He got a lemon with this one. My first Bentley was an 88 Turbo R. Spent $6,000 on it immediately to make sure it was right, kept it for seven years trouble free. Great car.
The mechanics I know here in the UK hate working on this era Rolls + Bentley. But if you get a good properly sorted one they're really excellent to drive .
@@largol33t1 Modern Bentleys aren't like the antique one in this video. They're basically VW technology, which is about as reliable as other German brands. Same goes for Rolls Royce, they're now basically BMWs with a nicer body/interior.
Back in the late 1980s I was working at a firm of accountants in a city called Chichester in the South of England. Once a month, the senior partner used to drive down from London in his Bentley Turbo R, so that he could shout at the local partners face to face rather than over the phone. Anyway, after one of these sessions he stormed out of the office, but 10 minutes later he came back to call a garage because his car wouldn’t start !
It was not a good time for British cars. The partners in Chichester were driving an Austin Montego and an Austin Maestro. I had an ex-police Rover SD1 V8 manual. All were extremely poor quality.
Yes, my Rover was better than the Austins but it was still very poor quality, especially the trim and the bodywork. Most British cars of the 1970s and 1980s were awful.
I love the videos where Wizard explains his every action to the viewers who don't get it, because its like hearing a dad explain to their 5 year old why they can't have ANOTHER piece of candy
They talked about one of these on Top Gear a few years ago. Clarkson said if one broke down at the factory that built the car they still wouldn’t be able to fix the damn thing.
@@dograishan8504 A Silver Spur is no more than a long wheelbase Spirit. And a Turbo R just adds a big turbo, firmer suspension and some trim changes. So basically they're no more than different variations of the same car.
James May has owned a few and did a piece on them years ago. He had nothing good to say about them, yet he still likes them. I think a lot of their owners have a love-hate relationship with them. True of a lot of us car nuts.
DUDE! I fixed my older brother’s 1990 Turbo R by ordering the alternator for a 93 Corvette, just like you said. If I hadn’t found this video, god only knows how long it would have taken me to figure that out...
I ran a Turbo R for a year and 20,000 very hard miles, including driving from Edinburgh to Marrakech. It was regularly fully loaded, and regularly redlined and wound off the end of the speedo. Maintenance for the year was about £4000, two major services, plus front suspension ball joints and a wheel bearing. It never let me down, and never demonstrated any sort of temperament at all. It was my only car and did mundane runs to the tip and cash and carry, as well as long trips. I wonder whether Hoovie's is a low mileage garage queen - some RR's and Bentleys only come out for special occasions and they can be a leaky nightmare when someone actually starts driving them. The injection system, as I'm sure you know, is identical to an eighties Mercedes V8, and no-one worries about them. I think they are a great buy (mine replaced a Silver Spirit which replaced a Silver Shadow), but buy one that's been used, not sat.
I have had many RR/B Cars and personally restored about 10 of them. I always recommend only buying 87.5. 88 and 89 cars after the cloud series that is and anything post 2006. My 89 Turbo R has won many awards and I have never towed it. Drove 300 to 500 mi to events and still took 1st place. Most of the small problems I had were due to dealers doing the wrong work to my car from previous owners. i.e. my a/c was hot wired to stay on full all the time! Done my a RR new car dealer. Recently I replaced the distributer belt as it was 12 years old and while it was out did the bearings on it, cap and rotor. I also replaced the factory Power steering unit as it was original and leaking bad. PLus new valve cover gaskets as they too were original. I just turned 44k mi and I am the 6th owner and yes it came with a ton of receipts. Here is the problem. These cars are made to drive and drive often not SIT. They have at least 75 to 85 relays and they like to be on not off. My car never sits more than a few weeks. Even here in PA in winter, if the roads are dry she goes out for a 10 mi trip. Previous owners would spend say 5 k in repairs and put maybe 1000 mi on in a yr of 2. DRIVE YOUR CARS. Plus dont forget they are now all over 30 years old. You are asking a lot of a complicated machine to sit all winter and expect it all to be perfect by spring! Plus by 1990 you had a lot of computers added to your car. My 89 does not have the alarm battery, the computerized shocks and ride control to mention a few.
An LS Engine would fit nicely, as Rolls & Bently used GM Hydromatic Automatic Transmissions & either a GM Short Bock with Custom Heads or GM based Engine Block. Of course, you would still need to address the shitty hydraulic suspension & brakes... You would end up with a much better car, but could you place a quarter on the engine at idle without having the quarter dance ???
Years ago, when we were a lot younger, in the 90''s, my brother wanted an older Rolls-Royce or Bentley. The prices of used old luxury vehicles were good. I told him you will be forever fixing the thing; it will never run. Eventually he bought a Jaguar instead. Soon after, bought another Jaguar for parts. Neither ran. Some people just don’t get it. Old luxury cars are a money pits.
@@kris856 Think of it this way: If you were driving along in your newish Roller, would you appreciate some ruffian pulling up beside you in a much older perfectly running one that cost peanuts to keep on the road and giving you a big smile and a thumbs up ?
These are actually very reliable vehicles. Over 90% of the problems he discussed are related to the hydraulic systems, the suspension and brakes. If these sit for a few years without being driven somewhat regularly, those systems will get extremely messed up. These use a special mineral oil instead of your usual brake fluid. When you have a problem with these systems due to them sitting, you really do have to go through the entire system. Otherwise, you will needlessly be doing lots of extra work every time you repair part of it. Once some of the seals or gaskets are leaking, all of them are close to leaking, you're better off going through all of it. When he replaced the fuel distributor, he didn't need to replace the injectors, they probably would have been fine for at least another 50K miles, but it didn't hurt to do them at the same time and most of the labor was overlapping, therefore saving his customer a lot of money. If I had the time and space to work on one of these, I would buy one in a heart beat! However, I wouldn't rely on it as a primary vehicle or take it on many long trips since there will be some stupid issues once in a while, such as the security device or the goofy alternator wiring that Wizard explained. Most English vehicles for several decades had notoriously bad electrical systems, this is mostly blamed on Lucas, The Prince of Darkness.
That Turbo R reminds me of my 1994 Cadillac Concours. Every month, it was something else that broke. Except it was $400.00 here, $250.00 there, $1,500.00 for this, $550.00 for that. Finally I just got rid of it by gifting it to my local junkyard.
My E46 also keeps breaking. It has never let me stranded, even when the engine let go (rod knock) it got me to my final destination. It seems we have a secret agreement: "You don't let me hanging, and I will fix whatever breaks."
I had a neighbor who inherited a 1995 Continental R from a rich uncle, it had been sitting for ten years and needed so much work ($35.000 was the quote he got at the local rolls dealer) that he traded it in on the spot then took the money he got for it and bought a Ford Raptor.
I have a 98 Continental R which has the later Zytek engine management system - TBH it's been fab. I have had none of these problems and the car is brilliant. These cars and engines need using, sit them in a garage too long and the problems start. Trouble is. people cherish them and don't take them out for fear of putting too many miles on the clock - wrong. Use it, it's a car like any other car. I just completed a 300 mile trip, one of many and it hasn't missed a beat. With 385hp on tap it pulls like a train and on a run it returns 22~24mpg. I love it!!
Someone in Wizard's shop: **sneezes** Bentley Turbo R: every single seal starts leaking. SIWS: drops a wrench BTR: half the electrics zap themselves I have to say that, as a Brit, it is embarassing that these cars are so fantastically fragile. I can only apologise. On the other hand I can be proud that the our tried and tested hypnosis trick "look at the interior, smeeeeeell the leather, feeeeeel the wood" is still working...
When I was a kid in the 70's I visited my uncle in England. He told a joke that didn't make sense at the time: Why don't the British make TV's? They couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil.
True today, but not in the 70s I can remember at least ten British made brands of televisions but a British make of the 50s did leak oil from a transformer, a Murphy.
@@1chish What confused me then is my grandad's TV was a Granada and he proudly told me it was British. My uncle had self deprecating humour. Personally I like the joke now.
@@davidpaye9505 Sounds like the G5 iMac. Anyway, I think I'll change the joke to "Why did the British stop making TV's?" with the same punchline. In a decade or two when the world goes electric the joke will make even less sense.
@Cam montreuil engines exactly. Re do the brakes with a proper system and drop in a carburetted 350 with an auto attached to it. Problem solved, forevermore.
