1993 Bentley Brooklands

This well-cared for example of the classic British gentleman’s carriage has what could be a genuinely low mileage; the online MOT history shows a gradual increase from 49,702 in 2005 to the current odometer reading of 58009 miles, which shows that the past decade-and-a-bit has been spent at leisure rather than flitting between under-the-arches garages in search of a cheap fix.

Having enjoyed the recent ministrations of a Rolls-Royce and Bentley expert, it is fighting fit and ready for the coming summer and while the bodywork is not perfect, it’s way better than average and, best of all, we don’t expect it to sell for anything like the inflated sum you see being asked by some classic car dealers.

The bodywork is straight with even, tight shutlines. The flanks are free of ripples and the body-length coachlines appear to be original, which is a good indicator that the majority of the paintwork might be original. The doors close and latch as they should and show no signs of drooping. The classic Brooklands Green metallic paint has a good shine.

There are a few ‘spiders’ on the corners of the aluminium panels as usual but far fewer than is often seen on a Bentley or Rolls-Royce of this age. There is also some minor bubbling (the Gallery shows a comprehensive display of this, not just a sample) but, again, this is far less serious than the majority of the examples we see. The wheelarches, in particular, are way better than you usually see. Please use the Contact Seller button to arrange a viewing before auction end to satisfy yourself.

The online MOT history does show that the last couple of MOT testers have commented, not failed, on underside corrosion. We’ve had a good look and can see the odd repair but the recent comprehensive application of good quality underseal appears to have caught it before it turned into a serious problem.

The alloy wheels are all in good condition and sport matching Goodyear Eagle tyres, all of which have good tread.

The interior is very good for its age and its condition supports the car’s low mileage. The Silverstone Grey leather seats are free of rips, tears and deep scuffs and thankfully do not appear to have not been treated or painted previously; while they do display a light patina, this could be easily rectified if the new owner wants to bring them back to near-new condition.

The fluted hide door cards are in good order too, and all the burr walnut veneer and chromework (of which there is an awful lot…) are in excellent condition. The leather-covered dashtop is free of cracks and splits and the dark grey headlining is tight and free of holes. The door cappings have recently been exchanged with perfect replacements, otherwise the interior appears to be in original condition.

All the electrical items – windows, mirrors, radio, aerial, air-conditioning and central locking – all work as they should. In fact, the only items we could find that don’t are the front fog lights and a couple of the interior lights.

The car comes with two keys and keyfobs, the latter of which are only a couple of years old as the alarm system has been recently checked and serviced by Bowling Engineering, possibly the only people in the UK equipped and experienced enough to undertake the work.

Interestingly, the car comes with a Rolls-Royce cleaning kit, which is something we haven’t seen before!

New rear discs and pads were fitted in 2006 at a cost of £658 – for the parts alone… The vehicle then had £2,500-worth of work in 2009, including refacing and refitting the exhaust manifolds, the installation of a new fuel filter, pump and fuel lines, fettling of the braking system, the fitment of two rear road springs, the application of Waxoyl rustproofing, and a mini-service. The owner then sprung for another £800 of work a month later, which comprised work to the power steering system.

Stewart Walker Ltd, a renowned Rolls-Royce and Bentley expert, worked on the car recently. This comprised a major service (which comes with a retail value of £1,250) plus the installation of top and bottom offside ball joints, a power steering pump and rack, a set of new engine drive belts, some new brake pipes, two rear subframe dampers, and a new exhaust mount. Just as importantly, the engine block itself is reported to be free of the sort of oil weeps that can plague this engine.

As you’d expect, the car is said to now running very well and is ready for gentle runs to the coast or an intercontinental Grand Tour, depending on the proclivities of its new owner.

The car has clearly been maintained over the years but sadly there is little to substantiate this other than the invoices you can see listed here.

However, the car has been inspected and serviced recently by Stewart Walker, who we know as a meticulous and thorough engineer as he looks after two of our own personal cars. He reports that he was impressed with the car’s overall mechanical and body condition.

Please visit the documents section of the ‘Gallery’ where you will find a number of old MOT certificates and invoices, plus a recent clear HPI report (that confirms that it has never been recorded as stolen or written off) as well as copies of the Bentley’s original specification, build and order sheets.

Mechanically and bodily sound, this Bentley Brooklands could be great for a new owner who has always promised themselves something special. Sure, it is not perfect, but that is similar to virtually all Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of this era. There can be no promises but having had a thorough and professional service and checkover, there should be nothing serious or imminent to do on the car, making this an example to buy. We’d suggest that the new owner should enjoy it to the full in the coming summer and autumn months, laughing at the thought they could have spent the same money on a 4-year-old Fiesta instead…

Our estimate for this lovely old Bentley Brooklands is £7,250 - £8000, which is less than 10% of the car’s new price of £81,745. And, please do remember that the reserve is always set at a lower point than the estimate, which means that someone might just get a bit of a bargain…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Newbury; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.