Bentley - Best of British

Stylish, classy and oh so British, Bentleys are designed to stand out from the crowd. Even the pre-owned vehicles promise owner peace of mind and exalted luxury. Angus Davies journeys into another world...

My editor’s remit was clear and unequivocal: ‘Drive to Bentley Glasgow and imagine you are in the market for a prestigious car, bearing the iconic ‘Flying B’ on the tip of its bonnet.’ While the prospect of owning a Bentley seemed an otherworldly notion, I readily accepted my task and headed up north to Bentley Glasgow, located to the south of Scotland’s largest city in leafy Hamilton.    It surprises me how car dealerships have evolved in the last 30 years. As a young boy, I visited car garages with my parents whenever our modest family saloon needed replacing. This ritual, which typically occurred every two years, was a schoolboy treat I eagerly embraced. I can still recall the showroom floors clad in linoleum and the air rich with an omnipresent octane-infused odour.

NO CLUTTER. However, as I entered the modern showroom of Bentley Glasgow, I noted the blemish-free marble floor and the distinct absence of clutter. An array of new vehicles shimmered beneath the bright halogen bulbs and the near aseptic environment was a far cry from the garages of my youth. Large plasma televisions perpetually showcased Hollywood-style promotional videos and I spotted the pristinely attired staff, offering cappuccinos and espressos in ceramic cups. This seemed a very civilised place to spend a morning.     I stood admiring the drop-dead gorgeous new cars in the showroom and was momentarily lost in a sea of leather, walnut and sinuous bodywork. However, with my editor’s words still ringing in my ears, I entered the office of Neil McCallum, brand manager of Bentley Glasgow, eager to learn more about pre-owning a Bentley.    Access to a pre-owned Bentley can start from less than £30,000, a sum which can easily be spent on a mundane, medium-sized executive saloon. Higher up the price range, a youthful Bentley may well prove an interesting alternative to a Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-series. This potentially brings a finely executed luxury vehicle, imbued with a high quotient of hand craftsmanship, within the financial grasp of many, including yours truly. Moreover, a well-chosen, cherished car can offer much better residual values than some newly registered vehicles.

DETAILED HISTORY. The words ‘Bentley Pre-Owned’ are intended to grant a high degree of owner peace of mind. Firstly, the provenance of the vehicle is checked. In fact, only Bentley can provide such a detailed history, tracing the origins of the vehicle to the day it left the production line. Moreover, the identities of former keepers, as well as the authorised service history, are also a matter of record. McCallum explained that the vehicle is often known to the dealership, for instance, they may have supplied it when new or carried out the ongoing servicing.    Bentley owners have a tendency to remain loyal, serially purchasing replacement vehicles from the same marque. As such, it is usual for McCallum and his colleagues to have sold the same vehicle to successive owners over a number of years. The aforementioned term ‘provenance’ is very much part of Bentley parlance. “Similar to gold bullion being hallmarked,” McCallum explained, “Only Bentley can truly hallmark a pre-owned vehicle.”    I am 49 and have become increasingly cynical with old age, hence I did not feel disposed to merely accepting a few sound bites; I wanted to see evidence of this so-called peace of mind. Firstly, I wanted to know more about the procurement process used when selecting vehicles for this programme.    I was escorted outside to look at a 2007 Bentley Continental GT. The vehicle had arrived from a non-franchised retailer for repair. I watched with a degree of curiosity as McCallum proceeded to run the tips of his fingers along the edges of the doors, bonnet and boot. He also appeared to spend an inordinate amount of time looking at the front wings, inside the engine bay and within certain areas of the boot. Thereafter, he pointed out the various clues that revealed the car had been in one or more accidents and had not been repaired by an Approved Bentley bodyshop. “We would not place this vehicle on our forecourt; it does not meet our standards,” McCallum proclaimed.

