Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 10]

[Krikkit]

OpulentBob said:

Sterillium said:

OpulentBob said:

Thank you. That's the sort of assurance I wanted. I've always wanted a merc, and prefer big estates. Seen a tempter on eBay for 2.5k but it's 5 hours away, pre face-lift but SBC done apparantly. Tempted to have a little bit of chat with him. Post 03 are all galvanised, aren't they?

I've been looking at that one too, quite near me in Exeter.

Quick chat with seller and he says he'd deal at 2400. Any cheaper and I'd have bought it already, I really want to get back into an E320 Estate for mile munching because I miss my old one. Problem is I've become extremely attached to my 530 Sport Touring, despite it's love of a good drink.

Ooh interesting. Any other info on the car you can share? I'd have to beg a huge favour from the Mrs to get a lift down there to look at it so any info would be appreciated.

Without trying to be too negative, is it really worth travelling 5h for a car that's so common? A real rarity sure, but a W211 diesel?

[anonymous-user]

Fair point. I have to look past London - I've seen so many clocked ones, or ones being oversold. Trust me If I could find something more local that wasn't overpriced and unloved, I would.

[BigBen]

Krikkit said:

OpulentBob said:

Sterillium said:

OpulentBob said:

Thank you. That's the sort of assurance I wanted. I've always wanted a merc, and prefer big estates. Seen a tempter on eBay for 2.5k but it's 5 hours away, pre face-lift but SBC done apparantly. Tempted to have a little bit of chat with him. Post 03 are all galvanised, aren't they?

I've been looking at that one too, quite near me in Exeter.

Quick chat with seller and he says he'd deal at 2400. Any cheaper and I'd have bought it already, I really want to get back into an E320 Estate for mile munching because I miss my old one. Problem is I've become extremely attached to my 530 Sport Touring, despite it's love of a good drink.

Ooh interesting. Any other info on the car you can share? I'd have to beg a huge favour from the Mrs to get a lift down there to look at it so any info would be appreciated.

Without trying to be too negative, is it really worth travelling 5h for a car that's so common? A real rarity sure, but a W211 diesel?

It looks pretty good to me and £2400 is a very good price. The SBC pump having been done as well as a recon gearbox suggests the main issues have been sorted (the likely cause for the gearbox needing doing is the radiator problem which would have been fixed at the same time).

That is a very early car, they had a mini facelift in about 04 which you can spot by the grille where the vendor has some sunglasses being made of a finer mesh.

I bet you can get a cheap return train fair at the weekend, worst case you have to use the return bit, best case you are driving home in a Merc.

Ben

[Stegel]

BigBen said:

It looks pretty good to me and £2400 is a very good price. The SBC pump having been done as well as a recon gearbox suggests the main issues have been sorted (the likely cause for the gearbox needing doing is the radiator problem which would have been fixed at the same time).

That is a very early car, they had a mini facelift in about 04 which you can spot by the grille where the vendor has some sunglasses being made of a finer mesh.

I bet you can get a cheap return train fair at the weekend, worst case you have to use the return bit, best case you are driving home in a Merc.

Ben

+1 - Good S211s, which this one looks to be, aren't that common, and an Advance or off-peak ticket will be pretty cheap. Our 320 does all the family jobs with aplomb - bikes, kayaks, dogs and builders' merchants - and can show a clean pair of heels to most things as well. (My wife has not washed a car in 26 years, but if she did it too would look like she used a hammer - a great turn of phrase!)

[Sterillium]

OpulentBob said:

Ooh interesting. Any other info on the car you can share? I'd have to beg a huge favour from the Mrs to get a lift down there to look at it so any info would be appreciated.

Only that £2400 is his lowest or he'll keep it (bet that changes if you stand in front of him with forty, crisp £50 notes - I've found it often does...) and he's selling for his brother (tiny alarm bell ringing... but should be checkable).

I am SORELY tempted to go look at it, as I want to put the OH in another E320 so it can serve daily duties and long haul touring whilst I fill the yard up with stupid cars, but A> She's not totally keen on a giant barge and B> I've got a beautiful 530 Sport Touring (bought via this thread ) that I need to force myself to move on.

Sitting with three estates on the drive and no toys (just sold a boat and an old Audi Cab) would make me question my sanity.

[anonymous-user]

Sterillium said:

OpulentBob said:

Ooh interesting. Any other info on the car you can share? I'd have to beg a huge favour from the Mrs to get a lift down there to look at it so any info would be appreciated.

Only that £2400 is his lowest or he'll keep it (bet that changes if you stand in front of him with forty, crisp £50 notes - I've found it often does...) and he's selling for his brother (tiny alarm bell ringing... but should be checkable).

I am SORELY tempted to go look at it, as I want to put the OH in another E320 so it can serve daily duties and long haul touring whilst I fill the yard up with stupid cars, but A> She's not totally keen on a giant barge and B> I've got a beautiful 530 Sport Touring (bought via this thread ) that I need to force myself to move on.

Sitting with three estates on the drive and no toys (just sold a boat and an old Audi Cab) would make me question my sanity.

I rang the number in the ad, was told to ring another number (the lady's partner). Then I was told by the seller to ring on another number. A little odd. Maybe you should buy it before I waste 5 hours on the train!

[Krikkit]

Re-reading that does look rather good. 59 watchers on eBay at the moment too - buy before he realises it's about £1k too cheap!

[Sterillium]

OpulentBob said:

I rang the number in the ad, was told to ring another number (the lady's partner). Then I was told by the seller to ring on another number. A little odd. Maybe you should buy it before I waste 5 hours on the train!

