What cheap V8? Bought a LS400 & it's not for me.

[billzeebub]

XJR or 540 Beemer

[braddo]

What's the budget?

Merc E-class options:

E430 for £600:
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

E55 for £4000
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...


Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...


£100 at an exhaust shop to cut out the central silencer if you want more noise.

[Embryonic]

browna said:

Soarer? Or maybe 540i e39. I'm just gonna save up for a monaro... One day!

I had one of these. Sold it about 3 months ago and kinda wish I hadn't now. If I could find an Individual in a tasty colour combo, I'd be very tempted. Great cars.

[AC43]

braddo said:

What's the budget?

Merc E-class options:

E430 for £600:
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

E55 for £4000
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...


Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...


£100 at an exhaust shop to cut out the central silencer if you want more noise.

....or a early W211 E500? The 430 and 500 would probably have to lose a silencer or two if you want a bit of raw noise. Or a s/s exhaust. The 43 and 55 come with noise out of the box.

Heard a 540i the other day with s/s zorst - fruity.

[scotty_d]

Range rover

[Dr Interceptor]

We're lucky - have a plethora of V8s on the driveway, one being a 2002 E430, an other being a 1998 XJ8 4.0 (X308 model).

The Merc is a very solid, capable cruiser. It feels like it will sit at 140mph all day long, blatting up and down the autobahns. However it is not a drivers car, it has absolutely no steering feel whatsoever. It doesn't inspire confidence... you know the grip is there, with its huge 265/35/18 rear tyres, but you can never fully exploit it due to a lack of feedback.

The Jag is another story. It feels like a much smaller car when you're driving it. The steering really is excellent for a big saloon, the 4.0 V8 has plenty of urgency about it and makes a lovely noise. The Sport mode on the Auto box works well. Mine is in Carnival Red with Cream leather, lovely colour combo. It doesn't have as many toys as the Merc, but I generally prefer it as a place to be.

On all cars of that age though, as others have said, buy on condition and history. They're all prone to rust, the Beemers, Mercs, and Jags. Pick up a car with main dealer history, no signs of tin worm or paintwork, put your fingers up in the arches and make sure they're made of metal, not filler. An independent AA check before buying will pick up on any items that may have been 'ignored' by a friendly MOT tester too - things like brake lines, bearing play etc.

[SturdyHSV]

The ls1 Monaros have been as low as £6,500. I'd save up the pennies

Failing that, on a budget, I'd go XJR. Dad has one, it's great.

[cammy33]

Been trawling through classifieds, what about a Mercedes Benz CLK 320? Around 1999/2000 they look cracking value for money? Are they as rusty as the E class? Oh & I know it's not a V8.

[Six Fiend]

Who says an E34 V8 is too refined eh?

Play it to the end with the sound well up...

http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/qq349/SixFiend/...

[Fleckers]

Mg zt or a ztt se260 gets my vote

[Rollcage]

Fleckers said:

Mg zt or a ztt se260 gets my vote

Not exactly cheap though, by the standards of this thread. And yes, lovely cars.

[slippery]

cammy33 said:

Been trawling through classifieds, what about a Mercedes Benz CLK 320? Around 1999/2000 they look cracking value for money? Are they as rusty as the E class? Oh & I know it's not a V8.

Get a CLK 430 if you want a V8.

[Countdown]

Fleckers said:

Mg zt or a ztt se260 gets my vote

IMO they're a class below the other stuff being suggested.

The C43 in Braddo's link looks massively tempting

[Rollcage]

Countdown said:

IMO they're a class below the other stuff being suggested.

The C43 in Braddo's link looks massively tempting

The build quality of the ZT is great, IMO. Nice interiors that are well put together, they don't rust and the V8s and V6s are inherently reliable, as are the diesels. Certainly better screwed together than many comparable Mercs of the same era.

[carpmaster]

E38 735i / 740i sport

Had the same itch - scratched with a mint £3k 735i sport and don't regret it at all. Amazing car and the V8 soundtrack is lovely.

Currently have 9 points on my license hence the refined yet interesting waft-o-barge - but they come off mid-November so I am contemplating moving the BMW on and getting into something a bit more chuckable like an Evo / STI.

Just find a well cared for E38 (I think the facelift sport is the best choice) and enjoy. Move it on when you get another itch!

[varsas]

Manual e39 540.

[Pesty]

braddo said:

What's the budget?

Merc E-class options:


Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

that looksd like a great car for 2.5k

[cammy33]

Well I have advertised the LS, if it sells I will do a few trips to view/drive some of the cars people have suggested. Thanks for all the replys.

[stewjohnst]

I'd be another one to suggest the 540 E39, the E39 535 was also a V8 but I got one after I'd had the 540 and missed the extra grunt/wafting ability of the bigger engine, not that the 535 was exactly slow.

Wasn't much difference in fuel economy either, think I got another 3-5 mpg out of the 3.5 if that.

[irocfan]

define cheap?

for V8 fun...

Camaro/Firebird/Corvette... try a Chevy Impala SS with the Corvette lump in it for a family friendly run-about