Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[tobinen]

Love the floor mats in the 2nd one - Turkish owner?

[masermartin]

That A8 is mental value for money...

[0a]

masermartin said:

That A8 is mental value for money...

So long as the gearbox is okay; the few suspension bits I had done on mine were quite expensive as well!

[NomduJour]

tobinen said:

Love the floor mats in the 2nd one - Turkish owner?

Very popular in Germany (like Hirnwurst, Hasselhoff and watersports).

[GCH]

Baryonyx said:

0a said:

AUDI A8 4.2 Quattro Sport Auto £1,490

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A8-4-2-Quattro-Spor...

That is a lovely looking car. Green suits these well (in fact, the only colours I don't really like on them are maroon, flat red and white). Jasper Metallic Green is just heavenly. But this is nice too. The photos on that advert are a disaster; shot with a potato by the looks of things, terribly framed and poorly lit. The use of the flash does the car no favours, highlighting the dirt in the wheel arches and drawing the eye to those shabby carpets.

It should clean up nicely though. The seats will be a boon, as they are very comfortable. The standard A8 seats, with the stitched leather stripes along the base and back, weren't much good. The sports seats are more comfortable and more supportive, and are a must. It'd be interesting to see what the spec of the car is, as the advert doesn't give much away. I can see there is no heated seats in the rear (but the rear socket is there, great for charging your phone if you look it back towards the console. There are a few blank switches on the dash and no nav/entertainment/TV screen.

Could well be a canny buy.

And you can pretend you are in ronin on a budget (yes I know its not an S8, but it is the correct shape and color).
Great value...not helped by an awful advert and photos

[0a]

r129sl said:

This sort of thing is not helpful, Harry!

Within and without thread budget:

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

Hard not to like the Bornite job.

I've never seen an E420 before!

[RenesisEvo]

With all the recent talk of XJ-S, this might interest a few, going at auction soon:

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21844/lot/308/

[0a]

I also posted this on the Look At This thread, but thought some here might appreciate it! Massively out of budget though!

46k miles 300 CE http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C558361 slightly pricey but lovely!

[harry kular]

r129sl said:

This sort of thing is not helpful, Harry!

Within and without thread budget:

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

Hard not to like the Bornite job.

That Bornite car does look lovely.

Did you guys notice the front door speakers on this car? Are they aftermarket? Looks very neat if they are.

I thought they were the Jehnert ones first of all, but theirs is more substantial iirc.

[QuantumTokoloshi]

GCH said:

Baryonyx said:

0a said:

AUDI A8 4.2 Quattro Sport Auto £1,490

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A8-4-2-Quattro-Spor...

That is a lovely looking car. Green suits these well (in fact, the only colours I don't really like on them are maroon, flat red and white). Jasper Metallic Green is just heavenly. But this is nice too. The photos on that advert are a disaster; shot with a potato by the looks of things, terribly framed and poorly lit. The use of the flash does the car no favours, highlighting the dirt in the wheel arches and drawing the eye to those shabby carpets.

It should clean up nicely though. The seats will be a boon, as they are very comfortable. The standard A8 seats, with the stitched leather stripes along the base and back, weren't much good. The sports seats are more comfortable and more supportive, and are a must. It'd be interesting to see what the spec of the car is, as the advert doesn't give much away. I can see there is no heated seats in the rear (but the rear socket is there, great for charging your phone if you look it back towards the console. There are a few blank switches on the dash and no nav/entertainment/TV screen.

Could well be a canny buy.

And you can pretend you are in ronin on a budget (yes I know its not an S8, but it is the correct shape and color).
Great value...not helped by an awful advert and photos

The poor advert can be a bonus come negotiation time. I bought mine with an even worse advert and it turned out to be a cracker.

[FrankUnderwood]

With old cars, I've learned that a car advert which states 'FSH' normally means complete history of the bread and butter servicing, I.e engine oil, air filter, spark plug, copies of the MOT and a few bits that have been replaced along the way.

Ideally the advert needs to mention things such as frequent underbody/corrosion inspections and undersealing, diff and gearbox oil changes, suspension refurbishment, preventative maintenance.


If the ad does only state FSH then it's often worth asking for more details, however the really caring owners will write at length about what they've done to look after it to the best possible standard.

Also through bad experience I've learned to be wary of buying older cars though the trade. Some traders can be good at hiding problems (E.g. Getting their mate to MOT it and turn a blind eye to problems) and dressing up cars. Although obviously some traders are more genuine and honest than others. Specialist sellers often have to build a reputation (and thus their business) on selling only the best examples.

I've wasted thousands making the mistake of not buying perfect, I won't be doing it again.

Edited by FrankUnderwood on Wednesday 26th November 18:47

[CharlesdeGaulle]

0a said:

I also posted this on the Look At This thread, but thought some here might appreciate it! Massively out of budget though!

46k miles 300 CE http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C558361 slightly pricey but lovely!

Colour - I love.
Price - I don't.

[nickod]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

0a said:

I also posted this on the Look At This thread, but thought some here might appreciate it! Massively out of budget though!

