Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 10]

[cat220]

bob-lad said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

olly755 said:

r129sl said:

It's just a car. We all dunch the car from time to time. Being old has nothing to do with it. Anyway, it's an opportunity to titivate it at someone else's expense.

Quite. We all like our cars, but it's just metal that can be straightened, and none of us are immune from making a simple mistake.

Upsetting though it is to have someone dent your car, I'm firmly in the 'could be worse' category.

The old boy was probably someone like us at one stage: thought he ruled the world and owned the roads, life was his to conquer. Then something strange happened; he survived and out-lived many of his pals; he got old; he started making little mistakes. Then, fk me, he bashed the neighbour's car. He was mortified - so embarrassed he sent his wife round to fess-up and apologise.

Cut the old fella some slack. His insurance will pay and make good, but it might be the incident that drives him off the roads and reduces his independence.

It could have been worse. But it wasn't. One day, that will be me. And you.

This happened to my FiL. Some terrifying moments on the road, followed by a relentless convoy of frustrated traffic and a couple of close calls in Waitrose car park and finally a nerf on the gatepost at home and he finally conceded defeat and asked me to sell his car. So two years ago, aged 88 he gave up his owned-from-new pride and joy Ford Scorpio.

A period of frustration followed, but they are now happy to take a taxi to the pub, enjoy a meal and a couple of glasses of wine and a taxi home. Stress free, he's more relaxed now at 90 than he had been for many a year.

Your neighbour is probably mortified and more relieved than you can imagine at your attitude to his accident.

Edited by bob-lad on Friday 24th June 22:25

Thanks for the comments chaps, they're a lovely couple and the last thing I want to do is stress them or even worse impact on his independence. It is however most definitely age related, 83 now and driving nowhere near as well as he did 10 years ago. Not nice to see someone in decline. But as mentioned that could well be us in the future. Will get it all sorted as pain free as possible for them.

[SuperHangOn]

E65Ross said:

It sounds like you need a nicely working V8 barge which has had a wonderful owner get all the work done for you, on a car that is well galvanized so doesn't rust. There's a certain E65 745i for sale which fits that bill just perfectly

£2501? Looks a great buy for someone but a 20ft long land yacht is a bit OTT for me!

I would keep it and enjoy the fruits of your effort if poss. I've made the mistake of spending £££ getting cars in tip-top condition to then sell at a loss too many times. Regret it every time.

Edited by SuperHangOn on Saturday 25th June 15:54

[E65Ross]

SuperHangOn said:

E65Ross said:

It sounds like you need a nicely working V8 barge which has had a wonderful owner get all the work done for you, on a car that is well galvanized so doesn't rust. There's a certain E65 745i for sale which fits that bill just perfectly

£2501? Looks a great buy for someone but a 20ft long land yacht is a bit OTT for me!

I would keep it and enjoy the fruits of your effort if poss. I've made the mistake of spending £££ getting cars in tip-top condition to then sell at a loss too many times. Regret it every time.

Edited by SuperHangOn on Saturday 25th June 15:54

Hmmm, certainly food for thought.

[TheLordJohn]

E65Ross said:

Hmmm, certainly food for thought.

Grass is always greener...!

(it never is)

[Lowtimer]

If it were mine I would keep it (of course if it were mine it would be an E38, but apart from that...)

Meanwhile, I'm off out in my barge.

[E65Ross]

Lowtimer said:

If it were mine I would keep it (of course if it were mine it would be an E38, but apart from that...)

Meanwhile, I'm off out in my barge.

Had an E38.... Engine aside (I only had a 728i, now have a 745i E65) the E65 is better in every single way, looks aside perhaps. Rides better, better interior, more creature comforts, handles better...

[Lowtimer]

That's fine, I have no problem agreeing to disagree

[TheLordJohn]

I had an E38 735i and aside from the occasional refusal to start it was an absolutely belting motor.

[rm163603]

E65Ross said:

SuperHangOn said:

E65Ross said:

It sounds like you need a nicely working V8 barge which has had a wonderful owner get all the work done for you, on a car that is well galvanized so doesn't rust. There's a certain E65 745i for sale which fits that bill just perfectly

£2501? Looks a great buy for someone but a 20ft long land yacht is a bit OTT for me!

I would keep it and enjoy the fruits of your effort if poss. I've made the mistake of spending £££ getting cars in tip-top condition to then sell at a loss too many times. Regret it every time.

Edited by SuperHangOn on Saturday 25th June 15:54

Hmmm, certainly food for thought.

I've fallen (falling as well maybe) into this trap so many times. I actually quite like that there are things to do and the idea that the car becomes a little more perfect when I've done something. Once all the things are sorted and it's 'perfect' I loose interest.

My job for this afternoon is a classic example. My outside temperature gauge doesn't work so I've replaced the sender. If it already worked I wouldn't give it a second thought!

I had a 540i sport until a year or so back. There were loads of little things I did to make it perfect, the list is endless.

