Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[Adrian E]

r129sl said:

I seem to be forever buying bloody tyres. Anyway, I get them from tyreleader.co.uk whom I have found to be excellent on price and service, better even than camskill.co.uk.

I have a hit list of suppliers I will always try online for prices first - camskill struggle these days as they buy via the UK distributors so depending on the brand may not compete with Micheldever/Protyre (same company) as they're an additional 'value added' profit margin in the equation. Ringing your local Protyre dealer with your best online price can give surprising results.

I tend to check:

Mytyres
Tyreleader
Lovetyres
Camskill
Protytre
Pneusonline
Openeo

I always prefer to use my local wheel refurbisher for any tyre fitting as they usually do a much better job in avoiding wheel damage and they don't jack the car on the sills.

Protyre were cheapest last year for supplying Michelin SuperSports, but when I needed another pair this year Mytyre beat them comfortably - the prices for tyres seem to be following the airline seat pricing model and varying quite a bit depending on when demand is high and what the current stock level is like.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Ref tyres, I did all of the online retailers earlier this year, but my local place price-matched to close enough that they got my business. They know me from doing the winter/summer wheel swap, but I didn't think they were doing me any favours. Always worth seeing if your local chaps can get close - good to support the smaller places.

[CampDavid]

Zwolf said:

Adrian E said:

CampDavid said:

Let me help you with point 1 on that list

http://www.4starclassics.com/Mercedes-S70-AMG-For-...



I know, it's so far out of budget etc but c'mon, that's a full Yakuza spec S70 AMG. Noice

That looks fun - you'd expect them to at least paint the wretched front bumper at that price though!

No MoT or tax either. For sale: one barn ornament.

Pretty sure it'll come with 12 months MOT and you could haggle in the tax.

[Adrian E]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Ref tyres, I did all of the online retailers earlier this year, but my local place price-matched to close enough that they got my business. They know me from doing the winter/summer wheel swap, but I didn't think they were doing me any favours. Always worth seeing if your local chaps can get close - good to support the smaller places.

Yep, agreed. In case it wasn't clear Micheldever aka Protyre have been busy buying up independent tyre retailers all over the country

Worth a search here to find one locally - they invariably can do much better over the phone than the online price suggests

https://www.protyre.co.uk/FindATyreCentre

[E65Ross]

Adrian E said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Ref tyres, I did all of the online retailers earlier this year, but my local place price-matched to close enough that they got my business. They know me from doing the winter/summer wheel swap, but I didn't think they were doing me any favours. Always worth seeing if your local chaps can get close - good to support the smaller places.

Yep, agreed. In case it wasn't clear Micheldever aka Protyre have been busy buying up independent tyre retailers all over the country

Worth a search here to find one locally - they invariably can do much better over the phone than the online price suggests

https://www.protyre.co.uk/FindATyreCentre

Indeed. I've got a close friend who is on the board of directors at Micheldever.... Trade price tyres for me

Although you'll be amazed, they often don't make that big a mark up.....

[Lowtimer]

Reminds me of David Brown being asked by a friend of a friend if he could buy a DB5 "at cost". Certainly, says DB: that'll be £1,000 more than list price.

[slippery]

jonah35 said:

Lexus ls460 on autotrader £6495. I bet with haggling that could be bought near thread budget and, if so, that has to be the winner.

Even with a rogue traction control warning light and 212k miles, that looks like a stupendous amount of car for the money and given my reduced mileage these days, I'm sorely tempted!
Must resist.

[slippery]

Lowtimer said:

Reminds me of David Brown being asked by a friend of a friend if he could buy a DB5 "at cost". Certainly, says DB: that'll be £1,000 more than list price.

Brilliant!

[Agent Orange]

Lowtimer said:

I don't know much about Coys but I keep a regular eye on Anglia Car Auctions and visit the classic sales once or twice a year.
http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auct...

Their pre-sale estimates compared with the subsequent sale prices seem admirably well judged and spin-free.

Someone buy that 50th Anniversary Defender.

http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/classic-auct...

If it sells at that guide price it'll be back on the market within a month for at least £5k more even if it is a Jap import. They are usually high teens.

[jonah35]

slippery said:

jonah35 said:

Lexus ls460 on autotrader £6495. I bet with haggling that could be bought near thread budget and, if so, that has to be the winner.

