Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[Output Flange]

That X300 interior would come up just fine with £50's worth of Scuffmaster kit. But I'd always go for an X308 over the 300, and the 4.0 over the 3.2.

[Cheburator mk2]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Exactly. As with all general rules, it's there to be broken when, with eyes wide open, it checks out in the metal.

That's the thing.. It almost checks out in the metal. No service booklet, yet the owners manuals were there, and also the very knackered steering wheel. Now then, my GT3 had a very knackered steering wheel at 23,000 miles, but a lot of the 996 wheels go, and most importantly, I have service history to the tune of EUR60,000 to confirm the very low track miles Do W211s suffer from knackered leather on the steering wheel? Genuine question - have only ever driven the Lorinser and a friends 500E (1992MY), which even with 260,000km was box fresh.

As to the area - agree, extremely dodgy and feels wrong, and believe me, as an Eastern European, I have a 6th sense for these things Still for sale, even though they have had a lot of interest, allegedly. Perhaps my £4k offer there and then, which they scoffed at, was not that bad after all.

If I buy it at least I know who to blame... YOU LOT

[FrankUnderwood]

Summary of some lessons I've learned from looking at XJs:

1) Concentrate on finding a great example without rust rather than a focus on specification. Get it up on a ramp before buying and have a good poke with a screw driver. Floor plans, bulkheads, bumper mounts and subframes are all prone.
2) FSH is a minimum.
3) Diff is prone to failing if routine oil services aren't carried out. Budget £1k for removal and rebuild.
4) XJs are heavy on suspension and brakes, lots of nice suspension receipts/servicing should be present.
5) Timing chain tensioners, throttle body's are problematic on the early V8 cars.
6) Most examples are dogs (i.e 95%)
7) Gearboxes are prone to failure on V8 cars due to a lack of oil services

In all, the most important advise I've had is that a bad one will bleed you dry. Buy the very best example you can. These cars are reliable if servicing is done to schedule and if additionally looked after (eg garaged and undsrsealed).

[Baryonyx]

Output Flange said:

That X300 interior would come up just fine with £50's worth of Scuffmaster kit. But I'd always go for an X308 over the 300, and the 4.0 over the 3.2.

I am much the same.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

FrankUnderwood said:

A very well cared-for and low mileage (44k) example just reaching its 23rd birthday having had two owners and a mostly garaged existence. Full service history

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C533900

£5500 or near offer.

I'd looked at that. What bugs me is the paucity of information in the ad. It's a claimed private seller, but even a complete numpty must realise that to get anyone to part with 5 grand on an old car in the weeks up to Christmas takes a bit of effort.

Why not put some of the info in the ad that you'd want to know yourself? It really shouldn't be difficult.

Perhaps he thinks he pays by the word or something, old telegram style!

[PlayersNo6]

Baryonyx said:

XJ stuff

Loving the gold one.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Oak Green said:

Have we had this SL?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C255233

Blimey. Mine's a 500, but at 4k I'm beginning to think I paid too much.

[Baryonyx]

PlayersNo6 said:

Loving the gold one.

I actually saw a gold one, just like that, driving past Wall Street on the way down to Battery Park in Manhattan in the summer. Just at the bit where the big statue of the bull is, that everyone takes photographs of whilst they rub it's bks for good luck. I said 'when I get home, I'm having one of those'.

[dscam]

Baryonyx said:

PlayersNo6 said:

Loving the gold one.

I actually saw a gold one, just like that, driving past Wall Street on the way down to Battery Park in Manhattan in the summer. Just at the bit where the big statue of the bull is, that everyone takes photographs of whilst they rub it's bks for good luck. I said 'when I get home, I'm having one of those'.

Bary, if I recall the bks on that bull are pretty golden by now too!

You were referring to the XJ rather than said beast when you made your vow though, right!?

[Baryonyx]

dscam said:

Bary, if I recall the bks on that bull are pretty golden by now too!

You were referring to the XJ rather than said beast when you made your vow though, right!?

Aye, polished to a tee, that sack is. I didn't stop for a photograph, but the wife was confused when I shouted "hey, look at that Jag!" as it rolled past. Everyone else was looking at the bull...

RE: Frank's list of things to look out for above on the Jaguar XJ, yes, they definitely have their foibles like most older luxury cars. Mitigating these and enjoying a fantastic car for a little money is the name of the game in this thread (and in life!). There are plenty of rubbish XJ8's for sale and I would personally skip past anything being sold on a run down council estate, or from a shady trader's yard. The first one I posted though, despite being somewhat suspect, isn't that far from my old office so I could park there and walk to it in fifteen minutes, so I'd view it, were I in the market. The quickest way to cut the wheat from the chaff when buying an XJ is probably to look at the arches - if you can put your hand through them and grab hold of a seat cushion or whatever, it's not worth your time.