@@daszieher Yeah, I guess even if you had to put $25k into a total conversion to do everything right (which is way more than it would actually cost), it would still be better because you'd only have to do it once.
On the subject of service records I used to have a van which had previously belonged to a taxi company as their recovery vehicle and had lived a hard life. I deliberately bought a high miler because I wanted one that had already had a new timing chain so I had one less job to do. The service record was the most honest I have ever seen. It had entries like "Gearbox rebuild. Rebuild kit was missing such and such washer so we had to put the old one back in". Never had a mechanical issue with that van that I couldn't resolve on the driveway with hand tools and when I traded it in, the dealer kept it as their parts hauler.
In the 70s my wife worked at the British Embassy in DC, being British they had to have Rolls Royces and Bentleys,guess what--they were always broken, the mechanics hated them and some days you could see the Diplomat walking back to the embassy,leaving his RR by the side of the road! Friends don’t let friends buy British cars!
"Things keep breaking over and over again." Ah, sounds like my old Neon SRT 4 I had for a couple of years. Fix one thing, another thing breaks. It had more vertical miles than horizontal.
I am 86 years young and I fear your example of going to the doctor applies to me. At least the Bentley was a great luxury car when it was younger. Oh well!!! Really enjoy your videos. Thanks.
The problem with the bentley and rolls cars is they do not get used enough ,they sit around for long periods developing leaks ,if you have one use it as a daily driver .
Bull$hit, Bently's & Rolls of that era can only be fixed with tools of an adequate caliber, such as my 12 gauge Mossberg pump shotgun with a dozen or so slugs...
My son has my old VW passat 1.9l 22 years old. Used every day by me and now him. 195,000 miles. 5000 miles sythetic oil services and filter. New rotors, drive shaft couplings, exhaust and timing belt, rad and and water pump at 100k Broke down last year with belt tensioner puller failure (external). 20 quid. You can keep your money pits.
So true , it would be cheaper in the long run and more reliable at that point. I think after dumping all this money he may as well go ahead and do an LS swap.
So the big question is, what purpose does a car like this serve? I bought a 54 Nash 36 years ago and it still runs. Everyday driver in fact. Only had to be towed twice in that time.
Another perspective is that it is worth going through properly, once, and replacing service items and known issues, spending the $25k and having a lovely car that runs properly and gives pleasure over a reasonable period. After all he is running a new RR Phantom, which he said himself is costing fortunes in finance costs, and which he suggested he would get rid of if the Bentley were running properly. I suspect the reason Hoovie doesn’t do this is that he is about generating drama and income for his TH-cam channel; it certainly isn’t financial as he clearly has almost bottomless pockets to spend on new projects. There’s nothing wrong with his approach, and it makes for a good channel, but he should really be honest about his motivations. Thank you for your content on your channel, from a British perspective it is interesting to see the US garage scene - many of the headaches are mutual! I run an BMW E39 so you’ll have sympathy I’m sure!!!
I have one of those. When they are running ok, they are a delight. The acceleration and speed you can throw it into a car never fails to impress. I am not very mechanical, but I did source and change the rear suspension spheres myself to solve the common floating ride issue. Not that easy to get to them and then they can be very hard loosen. Main reason I had to do it myself was they wasn't anyone within a few hours of where I live that was able to work on Bentleys
When he first bought this car I was really hoping it would be a good one that would get driven a lot. Such a shame that it has a never ending litany of issues. Such a cool car as you & Mrs. Wizard mentioned. Keep up the good fight on this one!
In my experience, the guys that say "Quit whining and just get the thing done" are the same guys who would curl up into the fetal position after attempting to fix a car like this.
You bet they would. They are also the same morons that would bankrupt a business in 6 months. Fixing things for free. Because “just shut up and fix it” when the owner wont even pay for it.
@@CarWizard There's armchair quarterbacks and armchair mechanics, both irritate the shit out of me for the same reason. All talk, but when the rubber meets the road and it's time to take the bull by the horns, they're nowhere to be found. Your channel is awesome, you have a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise as well as integrity so to hell with the rest, Dave! BTW, most complicated car I ever wrenched on was an 85' BMW 745i with the factory turbo M106. What a blast figuring out all the gremlins on that one!
@@CarWizard This is EXACTLY why I am struggling to get through to my cousin. He is hellbent on buying a Lamborghini. I watched one owner's video after another on TH-cam and strongly suggested that he watch them. He hasn't changed his mind. Lamborghinis are just as much of a money pit as the Bentley from all the videos I saw.
@@largol33t1 if he wants a Lamborghini that bad talk him into leasing one. All the fun and none of the worry about fixing the pieces of junk. Every single lambo video I’ve ever seen with a lambo over 30k miles they fall apart. Rich ppl problems tho so I don’t really care
Bingo. I’ll whine. But the shit nobody else will work on always comes to me, and leaves fixed. Ive made window parts for this same year Bentley. Yes. Made. Which is what brought me to the Chanel.
I used to own a 1989 Bentley Turbo R. It was my first Bentley. I went on to own 5 more Rolls Royces and Bentleys up to a 2008 Bentley Mulliner Flying Spur. They all needed constant TLC (except the 2008 model). I used to drive around 10K miles a year in them and sometimes 20K. They needed servicing every 6 months or 6K miles. I used to spend around £3-6K annually keeping them in top condition depending on mileage that year. The last 2008 car I owned was very different mechanically as it was German designed. It was also the most visually underwhelming of all the cars and least enjoyable even if on paper it was the best. When I sold my Turbo R it had 175K on the clock, was about 13 or 14 years old and apart from a new reconditioned gearbox had just needed lots of regular maintenance by a specialist. The trick with them is to anticipate known problems and keep ahead of them. Occasionally something throws you like once when the washer bottle leaked down its refiller pipe into the engine management system. It shorted the engine ECU. Some plastic sealant around the washer bottle neck and a recommissioning of the ECU fixed the problem. They are complicated hand built machines but everything can usually be fixed or replaced, even old circuit boards if you know the right person. They also need using regularly as standing still for ages ruins them and not just the battery. They are full of fluids so the pipes and joints need regular use. Anyhow great video! I get your frustration. It is one reason why I left the marques though I’d have the right one again in a heartbeat. Probably a Seraph which was a gorgeous car with a BMW sourced V12 engine and very reliable. I sold that with over 100K miles on too.
@@vw5056 no I haven’t had another since the Flying Spur. I almost bought a Last of Line 2001 Seraph a few years ago but after driving it wondered if I was in love with the idea more than the car. I had a BMW X6 at the time and when I jumped back in it the X6 was more comfy to sit in and drove much better. You can get swept up with the badge very easily through rose tinted spectacles. Now I drive a Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 V8 diesel. It’s a wonderful car. Leather (inc the roof lining) and grained wood everywhere inc the steering wheel. They are wonderful cars with great visibility and have the opulence of a premium luxury vehicle.
You have the patience of a saint with this car. I doubt Bentley or Rolls Royce give much thought to the owners of their cars 25-30yrs down the line from new, their focus is on the very well-heeled customer buying it in the first place to whom the running costs are usually immaterial. It’s probably a car for the skilled enthusiast who can spend their own (labour-cost free) time rebuilding it. Great videos 👍
Here's what I think about this. You know how you replace the Mercedes suspension with regular coilovers and it's fine? If one really likes one of these cars, I would think one should get rid of the whole mineral oil system. I think that's the plague of those cars right? Regular brakes regular suspension, or air suspension. And update the injection system, like people weld spots for injectors in old manifolds and install Holley ecu's or something of the like. An ancient battery for an immobilizer system? That also needs to go. It can be done, by someone willing to do some mods. Or maybe someone to make kits for these, like the Mercedes ones. Then people won't fear the, oh this is complex no one will know how to fix it afterwards, or "I don't want to hack the car up" what's better, make some changes, or let it rot until its too far gone and it goes to the crusher? There also needs to be something done about that alternator starting circuit thing. I don't see why one would keep quirky antiquated problematic systems original and a headache instead of actually fixing them, by fixing questionable designs. While still keeping the car feeling luxurious and the way it was intended to feel and so on. There just needs to be someone to like them enough and be open minded enough to update some of those headaches the right way. So one of these that's cheap and worthless, because it's not worth fixing, can be made a nice car again. But the kind of person that would of bought one of those years ago, wouldn't be into that, so someone else, that likes something about them, and gets them for cheap, could do it. People that make straightforward kits that others don't shy away from. I just have to keep mentioning how it surprised me Mercedes owners actually took the logical route and changed the problematic suspension for something alright, instead of having the repair cost more than the car and getting rid of it.
