- A classy 1996 Bentley Azure convertible with a V12 engine was recently listed for sale.
- Service receipts from the past decade reveal a staggering $50,000 spent on maintenance.
- The British model features a green exterior, beige interior, and plenty of wood accents.
Luxury cars are seen as a symbol of wealth and sophistication, but let’s face it, they also come with a reputation for losing value faster than a hot potato on sale. As they age, this depreciation can make them surprisingly accessible to those who might not be able to afford them at full price. Of course, what looks like a great deal could quickly turn into a bottomless pit of expensive repairs. The Bentley in question is a prime example of this.
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The 1996 Bentley Azure, a convertible grand tourer with 43,600 miles (around 70,200 km) on the clock, failed to meet the seller’s reserve at $25,550 on Cars and Bids. However, the bidding reveals just how much buyers are willing to pay, with newer, lower-mileage models reaching as high as $35,000 on the same platform and $24,000 on Bring a Trailer. And there’s a very good reason for that.
Maintenance Costs: The Real Price of Luxury
Before you start imagining yourself cruising in a British luxury icon for the price of a new Toyota Camry, take a minute to glance at the service records attached to the listing. They reveal that the car has racked up a staggering $50,364 in maintenance costs over the last decade. Yes, owning an Azure could quickly transform from a dream ride to an expensive nightmare.
The astronomical (for us plebeians) amount covers 18 visits to the F Imports & Exotics service center between October 2014 and May 2025. The priciest visit? A whopping $12,097 service bill in 2019, which included repairs to the brakes, turbocharger, radiator, and A/C.
Of course, anyone who drives a car that originally had a base MSRP of $300,000 in 1996 (before you add in any of the options on this one), which is around $625,000 in today’s money after inflation, probably isn’t too surprised by these costs. But if you think you can pick one up for $25,500 nearly 30 years later and maintain it on a Toyota Camry budget, you’re in for a rude awakening.
Looks and Feels Rich, Until It Doesn’t
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Setting aside the ownership costs, this Bentley Azure will definitely make its owner look like a million bucks. The green exterior pairs nicely with a beige interior and a matching retractable roof. However, those 17-inch chrome alloy wheels, once an option, now have a distinctly ’90s vibe and might come off as a bit tacky by 2025 standards.
The interior has aged gracefully, with real wood accents on the dashboard, center console, and door cards. There are no screens here, just an aftermarket Alpine stereo that could easily be swapped out for something a bit more refined. Standard features include a power-operated soft top, heated and power-adjustable seats with memory function, a built-in telephone, and dual-zone climate control.
More: The Depreciation Hit On This 4K-Mile Range Rover Is Enough To Buy A New Defender
Cars and Bids
Under the hood, you’ll find a turbocharged 6.75-liter V8 engine that churned out 385 hp (287 kW / 390 PS) when it was new. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed automatic transmission, allowing this luxury cruiser to hit 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in a respectable 6.5 seconds.
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Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. The listing mentions a few imperfections, like chips and scuffs on the body, stains on the soft top, light interior wear, and some corrosion on underbody parts. There’s also a random misfire, a turbo solenoid B malfunction, and a crankshaft position sensor issue thrown in for good measure. But hey, this is a nearly 30-year-old luxury car handcrafted in Crewe, so you can probably overlook some of those quirks, as long as you don’t expect it to be trouble-free.
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