Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 9]

[bmthnick1981]

r129sl said:

On the way home I stopped in Manchester to view and drive an out of thread budget w140 CL600 V12.

And? Are you making a purchase?

[Krikkit]

BigBen said:

Could be a case of fitting matching tyres for selling the car purposes rather than a long term thing. Anyway some service history will show what has / has not been skimped on.

V8 estates are very rare so not worth writing off on that basis, could simply be owned by a non enthusiast, for instance my mrs took her S211 for a new front tyre and was about to fit the cheapest, because it was cheapest, until I put her right......

I quite agree. A lot of garages will simply fit the cheapest tyre they have for customers as well, if it's been to an independent with a "give it what it needs" attitude from the owner who knows nothing then it's easy for the indy to shove a set of 4 linglongs on and make a healthier margin than the equivalent continental etc.

[r129sl]

bmthnick1981 said:

r129sl said:

On the way home I stopped in Manchester to view and drive an out of thread budget w140 CL600 V12.

And? Are you making a purchase?

Not for me but I think my friend with the 300 CE-24 is likely to add it to his fleet. I was viewing on his behalf.

It was interesting to drive. Very sprightly off the line for a 2,000kg vehicle, much more so than the S420 W140 which I am used to; it did not feel fast—relative to my SL500 in which I had arrived—until it got up to about 70mph, but from there onwards it was noticeably faster, seemingly accelerating harder and harder as the speed rose. I don't know whether it was in third or fourth (the former I think), but it was eating up that gear before I backed off at about 115mph. I wouldn't say it was significantly more refined than the V8, but it did sound more cultured. I would describe the handling as inert. I think it would take some getting used to, would never be particularly "feelsome"but would be an ultra-efficient high-speed, long distance car, which is what he wants.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

That CL600 is a very handsome thing.

[V12 AMG]

The early cars have a different power delivery to the later ones as well as higher power output. They will do just under 140mph in 3rd gear before they hit the rev limiter. 175+mph de-restricted apparently.

[anonymous-user]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That CL600 is a very handsome thing.

Goes to show how opinions differ! I was looking at the photo before I saw your reply thinking "my god that really is an *ugly* car"

ETA - Having now spent many minutes staring at it with my head at various angles it does have a nice wedgy shape, and I like the shape and near symmetry of the glasshouse. I can even get over the slab sidedness of it. The long rear overhang and too short wheelbase for the body continue to spoil it for me. It certainly has challenging looks.

Edited by dme123 on Tuesday 29th September 11:41

[lostkiwi]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That CL600 is a very handsome thing.

It is indeed!

Our 129 will be getting its legs stretched next week with a trip to the Auvergne. Can't wait!

[bmthnick1981]

Looks fantastic in dark blue.

[EskimoArapaho]

dme123 said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

That CL600 is a very handsome thing.

Goes to show how opinions differ! I was looking at the photo before I saw your reply thinking "my god that really is an *ugly* car"

+1 While its rear half has borrowed some very elegant lines from the W124 coupe, this good work is ruined by the front third. (And from the front it's very unfortunate.)

These will be an overlooked bargain for a very long time (unlike the W126 coupe - buy them while you can)

[derin100]

r129sl said:

I had the pleasure of a visit to one of our number's premises yesterday: Derin kindly showed me his fleet of frankly amazing BMWs. It was a pleasure to meet the man at last, having gazed in wonder at his website for years now. I had to stop on my way there to wash my car, haha. Anyway, my visit simply confirms what we know already: that you'd have to be mad to buy anything other than a barge. Why anyone would have a new soap box rather than, say, a top notch 540i with plenty left over for fuel and maintenance is beyond me.

On the way home I stopped in Manchester to view and drive an out of thread budget w140 CL600 V12. And then I ran into four separate night time road closures on the A1 north including a 30minute diversion. Still, I had the motorway to myself when I rejoined it and it would have been churlish not to stretch my 129's legs as far as they go.

Likewise, it was great to finally meet up.

I can assure forum regulars that now having seen r129sl's SL it is an absolutely stunning car! One just cannot believe it has the mileage it has done!

[barchetta_boy]

EskimoArapaho said:

+1 While its rear half has borrowed some very elegant lines from the W124 coupe, this good work is ruined by the front third. (And from the front it's very unfortunate.)

These will be an overlooked bargain for a very long time (unlike the W126 coupe - buy them while you can)

I keep getting tempted by these big Merc coupes, but then I keep realising that the 928 can do it all, and more... I just need to drive the damn thing. As ever, how often it is better to covet than to own...

[golfer19]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C664629

[bob-lad]

How about this thing? £2000

7.0 of waft, wobble and roll.




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

Edited by bob-lad on Tuesday 29th September 19:45

[Blown2CV]

bob-lad said:

How about this thing? £2000

7.0 of waft, wobble and roll.




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

Edited by bob-lad on Tuesday 29th September 19:45

all trundly slow 195bhp of 4 ton 2mpg glugging carburetor goodness! You probably couldn't even make the tyres squeal in that thing. Still, I do want an old canal barge yank.

[Krikkit]

golfer19 said:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C664629

Wibble! What a perfect colour combo, dark over tan with zebrano... Fabulous.

[0a]

Krikkit said:

golfer19 said:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C664629

Wibble! What a perfect colour combo, dark over tan with zebrano... Fabulous.

Lovely, isn't that mushroom?

I finally got around to jump startin the 300 today and went for a drive in it to charge it up (the petrol light came on in the SL!) It was dead when I tried to start it 2 hours later. Must be a dud battery - is there any other reason w124s discharge so quickly?

It's a lovely smooth old thing though. The build is much better than the SL!

[CharlesdeGaulle]

idiotgap said:

This 4k bruiser near the mark?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

That bruiser is actually very near to the mark. Good spot.

[0a]

derin100 said:

r129sl said:

I had the pleasure of a visit to one of our number's premises yesterday: Derin kindly showed me his fleet of frankly amazing BMWs. It was a pleasure to meet the man at last, having gazed in wonder at his website for years now. I had to stop on my way there to wash my car, haha. Anyway, my visit simply confirms what we know already: that you'd have to be mad to buy anything other than a barge. Why anyone would have a new soap box rather than, say, a top notch 540i with plenty left over for fuel and maintenance is beyond me.

On the way home I stopped in Manchester to view and drive an out of thread budget w140 CL600 V12. And then I ran into four separate night time road closures on the A1 north including a 30minute diversion. Still, I had the motorway to myself when I rejoined it and it would have been churlish not to stretch my 129's legs as far as they go.

Likewise, it was great to finally meet up.

I can assure forum regulars that now having seen r129sl's SL it is an absolutely stunning car! One just cannot believe it has the mileage it has done!

I'm jealous of the posts above

The SL was definitly made for higher speed stuff, and feels very stable at German numbers.

[r129sl]

Today's waste of time is the Mercedes w210 E430. The very definition of a smoker barge? Here are two:

Low mileage apparently mint Jap import that will need de-tinting and a European COMAND system. Looks pretty mint, otherwise, though.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171950076156?_trksid=p20...






Then this ultra-high spec UK car. Upgrade nappa leather. Ventilated seats. Rear blind. COMAND. It appears to have everything.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[JonoG81]

r129sl said:

Today's waste of time is the Mercedes w210 E430. The very definition of a smoker barge? Here are two:

Low mileage apparently mint Jap import that will need de-tinting and a European COMAND system. Looks pretty mint, otherwise, though.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171950076156?_trksid=p20...

Has that had some kind of diplomatic flag attached to the front bumper at some time in its life?