Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 7]

[Caruso]

0a said:

I do like these XJs, I just know very little about them and when I post one it's always the wrong one! I think I will just go quiet and then buy a random one at some point. I have a self imposed restriction to get the W124 fixed up first before buying any more cars. I have a big (and growing pile) of boxes accumulated already and only need a few more items before starting the suspension work.

I saw a citroen C6 yesterday - it looked excellent stopped on one of Edinburgh's pleasant classical streets. That surely is a barge, and one with impressive bork potential. Autotrader only shows a high mile example in budget - have they stopped depreciating or something?

There's one 5 miles from me.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181388912432?ssPageName=...

I'm sorely tempted to go and have a look. If it had cream leather I would have done already!

[confused_buyer]

E65Ross said:

I just hope he's at least changed the brake fluid since 2001.

If brake fluid is OK, there is no need to change it from 2001. It is either clean and hasn't got the moisture content or not. You pop in a tester and check the result. The whole "change it every 2 years whatever" thing is a made up con to keep service manager happy laughing at customers behind their back. Honestly, it is. It should be changed if it needs to be but replacing perfectly good anything with new perfectly good something isn't going to make the car go better. Brake fluid seems to vary a lot, with some genuinely needing it after 2 years and some pretty much OK after 5 depending on the car.

I like my cars to work as much as anyone else but it has to be on a cost/benefit basis. If any barge I own needs a big bill I don't see as worth it, it goes (often off to the auctions) and gets replaced. If I want a perfect new looking car I'll lease a 730d rather than see a £3k bill on a £3k barge. Sorry, that's just me.

That doesn't mean I'll deliberately not service, abuse it or drive a dangerous car.

As to the LS, it deserves its place amongst the 90's barges as much as anything else. Doesn't mean it is everyone's cup of tea, but it deserves its place. If German engineering hit its peak in the 1980's with some Mercedes, then Japanese automotive engineering hit its peak in terms of designed in lifetime in the 90's with the LS. Cars simply are not designed or made like that anymore. We will not see their like (either of them) again.

I'm not actually a big 80's Merc fan but I respect them and respect people who are fans of them. The LS deserves to be respected even if you don't like it much, that was basically the point I was trying to make.

[dscam]

At risk of veering further off topic, I would be inclined to change tyres that had been on a car for 7+ years as they may well be past their best even if plenty of tread left. Seen some pretty bad cracking/degradation after 5 years depending on exposure to elements etc.

Anyway, love the S6 that was posted and good to see something a bit left field on the thread

[slippery]

I totally agree about the 90s being the golden age for the Japanese as far as build quality goes. I had a Primera 2.0 eGT that was ragged beyond 200k and still pulled like a train, didn't use a drop if oil and never broke.

[confused_buyer]

dscam said:

At risk of veering further off topic, I would be inclined to change tyres that had been on a car for 7+ years as they may well be past their best even if plenty of tread left. Seen some pretty bad cracking/degradation after 5 years depending on exposure to elements etc.

Yes, I agree. They need to be inspected. I've seen some pretty awful stuff 5 years old and other fine at 12. At the risk of starting a tyre brand debate, some of the "lesser" known brands seem to age more.

[E65Ross]

Mikey_W said:

My old man inherited a '95 LS 400 from a fellow director back in 1995.. Beforehand he had as a company car a '89 535i, a '91 735i and a 740iL (think it was a '94), but the Lexi knocked all if them into a cocked hat for refinement and NVH.. It was many moons ago but my word they were good back then..

He ended up doing around 140k miles in it over 2 and a bit years! And nothing went wrong - only servicing and brakes etc..

He was a BMW man at heart and when he retired he ended up with a string of lovely Bimmers and a Mk1 Lotus Cortina

But then at 1995 it would be up against the E38, which also completely knocked the socks off the E32 for refinement.....

[r129sl]

Caruso said:

0a said:

I do like these XJs, I just know very little about them and when I post one it's always the wrong one! I think I will just go quiet and then buy a random one at some point. I have a self imposed restriction to get the W124 fixed up first before buying any more cars. I have a big (and growing pile) of boxes accumulated already and only need a few more items before starting the suspension work.

I saw a citroen C6 yesterday - it looked excellent stopped on one of Edinburgh's pleasant classical streets. That surely is a barge, and one with impressive bork potential. Autotrader only shows a high mile example in budget - have they stopped depreciating or something?

There's one 5 miles from me.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181388912432?ssPageName=...

I'm sorely tempted to go and have a look. If it had cream leather I would have done already!

Funnily enough, I saw one of these yesterday, too. What are the chances of that?! It looked amazing. It's a shame the interior is so bland. I always sneered at the power plant, but I had a ride in my father-in-law's Jag S-Type diesel which I think uses the same engine and was astonished at the refinement. It is a much nicer engine than the 3.0litre V6 diesel in my old man's C320 CDI.