You could replace the RR unit with a battery and electric motor .I personally would like to have a simple diesel Genny or back up battery's in the boot or on a trailer just in case you can't find a charging port while you are touring .
@@JohnDoe-ox5ni @John Doe You mean swap it over to electric? Sure, that can be done too, but it won't be "the same" enough for people that just want their cars fixed and to stop being a nightmare. The things I suggested, if done a certain way, someone could hop in the modified car, and in a regular one, and not notice the difference, modifications to keep the car from ending itself with repair bills. I like the idea of hybrids, charging while I'm driving, but that's fully changing everything in the car. Hoping to do something of the like at some point, I think all of the electric and hybrid cars on the market are, well, not for me. That's being polite. I'd like to get something like a 5 series, sedan than can also look good, and have more space than something smaller, while not being a certified boat either. And shove in motors till I don't have room anymore. Hard to swap anything in Europe but I'll try. And the generator idea, is not a good one, you're better off having a dedicated range extender tied in with the car, or made to work with it, if you get a household generator, you'll be wasting lots of fuel and time.
Its very nice - for a Volkswagon.I never thought I'd see Wizard kicking a car but through the fine direction and script writing of Mrs W. it has been done.
I bought a new TR-6 in 1973. It fell apart the next day after I drove it home. I bought a new Mini Cooper in 2007. It fell apart several times during the year and a half I owned it. Every British built vehicle owner I ever talked with has virtually the same story. Every vehicle from MG's to Bentleys to Aston Martin's to Range Rover's have the same durability issues. I have owned cars from Germany, the U.S., Italy, Japan etc. Best vehicle hands down is an Acura RDX I have owned for years. Nothing ever goes wrong with it. One exception was my 2001 4x4 Suburban. It never broke either!
@@Dave.S.TT600 Don't get me wrong. I fell terrible for these lost cars. Every time I find a old luxury car dent free with new like inside for less the n a grand; I want to save them all.
When you commented on the expensive leather I thought of Albert Brooks in “Lost In America “ when he’s lost everything and is a crossing guard and a Mercedes pulls up and he had to lean in smelling the “Mercedes Leather “ a reference to the car he was looking to buy at the beginning before it all went haywire, an often overlooked comedy Gem! Thanks Wizard!
Well with alm the hate BMW gets, it's odd that hoovie Rolls was BMW powered, and his old Bentley was audi/VW. But the BMW powered Rolls was FAR more reliable
so true and accurate. I had a 93 Turbo R with JUST 35.000km on it, billionare owned 1 owner and all bentley service records and it was a money pit every single time I drove it.
Dear Wizzard, I can’t help feeling you’re nearly there with this car, especially if it’s down to an 0 ring between the caliper halves. I have an ’86 RR Spirit. Admittedly it is a carburettor version ( though running on LPG as well) It had been driven hardly at all over many years, but after replacing two front brake discs, the suspension and brake accumulators, the rear gas “springs ” a few suspension joints, compliance mounts, engine mounting and ( have to admit it ) a steering rack and second hand radiator and lastly two front shock absorbers, I have a sound car I think. We bear in mind it is 35 years old, Tyler’s is 30. Once sorted they require systematic and conscientious maintenance, yet are great to drive, smell of quality leather and are hand crafted in many areas. I love mine even though it isn’t a classic and I take comfort in the fact that once components are replaced, reliability is restored in that area at least. Now 6 years on and nearly 30,000 miles, I have a car that gives constant pleasure and I hope the same will be true of Hoovie’s Turbo R. 0-60 in a little over 6 seconds was a revelation in the mid 80’s and a well sorted, Turbo R ( or Mulsanne, Bentley 8, Spirit/Spur) driven often and not left stored for too long at a time can be a delight. Paul Chapman
Hey wizard! Id love a video talking about your experience like where you started and kinda of training/schooling you might have gone through, and touch on opening a garage, it’s a dream of mine and I’d love to hear some of the steps working up to you getting started! Love the videos man keep up the great work
This rig is enough to set your hair on fire! Just look at what it did to the Car Wizard. Two years ago he used to have to get a hair cut every two weeks.
Ms. Moneypenney is/was a beautiful Peacock blue 2-tone 1979 RR Silver Shadow II, that I used to maintain, for a close friend. Same exact thing! Something was always breaking or going wrong...and she barely got used!!! Damn drivers window regulator had to be sourced USED, from a "Breakers Yard" in England. $450!! Uses a tiny little chain to move the window. Of course it got rusty and broke. And don't even get me started about the brakes!!$$$ We finally gave her to Gateway Motors, in Orlando, to sell on consignment. The poor girl sat in their showroom for over a year, before someone bought her...for WAY less than originally advertised. In the end, I learned allot about them and met some fantastic people. I loved her(and had fun with her), but good riddens. We have the rest of the Murphy Collection, to service and maintain. JT: Orlando FLA
So glad my family talked me out of getting one of these. Happy to stick with my w126 Mercedes. These Rollers and Bentleys are more like a small aircraft in terms of service and maintenance.
Reminds me of the time in the late 80's, Mike Tyson owned a Bentley that kept breaking down. He was so fed up up that after a break down one night, he saw 2 cops and just gave them the car lol!!
Here's what you do: 1. Tear out everything including the entire mineral oil hydraulic fluid system and everything it runs. 2. Install an LS3 and conventional brake and suspension system.
@@chadpurser I get what you are saying but almost everyone who buys a Bentley does so to tell people they drive a Bentley, not to tell people they drive a Corvette C5 in an overcoat.
I'm British you guys are fine engineers a great credit to keeping the Bentley marque on the road and enjoyed. Shame we didnt have a different materials technology way back then when the seals etc were designed. I think I'll stick to saving up for a recent Jaguar (poor man's Bentley) in Thailand where I am, the Land of (Hidden) Smiles and No Bentleys and everything foreign including my British tea bags and Marmite is 400% import duty - go figure - !! xx
In the late 70’s~early 80’s I worked at a dealership that sold British Leyland and Volvo cars. They sold a ton of MGB’s, Spitfires, TR7’s and TR8’s. For some reason they didn’t sell so many Jaguars, but they did work on any Jaguar. A newer Jag had multiple issues, including an a/c compressor failure. From BL a new compressor was ~$800, but the identical compressor from a local shop was ~$250. Both were GM. Identical, same GM part numbers. The local part worked great. That dealership also sold the same Lucas ignition and electrical parts for many MG’s every year. Some of the parts had to be replaced every 2 or 3 years. ? The Triumphs didn’t have the same issues, so we thought of replacing the MG parts with Triumph parts (all parts being Lucas). ?? The Triumph parts were often the same as the MG parts, but the parts didn’t fail in the Triumphs. Apparently just better engineering at Triumph. The sales and repairs of the British cars seemed to be money 💰 in the bank 🏦 for the dealership, but the car owners gave up on the British cars and traded them in for Volvos.
The fact is it would still be less expensive to fully gut this car and replace it with a TT LS, built tranny, aftermarket brake system and just keep the body and seats for luxury. These things are so poorly engineered that it will never stay running with its OEM systems which is basically stated by the wizard.
In that case you might as well part out the car, make a couch out of the seats, a small table out of the wheels and sell the rest as RR memorabilia or parts.
@@TheBluegoatman That's not really true. A RR specialist will keep these things on the road relatively inexpensively and they are not poorly engineered, they are absurdly engineered. Meaning that the parts are built like a brick shit house for the most part but they are daisy-chained together so bizarrely that you have to know exactly what to touch and when to touch it.
@@ruk2023-- The complete and utter lack of reliability for these cars proved that they were/are poorly engineered. They are keeping the "tradition" going with the garbage BMW drive trains. It's amazing that they can be so bad but people shell out fortunes to buy them and service them. In the end, they fail at the most basic function of an automobile: to go from point a to point b without breaking down.
