1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur from North America

Faults:

I do not understand the weak opinions of this fine car. The 84 Spur that I have has been a pleasure.

A good hint is to keep a very large, fresh expensive battery in the car. The fuel injection is electronic and requires power after cranking to run properly. The engines are so well designed, that they will start easily on diminished power, yet not idle well if the battery is then weak from cranking the starter. So get one that costs a hundred US dollars, and is as big as will fit in the place in the well in the floor of the trunk.

If you suspect the converter to be clogged, replace it. The O2 sensor needs to work as well. The gas and air filter must be clean.

Only use premium fuel and stabilizer if the car sits for months. Do not let it sit up for long periods. Get it to operating temperature bi-monthly at least, and drive it around the block if you don't want to go enjoy it. Lanolin that leather, and do not let it sit for days in the sun. Solar radiation ruins everything, including a Rolls.

A lot of the components are GM, so it's not like you're buying all Ferrari parts. First you have to be a car lover, then you can understand why. They are works of art.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 28th September, 2010

1984 Rolls Royce Silver Spur 8 cylinder gas from North America

Summary:

A highly expensive, prestigous car with inordinate incidence of repair

Faults:

Transmission leak at 49,000 miles.

Replaced rear brake pads; front and rear at 49,000 miles.

Replaced parking brake pads at 49,000 miles.

Replaced rear struts at 49,000 miles.

Replaced front strut ball joints at 49,000 miles.

Universal joint, drive shaft couplers cracked: replaced at 49,000 miles.

Compliance mount torn, replaced mounts at 49,000 miles.

Replaced top and bottom coolant system hoses. @ 49K miles.

Hydraulic accumulators not holding pressure, replaced accumulators @ 49K miles.

Inoperative warning flashers replaced @ 49K miles.

Air conditioner compressor replaced @ 51 K miles.

Master cylinder leaking @ 5l K. mile.

Side view mirror fell off in summer heat. Replaced @ 51 K. mile.

Windhield wipers move exceedingly slowly; need to replace the motor.

@ 5l K. miles. Parking pall is broken, meaning the car slips out of "park".

Will require extensive work to replace.

The retaining springs on the the side view mirrors are worn, causing the mrrors to vibrate excessively when driving at highway speeds. Replacement spring retainers are unavailable (or not sold individually).

General Comments:

As an example of the inadequate design and engineering of this car, the sun visor, when lowered, strikes the rear view mirror, knocking it out of focus. The gear shift lever is located so close to steering wheel that one's knuckles frequently knock the car out of gear when turning the wheel. Similarly, the brake pedal is located very close to the gas pedal, inviting disaster.

The frequency of repair and the excessive cost thereof, is testimony to the poor engineering, quality control, design and assembly of this super expensive unit. This gives credence to truth that Rolls Royce reliability is limited to Rolls Royce advertising and the mythology of excellence accepted by Rolls Royce enthusiasts.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 5th February, 2002

7th Jun 2002, 11:00

For goodness sake. Brake pads front and rear replaced? How does this fall into the category of "things that have gone wrong with the car"? It's called wear and tear, like changing tyres or replacing blown bulbs. Consider that a Rolls-Royce tips the scales at three metric tonnes, and you should see why it's widely known to be heavy on brake pads, brake discs, auto transmission and steering joints.

You also have to expect major service costs on a large, complicated, hand-built automobile when it clocks round more than 50,000 miles, especially if it hasn't been maintained by a franchised dealer. Rolls-Royce cars are not put together by robots with hydraulics but by humans with hands. If you didn't realise that any product of this ilk requires the same day to day care as when it was originally assembled, you should really think about changing down to an S-Class or perhaps a 7-Series BMW. The charm and road presence will be lost in an instant, but at least they're a no-brainer to drive and to own.

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