Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[E65Ross]

I think all of Bangles cars have ages significantly better than their contemporary rivals.

The original Z4 still looks fantastic, an Msport E60 or E63 look box fresh and the E65 had also aged quite well.

[0a]

E65Ross said:

I think all of Bangles cars have ages significantly better than their contemporary rivals.

The original Z4 still looks fantastic, an Msport E60 or E63 look box fresh and the E65 had also aged quite well.

To be honest I never quite got the criticism of bangle's designs. I remember with the 6 series press comments seemed to focus on the rear - or "that rear" - it looks perfectly ok to me (for a GT) and always has done.

The e65 was a big change from the E38 - bigger, a higher glass line (reflecting safety regulations) but not a bad looking car (though I'm not the biggest fan, keep to sensible wheels and they look good!).

I must admit to having more difficulty with BMW's current range. The 3 series GT looks like an old Eastern European car, the new 7 a bloated E65, and the current 5 looks like the old 7 series.

[texasjohn]

E65Ross said:

I think all of Bangles cars have ages significantly better than their contemporary rivals.

The original Z4 still looks fantastic, an Msport E60 or E63 look box fresh and the E65 had also aged quite well.

Yep, agree totally.

I've always liked the E87 (many didn't and still don't) and the E63 is getting better with age. I wasn't a big fan until about a year ago, similar to the poster above. I don't find the F series 1er or 6er particularly nice to look at from the front. Perhaps this has a bearing on my thoughts regarding their predecessors.

E65 and E60 are great looking cars too, and the original E92 as SE on 18s is porn.

Edited by texasjohn on Friday 22 August 22:42

[hornetrider]

Got to agree, although I'm clearly biassed. The E63 is seriously growing on me these last few years and I must admit that whilst I didn't like the boggo E60 on release, from a few years back when I saw Sport Tourings out and about they started to give me the horn.

I've no doubt the F11 is great to drive but they do seem huge compared to an E61. I reckon the 61 seems more squat and purposeful than the 11 which seems like more of a comfy barge 5/7 series crossover.

[downthepub]

That is v nice. Suspicious as there's not a close up of the front wings, heightened by that 80s, original looking, stripe makes me go "hmmmm".

0a said:

I still have a thing for these old 6 series though - a 628 on a D plate - I can't remember seeing one before. A nice list of work done, and based in a nice area of London. £2k.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C531985#

[0a]

downthepub said:

That is v nice. Suspicious as there's not a close up of the front wings, heightened by that 80s, original looking, stripe makes me go "hmmmm".

0a said:

I still have a thing for these old 6 series though - a 628 on a D plate - I can't remember seeing one before. A nice list of work done, and based in a nice area of London. £2k.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C531985#

I like these simple 6 series, but you are probably right...

[Sterillium]

This looks like it might be a good old bus.


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

[flatso]

hornetrider said:

Got to agree, although I'm clearly biassed. The E63 is seriously growing on me these last few years and I must admit that whilst I didn't like the boggo E60 on release, from a few years back when I saw Sport Tourings out and about they started to give me the horn.

I've no doubt the F11 is great to drive but they do seem huge compared to an E61. I reckon the 61 seems more squat and purposeful than the 11 which seems like more of a comfy barge 5/7 series crossover.

Looking at those pictures of all generations of 5'er series lined up one beside each other, the F11 somehow looks like it belongs beside the e39 and will be followed by the e60.
The F11 is a really a fine car, it looks handsome, has a gorgeous interior and is more comfortable than the concrete suspended e60 (the main reason I never got an e60 after having testdriven almost all variants was the suspension that was just too hard for a saloon).
The bangle 7er only looks ok after the facelift (to my eyes). The Long wheelbase also refines it a bit.

[harry kular]

Got a fluid leak coming from the 124- can anyone advise on what it is? The fluids only make themselves apparent when car is parked on an incline, strangely. I've attached a pic, but don't know how visible it is- very pale bluey colour. Thoughts?

[S3_Graham]

Rainbow would indicate oil, if it's just light then perhaps coolant?

[harry kular]

S3_Graham said:

Rainbow would indicate oil, if it's just light then perhaps coolant?

It's not oil, so that leaves steering, coolant, brake and hydraulic fluid I guess.

Scratch the hydraulic as it's only the rear that would have that I presume?

