Should I check the MOT history before buying a 2008 Bentley Continental?

Yes. Look for recurring advisories — slow-building issues like corrosion or brake wear patterns show up years before they become failures. A full MOT history analysis will highlight patterns that a single test result won't reveal.

What corrosion should I look for when inspecting a 2008 Bentley Continental?

Check brake pipes, sills, subframes, and chassis legs. Surface rust is normal at this age; structural rust is a serious problem that is expensive to fix and can fail an MOT.

How are tyres and brakes typically on a 2008 Bentley Continental?

Tyres and brakes are the most common advisory items on vehicles of this age. Budget for replacement if they are near the limit, and factor this into your offer price.

Is the 2008 Bentley Continental reliable?

Based on MOT data from 1,156 vehicles, the 2008 Bentley Continental has a first-time MOT pass rate of 91.5%, indicating generally reliable for its class. Always check the full MOT history of any specific vehicle before buying.

What are common problems with the 2008 Bentley Continental?

The most frequently recorded MOT issues on the 2008 Bentley Continental are: Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components (26.1% of vehicles), Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay (24.4% of vehicles), Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (15.9% of vehicles). These figures are based on actual MOT test records — search a specific registration on CarHunch to see its individual history.

Do I need an HPI check when buying a 2008 Bentley Continental?

Yes. The MOT history will not show outstanding finance, insurance write-offs, or stolen status. An HPI check covers these areas and should be part of any used car purchase.

CarHunch

Get Started

Bentley Continental (2008)

1,156 real MOT outcomes analysed • 91.5% first-time pass rate

2008 Bentley Continental

CarHunch analysed 1,156 real MOT records for the 2008 Bentley Continental. Real test outcomes — pass rates, defect profiles, mileage data — from verified DVLA records. Updated as new MOTs are recorded.
Which year to buy? →

On this page

AI Analysis Reliability Overview Common Issues Check a Specific Reg Buyer's Checklist Pass Rate by Fuel Mileage Distribution Still on the Road MOT Averages Colour Breakdown Compare Models

The 2008 Bentley Continental is significantly more reliable than the UK average, with a 91.5% first-time MOT pass rate versus the national 80%—a reassuring sign for a 16-year-old luxury car. However, nearly one in five examples have shown dangerous defects at some point, which is a material concern for buyers and suggests these high-mileage machines need thorough pre-purchase inspection.

At just under 40,000 miles on average, these Continentals are remarkably low-mileage for their age, reflecting their nature as expensive weekend cars rather than daily drivers. The average vehicle racks up 1.28 failures and 6.4 advisories per test, hinting at expensive consumables and specialist parts wear rather than fundamental structural problems—before buying one, get a specialist marque inspection to budget for the inevitable suspension, brake, and climate-control repairs that luxury cars of this era demand.

The 2008 Bentley Continental passes its MOT first time at roughly the UK average rate (91.5%) — solid but worth checking this vehicle's history carefully.

⚠️ Around 1 in 8 of these vehicles have had a dangerous MOT failure at some point — usually tyres or brakes, and often a one-off issue rather than a persistent problem. The group stats won't tell you which one you're looking at.

First-time pass

91.5%

UK average ~80%

Better than average

Dangerous (ever)

18.7%

At least once in MOT history

Check this vehicle

Avg failures / car

1.28

Over 14 tests on record

High

Typical mileage

38k

Middle half: 25k–51k

For context

✅ Good baseline reliability. A 91.5% first-time pass rate puts this well above the UK average — it's a well-sorted vehicle in this age bracket.

🔧 Expect consumable spend. An average of 6.4 advisories per vehicle tells you wear items (tyres, brakes) get flagged regularly. Budget for them — they're not surprises.

🔍 The dangerous defect figure is real. Most are one-off tyre failures or brake issues — not structural problems. But it's exactly why checking the individual vehicle's history is essential, not optional.

These stats describe 1,156 vehicles as a group. The specific vehicle you're looking at could be the one good example or the one outlier. Run its registration to find out.

Average reliability — agree?

What tends to go wrong

Across 1,156 vehicles — figures show how many had each issue flagged at least once in their MOT history.

Other issues 26.1%

Under-trays fitted obscuring some underside components · Engine covers fitted obscuring some components in the engine bay · Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction

Tyre wear 15.9%

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit · Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit · …

Budget for a full set — on a vehicle this age, tyres are expected consumables. An inspection will confirm how much is left.

Brake wear 11.7%

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened · Front brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened

Ask the seller when brakes were last serviced. If they don't know, factor in the cost.

Data covers a 3-year window centred on 2008.

See this vehicle's full MOT history & AI hunches

Spot recurring advisories, hidden issues, and how it compares to 1,156 Bentley Continental cars.

Before you buy a 2008 Bentley Continental

Based on MOT data from 1,156 vehicles — here's what to check.

📋 Check the full MOT history. 18.7% of these vehicles have had a dangerous defect recorded - recurring advisories often signal problems years before they become failures.
Search the reg on CarHunch for the full MOT history, reliability stats and a free AI-powered analysis of that exact vehicle.
🔍 Brake pipes, sills and subframes are the key areas on a vehicle this age — structural rust is hard to spot without getting underneath. A mechanic will check all of this before you commit, and give you a concrete basis to negotiate on price. Inspection →
📄 Outstanding finance, insurance write-offs and clocking won't appear in the MOT records — a dedicated history check covers all of this. Our link gets you 20% off automatically. History Get 20% off via CarHunch

Pass Rate by Fuel Type

Fuel type	Vehicles	Pass rate	Avg failures
Petrol (100%)	1,155	91.5%	1.28

Colour Breakdown

Based on 15,005 Bentley Continental vehicles registered in the UK — across all years. From DVLA registration records.

Black 29.1%

4,368

Blue 21.6%

3,237

Silver 17.8%

2,673

Grey 12.7%

1,909

Green 7.3%

1,096

White 6.5%

972

Red 3.3%

491

Purple 0.7%

107

Brown 0.4%

Orange 0.3%

Yellow 0.2%

Gold 0.2%

Mileage Distribution

Most 2008 Bentley Continental vehicles sit in the blue band. If the vehicle you're looking at is outside it, it's either unusually low or high mileage for its age.

37,637

typical

24,731

low mileage

50,969

high mileage

Half of all 2008 Bentley Continental vehicles fall between 24,731 and 50,969 miles.

Is the mileage you're seeing normal?

✓ Under 24,731 miles — lower than most. Could be great, or could be a vehicle that rarely moved. Check test frequency and mileage progression in the MOT history.

✓ 24,731–50,969 miles — normal for age. This is where most 2008 Bentley Continentals sit.

⚠ Over 68,808 miles — higher than typical. Not necessarily a problem, but check service history and look out for advisory build-up on tyres and brakes.

2008 Bentley Continental — Still on the Road

Most 2008 Bentley Continentals are still being driven.

Strong survival — 834 vehicles still getting MOTs in 2025, 85% of the peak.

Based on vehicles from this manufacture year that had at least one MOT test in each calendar year. Data from 2014–2025.
* The 2020 dip reflects the government's COVID-19 MOT exemption, which allowed certificates to be extended by six months — fewer tests were conducted that year.

MOT History Averages

Avg MOT tests per vehicle

1.28

Avg failures per vehicle

6.4

Avg advisories per vehicle

Other model years — Bentley Continental: All Continental years → Which year to buy? →

2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Or browse all models: Bentley →

Compare with another model

See how the 2008 Bentley Continental stacks up against a rival.

Average reliability — agree?