Bugatti Veyron | Used Car Buying Guide

However, a good example of an F1 will set you back upwards of £5 million without trying these days, whereas a decent used Veyron will cost from only £650,000. That doesn’t make it the casual investment, though, not by any stretch, because the running costs are simply off the dial.

“That’s what really separates the Veyron from other supercars,” says Carl Hartley, director of luxury and performance car dealership Tom Hartley. “It’s not the price, as there are others that are more expensive, but the costs of keeping one going. The problem is that a Veyron can easily generate a bill of £100,000 for an annual service. I’ve got a Ferrari Enzo in here now and the biggest service is £1400.” 

Each annual service reputedly requires that the Veyron be transported back to the Bugatti factory in Molsheim, France, for inspection and maintenance. “Bugatti will not touch the car if you don’t do what it wants to do,” says Hartley. “When the company says you need a new set of tyres, you need a set of tyres. That’s £6000 a corner. Then every three sets you need new wheels, which cost £50,000."

An annual service costs £15,000, but if any additional work – such as new wheels and tyres – is needed, the costs will spiral. Maintaining a warranty will set you back £50,000 a year, too, and is highly recommended, given the complexity and nature of the car. Official dealer H.R. Owen does offer a fixed price servicing scheme, however, as well as extended warranties and UK workshop facilities, which may grant you more control over yearly expenditure.

“There are no common faults with them, though,” notes Hartley. “They’re an extremely good piece of engineering.” There are, however, a few things to look out for when considering a used Veyron. You need to ensure that the service history is complete and correct, and, preferably, find a car that’s been to Bugatti recently for an inspection or service to avoid any immediate large bills. “Most don’t come with warranties, but it’s nice to see one that’s had one recently,” adds Hartley. “A Veyron that’s not been in warranty for four or five years isn’t a good thing.”

If a Veyron does have any mechanical issues, the only way to get faults resolved is to send it back to Bugatti. “Everything is recorded by the company, so any tampering would have implications,” says Hartley. “Speed, brake applications, economy, journey time, it’s all logged.”

Most Veyrons are treated as showpieces by their owners, though, so finding a low-mileage example in excellent condition isn’t difficult. “The highest-mileage Veyron I know of is a 2006 car that’s done 26,000 miles,” observes Hartley. Most, however, tend to have fewer than 5000 miles on the clock.

“Driving one at low speeds is exactly the same as driving a Bentley Continental GT,” says Hartley. “Driving one hard is terrifying. It’s amazing how fast they are and how much grip they have. I still don’t think to this day there’s a car that attracts more attention. I think they’re undervalued.” 

Bugatti Veyron problems:

Colour combinations Veyrons are very colour dependent. Solid colours usually look good, but two-tone red and black works well, as does black and Bugatti blue. 

Original equipment New Veyrons came with an additional key for activating the high-speed mode, a tablet computer and a set of documents and manuals. Make sure they’re all present.

Paint and trim issues Use cosmetic flaws as a haggling point, although paint, trim or interior issues can be repaired by suitable body shops or trimmers, so issues shouldn’t be hard to resolve. 

Grounding damage Veyrons don’t have much ground clearance, so it’s important to look at the underside for any obvious damage. 

Limited editions “You could almost buy two standard Veyrons for the price of one of the limited-edition models,” says Carl Hartley. “As an investment, they’ll always be worth more, but they cost more in the first place.”

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