Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[bmthnick1981]

No MOT isn't ideal but I do like the look of this;



Highish miles, but sounds like owner has spent some ££ on it. The late V12's appeal to me and this one is a nice colour with nice wheels.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281468136170?_trksid=p20...

[Adrian E]

Madness not to stick an MOT on that for sale - it'll put 75% of people off bidding on it in case there's a known issue which is going to cost a grand or more to fix. For the sake of less than £50 and being able to drive it away legally....

[0a]

It's not madness if you suspect there's £500 of issues to fix that will be highlighted by an MOT!

There are some cars I'd be happy buying with no MOT, a 750 is not one of them!

[Zwolf]

bmthnick1981 said:

No MOT isn't ideal but I do like the look of this;



Highish miles, but sounds like owner has spent some ££ on it. The late V12's appeal to me and this one is a nice colour with nice wheels.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281468136170?_trksid=p20...

Likewise, shame it's a wrong wheelbase really. Lack of MoT is an instant "avoid" though.

[SpeckledJim]

Zwolf said:

bmthnick1981 said:

No MOT isn't ideal but I do like the look of this;



Highish miles, but sounds like owner has spent some ££ on it. The late V12's appeal to me and this one is a nice colour with nice wheels.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281468136170?_trksid=p20...

Likewise, shame it's a wrong wheelbase really. Lack of MoT is an instant "avoid" though.

In eBay world, I'm seeing it as a potential plus.

Private message to the seller should elicit the information needed to research the old MOT history online. If that looks good, then we're only talking about things that can have gone wrong relatively recently.

If it all looks ok, I'd be going for it, confident that I'm only competing with the real bargain hunters - all the serious buyers with reasonable budgets having been switched off by the seller's apparent evasiveness.

[Strawman]

From the photos it looks like the car is still in Brussels, would you have to collect it from there? Difficult to get an MOT done on a car that isn't in the UK.

[Lowtimer]

The same vendor is currently also selling an old Golf, but no mention of this one being in Belgium
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281470062758

[0a]

SpeckledJim said:

In eBay world, I'm seeing it as a potential plus.

Private message to the seller should elicit the information needed to research the old MOT history online. If that looks good, then we're only talking about things that can have gone wrong relatively recently.

If it all looks ok, I'd be going for it, confident that I'm only competing with the real bargain hunters - all the serious buyers with reasonable budgets having been switched off by the seller's apparent evasiveness.

I love your approach!

[0a]

This is calling "save me" http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-W124-E-CLASS-4-...



59k miles but needs a radiator apparently.

[E65Ross]

0a said:

How does the e32 drive? A bit old school (ie meaning I'd probably rather like it!)?

Sorry, missed this earlier. Definitely quite old school. I think you'd quite like them 0a. They're noticeably more modern and refined than the E32 but, likewise, the E38 is another big step forwards in just about every area. They feel old school, but certainly modern enough to live with on a daily basis. The SE 735i I went in (this was about 4 years ago now at a guess!!) felt similar to the W124 but it's definitely bigger (but it's no mammoth), I preferred the brakes of the E32....I think the seats in the W124 were marginally better (picking hairs, perhaps, both were good) and I preferred the engine in the 735i (but it is bigger....and more thirsty)

They feel like big E34s which are a touch more comfortable, and that's no bad thing IMO. The interior looks very dated now but it's a very nice place to while time away and I don't think you'd be especially disappointed by the quality. Some of the plastics may not be too your taste but they don't break and they're solidly screwed together cars.

Plus....they look lovely.

[0a]

E65Ross said:

0a said:

How does the e32 drive? A bit old school (ie meaning I'd probably rather like it!)?

