Bargain Buy or Money Pit? Why The Silver Spirit is the Last "Proper" Rolls Royce
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2023
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Today I am reviewing what could be considered the last "true" Rolls Royce - as one of the final cars to combine the famous badge with the epic 6.75L Rolls Royce engine. But - as a Classic Rolls, will it just break the bank?
#RollsRoyce #V8 #SilverSpirit
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James i see you have put on the Rolex for this video nice touch 👍
I think you did a great review, but missed some things... like when it comes to eating up miles on ridiculously long journeys it leaves most GT cars in the dust assuming you stick more or less to the speed limit. It was a very, very good review, but I feel with more mileage you'd gain a lot more insight... not your car, you borrowed it... I get it.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a new or old Rolls Royce, it’s still a Rolls Royce and that will make people to sit up and take note. Great but really brave choice for parts and repairs. It’s a shame Rolls has gone to SUVs such as the Cullian. I do think this is the definition of a proper Rolls Royce.
It does matter when it was made, a sad fact.
ROLLS & FERRARI DIDN'T WANT TO GO SUV BUT...
LAMBORGHINI & BENTLEY WERE MAKING SO MUCH MONEY WITH SUVs, THEY HAD NO CHOICE !
@@makoshark69x96more people would listen to your point if you didn’t type in all caps
WHY SHOULD I TYPE IN LOWER CASE LETTERS ?
JUST TO PLEASE YOU PEOPLE ? I DON'T THINK SO !
I JUST PUT MY OPINIONS OUT THERE AND....
IF PEOPLE WON'T CONSIDER THEM BECAUSE OF SOMETHING STUPID LIKE, IT'S IN ALL CAPS....
THEN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO READ IT....
I REFUSE TO DO SOMETHING JUST BECAUSE EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT !
I JUST PREFER TO WRITE IN ALL CAPS....
YOU PEOPLE PROBABLY READ THESE POSTS ON A PHONE.... LIKE A RE-TARD !
BUT ON A LAPTOP, I DEFINITELY PREFER TO WRITE IN ALL CAPS ! @Alejandro_Bonilla
@@makoshark69x96 I’ll respect that you simply prefer all caps, but I hope you recognize that capitalization does affect how your messages are interpreted. All caps sets a tone of anger and close mindedness.
Furthermore, typing in lowercase isn’t just to please others. It’s to communicate effectively by using the social standards people are familiar with. Other styles of writing may also be used.
I’ve owned my Silver Spur 2 for seven years and it’s utterly gorgeous and completely reliable. It’s luxurious beyond anything else. I have vast experience of new supercars but nothing matches the Rolls-Royce. Thanks for the positive review Jay. And I fall into the category of someone who wanted a Rolls-Royce. The Spur is my second one and as long as I can keep it well, I will.
So a Rolls Royce is a supercar? Need I say more...
@@mariemccann5895 of course not! I was merely comparing the experience of being in a Lambo or Fezza vs being in my Royce. On Saturday I drove a Lamborghini Huracan but was happier when I got out of it and back into my car.
@@powerglory4022 Somethings not adding up, but good luck with what you put yourself through.
@@mariemccann5895 I've owned an Austin A35 for about 18 years. Given the amount of money I've spent on it (5-speed box, improved engine, replacement floor pan etc. etc. etc.) it would've been cheaper to have bought a Roller and tolerated a couple of heart-wrenching expenses.
Which is the better car: A Roller or an A35? I made the wrong choice.
RR is just not for everyone. RR cars live in their own fashion and style. I believe they have no competition. There are some rivals in terms of tech, engines and quality, but not in style. RR cars are in its own class. Drop by, you may like my content. :)
I own an ‘89 Silver Spur for the last twenty years. For sixteen of those years, it was a daily driver, clocked up over 200,000k all around Australia. Now I’m almost finished a full resto, this has been the biggest cost (obviously) of the entire time of ownership. I love my Spur, I’ll never sell it.