For the budget minded there’s always the Jaguar XJ sedans if you enjoy beautiful British cars with lovely interiors to sit in by the side of the road ! My 05 XJ8L is fantastic when it’s running correctly ( and currently all the dash warning lights are off!) but I don’t take it out of town very far anymore...😸
We have a saying over here in the UK "it's like painting the Forth bridge" meaning something is an endless task. The Forth railway bridge is a massive Victorian construction that takes 7 years to paint from south to north, only for them to have to start in the south again !
I have one of these too, and "DIY" it. I found out about the Corvette alternator too, and have one waiting to be installed, but another thing that can cause "dead car" is the battery master switch in the trunk. These can crack and then cause the battery negative to be disconnected. You can get one identical to OEM on ebay for 1/3 of the price...
Used to have a client that was State Sales manager for a major boat brand, he said never buy a 2nd hand one, theyre just a hole in the ground you pour money into, one of his acquaintances brought a 2nd hand one, the riser rusted out and one of the engines sucked in a lungful of water, $8k for a new riser, $30k for the engine repair, then the other one did the same, I guess the Bentley's are like that too.
Maintaining that Rolls Royce is the automotive equivalent of painting the Golden Gate bridge: lifetime employment! Who knows - maybe Car Wizard will finally purchase that private island...
K Jet! I learned some about K jet on old volvo turbo 240s LOL. My best friend is a huge volvo nut. We once fixed an L jetronic system with the air flow meter with one of those conductive paint pens. retraced the trace and it worked great after that. Those things are terribly expensive and he'd have to repaint it every 5k miles or so, but it worked LOL.
95% of all Bentleys ever made are still on the road. The other 5 made it home.
on a tow truck!
That was originally a Harley Davidson joke.
Good one David David, i like it .👍
LOL
Parked on the side of the road?
It’s a TH-camr money maker though. You never run out of content.
For you and your mechanic!
Thats why he keeps buying junked BMs and Mercs. Easy content
With the costs involved, probably still a losing game though :)
Shhh! Don't give the scam away, Ken!
@@rogerwennstrom6677 Its literally hoovies job to do this shit. Its not a losing game. If it was a losing game he would not be doing videos.
He got a lemon with this one. My first Bentley was an 88 Turbo R. Spent $6,000 on it immediately to make sure it was right, kept it for seven years trouble free. Great car.
The mechanics I know here in the UK hate working on this era Rolls + Bentley. But if you get a good properly sorted one they're really excellent to drive .
Until ANOTHER part goes bad. I am amazed Bentley hasn't gone into receivership...
@@largol33t1 Modern Bentleys aren't like the antique one in this video. They're basically VW technology, which is about as reliable as other German brands. Same goes for Rolls Royce, they're now basically BMWs with a nicer body/interior.
@@AAWT "which is about as reliable as other German brands". ..... That's supposed to be a good thing?
@@denbrice yeah, they're utter dogshit. My passat bastrd bankrupt me.
German over-engineering and British quality manufacturing techniques lmao
2:14 "Because those service records can give you a glimpse of what sort of yacht your mechanic will be able to afford"
Back in the late 1980s I was working at a firm of accountants in a city called Chichester in the South of England. Once a month, the senior partner used to drive down from London in his Bentley Turbo R, so that he could shout at the local partners face to face rather than over the phone. Anyway, after one of these sessions he stormed out of the office, but 10 minutes later he came back to call a garage because his car wouldn’t start !
Your comment on the workings of English professional partnerships sounded very familiar :-). I like Chichester too.
It was not a good time for British cars. The partners in Chichester were driving an Austin Montego and an Austin Maestro. I had an ex-police Rover SD1 V8 manual. All were extremely poor quality.
@@julianhammond6713 wasn't the Rover the better car in the bunch, atleast it seems a lot of people in the UK love old Rovers.
Yes, my Rover was better than the Austins but it was still very poor quality, especially the trim and the bodywork. Most British cars of the 1970s and 1980s were awful.
@@julianhammond6713 Weren't a lot of 90s Rovers basically restyled Hondas?
I love the videos where Wizard explains his every action to the viewers who don't get it, because its like hearing a dad explain to their 5 year old why they can't have ANOTHER piece of candy
Lol, this is how I feel with my girlfriend
@@brianhood2363 She must be quite attractive.
He sounds just like my dad when I bought my 1999 Saab 9-3 se. I just put a head gasket on her last week. When she drives I love her.
@@brianhood2363 She's the same with me.
They talked about one of these on Top Gear a few years ago. Clarkson said if one broke down at the factory that built the car they still wouldn’t be able to fix the damn thing.
That was Jame's Rolls Royce Silver Spur, older than these silver spirit based Turbo R
@@dograishan8504 A Silver Spur is no more than a long wheelbase Spirit. And a Turbo R just adds a big turbo, firmer suspension and some trim changes.
So basically they're no more than different variations of the same car.
James May has owned a few and did a piece on them years ago. He had nothing good to say about them, yet he still likes them. I think a lot of their owners have a love-hate relationship with them. True of a lot of us car nuts.
@@acertainshape Like me and my 19 Fiesta hatch, small, slow, and noisy engine. But still cant help but to like it and have fun driving it
Which episode was that in
Tyler, the gift that keeps on giving. Job security and content for the one of the most underappreciated mechanics.
After the Wizard retires this Bentley could become a great career for some promising young mechanic.
DUDE! I fixed my older brother’s 1990 Turbo R by ordering the alternator for a 93 Corvette, just like you said. If I hadn’t found this video, god only knows how long it would have taken me to figure that out...
Is it the same on a 1985 silver spur?
Hoovie pulled the pin on this Bentley grenade and then dropped it off at Wizard's shop. :D
LOL
The second yacht isn't going to pay itself
It will if Hoovie keeps that Bentley....
Wasn't he trying to save up for that island? :D
You could take the Bentley out on the boat and give it a buoyancy test...
DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH WIZARD MAKES PER YEAR ? Even if I told you you wouldn't believe me....
Your Goddamn Right, Heisenberg.
Pulling it all apart and going through it all will make excellent content, I will watch every episode with anticipation of the next
I ran a Turbo R for a year and 20,000 very hard miles, including driving from Edinburgh to Marrakech. It was regularly fully loaded, and regularly redlined and wound off the end of the speedo. Maintenance for the year was about £4000, two major services, plus front suspension ball joints and a wheel bearing. It never let me down, and never demonstrated any sort of temperament at all. It was my only car and did mundane runs to the tip and cash and carry, as well as long trips. I wonder whether Hoovie's is a low mileage garage queen - some RR's and Bentleys only come out for special occasions and they can be a leaky nightmare when someone actually starts driving them. The injection system, as I'm sure you know, is identical to an eighties Mercedes V8, and no-one worries about them. I think they are a great buy (mine replaced a Silver Spirit which replaced a Silver Shadow), but buy one that's been used, not sat.
I have had many RR/B Cars and personally restored about 10 of them. I always recommend only buying 87.5. 88 and 89 cars after the cloud series that is and anything post 2006. My 89 Turbo R has won many awards and I have never towed it. Drove 300 to 500 mi to events and still took 1st place. Most of the small problems I had were due to dealers doing the wrong work to my car from previous owners. i.e. my a/c was hot wired to stay on full all the time! Done my a RR new car dealer. Recently I replaced the distributer belt as it was 12 years old and while it was out did the bearings on it, cap and rotor. I also replaced the factory Power steering unit as it was original and leaking bad. PLus new valve cover gaskets as they too were original. I just turned 44k mi and I am the 6th owner and yes it came with a ton of receipts. Here is the problem. These cars are made to drive and drive often not SIT. They have at least 75 to 85 relays and they like to be on not off. My car never sits more than a few weeks. Even here in PA in winter, if the roads are dry she goes out for a 10 mi trip. Previous owners would spend say 5 k in repairs and put maybe 1000 mi on in a yr of 2. DRIVE YOUR CARS. Plus dont forget they are now all over 30 years old. You are asking a lot of a complicated machine to sit all winter and expect it all to be perfect by spring! Plus by 1990 you had a lot of computers added to your car. My 89 does not have the alarm battery, the computerized shocks and ride control to mention a few.
*Next Hoovies Garage episode, “I’m LS swapping my Bentley”
10/10 would watch
I'm with ya, LS Swap, Coilovers, hot tub in rear, 40" OLED screen, you know, just the basics.
