Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol8]

[QuantumTokoloshi]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

QuantumTokoloshi said:

Audi C5 S6 4.2, Skoda Superb Mk1 3.6, Citroen C5, Saab 95, Alfa 159, Lexus IS300. Some different options there.

And obviously the newly-much-loved MB 190E!

They make grown women cry though! You got to be careful with those.

[BlueMR2]

jke11y said:

In a bit of a quandry this monday morning and reckon you chaps may be a good source of reasoning - going on holiday to Nice / Tuscany at the end of this week.

Got a misfire to fix on the 107 first, but don't know whether to take it or the 55. The drive there and back in the SL will be pretty horrible (no AC) but ideal when there on sunny evenings roof down. The drive there and back in the 55 will be easy but I'll look like a salesman in an estate car whilst there. 55 probably more reliable. Wife is 26wks pregnant just to add to the excitement.

Man maths states you should take both, you get to buy a trailer now, BONUS.

[LordGrover]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

QuantumTokoloshi said:

Audi C5 S6 4.2, Skoda Superb Mk1 3.6, Citroen C5, Saab 95, Alfa 159, Lexus IS300. Some different options there.

And obviously the newly-much-loved MB 190E!

Thanks. Saab 9-5, Alfa 159 and Lexus IS300 are now on the list along with Volvo S60.
Citroen is a little left field but I shouldn't discount them without actually trying one so I'll add it too.

Little love here for VW/Audi/MB though. Sorry and all that but I have an irrational dislike for them. All of them.

[jke11y]

BlueMR2 said:

an maths states you should take both, you get to buy a trailer now, BONUS.

And do this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYxwgmACJMY

[QuantumTokoloshi]

LordGrover said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

QuantumTokoloshi said:

Audi C5 S6 4.2, Skoda Superb Mk1 3.6, Citroen C5, Saab 95, Alfa 159, Lexus IS300. Some different options there.

And obviously the newly-much-loved MB 190E!

Thanks. Saab 9-5, Alfa 159 and Lexus IS300 are now on the list along with Volvo S60.
Citroen is a little left field but I shouldn't discount them without actually trying one so I'll add it too.

Little love here for VW/Audi/MB though. Sorry and all that but I have an irrational dislike for them. All of them.

The Citroen got a glowing recommendation as a 2nd hand buy from Car mechanics magazine, on reliability, rustproofing, parts prices, running costs etc. I was quite surprised how strongly they recommended it.

I quite like the their evaluations, as it is tends to be quite accurate on known problems with vehicles in my experience.

[idiotgap]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

idiotgap said:

The guy I use isn't far from you in Chobham, best bet is to pop over or call and discuss options because there are a lot of variables.

Good point. Many thanks.

On reflection, I will almost certainly leave it until I move to Gloucester/Cheltenham next month and find someone there, but I would appreciate a ball-park idea of costs once you have a feel if possible.

Not being evasive, chap - just not near the files until now.
Not sure how much exactly this venture will will be but the last one in late Sept 2013 was £250 to remove, paint and fit a pattern wing. The Wing itself was about £65 on top. So basic cost £300 odd but the sting was £200 in cutting out of rust, welding, sealing and priming underneath.

[Adrian E]

0a said:

jke11y said:

idiotgap said:

Huge congratulations on the impending arrival JJ! I've been hoping you'd be sharing some news on that front, really delighted for you.

Is the 129 another option?

I'd go in the 107 if you can sort the misfire, if it's hot put the roof down. I can lend you a genuine MB windstop for the trip if you haven't got one, needs no bracktry and makes the motorway sections a breeze.

Thankyou for the congrats. It is indeed a little bit of light at the end of the very dark tunnel that has been the last 10 months or so.

In a moment of genius* I took the 129 back to Glasgow. Going to put new leads and plugs on the 107 and see where I stand. The decision might be made for me if that doesnt cure it, its already had new distributor cap and arm. If I can get the windbreaker from you that would be ideal, I will keep you posted.

Will get a lot of wine in the 55 thats for sure!

