Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[Mustard]

0a said:

That looks quite nice. The brakes are not great on the 300 12V that's true!

On the topic of newer barges I was tail gated by a new 5 series today, having assumed it would be the ubiquitous 520d, I was surprised to note it has a 530i badge. There isn't such a model on the BMW site, but there is one on Autotrader. Is it a straight 6, or are BMW up to their
trick of up badging 4 cylinder models?

Made briefly for approx 12 months prior to the LCI facelift, though very few were sold (it ran along side the 4 pot 528i, it was actually introduced after the 528i went from I6 to T4)

[texasjohn]

Good beardage above ^

Baryonyx said:

confused_buyer said:

It is the generation before that which is known for an iffy autobox. Little seems to be known about this generation - goodness knows how many they sold in the UK. 3?

I had a go in one, they are absolutely fantastic and they would sold loads more here if it had come with a decent diesel engine.

Tell me more about it. What's fantastic and any negatives (other than MPG)? I really fancy one (which is why I keep posting them up)!

The odd owner review that you come across seems to indicate that they handle really well and have a turn of speed, but the point of reference might be 4 cylinder Accords! Of course, there is always owner bias as well...

[MrOrange]

deadslow said:

prefering this to any of the ropey old mercs

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...


£2.5k

Wow. Two and a half bags is bargain money for a sub-100k XJR. Shame it's so far from me, I've been lurking around dark coloured XJRs for a while but decent ones are either too far away or have no history.

[BeirutTaxi]

MrOrange said:

deadslow said:

prefering this to any of the ropey old mercs

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...


£2.5k

Wow. Two and a half bags is bargain money for a sub-100k XJR. Shame it's so far from me, I've been lurking around dark coloured XJRs for a while but decent ones are either too far away or have no history.

Beware of rust - It's the biggest killer of the X300 and X308 models.

[0a]

Mustard said:

Made briefly for approx 12 months prior to the LCI facelift, though very few were sold (it ran along side the 4 pot 528i, it was actually introduced after the 528i went from I6 to T4)

A shame, I bet they sold very few though unfortunately. Are there any straight 6 NA petrol barges left?

[MJK 24]

0a said:

Mustard said:

Made briefly for approx 12 months prior to the LCI facelift, though very few were sold (it ran along side the 4 pot 528i, it was actually introduced after the 528i went from I6 to T4)

A shame, I bet they sold very few though unfortunately. Are there any straight 6 NA petrol barges left?

Do Lexus still make the GS and if so, does it still have a straight six?

[jfbrin]

Emeye said:

0a said:

Emeye said:

slippery said:

www.bluedragoncars.co.uk/view.asp?ID=253
Inappropriate application of three pointed star aside, this looks delicious. Sorry for lack of photos, posting from phone.

The best interior I think I have ever seen!

That is so damn cool, I want it!

It plenty far away from you too!

Almost as nice as this albeit outside thread budget....

[E65Ross]

MJK 24 said:

Do Lexus still make the GS and if so, does it still have a straight six?

V6

[E65Ross]

How did the drive go 0a? Why do you do so many miles, if I may ask? How many miles per month do you do?

[Mustard]

0a said:

Mustard said:

Made briefly for approx 12 months prior to the LCI facelift, though very few were sold (it ran along side the 4 pot 528i, it was actually introduced after the 528i went from I6 to T4)

A shame, I bet they sold very few though unfortunately. Are there any straight 6 NA petrol barges left?

No, last ones to die were the E82/88 125i coupe / convertible IIRC

'20i - T4 2.0
'25i - T4 2.0
'28i - T4 2.0
'35i - T inline 6 3.0
'40i - T inline 6 3.0
M3/M4 - T inline 6 3.0
'50i - T V8 4.4
'60i -T V12 6.0
M5/6 - T V8 4.4

[dscam]

Bit of a lurker on this thread recently but getting seriously smitten with some of the great smokers posted! I'm contemplating chopping in the huge monthly finance payment and buying 2 (maybe 3) for less than a couple of years payments.

Both the following appeal for different reasons:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

What do we think?

[texasjohn]

I've had the S320 and wouldn't want a smaller engine in the W140 body, personally.

[Caruso]

dscam said:

Bit of a lurker on this thread recently but getting seriously smitten with some of the great smokers posted! I'm contemplating chopping in the huge monthly finance payment and buying 2 (maybe 3) for less than a couple of years payments.

Both the following appeal for different reasons:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

What do we think?

The 500 looks very clean.

[rouge59]

slippery said:

www.bluedragoncars.co.uk/view.asp?ID=253
Inappropriate application of three pointed star aside, this looks delicious. Sorry for lack of photos, posting from phone.

I'd honestly be happy to buy that, and if it borked just sit in it for a while every day.

