Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol8]

[Mark Benson]

Can I have the collective wisdom on 10 year old 7-ers?

Saw this http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015... while browsing Autotrader the other day and was reminded that this generation had a spectacularly attractive interior, and a spectacularly unattractive rear.



They're now at a price where I'm tempted to get one - I do fewer than 3000 (mainly motorway) miles a year and currently just rent a barge when I need to schlep long distances, but have recently been eyeing up CL500s and 7 series'.

What should I be looking for?

[Jobbo]

W00DY said:

Were they not available on an E24? I really like them as a less aggressive and overtly sporting wheel than their imperial counterparts.


Some matching sports seats would be nice as would a tech 1 wheel.

As Gruber says, the E24 would have either 390mm bottle tops or 415mm cross spokes (found as options on the earlier E32 and E34, most often seen on the 535i Sport). The 415s are pretty much impossible to get tyres for, so while they look just right they're virtually unusable.

[jke11y]

Stereo and phone-holder aside, this is niiiiice....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644727

[r129sl]

jke11y said:

Stereo and phone-holder aside, this is niiiiice....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644727

Very nice indeed and poifect spec, 5spd auto, air con, heated seats. Colours a bit predictable?

Jobbo said:

W00DY said:

The 415s are pretty much impossible to get tyres for, so while they look just right they're virtually unusable.

Not impossible, just expensive: http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/240-45zr415-m...

[Jobbo]

r129sl said:

Jobbo said:

The 415s are pretty much impossible to get tyres for, so while they look just right they're virtually unusable.

Not impossible, just expensive: http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/page/240-45zr415-m...

I know a set from them is more expensive than many of the cars in this thread, but IIRC they don't actually exist even if you do try to order them. Every couple of years they make a dozen or something.

[Gruber]

Yep - £350 a corner in the figure that's stuck in my head.

I remember it was cheaper to buy a good set of refurbed e31 alloys plus new good quality rubber all round than it was to buy new TRX tyres.

I'm sure the whole TRX folly seemed like a good idea at the time...

[V12 AMG]

jke11y said:

Stereo and phone-holder aside, this is niiiiice....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644727

Thanks, cars like this help keep the Bavarian urge at bay!

I've had too many blue black cars already though!

[jke11y]

My Dad had an identical colours E220 coupe in 1996/7 which started me off on this path for sure, I loved that car. I remember going to the garage and it was for sale as an approved used at £20-something K. They traded it in for an A class in 98, which at the time was great as I drove it as my first car but looking back trading a 124 for the A was offensive.

[0a]

This looks really nice - 106k miles, only £2,200, the 2.6 6 cylinder engine, cloth but heated seats and air conditioning.





http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644723#

[W00DY]

0a said:

This looks really nice - 106k miles, only £2,200, the 2.6 6 cylinder engine, cloth but heated seats and air conditioning.





http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644723#

Spec sounds great to me. Ad wording makes me believe it might not be as outstanding as suggested, but it's decent money so probably worth a look.

[r129sl]

W00DY said:

0a said:

This looks really nice - 106k miles, only £2,200, the 2.6 6 cylinder engine, cloth but heated seats and air conditioning.





http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644723#

Spec sounds great to me. Ad wording makes me believe it might not be as outstanding as suggested, but it's decent money so probably worth a look.

That's a nice sensible car. Green one here, but no heated seats and seems to have been a while since it was last serviced:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C613238





And a silver one here at silly money:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C643855#

Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 5th August 11:49

[RobinBanks]

OpulentBob said:

RHD? were they official conversions? I like that a lot. I had a big boy Caddy DTS in the States a few years ago, my god that was a comfy thing. Seriously couldn't corner for toffee (taking an offramp at 80mph was... interesting) but the size, the comfort, the toys...

Yes! They were sold between about 1998 and 2002 through Vauxhall dealers as I remember. And Stuart Hall had one in that colour.

My dad also had a friend who had one in that colour. I really, really liked it at the time. He replaced it with a Lexus GS300 and hated it after the Cadillac. That's my only first hand experience with them.

On Top Gear in 1998 Jeremy Clarkson said it was OK, great value for money and an amazing engine. The STS isn't really wallowy to be honest. I think that's the SLS (which was never available in the UK)

[E65Ross]

Mark Benson said:

Can I have the collective wisdom on 10 year old 7-ers?

Saw this http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015... while browsing Autotrader the other day and was reminded that this generation had a spectacularly attractive interior, and a spectacularly unattractive rear.



