When buying a used car, some buyers focus on practicality, cost, reliability, and efficiency, while for others, it's more about the styling, luxury, and performance. Bentley buyers are firmly in the latter category — but that doesn't necessarily mean Bentley owners ignore costs completely. Or do they? The sheer fact that Bentley models typically depreciate 46% after the initial five years of ownership suggests otherwise.
The Bentley depreciation curve worsens significantly with the expensive Bentley Bentayga
SUV, which can lose up to 57% of its original value in just the first five years of ownership. This is particularly alarming because the Bentayga starting price ranges from $207,050 to $339,850, depending on the trim level. After five years, this luxury SUV can lose between $118,018 and $193,714, amounting to as much as $454 to $745 per a single week. Despite the prestige a Bentley badge carries, it also represents a poor investment proposition. Let's take a closer look at why that is.
Read more: 10 Used Cars You Can Safely Buy With Over 100,000 Miles
Is A Used Bentley A Good Buy?
A Bentley Continental GT is one of the coolest grand touring cars ever built, and is also one of the very best the brand has ever offered. However, that does not stop it from depreciating up to 38% after five years of ownership. At the time of writing this article, a decent used 2015 Bentley Continental GT on Autotrader costs as "little" as $50,000, which is more than 70% less compared to a brand-new one back in 2015. This begs the question of whether this Bentley is a bargain of the century or whether the price reflects the trouble.
Even though a 10-year-old Continental GT can be had for a fraction of its original price, that doesn't mean its running costs have depreciated accordingly. In most cases, it's the opposite; the costs of maintaining it are higher the older the car gets. What's even worse is the fact that a 10-year-old Bentley is much more likely to require a major repair, and those can be excruciatingly expensive.
The Bentley Flying Spur is also set to lose 43% of its initial value after five years, while its 10-year value prospect is pretty similar to the Continental GT at around 70%. For example, buying a two-year-old Flying Spur can save buyers as much as $68,685 compared to a brand-new one.
What Makes Bentley Vehicles Lose Value Over Time
Compared to consumer cars, the demand for a Bentley diminishes after a few years, and that is partly why it depreciates as much as it does. Premium luxury cars such as these are bought on lease, and are quickly traded in for a newer model the moment it comes out. Speaking to Car and Driver, Eric Ibara, director of residual value consulting for Kelley Blue Book, said, "The demand for these vehicles is all toward the newer end of the supply chain. Whereas with a mainstream vehicle like Camry, it's more evenly distributed."
Even though one can buy a Bentley for only a fraction of its original price tag after five to ten years on the road, a Bentley is always going to be a luxury car, which means that its running and maintenance costs are going to reflect that. Moreover, not as many mechanics are comfortable working on Bentleys, and the costs of replacement parts can also be extremely high. With that in mind, even an $11,000 2004 Bentley Continental GT is going to carry five-figure maintenance costs, which means that there is no such thing as a cheap Bentley.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
