Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol8]

[Private Pile]

cat220 said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

The Lexus is brilliant. The Thesis less so.

Lexus finished at £2350

I only saw that last night with 30 minutes to go. If I'd saw that earlier I would have popped over to check it out.

[harrykul]

cat220 said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

The Lexus is brilliant. The Thesis less so.

Lexus finished at £2350

The is is a very underrated minibars IMHO, we've had one in the family since 99 and it's a lovely little smoker with a silky smooth 6 and autobox. Thirsty wee git though given the modest performance performance!

[anonymous-user]

1993 w201 190E £1000





At this price will probably fall into the Bargain Basement thread.

Given I need an interim whilst replacing my e39 that someone thoughtfully wrote off a few weeks ago - I may go for a look as I think it's nearby

[Krikkit]

Worth a look I'd say, if you like the colour scheme.

[derin100]

The Big G said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I really like those BMWs, but these days they have a somewhat niche appeal.

So, you're selling something unusual. You're selling it somewhere that doesn't much like them. It's a tiny market. And you reckon you can get away with 4 short lines in your ad. What a muppet.

Maybe the wife gave him an ultimatum. Now he can say he's advertising it, just hoping no one will call

E31s are hugely underrated at the moment. You can get a huge amount of car for the money which is so different to modern or other modern classic offerings. Regularly get admiring comments on mine when at petrol stations, far more so than the TVR. Even had offers to buy it! Good ones are hard to find, all the ridden dross is being killed off thankfully living mainly cherished cars left.

Ditto!

You have to drive one to experience the above. On the rare occasions that I take mine out people always stare (even gawp!) as it goes past and regularly come up to make admiring comments at petrol stations etc.

The sheer presence of these cars never really seems to be conveyed in photographs. It's only in the flesh, up close and personal that one gets a sense of scale and proportion.

Even when new yet more so today they are just so different in appearance to anything people are used to seeing on the road.

As said above, the "dross is being killed off thankfully". Their day has yet to come but sure as anything one day it will come. When it does come there will be so few good ones left that it'll come in spectacular fashion. One only has to look at what's already happening with them in Germany:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/searchresults.ht...

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Any of the XJ owners need some parts? Whole car for £600.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C620961

[idiotgap]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

There may be others local-ish too of course.

Any appetite for a meet? Anyone planning to head to Bournemouth for the Wheels Festival? I'm going tomorrow.

Anyone around next weekend? Any thoughts or preferences for a location?

Sorry - just catching up with the thread after a half-term week away in Snowdonia. Next Saturday is busy... but Sunday I'm at the Bromley Pageant of motoring with the Mercedes club if anyone's popping in there?

[CharlesdeGaulle]

idiotgap said:

Next Sunday I'm at the Bromley Pageant of motoring with the Mercedes club if anyone's popping in there?

Got a link for that chum? I might be able to make it.

[The Big G]

derin100 said:

As said above, the "dross is being killed off thankfully". Their day has yet to come but sure as anything one day it will come. When it does come there will be so few good ones left that it'll come in spectacular fashion. One only has to look at what's already happening with them in Germany:

http://suchen.mobile.de/fahrzeuge/searchresults.ht...

Wow, those are strong prices hopefully that'll have some effect over here soon. It's interesting to see too as only a few years ago they had a bad reputation as a gangster/drug dealer/wide boy reputation in Germany. That must be coming to an end with hose prices. They were, as is here, falling into the hands of people who can't afford to maintain them properly, then they die off. Thankfully leaving behind the good ones, but does pull up the value of the bad ones too.

How many left has only approximately 1000 840s taxed. How many of those aren't great examples. I must have looked at 10-15 over a year before buying mine. So being kind 400-500 good examples?

[idiotgap]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

idiotgap said:

Next Sunday I'm at the Bromley Pageant of motoring with the Mercedes club if anyone's popping in there?

Got a link for that chum? I might be able to make it.

Here's the link to the forum chat on it - will be members only.
http://www.mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/members/forum2...
The event itself:
http://www.bromleypageant.co.uk/

[W00DY]

Purchasing Ferrari 550s and going for drives in 918? Rather beats my blowing up of my Saab!

"Superb body"




"Interior needs little attention"


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-JAGUAR-XJR-4-0-V8-...

Don't you just hate it when you're changing the interior colour on your car and your rattle can runs out before you're done.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

It looks like he's sprayed those seats in-situ, trying to freshen them up. What a mess.