They're now at a price where I'm tempted to get one - I do fewer than 3000 (mainly motorway) miles a year and currently just rent a barge when I need to schlep long distances, but have recently been eyeing up CL500s and 7 series'.

What should I be looking for?

Other than a bigger engine?

Suspension... Check for knocks, check ride height in each corner etc.

Cooling system.... Check for leaks

Oil leaks are common on V8 models but they'll run for years absolutely fine with minor leaks.

Judder under braking could be brakes or suspension but is quite common.

Electrics seem generally quite good from my experience except a faulty oil pressure sensor.

They're really, really good barges and I'd be surprised if an older CL would be better..... They do look nicer though.

[mccrackenj]

r129sl said:

W00DY said:

0a said:

This looks really nice - 106k miles, only £2,200, the 2.6 6 cylinder engine, cloth but heated seats and air conditioning.





http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C644723#

Spec sounds great to me. Ad wording makes me believe it might not be as outstanding as suggested, but it's decent money so probably worth a look.

That's a nice sensible car. Green one here, but no heated seats and seems to have been a while since it was last serviced:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C613238





And a silver one here at silly money:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C643855#

Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 5th August 11:49

Difficult choice this.

No pics but the interior of the Blaushwartz one must be the same as my 92 230TE, i.e. charcoal cloth. The charcoal cloth/black trim/walnut was a really nice combination, aided by the fact that it was in fantastic condition, the seat bolster must have been repaired but you simply couldn't tell.

But, on balance, I'd go for the green/green/zebrano combo.

Just glad I'm out of the market right now. But if an 040 black/black leather/zebrano 6 cyl saloon turns up, I'll cry.

Any takers for this 300E - just reduced from £3250?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C616106

(No? I thought not)

[Mark Benson]

E65Ross said:

Mark Benson said:

Can I have the collective wisdom on 10 year old 7-ers?

Saw this http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015... while browsing Autotrader the other day and was reminded that this generation had a spectacularly attractive interior, and a spectacularly unattractive rear.



They're now at a price where I'm tempted to get one - I do fewer than 3000 (mainly motorway) miles a year and currently just rent a barge when I need to schlep long distances, but have recently been eyeing up CL500s and 7 series'.

What should I be looking for?

Other than a bigger engine?

Suspension... Check for knocks, check ride height in each corner etc.

Cooling system.... Check for leaks

Oil leaks are common on V8 models but they'll run for years absolutely fine with minor leaks.

Judder under braking could be brakes or suspension but is quite common.

Electrics seem generally quite good from my experience except a faulty oil pressure sensor.

They're really, really good barges and I'd be surprised if an older CL would be better..... They do look nicer though.

Thanks Ross.

I had an E39 540i with brake judder, it was a nightmare to track down and rectify. We ended up replacing discs and bushes and it still wasn't right; in the end I p/x'ed it for a diesel Saab.

Other than that, from what you say the news is good, I might have a mooch around this one at the weekend (it's fairly close). Does the 3.0 feel underpowered?

[tobinen]

Pinched from the general thread, a rather lovely XJR a shade over budget

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

[r129sl]

mccrackenj said:

Any takers for this 300E - just reduced from £3250?

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C616106

(No? I thought not)

Worth it for the graphic equaliser, surely? Although the bodykit is not my bag.

[W00DY]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1972-JAGUAR-XJ6-4-2-SERI...

Achingly cool and with free road tax it's cheap to run too.

[Krikkit]

RE: E65's, why would you get a 6-pot when the V8 is often cheaper? Real-world economy won't be much different as it's a lot of barge to haul around with a six.

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

tobinen said:

Pinched from the general thread, a rather lovely XJR a shade over budget

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

That looks absolutely minty, even if it is strong money.

[XB70]

OpulentBob said:

RHD? were they official conversions? I like that a lot. I had a big boy Caddy DTS in the States a few years ago, my god that was a comfy thing. Seriously couldn't corner for toffee (taking an offramp at 80mph was... interesting) but the size, the comfort, the toys...

Never got around to an STS when I was in the UK and ticking off the barges but have a successor:



The interior is this:



Absolutely love it - it is a Cadillac SLS and only built in China for the Chinese and Middle East markets.

LWB, magnetic ride suspension, surround sound with rear headrest monitors, cooled/heat/massaging seats, rear and side blinds and 4.6 litre V8.

I keep meaning to do a write up so will get around to it ASAP