When you see a car that is near the end of its production run, you sometimes notice a detail or two that suggests it was one of the last ones made. I can’t put my finger on why this 1999 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur stood out, but a quick Google confirms that the company made only 75 examples of its long-serving model. 1999 was the end of the line for this era of the iconic sedan, and the seller maintains his is in exceptional mechanical condition. The big Rolls is listed here on eBay with bids to just over $1,000 and a Buy-It-Now of $23,000.
We talked recently about how many of these Silver Spurs end up on the receiving end of a poor maintenance plan with low-budget owners. It’s a shame, because most cars are by-and-large reliable if looked after, so a high-zoot luxury model like this gets dinged because someone chooses to cheap out on upkeep. The seller’s car has over 130,000 miles on the clock and claims it runs impeccably, which is not hard to do with most luxury models when you don’t get into a pattern of skipping the first big service bill. This Rolls does appear to have some minor cosmetic blemishes commiserate with use, but presents well for the most part. The seller does note the presence of scratches and blemishes.
The interior was always a highlight for these British beasts, with supple leather, real wood trim, and thick carpeting. The one major complaint I see is the failure of the hydropneumatic suspension, but again, this is not a terribly problematic system if you keep ahead of it when the inevitable failure occurs. In fact, the seller already notes in his listing that this Silver Spur benefits from new spheres, the ball-shaped unit mounted near the shocks that helps the system maintain pressure. The listing confirms that the air conditioning system has been gone through.
The engine is the long-serving Rolls-Royce 6.75 liter V8 that benefits from a light-pressure turbocharger, generating a healthy 300 b.h.p. The seller notes that the car has been extensively serviced by factory technicians with OEM parts, which is always a good sign. This seller has shown up with a few different high-end luxury cars over the past few months (you can see the warehouse in the background with a variety of makes and models stored), so it seems like he has a passion for opulence. This end-of-the-line Silver Spur is a true modern classic and could be a bit of a sleeper in terms of a 90s-era collectible that isn’t commanding top dollar at the moment.
The seller should take what he can get and use it for maintenance of the “ugly duckling” RR Carmargue in the background.
Curt, Curt, Curt It’s becoming apparent you have a hard on for the wealthy and upper class (pardon the pun). So where does a “man” rate if he doesn’t have a bulging wallet or anything else? And which would you rather have?
A CURT reply to Curt! Please show some R E S P E C T! Not only Older people enjoy Luxury vehicles. At the age of 35, my late brother bought his first Rolls Royce. He worked hard to build a successful business empire and was somewhat of a Philanthropist. Not everyone wants a sports car (often said to be the choice of older men, compensating for 🤔). Isn’t there enough Jealousy and disrespect in this strange and divisive world? PEACE ✌ to you. Oh yes it IS true that maintaining a Rolls Royce often exceeds the cost of a previously owned Rolls.
That should be a Chinese Proverb or a poster in every mechanics shop…”the cost of maintaining a (fill in the blank) often exceeds the cost of purchasing a used (fill in the blank)”.
He’s been making this sort of statement in this site for years with too many different user names to remember, it’s gotten so bad that the moderators have delete his account multiple times.
Steve R
Upon the introduction of the SZ Series, one critic proclaimed them as “The best Mercedes-Benz cars ever produced by Rolls-Royce”. Some never liked the style, while to others it was an acquired taste. They were built for around 20 years, and can often be found for sale, usually with needs.
While the car here is in relatively decent driver condition, with much of the heavy lifting done, it is not perfect. Being a turbo-charged model, it is somewhat rare, and desirable to some. Most people that wanted a turbo model in 1999 picked the somewhat more sporting Bentley model (252 produced).
This car lies somewhere in between the rough ones, and the mint ones.
I suspect the owner has spent close to the asking price on service over the past several years. Properly refinishing the wood, paint and cosmetics would be an expensive proposition. It is often said that when considering the purchase of a special interest car, you should buy the best you can afford. This is especially true of SY & SZ Series Rollers.
The reality is there are nicer examples around that would cost much less than trying to improve this one.
These are a lot like older boats. Often very hard to sell. Someone may be happy to buy it, but probably happier to sell it.
Mercedes? These always put me in mind of being styled in the mold of the 1977 GM B and C bodies. Smart move on RR’s part since it could be the in-your-face display of wealth they’d always been at home in Britain, while blending in with Caprices and LTDs until you noticed That Grille and the paint quality, giving it the “understatement” people in America (and the Middle East?) ascribe to high end British products.
Curt: that is a mean comment to make! You can KEEP your stiff and choppy Euro-sport-mobiles; I prefer opulent comfort, utterly smooth operation, and isolation from both the road underneath me and the weather outside. I do not enjoy luxury simply as a means to show-off or compensate for waning virile manhood, as you so glibly and disrespectfully suggest. Men, as they become elderly, are, if anything, less concerned about their virility. But they DO value things which don’t upset their arthritis too much, and vehicles which they don’t have to climb down into and then up out of. And they might appreciate quality which they could not afford when they were younger. Then again, YOUNG men who may feel “cheated” in their “member” department, might drive “hot” sports cars, simply to compensate for their sense of “inadequacy” in “other” departments: get my DRIFT?
LOL! Have at it, boys!
From the pictures it looks great to me and would love to have one like this. Body and paint look great, interior looks fantastic and if the motor and trans work as should, I would love to have this one all thou my favorite is the much older models like the classic 64 to 65 when a rolls was a roll and not a chevy.