46k miles 300 CE http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C558361 slightly pricey but lovely!

Colour - I love.
Price - I don't.

I looked around it at the NEC show last week. It's very good but not amazing. No air con either. Also looked at their 200 estate for 10k. That was in excellent condition but 10k and no aircon. Should be virtually concours for that.

[dbdb]

r129sl said:

Baryonyx said:

SpeckledJim said:

Edited by Baryonyx on Tuesday 25th November 18:22

Is that wood centre console and armrest stock? It's bloody horrible!

It's Arden - a German Jaguar modifier/tuner/upgrader. It's all superb quality and vastly expensive. ...but it IS bloody horrible, isn't it!!

http://www.arden.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Download...
http://www.arden.de/en/parts/jaguar/predecessor-mo...

They still do a fair bit for the older Jaguar models, especially the XJ40, so there must be some demand. I have actually seen photos of converted cars - so they do exist! The XJ40 seems to be better regarded in Germany though. They'll even rebuild your six litre V12 for 410 bhp - and €35,000!

http://www.arden.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Download...
http://www.arden.de/en/parts/jaguar/predecessor-mo...

[SpeckledJim]

dbdb said:

r129sl said:

Baryonyx said:

SpeckledJim said:

Edited by Baryonyx on Tuesday 25th November 18:22

Is that wood centre console and armrest stock? It's bloody horrible!

It's Arden - a German Jaguar modifier/tuner/upgrader. It's all superb quality and vastly expensive. ...but it IS bloody horrible, isn't it!!

http://www.arden.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Download...
http://www.arden.de/en/parts/jaguar/predecessor-mo...

They still do a fair bit for the older Jaguar models, especially the XJ40, so there must be some demand. I have actually seen photos of converted cars - so they do exist! The XJ40 seems to be better regarded in Germany though. They'll even rebuild your six litre V12 for 410 bhp - and €35,000!

http://www.arden.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Download...
http://www.arden.de/en/parts/jaguar/predecessor-mo...

That centre console and centre armrest is over €7,000. Pisser.

[dbdb]

SpeckledJim said:

Baryonyx said:

r129sl said:

The XJ40 was Jaguar before it became retro-obsessed.

It was, but it looks incredibly dated for it. Which is why I feel so surprised to think that, when I was a young lad Jaguar were still selling these cars in their dealerships. It looks entirely from another era. I quite like them in a retro sort of way, but at the same time I look at it and think 'fking hell, I'm getting old'.

Whether or not I would actually own an XJ40, I don't think so. I'm no Jaguar apologist. There are simply too many stories of this generation of cars being so incredibly poorly made that it would put me off. There isn't the appeal there to add weight to the argument in favour of them. Not when the X300 and X308 can be had for similar money. I recall a quote from a Ford manager, who was drafted in from Ford USA to take over the Jaguar operation in the UK at the end of the John Egan era. Now, I believe he was of the opinion that John Egan was not the saint he was thought of being, saying as he had tightened up much of the operation but was not interested in developing new models, rather he was boosting profits by selling cars which had returned their development budget. Ford wanted to overhaul Jaguar, bring out new cars and make them world class again. The American manager toured the UK factory and decreed that the state of the factory, the finish of the cars and the labour practices of the workforce were 'the worst' he had seen in a developed country!


That said, the X300 is accepted as being a leap forward for the XJ but the argument exists that the X308 was the ultimate iteration of Ford's idea for the XJ, given that they ploughed so much money into it, developed a new range of engines etc etc. I've sat in, but never driven an XJ40 and compared to the X308, they feel like they are from another era entirely (and not one remembered fondly for British cars, if I'm honest). The reality is that the years that separate their times in the showroom, you could count on one hand.

My perception is they are closer together than that. Each both an improvement AND and step backwards from the last. But the middle 50% of all three is basically the same isn't it?

Build quality improved a lot, but there was also a lot of de-contenting in integrity terms of replacing more proper craft and 'real' materials with mouldings and plastics.

The X300 is basically a facelifted late XJ40 - many of the panels are interchangeable. The XJ40 and X300 are very similar cars.

The X300's step forward came from a big improvement in manufacturing accuracy. The X300 was significantly less hand built than the XJ40. Better manufacturing technology brought big advantages in the way the car fits together - panel gaps on the X300 are significantly better than they are on the XJ40.

There was some mild re-engineering of the engine for slightly better smooothness and power, and Jaguar the handling was firmed up at the expense of the ride. The electrical system was also new - but only early digital dashboard XJ40s suffer electrical problems anyway, so maybe it was cheaper to make?

Though the assembly of the X300 was considerably more accurate than the XJ40, Ford stripped costs out from the car very widely. Pretty much everything was downgraded. Leather was of a cheaper grade, along with carpets and lots of unseen stuff. The stainless steel used on the exhaust was a lower grade, for example - so the picture is more complicated than Ford would like its customers to believe.