I would definitely try for the 107. It won't be so easy to make such trips in such a car (to say the least) in the future. At the end of the day it's what these cars were built for, and if you take it steady and allow for breaks (and are flexible to allow you to stop early in a hotel on the way). With all the speed enforcement nowadays, a car that encourages you to take things a little steadier isn't necessary a bad thing!

Good luck with whatever you take!

Congrats

My wife and I drove to the Italian lakes when my wife was a couple of months pregnant - she was off olives and pizza which she normally loves, but otherwise no ill effects from all the driving. We took our 2004 A6 Avant that we had at the time and relaxed progress is definitely a positive. If your wife dislikes heat though, having driven home from Devon mid-summer with fritzed air-con on the same A6 a few years later, the E55 may become more desirable.

We could've done the whole journey home in a day but had factored in an overnight stop - we took 2 overnight stops on the way down and it meant we got to see more of the interesting places we drove through, including a lovely night in a Swiss hotel overlooking a lake.

We looked at the rail option for getting down to South of France, but the fact you travel without the car means it needs a bit of thought. You dump the car at a Paris rail station and it gets dropped at whichever station you've nominated to collect it from (we were looking at Toulouse). If you wanted a night in Paris, or to take an overnight train, you can make it work. It's less risky than the Calais rail options they no longer run, in terms of likelihood of your car getting trashed/broken in to.

[idiotgap]

jke11y said:

BlueMR2 said:

an maths states you should take both, you get to buy a trailer now, BONUS.

And do this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYxwgmACJMY

You could also re-create Chris Harris's wheeze - see if the 55 can pull the 107 faster than it can go itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ea7k3VAdi8

[SpeckledJim]

idiotgap said:

I'd go in the 107 if you can sort the misfire, if it's hot put the roof down. I can lend you a genuine MB windstop for the trip if you haven't got one, needs no bracktry and makes the motorway sections a breeze.

Does it not work then?

[BigBen]

idiotgap said:

jke11y said:

Thankyou for the congrats. It is indeed a little bit of light at the end of the very dark tunnel that has been the last 10 months or so.

In a moment of genius* I took the 129 back to Glasgow. Going to put new leads and plugs on the 107 and see where I stand. The decision might be made for me if that doesnt cure it, its already had new distributor cap and arm. If I can get the windbreaker from you that would be ideal, I will keep you posted.

Will get a lot of wine in the 55 thats for sure!

Fingers crossed on the ht leads, my wife and I did a very memorable road trip in the 107 with her about 30 weeks to a wedding in southern Ireland just before we had any nippers. You can do the wine run in the 55 any time.

I got 150 odd bottles in the 124 last week on our Calais run with the whole family in the car and could see out the back. It was a really fun day out for the kids who had a great run about on the beach. Saturday will be a fun day too when we attempt to drink the lot at our joint 40th birthday bash.

Might as well change the coil pack whilst you are at it that would mean an effectively new emission system and therefore 100% guaranteed reliability

Ben

[RobinBanks]

idiotgap said:

You could also re-create Chris Harris's wheeze - see if the 55 can pull the 107 faster than it can go itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ea7k3VAdi8

I had this on VHS in around 2000:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQ1SCNGO34c

[idiotgap]

SpeckledJim said:

idiotgap said:

I'd go in the 107 if you can sort the misfire, if it's hot put the roof down. I can lend you a genuine MB windstop for the trip if you haven't got one, needs no bracktry and makes the motorway sections a breeze.

Does it not work then?

As a substitute for aircon, breeze is good. Without the windschott you get a bit of a battering at motorway speeds.

[SpeckledJim]

idiotgap said:

SpeckledJim said:

idiotgap said:

I'd go in the 107 if you can sort the misfire, if it's hot put the roof down. I can lend you a genuine MB windstop for the trip if you haven't got one, needs no bracktry and makes the motorway sections a breeze.

Does it not work then?

As a substitute for aircon, breeze is good. Without the windschott you get a bit of a battering at motorway speeds.

