Really cool car. My dad has one of those from 88. He has now driven 350 000 km (over 200 000 miles) with it just doing regular maintenance, no restoration work, no engine rebuild, no gearbox rebuild... he spends about 5k per year in maintenance, mainly small stuff and window motors😂😂 but this car never dies. Only drawbacks for us in Europe are the size (its super long) and the fuel economy which is very poor (we are at 8 usd per gallon in France now). Enjoy the car!
The car guy math is spot on for your situation Matt. Paying another 5-10k over a couple years to keep this beast rolling is better than paying money for a lease that you’ll never get back
But that doesn’t really make sense for even the most average car guy. Most of us aren’t leasing, most of us (if we have 25-35k cash set aside for a purchase) also aren’t thinking hmmmm let me spend that on a brand new mid trim midsize fwd vehicle (Elantra/camry/etc you get the idea) mainly due to the insane instant depreciation and lack of driving enjoyment either. I love old cars and there’s definitely merit in picking one of these up but this specific scenario is a little eh. Now of course this is all speculation and opinion based, I love Porsches so I’d pay 35k for any air cooled 911 that’s the same age as me or older before I’d pay 35k for a brand new vehicle but the more realistic view is I’d buy a car that fits as many boxes even if it’s used. Matt has the luxury of being a titan in the industry for so long that life has blessed him with the means to have a spare car to enjoy at this price range and I can’t say when I’m his age I’ll do it all any differently but the avg car guy has his daily, the wife’s daily and a project/fun car or 2. Matt shares a lease with his wife, drives every fun car for a living, and THAT gives him the luxury of owning the oddball things like this at that price investment.
I have a similar car. A year earlier. “Keep ‘em moving” is the key, as you’ve correctly pointed out! Well played, Matt. Well played indeed! My daily is a 2022 S8 Audi. Truth? I spend equal time in the TurboR. I replaced all the “wood” and bright work a couple years ago. Smart investment. New wool too. I paid $25k and put about ~$14k. Money spent well! Still get a front parking spot by all Palm Springs valets! ❤
@@michaelackerman8009 You lack comprehension skills. Description and video clearly states 4 weeks of ownership. This one big expensive service won't be happening once a year.
Thanks for this, Matt. Back when I wrote and shot for a handful of car magazines, I photographed a 19-year-old girl slipping out from behind the wheel of a bright red Turbo R at an advanced driving day at Calder Park Raceway (Melbourne, Australia). Thirty-five years later, that car - and that girl - still bring a smile to my face.
@@blufudgecrispyrice8528 I wish I had it! Sadly, the magazine, which is long dead (Car Australia, and then, MOTOR), had them. That was the problem with the film era; keeping copies of your work images was much harder to do. I wish I’d arranged copies of all my favourite images back then, but it was more complicated and expensive to do, and I just didn’t think that far ahead.
I do the same "car-guy" math and it's generally cheaper to get the old car, even if big maintenance bills come due. However, two counter arguments to keep in mind: 1) if you don't have any other cars, long periods of down time while the car is being serviced/fixed can turn into a big problem. 2) Safety. Just look at crash test footage of 90s cars. Maybe a Bentley is OK (maybe), but most stuff of that era is seriously dangerous to be driving in a world of EVs and modern everything else out there.
An 80s early 90s Benz is still a very safe place, not just due to pioneering ABS/ ASR / airbags etc but also because of crash structures and sophisticated suspension designs.
@@ahemgee9542 I'm sure some are better than others (Volvo and Mercedes in particular), but in looking for an old BMW I came across some crash test footage of the e36 3 series, which was made until 1999. Not good.
I’m seeing that you can get a ~2017 LS460 for the same money (including 10% deferred maintenance/reconditioning budget) that probably does everything objectively better than this car except presence/rarity. But this is very on-brand for you, Matt, given your profession and general taste so congratulations on a remarkable find!
I agree. A Genesis G90/Hyundai Equus would have more features but in terms of road presence/attention a Bentley is the way. Tyler Hoovie had an awful one though.
@@arkhsm The build quality in the Lexus is exemplary though I agree you aren't going to get the "hand crafting with one"; that's something only a low volume manufacturer can offer.
@@OldSkoolUncleChris no mobile phones or laptops or gps or other accessories that didn’t exist back then. In the 90’s I carried a pen wallet and bag that went in the trunk
@@anthonykiedis1765 European cars didn’t have cup holders in general until a couple of decades ago. I was a kid when this car came out and I don’t recall anyone eating or drinking in their cars much back then.
To date the car he owned the longest and put the least amount of miles on. That's saying something I think though he's also the worst guy to own one because he doesn't drive all of his cars all of the time...but the Turbo R is a proposition alright.