One example is here: the wood used in the XJ40 is actual wood - not a veneered substrate (the exception is the centre console top), made by hand - rather than the veneer being stamped on by a machine. It looks like it came from a sideboard, rather than a car! On my car, the man who made the walnut inserts has signed them all. They come from Jaguar wrapped in linen and smell wonderful.



This is the piece which fits on the back of the front seat above the picnic tray. Jaguar matched the colour of the wood to the interior. Magnolia leather would get very dark walnut like this, whereas my car with grey leather had a lighter, redder walnut fitted to it. If a replacement was needed, parts were colour coded. The parts in the photo are SP69. My own car has SP1006 which is paler and more red.

The XJ40 and X300 both have their strengths and weaknesses. I prefer the XJ40 for its charm and feel, but I can see that the X300 is more proficient.

Incidentally, Jaguar had a whole array of new models in the pipeline - all of which were cancelled by Ford through lack of funds.

The XJ40's planned replacement was a much more modern car than the X300. There are photos of it on the internet; it is very attractive. The front and rear of this abandoned design were grafted on to the XJ40 to form the X300. Though I prefer the XJ40 the facelift worked well, in my view.

The other cars developed by Jaguar which Ford cancelled were a sports car/GT replacement for the XJ-S and a convertible version of the same car. They styling for these cars was recycled and used as a basis for the Aston DB7 - though that was just a restyled, revamped and recycled XJ-S and not based on the new car - as was the XJ-S based XK8.

Edited by dbdb on Wednesday 26th November 20:15

[dbdb]

SpeckledJim said:

That centre console and centre armrest is over €7,000. Pisser.

It's crazy!

[r129sl]

harry kular said:

r129sl said:

This sort of thing is not helpful, Harry!

Within and without thread budget:

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

http://suchen.mobile.de/auto-inserat/mercedes-benz...

Hard not to like the Bornite job.

That Bornite car does look lovely.

Did you guys notice the front door speakers on this car? Are they aftermarket? Looks very neat if they are.

I thought they were the Jehnert ones first of all, but theirs is more substantial iirc.

It's the factory sound system, eight 30W speakers, a £698 option in 1991 and never specified in the UK that I have seen. It was common on US cars (may have been standard fit). Anyway, what you see are active woofers in the door cards. I don't know where the other speakers are, presumably the usual dash locations, the rear shelf and the rear doors. Do you know anything about the Jehnert kit? I keep pondering springing the £1,000 it would cost but can't bring myself to do it (there are plenty of better calls on my pocket than that). I don't know where I'd conceal the amp. Under the rear seat bench? Under the plate in the passenger footwell?

[r129sl]

SpeckledJim said:

dbdb said:

r129sl said:

Baryonyx said:

SpeckledJim said:

Edited by Baryonyx on Tuesday 25th November 18:22

Is that wood centre console and armrest stock? It's bloody horrible!

It's Arden - a German Jaguar modifier/tuner/upgrader. It's all superb quality and vastly expensive. ...but it IS bloody horrible, isn't it!!

http://www.arden.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Download...
http://www.arden.de/en/parts/jaguar/predecessor-mo...

They still do a fair bit for the older Jaguar models, especially the XJ40, so there must be some demand. I have actually seen photos of converted cars - so they do exist! The XJ40 seems to be better regarded in Germany though. They'll even rebuild your six litre V12 for 410 bhp - and €35,000!

http://www.arden.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Download...
http://www.arden.de/en/parts/jaguar/predecessor-mo...

That centre console and centre armrest is over €7,000. Pisser.

The Arden catalogue is insane! 6.3litre V8 for your XJ40? €35,000, 390PS.

[cat220]

QuantumTokoloshi said:

GCH said:

Baryonyx said:

0a said:

AUDI A8 4.2 Quattro Sport Auto £1,490

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A8-4-2-Quattro-Spor...

That is a lovely looking car. Green suits these well (in fact, the only colours I don't really like on them are maroon, flat red and white). Jasper Metallic Green is just heavenly. But this is nice too. The photos on that advert are a disaster; shot with a potato by the looks of things, terribly framed and poorly lit. The use of the flash does the car no favours, highlighting the dirt in the wheel arches and drawing the eye to those shabby carpets.

It should clean up nicely though. The seats will be a boon, as they are very comfortable. The standard A8 seats, with the stitched leather stripes along the base and back, weren't much good. The sports seats are more comfortable and more supportive, and are a must. It'd be interesting to see what the spec of the car is, as the advert doesn't give much away. I can see there is no heated seats in the rear (but the rear socket is there, great for charging your phone if you look it back towards the console. There are a few blank switches on the dash and no nav/entertainment/TV screen.

Could well be a canny buy.

And you can pretend you are in ronin on a budget (yes I know its not an S8, but it is the correct shape and color).
Great value...not helped by an awful advert and photos

The poor advert can be a bonus come negotiation time. I bought mine with an even worse advert and it turned out to be a cracker.

I'm loving that a8. What are the big things to look out for on these? I'm assuming with decent rubber these are very capable in snow and ice?