I was just being silly. File me under I. Or DH.

[PowerslideSWE]

RDB said:

0a said:

This looks like a lot of car for the £4,900 classified ad price http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-JAGUAR-XJR-V8-S-C-A...

Ended at just over £4200 with reserve not met.

That's insanely good value for money, I'm comparing this to the cheapest equivalent XJ-R in Sweden, which in todays exchange rate is, brace for it...£17.390. I could live with the steering wheel on the wrong side tbh. The Jag is priced very closely to what I paid for my comparatively ancient e38 750.

[golfer19]

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C633605



£6000

[andy43]

PowerslideSWE said:

RDB said:

0a said:

This looks like a lot of car for the £4,900 classified ad price http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2003-JAGUAR-XJR-V8-S-C-A...

Ended at just over £4200 with reserve not met.

That's insanely good value for money, I'm comparing this to the cheapest equivalent XJ-R in Sweden, which in todays exchange rate is, brace for it...£17.390. I could live with the steering wheel on the wrong side tbh. The Jag is priced very closely to what I paid for my comparatively ancient e38 750.

Relisted now.
Surprised no one spotted where it is...

ebay ad said:

Item location: Wantage

[wack]

When I see cars like this I have no idea why people pay £300-400 - month for a bland euro box with the latest plate on

Give it another 2 months and the next lot will be out polishing their 65 plate £300 a month depreciation car

All they think about is road tax and MPG

I'm 55 in February so get access to my pension , V8s I've owned are a Jaguar XK8 and an Audi A8

Guess what I'm going to be looking for but this time I want 400+ , at the moment I have a WRX hatchback and I love every second I'm in it but I'll be watching this thread with interest from February onwards

[derin100]

Off topic...and I know there are always similar actual threads of this nature going on...but I trust you guys on this thread and don't really know where to start searching for the following myself:

The twins turned 18 yesterday and the young lad has decided he wants a car. So, the criteria are:

1) Safe
2) Cheap to buy...I'm talking sub-£1K; preferably a lot "sub"
3) Cheap to insure
4) Reliable and/or cheap to fix

Basically, safe and cheap.

Could you guys suggest a short-list of cars for me so that I can start making a search.

Thanks in advance

[0a]

derin100 said:

Off topic...and I know there are always similar actual threads of this nature going on...but I trust you guys on this thread and don't really know where to start searching for the following myself:

The twins turned 18 yesterday and the young lad has decided he wants a car. So, the criteria are:

1) Safe
2) Cheap to buy...I'm talking sub-£1K; preferably a lot "sub"
3) Cheap to insure
4) Reliable and/or cheap to fix

Basically, safe and cheap.

Could you guys suggest a short-list of cars for me so that I can start making a search.

Thanks in advance

Clearly the answer is a Merc 190!

On a more serious note, my first car was a Toyota Yaris first generation. They were safer than other cars of the era (and older ones) for their size, cheap to insure, and there are loads with high miles around as the 1.0 vvti is strong.

They are a pretty clever design as well, and I remember reading an article in Autocar where Gordon Murray said he would always want one on his fleet. Loads for no money as well (though how many are Cat rated!) http://www.autotrader.co.uk/search/used/cars/toyot...

[cat220]

derin100 said:

Off topic...and I know there are always similar actual threads of this nature going on...but I trust you guys on this thread and don't really know where to start searching for the following myself:

The twins turned 18 yesterday and the young lad has decided he wants a car. So, the criteria are:

1) Safe
2) Cheap to buy...I'm talking sub-£1K; preferably a lot "sub"
3) Cheap to insure
4) Reliable and/or cheap to fix

Basically, safe and cheap.

Could you guys suggest a short-list of cars for me so that I can start making a search.

Thanks in advance

I'd have a look at Ford Pumas, still 'cool' enough at 18 (albeit its a long, long time since I was 18) if insurance is too steep on the 1.7 then have a look at the 1.4 or 1.6. Great little cars, reliable, pretty modern and safe only rusty rear arches let them down.