Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[slippery]

r129sl said:

Some serious barging ahead of me: I'm 305miles from home, languishing in the Monmouth service station. I really can't be chewed...

I know that feeling very well indeed.
It's times like this when you need to slide behind the wheel of a minty C140 V12.

[E65Ross]

0a said:

The 300e is quite sufficient enough for wafting about in, there is no need to be vulgar and make up for other deficiencies in a vehicle by adding more power

Sufficient, yes. Mercedes obviously decided to be vulgar and add more power by making the 500e

[0a]

E65Ross said:

0a said:

The 300e is quite sufficient enough for wafting about in, there is no need to be vulgar and make up for other deficiencies in a vehicle by adding more power

Sufficient, yes. Mercedes obviously decided to be vulgar and add more power by making the 500e

Not very many of them though, and lacking in other deficiencies to cover up in any case what with it still being a W124 after all

[NastyNick74]

I'm currently driving school 2.0 W201 190. I accept that it's not a fast car but I am liking the more relaxed pace and style of driving that it brings.

Will a 220 or 230 S124 be of a similar pace to what I'm already wafting about in? If so, then that's perfectly alright with me. If it's really REALLY slow, then I might have to aim towards a 280.

[0a]

NastyNick74 said:

I'm currently driving school 2.0 W201 190. I accept that it's not a fast car but I am liking the more relaxed pace and style of driving that it brings.

Will a 220 or 230 S124 be of a similar pace to what I'm already wafting about in? If so, then that's perfectly alright with me. If it's really REALLY slow, then I might have to aim towards a 280.

For me it's about the nice nature of a straight 6 engine, smooth and with a pleasant sound.

[NastyNick74]

0a said:

NastyNick74 said:

I'm currently driving school 2.0 W201 190. I accept that it's not a fast car but I am liking the more relaxed pace and style of driving that it brings.

Will a 220 or 230 S124 be of a similar pace to what I'm already wafting about in? If so, then that's perfectly alright with me. If it's really REALLY slow, then I might have to aim towards a 280.

For me it's about the nice nature of a straight 6 engine, smooth and with a pleasant sound.

For myself, it's achieving the balance between some semblance of economy (I know that 124s are not bought to be economical) and acceptable modern day pace.

[harry kular]

NastyNick74 said:

For myself, it's achieving the balance between some semblance of economy (I know that 124s are not bought to be economical) and acceptable modern day pace.

I'd expect the 220 to be a bit quicker than the 2.0 190. 150 bhp vs say 110? Don't think the weight difference will make too much impact...

[E65Ross]

0a said:

Not very many of them though, and lacking in other deficiencies to cover up in any case what with it still being a W124 after all

My point being that I don't think manufacturers simply add power purely because their car has other deficiencies. It's probably more likely they have models of varying engine capacities and sizes to cater for people who don't give a toss about speed and just want economy, and those who don't give a toss about economy and want a fair bit of schnell. At a guess...

[TomJS]

r129sl said:

bmthnick1981 said:

mccrackenj said:

r129sl said:

Friend has just bought this for 4 bags:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C522268

I was looking at that only last night. Looks great and a very desirable colour/interior/spec.

I really like black leather on W124s.

This is going to be delivered into my custody next week as my friend is going on holiday. I shall report... Apparently one of the seat belt butlers doesn't work, the air con needs converting to r134 and one of the door windows doesn't work. No rust anywhere, it is said. We shall see.

Some serious barging ahead of me: I'm 305miles from home, languishing in the Monmouth service station. I really can't be chewed...

Looks lovely and great colour co-ordination. Very classy.

[0a]

E65Ross said:

0a said:

Not very many of them though, and lacking in other deficiencies to cover up in any case what with it still being a W124 after all

My point being that I don't think manufacturers simply add power purely because their car has other deficiencies. It's probably more likely they have models of varying engine capacities and sizes to cater for people who don't give a toss about speed and just want economy, and those who don't give a toss about economy and want a fair bit of schnell. At a guess...

I do agree with you generally, though I see overpowered barges as somewhat unnecessary (as opposed to special sporting models like the M5 or E500 that are substantially changed).

My A8 was a case in point - the 300bhp ish v8 was impressive in terms of foot down-ness, but utterly pointless as the car wasn't a sports car, and not even a sporting saloon. Driving it for a couple of weeks and then stepping back into the W124 made the W124 feel slow, until you drove a couple of hundred miles and then you reset to a car that's has quite enough power but is nice and smooth.

In the A8 the only amusing thing was booting the throttle which is not what a barge should be about. In any case a straight 6 will always be more refined and balanced than a v8 or v6 - best go for a v12 in a barge if you need more power!

Diesels and 4 cylinders need not apply.

[slippery]

Sorry Oa, but I disagree. For me, the feeling of having massive thrust at my disposal, whilst enjoying levels of comfort that would rival the comfiest of armchairs, is one of my greatest motoring pleasures.

[E65Ross]

slippery said:

Sorry Oa, but I disagree. For me, the feeling of having massive thrust at my disposal, whilst enjoying levels of comfort that would rival the comfiest of armchairs, is one of my greatest motoring pleasures.

This. The E38 is regarded as a good barge but if someone said you could have another 100bhp I wouldn't have said no because 190bhp is enough....