Great review Matt! I always love the question of something cheap-ish/new/boring or something used but interesting/cool. The design on these is so timeless and solid, like it's hewn from a single piece of high quality metal plus you can't beat the analog driving experience of a good early 90's car. I'll be following your journey with the Turbo R with interest.
She's a stately beast! The story reminds me of how my grandpa kept his 95 Lincoln Town Car, absolutely mint, it was only to take us out to dinner on weekends.
This grandad owns a 95 Town Car Cartier, probably the nicest car I've owned. Many compliments from passers by etc. Only 80K miles and still like new... and I've owned Cadillacs, Olds, Buicks and many more. None come close to this Town Car.
Missing a trick here Matt. Follow the Hoovie Hooptie Model: Video 1."I bought a shitbox" video 2. "What's wrong with my shitbox" video 3. "How much did it cost to fix my shitbox" 4. "I'm selling my shitbox"
22:00mins that’s one a that a mechanic who works on the old RRs and Bentleys said the ones parked in a garage and used few times a year when it’s sunny are the ones that suffer reliability issues, if maintained and used as a daily- as intended when they were new keeps them going and keeps them reliable.
Old Bentley's and Rolls' are really the best cars for the cracked up SoCal roads. After this week's storm passes and all the asphalt roads are all torn up (happens EVERY time), Matt's back is gonna be REAL thankful for that comfy suspension.
I’ve owned a Turbo R for almost 10 years now. It’s one of my favorite cars ever. I love it as much today as the day I bought it if not more. I dumped some coin into it when I initially purchased it. An also fantastic car with great history I’ve never had a problem with it since. FYI - You can get the memory seats fixed for around 400 bucks per side with an aftermarket part. The only difference is you lose the memories seat component as it eliminates the batteries which leak after some time which causes the seats to fail on the first place. Welcome to the family!
@user-gs3tq6bx2uyes, the truth is that 75% of the time this is a very bad investment. In this rare case, this was a great experience. 1 owner, lived nearby, warm climate (no salt), totally babied car, and Matt is mechanically inclined, and has repair connections. All green lights for him to go ahead and make his life better with this gem. The single mom in Minnesota who doesn’t understand car maintenance (the deferred maintenance plan) is a million times better off with a 3 year lease on an Elantra.
Great choice. Who cares if it's not a logical investment or costs a lot to maintain/repair - Pay To Play. It'll cost a lot less than a used modern Bentley overall and has a much greater cool factor. It's an interesting car and will be an experience. Should make some cool stories. Enjoy Matt.
Most valuable are the days of our lives. And I would rather spend all of them driving Bentley Turbo R, and none in the Prius, thank you very much. It seems about perfect, including the driving position where I see nothing abnormal or wrong. I would like mine in royal blue, but this is super nice too. This is proper bank vault spec. Drive it often and keep it forever, great find.
What an unbelievable find by you Matt, can't wait to see more of it from all the talk on the podcast it sounds amazing!!! Also just to add, you should definitely upgrade to an extra gear
Honestly this generation of Rolls/Bentley has aged so much better than the Shadow/Wraith. The squared-off slab design just looks less busy and try-hard compared to the faux-classic of the previous generation.
The key with old British vehicles as a general is a good maintenance history and low owner count. They are fantastic vehicles as a general as long as their services have always been done on time and their owners understand preventative maintenance. I love old rovers and just picked up another old discovery which had 2 owners from new original window sticker and full maintenance history. It's a lovely example and I plan on keeping it long term. I love the turbo Rs and as long as you keep up on the maintenance and drive it! It should be a fantastic vehicle. Love the spec on that one as well.
Congratulations on your new car. Drive it gently until it's fully warmed upas they can be prone to head gasket failures if driven hard when cold. They are special
with the cost of those tires, I might store the stock wheels and call up your friends at HRE for a set of their vintage designs that would accommodate different tires..and it would look dope on some 501s or 935s
These were intended to be lifetime cars. Built to be maintained, serviced, refinished, essentially forever. Modern cars are built to be recycled. Which is the greener choice?
Beautiful car, glad to see someone else enjoying actually using theirs as well! I have a later example from 1996, with the four speed box and tilting steering wheel as well as an extra inch of headroom thanks to redesigned seats. I paid a little less for mine initially then paid a little bit more to get it properly sorted but it's in great shape now. It got reviewed last year by a RU-vidr over here in England, JayEm on Cars, you can find it on his channel, it may even be in the suggested videos next to this one. I really think these are underappreciated cars, there's nothing quite like driving them. As you mentioned and others have said, it's important to actually use them - they hate sitting around. I've put about 8000 miles on mine since buying it nearly three years ago, with a mix of short and long journeys, they really eat up the miles and are just so comfortable. Everything is effortless, except for parking which can be problematic here, though you won't have that problem in LA! There's a perception on the internet (mainly thanks to a particular RU-vidr) that these cars are super unreliable and as long as they are looked after this cannot be further from the truth. And the looking after really isn't that big a deal once they're in a good place. Thanks for being a counter for some of that, these really are well built, quality cars.
