7th Jan 2006, 20:57

I have heard (A&E special) that Rolls Royce's do not get broken in until 250,000 miles. True or False?

8th Jan 2006, 11:26

You know, after reading some of the reviews here and talking to "real" Rolls Royces aficionados (as opposed to the Beverly Hills housewife type) it appears that Rolls Royces, while grossly expensive to maintain, are very good long term cars. Even David Olgilvy, the famous advertising guru, had one for 22 years after he got the Rolls Royce account.

So the 250,000 mile comment makes totally sense, although getting there would probably cost at least $50K in maintenance and gas. But, then again, a Rolls Royce buyer isn't concerned with such things.

But my favorite part of Rolls Royce is the lexicon. A Rolls Royce doesn't break down, it "fails to proceed". And a while ago they wouldn't list actual horsepower figures, but stated the engine was "adequate plus 10%". Brilliant and sooooo British. Too bad BMW is screwing up the brand with its hideous designs.

2nd Feb 2006, 11:41

I am the proud owner of an 88 RR Silver Spur and yes there is nothing like the ride of a RR. True it can be expensive to maintain, but then again if you shop around you will find a good mechanic or do the work yourself like I do. I have had the car since 1992 as a present to my wife, then again I drive it every chance I get. I am though searching for front pads and would appreciate a link to a retailer.

17th Feb 2006, 03:08

I own a 1995 Silver Spur, which has done 75,000 miles. Apart from some remediable problems with central locking, minor oil leaks and the cruise control, the car performs perfectly and drives majestically. It is far and away the most impressive car I have driven in over forty years of driving in nine countries.

JDF

Perth, Western Australia.

18th Jul 2006, 05:54

I own a March 89 Silver Spur which came with 159,000 kilometres on it. After a preventative service, I have also replaced the A/C compressor and the rear struts/gas springs. I'm only 35 now, and after owning everything from Rx-8s to Cadillac Fleetwoods and Statesmans, I fell fairly confident that this RR will be the car I drive into retirement. A machine can produce perfect replicas ad infinitum. A Rolls Royce is hand-built, thus every car is unique in some way. And they are designed and built to last 50 years or more. Which should just about see me into my grave one day...

4th Jul 2007, 19:20

I am considering obtaining a 1989 RR Silver Spur with 20,000 miles.

Can anyone that owns at '89 Silver Spur comment on the reliability and maintenance involved... How much would you pay for this car if it were in perfect condition?

How often do you have problems with the car (assuming that you drive carefully and slowly)?

9th Aug 2007, 19:14

I own a 88 silver spur with 40,000 original kms. I always look forward to driving this wonderful machine, what a ride. I will take this car over a new phantom any day. Yes I have driven the phantom.

5th Sep 2007, 20:58

I need some help. I have a 1989 Silver Spur and it rides like a pogo stick. I replaced the accumulators in the rear with no change in the ride. Can you help?

13th Mar 2008, 20:06

Just happened to notice your question. When you say accummulators, do you mean the gas springs situated at the top of each shock absorber in the luggage compartment? If so, was the system bled and the vehicle height verified afterward. Good luck.

13th Mar 2008, 20:32

Greetings, Like many of you, I've had a lifelong love affair with Rolls Royce automobiles. They delight and inspire me, & their attributes of grace, quality, and mechanical perfection have kept me dreaming of owning a Rolls Royce since the age of 6 or 7. Well, now I am ready to begin making my dream a reality. I have read the reviews contained here, and sincerely want to know what years have proven to be most reliable and least costly to maintain. It seems from the comments that

87 1/2 thru 1989 cars have some solid advantages. Any other considerations to be mindful of when choosing a year or model? Certainly maintenance history is critical. I live in Los Angeles Calif. area, there are a good selection of well kept local cars to consider. Thanks for your opinions.

Chris B.

16th Mar 2008, 09:18

I went to a movie theatre long ago, and recall coming out noting a huge fluid loss that had drained all around a beautiful Rolls during the show out in the parking lot. Not an attractive sight. Prior comment brought this to mind.

4th May 2008, 12:42

"The Yellow Rolls Royce" movie as a child sparked my love of RR's. Now in my 71st year I've changed my business plan (small video production company) to include the 1989 RR Silver Spur as the company mascot so to speak. I'm prepared to search high and low for the best maintained on the market. I appreciate all who have left their comments, owners and prospective owners. I'm not a millionaire and don't pretend to be one. Who cares as long as I can enjoy and pay the maintenance - right! A west coast purchase perhaps will avoid the erosion found on east coast cars due to winter road salt. Go Senior Power - grin!

1st Apr 2010, 08:18

My friend just bought a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow two - and he has now got me interested in buying a Rolls Royce as well. I would like to buy a Silver Spur built in from the years 1987 to 1989 time period. Could anyone one tell me exactly in USD $ what such maintenance servicing such as tune ups, oil changes and brake jobs would cost. How much could the labor charge be? I live in the NYC area. Do you know of a great repair shop and mechanic in NYC.

Thank You Scott R.

1st Apr 2010, 21:20

I bought a 1989 Silver Spur in August 2007, at which time the car was 18 years old. Rather than second guess what your purchase needs, it would be best to have a competent shop check it over and give a report. Once that is to hand, you can decide what needs to be done right away and what can wait for a while. I found a shop that works on upper end cars Mercedes, BMW and Jaguar and they were very thorough and objective. Labour rate $70/hr. Stay clear of dealerships.

Mine needed some vacuum lines sealed, new distributor, rotor and leads and most important rear brake replacement. They had the existing calipers re-machined back to original, installed new pads and replaced 4 flex hoses. The set of pads cost $189 and the hoses were $58 each. Machine shop cost $250 per wheel.

We put in new air and fuel filters, which cost a total of $74. Oil change and oil filters should not be any more expensive than any car, except that the 6.75L engine does take more oil. In the 2 1/2 years since I have only needed to refill the A/C, which was about $50.

The car runs on regular fuel, and if driven moderately, will give better fuel consumption than expected.

Make sure that you have a couple of bottles of Castrol Hydraulic Mineral Oil on hand, as the brake and suspension system will need the occasional top up. They are 500ml and cost about $10. They have to be obtained on line without any problem.

If you need any more help, I'm at rayhutch@lks.net