In our latest technical guide. We’re back to jobs that most classic car owners could reasonably undertake…except this time on the most modern car we’ve featured so far: a 2003 Bentley Continental GT.
Our test car is one of the earliest first-generation Conti GTs, notable for being the first brand new Bentley released under VW’s ownership. It was the first Bentley to be mass-produced and, at a mere £110,000, the price was less than half that of the old Continental R. With its 6-litre twin-turbo W12 engine, this GT is an absolute beast of a car, but (how to put this politely?), it is not renowned for being trouble-free. The engine compartment is cramped, electrical problems are reasonably common, and the air suspension system requires careful handling, as we’ll see.
Regular maintenance is the single best way to keep your GT at its high-performance best. We’ll look first at an oil and oil filter change, then replace the wiper blades, and finally fit new air and pollen filters. The oil change includes putting the GT into ‘jack mode’, which is absolutely essential. If you don’t, the self-levelling system will exhaust its air trying to maintain ride height, risking suspension collapse when lowered. Even doing wipers involves going into the ‘maintain & service’ bit of the infotainment system, but thankfully this doesn’t pose the same potentially catastrophic risk!
Braking on the GT is interesting too, but we’ll save that for another day. In the meantime, the usual caveats apply. Please note that these articles are intended as general guidance only. For model-specific instructions please refer to your owner’s manual. Finally, and we can’t emphasise this enough: safety is paramount. Please use the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and dispose of waste products responsibly. Good luck and mind your head! If you have any questions, queries, or tips please email sales@flyingspares.co.uk
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