An LS Engine would fit nicely, as Rolls & Bently used GM Hydromatic Automatic Transmissions & either a GM Short Bock with Custom Heads or GM based Engine Block. Of course, you would still need to address the shitty hydraulic suspension & brakes...
You would end up with a much better car, but could you place a quarter on the engine at idle without having the quarter dance ???
and change the suspension to an air ride. it would probably be 90% more reliable.
Bolting the body to a suburban or land cruiser chassis would be easier
Corvette alternator, this car is BEGGING for a Ls swap
Or a Jag V12!
That only fixes about 2% of the problems though.
Yes, ls and 4l80, throw every module in the bin and replace management with motec or similar. Big job but no harder than trying to "fix" this debacle.
So because the Corvette bit failed, you want to go the whole hog and give it the rest of the Corvette bits? Nah I think i'd pass.
The brake system and suspension are more unreliable than the engine, and that’s saying something.
Years ago, when we were a lot younger, in the 90''s, my brother wanted an older Rolls-Royce or Bentley. The prices of used old luxury vehicles were good. I told him you will be forever fixing the thing; it will never run. Eventually he bought a Jaguar instead. Soon after, bought another Jaguar for parts. Neither ran. Some people just don’t get it. Old luxury cars are a money pits.
Scotty Kilmer agrees by saying: you are stupid if you buy this car
I agree with both of you. And Scotty Kilmer.
Lexus ls400 has entered the chat......
But it's a Bentley.
Buy a Kia if you're worried about costs.
@@kris856 Think of it this way: If you were driving along in your newish Roller, would you appreciate some ruffian pulling up beside you in a much older perfectly running one that cost peanuts to keep on the road and giving you a big smile and a thumbs up ?
This Bentley is so bad, it makes a Cadillac NorthStar look like a Toyota.
Now thats BAD! HaHa
My Toyota Crown turns 50 tonight...she fine matey,she fine...
Imagine what the current Bentelys and Rolls will be like in 20-30 years.
They probably won't even last that long.
northstar haha so true
These are actually very reliable vehicles. Over 90% of the problems he discussed are related to the hydraulic systems, the suspension and brakes. If these sit for a few years without being driven somewhat regularly, those systems will get extremely messed up. These use a special mineral oil instead of your usual brake fluid.
When you have a problem with these systems due to them sitting, you really do have to go through the entire system. Otherwise, you will needlessly be doing lots of extra work every time you repair part of it. Once some of the seals or gaskets are leaking, all of them are close to leaking, you're better off going through all of it.
When he replaced the fuel distributor, he didn't need to replace the injectors, they probably would have been fine for at least another 50K miles, but it didn't hurt to do them at the same time and most of the labor was overlapping, therefore saving his customer a lot of money.
If I had the time and space to work on one of these, I would buy one in a heart beat! However, I wouldn't rely on it as a primary vehicle or take it on many long trips since there will be some stupid issues once in a while, such as the security device or the goofy alternator wiring that Wizard explained. Most English vehicles for several decades had notoriously bad electrical systems, this is mostly blamed on Lucas, The Prince of Darkness.
Got a service manual. Where is the fuel pump? Mine cranks but won't start
@@BEACHYz There may be two of them, most likely under the vehicle, near the fuel tank. It could also be an ignition issue.
At some point Mr Wizard, Tyler is going to have to admit that LS Swapping it is the correct fix for this car!
Yep a turbo LS swap and a suspension swap to coil overs. The mineral oil setup is a joke!
That Turbo R reminds me of my 1994 Cadillac Concours. Every month, it was something else that broke. Except it was $400.00 here, $250.00 there, $1,500.00 for this, $550.00 for that. Finally I just got rid of it by gifting it to my local junkyard.
My E46 also keeps breaking. It has never let me stranded, even when the engine let go (rod knock) it got me to my final destination.
It seems we have a secret agreement: "You don't let me hanging, and I will fix whatever breaks."
I had a neighbor who inherited a 1995 Continental R from a rich uncle, it had been sitting for ten years and needed so much work ($35.000 was the quote he got at the local rolls dealer) that he traded it in on the spot then took the money he got for it and bought a Ford Raptor.
Your Cadillac Concours was probably deep-fried,he made a video about how to fix it for good but it's complicated and expensive
@George Jones The 4.9 was such a joy to drive
It's an onion of doom. Once you start peeling the layers back it will keep on producing big bills.
And makes one cry at the same time...
“Onion of Doom” is added to the list of awesome band names, sir. Thank you.
@@LukeEdward word. 🤣
The line from pessimistic Shrek
Bought a '93 Continental R 18 months ago; driven it for 6 weeks of that time. Bodywork, hydraulics, starter motor, air induction, electrics etc..
I have a 98 Continental R which has the later Zytek engine management system - TBH it's been fab. I have had none of these problems and the car is brilliant. These cars and engines need using, sit them in a garage too long and the problems start. Trouble is. people cherish them and don't take them out for fear of putting too many miles on the clock - wrong. Use it, it's a car like any other car. I just completed a 300 mile trip, one of many and it hasn't missed a beat. With 385hp on tap it pulls like a train and on a run it returns 22~24mpg. I love it!!
Anyone else notice the Wizard has really upped his t-shirt game over the last half a year or so?
I want that shirt!
Like the sizes keep getting bigger and bigger? Yeah I noticed that too
My mom got me the same shirt for Christmas
What a show off. Having more than ONE T-shirt !
.
.
Yeah, I was kind of expecting all of his shirts to say CINTAS on the collar actually.
Someone in Wizard's shop: **sneezes**
Bentley Turbo R: every single seal starts leaking.
SIWS: drops a wrench
BTR: half the electrics zap themselves
I have to say that, as a Brit, it is embarassing that these cars are so fantastically fragile. I can only apologise. On the other hand I can be proud that the our tried and tested hypnosis trick "look at the interior, smeeeeeell the leather, feeeeeel the wood" is still working...
good one :) especially the 'feeeeel the wood' one. The whole car feels like wood, directly from IKEA, which evens fake or artificial
As the bumper sticker says, "The parts falling from this car are of the finest British manufacture."
who else is really loving Wizard's T-Shirt?
I love what you do for me Toyota let's go places
Yeah his t-shirt game is strong
@@thecarsectionthecarsection6420 Or as Dan Gurney said when doing the old 1982 Celica /Supra ads. "Oh what a feeling, Toyota!!!"
T-shirt?
It was those big, juicy thighs on his assistant that got my attention!
Perfect examples for doing ls swaps with. Keep the nice exterior and interior and get rid of all the faulty tech.
Amazingly honest & informative video on the reality of keeping up 40 year old motorcars.
When I was a kid in the 70's I visited my uncle in England. He told a joke that didn't make sense at the time:
Why don't the British make TV's?
They couldn't figure out how to make them leak oil.
True today, but not in the 70s I can remember at least ten British made brands of televisions but a British make of the 50s did leak oil from a transformer, a Murphy.
Why do the British drink warm beer?
Lucas makes their refrigerators...
Funny that. The Brits invented the TV and ran the first TV station. 🙄
@@1chish What confused me then is my grandad's TV was a Granada and he proudly told me it was British.
My uncle had self deprecating humour.
Personally I like the joke now.
@@davidpaye9505 Sounds like the G5 iMac.
Anyway, I think I'll change the joke to "Why did the British stop making TV's?" with the same punchline.
In a decade or two when the world goes electric the joke will make even less sense.
“Tyler started driving it.”
Well, there you go!
He definitely tried a burnout. And that's not the way a Bentley wants to be treated.
Tyler is jinxed.
How do you fix an old Bentley?
Send it through the crusher.
how spitfires ever ran is a mystery?
@@timothyfinn905 No computers, smog equipment, or government intrusion. 😁
Sell it to Hoovie
@Cam montreuil engines exactly.
Re do the brakes with a proper system and drop in a carburetted 350 with an auto attached to it.
Problem solved, forevermore.
@@daszieher Yeah, I guess even if you had to put $25k into a total conversion to do everything right (which is way more than it would actually cost), it would still be better because you'd only have to do it once.