If you buy one of these cars and park it in a garage for months at a time, it will break down when you drive it. If you take it out every week and service it once a year, it won’t let you down.
I'm impressed it held up in Australia.
@@JohnSmith-wx9wj The spiders here can’t take down cars just yet. 😏
@@MyMarsham No, but the wombats can!
I keep hearing your last paragraph from every rolls owner. I'll get one probably the same as he's driving here or the late 90s one. But after I build a new house because I won't insult the car by not garaging it, and my current house isn't worth wasting money on.
A boss of mine had a Bentley of this era, couldn’t see the point really.
Then one day he let me drive it, before the thing had even changed out of first gear I totally got it. Have to say l loved it and although I’m not brave enough to buy one I don’t blame anyone who does.
I've owned an '86 Silver Spur (with the fuel injection) for about 2-1/2 years. I've had to invest a significant amount of money (roughly half what I paid for the car) in taking care of the repairs and maintenance the former owner neglected. And I just love the car. It is a joy to drive. When I get in and close the door, I just relax. When driving it, you really can feel the weight of the car and the torque from the engine required to move that weight. It isn't fast, but it cruises along effortlessly. My only objection to the car is that I feel I need to dress in my Sunday best just so I don't look like I've stolen the thing.
NOTHING WORSE THAN A PEASANT IN A ROLLS !
WEAR HIGH END CLOTHES OR DON'T DRIVE IT !
And if you wear a suit, don't forget the opera scarf.
I confess I've owned one Spirit and one Spur, as well as two Shadow IIs. Mind you, I'm a retired dealer and I bought these four money pits with the intention of selling them, which I did in all four instances for worthwhile profits. BUT, any RR bought for one's personal use should be diligently inspected by somebody who truly knows the cars before parting with your cash. Seemingly insignificant items can be ruinously expensive, like the A/C blower switch that cost almost $1500 from the dealer...which is why it got replaced by one of identical rating from an electronics store. The new switch was black, not a pretty chrome t-handle, but it worked perfectly and it only took a few minutes to make a suitable trim plate for it...and it only cost $7! If you're involved in a fender-bender and happen to lose a hubcap, well you just saw $400 disappear. God help you if you have to actually replace the fender - about $2400, if you can find a new one. But there is one saving grace, at least if you're a single man; Any RR in presentable condition is an absolute magnet for women. From grannies in parking lots to cabaret dancers, they all can tell at a glance that you OBVIOUSLY have more money than sense...and they'd be only to happy to help you destroy some of it!
😂😂
“Any RR in presentable condition is an absolute magnet for women. From grannies in parking lots to cabaret dancers, they all can tell at a glance that you OBVIOUSLY have more money than sense...and they'd be only to happy to help you destroy some of it!”
Wrecked myPorsche and traded it straight across for a VW Rabbit. A few weeks later I met my wife. She said she wouldn’t have given me the time of day if I had owned the Porsche.
Drive an expensive car,
attract cheap women.
That's a proper motor car. Whilst it's rivals may have seemed better, there is something very special that occurs when a friend asks you what are you driving these days, and you reply "I've got a Rolls Royce".
No. It is way outdated, lacks essential modern tech, you need a much younger model, maybe only a BMW-ROlls.
@@anastassiosperakis2869 what ‘essential’ modern tech do you need? It’s a lovely old car, comfortable, quiet, interesting. I think I could live with that quite happily.
@@anastassiosperakis2869 Nothing of it is essential. More like trouble.
...and your friend will know, you're a masochist 😅
It's a shame, we cannot replace the drive trains etc. like the do in the US. An LS swapped Rolls would be nice!
@@anastassiosperakis2869it has cruise control, abs, hydraulic suspension, a way overbuilt engine with fuel injection , silky smooth suspension and transmission, high quality materials throughout the interior, and non of the annoying modern technology and screens that can really really date a car. This will always be a timeless car and are surprisingly reliable and easy to work on. It will outlast most owners grandchildren.
