Rolls Royce Automobiles. - Page 2

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.

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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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.

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^^.

Rolls royce are one of my fav cars.. but they're extremely expensive

Yes, the routine maintenance costs are high, and any repair or parts replacement will be astronomical.

+1. I'll take the house in the background too.

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.

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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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.

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 So aside from pulling the tranny out, rebuild costs should be minimal and parts and repair avaliable at almost any normal tranny shop..

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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