That would add up as:

Call landline >> Lady passes you to her OH who placed Ad >> Call her OH >> OH passes you to his brother who he placed ad for...

I'll buy it if you buy my 530.

[Sterillium]

I think this may have already been posted.

Strong money, but beautiful.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-MERCEDES-E300-Diese...

[Sterillium]

Interesting backstory.

I find this very appealing and understated... needs a few bits but sounds good to me at below half of thread budget.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1994-MERCEDES-C280-AMG-A...

[AdamGP]

Max M4X WW said:

Reasonably good news for me, if they sell, as mine will be available in the next couple of months.

I've wanted a CL500 for years but never had the balls, are they that ruinous other than ABC pump failure??

[JF87]

AdamGP said:

I've wanted a CL500 for years but never had the balls, are they that ruinous other than ABC pump failure??

Seems to me this is definitely the time to buy. The chavved-up/neglected pre-facelift money-pits have dragged down the values of even nicely looked-after later cars... but in a year or two the former will have largely disappeared, and the latter will start to appreciate. Looking at some of those posted above you can clearly now get a decent late one comfortably within thread budget - 12 months ago, you couldn't.

Consensus appears to be that an ABC overhaul isn't as ruinous as many fear, and can generally be forestalled by regular use of the system.

Edited by JF87 on Friday 3rd June 14:19

[anonymous-user]

Sterillium said:

OpulentBob said:

I rang the number in the ad, was told to ring another number (the lady's partner). Then I was told by the seller to ring on another number. A little odd. Maybe you should buy it before I waste 5 hours on the train!

That would add up as:

Call landline >> Lady passes you to her OH who placed Ad >> Call her OH >> OH passes you to his brother who he placed ad for...

I'll buy it if you buy my 530.

Spoken to the seller. All "seems" fine. The car is his brothers, swapped between themselves a couple of months ago for a convertible BMW apparently. Everything seems to check out - only thing is, strangely, it doesn't have bum warmers. Everything else looks OK, history checks out, HPI is clear. I'll be heading down there tomorrow morning, train ticket booked, I shall set off before 9am, pocket full of readies and a belly full of caffeine and Sausage McMuffin.

Aah bargedom, how I have missed thee.

[Sterillium]

OpulentBob said:

Spoken to the seller. All "seems" fine. The car is his brothers, swapped between themselves a couple of months ago for a convertible BMW apparently. Everything seems to check out - only thing is, strangely, it doesn't have bum warmers. Everything else looks OK, history checks out, HPI is clear. I'll be heading down there tomorrow morning, train ticket booked, I shall set off before 9am, pocket full of readies and a belly full of caffeine and Sausage McMuffin.

Aah bargedom, how I have missed thee.

I'm only half an hour away... RACE YOU.

[anonymous-user]

Sterillium said:

OpulentBob said:

Spoken to the seller. All "seems" fine. The car is his brothers, swapped between themselves a couple of months ago for a convertible BMW apparently. Everything seems to check out - only thing is, strangely, it doesn't have bum warmers. Everything else looks OK, history checks out, HPI is clear. I'll be heading down there tomorrow morning, train ticket booked, I shall set off before 9am, pocket full of readies and a belly full of caffeine and Sausage McMuffin.

Aah bargedom, how I have missed thee.

I'm only half an hour away... RACE YOU.

Git

[Thankyou4calling]

I'd be very interested if you buy it what you actually pay?

Hold out yer and and all that!

[Sterillium]

OpulentBob said:

Git

Thankyou4calling said:

I'd be very interested if you buy it what you actually pay?

Hold out yer and and all that!

I bet he'd take £2000 if it was there in front of him.

But... For the difference, if that's as good as it looks, I'd probably go for it at £2500 (£2400!) to get it bought and moving.

[Stegel]

Jodyone said:

In bargey news, we've driven to the west coast of france over the last few days, putting about a thousand miles so far on our new W126 300SE. Lovely glidey stuff. 20L of petrol in the boot just in case.

We normally regard unseen distant barge purchase as the mark of a true Bargista, but purchase and then heading to the continent in short order sets a new level we must all now aspire to - well done! I think carrying on board reserve fuel as a hedge against striking French workers is also particularly commendable!

[SuperHangOn]

OpulentBob said:

Sterillium said:

OpulentBob said:

I rang the number in the ad, was told to ring another number (the lady's partner). Then I was told by the seller to ring on another number. A little odd. Maybe you should buy it before I waste 5 hours on the train!

That would add up as:

Call landline >> Lady passes you to her OH who placed Ad >> Call her OH >> OH passes you to his brother who he placed ad for...

I'll buy it if you buy my 530.

Spoken to the seller. All "seems" fine. The car is his brothers, swapped between themselves a couple of months ago for a convertible BMW apparently. Everything seems to check out - only thing is, strangely, it doesn't have bum warmers. Everything else looks OK, history checks out, HPI is clear. I'll be heading down there tomorrow morning, train ticket booked, I shall set off before 9am, pocket full of readies and a belly full of caffeine and Sausage McMuffin.

Aah bargedom, how I have missed thee.

How about one of these if the W211 doesn't work out? I would ask the seller to keep the cold for your viewing btw.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-S320-CDI-LOW-MI...

[Thankyou4calling]

SuperHangOn said:

How about one of these if the W211 doesn't work out? I would ask the seller to keep the cold for your viewing btw.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-S320-CDI-LOW-MI...

Does this belong to someone known on PH ?