18:10 - It's nice to hear someone say that £20,000 is a lot of money. Bravo, sir. It IS a lot of money, isn't it. Having said that, it's also a bit of a bargain for a used Roller.
People nowadays have been brainwashed, bullied and 'poor-shamed' into thinking that a car - any car - must cost a minimum of thirty-five grand. For an EV, make that forty-five grand. Fifty-five, if you like. That's absurd. Obscene.
Paying for something in supposedly easy monthly instalments does not make it good value for money, nor does it make you a rich person. It means that you're just one more consumer who's permanently in debt and who doesn't actually own anything in their sad and empty life, whether it's a car, a mobile phone, a trendy 'garden studio', or a ruddy set of shiny implanted fake teeth.
Owning a Rolls isn't something that appeals to me, but I find it very easy to understand why someone would want to. Splashing out twenty grand (and knowing that fuel and proper maintainance will be costly, too) makes perfect sense if you know your own mind and want to drive something special whilst sticking two fingers up at the rest of the 'monthly payment' motoring world.
I paid £85,000 cash for my RR Ghost. I sold it 12 months later for £85,000. All it had was a service. Nothing went wrong and it bought me massive joy. I am glad I am not married to you. Your life must be even more "sad and empty" than those you criticise.
9:37 Even the window ‘clunk’ on closing sounds purposeful.
Got to love the sound engineering.
It was sometimes necessary to open a window about half inch when closing a door because they were well sealed cars and a resistance sometimes occurred when shutting the door !
Glad I wasn’t the only one to notice that clunk. Just oozes quality
Shame the modern ones are built with crap engineering and ultra cheap Alibaba components designed to last just long enough for the 1st owner to trade it in and not much longer. Fall apart by 40k. Worse design and build quality than a Mondeo.
But was I right noticing that 'going up' the window was much slower than going down? That, right there, turned me off a bit.
I've got a wealthy uncle who has always had a rolls or bentley for a long as i can remember. I remember going in these in the 90's and they seemed amazing
My 1984er Silver Spur is very reliable. Parts are, compared to old Benz, Porsche or BMW, cheap and, above all, you get all items you need. Try this, as example, for my E23 BMW 735 and you will get one frustration after the other. I love to drive the Rolls and my other Rolls, the 1973er Silver Shadow LWB, too. Both are a great stress relief for me.
call BMW mobile tradition in Munich , I have a 1975 3.0s and get my spares directly from the BMW mobile tradition department
I have the '84 Silver Spirit with 51000 miles and I agree with you. Parts for to me are not that bad. But I lucked out and have a incredible mechanic trained in Great Britain.
I knew BMW Mobile Tradition since many years, because I collected old BMW´s for many years. But many parts, especially interior parts or sheet metal parts, are not available for E23. Yes, you can find parts by specialized traders here in Germany, but by far not all. It is much, much easier to find parts for British or US cars.
Jay Leno said his turbo is reliable. He doesn’t let it sit and presumably maintains it correctly
Re: *parts availability* ---I'm really surprised (and happy for you, and rather envious) that you can easily get parts for a 1984 'niche market' car in 2023.
I own a 1995 Jaguar XJ6 (Canada) and a major factor pushing me to sell it soon is that parts have been:
a) steadily more difficult to find, or
b) simply not available at all.
"Morning Peasant" absolutely priceless 🤣 Another awesome video, thanks for sharing
There’s nothing like a Rolls to make you feel special.
God I just love the old Rolls and Bentleys, they were just pure class and looked powerful. I would love an old body style with the interior and electronics of a new one.
RESTOMOD ROLL ROYCE ! DOES ANYBODY BUILD THOSE ?