THE WORKSHOP. Thereafter, I went to the valeting bay. There, sat resplendently in the corner of the room, was a 2012 Continental GT V8 in Dragon Red. Oh, it was so beautiful, I began calculating which assets I could dispose of in order to facilitate acquisition. However, whilst this appeared perfect to my non-expert eyes, I was informed it was not yet ready for sale. The car was midway through a three day detailing process.    I watched Rory, a car detailer of some nine years, apply various polishes to the vehicle and painstakingly buff the panels. His patience was rewarded. I couldn’t find any swirl-like blemishes on the epidermis of the multi-layered paintwork. Again, McCallum’s discriminating fingers came out to play, pointing out the originality of the paintwork and the notable absence of any poorly executed repair damage.    Moving to the workshop, I was introduced to Peter Gentles, the dealership’s after sales manager and Bentley veteran, with over 45 years of experience. Here, the glossy exterior evident at the front of house was matched with the operating-theatre sterility of the workshop. The tiled floor was dry and free of any oil spillages.    On being introduced to Martin, a master technician, I could not help but notice his fingers. They were free of oil and well manicured, which left me pondering how the cars were serviced. Martin explained that while suspension components, brakes and gearboxes necessitate physical handling, an increasing proportion of his daily duties centre upon the many electronic systems found on a Bentley, necessitating the use of a laptop computer.    The Flying Spur model has approximately 40 ECUs responsible for an array of functions. Martin, clearly a highly trained technician, began to use terms such as ‘CAN bus electrical systems’ at which point I became duly bamboozled. While independent garages have access to some of the electronic systems, there are some areas of a Bentley that are only accessible to an authorised dealership.

WARRANTY. My desire for a pre-owned Bentley was beginning to grow exponentially with each passing moment. However, I then began to ponder the practicality of owning such a vehicle. Mark Keeping, head of pre-owned cars for Bentley Motors, explained, “The warranty is limited to the parts and labour costs, up to an aggregate sum equivalent to the value of the vehicle.”    Moreover, Keeping added, “We have such confidence in our product, that we offer a warranty on vehicles up to 11 years old. If an owner wishes to take out a three year warranty on an 11 year old vehicle at the time of purchase, the car is potentially covered up to 14 years of age.”    In addition, some clients select a service package, providing fixed cost maintenance and another dose of peace of mind. It is this statement of reassurance which appears to pervade the whole of the Bentley Pre-Owned experience.    Bentley does not differentiate between those clients who purchase new vehicles and those individuals who select a pre-owned car. All pre-owned customers are invited to tour Bentley’s factory and partake in the marque’s many exciting events, including negotiating the challenging corners of the iconic Nürburgring. This may sound strange, but McCallum explained that often, after purchasing a Bentley for the first time, many clients repeatedly ‘trade-up’, selecting ever newer vehicles and, in some instances, migrating to a new car.    Clients choose the pre-owned route to Bentley ownership for an array of reasons. For example, some well-healed individuals take this path as a means of validating the merit of Bentley ownership prior to taking the full plunge and buying new. Alternatively, some aspiring ‘Bentley Boys’, or girls, decide to purchase a ready-built, classic vehicle, not wishing to wait for a car to be built to order. The fact is, Bentley clearly understands the importance of customer delight, whether selecting new or pre-owned, allocating a degree of care seldom found with more pedestrian car brands.

THE FLYING SPUR. Whilst here I wanted to see some of the pre-owned cars available for sale. Some were virtually newborn, with a recent plate and very low mileage. A typical vehicle is 33 months old at the time of purchase, according to the brand’s research. One Bentley specifically caught my eye; a Continental Flying Spur, equipped with the highly desirable Mulliner Driving Specification. The car was presented in Silver Tempest, with an interior clad in swathes of Portland leather, a rather comely shade of grey-hued hide.    Despite being first registered in September 2007 and having covered 53,229 miles, the car seemed remarkably spiffy. I looked at the blemish-free 20-inch Speed Style alloy wheels and noted how the seats still possessed new-car freshness and support. The only indication that the vehicle had seen service on the road were a few inconspicuous stone chips near the front apron. “We would not look to respray or touch up those marks, ‘originality’ is absolute and that car is very original,” explained McCallum. And he was correct, it was very original and touching up the paintwork would only mar this quality.    A few years ago, I drove a new Bentley Mulsanne and waxed lyrical about its majestic ride within the pages of Great Golf. Eager to consummate my newfound admiration for Bentley’s pre-owned vehicles, the prestigious car marque handed me the keys to a Flying Spur. I left the warm embrace of the Bentley Glasgow team and headed home in serene comfort, keen to explore every facet of Bentley ownership. In the next issue of Great Golf, I will report back on my experience, however, whilst I don't wish to divulge too much at this stage, rest assured my affection for this most British of brands shows no signs of abating any time soon.