It was far from bad when I got it but I just wanted all the little things to be right. I had the steering wheel re-trimmed, cam covers repowdercoated, fresh Michelins, DVD satnav upgrade, digital TV box etc etc etc

It was a really nice example by the time I sold it but I only sold for a few hundred more than I bought it for.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

E65Ross said:

SuperHangOn said:

E65Ross said:

It sounds like you need a nicely working V8 barge which has had a wonderful owner get all the work done for you, on a car that is well galvanized so doesn't rust. There's a certain E65 745i for sale which fits that bill just perfectly

£2501? Looks a great buy for someone but a 20ft long land yacht is a bit OTT for me!

I would keep it and enjoy the fruits of your effort if poss. I've made the mistake of spending £££ getting cars in tip-top condition to then sell at a loss too many times. Regret it every time.

Edited by SuperHangOn on Saturday 25th June 15:54

Hmmm, certainly food for thought.

When you were poorly and not able to drive, I said that you should sell it. Now that you're 'back', I can't see any reason to sell.

Replacing it won't save you money, it rarely does. We like our man-maths here, but at this price-point you've got a car that's objectively better than anything you're likely to replace it with that would be any cheaper.

[n3il123]

SuperHangOn said:

E65Ross said:

It sounds like you need a nicely working V8 barge which has had a wonderful owner get all the work done for you, on a car that is well galvanized so doesn't rust. There's a certain E65 745i for sale which fits that bill just perfectly

£2501? Looks a great buy for someone but a 20ft long land yacht is a bit OTT for me!

I would keep it and enjoy the fruits of your effort if poss. I've made the mistake of spending £££ getting cars in tip-top condition to then sell at a loss too many times. Regret it every time.

Edited by SuperHangOn on Saturday 25th June 15:54

What someone is selling a mint E65 for £2501? who and where?

[E65Ross]

n3il123 said:

SuperHangOn said:

E65Ross said:

It sounds like you need a nicely working V8 barge which has had a wonderful owner get all the work done for you, on a car that is well galvanized so doesn't rust. There's a certain E65 745i for sale which fits that bill just perfectly

£2501? Looks a great buy for someone but a 20ft long land yacht is a bit OTT for me!

I would keep it and enjoy the fruits of your effort if poss. I've made the mistake of spending £££ getting cars in tip-top condition to then sell at a loss too many times. Regret it every time.

Edited by SuperHangOn on Saturday 25th June 15:54

What someone is selling a mint E65 for £2501? who and where?

Mine is for sale, but the offer was in jest, I'd want a bit more than that for it! It may be in the PH classifieds for upper thread limit, there'd be a threadists discount, but not £2500 (or rather £2499 ) cheaper!

[BlueMR2]

What do people think of Vectra Estates?

I'm after something with alot of room in the back like a S210 Merc without the chronic rust problems.

They seem to have a huge rear area and fairly square rear end compared to a S211 to maximise rear space. Apparently a longer wheelbase and longer overall length than a Vectra hatch.

3.2 V6's or you can just squeeze in a 2.8 petrol turbo before the £500 tax range.

Obviously not as nice/luxurious as a Merc and also wrong wheel drive, however I've seen older, high spec 3.2's for £1k and £1.5k can get you a pre tax rise 2.8 turbo.

These shouldn't really rust at all and maintenance should be reasonably priced.

E.g. early car
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-EST...

Later 2.8 turbo

https://www.gumtree.com/p/vauxhall/2006-vauxhall-v...

[E65Ross]

BlueMR2 said:

What do people think of Vectra Estates?

Honestly..... They're fking hateful cars.

The seats are awful, interior is awful, awful to drive, ride quality, not quite awful but nothing special.

Just not very nice in the slightest.

Genuinely think Vauxhall make the worst cars. I've had the displeasure to drive a corsa, vectra and astra and they're all st. But.... Some like the Omega but I don't like that either.

[0a]

This afternoon I finally got around to swapping the battery from the 190 into the W124 (over 4 weeks after it didn't start: BLOODY CAR).

Er, well, yes. It started instantly, and the lights were reflected in the fence opposite, and yes the switch was turned to on. Anyway.

I do feel a bit guilty.

[Lowtimer]

BlueMR2 said:

What do people think of Vectra Estates?

If I were ruling out Mercedes and BMW for some reason I would much, much sooner go for a Mondeo, Volvo or Skoda than a Vectra. Especially a Volvo.

[E65Ross]

Lowtimer said:

BlueMR2 said:

What do people think of Vectra Estates?

If I were ruling out Mercedes and BMW for some reason I would much, much sooner go for a Mondeo, Volvo or Skoda than a Vectra. Especially a Volvo.

This 100%

0a - did you get my email?

[S3_Graham]

rm163603 said:

I had a 540i sport until a year or so back

It was a really nice example by the time I sold it but I only sold for a few hundred more than I bought it for.

Best not look at prices now then. Always promised myself one after my 530 sport... Prices are rising fairly sharply now.

[0a]

E65Ross said:

Lowtimer said:

BlueMR2 said:

What do people think of Vectra Estates?

If I were ruling out Mercedes and BMW for some reason I would much, much sooner go for a Mondeo, Volvo or Skoda than a Vectra. Especially a Volvo.

This 100%

0a - did you get my email?

I agree with you after seeing the quality (or lack of) of my Dad's low mileage last gen Vectra. Shocking!

I just replied, apologies for the delay Ross.

[bob-lad]

BlueMR2 said:

What do people think of Vectra Estates?

Did you miss the last 15 years of Top Gear ?