I often think about a resto mod roller. If I had the money I would make one . The Chevy 572 crate engine would be top of my shopping list
I've used my Spirit like a modern for about six years. I had to plough some money in at the start because it had been sitting around after the last owner's demise. But having only covered 39k it was ready to resume duties and I've been everywhere in it - recently drove from Caen to Utrecht and back in a day (18 hour round trip). I agree with Jay. Jump on the little faults, and don't be afraid to pick up a spanner, it's all very old school. Then proper servicing from a member of the RRBSA. It has never, ever let me down. Yes it uses petrol, yada yada, but no depreciation. If you have even the slightest itch, go for it
My dad owned a Silver Shadow II in the '80s - it was his ambition to own one before he turned 40 because his mum had worked for Rolls-Royce (aeronautical rather than automotive).
I think the Spirit of Ecstasy retracting wasn't so much for crash purposes, more an anti-theft measure. On my dad's Silver Shadow it was connected to the horn, so if you pulled it forward or pushed it back the horn would sound (and like anything else associated with the car, the horn was pretty substantial!).
In my younger days in the 1980s I was a part-time chauffeur in London England where I absolutely loved driving the Silver Spur II and believe me it was plenty fast enough.
This is hands down, one of the most beautiful looking cars ever made. The long wheel base (silver spur or park ward) were even better design wise. My preference would be a Mark III in silver, blue, green, or burgundy.
My Father in Law bought a 1985 Silver Spirit I in Masons Black for our wedding back in the 90's.
He still has it and is in pretty good condition still.
That's epic
@@JayEmmOnCars Yep C759 XLM
He was running a coach firm at that time and reasoned that a black car actually made the brides dress stand out and he could also use the car for funerals 😆
I've driven it a few times and like you said its a surprisingly dynamic car to drive compared to your preconceptions!
They get under your skin and do make you feel a bit special.
This is a car that you buy with your heart, your bank manager won't be happy but who cares as long as you can afford to run and maintain it. This is true of any luxury cars, if you can only just afford to buy one then please don't. I have had my share of them and as a Sunday driver they are a dream, but you still need a daily driver.
When you see someone driving Rolls Royce's from this era you know they are seriously rich, or insane, there really is no in between!
The RR Silver Spur is the peak definition of old luxury. When cars were measured by the materials they used, not by technology. Something we’re never going to get back. It really is a relic and damn did they do good.
I was present at the time of this review as my Elan M100 was reviewed previously.
This RR was beautiful both inside and out and I'm not surprised that James in his very professional manner has enjoyed reviewing it. I wouldn't have minded being sat in the back seat pretending to be the Lord of the Manor whilst being driven around the country roads.
The reason its called a land yacht.
Much like owning an old boat/yacht beautiful wood finishes excellent craftsmanship and a glorious money pit.
This is your best video in terms if script/text so far, Jay!
Not that I would actually have watched every single one of them, but it has a level of comedy that lives up to the British car industry.
Great and detailed work here. I always loved RR cars. Being out of fashion means in the RR world having its own one. RR cars will never get out of fashion because they were never fashionable. In the RR world everything is about the style and feel. :) This is what I think.
"RR cars will never get out of fashion because they were never fashionable".
I own a modern RR Ghost. Your statement is spot on, even about more modern Royce's.
That entrance was Hilarious 😂 👍
Most Spirit II owners had to sell their homes to the National Trust to fund them, but they are marvellous.
I owned a Silver Spur back in the 90's., and drove several models prior to then.
Many don't know, but RR didn't manufacture every part in house - I was amazed
when told by a mechanic that Citroen supplied most of the brake parts and even
General Motors supplied much of the gear box, if not all of it.
The engine, hand made body and interior, were the real RR for me; today, not so much.
Money pit.
Join the RROC and you can rent the tools for just the cost of postage both ways. Watch videos on how to do SOME of the repairs and maintenance. It’s still a money pit. It’s just that the pit is a little shallower.