Great video!! I've always wanted a Bentley and it turns out that my '87 Mercedes 560SEL is a great learning experience for that. The 560SEL has what appears to be the same K-Jetronic (KE-Jetronic?) fuel injection system (it's terrible), I have a self-leveling suspension, 8-way power seats, the same seat controls but they're on the door, and many of the little touches are similar. The early 560's had dual AC/Heat controls. The later ones have dual airbags up front so no glove box. Thankfully I've learned to do the work on it myself. If I had to take it to a Mercedes dealer for maintenance/repairs, I couldn't afford it. My AC compressor "failed", but it was $6 (six) dollars worth of o-rings to repair it. The $1200 self leveling suspension pump started to leak. Yep, under $10 worth of o-rings. Great car but like any 37 year old car, ya gotta keep up with the repairs. Love the channel and subscribed!!
Congrats to you and the wife! Keep it moving for sure. I had an Arnage that I loved and enjoyed. Racked up over 100k miles on that car and it ran flawless. Never left me stranded. Enjoy!
If would have to pick an older Bentley it would be a toss up between this and an Arnage T. The Arnage T just edging ahead. But a bucket list car for me would ultimately be a 1996/1998 Aston Martin Vantage V550 in the green. I'd take that over a Bentley any day.
I'd say the vehicle and the maintenance/repair cost was totally worth it. It feels special every time you drive it and you simply take on a chilled out approach to driving.
Matt.Great review of a great car.I have an 89 long wheelbase ( sold new in Japan but LHD).I think mine is the same Graphite colour also with black leather & a Crewe Factory installed sunroof.Mines now @ 175000 kilometers.I live in Calgary Canada.Make sure your dual distributor belt has been changed.It's an maintenance item easy to miss.Had mine Turbo RL for 4 years & just love these subtle brutes.Enjoy the ride 😊!
hi, matt, i'm currently the RREC registrar for this era of vehicles (the so-called SZ chassis cars), so if you're thinking of joining the RREC and contributing to the legacy of these superb pieces of automative history, well, sooner or later i will be cataloging your lovely turbo r. it seems you have bought a real peach, even if some investment was necessary. yeah, those seat ECUs ... no comment. and don't get me started on tyres, now that Avon is ending production of the turbosteel, we're all faced with a major issue going forward. but all in all, well done to you and the former owner! as a rough rule of thumb, i reckon a turbo r is going to cost you circa 36k no matter what starting price you pay. if you pay 14 grand, you'll end up putting 22 grand into it, and if you paid 6 grand you'll have to invest 30 to get it to that sweet spot. so your story pretty much supports my theory ... you even have a few thousand in hand, but your minor paint refresh will take care of that ;). yes, you're right, the secret is no secret: just drive em regularly. keep all the oily bits in motion, keep all the fluids pumping and you will write a glorious and enviable chapter in your car's history. enjoy!
I have the more rakish 2 door Continental R , basically the same mechanics but higher horsepower. It's a thing to behold. We took it on a 3,000 mile trip across Europe last year. We cruised at the national speed limit and just chilled covering an easy 350 mile between stops. Pretty much the last truly hand built Bentley.
Great review of the ownership of a fabulous car, the road presence alone of these beats any of the newer models. Watch out for electrical problems, they can be difficult to locate and costly. Brake pipes under the car can be a leak issue unless well looked after, the window regulators you have already noted! Enjoy, her she is a great beauty and will please you for many years, oh and keep the wheel arches well cleaned and well lubed although in the US you may not have so much snow or rain to rot them. Good luck and enjoy!
Matt is clearly conflicted about buying what may be his first 'old man's car'. Ah well, you can't help getting old. I've done it, myself. My two-car solution is now a Lexus sedan and a Corvette. At least the Corvette is a manual, and it is used as a sports car, not a cruiser. Don't worry, Matt, you'll be OK.
