The Reality of Owning & Driving a Classic Bargain Bentley Arnage | Full Review & Buying Guide 

As a 1990 Bentley Turbo R and 2003 Azure owner this is a great and realistic review of the ownership experience of an Arnage and pretty much any SZ 6.75L turbo model. When big things fail, and one or two will, the bills are large. In between those bills the driving experience is unmatched, once you discount the inevitably large fuel bills. Buy the best you can afford is definitely the right mantra to follow and don't skimp on the annual servicing, otherwise it will bite you.

Love your color! I own a black 2007 Arnage R Mulliner in Canada 🇨🇦 since 2018 and love it just as much to this day. The feeling while driving it is like no other. You feel imperious on the road. It’s a unique driving experience. And the oohs and ahs are never ending. Other than the usual fuel and maintenance costs I’ve only had to dole out $4,000 🇨🇦 on repairs (replace both fuel pumps) and that’s it in 5 years!

Someone parked a for sale Bentley Arnage on the street in front of our house in NJ and we are enjoying looking at and thought we would do more research. Your video was fun and informative and your passion for this vehicle is contagious! Thanks.

Excellent review, you have now given me the excuse for buying a Bentley, I think you are spot on with buying the best you can find, I started restoring a 1971 XKE and ended up buried into it and sold at a huge loss, I realize that buying a Bentley is a folly but those moments when quietly wafting down the road make it all worth while! Thanks again for a great review!

I was going to buy a Nissan Leaf but I will take your advice & buy a Twenty year old Bentley .. thank you .. 🥸🥸😎

I looked briefly at this model , and quite frankly I was drawn to the Silver Shadow but even with the very best available , the cost of something going wrong frightened me . I should point out that I am a classic car nut and currently have in my collection a simply gorgeous Humber Imperial from 1966 which is the most underated car of all time so bits going wrong is a fact with old cars . However I did not go down the Rolls Bentley route , but instead I found a car that was better in every respect according to the magazines of the time , I found a series 3 Daimler double six with just 15k on the clock and perfect as new condition in Japan . I re patriated it and today it simply eclipses all other cars. I get 21 mpg on the motorway and the silence of the car just has to be experienced .

Excellent review, many thanks.

Excellent commentary. What gorgeous automobile. Great to see you appreciate all the quality, details and performance! Fun and luxury!

I love your honest review on this car and I applaud you for owning one for three years. Hope you enjoy it for a lot longer. I'm Dutch and The Netherlands is a horrible country to own cars. The fuel prices are some of the highest in Europe, road taxes are a lot higher than in Britain, we have stupidly high import taxes on new cars (some even doubling the price of a car), we don't have cheaper insurance for older cars (except maybe when the car is 40+ years old and is considered an oldtimer then) and some cities have limited space for such big cars. After scouring some car websites, the cheapest Bentley Arnage I could find was €33000. And most of them are 50K+. I would love to own one of these, but that won't happen anytime soon. I am happy with my cheap 20 year old Jaguar X type and love the looks people give me. It's always positive comments and I hope you receive that with your Bentley as well. Please keep up the good work and keep it on the road!

Great stuff ! Thank you

I did a lot of research on this car and found it to be the best of Bentley' car ever made. I personally don't care about performance, size of engines like V8's and V12's and super charges but I do care about quality and luxury and this car has it. I would be happy with the 4.4 green label The dash is these are the best ever. This car is just gorgeous.

Excellent review of a superb car, the driving experience with these as with the Turbo R is unforgettable. The feeling of sitting at the wheel and the higher driving position is a "see all" feeling that never leaves you. The head gasket issue is a sad reality with these, and the Turbo R but as you say find one that has had the job done and you should be OK generally. The electrics can be a problem as the car ages and as you say, a very good independent maintenance workshop is a saviour. These are classics in every sense of the word and will give absolutely miles of driving pleasure and comfort. Thanks for this, absolutely brilliant!

I owned the 4.4 litre V8 Green Label version of this car about 20 years ago. It had suprisingly better MPG than the 6.75 litre and with the Cosworth Twin-turbos, very quick off the mark.