Any vendor that describes his car as 'a beast' is likely to be a bit of a div; were the same chap then to make as much of a mess of the interior as this fellow has, he'd be decidedly avoidable.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Over-budget, high mileage (usually a good thing in my view), and overdue a service, but this looks very reasonably-priced.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C620734

[MJK 24]

BigBen said:

MJK 24 said:

Chaps,

What's the consensus on early examples of the W211?

I've been given first refusal on a 53 reg (2003 or 2004 I think?) E220 CDI Automatic. Two owners from new, full non Mercedes history, 175,000 miles.

I've got it in my head that these are unreliable money pits? If so, I'll avoid like the plague! All advice and opinions very welcome!

Thank you in advance

No they are ace. There is a well documented problem with the Valeo radiators on some cars failing and letting water into the gearbox which is bad news but if it has lasted 175k miles I suspect it has either been fixed or has the other brand of Rad (Bosch ? I can't remember). Also check the brake pump thing (SBC?) has been replaced which again it will have been at 175k miles.

Ben

I passed on this car in the end!

Positives:

It had a full Mercedes history from new after all. Last serviced in August.
Very presentable inside and out.
Avantgarde with full leather and Xenons.

Negatives were considerable:

Failed the MOT on a whole host of things but the biggie was corroded brake lines at the rear and the near certainty of the fronts failing next year.

In addition, it stunk of diesel fumes inside the cabin which I understand is injector seals and they're usually seized solid in the head!

After a brief discussion with my friend, we decided the best option was to part ways via WeBuyAnyCar later that day for £1,400. It's a shame as it drove well and I imagine them to be a loyal long distance companion. I will say the interior is in no way comparable to my W124 however! Pennies have been pinched everywhere!

Thanks for all who took the time to advise

[0a]

cat220 said:

0a said:

I'm up in the highlands with the SL - what a fun car with the roof down. I'm not sure why I was worried about leaving the hardtop back in Edinburgh. There's a little more wind noise but Radio 4 can be heard well enough.

I am just getting back to thinking it's acceptably quick again after a very kind chap took me out in his 918 last night... and let me drive it briefly. It would definitely make a very poor barge. Otherwise it was astounding! Clearly miles beyond my capabilities as a driver though, even on a short drive!

Where did you get to? Nice day for it!

Well that was a fun weekend. From Inverness I headed over to Applecross then North again - I'd need to look at the roads on a map to name them. Almost all were tackled with the roof down, and use of lower gears (with accompanying noise). I refilled 4 times; the only tank I noted the brim to brim stats was the one from Inverness to Ullapool (via Applecross) - 16.002 mpg.

I had to be back in reasonable time this afternoon so used the a9 - keeping the roof down makes 60mph with the odd blast for overtaking far more acceptable.

The w124 was dropped into the garage for new brake pads on Friday. Having multiple cars in need of attention from the mechanic does mean you can collect one and drop one off at the same time - no need for lifts!

[cat220]

0a said:

cat220 said:

0a said:

I'm up in the highlands with the SL - what a fun car with the roof down. I'm not sure why I was worried about leaving the hardtop back in Edinburgh. There's a little more wind noise but Radio 4 can be heard well enough.

I am just getting back to thinking it's acceptably quick again after a very kind chap took me out in his 918 last night... and let me drive it briefly. It would definitely make a very poor barge. Otherwise it was astounding! Clearly miles beyond my capabilities as a driver though, even on a short drive!

Where did you get to? Nice day for it!

Well that was a fun weekend. From Inverness I headed over to Applecross then North again - I'd need to look at the roads on a map to name them. Almost all were tackled with the roof down, and use of lower gears (with accompanying noise). I refilled 4 times; the only tank I noted the brim to brim stats was the one from Inverness to Ullapool (via Applecross) - 16.002 mpg.

I had to be back in reasonable time this afternoon so used the a9 - keeping the roof down makes 60mph with the odd blast for overtaking far more acceptable.

The w124 was dropped into the garage for new brake pads on Friday. Having multiple cars in need of attention from the mechanic does mean you can collect one and drop one off at the same time - no need for lifts!

Sounds great, I like to get up to that part of the country as often as possible. North of Applecross you pick up the A896 then hopefully you went the a832 north and then onto the a835 to Ullapool. In my opinion one of the best drives in Britain.

[0a]

cat220 said:

0a said:

cat220 said:

0a said:

I'm up in the highlands with the SL - what a fun car with the roof down. I'm not sure why I was worried about leaving the hardtop back in Edinburgh. There's a little more wind noise but Radio 4 can be heard well enough.

I am just getting back to thinking it's acceptably quick again after a very kind chap took me out in his 918 last night... and let me drive it briefly. It would definitely make a very poor barge. Otherwise it was astounding! Clearly miles beyond my capabilities as a driver though, even on a short drive!