What a great old car, nice to see one so well maintained ❤ It may be old technology but it will outlast the modern stuff 😊
I drove one of these at the Great British Car Journey in Derbyshire. Their’s dates from 1989. It was truly a surprising car, much more fun than I’d expected and, maybe it’s the lack of room inside, but it seems to shrink around you when you drive it. You sit high, rather like a Range Rover, to look down literally on those around you. Perhaps that’s why it doesn’t feel intimidating at all. Sure the steering is super light as you might expect and performance is tempered by those kilos, but she’ll move if sir demands rather in the manner of a speed boat, where a second or two is needed to move the mass of water out of the way before getting underway. The view over that bonnet with the spirit of ecstasy dead centre to target the hoi polloi to move out of your way is just magic. Magic is the best word to describe it. What an experience.
Gently but firmly depress your right foot, listen to the engine fill its lungs and watch the massive bonnet and Spirit of Ecstasy rise up in front of you. Suddenly the horizon looks a lot closer...
I have a 1988 Spirit 1 and I agree with everything you say, I am not sure about the £20000 valuation though. Perhaps dealers with absolutely pristine models are getting that but the usable classics are around the 8 to 10 mark. That car in the video looks like a really good example and I think you're perfect in your assessment, they aren't perfect cars but the sense of occasion every time I drive it makes up for the flaws. Mine has been a very reliable car and apart from the spheres and some corrosion issues I have only needed to do routine servicing. I have very basic mechanic skills but still do most of my own work. Excellent video, look forward to the next one.
Awesome Roller. Thanks Jay. Brilliant as always.
Just the most eclectic range of cars on you tube. Well done.
your car knowledge is truly awesome and your presentation is smooth - all in all great entertainment. thank you.
there’s a mid 2000’s chrysler 300 in my town with a low effort body kit to look like an RR & the grille looks EXACTLY like this. somehow i feel like this is still more reliable than a neglected chrysler 3.6L
Thank you! I went for a Jaguar Sovereign XJ40 of 1991 instead of one of these and while it is still a bit of a money pit, it's a small one compared to one of these. I guess it's 90%+ of the Rolls-Royce, for much less money.
Exactly this - fellow XJ owner here
Totally agree.i considered one but went for a mint x300 xj6.
A small correction , the Spirit 2 was available in 1987 , the biggest give away is to look under the bonnet , its got no carbs , feul injection , abs and active suspension were the main changes , interior give away is the change of the seat adjusters and 4 memorys for the seats .
II was introduced for MY1990, which this car most likely also is. 87 was just the introduction of the first Bosch injection, of which this already has the successor.
For me, Rolls Royce fell off the map in 1965, when they announced the Silver Shadow; of which my Great Uncle said: "Gentlemen, you have finally produced a car which looks little better than a Ford, and is quite probably of similar build quality!" He then left the boardroom and never set foot in a Rolls Royce premises again!
I agree with him still, I love Rolls Royce cars, but only up to the Silver Cloud 3. The last truly magnificent Rolls Royce.
Clouds are automotive historic monuments. Such class will never be replicated.
I dunno, had a surprise chance to spend the day in one, in Belgium. It was quite nice, and about 35 years old and still perfect! Too large guys in the back, lkooking totally out of place.
It was wonderful. Owner seems to like it as well. He likes and has the ability to restore and enjoy these...
Thank you for a fair and honest review! So many modern folks spend the entire review being snarky and deriding... Best thing ANYONE can do, with all classics...make friends with the local club. Talk to people who are passionate about the marque. A 20th Century RR or Bentley is on our wish list.
These are discreet and beautiful cars. They blend in quite well. Unlike the ghetto BMW cars of today.
This is my favourite Rolls-Royce, and one of my favourite cars of all time. As a teenager in the '90s, I wanted one, and wrote to the company asking for a brochure. They kindly sent me a couple.
Thank you for reviewing it.
It would be awesome if you could review some Rolls-Royce models from the 1920s and 1930s. I notice that the name plate has the old Art Deco typography.
Just as I'm researching my next money pit here we are jay emm to the rescue.. literally any of my ideas you've had one on test...
I've got this in a Silver Spur model and couldn't be more delighted by owning and driving it. Absolutely deligntful.
Wonderful cars, the driving position is great as is the overall effect of the car either driving or looking at it.