Very well done video, mate.

Great video. Great advice 👍🏼

Love the channel another cool review

I love that car. Great video!

Excellent review and very eloquently described experience, thank you! I've wanted to record similar video for a long time about my dream car (Jaguar VandenPlas) and was literally thinking in the same lines in my "script"! Cheers!

Superb, the silence in that thing is amazing. 👍👍

No amount of refined engineering can eliminate faults. I really enjoy a very different car, the e53 2006 4.4 BMW X5, which has a beautiful Bentley rolling motion on the highway. I’ve had it since 2008 and an absolute pleasure to drive but then… $27000AU was paid on parts replacement, service and maintenance over the past 6 years! The main issues concern plastic parts in the engine bay which deteriorate quickly. I’ve replaced the rocker cover and sump gaskets, cooling system, cv joints, window regulators, DISA valve, oil filter housing, alternator, and a lot of work was done to eliminate the rattling noise over uneven surfaces. You’re never likely to have any trouble w/ the gear box, differential, the engine block and drive train. On a Bentley of this age, be prepared for the unexpected fault, which will likely be the electronic systems, oil sump gasket (to replace on a Bentley is £6000!), hoses, gaskets, and plastic parts in the engine bay. Nothing on even a great car lasts forever. For a vintage Bentley of the 2000 era, I would put away £4000 per annum in an interest earning savings account in reserve for that fateful, miserable day.

I owned a RR. costs are never ending ..the enjoyment I got was totally offset by the stress & cost of ownership.. If you are well cashed up..then go for it ...you can allways onsell ..and get it out of your system .

What a GREAT channel I’ve just found it and love it.

I love the arnage..had a 1993 turbo r...cost me a fortune on maintenance had the 6.75 litre turbo engine..now own a 2009 last of the xj jaguars..drives faultless..cost me £13,500 bought from guy salmon ..jaguar..not far off from the bentley..a great alternative 👍

That color combo is beautiful!

Great video. I really enjoyed listening to you.

thanks man, an essential video for exactly what i want to do, Bentleys are superb vehicles and i WILL have one

Never even heard of an Arnage until I walked by one in a crazy part of SOUTH ST in Philidelphia with rock bars, bizzare shops, tourists etc. This Burgundy Arnage was absolutely stunning. This was about twenty years ago so it was one of the first ones. The Hungarian owner was very nice an let me look inside it.

My 2 cents: join the RR/B owners club first, then consider buying one of theirs. Get one of the member/experts to inspect whatever car you find. You also get into the network for advice and where to get service (don't go to the dealer). Had both of my Bentleys for several years and actually MADE money on them.

Good review and advice.

The colour-combination in- and outside of your car is very amazing. I own a 2004 Arnage T and it is one of my best cars in my little collection. The damping is a little bit harsher then yours, but the comfort is great and has awesome power. And then you close the door, the world outside is .... outside.. and you are in your own world. I love my T.

I have just found your channel and subscribe at once. Greetings from Canada, we have a few old Bentleys here!

Great video - love the car!

Great videos. I’m new to laning. I’m from Derbyshire myself. So going to try and find some of the lanes you have driven.

Excellent review and very sensible and practical advise. The 6.75 engine was resurrected after VW's acquisition of Bentley and finding that using the newer BMW V8 was no longer an option. Despite the enormous amount of re engineering required to get it to fit, this was still the cheapest route. Sadly the problems associated with the Turbo R's head gasket were inherited by the Arnage. Never the less when replaced it's an outstanding car.

