2005 Bentley Continental GT

[BloomRunsDubs]

Does anyone on here own or have any experience with a older Continental GT? If so what are common problems and costs to repair? Im sure a 12 yr old Bentley is going to have plenty shit go wrong with it.

Im wondering because there is a few for sale under 40K! Higher mileage obviously, but that is crazy cheap to drive around in a Bentley and the coupes honestly don't look all that different then the newer ones

I know that are owned by VW, so I cant imagine maintenance would be that insane. If I were to pick one up I obviously wouldn't try to use it as a daily

Just seems like 40-45k is a steal for that car

[FriskyDingo]

I work at a dealer that sells a decent number of them, and services ones owned by our clients. Issues with electronics and suspension seem to be most common. My understanding is that the newer the better with these things. That said, they don't seem to be too awfully expensive to maintain relative to their cost new.

I've driven several, and I for one love them. They're not quite what I would call exciting, but they are surprising competent and athletic, and they have loads of character. The W12 is an awesome engine, and I think the design is beautiful. They have definitely aged well, and most people would struggle to tell a 12 yo one apart from a new one. Also, you have AWD for all-weather capability. Downsides are they are considerably dated from a technology and feature standpoint.

I've looked into them myself, but I always get pulled back in the direction of keeping my Mk7 GTI as a daily and getting a 997 911.

If you're going to do one, my recommendation would be to get one as new and low miles as possible, and get as much use out of it as possibly can over a year or two, and then get out.

[FC4]

Nothing says "I'm poor" quite like driving like a beat up 10+ year old high-end car just to look baller.

Check out early-2000s Mercedes CL600s, too. You can easily find those for <$10K.

[BEM-S4]

You'll see a lot of high end stuff offered at very reasonable prices. Check the maintenance plan and you'll see most are just about due for some insanely expensive garage time. Buy a car for $40k then have a $25k service due in a few thousand miles.

[Delta0311]

Don't!!! My buddy has budget ballers come through his shop every so often with a purchase like this. One dude bought one at auction for around $30k. Two months later he was at my buddies shop. Car wound up with a $12k repair estimate. Dude would have been better off buying something new.

[08njSTEP]

Expensive cars are expensive. A $50k car is still a $50k car even if you buy it for $10k. Another way to look at it is, you can afford to buy it but can you afford to own it.

[FriskyDingo]

Originally Posted by FC4

Nothing says "I'm poor" quite like driving like a beat up 10+ year old high-end car just to look baller.

Check out early-2000s Mercedes CL600s, too. You can easily find those for <$10K.

One could also say nothing says "I'm a dick." quite like knocking someone else's choice of car and assuming they like something only to look like a 'baller'.


Maybe the guy just likes them. What more reason is needed?

[48Laws]

Originally Posted by FriskyDingo

One could also say nothing says "I'm a dick." quite like knocking someone else's choice of car and assuming they like something only to look like a 'baller'.


Maybe the guy just likes them. What more reason is needed?

Let's keep it 100. Any other reason to be driving a trendy 13 year old luxury car when you're not the original owner? We're not talking an Air-cooled 911, NSX, or OG v12 8 series. A 13 year old BGT lacks a certain je ne sais quoi the aforementioned has unless we're talking very low mileage.

[FriskyDingo]

Originally Posted by 48Laws

Let's keep it 100. Any other reason to be driving a trendy 13 year old luxury car when you're not the original owner? We're not talking an Air-cooled 911, NSX, or OG v12 8 series. A 13 year old BGT lacks a certain je ne sais quoi the aforementioned has unless we're talking very low mileage.

If the guy's garage is true and any indication, doesn't seem like he's exactly hurting for money. Those are some pretty nice cars, so I have difficulty believing his only motivation for wanting one is to look like he's rich.

What's the difference between wanting a Gonti GT and an old 8 Series?? The 8 wasn't some high water mark for BMW or anything. It was big, heavy, slow, and unreliable.

Really, it's a car in much the same vein as the GT. Why is it okay to like one (the BMW, of course) and not the other??

[TheNus]

Originally Posted by 48Laws

Let's keep it 100. Any other reason to be driving a trendy 13 year old luxury car when you're not the original owner? We're not talking an Air-cooled 911, NSX, or OG v12 8 series. A 13 year old BGT lacks a certain je ne sais quoi the aforementioned has unless we're talking very low mileage.

I will try to be diplomatic while landing at the same point. The only people I see driving 13 year old Bentley Continental GTs fall into three categories. Those who are the original owners; usually old men or women who don't drive them often, people who buy them dirt cheap and pretend to be the original owner, or people who think nobody will notice that the car looks considerably different now then it did 13 years ago and pass it off as newer.

For OP, I have known quite a few people that have had a version of this car over the years. I like them, but maintenance is a killer. From a technology standpoint they are really dated and it is apparent just sitting in one. The interiors also show wear pretty badly after a certain point. I won't try to guess what your reasoning is for wanting one. Unless you are going to grab an older one and then just go insane on it and mod the hell out of it, dump it on airbags, wheels and do some wild paint or plastidip then I would advise you against it. If it is a dream car I would look into the V8 version which started in 2013. Those are running between 70-80K with more reasonable miles and without the giant iverhead of the V12.

I am making these statements with the assumption that you may not be in a position to purchase a newer one. If money isn't an issue then grab one but I would try to keep it around 2011 since that is the newer body style

[48Laws]

The V12 8 Series is rare. You can find a tired, used BGT at any hood, scam dealer with some cheap, shinny rims on it. lol:

[FriskyDingo]

Originally Posted by 48Laws

The V12 8 Series is rare. You can find a tired, used BGT at any hood, scam dealer with some cheap, shinny rims on it. lol:

As you can any 'insert brand here'. So that means what, exactly??