If you want speed this is not the car for you but if you want oppulence and comfort these are very good and the image is of a great car with so much motoring history, almost legendary.
The fuel consumption as you mention is high but you don't buy or run one of these to save money.
Maintenance can be high at specialist or independent so beware of running costs in this area of ownership.
Thanks for this video, very well done!
It is a beautiful car. The interior is gorgeous and beautiful. Thank you for this great video.
Great film and a gorgeous car!
Have wanted one for years but my garage and budget will not allowit.
This along with the Seraph/Arnage (setting aside the engine comment for the moment) really was the last gasp of luxury building from RR/Bentley. Everything was built using quality materials and was actually what it was supposed to be - wood was wood and metal was metal with plastics being high quality and minimally applied. The new cars by comparison, though accomplished, feel cheaper underneath with fuzzy plastic in the glovebox and stuck on decals on the rear compartment mirrors.
Thanks Jay good review
Rolls Royce is about the vibe. I love the way you put it: "occasion".
Money pit detected
Not really, no worse than a Porsche or Aston. The most expensive bill I had ,wasn't for the car but for my having my garage extended so it would fit !
@@jjefferyworboys8138 I own twelve. I drive them into the swimming pool I can't afford then get them fixed so I can do it again. My wife's boyfriend thinks it's great.
Keep taking the drugs...
@@papalegba6796😂
That's the point. This car is to demonstrate that you have money to burn. If you were poor, you'd drive a Lexus that never breaks.
WOW.
What a beautiful hand built British Tank.
Value for money in this market.
Like flying first class all day everday .
Can't wait own one. Before metic cars flood.
Keep up great work.
Big bee🎉
I can see the fascination with owning a Rolls-Royce (Silver Spirit), but as you point out, for example, a contemporary Mercedes-Benz W126 560 SE is in every way a far better car. It is probably mostly a matter of cultural affiliation whether you find a Rolls-Royce or a Mercedes-Benz to be the most attractive car. I immediately think of the Top Gear episode where Jeremy and James argue about whether the Mercedes-Benz W100 600 "Grosser Mercedes" or the Rolls-Royce Corniche is the best :)
Nice review, you’ve got a lot to say,all helpful.
Brilliant cars, they're really art on wheels. Cheers
I used to own a silver shadow and a silver spirit. Both absolutely stunning cars. .My silver spirit was in bright yellow 😊😊😊😊😊
I use to have one.
I loved it and am looking at getting a silver shadow series 1 next.
Expensive to run but worth it if you are enthusiast. Some say they are absolutely crap, I say they are crap but get a good one and look after it and you’ll have something to enjoy.
I Love the way you word yourself !
‘Today we’re bringing a bit of class to the channel’. With that shirt, that must’ve been intentional, right? Right? :) Even the Spirit is a tasteless gold plated floozy. ‘You can’t afford me, mister’
The best way to approach any Rolls-Royce, is to remember that the company's mission is to build palaces on wheels, and that its target demographic is addressed as "Your Royal Highness". Everything else follows on from this, including the maintenance costs associated with a bona fide palace. These cars are aimed at people who will *never* have to ask "how much?", but instead will, without drawing breath, rifle the options catalogue and ask "can I have this, this, this and a brace of those, please?"
Strictly for the rich, or the VERY dedicated aficionado. Ideally, you should be both.
But, if bagging one of these for your driveway IS your big dream in need of fulfilling, don't let the aforementioned intimidate you. Just go for it with your eyes wide open.
Right proper wafter this car. Just relax in the back and Alfred drives you from castle to chateaux. Nice colour. Wonderful interior.
Excellent, loved the comment on the spirit of ecstasy
Very entertaining review!
Thanks J! 🙏🙏
Great review, thanks.🥶
I've always been curious how the ride in these compares to my Turbo R, it doesn't sound as different as I thought it might! Adding to the total expenditure on my Turbo R I've recently had to have a bushing replaced in the front suspension, which annoyingly took out a tyre and required a full alignment, so I'm down another £1200. Though I've gone for quite a few months now and several hundred miles without any new issues so my total this year should be a lot less than the last two!