Fantastic video! The sensations are well conveyed. Greetings from the country of a supercars (Italy)

I have one of these (present) and i have it 2ish years and the only thing is the buttons on the console is easy to pop off and the ac, gas is crazy expensive, since i drive all day (working). You should definitely get one,

Great review of an Arnie - the best review we have seen so far. Three year's ago we bought a 1998 Arnage Green Label (the one with the BMW engine that came from the 640i at the time). It was immaculate inside and also nearly as good outside. It had 60000 miles on the clock and we bought it for the princely sum of £13.500! It was one of the first 86 cars that was actually coach-built by Rolls Royce, as, as you said in your video, it shares the same design shape as their Silver Seraph . There is a metal plaque in the driver's side door to attest to this. At the time, BMW and VW were still arguing over who was going to take on the brand - and this is why we think this happened. It was well-sorted but here is what we have spent in three years to make it top-hole and to keep it on the road... Three of the four wheel arches were just starting to show rust. These were made good and painted, plus the front end (as this blunt front end around the light clusters is a stone chip magnet) - £1100 We also had the whole underside of the car rust-proofed with a Hot Fog treatment - £800 The worst fail we had were two rear shock absorber bushes which were a Bentley part. So a set of two for a Ford Moneo = £40. Bentley's price = £845 for the pair. The left indicator stalk failed and this is a known problem as it can be knocked easily when getting in and out of the car. We were able to fix it, but if not that would have been another £400 - for a re-conned part. £850 for a new one, if you can find one! The best news is the annual servicing costs. As it is effectively a BMW 640i engine, our annual service, rather than costing £1200, can be done with your local automotive shop for only £199!!! Try that with a Red Label or Arnage T model... OK - the first two items on the list are classed as remedial items. But the bushes would have been an MOT failure so had to be done. So we have spent £1445 over the course of two years (£482 per year) to keep it on the road plus the MOT's, which is amazing really. Let's not talk about how much petrol we have thrown at it though... So you are right. Buy it once and buy it right, and Arnie is still going strong and still servicing us well. But we service it well too! A massive shout out to Mark Brown Automotive of Downham Market, who did an amazing job of the paint job and also to In 'N' Out Autocentres in Wisbech who has looked after the car since we got it. Ben, Dan and Brad there are amazing.

I've never had an Arnage but I did have a 1948 Bentley Mk.6. Driving it was a delight. In a Bentley you enter the car, point it in the direction you want and after a suitable passage of time you arrive. not much seems to happen in between. No doubt the Arnage is similar.

Loved your presentation. Not my type of video but I enjoyed it

As a RR 1984 Silver Spirit owner, I think it is what your priorities are. Some people want 6 kids, some people want a huge motor home, or a yacht or a summer home on a lake. I luv my Rolls. It rarely breaks down but when it does it does get expensive occasionally.

I am in lust with the Arnage, a magnificent looking car, one I have always admired. I do like the Silver Seraph also but the Arnage just pips it to the post.

I’ve had my Arnage now nearly 5 years. Absolutely love it. It’s in the Sept Rolls Royce and Bentley Drivers magazine 2022. 7 page feature. Mine is Tempest Silver. Drives like new and handles superb. Has real road presence. Never misses a beat.

Great video mate! You’ve got my motor running again… This almost retired UPS DRIVER, might make the leap! 👍

At 79 i took the plunge and have purchased a Red Label 2000 Arnarge, took it to my local ( non Bentley ) garage who has maintained similar local cars for some years, i bought it from a Bentley specialist repair and second hand sales garage, but was on tenterhooks for if i had made a bad buy. I did take the advice from several web site and bought the best i could afford. Although finding 11 small 'faults' e.g jubillee clip missing from chrome tail pipe, mudflaps need re securing etc and gave it a good report as a solid and genuine well-maintained vehicle. Still getting to grips with the enormity of driving a car where the bonnet is far down the road, but i am improving and hope to actually enjoy it soon.

I love your passion. Great review. My father always wanted one and I would like to get one or a long wheel base turbo R, but I worry about repairs cost. I hear there are forums with good ideas regarding replacing part with more reliable cheaper parts that don’t affect the Bentley experience, like chev starter motors, Toyota fuel pumps, modern alternators etc that boot straight into place. That sounds good to me long term. Early Head gasket fails is a big job and unacceptable for a quality car. A Honda engine will do 300,000KM no problem. But of course a Honda is not a Bentley lifestyle experience.

Both Bentley and rolls are magnificent cars that Britain gave us. Sure the maintenance can be high but the overall build quality is definitely there.

Great ownership advice that in truth applies to all high end modern classics.

