If you're in the market for a relatively affordable luxury car, a Lexus RC coupe is a solid choice. Examples crafted in 2025 can be had for around the price of the average new American car – $50k – and they provide a solid package of luxury and dependability. They're also wrapped up in a sleek and attractive two-door body, making it a great option for a slick coupe that will look after you on longer journeys. That said, the wider used market provides even more tantalizing opportunities.The first-generation Bentley Flying Spur luxury sedan is one such example of this, as the specter of depreciation has been hard at work massacring its value over the last decade. After all, such a machine provides considerably more grunt and refinement than even the RC, but for less cash in most cases. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, in some ways, this rings true. Whatever the drawbacks though, it's hard to argue with its outright value compared to its original MSRP. Bentley's Modern Sedan Is A Bargain In 2026 BentleyWhile the $50k pricetag of the Lexus RC seems low for a full-fat Bentley with a huge twin-turbocharged W12 powerplant shoehorned beneath its hood, you'll be happy to learn you can get one for well under that. Earlier pre-facelift Flying Spurs are selling for between $20,000–$25,000 in good condition, around half the value of a final model year RC. Even cherished examples are only worth around the same as the Lexus, which is amazing value given the big Bentley has more than double the power of the entry-level RC 300.Facelifted cars – which get revised suspension settings alongside the fresher nose and tail designs – are worth around $10k more than equivalent pre-facelift specimens, depending on condition. It may be a pretty old design in 2026, but the Flying Spur can still cut it as an ultra-comfortable and smooth luxury sedan 20 years after it was first unleashed on the world. The First-Gen Flying Spur's Value Has Been Decimated BentleyThe value of the Flying Spur looks even greater still when you consider just how much the model retailed for when it was shiny and new. Before you'd even thought about adding any options, your bank account would be robbed of $164,990. While this figure sounds pretty commanding on its own, consider that if you translate that to today's money, you'd be parting with a cool $272,500. Because of depreciation, a good Flying Spur is worth around a 10th of what it once was, which is a hell of a saving.Even low-mileage machines in mint condition are worth around 20% of what they once were, which doesn't make for happy reading for any owners who once purchased theirs brand-new. They're only getting less valuable, too, with Hagerty's Valuation Tool reporting that concours first-gen Flying Spurs have reduced in value by a stiff 20% in the past year alone. The tale is even more grim for "good"-rated cars, as they've fallen by an eye-opening 30% compared to May 2025. You'll Never Want To Exit The Plush Bentley BentleyThis massive reduction in value becomes even more surreal when you bear in mind the level of luxury you'll be presented with once you climb inside. Every Flying Spur cabin is finished with the highest-quality leather seating surfaces, as well as real wood trim that flows throughout the cockpit. The plush carpets are also made from the best-quality material that Bentley's craftspeople could muster, while copious levels of noise-damping material are hidden away to keep as much unwelcome exterior sound away from its occupants as possible. Beyond this, you get further comfort-boosting features like heated and massaging seats, quad-zone climate control, and a high-end audio system.Beyond this, the Flying Spur comes standard with air suspension. Due to using air-filled bags on each corner of the car, which soak up bumps and vibrations in a vastly superior fashion to a traditional mechanical suspension arrangement, you get a cloud-like ride that makes it more comfortable than jumping onto a giant marshmallow. Plus, because the bags can inflate and deflate to keep the body perfectly flat when accelerating, braking, and turning, you won't be thrown around as you waft along to your next destination. The Flying Spur is an ultra-luxury car in every sense of the word, but that is where the hazards begin to rear their heads. The Complex W12 Can Be Costly To Maintain BentleyHigh-end luxury cars depreciate not only due to quickly being overcome by the latest and greatest models, but also because they're more of a hassle to maintain than they're worth for deeper-pocketed used buyers. As a result, they end up falling to rock-bottom levels to make them cheap enough to take a gamble on. One of the most costly elements of the Flying Spur is its large W12 engine, on which an oil change can cost around $700 alone. For a full service, you can easily spend between $3,000 and $5,000, since brake pads alone will set you back up to $2,500 to replace. Given that it's a powerful and heavy luxury sedan, the brakes and tires will take a hammering, so checking they're in decent condition is critical if you don't want to be hit with a considerable bill from the outset.Aside from general maintenance, the W12 also suffers from various issues, especially as it ages. Faulty coil packs are frequent, and replacing them will cost a good couple of grand once you factor in labor from a trusted mechanic who knows their way around the vehicle. Many jobs that could need carrying out on the engine also require having the powerplant dropped out, which will quickly see your final bill rocket past the $5,000 mark. Then we come to the air suspension system, which can easily cost a similar amount to rectify, due to the airbags and compressor costing a fortune to source.Add in potential electronic issues with the car, which can affect the engine and transmission alongside the various cabin features, and you may soon regret investing in this seemingly cheap luxury hero. The Cabin Is Also Vulnerable To Damage BentleyThen we come to the issue of age. Even the latest first-gen Flying Spurs are approaching 15 years old, meaning they've likely seen a fair amount of action, unless you find yourself a low-mileage example. Watch out for a sagging roofliner, as these are costly to replace, while the ingress of water can also cause problems. A commonly reported issue is that the windshield scuttle can get clogged up over time, which can lead water to infiltrate the front-mounted fuse box. This can result in further electronic problems, such as a failure of the keyless entry system.There is plenty to keep in mind when sourcing a used Flying Spur, and it's important to inspect all the outlined areas to ensure you don't get hit with the heavy bills soon after you take delivery. A Cherished Flying Spur Will Absolutely Fly BentleyIf you do your homework and net yourself a tidy example of a first-gen Flying Spur, you'll get plenty more to enjoy than its palace-like cabin and supple ride. When in full working order, that W12 is a peach of an engine, with its 552 hp output effortlessly powering it to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. Its slick six-speed automatic transmission is a key reason the vehicle is able to gather speed so relentlessly, with the unit sharing the engine's grunt with all four wheels to help increase traction and user-friendliness.Give it a long enough stretch of road, and you'll be able to hit 198 mph. In something that more closely resembles a damn expensive manor house on the inside than a car. There's a reason those in the know describe Bentleys as Rolls-Royces... with attitude.If you prioritize performance and luxury, then a used Flying Spur will undoubtedly sketch a wider smile on your face than a base RC 300. If you don't have at least $3,000–$5,000 to spend on your new purchase to keep it running every year though, perhaps ceding defeat and opting for the still-charming Lexus would be the better avenue to stroll down.