1989 Bentley Turbo R from UK and Ireland - Comments

The roof had to be resprayed.

The car was taken back to the dealers within a few weeks for major service defects which should have been picked up during the famed Rolls guarantee checks. The car has turned out to have been to the USA, and has been extensively modified to suit their smog laws. It bears no resemblance performance wise to an English spec, being some 50bhp down. This car was sold from a Rolls Royce main dealer, who did not bother to inform me of this important information. The car is an oddball, and worth 000's less than it should be, its performance is no better than an English spec Bentley 8.

Buy a Mercedes S Class, at least their dealers must keep a standard, if things go wrong, to keep their dealerships.

Try a good independent if you must buy, they have been very helpful with good advice in determining why the car did not perform as it should. It has been serviced by main dealers over the last 3 years, including November 1999, and the previous owner also did not know the car had been modified or been to the USA, enough said. Do not expect any help from Rolls in a disagreement with a main dealer. Best car in the world?, more like ripoff a mug.

A background check and mechanical check (both peanuts compared with the purchase price) would have showed up the fact that the vehicle had been exported and then reimported and had had the emissions stuff fitted and this should have warned you off.

I think you have a valid case against the dealer, but it surprises me they would sell a car with incomplete history anyway.

Whether your rich or not, you should try a small Honda. Bet you'd love it. :)

I agree. Small hondas are great - if you want to test the 4wd capabilities of a Land Rover. The front bumper provides a nice approach angle :P Bentleys and Rolls on the other hand, are absolute fantastic buying. It is extremely hard to justify spending more on a new car than a 1990 Bentley Turbo R, the fuel and service bills, while expensive, do not equate to the sacrifice of an inferior vehicle. Someone has footed £100000+ depreciation on these, which makes them ultimate buying.

If you are going to but one of these cars, it is very important to do your homework.

These cars, although based on fairly primitive engineering but well proven, are complicated pieces of engineering.

I am surprised that any one would buy a Rolls or Bentley without doing some serious homework on its history. When coming to sell the car, you will realise how important a good history file is.

The 1987 to 1992 Turbo R's are the best to buy, as the later models tend to suffer a bit with electrical problems.

Your choice of colour is an important one too, as resale prices are far better for green or blue cars with light interiors than any others.

Once you have experienced the drive quality and the unstressed way you always arrive at your destination, you will have no other car.

The cost of running them cannot be an issue when you always arrive with a smile, and always look forward to the next trip.