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Rolls Royce Automobiles. - Page 2

post #16 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:17pm
Thread Starter 
Rolls Royce cars all seem to have that unattractive black steering wheel. They almost look like an afterthought. Aside from the rather low MPG, I don't see any issue with driving one of these as a daily car.
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post #17 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LabelKing View Post
Rolls Royce cars all seem to have that unattractive black steering wheel. They almost look like an afterthought. Aside from the rather low MPG, I don't see any issue with driving one of these as a daily car.
It looks like something from an 81' Datsun. I was really expecting something a little more luxurious. With that said, an aftermarket grain steering wheel could still be added.
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post #18 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:23pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by eg1 View Post
I suspect they imply an idiosyncrasy with which most people are uncomfortable -- but for you LK, just the thing for carting exotic hides and ivories whilst smoking rare tobaccos and sneering at proletarian haberdashery or lumpen architecture ...

Also great for a big-ass, old-fashioned carphone, I should think!
Definitely an integareted carphone system with a big antenna.

Some of the '70s Rolls Royces also have an original 8-Track system.
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post #19 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:23pm
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Originally Posted by Lucky Strike View Post
I was planning some social coquettry around it - not mistreating it, but rather treating it as I treat my old Volvo now - just a regular car.

Quote:
Originally Posted by LabelKing View Post
Lucky Strike's idea is a good one. To combat the slightly pretentious image, one must treat the car as any other old thing.

What you are proposing is quite similar to the manner in which Trevanian's character, Nikolai Hel, treated his Volvo in Shibumi much to the consternation of the Basque villagers near his mountain retreat.

Hel simply went one step further. Everyone knew he afford a Rolls, yet he elected drive a Volvo wagon.

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post #20 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:30pm
Every cheap Rolls Royce pictured here will be an absolute money pit. It may cost as much as a Honda Civic, but you'd better have twice that amount in your pocket for mechanic fees.
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post #21 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:37pm
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I think it's rather inane not to drive a car simply because of some perceived identity. Certainly, Mercedes-Benz is not some totem of austerity and yet many people do not have issues driving their Benz vehicles. In fact, the appeal of something like Rolls Royce or Mercedes-Benz is in their inherent showiness, which is reflected in the design.
Maybe it's because I'm living in Germany, but the only Mercedes I can think of that would make people turn their heads like a RR would (and the fed. office for protection of the const. as well) is that one: If the RR would come with a valet I would gladly...be chauffeured^^.
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post #22 of 163
9/24/08 at 8:58pm
Rolls royce are one of my fav cars.. but they're extremely expensive
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post #23 of 163
9/24/08 at 9:32pm
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Originally Posted by zjpj83 View Post
Every cheap Rolls Royce pictured here will be an absolute money pit. It may cost as much as a Honda Civic, but you'd better have twice that amount in your pocket for mechanic fees.
Yes, the routine maintenance costs are high, and any repair or parts replacement will be astronomical.
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post #24 of 163
9/24/08 at 9:42pm
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Originally Posted by Southern-Nupe View Post
Outside of the high miles and gawd awful steering wheel, that car is a major buy for the money. I can't believe it's going for less than $10 grand.

+1. I'll take the house in the background too.
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post #25 of 163
9/24/08 at 10:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by zjpj83 View Post
Every cheap Rolls Royce pictured here will be an absolute money pit. It may cost as much as a Honda Civic, but you'd better have twice that amount in your pocket for mechanic fees.

Whats the actual maintenance on it look like and is there a source for parts and repair advice?

I'm guessing electronics are vintage era brit stuff (ie Lucas, pre-Bosch) so that might be an issue.

Other then that I'm not sure what could go wrong on the car that a set of metric wrenches can't fix. They are all pretty similar under the hood.
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post #26 of 163
9/24/08 at 11:05pm
Thread Starter 
One has to wonder whether an old Rolls Royce is really that expensive to maintain. Provided that the example has a fine mechanical service history, I don't see why it has to be any more expensive to maintain than any other period luxury vehicle; Mercedes charges $500+ for a plastic headlamp surround for my car.
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post #27 of 163
9/24/08 at 11:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ms244 View Post
I'm guessing electronics are vintage era brit stuff (ie Lucas, pre-Bosch) so that might be an issue.

Many of the electrical parts are actually U.S. Delco (General Motors) and retain the Delco identification (example: electric motors for the power seats). Sourcing these items over the counter at GM or Napa wearhouses can reduce costs significantly. The same holds true for many mechanical ancillary parts.

Of course, some authorized dealers and independent repair shops already know this. They purchase at Napa and offer the customer a "big discount off Rolls list price" while realizing a very healthy profit.

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post #28 of 163
9/25/08 at 1:29am
I can imagine the scariest maintenance/replacement expenses being related to the powertrain. Finding someone that can work on those old motors (6.75L ?) would be a hassle and imagine the cost of a replacement transmission...

On a side note: Wouldn't it be funny if the tranny ended up being GM-sourced as well? I could almost see them doing something like that.
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post #29 of 163
9/25/08 at 1:43am
GM stuff is not bad. A turbo400 or turbo700 automatic (and their derivatives) are pretty hard to kill and not a bad choice. BMW used some GM sourced automatics until recently (IIRC). And almost anything is better then the old Lucas electrics. If you can get a set of repair manuals and a cross-reference for the parts I think there is a chance you could up keep one for a relatively minimal cost. ETA from this wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo-Hydramatic
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Other non-GM firms have used the THM400 and its 4L80E successor, including Ferrari (in the 400/412), Jeep (usually found in the SJ pickups and SUVs), Jaguar (found in their pre-1997 XJ12 and XJ-S coupes), Rolls-Royce (1965–1980 Silver Shadow and 1980-1992 Silver Spirit series cars, along with their Bentley stablemates), and AM General.
So aside from pulling the tranny out, rebuild costs should be minimal and parts and repair avaliable at almost any normal tranny shop..
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post #30 of 163
9/25/08 at 1:46am
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Originally Posted by nicad2000 View Post
On a side note: Wouldn't it be funny if the tranny ended up being GM-sourced as well? I could almost see them doing something like that.

Many of the 70s and 80s Wraiths, Silver Spurs, and Silver Shadows did, in fact, use GM sourced automatic transmissions as well alternators and air conditioning compressors.

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