It's a cool car with a really unique powerplant, a lot of character, and they drive well. I'm still not following the logic that anyone who likes those ideas HAS to be a poser.

[FriskyDingo]

Originally Posted by TheNus

I will try to be diplomatic while landing at the same point. The only people I see driving 13 year old Bentley Continental GTs fall into three categories. Those who are the original owners; usually old men or women who don't drive them often, people who buy them dirt cheap and pretend to be the original owner, or people who think nobody will notice that the car looks considerably different now then it did 13 years ago and pass it off as newer.

For OP, I have known quite a few people that have had a version of this car over the years. I like them, but maintenance is a killer. From a technology standpoint they are really dated and it is apparent just sitting in one. The interiors also show wear pretty badly after a certain point. I won't try to guess what your reasoning is for wanting one. Unless you are going to grab an older one and then just go insane on it and mod the hell out of it, dump it on airbags, wheels and do some wild paint or plastidip then I would advise you against it. If it is a dream car I would look into the V8 version which started in 2011. Those are running between 70-80K with more reasonable miles and without the giant iverhead of the V12.

I will back this up. Although not as cool as a W12, the later V8 cars drive better, are faster, have more updates, and will be more reasonable to maintain.

If nothing else, at least try to go for a Speed model if you're going with an earlier car.

[48Laws]

The entire premise of owning a BGT originates from celebrity. Flash. nouveau riche. It's like wanting an LV purse or Gucci shoes with GG logos . It's deliberity Pretentious. There's something far more organic owning a rare V12 8 Series because it's not necessary on the radar. You have to know about that model. You must like MTV cribs.

[FriskyDingo]

Not quite sure when it became a crime to like a car. Guess we should all drive M3's and 8 Series. I'm done here.

[48Laws]

Stop being so emotional. There's a lot of sarcasm in here.

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

once again bimmerpost judgemental af


ps. i am the first to make asshole comments like oh what is that a 15 yr old rarri. but if this person is on bimmerpost with his garage of cars; i highly doubt hes the "steal your girl" starter pack featuring a 1999 s600 or a 2000 lambo with 300k

[BloomRunsDubs]

Wow never thought I'd get so much hate on here for liking a Bentley GT lol

Some Bentley owner must have seriously hurt some of your feelings.

I don't want the car to look like a "baller" I've always loved the looks of the Bentley coupes and the interiors even the outdated ones are way nicer then most interiors on new cars. I don't really care about the tech as long as it's got a CD player I'm good. I have a perfectly good phone for everything else

I probably won't buy one but if I did it would just be for less then a year or so. I would just sell the thing after putting like 8k miles on it like I do most of my cars. I've had 10 different cars over the past 3 years so I just get bored of things fast and like trying new things... What's wrong with that?

I could get the newer model if I really wanted but for 80-100k there is far better cars I would buy and I hate losing money on depreciation a 05 GT still looks damn good and is not going anywhere in value anymore.

Thanks everyone that actually had good info for me and didn't want to hate on me for liking Bentleys. I appreciate it lol

[TXSTYLE]

Whatever floats your boat. YOUR ca$h. YOUR choice.

I have always liked the look of the coupe and it still has plenty of road presence and curbside appeal.

[FC4]

Originally Posted by BloomRunsDubs

Wow never thought I'd get so much hate on here for liking a Bentley GT lol

Some Bentley owner must have seriously hurt some of your feelings.

I don't want the car to look like a "baller" I've always loved the looks of the Bentley coupes and the interiors even the outdated ones are way nicer then most interiors on new cars. I don't really care about the tech as long as it's got a CD player I'm good. I have a perfectly good phone for everything else

I probably won't buy one but if I did it would just be for less then a year or so. I would just sell the thing after putting like 8k miles on it like I do most of my cars. I've had 10 different cars over the past 3 years so I just get bored of things fast and like trying new things... What's wrong with that?

I could get the newer model if I really wanted but for 80-100k there is far better cars I would buy and I hate losing money on depreciation a 05 GT still looks damn good and is not going anywhere in value anymore.

Thanks everyone that actually had good info for me and didn't want to hate on me for liking Bentleys. I appreciate it lol

No one here is "hating" on Bentleys. However, the mere fact that you use the words "hate" and "hater" in this context proves you're of the demographic who would look to buy a beat up old Bentley.

To phrase it in a way a "non hater" would in agreement with the plan... Fuck tha haters my killa. Them Bentleys lit af, fam. 💯 💯

[BloomRunsDubs]

Originally Posted by FC4

No one here is "hating" on Bentleys. However, the mere fact that you use the words "hate" and "hater" in this context proves you're of the demographic who would look to buy a beat up old Bentley.

To phrase it in a way a "non hater" would in agreement with the plan... Fuck tha haters my killa. Them Bentleys lit af, fam. 💯 💯

Didn't know "hate" was the new slang term lol and where did I use the word "hater"?

Also im wondering what makes you thing a 05 Bentley is automatically beat up? There is plenty great condition cars available for under 45k

You sound like a 18 year old Subaru WRX driver

[TXSTYLE]

Originally Posted by BloomRunsDubs

Didn't know "hate" was the new slang term lol and where did I use the word "hater"?

Also im wondering what makes you thing a 05 Bentley is automatically beat up? There is plenty great condition cars available for under 45k

You sound like a 18 year old Subaru WRX driver

Actually, worse. But I won't go there.