[dscam]

r129sl said:

Caruso said:

0a said:

I do like these XJs, I just know very little about them and when I post one it's always the wrong one! I think I will just go quiet and then buy a random one at some point. I have a self imposed restriction to get the W124 fixed up first before buying any more cars. I have a big (and growing pile) of boxes accumulated already and only need a few more items before starting the suspension work.

I saw a citroen C6 yesterday - it looked excellent stopped on one of Edinburgh's pleasant classical streets. That surely is a barge, and one with impressive bork potential. Autotrader only shows a high mile example in budget - have they stopped depreciating or something?

There's one 5 miles from me.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181388912432?ssPageName=...

I'm sorely tempted to go and have a look. If it had cream leather I would have done already!

Funnily enough, I saw one of these yesterday, too. What are the chances of that?! It looked amazing. It's a shame the interior is so bland. I always sneered at the power plant, but I had a ride in my father-in-law's Jag S-Type diesel which I think uses the same engine and was astonished at the refinement. It is a much nicer engine than the 3.0litre V6 diesel in my old man's C320 CDI.

Only been in one the once and it was the quality of the ride that sticks in my mind. Oh and the fabulous curved rear screen! I think these cars will be sought after in the long term as the last of the properly quirky Citroens.

[W124]

The bloke next door to me had one when I lived in a very well-to-do bit of Amersham some years back. Amazing thing - once went down a 'challenging' bit of local road with him driving it and me behind in an E320. I could not keep up. The speed he was taking into corners was incredible. I was sliding about all over the place while the C6 carried on in a most serene fashion.

[0a]

dscam said:

r129sl said:

Caruso said:

0a said:

I do like these XJs, I just know very little about them and when I post one it's always the wrong one! I think I will just go quiet and then buy a random one at some point. I have a self imposed restriction to get the W124 fixed up first before buying any more cars. I have a big (and growing pile) of boxes accumulated already and only need a few more items before starting the suspension work.

I saw a citroen C6 yesterday - it looked excellent stopped on one of Edinburgh's pleasant classical streets. That surely is a barge, and one with impressive bork potential. Autotrader only shows a high mile example in budget - have they stopped depreciating or something?

There's one 5 miles from me.



http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181388912432?ssPageName=...

I'm sorely tempted to go and have a look. If it had cream leather I would have done already!

Funnily enough, I saw one of these yesterday, too. What are the chances of that?! It looked amazing. It's a shame the interior is so bland. I always sneered at the power plant, but I had a ride in my father-in-law's Jag S-Type diesel which I think uses the same engine and was astonished at the refinement. It is a much nicer engine than the 3.0litre V6 diesel in my old man's C320 CDI.

Only been in one the once and it was the quality of the ride that sticks in my mind. Oh and the fabulous curved rear screen! I think these cars will be sought after in the long term as the last of the properly quirky Citroens.

Seeing the car from behind I very briefly thought "Bentley" - they sit on the road in a similarly satisfying sort of way. They are pretty big as well. What a shame (for us vulture 1-5ers) that relatively few people ever purchased them.

[Pothole]

texasjohn said:

Spanish 406 V6

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

Get those V6 badges off and that'd be a fun sleeper. Would the pews from my 306 fit it, do you reckon?

[slippery]

I'm currently parked up waiting for my daughter on one of my usual Dad taxi runs. A C6 has just parked next to me. It's a sign!

Edited by slippery on Monday 21st April 21:11

[r129sl]

Do you think we're being followed?

[slippery]

r129sl said:

Do you think we're being followed?

You way you and I drive, I think we'd know if we were!

[texasjohn]

Somebody said something about the 90s being the best period for Japanese cars?

I keep going back to look at that Nissan QX at £1450!

I think the 406 would be the better steer, but I also know which I'd trust not to let me down

[0a]

texasjohn said:

Somebody said something about the 90s being the best period for Japanese cars?

I keep going back to look at that Nissan QX at £1450!

I think the 406 would be the better steer, but I also know which I'd trust not to let me down

Your only choice is between a Nissan and Peugeot?!

[texasjohn]

No, not at all, just comparing two low mileage barges that are c. £1500

Spending up to thread budget is a different matter of course

[slippery]

If you like the look of the QX, there really is no good reason not to buy one. They are bloody good cars.

[0a]

texasjohn said:

No, not at all, just comparing two low mileage barges that are c. £1500

Spending up to thread budget is a different matter of course

From the last few pages - go on, treat yourself:

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

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

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C492006

I am probably not the best person to ask about buying at this end of the market though!

[nickod]

r129sl said:

Funnily enough, I saw one of these yesterday, too. What are the chances of that?! It looked amazing. It's a shame the interior is so bland. I always sneered at the power plant, but I had a ride in my father-in-law's Jag S-Type diesel which I think uses the same engine and was astonished at the refinement. It is a much nicer engine than the 3.0litre V6 diesel in my old man's C320 CDI.

Had the mega rare petrol one. It got more attention than any car I've ever had. Citroen dealers are atrocious though.