What's the real cost of maintaining a Rolls Royce outside of warranty?

[keithmarsden]

So I'm in a bit of a unique situation where I have the opportunity to buy a 2017 Ghost from a family member at what seems like a very good price, and I'm seriously considering it because I've always admired these cars and the level of craftsmanship that goes into them. The thing is, I know that buying a Rolls Royce is one thing, but keeping it on the road is a completely different story, and I'm trying to get a realistic picture of what I'm getting myself into before I commit. I've heard horror stories about how even simple things like brake pads or oil changes cost multiple times what they would on a normal car, and I'm genuinely worried that I might end up with a car that I can't afford to maintain properly. The car has about 60,000 kilometers on it and has been serviced at the dealership its whole life, but the warranty has expired and I'm not sure I want to keep paying dealership prices for routine maintenance. I'd rather find a specialist who knows these cars well and can do the work at a more reasonable rate without cutting corners. I've been looking around and trying to find a workshop that offers exclusive Rolls Royce repair in Abu Dhabi because I figure there must be some independent specialists here given how many luxury cars are on the roads. I'm hoping someone here with experience owning one of these cars can give me the honest truth about annual running costs and whether finding a good independent mechanic makes a significant difference to the overall cost of ownership.

[haydeewicking]

Budget for the unglamorous stuff, because that's what adds up. Tires, brakes and the annual service on a Ghost can easily run past 15,000 AED a year before anything actually breaks. A good independent usually cuts labor and parts markup by a third or more, but only if they have the right diagnostic software.

[hayfawiddicombe]

Owned a 2016 Ghost for three years, and the car itself was solid. What hurt was the air suspension and a couple of electronic modules, each costing more than a decent used hatchback's tire set. Keep a repair fund of 20k AED a year in a separate account and you'll sleep fine.

[hazelwightman]

Family price or not, I'd still pay for an independent inspection before signing anything. Dealer service history is nice, but it doesn't tell you what's about to fail at 60,000 km. Has anyone here actually used the Abu Dhabi workshop he linked, or is it just a page that came up in a search?

[hazelynwigfall]

On the Ghost the usual big-ticket items are the air springs and compressor, the ZF gearbox if it's been neglected, and the high-pressure fuel pump issues on the V12. Ask for the full service record and have the whole car scanned for stored fault codes. Tire prices on the staggered run-flat setup alone will make you wince.

[hediawigfull]

Is the car still in the family member's name, and do you know if it's had any major work done under the extended warranty? Also, are you planning to drive it daily or keep it as a weekend car? Annual mileage changes the running cost more than most people expect.