of today's cars have electronics that were never found in old luxury cars & it's usually these gadgets that are the cause of breakdowns, resulting in unrealistic repair costs.

 

[OwainDIYer]

Hang on, I will ask my chauffeur.

Bentleys should be owner-driven. Rolls Royces are chauffeur-driven.

 

[norseman]

Decades ago I used to drive various vintage Rolls used as wedding cars on a part time basis. At one time they were the 'best car in the world' but back in the 'seventies you would have been just as comfortable in a Land Rover from the same period ... but they look good in the wedding photo's.

 

[Dangee]

One of my customers has got several. The second one in is used on Peaky Blinders (Tommy Shelby’s)

 

[Mottie]

Back in the eighties, I hired a Rolls Royce and chauffeur to bring Mrs Mottie and both of our children home from Newham General Hospital when they were born. It made the nurses laugh and Mrs Mottie blush when they walked her and the baby outside and handed the baby to her once she had settled in to the car. We only lived about a 5 minute walk away so at the chauffeurs suggestion, she took us the long way home so that I got my moneys worth.

 

[JohnD]

Derrick the boss of Mathewsons, said on Bangers and Cash that everyone should at some stage in life own a Bentley. You can buy a 1990s Bentley for around £10,000 from Mathewsons. I could probably afford to own one for a year, consequently I wonder what they are like to own and drive, although I suppose they are not the best car to go to Tesco’s and parking is going to be a problem. Has anyone driven or owned one?

i've driven a few, and they are bigger, heavier and more powerful than you're used to. In Tescos you will park it in a corner because it sticks out.

I think the key would be, finding a (fairly) local independent specialist to mend and service it.

They are not as rare as they used to be so spares from breakers and club sources are available.

 

[conny]

We were approaching a car stopped at traffic lights ahead of us and waiting at the lights there was what seemed like a Honda/Hyundai or similar type of small saloon car. We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw the trademark B on the rear and the name Bentley to the left side of the boot! No idea what model it was but it's definitely the smallest Bentley I have ever seen, (if it was a genuine one), but they don't normally put the full name on them. Certainly never seen a small one when we used to do site work in the factory at Crewe.

 

[ReganAndCarter]

We were approaching a car stopped at traffic lights ahead of us and waiting at the lights there was what seemed like a Honda/Hyundai or similar type of small saloon car. We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw the trademark B on the rear and the name Bentley to the left side of the boot! No idea what model it was but it's definitely the smallest Bentley I have ever seen, (if it was a genuine one), but they don't normally put the full name on them. Certainly never seen a small one when we used to do site work in the factory at Crewe.

Not sure what that would have been, but one of the strangest small cars impersonating a big , luxury saloon in recent years has been the Nissan Micras with Mk2 Jag body kits fitted.

Mitsuoka_Viewt_011

• ReganAndCarter
• 7 Apr 2021