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Do Bentleys Need A Lot Of Maintenance

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  • 17-11-2021
Do Bentleys Need A Lot Of Maintenance

Is Bentley reliable?

Bentley are well-known for their prestige, opulence and quality car making. And, of course, with quality car making, paired with a reputation of luxury, you are going to expect reliability too.

Unfortunately, Bentley are not very well known for the longevity of their vehicles. In fact, Bentleys are arguably the most unreliable motors available in Britains market. Bentley vehicles can be highly unpredictable, and there are several reports that back this claim up. Reports have found that Bentley is the least reliable car brand out of a tested 37 valued manufacturers. 

The survey looked at used vehicles rather than new ones and found that the average Bently mileage was only 38,113 miles. This number is minor in comparison to Honda, who were in first place with an average of over 50,000 miles. 

The average cost of Bentley repairs is £678.50, and the highest repair costs on a Bentley will have you paying up to £8,406.65, which is extremely expensive, even for a high-end Bentley. The survey also discovered that 93% of Bentley vehicles suffered from a problem each year, officially making Bentley the least reliable carmakers in England.

How Often Should A Bentley Be Serviced?

How to Care for a Sitting Bentley

If you refrain from adding a copious amount of miles onto your one-of-a-kind Bentley vehicle, it could continue to provide you with exciting adventures for years, even decades to come. However, if your Bentley has been sitting in the garage for an extended period of time, it could end up developing a number of problems. One of the most common issues that could develop with a sitting Bently is that the motor oil will break down over time, even if the vehicle isn't being driven. 

Other servicing fluids could also start to break down. Driving a car that has old or degraded motor oil could cause severe, even permanent, damage to your vehicle's engine. So it is essential that you schedule a routine oil service annually.

If you aren't driving your Bently much on a regular basis, the car's battery will slowly lose its charge. This could prevent you from starting up your vehicle next time you are wanting to take it out. The solution to this would be to keep your car connected to a factory designed battery maintainer. 

Doing this will ensure that the battery of your vehicle is always maintained to factory specifications. Whether you drive your Bentley frequently or irregularly, the tires on your car will gradually lose their air pressure. To help prevent this from becoming a problem, you should check your tire pressure before heading out on the road. Tires with the correct amount of air pressure ensure your car gives better performance and a lower degree of wear and tear to your tires.

The Most Common Bentley Repair Problems

Bentley vehicles are known for their power, grace and elegance; however, they can be incredibly demanding cars to own. Bentley vehicles require precision maintenance in order to ensure that the car will operate at a high performance. If your Bentley doesn't get the proper care at regular intervals, mechanical problems with your Bentley can be commonplace.

So, with this information in mind, here are some of the most frequent Bentley problems that you should keep an eye out for in regards to your vehicle.

Bentley's employ a complicated air suspension system in their cars that ensure their luxury vehicles have a smooth ride, no matter on what surface it is driven. However, this cloud-like suspension can come with some significant issues if the suspension system begins to wear. These problems can occur pretty quickly, so owners will need to be aware of the signs of a problem.

One of the most prevalent signs of a Bentley Flying Spur suspension problem is that one car end, usually the front end, will appear lower than the other. Car owners will need to catch this sign as soon as possible. If this is left untreated, it can easily lead to a destroyed compressor on your vehicle. A destroyed compressor means that your Bently will likely experience an air suspension failure. This can be extremely expensive to have fixed and will require more than a few days in the local garage.

One of the more frequent problems with a Bentley Continental GT is that the highest brake light on the vehicle will burn out before the other lights. It is a bit of a peculiar trend, but the Bently GT continually sees the brake light burn out faster than any of the other Bentley lines. The brake light on the Bently Continental GT can be found just about the rear window at the centre of the vehicle's rear. 

This issue is straightforward to fix with a simple replacement but still something to look out for as it's an important safety feature, particularly in dark conditions.

One problem with the Bentley azure is the window issues that are known to affect the entire line of Bentley cars. Bentley windows do not have a mechanism, unlike other vehicles, which will provide you with a warning light or some kind of additional warning. Instead, it will become evident that your car's window is beginning to fail when the window makes a very distinct and audible hissing noise. 

When you start to hear this sound, you know your vehicle needs a repair. The hissing sound is caused by the motor as it ages and can generally be replaced with ease. The fix may not be as simple as swapping out an engine, however, as the whole lifting mechanism has been known to falter in all Bentley models.

One of the most notable Bentley flying spur problems is gasket leaks in the engine. Gasket leaks are an expensive fix and do require some significant work to replace. Other common engine problems in Bentley vehicles are the cooling fan issues, turbo oil pipe and vacuum issues, and radiator corrosion. Overall, the Bentley car engines are nothing short of magnificent, but things can regularly go wrong if not adequately maintained due to the car's high-performance nature.

A considerable amount of the brake hoses in Bentley vehicles wear down quicker than other OEMs. Most Bentley's will call for replacing the brake hoses every five years or so; however, this will depend on your exact model. The reason for this fault is related to the cars' performance nature. Bentley brake hoses will typically take quite a beating and, therefore, will need to be replaced more frequently.

What is the Standard Bentley Maintenance Schedule?

Whilst it is common knowledge that you should take your car in for a tune-up at least once annually or every 10,000 miles, this standard might not apply to a luxury vehicle that is only taken out sporadically for joyrides. Fortunately, all Bentley models now have an internal system that will tell you when your car is due for a check-up, so you don't have to do that math.

When Do I Service My Bentley?

You should take your Bentley in for a routine service at least once a year or every 7,500 miles, whichever happens, to come first. It's important to note, however, that due dates for services can vary depending on the model. It is recommended that you refer to your owner's manual for more information on the suggested service schedule for your particular Bentley vehicle.


If you would like to follow up on more information regarding Bentley restoration, repair or servicing, feel free to contact us to discus your requirements. We work with Bentley and Rolls-Royce car owners throughout London and the home counties including; Middlesex, Sussex, Dorset and Kent.