The GM transmissions are actually quite good and reliable units. The one with the GM four-speed auto would probably be even better.
it's insane that 1 gearbox component - obsolete and non-serviceble - has the Arnage out of service permanantly!
@@chrisdavidson911 was that the 5 speed ZF tranny? I know that's not the case with the GM unit.
Keeping up appearances. 😆
This thing radiates opulence.
Beautiful car. Always wanted a Rolls. One day i will get one.
I Love Them. I’ve Had Three. Currently My 2016 Phantom Has Had No Major Repairs.
Delightful.
RR 4 Ever.❤
Have you tested an early w12 spur ? There also incredible value for money at the moment
Beautiful car. The main reason for buying one today: collectors. And people that restore old cars and sell them to other collectors, which I love, taking something old and reusing it, this is very big in the United States. As far as the aesthetics, the mid 1980’s is still my favorite.
These have got to be prime targets for EV-ification? Swap all the mineral oil stuff for decent shocks and brakes, whack in a Tesla motor and batteries in it and you have a lovely silent cruiser with a magnificent interior. The engine is much better in other applications, sell it on and fund the conversion surely?
As a Citroen Enthusiast with an SM, CX, XM and a C6 and a love of old Jaguars, these intrigue me.. I've had the E38, F01 BMWs, But I'd love to have one of these. :)
Just look at the condition and Quality of road asphalt he is driving his Rolls on ,in California , the amount of road cracks , bumps, potholes is staggering ,just like in Third World Countries.
I was sad to see the end of the prior Silver Spirit, but I quickly warmed up to this one. I love vintage RRs and would love to drive either. The current ones are cat vomit, designed for NBA stars and not the retired banker or broker.
A mate lent me his RR , unbelievable, other drives turned into pussy cats ,let me into traffic, gave way when they weren't required, waves and lots of smiles.The drive was amazingly relaxing
Hi Jay! How does it compare to the Century in terms of the feeling of occasion and grandeur? I assume the Century is more reliable but can it compete with the emotion of driving a RR?
We've owned our for 26 years. Lovely bit of British heritage.
I already had a lot of cars, incl. Oldtimer Mercedes and Jaguars and Range Rovers and I had several RR’s and B’s also (all models between 1948 and 1995). Therefore, I have to say: if you buy a good example of a Silver Spirit, it will be the most economic of them all to maintain! (Silver Shadows are a money pit, but Spririts and Mulsanne and Continental R’s, means, all SZ models as from about 1987) are truly as well designed and put together, that they are worth owning.
One of the leading weekly motoring magazines (I forget which one) reviewed the car in 1990, and its view of the car was mixed. The review began with the good points (I forget the rest);
"What the Silver Spirit II is best at, of course, is being a Rolls-Royce. The quality of fit and finish everywhere is breathtaking and truly sets it apart from any other. It's also very easy to drive in town."
Is that steering wheel from a Sherpa or Transit?
Hideous isn’t it?
I very much enjoyed my Rolls Silver Shadow and drove it long distances here in Australia. They are nicely made but I spent several times the purchase price and that was for a good car. They are wonderful to drive. But they must be maintained comprehensively.
Most people get rid of that damn suspension. There's an aftermarket suspension you can buy which is like normal cars and you suddenly do away with all the oil leaks of the RR suspension.
Smiling, in my first full time work, I was given a Volvo 245 Estate with servo assisted steering AND a mobile phone. That was before the well known NMT system appeared. NMT is the backbone of today's mobile telephone system, and it appeared in 1981. But back then, mobile phones were based on VHF, single or duplex systems. With a single system, it was just a one way system, then you had to say "over ''. With a duplex system, both could speak at the same time, but the price was nearly double, but that was a luxury item at that time.