Paradoxically, there is plenty that can go wrong with them and then not a great deal that can go wrong with them. Much like anything, you take your chance and you pay your money and hope your homework will have paid off. At 160,000 miles and 14 years old, mine feels like it's got a few more years of solid enjoyment in it yet and I hope this proves to be the case. I'm trying to be kind to my XJ8, and it's going to get a good wash over the next couple of days and then some waxoyl on the bottom.

[brickwall]

sam303 said:

brickwall said:

Barge bought

So today I flew to Edinburgh, met Sam, and after (electronically) exchanging a few pieces of silver, I drove away in his 745i.

So smooth. So fast. So luxurious.

Apart from the satnav freezing 5 miles from home, it behaved faultlessly for the whole 500 miles, and the computer claims a pleasing 27.5mpg.

Tomorrow I shall take it to the car wash, then photos to follow.

Sam here - well that was a pleasure

If only all car buying / selling experiences were like this. The thread/forum/bargeist community has been tremendously helpful here. The 745i was originally posted in the thread and I bought it to replace an ailing E34 540i. In the interim I had good advice from thread members, notably Ross, on fettling the thing. And then when it came to selling I advertised on PH, Autotrader and eBay, resulting in a total of 3 viewings, two of which were threadists and one of whom, Brickwall, has purchased. Frankly I should have saved myself the expense and trouble of the AT and eBay ads Great to have the car remain within the thread massive and 'Brickwall' was an absolute gent.

And also to you! If only all cars for sale were being sold by people like you, who pick me up from airports!

[FrankUnderwood]

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

[Baryonyx]

That steering wheel is a curious looking thing!



Makes me feel old, to think that when I was a young (young) lad, a loaded executive buying his company car would pick one of these up at a Jaguar dealership rather than the 'round headlight' X300 I grew up loving.

[hornetrider]

Nice mini barge here.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-330i-Sport-Manual-/25171984...

E46 330i Manual Saloon in Imola red.

[cat220]

Baryonyx said:

This all comes in the midst of a day when I've been out, putting miles on my XJ, and loving it. Although, as time with it wears on, I can confirm it feels considerable less 'advanced' than my old A8, it is imbued with a character and charm that almost transcends being a mere metal box on four wheels. I love driving it, I love looking at it. It attracts a certain amount of goodwill and appreciation that my A8 never did. It's a more relaxing thing to drive, lazier and softer, but also more communicative. The driving position is unlike any barge you've ever had, it's more like sitting in a sports car (as someone in another thread likened it to, and I qutie agree). Hunkered down in the low seat, with door and console wrapped around you and inlaid instruments ahead. It is distinctly 'Jaguar' in it's execution. I just love it.

Glad you hear you're still enjoying the XJ!

[cat220]

hornetrider said:

Nice mini barge here.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-330i-Sport-Manual-/25171984...

E46 330i Manual Saloon in Imola red.

The front end looks to have led a hard life, bottom of the bumper badly marked and missing front fog surround. Still, at around 2.5k it looks a decent buy.

[E65Ross]

On the subject of barges, big engines etc; I drove the old mans F13 M6 coupe last night....the first time I could properly give it some. fk me is it fast! Also when taken out of M mode and everything set to comfort it's very nearly almost as well damped as the E65, which is quite remarkable.

745i feels dog slow now, mind

[SpeckledJim]

Ecurie Ecosse said:

Randle-handle

That's what I've learned today. Thank you.

[hornetrider]

FrankUnderwood said:

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

My dad had an F plate one of those in a kind of pale green, what a lovely car.

The history file for that one linked is huge, just the kind of car I'd like to buy.

[SpeckledJim]

hornetrider said:

FrankUnderwood said:

What do we reckon given the price and the fact that it's difficult to find a perfect XJ40?

1991 Jaguar XJ40 Sovereign 3.2 Auto 67,000miles FSH

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=2...

My dad had an F plate one of those in a kind of pale green, what a lovely car.

The history file for that one linked is huge, just the kind of car I'd like to buy.

Before clicking on that link, I guessed it would be gold. So many of the best one seem to be.

I wonder if there is a trend towards some cars of particular colours being better kept than other colours?