On the subject of service records I used to have a van which had previously belonged to a taxi company as their recovery vehicle and had lived a hard life. I deliberately bought a high miler because I wanted one that had already had a new timing chain so I had one less job to do. The service record was the most honest I have ever seen. It had entries like "Gearbox rebuild. Rebuild kit was missing such and such washer so we had to put the old one back in". Never had a mechanical issue with that van that I couldn't resolve on the driveway with hand tools and when I traded it in, the dealer kept it as their parts hauler.
"Hoovie is kind of used to having cars in the shop." Hit the nail on the head right there, Mrs Wizard!
In the 70s my wife worked at the British Embassy in DC, being British they had to have Rolls Royces and Bentleys,guess what--they were always broken, the mechanics hated them and some days you could see the Diplomat walking back to the embassy,leaving his RR by the side of the road! Friends don’t let friends buy British cars!
hilarious
They had to have them as in it was an occupational requirement, or a strict, indoctrinated preference?
The second option.
Rover P6s just wouldn't be grand enough, and the Rileys and Alvises were no longer available.
"Things keep breaking over and over again." Ah, sounds like my old Neon SRT 4 I had for a couple of years. Fix one thing, another thing breaks. It had more vertical miles than horizontal.
Where are all the neons?
Really? I had a big turbo srt4, it ran like a top for 12 years.
@@grad0n Well, I saw a SRT-4 pull up the gas station when I was there and saw a regular one on the highway, so there's at least two out there.
@@gregschlegel5964 It was in crap condition when I got it. It didn't turn me off to them as I still love those things.
Wow what a great hobby car! Lasts a lifetime.
Or 2 if you pass it down to your kid
This video explaines, why I chickened out on a "deal of a lifetime" a couple of years, ago... ;-)
I am 86 years young and I fear your example of going to the doctor applies to me. At least the Bentley was a great luxury car when it was younger. Oh well!!! Really enjoy your videos. Thanks.
The problem with the bentley and rolls cars is they do not get used enough ,they sit around for long periods developing leaks ,if you have one use it as a daily driver .
Bull$hit, Bently's & Rolls of that era can only be fixed with tools of an adequate caliber, such as my 12 gauge Mossberg pump shotgun with a dozen or so slugs...
Actually, Richard hit the nail on the head. These cars (like any other machine) need to be operated regularly. Atrophy complicates the aging problems.
Yep my maintenance schedule on my e36 m3 is drive and oil changes
Most times I laugh at Hoovies problems but this is one hell of an expensive tale of woe Mr. Wizard.
Might as well do the V12 Jag swap in this one too!
I don't use ASMR to fall asleep. I just listen to Wizard videos. His voice is super calming... Keep up the good work, Wizard...
My son has my old VW passat 1.9l 22 years old. Used every day by me and now him.
195,000 miles.
5000 miles sythetic oil services and filter.
New rotors, drive shaft couplings, exhaust and timing belt, rad and and water pump at 100k
Broke down last year with belt tensioner puller failure (external). 20 quid.
You can keep your money pits.
Just LS swap it and call it a day. You already have the alternator.
Did you watch the video? The problem is not the engine, the problem is the whole car
So true , it would be cheaper in the long run and more reliable at that point. I think after dumping all this money he may as well go ahead and do an LS swap.
😳🤣🤣👍
@Springvale Studios, Ipswich, Suffolk, East Anglia, UK. 😳🤣😭
I CANNOT RESPOND TO THAT
I just see these cars as hopelessly flawed
antiquated engineering
The major problems is the mineral oil suspension and breaks. They leak all the time! The engine isn’t terrible.
The Bentley Boomerang would be a better model name. It keeps coming back!
I work on a Silver Spur, same thing.
So the big question is, what purpose does a car like this serve? I bought a 54 Nash 36 years ago and it still runs. Everyday driver in fact. Only had to be towed twice in that time.
Another perspective is that it is worth going through properly, once, and replacing service items and known issues, spending the $25k and having a lovely car that runs properly and gives pleasure over a reasonable period. After all he is running a new RR Phantom, which he said himself is costing fortunes in finance costs, and which he suggested he would get rid of if the Bentley were running properly. I suspect the reason Hoovie doesn’t do this is that he is about generating drama and income for his TH-cam channel; it certainly isn’t financial as he clearly has almost bottomless pockets to spend on new projects. There’s nothing wrong with his approach, and it makes for a good channel, but he should really be honest about his motivations. Thank you for your content on your channel, from a British perspective it is interesting to see the US garage scene - many of the headaches are mutual! I run an BMW E39 so you’ll have sympathy I’m sure!!!
I have one of those. When they are running ok, they are a delight. The acceleration and speed you can throw it into a car never fails to impress. I am not very mechanical, but I did source and change the rear suspension spheres myself to solve the common floating ride issue. Not that easy to get to them and then they can be very hard loosen. Main reason I had to do it myself was they wasn't anyone within a few hours of where I live that was able to work on Bentleys
When he first bought this car I was really hoping it would be a good one that would get driven a lot. Such a shame that it has a never ending litany of issues. Such a cool car as you & Mrs. Wizard mentioned. Keep up the good fight on this one!
Had the same problem with a girlfriend or 2. Things are running so smoothly now..
Her front seals were gone and dripping fluid too ?. Yeh thats not good.
The Car Wizard is the Bob Ross of auto repair
One of the main reason I watch the car wizard’s videos is because of his honest no-click bate titles.
Some cars have the spirit of come back. This occurs in every shop. It's nice to have a reasonable customer.
In my experience, the guys that say "Quit whining and just get the thing done" are the same guys who would curl up into the fetal position after attempting to fix a car like this.
You bet they would. They are also the same morons that would bankrupt a business in 6 months. Fixing things for free. Because “just shut up and fix it” when the owner wont even pay for it.
@@CarWizard There's armchair quarterbacks and armchair mechanics, both irritate the shit out of me for the same reason. All talk, but when the rubber meets the road and it's time to take the bull by the horns, they're nowhere to be found. Your channel is awesome, you have a wide breadth of knowledge and expertise as well as integrity so to hell with the rest, Dave! BTW, most complicated car I ever wrenched on was an 85' BMW 745i with the factory turbo M106. What a blast figuring out all the gremlins on that one!
@@CarWizard This is EXACTLY why I am struggling to get through to my cousin. He is hellbent on buying a Lamborghini. I watched one owner's video after another on TH-cam and strongly suggested that he watch them. He hasn't changed his mind. Lamborghinis are just as much of a money pit as the Bentley from all the videos I saw.
@@largol33t1 if he wants a Lamborghini that bad talk him into leasing one. All the fun and none of the worry about fixing the pieces of junk. Every single lambo video I’ve ever seen with a lambo over 30k miles they fall apart. Rich ppl problems tho so I don’t really care
Bingo. I’ll whine. But the shit nobody else will work on always comes to me, and leaves fixed. Ive made window parts for this same year Bentley. Yes. Made. Which is what brought me to the Chanel.
80s Bentley reliability:
Wizard: "its just disgusting, it really is"
lmao
I'd rather have a not-running Bentley in the garage than a driving "reliable" Toyota.
I too love bicycles
@@petrosaguilar8916 lol stupid
Wizard is looking forward to the day Tyler Hoovie says, "I sold the Bentley Turbo"!
y? so he can say "you sold my money maker?"
Don't fret Car Wizard, Hoovie will find you another lemon to rake in the cash!
@@that1guy82 Wizard would like to work on Hoovie's other hooptie acquisitions.
The bad news to the Wizard would be "I sold it to John Ross!"
Sell It?? You won't be able to give it away now 😥😥
I used to own a 1989 Bentley Turbo R. It was my first Bentley. I went on to own 5 more Rolls Royces and Bentleys up to a 2008 Bentley Mulliner Flying Spur. They all needed constant TLC (except the 2008 model). I used to drive around 10K miles a year in them and sometimes 20K. They needed servicing every 6 months or 6K miles. I used to spend around £3-6K annually keeping them in top condition depending on mileage that year. The last 2008 car I owned was very different mechanically as it was German designed. It was also the most visually underwhelming of all the cars and least enjoyable even if on paper it was the best.
When I sold my Turbo R it had 175K on the clock, was about 13 or 14 years old and apart from a new reconditioned gearbox had just needed lots of regular maintenance by a specialist. The trick with them is to anticipate known problems and keep ahead of them. Occasionally something throws you like once when the washer bottle leaked down its refiller pipe into the engine management system. It shorted the engine ECU. Some plastic sealant around the washer bottle neck and a recommissioning of the ECU fixed the problem.
