1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur review from North America
"A highly expensive, prestigous car with inordinate incidence of repair"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Transmission leak at 49,000 miles.
Replaced rear brake pads; front and rear at 49,000 miles.
Replaced parking brake pads at 49,000 miles.
Replaced rear struts at 49,000 miles.
Replaced front strut ball joints at 49,000 miles.
Universal joint, drive shaft couplers cracked: replaced at 49,000 miles.
Compliance mount torn, replaced mounts at 49,000 miles.
Replaced top and bottom coolant system hoses. @ 49K miles.
Hydraulic accumulators not holding pressure, replaced accumulators @ 49K miles.
Inoperative warning flashers replaced @ 49K miles.
Air conditioner compressor replaced @ 51 K miles.
Master cylinder leaking @ 5l K. mile.
Side view mirror fell off in summer heat. Replaced @ 51 K. mile.
Windhield wipers move exceedingly slowly; need to replace the motor.
@ 5l K. miles. Parking pall is broken, meaning the car slips out of "park".
Will require extensive work to replace.
The retaining springs on the the side view mirrors are worn, causing the mrrors to vibrate excessively when driving at highway speeds. Replacement spring retainers are unavailable (or not sold individually).
General comments?
As an example of the inadequate design and engineering of this car, the sun visor, when lowered, strikes the rear view mirror, knocking it out of focus. The gear shift lever is located so close to steering wheel that one's knuckles frequently knock the car out of gear when turning the wheel. Similarly, the brake pedal is located very close to the gas pedal, inviting disaster.
The frequency of repair and the excessive cost thereof, is testimony to the poor engineering, quality control, design and assembly of this super expensive unit. This gives credence to truth that Rolls Royce reliability is limited to Rolls Royce advertising and the mythology of excellence accepted by Rolls Royce enthusiasts.
Recommended reviews
| If you can afford it, don't be afraid to own one |
|
| Powerful, elegant and refined |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Year of manufacture | 1984 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2002 |
| Engine and transmission | 8 cylinder gas Automatic |
| Performance marks | 5 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 3 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 500000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 52000 miles |
| Date of Entry | 5th February, 2002 |