Amazing... Thanks 🙏🍀

I'd argue that the Arnage wasn't the first time in decades that Bentley stepped away from Rolls-Royce, the earlier Turbo R really did that, especially the later more powerful ones. I bought a 1996 one last year, it's costing a fortune to get everything working as it should but I still love it. These later Vickers cars really have something special to them, and were made in much fewer numbers than the current Bentley lineup.

Good video, cheers. 👍 Although, saying that it never fails to disappoint actually means that it always disappoints. 😂

You didn't have to say a word. We agree 100% and that was my favorite design by Bently and I like it better than today's looks. (Audi/Volkswagen) when kids wanted an new Lamborghini, I wanted the Bently.

Had one of these for about 3 years. Agree with your review. Watch out for wipers that swich on without the switch!!! And bad ground connections. And they don’t much like RON 95 fuel as they can pink; I filled up with BP Ultimate.

I own a 2000 Arnage with now 44,300 miles. I love it much more than my CLS 400.

20+ years on…still majestic.

Great Advice

A fantastic honest report 100 % full marks

As soon as I heard the words,".....a six litre, turbo charged Bentley instead" I had to give this a thumbs up. I too am prone to bouts of passion and madness from time to time....and I have the evidence of that in my garage right now. This latest one is the best, and worst example of that madness. Now let me watch this lovely video.

Here in the states you can actually find an affordable example that has been well maintained with records for around $40,000. The thing is with these are the parts availability. "Flying Spares" has a lot of parts and can source them as well, but if that electronic transmission actuator fails...good luck if you can source one or hopefully get it repaired. Beautiful cars...always liked this particular Bentley.

We have a 2002 Arnage T, and I love it! For the record, the single turbo models had the head gasket problem, but the T models suffered from cam failure - ours had a new short block at 27,000 miles, conscientiously dealt with by an earlier owner. Ours has now done over 70k miles and it's still amazing - the car that Mr. Clarkson described as a cathedral that can power-slide! Indeed, cars that get used rather than stored have significantly fewer problems. However, there is now an odd problem with parts for Arnages - Bentleys both older and newer have plenty available, but they're literally running out for Arnages, even direct from Bentley - we can't get an electric boot release for love nor money... But thank god for Introcar and Flying Spares - if you'll be avoiding main dealers, your specialist mechanic will get to know them... We'll keep the car though, as it's so capable and majestic - ours is in the Corniche Iridium Gold and it's a lovely, easy drive, but it's so tempting to make it roar and reel-in the horizon! Great review video of a great car.

I remember walking along Baker Street in 2003 and while a Bentley Arnage passed slowly, it turned so many heads. It had incredible presence on the road.

This is the best car I've ever seen. My dream car. Used to play with my benetly cars as a kid. My favourite colour. Amazing. I'd be be looking for a £25000 one.

Love your train of thought Nissan Leaf / Ford Fiesta or Arnage ?? Its a no brainer The Arnage all day long !, You buy a car to put a smile in your face , give me a real car like the Arnage or another Classic /Marquee compared to the drab & souless new stuff they do today, Great Video !

Love this review. I agree that whether it's worth it depends on what each individual's priorities are. For me, buying a car is an emotional process. I'd rather own a car that I love driving, looking at, and sitting in, even if it means I'll have to spend a pretty penny on a few issues that crop up with them from time to time, as opposed to an appliance that gets me from A to B and never breaks down.

Great review.. and pretty much mirrors my ownership. The 6.75 Arnage was my dream car for the last 15 years, so 2 years ago I finally took the plunge. However, it’s the best purchase I’ve ever made and the looks you get driving it is something else. In my 2 years of ownership I have spent around 10k on work (which included the dreaded head gasket). I also use mine as a daily drive which turns around 9MPG. Expense yes but who wants to drive a heavily depreciating new Corsa, and also you only live once.

What a stunning piece of engineering and styling. Perfection.

I was sold; right upto the time that you said "it never fails to disappoint"

Interested to know what gadgets and gizmos it’s got that are enigmatic of that flagship car. Thank you for sharing that delightful example with us.