They are complicated hand built machines but everything can usually be fixed or replaced, even old circuit boards if you know the right person. They also need using regularly as standing still for ages ruins them and not just the battery. They are full of fluids so the pipes and joints need regular use.
Anyhow great video! I get your frustration. It is one reason why I left the marques though I’d have the right one again in a heartbeat. Probably a Seraph which was a gorgeous car with a BMW sourced V12 engine and very reliable. I sold that with over 100K miles on too.
Did you end up getting another? What are you driving now?
@@vw5056 no I haven’t had another since the Flying Spur. I almost bought a Last of Line 2001 Seraph a few years ago but after driving it wondered if I was in love with the idea more than the car. I had a BMW X6 at the time and when I jumped back in it the X6 was more comfy to sit in and drove much better. You can get swept up with the badge very easily through rose tinted spectacles. Now I drive a Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 V8 diesel. It’s a wonderful car. Leather (inc the roof lining) and grained wood everywhere inc the steering wheel. They are wonderful cars with great visibility and have the opulence of a premium luxury vehicle.
You have the patience of a saint with this car. I doubt Bentley or Rolls Royce give much thought to the owners of their cars 25-30yrs down the line from new, their focus is on the very well-heeled customer buying it in the first place to whom the running costs are usually immaterial. It’s probably a car for the skilled enthusiast who can spend their own (labour-cost free) time rebuilding it. Great videos 👍
I recommend Tyler take it to the lake and make a "High Class" fish sanctuary out of it
You mean like the one he gave to Tavarish? 🤣🤣🤣
Here's what I think about this. You know how you replace the Mercedes suspension with regular coilovers and it's fine? If one really likes one of these cars, I would think one should get rid of the whole mineral oil system. I think that's the plague of those cars right? Regular brakes regular suspension, or air suspension. And update the injection system, like people weld spots for injectors in old manifolds and install Holley ecu's or something of the like. An ancient battery for an immobilizer system? That also needs to go. It can be done, by someone willing to do some mods. Or maybe someone to make kits for these, like the Mercedes ones. Then people won't fear the, oh this is complex no one will know how to fix it afterwards, or "I don't want to hack the car up" what's better, make some changes, or let it rot until its too far gone and it goes to the crusher? There also needs to be something done about that alternator starting circuit thing. I don't see why one would keep quirky antiquated problematic systems original and a headache instead of actually fixing them, by fixing questionable designs. While still keeping the car feeling luxurious and the way it was intended to feel and so on. There just needs to be someone to like them enough and be open minded enough to update some of those headaches the right way. So one of these that's cheap and worthless, because it's not worth fixing, can be made a nice car again. But the kind of person that would of bought one of those years ago, wouldn't be into that, so someone else, that likes something about them, and gets them for cheap, could do it. People that make straightforward kits that others don't shy away from. I just have to keep mentioning how it surprised me Mercedes owners actually took the logical route and changed the problematic suspension for something alright, instead of having the repair cost more than the car and getting rid of it.
You could replace the RR unit with a battery and electric motor .I personally would like to have a simple diesel Genny or back up battery's in the boot or on a trailer just in case you can't find a charging port while you are touring .
@@JohnDoe-ox5ni @John Doe You mean swap it over to electric? Sure, that can be done too, but it won't be "the same" enough for people that just want their cars fixed and to stop being a nightmare. The things I suggested, if done a certain way, someone could hop in the modified car, and in a regular one, and not notice the difference, modifications to keep the car from ending itself with repair bills. I like the idea of hybrids, charging while I'm driving, but that's fully changing everything in the car. Hoping to do something of the like at some point, I think all of the electric and hybrid cars on the market are, well, not for me. That's being polite. I'd like to get something like a 5 series, sedan than can also look good, and have more space than something smaller, while not being a certified boat either. And shove in motors till I don't have room anymore. Hard to swap anything in Europe but I'll try. And the generator idea, is not a good one, you're better off having a dedicated range extender tied in with the car, or made to work with it, if you get a household generator, you'll be wasting lots of fuel and time.
As the old woman said to Alan Rickman in Robin Hood, “Something vexes, thee?”
Of Hoovie’s hooptie collection: “THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE!”
I'll cut your fuel injectors out with a spoon.
Its very nice - for a Volkswagon.I never thought I'd see Wizard kicking a car but through the fine direction and script writing of Mrs W. it has been done.
I bought a new TR-6 in 1973.
It fell apart the next day after I drove it home.
I bought a new Mini Cooper in 2007.
It fell apart several times during the year and a half I owned it.
Every British built vehicle owner I ever talked with has virtually the same story.
Every vehicle from MG's to Bentleys to Aston Martin's to Range Rover's have the same durability issues.
I have owned cars from Germany, the U.S., Italy, Japan etc.
Best vehicle hands down is an Acura RDX I have owned for years.
Nothing ever goes wrong with it.
One exception was my 2001 4x4 Suburban.
It never broke either!
My spouse refuses to call me "car wizard". Your relationship is laudable.
Did we learn today, that his name is Dave at 9:00?
Wow, that Rolls needs an immediate unscheduled rapid disassembly...
like the one Tyler bought for Tavarish as a Christmas gift...
Chop shop!!!!
@@jwenting I bet this one smell a helluva lot better than that one hehehehe
@@jwenting Yeah, it's no wonder when he was tasked with buying the most unreliable luxury car he could, the Silver Spur came to mind.
Maybe if they send it back to the factory they can fix it? Just saying
Hoovie buried the wrong car.
I was going to suggest they bury it. Or maybe blow it up.
@@Shauma_llama blowing it up sounds awesome 😂
Blow it up then buried it.
HahahHAhhaahaha! TH-cam comments are wonderful things!
@@Dave.S.TT600 Don't get me wrong. I fell terrible for these lost cars. Every time I find a old luxury car dent free with new like inside for less the n a grand; I want to save them all.
When you commented on the expensive leather I thought of Albert Brooks in “Lost In America “ when he’s lost everything and is a crossing guard and a Mercedes pulls up and he had to lean in smelling the “Mercedes Leather “ a reference to the car he was looking to buy at the beginning before it all went haywire, an often overlooked comedy Gem! Thanks Wizard!
I just took out my motor on a s10 the 2.2 its small but took me two days this guy is a true Wizzair.
This car reminds me of the Peugeot dealership I worked at in the 80s. We dubbed those cars "The car you NEVER stop paying for"
My dad had a 505 diesel, this sounds like something he would say
Next hoovie’s garage episode- “Why I Buried My Bentley”
"After I crushed it and burnt it for good measure and saved my self thousands of $$$."
How to set a car on fire so insurance adjusters think it was an accident. First, start out with a Bentley Turbo R.....
@@pursang833 And plenty of 5 star petro!
No, why I buried myself because the bentley finally won.
The Rolls Royce and Bentley owners that i know all have grey hair, bags under their eyes and wrinkles. Now i know why🤔🤔
And they have not even hit the age of 40 yet!
I think RR are a lot better in general. Anyway, at the 80s and 90s they were the same company but I'm not sure if RR was that bad.
They walk home a lot.
Well with alm the hate BMW gets, it's odd that hoovie Rolls was BMW powered, and his old Bentley was audi/VW. But the BMW powered Rolls was FAR more reliable
so true and accurate. I had a 93 Turbo R with JUST 35.000km on it, billionare owned 1 owner and all bentley service records and it was a money pit every single time I drove it.
Dear Wizzard,
I can’t help feeling you’re nearly there with this car, especially if it’s down to an 0 ring between the caliper halves.
I have an ’86 RR Spirit. Admittedly it is a carburettor version ( though running on LPG as well)
It had been driven hardly at all over many years, but after replacing two front brake discs, the suspension and brake accumulators, the rear gas “springs ” a few suspension joints, compliance mounts, engine mounting and ( have to admit it ) a steering rack and second hand radiator and lastly two front shock absorbers, I have a sound car I think.
We bear in mind it is 35 years old, Tyler’s is 30. Once sorted they require systematic and conscientious maintenance, yet are great to drive, smell of quality leather and are hand crafted in many areas.
I love mine even though it isn’t a classic and I take comfort in the fact that once components are replaced, reliability is restored in that area at least.