As a Brit of course I am wholly unbiased😏 But the Turbo R really is the pinnacle in my view - combining all the Rolls Royce/Bentley traditions and know how since the Fifties with JUST enough progress made to make it livable yet without detracting one iota from its St James/Pall Mall gentlemen's club louche, yet commanding, aura. Furthermore, you can imagine the character of this car being as welcoming and appealing to everyone from the Duke of Westminster to a particularly successful builder in the Home Counties (who in his younger days may, or may not, have been involved with some of the lesser known heists orchestrated by the Kray twins...). It is of course, an expensively suited machine, but it's not a snob - in fact, there's a bit of a rogue hiding underneath the demure Savile Row exterior, but it won't ever let that show unless you really ask it to 😏 An utterly beguiling, magisterial machine which I am delighted has found its way into the care of such a dedicated and sympathetic new keeper. I am sure you know this already but may I say I find it fascinating - rather thrilling actually - that the engineer who started the Company - W.O.Bentley was born in 1888, only around 20 years after your Civil War and the towering presence of Abe Lincoln - and literally the time of the Wild West😂. Yet, remarkably, did not depart these earthly realms til 1971, a scant couple of decades prior to your recent acquisition's initial registration!🤯 Treasure and enjoy it - this isn't a rehearsal!😂
Amen to having people take off thier shoes in the car. When I bought my Phantom 7 with the Wool floormats I always make people put those disposable shoe bags when they get in the car and people don't complain because they're getting in a Phantom, not a Honda Accord, or even a Mercedes S Class
Mine is a Continental R. I like interesting cars, especially coachbuilt cars but I don't like the attention that comes with most of them. I know some people enjoy it, but I don't like being approached multiple times a day about my car. The Conti R is great in that it's not a "charismatic" car like an SEC or an 8-series, or even a DB7. People assume I'm not friendly so they leave me alone! @@ChicagoItalian
Only two Bentley's I want, a Bentley Arnage "Final series" is one and a "Blower" Bentley is the other. The suspension on that car is what would scare me off. The English take on a French suspension system doesn't give me the confidence to buy one, but I can't wait to see what your experience is like with it.
Exactly ow I feel about the one owner 65k mile LX 470 I just picked up. $30k will run forever moves down the road like a silen battleship but could take me up Kilamanjaro. Nothing is built like a like a 100 Series and that Lexus V8 is like butter.
Hey Matt, I've been hearing about this car in the podcast. It's even better than I expected, I feel like you're gonna enjoy this car the most out of your entire collection!!!
This guy is in a pristine and fully dialed Bentley for less money than I’ve bought and put into my ‘04 STI which is still not fully dialed in. Wow I bought the wrong car.
Wow Agapiou Rolls Royce! I haven’t heard that name in 15yrs! Worked with him back in the day when he was in the valley selling used exotics. Small world
You have to love depreciation. I have a 1994 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet that originally cost around $90k in 1994 dollars. A good driver can be had for under $15k and maintenance issues are pretty rare (except for the top hydraulics), but it still feels solid and overbuilt after all these years and 118k miles. I recently also picked up a mint low mileage 1st generation Boxster for a similar reason. With all the maintenance history (including upgraded IMS bearing and a new top) I couldn’t find a contemporary Miata for as little as the Porsche costs these days. Back when your Bentley was new, I worked as a valet at a fancy restaurant in Detroit during my summer break. We had a Turbo R come in and we parked it on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant so we could keep a better eye on it. The usual parking lot was around the block and, well, it was Detroit in 1990.
old cars like these were the last sendoffs for true luxury. ive spent quite a lot of time in the new rolls royces of each model and varying levels of customization. but once I got to spend a little time in a Silver Seraph and wow the difference is night and day. the seraph was so plush, so comfortable and solid, so *luxurious* that it reflects how stagnant RR has become
Beautiful Bentley Matt. I love 80's through mid 00's luxury and sports cars. Having service records since the car was new and getting the story from the family of the original owners really makes this a great car. It's as if you went back in a time machine and picked this thing up when it was only a few years old. Sure the later 4-speed and intercooled Turbo R would be ideal, but I think you made a good buy with this one and if you decide to sell it, you have enough documentation and it's in great condition you could probably list it on BaT and get some good interest from the collector car crowd. I would put those wheels in storage and put some nice aftermarket 17-inch or 18-inch wheels on the car with a commonly available tire size. Or maybe some newer Bentley wheels if they would fit, for the OEM+ look. These and their Rolls Royce cousins, with the exposed undercarriage probably leads to a lot of the issues with the parking brake linkage. I don't suspect these cars would do well being driven in ice and snow up north but down south or out west they probably hold up ok if you don't let them sit around for months/years at a time. I've heard other people have had issues with rear window regulators on these cars. Seems like a weak design (maybe plastic rollers with steel braided cables like Audi used which always break on B5-B7's). There's a red 93 Turbo R with 54k miles on eBay right now for $42,000 so you have a lower mile example and you're in it for $10,000 less. Not bad even considering $12,000 in maintenance needed to make it 100%. I've seen a few of these with almost 200k miles so it seems like if you do drive them, they are not too bad. Sitting probably causes more problems than driving it and putting miles on it.
