Just went to test drive a 2008 Bentley Continental GT convertible. The car is immaculate but it had quite a bit of water sitting in the passenger door pocket and the carpet between the door and the seat was wet too. The rest of the footwell was dry.

The seller told me the car had just been washed and the water ingress was due to pressure washing.

Does that make sense?

 

Nope. So how hard does it have to rain before water starts to come in? Things that would concern me is every time it rains will the car take on water? Look around some more. Take your time. Maybe go back in a few days and see if they would let you use the hose to go around the top to see if water leaks in. I know it’s far fetched but if I was trying to sell a car like this I wouldn’t have a problem with it if I was on the up and up.

 

I can't figure out how water gets to the door pocket? It might be as simple as those window seals, one could be cut or damaged. It sounds like the water is going into the door and coming back out in the car through the bottom of the door panel. Did you look closely at the window seals?

I had a similar, but unrelated issue, my trunk seal was loose in an area and SO MUCH water was ingested into the trunk. It filled the spare well up two inches. Fixed the seal, dry as a bone now.

When you're looking at the convertable, make sure to examine the top closely, the ribs destroy the top by poking through at the ends and the replacement is crazy expensive

 

Heres some info Sam posted on a thread today ...

https://robisonservice.blogspot.com/2013/08/trouble-with-tops-2007-2011-bentley.html

 

"Looking at the workshop manual, it appears the only reliable way to fix this problem is to install a new top assembly, at a cost of $21,500 plus installation."

Ha ha ha ha, OMG that's insane. I was thinking GTC then I came to my senses and bought the GT.

Years ago, I replaced the entire top (big top) on a Mustang GT (red with white leather, white top, pretty car) for a couple thousand bucks. $25k is comical. I bought my car for $32k total.

 

Omg that is insane 21k + wow.
Oh years ago when I was 20-21 had a SL top leaked luckily found a guy who did interior refitting had a small workshop, I took the hood off he re-covered it fantastic job for a few hundred pounds ...

 

Yeah, I really like convertibles, but have stuck with coupes for that very reason. Time is just not good to fabric tops.

It's too bad, because the GTC is one of the few cars that look good both top up or top down.

 

Your correct the GTC's do look the part but Ive not come across one that doesn't leak at some point, the amount that come in at the dealership for leaks & the damage caused is crazy, one big issue they have they leak at the front where it meets the screen, over looked water gets in down the screen & behind the dash burns out the harness, dash out job ...

 

Thanks, I did read that thread before viewing the car and did inspect the roof but didn't see anything obvious. Then again, I'm not a Bentley specialist ...

 

On another forum, someone mentioned water barrier in the door leaking. Still don't see how that could get water in the door pocket.

I've driven convertibles all my life, never had an issue with water leakage except where once in a 25 year old Saab the top got brittle and developed a tear. Then driving the car felt like a boat with the water sloshing in the back ;-)

 

If you really like the car then to get to the bottom of this water in the pocket ask the dealer to take the car through a car wash you can then sit in the side where the water was & see if theres a leak, because there could a few possibilities how water could have gotten in, not necessary the roofs leaking ...

 

That's an excellent point. What gives, why would a dealer show a BGTC with water in the interior?? To the buyer's benefit it may be a serendipitous discovery, should that be a defect of the top.

 

Good point why would anyone show a vehicle with water on the carpet or in the door pocket, unless some goon washed it then not cleaning it out, nevertheless what ever it is, its no big problem seal easy fix, is the water running down the window back of the door card & into the pocket possible, again easy fix, if its going through the roof then check the roof is sitting on the window, these GTC's when closing the roof drop the windows, once the roof is locked in place the windows come up to the roof, (as do the GT's) sit in the car & close the roof then see if the window come up & seals with the roof, worse case scenario theres a tear in the roof & has been repaired again have a good look ...

 

FWIW, I've had water water on the sills after a power wash on a coupe. Also had it drop btw the seat/sill, if a door was opened seconds after a wash, before it drained down the channels/seals.

 

Sam ... When I first purchased the car I noticed water in the passenger side from the front speaker on the carpet and all over the floor, at first I thought one of the kids dropped a bottle of water as they carry small bottles of water why I have no idea, anyway once I was driving on my own & it belted it down looked across i could see the carpet getting wet.
Got it home next day I looked couldn't figure it out where the water was seeping in. got a hose hung it up and sprayed the car when got in while it was on, saw that the water was coming in from the speaker grill at the bottom, took the door card off & found the speaker was wet, took the inner panel off & got a roll of pallet rapping stuck a couple of sheets replaced the panel trimmed it all & hay presto sorted, what happens is the water gets down the worn rubbers on the outside of the glass & door lets water in on the other side of the inner door panel & door card ... easy fix.
If you see water on the sill plate where its written Bentley thats normal that is water draining down into the door & under where you can find a couple of drain holes ...