2004 Bentley Continental GT

This Bentley has been family owned for over a decade and during that time the car has been well loved, being used occasionally for long trips or weekend adventures. The current owner purchased the car in 2020 from their cousin who owned the car before but unfortunately due to world events at the time, the car sat for a while waiting to be moved. Once the car was in the current owner’s possession however, they got to work on fixing some issues with the complex electrical system.

The Bentley has had a new engine during its life due to the 40,000-mile service being missed, subsequently damaging the engine. The paperwork for this was lost in the previous owner’s time however and the swap had some bedding in niggles. The current owner has set about fixing these and returning the drivetrain to good working order, by their own admission, the car now drives great. With the electrics sorted and the drivetrain working well, the car was driven by the owner for a few years before the lack of use the Continental received prompted the owner to put it up for auction.

The bodywork is in fair condition and considering its 18 years, it has aged well with only a few minor areas needing attention. There are the usual stone chips which are inevitable on any car, especially a grand tourer such as this, but they are not excessive or outside the expected level of wear. There is some lacquer peel on the front bumper around the headlights and at the seam for the rear bumper and drivers side quarter panel. There is also some damage to the rear bumper on the passenger side just above the exhaust as can be seen in the photo gallery below. The wheels are in ok condition but could do with a light refurb as there seems to be some minor curbing and scuffing, fortunately it is not structural, nor does it look like a full strip and repaint would be necessary. There is a small crack in the windscreen at the bottom, where it meets the scuttle panel just near to the wiper and the double panel windows have started to see some degradation of the glue between them.

Aside from this, the exterior is in a fantastic colour with a great interior colour to match and there are no signs of rust or many (if any at all) car park dings or dents. The body is straight, and all the shut lines are consistent and tight, the trim is all intact and in great condition too. All lights and windows work as they should, and the tyres have plenty of tread and life left in them.

The inside of the Bentley is an inviting, luxurious space and coupled with the aptly named ‘Saddle’ interior colour, matched to the green exterior it really gives this particular model an extra level of class. Starting at the driver’s seat and the cabin at the front, the steering wheel, switchgear, gear selector, buttons, dials, pedal, and upholstery are all in fantastic condition, the start/stop button labelling has been slightly worn away but that’s being really picky and in the front of the cabin we can’t see anything major that would reveal the age of the car. The door cards have some minor marks where shoes have brushed against them upon getting into and out of the car, as does the leather trimmed lower section of the driver’s seat but it’s not outside of normal usage and would buff out with some elbow grease. The driver’s seat however is in good condition and the base bolsters have survived very well. All electronic seat controls work as intended as do all the buttons and switches inside. You might treat the car to some new floor mats but that’s almost not worth mentioning too as they have clearly done their job to protect the carpet underneath.

In the back of the car then, there is some discolouration on the rear driver’s side seat base and the rear cup holder door has broken off. Aside from that however, the upholstery throughout the entire interior is undamaged and in good condition, the roof lining is still in good condition and not sagging or coming away at any point and the rear of the seats are free from marks or damage.

Underneath, the Bentley has seen some work recently with the current owner having new wishbones and mountings fitted with new bushings and bearings all round. The plastic wheel arch covers are in good condition and the rest of the suspension is in good overall condition. There is no damage to the underside and the pipework and structural sections of the floor pan are all in good working order, free from surface rust, dents or stone chipping. There is some minor surface rust to what looks to be some front bracing, but this is not structural and shouldn’t deteriorate quickly. The engine undertray has some scratches from speedbumps/curbs but has not cracked or split.

In the bay, the 6.0 litre, twin turbo charged W 12 unit looks to be in good condition and going from the admission from the owner that this one is working well, we see no reason to doubt them. The inlets take up much of the view in the bay, covered also by plastic covers as is the VW way, what we can see of the engine is very good. The pipework both metal and rubber is in good condition with no splits or cracking, the visible components look to be in good condition as well and there are no signs of any leaking or fluid spillage.

The Bentley has a few invoices from its time with the current owner and the V5 in their name but due to the current owner having a full-time mechanic in their employment, the Bentley has undergone the work without needing to have invoices sent. The car has had new engine at some point in the last 6-7 years after the 40,000 miles service being missed. The car has had a recommission approximately a year and a half ago where the complex electronics system was repaired. The car has spent around 5 years off the road before and during the lockdown period but is now in occasional use. The car does occasionally show an information light on the dashboard but does drive very well, the drivetrain and suspension are in good order with the latter recently having been overhauled with new wishbones, bushings and mountings and the former having new plugs and ½ the coil packs replaced.

The invoices present are summarised below:

- Spray acrylic varnish anti-scratch – Garraf – 12/02/2022

- 4-wheel alignment – Garatge Tosauto – 09/03/2022

- Low and high volume horn, small control arm/trailing arm bush, Large control arm/trailing arm bush, LWR link compliance bush – Flying Spares – 23/12/2021

The Continental GT is a great car and one that has aged so well during its initial introduction in 2003. They respond well to being used regularly and even the earlier models still give the same joy, luxury and comfort whilst driving. This one needs a small amount of TLC but its good in the areas that really count, with some time and love this will be a fine example of the marque and a real pleasure to own.

We estimate for this Bentley to reach anywhere between £11,000 - £15,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, within government guidelines of course. The car is located at our Abingdon headquarters; we are open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’