Cars made and sold by Rolls-Royce and Bentley were often featured on TV shows like The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. But seldom do you find one that’s 40 years old, in great shape, and having only 25,000 miles. Such is the case with the seller’s 1986 Silver Spirit, which looks to have been well-cared for over the past four decades. Located in Greer, South Carolina, this car may end up being owned by someone not rich or famous,s as the current bid with no reserve is $4,550 here on eBay.
The Silver Spirit was in production in England from 1980 to 1997. It was the shorter wheelbase version of the series, as the Silver Spur rode on a longer chassis (limo). These heavy cars (5,000+ lbs.) were powered by 6.75-liter V8 engines paired with GM’s TH-400 automatic transmissions. While the seller’s car looks flawless, it is not without an unfortunate story. It seems as though the alternator developed a short that led to a small fire that cooked part of the wiring harness. We’re told all that was sorted out and solved by “professionals,” but it resulted in a Georgia salvage title rather than a clean piece of paper.
This R-R sports a two-tone paint job (original) with a tan leather interior. It has, no doubt, stayed in a garage more often than not to have just 25k miles after 40 years. We’re told it’s a good running machine and is highway-ready with a new set of tires. This car has every imaginable creature comfort, including power everything and a self-leveling suspension for a better passenger ride.
If the alternator/wiring harness/salvage title thing is something you can get past, this could be a sweet set of wheels for no more money than, say, a Cadillac. But do you have enough extra coin to hire a driver to pilot you around on the weekends and to Cars & Coffee?
It’s amazing that Rolls were so expensive, but their used prices are down to the “unwashed class” levels. This looks to be a nice ride at a nicer price (for now), but I also understand these tend to be somewhat unreliable. It could be the reason for the steep decline in their value. Still, the next buyer won’t take a hit if the price remains reasonable and they don’t intend to daily-drive it.
Actually, they are extremely reliable, especially the SZ era cars. They make great daily drivers, too. Like any old car you just need to do your research and familiarize yourself with mechanical differences.
And while they may seem cheap after 20-40 years, they still generally command 7-10x the price of an equivalent American car in the same condition. Excusing exceptions of rarity, #1 condition, etc. of course.
I agree with Terry. An expensive nightmare to service. Just buy a Buick.
Lovely car. This has always been my favourite version of the Rolls-Royce. I can imagine rolling up to the car in a similar Bentley saying “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?”, assuming the bloke in the Rolls-Royce is the friendly kind, he might respond “But of course!”, handing the mustard to the bloke in the Bentley.