Where did you get to? Nice day for it!

Well that was a fun weekend. From Inverness I headed over to Applecross then North again - I'd need to look at the roads on a map to name them. Almost all were tackled with the roof down, and use of lower gears (with accompanying noise). I refilled 4 times; the only tank I noted the brim to brim stats was the one from Inverness to Ullapool (via Applecross) - 16.002 mpg.

I had to be back in reasonable time this afternoon so used the a9 - keeping the roof down makes 60mph with the odd blast for overtaking far more acceptable.

The w124 was dropped into the garage for new brake pads on Friday. Having multiple cars in need of attention from the mechanic does mean you can collect one and drop one off at the same time - no need for lifts!

Sounds great, I like to get up to that part of the country as often as possible. North of Applecross you pick up the A896 then hopefully you went the a832 north and then onto the a835 to Ullapool. In my opinion one of the best drives in Britain.

I did exactly this! Yes it was fantastic, and I have done this route before.

[cat220]

0a said:

cat220 said:

0a said:

cat220 said:

0a said:

I'm up in the highlands with the SL - what a fun car with the roof down. I'm not sure why I was worried about leaving the hardtop back in Edinburgh. There's a little more wind noise but Radio 4 can be heard well enough.

I am just getting back to thinking it's acceptably quick again after a very kind chap took me out in his 918 last night... and let me drive it briefly. It would definitely make a very poor barge. Otherwise it was astounding! Clearly miles beyond my capabilities as a driver though, even on a short drive!

Where did you get to? Nice day for it!

Well that was a fun weekend. From Inverness I headed over to Applecross then North again - I'd need to look at the roads on a map to name them. Almost all were tackled with the roof down, and use of lower gears (with accompanying noise). I refilled 4 times; the only tank I noted the brim to brim stats was the one from Inverness to Ullapool (via Applecross) - 16.002 mpg.

I had to be back in reasonable time this afternoon so used the a9 - keeping the roof down makes 60mph with the odd blast for overtaking far more acceptable.

The w124 was dropped into the garage for new brake pads on Friday. Having multiple cars in need of attention from the mechanic does mean you can collect one and drop one off at the same time - no need for lifts!

Sounds great, I like to get up to that part of the country as often as possible. North of Applecross you pick up the A896 then hopefully you went the a832 north and then onto the a835 to Ullapool. In my opinion one of the best drives in Britain.

I did exactly this! Yes it was fantastic, and I have done this route before.

Be nice with the roof off too. You've probably done more miles in your SL this weekend than I've done in the whole time I've owned mine!

[r129sl]

cat220 said:

0a said:

cat220 said:

0a said:

cat220 said:

0a said:

I'm up in the highlands with the SL - what a fun car with the roof down. I'm not sure why I was worried about leaving the hardtop back in Edinburgh. There's a little more wind noise but Radio 4 can be heard well enough.

I am just getting back to thinking it's acceptably quick again after a very kind chap took me out in his 918 last night... and let me drive it briefly. It would definitely make a very poor barge. Otherwise it was astounding! Clearly miles beyond my capabilities as a driver though, even on a short drive!

Where did you get to? Nice day for it!

Well that was a fun weekend. From Inverness I headed over to Applecross then North again - I'd need to look at the roads on a map to name them. Almost all were tackled with the roof down, and use of lower gears (with accompanying noise). I refilled 4 times; the only tank I noted the brim to brim stats was the one from Inverness to Ullapool (via Applecross) - 16.002 mpg.

I had to be back in reasonable time this afternoon so used the a9 - keeping the roof down makes 60mph with the odd blast for overtaking far more acceptable.

The w124 was dropped into the garage for new brake pads on Friday. Having multiple cars in need of attention from the mechanic does mean you can collect one and drop one off at the same time - no need for lifts!

Sounds great, I like to get up to that part of the country as often as possible. North of Applecross you pick up the A896 then hopefully you went the a832 north and then onto the a835 to Ullapool. In my opinion one of the best drives in Britain.

I did exactly this! Yes it was fantastic, and I have done this route before.

Be nice with the roof off too. You've probably done more miles in your SL this weekend than I've done in the whole time I've owned mine!

I'm envious again, what a great route that is. It would be fun in any car but in a 500 SL it would be superb. A dream drive.

[r129sl]

Are any R129 owners from this thread going to the Silverstone Classic on 24 to 26 July? The Merc Club is organising a parade of r129s on Saturday 25 July. I have just bought discounted tickets. It's a good event and the Merc Club display parking in the infield is a good place. I'd recommend club membership: for the £35 subscription, it's a bargain.