I have owned 6 rolls royces and Bentleys of this era and they have been very reliable, with regards to maintenance there is several companies that offer parts, I am very lucky to have an amazing workshop that has looked after my cars for the last 20 years costs are similar to my current range rover and the toyota land cruiser.
Yes you need to look after them and always be on top off maintenance you hear a tic or knock fix it before it becomes a bang and the cost escalates. I'm of the school that says you should own at least 1 luxury or prestige vehicle❤
7:03 will be my most favourite out of context JayEmm moment ever.
Not just the transmission but the styling shows heavy GM influence from the 1977 B- and C-bodies (as did the Panther-platform Fords that appeared around the same time). A brilliant move on Rolls' part since they could deliver the understatement American customers expected of an upper-crust British import on roads awash with Caprices and Crown Vics while still being the in-your-face display of wealth their typical home-market buyers were looking for in the context of almost all other cars being much smaller.
Currently one of the best value classics out there. Cheaper than an XR3i........
Absolutely. Only one way the prices will go. If you can run to it, the Seraph is almost bottomed out price-wise and is another that I feel with become worth a whole lot more than currently selling for...
The last RR with the 6.75 litre V8 was the Corniche of year 2000. It was actually a RR version of the Bentley Azure, but if the engine is the deciding criteria, then it fits the bill. Also the production of the long whell base Silver Spur overlapped the introduction of the Silver Seraph. On the other hand all RR cars from the Silver Cloud up to the last Spirit of 1997 used GM auto transmission, so does the question of engine, gearbox and other running gear decide what was the last "real" one? I stick with my Silver Seraph. My advice to anyone considering buying a Silver Spirit would be to go for as late a model as you can get. Going into the 1990s manufacturers were getting a grip on rust prevention and RR would introduce changes without announcing a new version of the model until they felt like getting round to it. Example is the last of the Spirit ones which had the same fuel injection system as the Spirit 2 your are driving.
The thing about owning one of these cars is that if you just use it to get your weeks shopping it makes a special occasion of it, there is no other car on the road quite like them.
to answer your tagline; they are a scarcely credible money pit; however i love them; my wife hates them. I've owned four different 70's, 80' and 90's Rolls/Bentleys and miss not having one; feel the need to scour the classifieds
It's great right up to when it isn't.
It's old, it's slow, it doesn't handle, and there's next to no technology in it. And that commends it to me very highly. However, if I wanted a nice comfortable old school luxury saloon car from this period, I'd choose an early Lexus LS 400.
Lovely thing. Amazing value
Third reason is to go banger racing, as very popular with the banger fraternity, Engine is replaced though, normally with a 2.8 or 2.9 Granny engine.
CAT C right offs, involve structural damage. So the crash to the wing, would have likely buckled the subframe.
Perhaps on a newer car but these older rolls Royce cars where way overbuilt. They have a frame like that of a truck and heavy gauge steel for the bodies. The likely reason for the dinged up wing totaling this car is the cost of a new wing (used obviously a better idea) labor to install and fit the wing, and a full respray to RR standards as the new wing wouldn’t quite match the rest of the car. That plus the inevitable RR tax and the insurance will have a good reason to just write it off
Gotta give them one thing. Rolls royce has the greatest model names ever.
Silver shadow
Ghost
Phantom
Spectre
Great vid, although I disagree with the reasons for people wanting a Rolls Royce. While I'm sure some people might want to 'look like they have money', a great many of us would simply like to have one to see what it's like. They were built to a standard that is now unheard of and it would be cool to take it apart. Ironically, the reason why I most likely will never own one is because I prefer to go unnoticed..!
G'day bloke I'm from a Australia I saw a 81 Rolls it had a Holden hsv 600hp.v8 donk plus it had a Ford f350 4x4 chassis engineered 5 speed manual H&L RANGE 4X4 &..Diff.. lockers 200LT FUEL TANK.and Holden front seats over 100k to build this bush beast mows roo's down I'd say a jolly good rocken Rolla