Now 6 years on and nearly 30,000 miles, I have a car that gives constant pleasure and I hope the same will be true of Hoovie’s Turbo R. 0-60 in a little over 6 seconds was a revelation in the mid 80’s and a well sorted, Turbo R ( or Mulsanne, Bentley 8, Spirit/Spur)
driven often and not left stored for too long at a time can be a delight.
Paul Chapman
Hey wizard! Id love a video talking about your experience like where you started and kinda of training/schooling you might have gone through, and touch on opening a garage, it’s a dream of mine and I’d love to hear some of the steps working up to you getting started! Love the videos man keep up the great work
He has, he started tinkering with things mechanical at an early age and never stopped. He loves a challenge.
This rig is enough to set your hair on fire! Just look at what it did to the Car Wizard. Two years ago he used to have to get a hair cut every two weeks.
The wiz is gonna have a breakdown b
The fact that Don Tyler Hoover allows Don David Long kick his car shows that he really don't care about it anymore xD
I think I would be like that to if I had a car that just can't stay fixed lol
You've told on people before haven't you...
@@norsevikingsir4932 I dunno... might be making a list...
@@Stgpop Something right?
pretty sure hoovie kicked the car himself a few weeks ago
Ms. Moneypenney is/was a beautiful Peacock blue 2-tone 1979 RR Silver Shadow II, that I used to maintain, for a close friend. Same exact thing! Something was always breaking or going wrong...and she barely got used!!! Damn drivers window regulator had to be sourced USED, from a "Breakers Yard" in England. $450!! Uses a tiny little chain to move the window. Of course it got rusty and broke. And don't even get me started about the brakes!!$$$
We finally gave her to Gateway Motors, in Orlando, to sell on consignment. The poor girl sat in their showroom for over a year, before someone bought her...for WAY less than originally advertised. In the end, I learned allot about them and met some fantastic people. I loved her(and had fun with her), but good riddens. We have the rest of the Murphy Collection, to service and maintain.
JT: Orlando FLA
So glad my family talked me out of getting one of these. Happy to stick with my w126 Mercedes. These Rollers and Bentleys are more like a small aircraft in terms of service and maintenance.
Reminds me of the time in the late 80's, Mike Tyson owned a Bentley that kept breaking down. He was so fed up up that after a break down one night, he saw 2 cops and just gave them the car lol!!
Well, you've talked me out of ever buying a Bentley.
May I interest you in a 20 year old BMW? "Allsalesfinal"
Oddly the Arnage has been OK. The Continental was another disaster though.
They are now owned by VW. Reliability is no longer a problem, albeit the price tag is.
Here's what you do:
1. Tear out everything including the entire mineral oil hydraulic fluid system and everything it runs.
2. Install an LS3 and conventional brake and suspension system.
What's the point in having it then?
@@ruk2023-- EXACTLY!!
@@ruk2023-- it'll look rich but actually move under it's power more than a 100 feet.
@@ruk2023-- Looks, interior, style. The drivetrain isn't anything special.
@@chadpurser I get what you are saying but almost everyone who buys a Bentley does so to tell people they drive a Bentley, not to tell people they drive a Corvette C5 in an overcoat.
I'm British you guys are fine engineers a great credit to keeping the Bentley marque on the road and enjoyed. Shame we didnt have a different materials technology way back then when the seals etc were designed. I think I'll stick to saving up for a recent Jaguar (poor man's Bentley) in Thailand where I am, the Land of (Hidden) Smiles and No Bentleys and everything foreign including my British tea bags and Marmite is 400% import duty - go figure - !! xx
In the late 70’s~early 80’s I worked at a dealership that sold British Leyland and Volvo cars. They sold a ton of MGB’s, Spitfires, TR7’s and TR8’s. For some reason they didn’t sell so many Jaguars, but they did work on any Jaguar. A newer Jag had multiple issues, including an a/c compressor failure. From BL a new compressor was ~$800, but the identical compressor from a local shop was ~$250. Both were GM. Identical, same GM part numbers. The local part worked great. That dealership also sold the same Lucas ignition and electrical parts for many MG’s every year. Some of the parts had to be replaced every 2 or 3 years. ? The Triumphs didn’t have the same issues, so we thought of replacing the MG parts with Triumph parts (all parts being Lucas). ?? The Triumph parts were often the same as the MG parts, but the parts didn’t fail in the Triumphs. Apparently just better engineering at Triumph. The sales and repairs of the British cars seemed to be money 💰 in the bank 🏦 for the dealership, but the car owners gave up on the British cars and traded them in for Volvos.
Need to part it out or put in an LS engine. Though that would mean reengineering the brakes, electrical and computer controls,.......
The fact is it would still be less expensive to fully gut this car and replace it with a TT LS, built tranny, aftermarket brake system and just keep the body and seats for luxury. These things are so poorly engineered that it will never stay running with its OEM systems which is basically stated by the wizard.
In that case you might as well part out the car, make a couch out of the seats, a small table out of the wheels and sell the rest as RR memorabilia or parts.
@@TheBluegoatman That's not really true. A RR specialist will keep these things on the road relatively inexpensively and they are not poorly engineered, they are absurdly engineered. Meaning that the parts are built like a brick shit house for the most part but they are daisy-chained together so bizarrely that you have to know exactly what to touch and when to touch it.
@@ruk2023-- The complete and utter lack of reliability for these cars proved that they were/are poorly engineered. They are keeping the "tradition" going with the garbage BMW drive trains. It's amazing that they can be so bad but people shell out fortunes to buy them and service them. In the end, they fail at the most basic function of an automobile: to go from point a to point b without breaking down.
@@akaydogan Can you name a 30 year old luxury car that is reliable as a daily driver?
At some point you're better off making yourself a nice 6.75 litre cast iron coffee table.
😂😂😂
Like top gear UK did with the Porsche engine
@@kruleworld and tub it out.
@@kruleworld ask WatchJRGo
Oh wait, he broke his LS swapped Rolls and it has been sitting with a broken rear end almost as long as Tyler's Bentley.
It’s an aluminum engine.
Hoovie: I bought the most expensive Turbo R on the whole of TH-cam.
For the budget minded there’s always the Jaguar XJ sedans if you enjoy beautiful British cars with lovely interiors to sit in by the side of the road ! My 05 XJ8L is fantastic when it’s running correctly ( and currently all the dash warning lights are off!) but I don’t take it out of town very far anymore...😸
We have a saying over here in the UK "it's like painting the Forth bridge" meaning something is an endless task.
The Forth railway bridge is a massive Victorian construction that takes 7 years to paint from south to north, only for them to have to start in the south again !
You can pay 25k up front or in installments of 5k at a time.
25K upfront or 10 "easy" payments of 5K each.
WatchJRGo did an engine swap on his Rolls Royce with a 6.0L LS, which may be the only way to get this thing "fixed"...
The venerable 6.75L engine is a very good one that was actually designed by Packard.
Nope, that one is stil broken.... ;-)
"It also smells like expensive mechanic bills..."
😳🤣
I have one of these too, and "DIY" it. I found out about the Corvette alternator too, and have one waiting to be installed, but another thing that can cause "dead car" is the battery master switch in the trunk. These can crack and then cause the battery negative to be disconnected. You can get one identical to OEM on ebay for 1/3 of the price...
Used to have a client that was State Sales manager for a major boat brand, he said never buy a 2nd hand one, theyre just a hole in the ground you pour money into, one
of his acquaintances brought a 2nd hand one, the riser rusted out and one of the engines sucked in a lungful of water, $8k for a new riser, $30k for the engine repair, then the other one
did the same, I guess the Bentley's are like that too.
That bently seems to be a labor of love... To own that car you must really love it as you toss money into the fire pit :(....
Maintaining that Rolls Royce is the automotive equivalent of painting the Golden Gate bridge: lifetime employment! Who knows - maybe Car Wizard will finally purchase that private island...
Ummmm... Actually 18000 times. 😎
I'm standing pat with my 2005 Honda Civic. The grass is greener on my side of the fence!
K Jet! I learned some about K jet on old volvo turbo 240s LOL. My best friend is a huge volvo nut. We once fixed an L jetronic system with the air flow meter with one of those conductive paint pens. retraced the trace and it worked great after that. Those things are terribly expensive and he'd have to repaint it every 5k miles or so, but it worked LOL.