advice for bentley
 

i'm in the market of a continental gt vs. arnage vs. flying spur...approx $130-140...can anyone give me any advice on the maintenance and reliability of these cars...also if there's a particular year to avoid...thanks in advance

While I love Arnage's styling and presence, it really lacks behind the CGT or Flying Spur in terms of technology and convenience, not to mention many quality-related issues that I've heard many times over. I was also considering the Arnage at one point as an upgrade to my Audi, but it's really nothing more than a bull**** car meant only to impress people.

CGT is wonderful. Flying Spur lacks in the styling department, IMO.

By the way, for $140K you can't get any of these cars NEW. STAY AWAY from old Arnages, especially since they've run out of warranty.

If you have that much to spend, just get an Audi A8L or W12 or some big Mercedes. Maybe even a Maserati, but I'd again be wary about quality issues.

thanks for the input...i'm looking into the certified pre-owned...i've been seeing alot of the models in that price range with 5-18k miles on them...can anyone tell me what the maintenance intervals are and cost...i'm aware of lack of technology on the older arnage...i'm not into the navi and electronic stuff...just a good daily driver and comfort...planning to get the certified extended warranty...

i understand that there are other cars in that price range that may be better...just looking into something less common...too many audis, mbs, etc...

i'm also curious why the prices on the used arnage are so low...(ex...im seeling alot of 2002-4 below 100k)...

Because they're pieces of **** and no one wants them! When I said they lack I didn't mean in terms of navigation and other such things. No! They lack in just about every department as compared to a CGT or even an Audi A8. Trust me, the "I'm so cool and unique because I'm the only one within a 100 mile radius with this car" will fade when reality kicks in, whether it be the squeaky, smelly brakes, the crappy handling, the lack of extra comfort features, and the costs you will pay when it breaks down, and it will be doing a lot of that. The engine in that thing hasn't been developed since the 1950s.

I saw one with 600 miles that had depreciated $40,000 (if not more, I don't recall), and it was even a special edition of only 30 worldwide!

Just don't do it.

Edit: IIRC, the dealership told me that new Arnages will appear very soon and should match and exceed everything that's offered in the CGT. It has just had a facelift, so another 2-3 years, I imagine.

128-130 can get you an 05 with 10k miles on a cgt. the maintence is handled under warrantee. fox lamborghini/chicago has a black with black piano wood for 129 and 10k miles. its nice. no way on the arnage or the fly spur.

Hello Joe...

I purchased a used CGT last December. Since then, I've put on about 3,500 miles and have enjoyed the car.

My only real complaint about this car is the Navigation system and the mode of making entries for that and the phone unit. My wife drives an '04 Jaguar that has one of the best touch screen Infotainment systems around. Bentley should have taken their cue from them.

I recently had it in for it's first service and their was no charge. I haven't asked yet how long that will go on for.

Asides from having 550+ HP under the hood, one of the best features of the car is the multiple selections for shifting that you have. In normal drive she reponds like the smooth luxury car you expect it to be. Pull it all the way down to "sport" and she keeps the rev's up a little higher, shifts a bit stronger and maintains a little extra growl out of the exhaust. If you want some input on the RPM range and shift points you can either knock the shifter to the right side gate and work the tranny manually or reach up by the steering wheel and use the paddles. Something for everyone.

The car is extremely comfortable for 2 and the trunk is very generous in size. The back seats are roomier than you find in most 2 door luxury cars. My friend's DB9 is similar in length but you couldn' fit an amputated midget in his back seats. Anyone up to about 5" 9" will be reasonably comfortable for a short period. I wouldn't want to be back there for more than an hour though.

My thoughts and I hope they help you make up your mind.

Ernie....

thanks for all the input....it seems that the only complaint i hear all around is the navigation...which i dont even use in any of my other cars...all else aside,,,the cars sounds great...i'd love to hear more from everyone...

i'm still curious how the parts/service would be after warranty...if anyone has any experience....or is it even worth getting the extended warranty...

i'm in the market for a cgt and my bro for a flying spur...looking to find a good dealership to buy both at the some time (hopefullly to get a better deal)...looking for a certified with extended warranty....

thanks for everyone's help

I'd look into the extended warranty. My dad has a VW Phaeton W12 which shares a lot of components with the CGT and it has been to the dealer a few times for warranty repairs. I've seen the pre-warranty invoices and some of them were pretty expensive repairs. If you had the same problems in a CGT, I'm sure they'd be even more expensive "just because" it's a Bentley and the dealers charge a higher labor rate.

Funny you should say that. The Bentley nav is a copy of the Audi system, which is regarded by all reviews to be the easiest to use. On the contrary, the Jaguar system has a crappy user interface, even though I do admit the touch-screen bit is a plus. Still, looking at the Jag screen made me want to puke, and the salesman actually agreed with me that it had catching up to do.

hey man
before i say anything, just look at my avatar first..

anyway

the continental line is pretty much a German car, with British DESIGN

the brit's are the best wehn it comes to designs and leathers and stuff like that.
the germans are the best when it comes to technology and engineering...

with that being said, the continental line is british designed and german engineered

the arnage is british designed and british engineered

In the price range you are looking at there are definitely GTs and FSs still under warranty available. GTs seem to hold their value better than the FSs so you could get an FS for less. An Arnage in that price range will definitely be out of warranty already. Arnages were not meant to be daily driven so I think there may be a bit of headache with them when it comes to maintainence. I myself am considering purchasing a pre-owned GT this year. All new Bentleys come with 3 years/unlimited mileage. You're supposed to bring the car in after 6 weeks for the first service and then once a year or every 10k miles, whichever comes first. Service is included in the warranty. For the first time, Bentley is now offering extended warranties, but the car still has to be under warranty in order to purchase it. If you buy a CPO Bentley it comes with one year extended warranty automatically. If you go to a Bentley dealer and see a used Bentley that you like that is not CPO, you should talk to the dealer as they may be willing to CPO it for you to close the deal.

I don't know what your needs are so I can't recommend the car for you, but I'm young so the GT is perfect for me. I've driven the FS on several occasions, it's a great car and I wouldn't say no if someone gave me one, but I prefer a coupe to compliment my Lotus right now. The Arnage is too big for me, but it's great for cruising. I think it's more luxurious.

Hope this helps.

thanks for everyone's input...it's helping alot...keep'em coming :)

i'm suprised that you can find a flying spur for less...where?

In general Flying Spurs are not holding their values as well. They've cut back production on GTs where some dealers aren't even getting one a month since they've been focusing on the GTC. This helps keep GT values up. The market creates the value. It's all about supply and demand. :)

The CGT's Navigation really is crap. In all honesty, I think it's the worst I've seen in any car. But then again, I would't not buy it because of that. It is a German engineered car, which will make it more reliable than the Arnage. It's incredibly classy, and not to mention fast!

I can't get actual street names to come up on the screen. The map detail only goes down to 200m. My wife's Jag goes down as little as 50m and gives me individual street names. They say they have addressed that issue for the 07's but I've heard of no software upgrades for the 04'-06' models.