Sorry, missed this earlier. Definitely quite old school. I think you'd quite like them 0a. They're noticeably more modern and refined than the E32 but, likewise, the E38 is another big step forwards in just about every area. They feel old school, but certainly modern enough to live with on a daily basis. The SE 735i I went in (this was about 4 years ago now at a guess!!) felt similar to the W124 but it's definitely bigger (but it's no mammoth), I preferred the brakes of the E32....I think the seats in the W124 were marginally better (picking hairs, perhaps, both were good) and I preferred the engine in the 735i (but it is bigger....and more thirsty)

They feel like big E34s which are a touch more comfortable, and that's no bad thing IMO. The interior looks very dated now but it's a very nice place to while time away and I don't think you'd be especially disappointed by the quality. Some of the plastics may not be too your taste but they don't break and they're solidly screwed together cars.

Plus....they look lovely.

Thankyou for the response Ross, they are one of the few BMWs I have not been in at some point. The e23 felt a little too old for me, but as an older car fan, from your description I'd rather like the E32.

My W124 is in the garage having a couple of bits attended to, then I need to decide what I do to the engine and gearbox followed by paint. I am committed to not buying another barge until after that (!), but I think I the next area of interest will be E32s.

At this age and type of car, in my opinion, it's worth worrying more about the condition of a particular example rather than the exact engine type - so long as it gets 20mpg or better that's fine.

I am a big e34 fan so that bodes well. Being taken to school in an E28 and E34 (then a Saab 9000) is perhaps the source of my unhealthy interest in this kind of car. Indeed, I was a big BMW man until I accidentally purchased my W124!

[0a]

Though i'm still slightly obsessed by these as a daily despite all the gearbox issues and AMG specific parts. This one is a nice colour and has a nice black interior. Are the foglights original though? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

[Lugy]

I can't find any mention of this anywhere; http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm?itemId=161449965483 though it was up as a BIN so I might have missed it. After my £350 740i failed I'm tempted to (up to) quadruple my spend and see if I can get this, with a bit tidying it appears it could be a keeper.

[0a]

Lugy said:

I can't find any mention of this anywhere; http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm?itemId=161449965483 though it was up as a BIN so I might have missed it. After my £350 740i failed I'm tempted to (up to) quadruple my spend and see if I can get this, with a bit tidying it appears it could be a keeper.

I love the colour and the interior; surely the rust will keep the price down?

[SpeckledJim]

0a said:

SpeckledJim said:

In eBay world, I'm seeing it as a potential plus.

Private message to the seller should elicit the information needed to research the old MOT history online. If that looks good, then we're only talking about things that can have gone wrong relatively recently.

If it all looks ok, I'd be going for it, confident that I'm only competing with the real bargain hunters - all the serious buyers with reasonable budgets having been switched off by the seller's apparent evasiveness.

I love your approach!

I think it's only a good approach if you have a fairly flexible, pragmatic attitude to these things. Fortunately for my wallet, I'm not one to incubate an idea of EXACTLY what I want, and then have to pay the going rate or more to buy it.

I'm happy enough if it's approximately what I want, but I believe I got it for less than it's really worth.

My maxim (MaxJim, if you will) - cheap is better than good. And really cheap is better than perfect.

[Lugy]

0a said:

I love the colour and the interior; surely the rust will keep the price down?

It'd be nice to think that'd keep it going too high, only 2 days left too!

[Stegel]

0a said:

Though i'm still slightly obsessed by these as a daily despite all the gearbox issues and AMG specific parts. This one is a nice colour and has a nice black interior. Are the foglights original though? http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

I share your obsession, have ummed and aahed over them for years - a 2000 (slightly better gearbox life, plus Tiptronic) estate is my ideal, but apart from a very tired one on eBay a few years ago I've not seen another one. They seem all to have fog lights so looks like it was standard.

[0a]

Stegel said:

estate

Good, we're not competing then!

I love this video "C43 AMG nordschleife" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fe3i8bO0rb8

And the noise on the overtake from 2:55 on in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3slKYYq4NWQ

[sday12]

£595. In need of return of ginercators.
JRG and Black Leather




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

[0a]

sday12 said:

£595. In need of return of ginercators.
JRG and Black Leather




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

As you say, lovely. The wheels need changing as well.

I assume it's 1987 not 1997 as the leather is the early style (beard help required) ie the flat panels in the doors?