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I like the w12 and have acclimated to the new body style by now and 2012 will be a nearly new car. They will all drive the same but they do not all look the same. My best advice is you will know your mate when you see her. The color and interior trim needs to overwhelm your heart. The soundness of the purchase is a head deal but the look is a gut deal.
My dealer is always trying to show me another used Bentley hoping I will trade and he can get back into my wallet but he has not shown me a color combo yet that is even close to prying my bank open again.
What would you be looking or watching out for in one of these cars purchasing it used?
99% of the stuff that applies to any used car also applies to a Bentley. Here are a few things:
Buying from an authorized dealer carries a 20% price penalty, but brings A.) A year of free warranty (if the car is officially Bentley certified) on top of remaining factory warranty, B.) Peace of mind (you can get detailed service history for most cars sold by Bentley dealers, so you know you are not getting a lemon) and C.) Depending on your relationship with the dealership, a flatbed service and loaner when your car is being serviced. My dealership sends a flatbed to my house or office, picks up the car, services it and delivers it back.
Buying from "XYZ Exotic Cars" may get you into the car for less, but there may be consequences. The odometer may have been rolling the wrong way here or there. Some panels may have been repainted. Some bullet holes patched, etc. Regardless of what it is, rest assured the repair was not done to the Bentley factory standard (even Bentley dealerships cant do that). If you decide to go with one of these exotic car companies, invest into a full pre-purchase inspection ($300 or so) and/or a paint thickness meter. At least you will know that the car has been repainted and may get the price down.
If you look at Carfax or Autocheck (if you don't, you probably like living dangerously ) and see that a 2012 car you are considering had 10 different owners....well...what does that tell you? Do you think that someone who had this car for 6-8 weeks at a time was taking good care of it?
If you see a 2-year old car that looks brand new inside an out, has under 1K miles on it and you are planning to keep the car for a very, very long time, you may want to reconsider. Cosmetically, the car will be brand new, but there are caveats. First, the price will be much higher. Second, it was not just a "weekend" driver, it was more of a "federal holiday driver". You know what happens to cars that sit for years, right? Then again, if you are planning to only keep the car for a few years, it will most likely be under warranty, so you don't really care if something needs fixed here and there. This is where a good dealership comes in.
High mileage cars (15K+ miles per year) are cheaper, but wear and tear is more prominent. You are looking at worn front suspension, brakes, wheel bearings (if driven hard), worn seat bolsters, etc.
If anything other than cosmetic stuff has been modified, stay away.
Ugly color combinations (a.k.a. someone's dream car ) will be cheaper, but is it worth looking at and cringing every day? Besides, you will still pay the "ugly car" fee when it's time to trade the car in. Case in point - a few months ago I saw one dealer offering $70K off an MSRP of a 2014 Speed with like 200 demo miles on it. That's because not a lot of people like their Bentleys in Fire Engine Red inside AND out. Dr. Disaster summed it up - "The color and interior trim needs to overwhelm your heart." I literally looked for my old Supersports all over the country and once I took one look at the photos, it was a done deal.
The sweet spot seems to be with cars that have 3K-7K miles/year with 1-2 owners.
If you are worried about depreciation, just accept the fact that you WILL take a nice hit when you trade it in. Once you are over that bridge, just get the car and enjoy it. That's what Bentleys are for.
Sorry about a long-winded post. Extra brownie points for not falling asleep while reading it
I was looking at a 2012 GTC in Blue Crystal over Linen hides in Mechanicsburg, PA. Kind of halfway between what you describe. Not a Bentley dealer but a Porsche dealer that took it on trade. The lady so far has not answered the paintwork question...just told me about the car fax. Yes, it's clean but that doesn't mean something hasn't been sprayed. I guess I need to invest in a paint meter.
I did notice it didn't have the "Mullner" specification. Does that turn most savvy Bentley buyers off?
I will probably fool with this car for a few years and then move into another . I realize I'm going to take a bad whack. Just trying to minimize the whack. I'm thinking of getting in around the 150 range and hoping to get 100 in a few years with under 20K miles on it.
My local dealer told me that "Umbrian" red was a bad color. If it is paired with a light interior do you folks agree?
It seems like the Blue Crystal is popular and I do like that.
Here goes another 20-page post fasten your seatbelts....
A Porsche dealer is unlikely to do funny things to the car themselves, but they dont have the service history of the car and dont know where it's been. Most of the used cars in Bentley dealerships came from previous customers and is less likely to be tampered with. And you still dont get a free year of CPO warranty or loaners, etc.
Mulliner spec is a tough choice. It's an appearance-only thing, but some parts of it make a huge difference. For example, the diamond-quilted leather inserts, perforated leather headliner, etc. A picture is worth a thousand words - would you rather have this:
...or this ?
The best way to make a decision is to visit your local Bentley dealer and to look at cars with and without the Mulliner spec side by side. You will know right away whether you care about it or not.
Blue Crystal is a beautiful color. I've seen it in person and its very classy and subtle. Umbrian Red, however....well....in my personal opinion its not what I call "easy on the eyes". If you are worried about resale value, probably a poor choice of color. Something about red Bentleys just rubs me the wrong way.
Linen interior is gorgeous, but you do know about blue jeans, right? Also, things like coffee stains and blood do not come off, ever. A friend of mine had a freaking paper cut and permanently stained his white seat.
I think you should check out the cars that your local Bentley dealer has. You may be able to find something nice for the right price. They may also give you a better trade in value when you decide to trade the car in after a few years.
I'm keeping my eye on the local guys inventory. It's actually how I first became interested in one of these. I leased a Jag XJL Supercharged there as my every day vehicle.
) and see that a 2012 car you are considering had 10 different owners....well...what does that tell you? Do you think that someone who had this car for 6-8 weeks at a time was taking good care of it?
