2000 Bentley Arnage Red Label

‘PFZ 221’ is a Bentley Arnage Red Label finished in Silver Pearl, chromed alloy wheels, and a stunning Grey and Wildberry interior.

First registered in 2000, it’s covered only 41,000 miles from new, or fewer than 2,000 miles a year. Despite this, it’s got a fulsome history and, of course, the iconic 6.75-litre turbocharged V8 Rolls-Royce engine under the bonnet.

The seller bought it for his father (“he just didn’t get on with his new Range Rover because there was just too much technology in it”) and while he loved the (largely analogue) Arnage, he’s since given up driving.

Every cloud though because this ‘no reserve’ auction could be your chance to get your hands on a Rolls-Royce model you thought you couldn’t afford.

The seller hasn’t done much with the Arnage since buying it from us a year ago, which means the bodywork is in much the same condition as it was then – and we were very impressed at the time, writing: “the fact this Arnage still looks so good after the passage of almost a quarter of a century is testament … to the curation it’s received.”

With excellent panel gaps, no significant dents or dinks, and a healthy sheen to that Silver Pearl paintwork, your eye, undistracted by faults, is free to admire its beauty.

Like the hand-painted pinstripe that graces each flank, flanks that are also free of ripples and other car-park damage.

And the honeycomb grille that’s gleaming and straight and contributes so much to the Arnage’s character and gravitas.

And the badges, which are in fine fettle, as are the lamp lenses and window glazing.

The seller also tells us that the paintwork has been coated, “so the dirt just falls off it” when you wash it.

As for the chromed 18-inch alloy wheels, the chrome is starting to lift and bubble, but they’re free of scuffs and scrapes and if you can’t be bothered to get them refurbished then sourcing a replacement set wouldn’t be difficult.

The tyres are matching Pirelli P-Zeros on all four corners. The front tyres still have good tread, but the rear ones will need changing soon. If it helps motivate you, the last MoT test revealed a nail in the nearside rear, so it would make sense to get them replaced sooner rather than later.

Nonetheless, we will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

There are a few flaws: the front bumper has a few light stonechips; the lacquer is peeling on the driver’s wing mirror; the nearside mirror glass is discoloured; there are some very small bubbles on the nearside front wheel arch and all four inner wings; and there is a tiny patch of corrosion on the bottom lip of the boot lid.

Despite what might seem like a long list of flaws, we’d still rate the paintwork as being very good overall.

Grey and Wildberry might not sound like a match made in heaven but they work surprisingly well – and while not many of us would have been brave enough to specify it on our new Bentley, we are glad this soul did because the result is fabulous.

Not least because of the sheer quality and quantity of wood and chrome that decorate it; if the exterior is about inconspicuous consumption, then the interior is wildly decadent.

The good news continues with its condition, which is excellent. The heated and electrically adjustable front seats are finished in fine grey hide and piped with Wildberry trim. They’re still as plump and comfortable as you’d expect given the Arnage’s role in life, and their switches lie within walnut veneer panels.

The rear seats – and a car like this is surely more about the passengers than the driver – is in an even better condition. Barely marked, they offer their occupants generous legroom and access to padded headrests on the C-pillars should they fancy a quick snooze.

And that snooze will be restful thanks to a winning combination of superlative acoustic engineering and ambient lighting that floods the footwells with a warm, soft glow. (There is a pair of map-reading lights in the roof, should you need to read your libretto while travelling through the night.)

As for the rest, the headlining is taut and clean, all four door cards are very good, and the carpets are both in great shape and protected by lambswool overmats – and the depth of pile on the latter is so deep you could lose a small child in it.

The ivory-faced instruments are as aesthetically pleasing as they are informative, something that could equally be said of the controls, both major and minor.

The headunit is from Alpine and offers the driver access to a CD multi-changer and a pop-up screen; in most V8s we’d say you’re better off listening to the engine than music but given the Arnage’s powerplant barely rises about a muted hum even at full chat, you probably will want to: How about using the Parrot Bluetooth system to play Elgar at full blast as you steam past BMWs and Audis on the motorway? (Just don’t Google “Philomena Cunk on Elgar”.)

The boot is both vast and beautifully trimmed, both of which are Bentley trademarks. It’s still got one umbrella in there too, which is a bit of a rarity as folk like to hang on to them as a souvenir. The tool kit and full-size spare wheel are also in there.

But, while the key operates the boot lock as it should, the remote button located in the cabin doesn’t. The motor whirrs but nothing else happens, so that’s one for your (*spoiler alert* ‘short’) To Do list.

As for other faults, the driver’s door and passenger windows only operate intermittently (“more not than working”, apparently) and the passenger window is currently permanently in the down position, so you’ll want to investigate that. We’re told the relay can be heard clicking, so it may be the motor.

That seems to be the extent of the problems other than some frayed stitching on the gear knob as everything we’ve checked works as it should, including the air-conditioning, which blows icily cold.

The engine bay is nice and clean, and we can’t see anyone finding too much to fault under there; give it a quick wipe over every month or so and call it good.

The floorpan and underside look good to us, an assessment that’s supported by the independent eyes of a series of MoT testers, none of whom has ever mentioned structural corrosion.

While the last MoT certificate has expired, the previous owner told us that the advisory for anti-roll bar ball joints was investigated, and his local garage told him that because there was no play in the joints and the covers were intact they could be left for a while yet. YMMV, of course.

The service history book has been stamped as follows:

· 03.04.2000 and 59 miles – customer assurance check by Michael Powles Ltd

· 26.04.2001 and 4,191 miles – service by Michael Powles Ltd

· 23.04.2002 and 8,778 miles – service by Broughtons of Cheltenham

· 17.04.2003 and 14,298 miles – service by Broughtons of Cheltenham

· 06.05.2004 and 19,871 miles – service by Bentley Birmingham

· 29.04.2005 and 25,821 miles – service by Bentley Birmingham

· 11.10.2006 and 30,157 miles – service by Bentley Newcastle

· 20.06.2017 and 37,466 miles – service and suspension work by Fearon, independent Bentley specialist

· 04.05.2022 and 39,717 miles – oil service and fluid check by A52 Tyre Barn Ltd

The recent Vehicle History Check is clean, and it also comes with two sets of keys, the book pack, some old MoT certificates, and a heap of old bills and invoices.

However, the Bentley’s MoT ran out in May 2024.

We’ve put a guide price on the Arnage of between £12,000 and £16,000, which puts the £14,000 the seller paid for it a year ago slap-bang in the middle of the range.

Coincidentally, that very sum was how much the previous owner bought it for, so he got his money back too.

And that’s the key to running a car like this: buy a good ‘un, invest a little money in servicing it and improving it, and keep your fingers crossed you get back the capital investment you made.

Sure, you’ll be out of pocket for a few hundred pounds for maintenance but of you contrast that with the horrific depreciation you’ll suffer on a new car, running an oldie-but-goodie like this starts to make sense.

Oh, and the seller’s happy offer it with no reserve too, so the Bentley is going to sell from the very first bid, no matter how insulting that bid might be…

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