22 ft. Bentley

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titanjas
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22 ft. Bentley

#1 Post by titanjas » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:35 am

I'm looking at a 2012 22 ft. Bentley with. 115 Mercury. Just wondering about their customer service and reliability. This will be my first pontoon. Is there any advice we need to know going from runabouts to a pontoon?

gramps
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#2 Post by gramps » Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:48 am

A company bought them out a few years ago and I have not heard anything bad about them since.
There are a few people on here that have them and they were satisfied with them. Try doing a search on this site under Bently.
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ROLAND
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#3 Post by ROLAND » Sat Apr 21, 2012 8:04 pm

I have an uncle that lives near Branson, Mo. Last year he purchased a 2008 ( I think it was an 08 ) bentley with a 115 on the back end..... as far as I know, he's very happy with it.
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Bamaman
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#4 Post by Bamaman » Sun Apr 22, 2012 4:34 am

Bentleys are still coming out of the Columbia, SC area. They went through some legal issues (bankruptcy) a couple of years ago, and you can Google them to read the specifics.

I think the original owner is back in charge under the name Bentley Encore.

In the southeast, they have quite a few dealers selling their boats. I would call them a mid line pontoon manufacturer. They're not as plush as a Bennington/Premier/Manitou/Harris, but they're also not priced as high.

I too have not heard anything bad about them. And, there are quite a few Bentley owners on this forum.
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mmcneice
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#5 Post by mmcneice » Fri Apr 27, 2012 5:58 pm

I traded in a 2005 20' Bentley for a new 2010 Bentley Encore Elite 22' w/ 115 Merc 4 stroke in early 2010. I have had the boat for two seasons and have not had any problems. I found the Bentley brand to be the best "bang for your buck" i.e. It might not have the fit and finish of more expensive brands but has a lot of standard features that are optional on other brands.

Hope this helps...

dockholiday
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#6 Post by dockholiday » Fri Apr 27, 2012 6:15 pm

Might want to check pricing on a tritoon just to see if it is still in your price range. Between the sun tracker and the bentley both offer a lot of bang for the buck. Far as going from runabout to toon, I never had any regrets. The comfort and freedom to get up and stretch your legs far outweigh the decreased speed for me although on my 2nd toon I did opt for the tritoon. A little more money but not really that bad..........

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Texoma Toon
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#7 Post by Texoma Toon » Mon Apr 30, 2012 4:46 pm

In my opinion Bentley is one of the top brands, but I woul be more concerned about the reputation of the dealer. That seems to be where most problems come from.
Good luck!
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Bamaman
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#8 Post by Bamaman » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:45 pm

Bentley Encore is a mid line boat--and there's nothing wrong with being mid line in a very competitive pontoon boat market. I especially like the model 243 high performance 3 toon version with the biggest engine allowed.

It's not a Premier/Harris/Bennington/Manitou, but there again it's not priced like these high line boats.

You didn't say where you were located. There are some very good, competitive Bentley Encore dealers in the Southeast.

I looked at Bentley closely at the boat show earlier this year. My only complaint is with the painted fencing railings. I'd rather have the option of a natural aluminum finish--personal preference.

And as it was said, the quality of the dealer is very important. Always try to buy local if the dealership's competitive in price and quality of service.
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PhillyKim
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#9 Post by PhillyKim » Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:54 am

I just bought a 2012 22' Bentley SE with a 115 HP 4-stroke Mercury. My first boat -- so excited! I've only had it out 4 times since I got it on May 24th but so far, I absolutely love it. If you're interested, I'd be happy to give you my invoice that shows all of the options and the price I paid -- just inbox me.

Kim

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curtiscapk
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#10 Post by curtiscapk » Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:33 am

PhillyKim wrote:I just bought a 2012 22' Bentley SE with a 115 HP 4-stroke Mercury. My first boat -- so excited! I've only had it out 4 times since I got it on May 24th but so far, I absolutely love it. If you're interested, I'd be happy to give you my invoice that shows all of the options and the price I paid -- just inbox me.

Kim
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bruuuuce
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#11 Post by bruuuuce » Mon Jun 04, 2012 12:37 pm

I have a 2008 22ft Bentley (220 Cruise), it was purchased pre-bankruptcy.

Never had an issue with the pontoon itself, did have an issue with the Mercury Motor and a dealer (not purchasing dealer, they are out of business) fixed it under warranty on a holiday weekend, after hours on a Saturday at no extra charge. I gratefully tipped the mechanic!

Last year I had to buy my second new Bimini top due to squirrels making a nest out of it. Found a Bentley Encore Dealer they took my serial number and in just a few weeks they were calling me telling me my new top was in and it fit like a glove!

I have no complaints with my pontoon and would buy another Bentley. However it would be a tritoon and the biggest motor you can get and a ski tow.
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BobL
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#12 Post by BobL » Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:04 pm

Texoma Toon wrote:....but I woul be more concerned about the reputation of the dealer. That seems to be where most problems come from.....
This is 100% accurate!

I had a Bentley and never had any issues. Had some friends that had a couple of minor issues but the local dealer kept everyone happy, even during the Bentley bankruptcy. When it is all said and done, there is not a lot that can go wrong with the boat itself.
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Ron Burgundy
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Re: 22 ft. Bentley

#13 Post by Ron Burgundy » Mon Jun 04, 2012 3:39 pm

curtiscapk wrote:
PhillyKim wrote:Kim
Welcome we want pics!!!



:nono :lol3
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