Luxury car · 1998–2020 cars
Bentley Arnage reliability
The Bentley Arnage fails 11.8% of first MOT tests, 65% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage, based on 6,275 DVSA MOT tests from 2022 to 2024.
Checking a Bentley Arnage before you buy?
- first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
- 11.8%
- first-time MOT fail rate (all cars: 28.4%)
- fails than cars of the same age and mileage
- 65% fewer
- fails than cars of the same age and mileage
- MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
- 6,275
- MOT tests analysed, 2022 to 2024
- typical miles a year, from MOT readings
- –
- typical miles a year, from MOT readings
MOT fail rate by age
How the Bentley Arnage ages
Each point is the share of Bentley Arnages of that age that failed their MOT first time, against all cars of the same age.
| Age at MOT (years) | Bentley Arnage | All cars |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | 8% | 42.3% |
| 16 | 9.5% | 42.9% |
| 17 | 10.1% | 43.4% |
| 18 | 12.6% | 43.5% |
| 19 | 10.3% | 43.4% |
| 20 | 11% | 42.8% |
| 21 | 12.8% | 41.4% |
| 22 | 14% | 40.6% |
| 23 | 12.9% | 38.9% |
| 24 | 12.4% | 37.1% |
| 25 | 13.6% | 35.8% |
By year
The best and worst Bentley Arnage years
| First registered | Tests | Fail rate | Against same-age cars | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 221 | 11.3% | 62% fewer fails | 45,956 |
| 2007 | 338 | 8% | 74% fewer fails | 40,778 |
| 2006 | 360 | 9.7% | 70% fewer fails | 45,762 |
| 2005 | 510 | 10.4% | 69% fewer fails | 53,790 |
| 2004 | 485 | 9.9% | 70% fewer fails | 42,904 |
| 2003 | 516 | 9.7% | 72% fewer fails | 53,495 |
| 2002 | 669 | 13.8% | 62% fewer fails | 59,438 |
| 2001 | 943 | 14.1% | 60% fewer fails | 59,402 |
| 2000 | 813 | 12.5% | 63% fewer fails | 59,502 |
| 1999 | 690 | 13.5% | 62% fewer fails | 75,180 |
| 1998 | 509 | 14.1% | 58% fewer fails | 75,836 |
Common problems
What fails most on a Bentley Arnage
Failures by area, against cars of the same age and mileage.
Fail rate by area
- Lights and electrics3.8%74% below avg
- Brakes3.7%61% below avg
- Suspension3.4%69% below avg
- Exhaust, emissions and leaks2%60% below avg
- Windscreen, wipers and mirrors1.7%74% below avg
- Seat belts and airbags1.5%33% below avg
- Tyres1.4%70% below avg
- Body, chassis and structure1.1%84% below avg
- Steering0.4%81% below avg
Average for cars of the same age and mileage
Top MOT failures
- 1
Parking brake efficiency below minimum 1.05% of tests
The parking brake holds the car less well than required, so it may roll on a slope and needs repair.
- 2
Airbag warning lamp shows fault 1.04% of tests
A lit airbag warning means the airbag system may not deploy in a crash, so it needs diagnosing and repairing.
- 3
Engine warning light inoperative or lit 0.92% of tests
An engine warning light that is lit or not working can hide faults, so diagnosis is needed before buying.
- 4
Ball joint dust cover no longer sealed 0.92% of tests
A damaged dust cover lets dirt into the joint, speeding wear, so the joint may need replacing later.
- 5
Wiper blade not clearing windscreen 0.7% of tests
Wipers that do not clear the windscreen reduce visibility in rain, which is a safety risk, so replace them.
- 6
Position lamp not working 0.56% of tests
A failed position lamp makes the car harder to see in poor light and is illegal, so it must be repaired.
- 7
Anti-roll bar linkage dust cover unsealed 0.48% of tests
A damaged dust cover lets dirt into the linkage joint, speeding wear and possibly needing a future repair.
- 8
Parking brake efficiency under half required 0.45% of tests
The parking brake is well below required strength and is unlikely to hold the car on a slope.
Most common advisories
Not a fail yet, but worth pricing in: these show up on a Bentley Arnage's MOT certificate most often.
- Tyre worn close to legal limit4.25%
- Brake pipes corroded and greasy3.82%
- Brake disc pitted or scored3.12%
- Engine oil leak, not excessive2.71%
- Tyre slightly damaged or cracking2.28%
- Shock absorber light oil misting2.07%
Before you buy
What to check on a used Bentley Arnage
- 1
Parking brake efficiency below minimum
The parking brake holds the car less well than required, so it may roll on a slope and needs repair.
- 2
Airbag warning lamp shows fault
A lit airbag warning means the airbag system may not deploy in a crash, so it needs diagnosing and repairing.
- 3
Engine warning light inoperative or lit
An engine warning light that is lit or not working can hide faults, so diagnosis is needed before buying.
- 4
Ball joint dust cover no longer sealed
A damaged dust cover lets dirt into the joint, speeding wear, so the joint may need replacing later.
- 5
Every MOT since new
Look for the faults above coming back year after year: it shows how the car has been looked after.
- 6
The mileage record
A drop between MOTs is a warning sign.
- 7
Finance, stolen and write-off
The records the MOT can't show. A Full Check (£9.99) covers all three before you hand over any money.
Fuel types tested
- Petrol99.6%
- LPG0.3%
- Diesel0%
Most common colours
Blue, Silver, Black, Green, Grey
Average engine size: 6.3 litres.
Compare
How the Bentley Arnage compares with its rivals
| Model | Fail rate | Against same-age cars |
|---|---|---|
| Bentley Arnage | 11.8% | 65% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Lexus LS | 18.9% | 53% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Mercedes-Benz CL-Class | 20.8% | 47% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Maserati Quattroporte | 18.3% | 36% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Jaguar XJR | 23.6% | 36% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Maserati Ghibli | 14.6% | 32% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
| Jeep 300 | 34.8% | 18% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age |
Every luxury car ranked in the luxury car reliability index, or all Bentley models.
Questions
Bentley Arnage questions, answered
Is the Bentley Arnage reliable?
On MOT results, the Bentley Arnage is better than average: it fails 11.8% of first MOT tests, 65% fewer MOT fails than the average car its age and mileage. It ranks 2 of 14 luxury car models in our index.
What fails most on a Bentley Arnage MOT?
The most common MOT failures on the Bentley Arnage are parking brake efficiency below minimum (1.05% of tests), airbag warning lamp shows fault (1.04% of tests), engine warning light inoperative or lit (0.92% of tests). By area, lights and electrics fails 3.8% of its tests.
How do I check a Bentley Arnage before I buy it?
Enter its registration for a free check of its MOT history, mileage, ULEZ status and tax. Before you pay, a Full Check (£9.99) shows outstanding finance, stolen and write-off records.
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT test results, 2022 to 2024, class 4 vehicles aged 3 to 25, normal tests only. How we compare like with like: our methodology.
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