[0a]

Utterly wrong, of course. Yet it's hard to not want to have a go in it - "Big 7.5 Litre V8". http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1972-Lincoln-Continental...

[0a]

Yes, there is definitely something weird with me today... "to be honest, I probably need to put on more weight to be convincing driving it" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1981-BUICK-Electra-Park-...

[Baryonyx]

0a said:

I still like the look of these. Nice wheels and the 4.2 in a great colour with a reasonable 98k miles (though there's still the gearbox to worry about). Not too bad for £1,750, it would be nice to knock it down to £1,500 though. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

Still staggeringly handsome. That interior, those seats, that engine. Eye-poppingly good looking combination of colour and sport wheels. The proportions are magnificent. Less attractive to my eye is the pre-facelift dashboard and the oval Audi badging on the flank. But they are minor quibbles in an otherwise brilliant looking car. Yes, I simply loved mine like I've loved no other car before or since.

[0a]

Baryonyx said:

Still staggeringly handsome. That interior, those seats, that engine. Eye-poppingly good looking combination of colour and sport wheels. The proportions are magnificent. Less attractive to my eye is the pre-facelift dashboard and the oval Audi badging on the flank. But they are minor quibbles in an otherwise brilliant looking car. Yes, I simply loved mine like I've loved no other car before or since.

I agree regarding the looks - this generation A8 doesn't hide its size; it doesn't need to as the proportions are spot on. For a single car, it didn't quite do it for me, but I still find myself keeping an eye out for a better condition example than the one I had. One drive from Scotland to Wales over 2 days in utterly foul weather confirmed the car's all round ability to let you relax no matter the conditions.

At that price and given how much you like them you should buy it. You can't lose much by virtue of the low purchase price, and reasonable mile A8s seem to be getting very thin on the ground now

[Private Pile]

0a said:

Utterly wrong, of course. Yet it's hard to not want to have a go in it - "Big 7.5 Litre V8". http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1972-Lincoln-Continental...

Nothing wrong with that Oa! I know very little about Yank tanks, but that looks great.

[0a]

Thanks Private, here's another one with a strange appeal http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1985-CITROEN-CX-25-PREST...

[Baryonyx]

0a said:

I agree regarding the looks - this generation A8 doesn't hide its size; it doesn't need to as the proportions are spot on. For a single car, it didn't quite do it for me, but I still find myself keeping an eye out for a better condition example than the one I had. One drive from Scotland to Wales over 2 days in utterly foul weather confirmed the car's all round ability to let you relax no matter the conditions.

At that price and given how much you like them you should buy it. You can't lose much by virtue of the low purchase price, and reasonable mile A8s seem to be getting very thin on the ground now

I would be tempted were I not in discussions over bagging myself a Jaguar XJ! Really, the right Jaguar has come along about a month early, but that's life. It looks like a good one and I have had Jaguar fever for a while. I like trying new cars, as much as I look back to old favourites.

[flatso]

0a said:

Yes, there is definitely something weird with me today... "to be honest, I probably need to put on more weight to be convincing driving it" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1981-BUICK-Electra-Park-...

When I first got my licence with 16 I ran a similar vintage Buick LeSabre with the classic 5,7 V8 and 3 speed auto. The one piece front bench and the generous rear bench are a definite asset. The cavernous trunk where I was able to fit a lawn mower and bike at the same time was also very practical. The dash had 2 dials, on the left the speedometer and on the right the fuel gauge...they moved in opposing directions and both could be observed in motion when stepping on the gas pedal.
Somebody should start a separate american barge thread.

[r129sl]

harry kular said:

S3_Graham said:

Rainbow would indicate oil, if it's just light then perhaps coolant?

It's not oil, so that leaves steering, coolant, brake and hydraulic fluid I guess.

Scratch the hydraulic as it's only the rear that would have that I presume?

The hydraulic is kept at the front, in the tank at the nearside front of the engine bay. But I doubt it's that. The hydraulic and steering fluids are like ATF: reddish brown, gloopy, oily. You'd also know about it in those volumes because the suspension might sag and certainly would hiss or the steering would groan. Likewise I doubt you'd have brake fluid leaking in that quantity without knowing about it (no brakes). Washer fluid, while blue, would not stand out like that. That leaves coolant. That's my bet.