[r129sl]

E65Ross said:

slippery said:

Sorry Oa, but I disagree. For me, the feeling of having massive thrust at my disposal, whilst enjoying levels of comfort that would rival the comfiest of armchairs, is one of my greatest motoring pleasures.

This. The E38 is regarded as a good barge but if someone said you could have another 100bhp I wouldn't have said no because 190bhp is enough....

I always thought the same but my w124, desperately low on power though it is (136bhp), is never really wanting. It has just run me home on cruise control at the ton for half an hour at a time. And they handle surprisingly well under pressure. Although I think the 400 E (286bhp) is probably the best car of all...

[sly fox]

With respect to power- i believe the phrase you are looking for is "An Elegant Sufficiency"
190bhp in a large barge doesn't match that definition

[Patrick Bateman]

0a said:

I do agree with you generally, though I see overpowered barges as somewhat unnecessary (as opposed to special sporting models like the M5 or E500 that are substantially changed).

My A8 was a case in point - the 300bhp ish v8 was impressive in terms of foot down-ness, but utterly pointless as the car wasn't a sports car, and not even a sporting saloon. Driving it for a couple of weeks and then stepping back into the W124 made the W124 feel slow, until you drove a couple of hundred miles and then you reset to a car that's has quite enough power but is nice and smooth.

In the A8 the only amusing thing was booting the throttle which is not what a barge should be about. In any case a straight 6 will always be more refined and balanced than a v8 or v6 - best go for a v12 in a barge if you need more power!

Diesels and 4 cylinders need not apply.

[0a]

Patrick Bateman said:

W124 500E only. Clarification. Now can we have more barges before this hole gets too big and before I buy a V8 BMW (with dodgy exterior styling and a plastic interior including an 'I drive'?)

Edited by 0a on Thursday 24th July 23:05

[Zwolf]

E65Ross said:

slippery said:

Sorry Oa, but I disagree. For me, the feeling of having massive thrust at my disposal, whilst enjoying levels of comfort that would rival the comfiest of armchairs, is one of my greatest motoring pleasures.

This. The E38 is regarded as a good barge but if someone said you could have another 100bhp I wouldn't have said no because 190bhp is enough....

It is, *just* enough though and I've long held that the best E38 variants that extol the virtues of what a Seven is about have either a straight six or V12 in them, for similar reasons. Another ~140 horses is rather pleasant to have though and a twelve cylinder engine has a charm all its own and the peak power output alone is just a small part of it. Almost like a spare second engine at times if you were to jump from one to the other - same characteristics overall, just amplified and intensified. The feeling of wanton excess is a part of it...

The V8s are different again and certainly aren't without relative merit. If searching for a 28i or 50i and a great condition 35/40i came up for grabs, it'd be daft to ignore it. They ALL do the job of barging very well, basically.

I understand what both Oa and slippery are respectively getting at though. Similarly a 523/5/8/30i do all a Five *needs* to do and does it best (personal highlights are 523i & 528i manuals in SE spec on 16" wheels), diminishing returns and all that, until you get to the top of the tree at least in that instance, either B10 or //M.

[0a]

r129sl said:

E65Ross said:

slippery said:

Sorry Oa, but I disagree. For me, the feeling of having massive thrust at my disposal, whilst enjoying levels of comfort that would rival the comfiest of armchairs, is one of my greatest motoring pleasures.

This. The E38 is regarded as a good barge but if someone said you could have another 100bhp I wouldn't have said no because 190bhp is enough....

I always thought the same but my w124, desperately low on power though it is (136bhp), is never really wanting. It has just run me home on cruise control at the ton for half an hour at a time. And they handle surprisingly well under pressure. Although I think the 400 E (286bhp) is probably the best car of all...

I'm flying to see the parents this weekend as there's a couple of bits to arrive before my W124 'underside' is finished and reattached - disappointing as I love driving the W124 on an easy 1,000 mile weekend (as I will do when I switch to the diesel focus later this weekend). I suspect I just don't particularly like large over controlled barges - the A8 was dull on the same trip, a borrowed 730d criminal!

I like a proper RWD 6 cylinder well made merc, I suspect.


I rarely get overtaken, and use my own traction control (my brain)

Edited by 0a on Thursday 24th July 23:28

[Max M4X WW]

sday12 said:

bmthnick1981 said:

Max M4X WW said:

bmthnick1981 said:

deadslow said:

r129sl said:

This looks nice although the ad is rubbish:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MERCEDES-BENZ-S500-W140-...

looks like it made £3950

Strong money? Wonder if it will be relisted.

Is it? For faily low miles, good spec and it looks pretty clean! Not forgetting V8..

I'd say so yees. This one has much lower miles (not as nice spec admittedly) but it could probably be had for £2k;

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-P-Mercedes-Benz-S-5...

I think the one that has made £4k has made that money off the back of a comprehensive ad and some very nice pictures

The £2k one on ebay you mention has been viewed by a thread contributor, and by all accounts it's a lemon with frilly arches and an driven by an elephant.

£4k for the first car looks fine value if it all adds up.

Beat me to it, the M reg one is hanging.

The wheels are also a massive selling point to me on the 4k car, I'd want a set on one if I got one. That or the diamond cut (forged?) small wheels, not the ones on the 2k car.

[deadslow]

6.0 litres of Jag V12 goodness. 4 grand.

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