“Never fails to disappoint” I don’t think you meant that!🤪😋😂

Fantastic review and amazing car. I would love to drive one for the experience.

I’m going to have one of these 🇬🇧🇬🇧 why not. Subscribed 🇬🇧🇬🇧

Gosh you make it sound so tempting.

Thanks for telling us the mpg figures 🙃

I sell cars for a living and this review is spot on

i bet the local petrol station knows it well but i love that people take these cars on and rightly so ,so much englishness ....brilliant x

Did you shoot this around Moulton/Newmarket?

Very nice ride!

Best quote: 6:09 “The Arnage for me never fails to disappoint” 😂😂

Great video. Sensible advice, can’t quibble anything. My Arnage has 160,000 miles. I did by low and spend high. My choice to ensure it was put right to my standards. Agreed, this is indeed a ‘Flagship’ Bentley.

nice review ---- friend just bought one for a wedding car and chaffeur /// lets see etc .... /// think audio output on video fraction low maybe ... could be my computer ... tick vid ..

great video

We have just completed 2,500 miles across Portugal & Spain in our 98 Continental R. The R is 2 door and dare I say, a lot more elegant than the Arnage but has virtually the same running gear. Cruising at 75mph the tacho reads around 1500 rpm, at this pace we averaged 21mpg. Of course it's not a daily driver when home so fuel cost is less important. There's a quirkiness to the Bentley and some of the switches are a bit awkward but that 7ltr V8 is ultra smooth and power comes on with grace. Occasionally you hear that enormous Turbo charger spooling up and when it does, hold on... Brilliant bit of kit.

What about range anxiety? I travel near Crewe regularly and used to see these on test, most of them left hand drive. Today, the modern ones don’t have the same kudos.

Always loved these, the most elegant (in a nightclub bouncer in a tuxedo way) Bentley ever made. Sadly the potential for sub 10mpg ruled it out for me so I bought a Jaguar XJ instead,

Good on you - enjoy it. YOLO!

Hi - love the video and the car - I believe I have just seen this car up for sale? Is that correct? A 2000 model with 72k on the clock and the head gasket also done:-)

'never fails to disappoint'? Forgive my pedantry: 'never fails to surprise/please' or 'never disappoints.' Easily done when you're concentrating on something else. Great video.

Beautyful, enjoy in good health Sir

I’ve owned a RR Silver shadow mark 1 brought in 1989 then a RR Silver spirit didn’t really have any major problems.

I’ll never own one ‘sadly’ however I would love one . My Dad had a beautiful Jaguar Etype back in the 70’s ‘ but I always aspired to own a Bentley . He thought I was mad but I believe he’d agree with now . Unfortunately circumstances have stopped me from ever being a custodian of one these superb carriages. However’thank you for this experience’ and I wish you well in future ownership . Lucky lad ✊

This is the first Bentley I really loved and would still love to at least a ride in one

A top top video.

Some people dis the idea that Bentley has switches from BMW or some Jags have switches from Ford, but when you drive a 20+ year old car, it is just an advantage that they are commonly available parts.

It’s alright buying the Bentley, it’s the upkeep and fuelling them is the problem. The colour of your Bentley is absolutely beautiful fella, I have a Lexus Ls600h, now there is a quiet car and build quality to die for, I won’t mention the reliability as you’ll think I’m bragging.

Stunning car

Better to pay one for cash. Because a paid off car is the cheapest car to own. Love these. This is a stunner

Gorgeous

I owned one of these. Incredible car for the money

I was a Chauffeur and my last 4 years I drove Arnage 2 red label 1T once you learn to drive it you can push them along they are fun 😊

I thought my '14 E350 was nice... These are gorgeous.

You have to remember in those days the highest tax rate 97.5%. You could also offset your taxes against the purchase of a Company car. This meant that if the Bentley cost £155,000:you only had to pay £3875.00 if you did not buy it you had to give the tax man £151,125, if you were paying top rate tax. Not a bad deal. Of course this was changed shortly when the government limited the cost of a company car to something like £3000.