Even with a rogue traction control warning light and 212k miles, that looks like a stupendous amount of car for the money and given my reduced mileage these days, I'm sorely tempted!
Must resist.

Mileage doesn't put me off in the slightest - very well engineered and under stressed.

I think even for £30k youd struggle to find a car so refined.

[BigBen]

E65Ross said:

Indeed. I've got a close friend who is on the board of directors at Micheldever.... Trade price tyres for me

Although you'll be amazed, they often don't make that big a mark up.....

The Mrs used to work at Continental and could buy at 1/3 retail price. My car at the time (W123 280E) had tyres worth more than it was !

[E65Ross]

BigBen said:

E65Ross said:

Indeed. I've got a close friend who is on the board of directors at Micheldever.... Trade price tyres for me

Although you'll be amazed, they often don't make that big a mark up.....

The Mrs used to work at Continental and could buy at 1/3 retail price. My car at the time (W123 280E) had tyres worth more than it was !

That crazy cheap! I usually get them for a little less than the online places and that includes fitting and tracking/4 wheel alignment etc.

It looks like my Goodyear eagle f1 asymmetric 2 tyres have been wearing reasonably quickly and may need to be replaced before the end of the year. Not great as that's quite a hefty bill. I think the fronts might need doing at a similar time too. Ouch!

[Adrian E]

E65Ross said:

It looks like my Goodyear eagle f1 asymmetric 2 tyres have been wearing reasonably quickly and may need to be replaced before the end of the year. Not great as that's quite a hefty bill. I think the fronts might need doing at a similar time too. Ouch!

I didn't find the F1s to last very well on a heavy car - presume you've long since dispensed with run flats? From personal experience nothing seems to beat Michelin for lifespan, although I'd be tempted to try some Dunlop Sport Maxx as a cheaper option. I run Super Sports on the bus and will probably opt for them on the new motor, but in 265/30ZR20 they ain't going to be cheap!

[E65Ross]

Adrian E said:

E65Ross said:

It looks like my Goodyear eagle f1 asymmetric 2 tyres have been wearing reasonably quickly and may need to be replaced before the end of the year. Not great as that's quite a hefty bill. I think the fronts might need doing at a similar time too. Ouch!

I didn't find the F1s to last very well on a heavy car - presume you've long since dispensed with run flats? From personal experience nothing seems to beat Michelin for lifespan, although I'd be tempted to try some Dunlop Sport Maxx as a cheaper option. I run Super Sports on the bus and will probably opt for them on the new motor, but in 265/30ZR20 they ain't going to be cheap!

E65s never came with run flats. It's got falkens on the front and they're not quite as good as the Goodyears I reckon they'll last longer. They've been on longer and appear less worn. I'd probably have expected similar wear rate or a bit more wear for the rear but not that significant. I'll ask my mate and see what he says.

[bmthnick1981]

CampDavid said:

560SEC prices on the up, this one made £40,250 at the weekend



http://www.silverstoneauctions.com/mercedes-560-se...

I see there is a small mention of this car in the current edition of Mercedes Enthusiast in which they say they have driven the car and look out for next month. Maybe that means a feature coming up.

[CampDavid]

bmthnick1981 said:

I see there is a small mention of this car in the current edition of Mercedes Enthusiast in which they say they have driven the car and look out for next month. Maybe that means a feature coming up.

It's interesting as that is way, way up on what a great 50k miler would have made a couple of years back, about 5x as much.

Worth keeping an eye on, are 560SECs about to move in a big way?

[bmthnick1981]

Possibly but to when I have a look at prices online those at "top money" don't seem to sell. The cheaper ones come and go but the expensive stuff seems to stick. I think the R107 is still the classic merc of choice for most but I do think the C126 SEC will have its day, and I suspect the 560 will be the one to have.

[CampDavid]

Probably.

Couple of years back I saw a perfect, one owner 50k mile car in black over tan at Barons.

Made under £4500. Pangs of regret

[bmthnick1981]

Wow, bargain. They are definitely 'more on the radar' now than they were back then.

Not sure if it's the most accurate measure but according to 'how many left' there are only 186 560 SEC's on the road;

http://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/mercedes_560_...

[bmthnick1981]

Slightly up on the miles at 145k but I think this looks good for circa £4-£4.5k. The colours are certainly of its time and whilst nice are not my favourite.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1988-MERCEDES-560-SEC-AU...