The automotive equivalent of having the Dalai Lama round telling you you're a nice person.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

dscam said:

Bit of a lurker on this thread recently but getting seriously smitten with some of the great smokers posted! I'm contemplating chopping in the huge monthly finance payment and buying 2 (maybe 3) for less than a couple of years payments.

Both the following appeal for different reasons:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

What do we think?

I'd be happy with either.

The blue 280 is lower miles, longer MOT, and a very modern colour. The almandine 500 is a classic colour, and it's a 500.

If it was me, I'd view both and buy the one I fell in love with first. Which would probably be the one I saw first, so I'd make sure it was the 500. Can't go wrong. Apparently.

[0a]

That 500 has been posted before and has been for sale a while (not necessary saying much given the market for these cars must be tiny).

Someone from either mbclub.co.uk or retro rides went to see it and didn't buy it for a reason I forget.

[MJK 24]

0a said:

That 500 has been posted before and has been for sale a while (not necessary saying much given the market for these cars must be tiny).

Someone from either mbclub.co.uk or retro rides went to see it and didn't buy it for a reason I forget.

The 500 is local to me. Do you have links to the threads where people passed opinion on it?

Great colour scheme for a W126.

[E65Ross]

I've just been out for a random drive in the E65 and a mate came along and I let him drive it. He usually drives a 1.3L (I think) 2009 plate diesel Astra. He absolutely loved it

Said it was comfortable, smooth and that it hides the speed ridiculously well. He also said he is going to hate turning on the diesel engine after trying the petrol V8

I still want that W124 as well having seen the prices of some of them I genuinely can't see why they'd command a much bigger premium over the one I viewed. It had a few minor scuffs on the front bumper but was a very tidy example and could be had for £2250 I reckon. As long as it goes to a good home. Oh, and the air-con works. I'm sure I'd get used to it but it did feel quite slow, but probably only a little slower than the 728i to be honest, but that's a 4 speed box and only around 190bhp I guess. Certainly was nice and smooth as I'd expect.

Edited by E65Ross on Saturday 5th April 22:56

[derin100]

E65Ross said:

derin100 said:

E65Ross said:

derin100 said:

I think in the estate it's not just the wind noise though. I guess estate cars generally tend to be noisier inside than saloons. However, for a big 3.2L engine, the gearing in top gear really seems too low to me, hence it's revving higher at motorway cruising speeds than I'd really like.

What is the gearing on the E320, and is it any different to the 300e? I'm guessing so because, if I'm not mistaken, the 3.2 engines had a 5 speed box vs a 4 speed box for the older 3.0 cars?

Any ideas what rpm each car does at 70mph in top gear? I've never driven an automatic 535i but the 5 speed manual one I drove did 3k rpm at 80, or 85mph (can't remember which, think it was 80) which seemed absolutely fine to me. The later 525i revved a bit higher, I think it was nearer 3k rpm at 70-75mph which is a bit higher than I'd like for high speed cruising.

That's where I feel they got the gearing for the E38 spot on. Yes, it's not fast but for what it's for it's brilliant. 3k rpm at 100mph is so quiet and relaxing, even the 2.8 can pull that gear OK. The 745i is a tiny bit less, 3k rpm comes at around 105-110mph, but it'll pull that gear quicker/harder than the 728i will pull it's 4th gear let alone 5th.

I remember when I got the E21 wishing I had a 5 speed box.....so I put one in. When I got the E38 I wished it had a 6 speed box where 1st was the same and 6th would be the same as 5th so it'd be quicker through the gears. Now I've got exactly that in the E65 I wish I had a 7 or 8 speed box

The 7G-tronic my dad had in his 2006 CLK was a fantastic box if memory serves correctly and 7th was possibly taller than my 6th. 7th in the new M6 is very tall, it does 100mph at 2700rpm IIRC. Then 8th gear on a new 760Li is 3k at 120

Wife just back from France this morning (by that I mean she's come back from Liverpool Airport with the E320) so I'll give it a test and see exactly what the revs are at say 70 mph, 80 mph etc. It's a 4-speed version.

At some stage soon I'll get the 300CE off SORN and do the same in that for comparison and then do the same with the BMW 728i Sport (but I'm pretty sure at 70mph that is only doing 2000rpm).

Ok, I've just done the revs comparison of the Mercedes W124 E320 Estate vs the BMW 728i Sport and the results are quite stark:

Mercedes E320 Estate: At 70mph = 3000 rpm At 80mph = 3500 rpm At 90mph = 4000 rpm

BMW 728i Sport: At 70mph = 2000rpm At 80mph = 2300 rpm At 90mph = 2600 rpm

(I haven't done the same with the Mercedes 300CE as it's SORN and the roads aren't clean enough at present. I'll do the BMW 840Ci Sport soon depending on weather...as that'll be quite interesting?)

Edited by derin100 on Saturday 5th April 23:11

[bmthnick1981]

I'll try and do this in my e38 v12 this coming week and make a note of the results to share.