BENTLEY 1929 · 4.4L PETROL

This 1929 Bentley presents a stable and exceptionally clean MOT record. The most recent test on 28 May 2023 at 1,332 miles passed with zero defects, indicating the vehicle currently meets all roadworthiness standards. The maintenance trend is stable and improving, with the single advisory from 2009 regarding the hand brake catching body trim not reappearing in subsequent tests, suggesting that minor fault was rectified and has remained resolved for over a decade. The mileage pattern is extraordinarily low and remarkably consistent. Between the first recorded test on 12 May 2008 at 439 miles and the most recent on 28 May 2023 at 1,332 miles, the vehicle covered just 893 miles over fifteen years, averaging roughly 60 miles per year during that documented period. The progression is steady, with no sudden jumps in accumulation that would indicate neglect through prolonged standing or conversely excessive use. This reflects a vehicle preserved in a controlled environment, likely used sparingly for occasional demonstration or light touring. Despite the clean paperwork, the extreme age and minimal use demand a careful physical inspection. A vehicle covering fewer than sixty miles annually is susceptible to deterioration from inaction rather than wear. Rubber suspension bushes, tyres, and seals degrade with age regardless of mileage, and a thorough check for perished hoses, dried-out gaskets, and seized brake components is essential. The 2009 advisory about the hand brake mechanism fouling body trim warrants a close inspection of the hand brake linkage and its routing to confirm no corrosion or misalignment has developed in the intervening years. The chassis and structural mounts on a ninety-seven-year-old vehicle of this type require particular scrutiny. Even with negligible mileage, age-related corrosion can compromise critical mounting points and body mounts. A specialist inspection should assess the structural integrity of the chassis, condition of the coil springs, and the operation of all brake calipers to ensure no binding has occurred from prolonged static periods. The complete absence of mechanical advisories in recent years is encouraging, but the preservation of a vehicle this age relies entirely on proactive maintenance rather than MOT failure alone.