Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol11]

[hornetrider]

E55.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Photos not great but appears nice on the face of it. Worm doesn't appear evident to the naked eye.

[cornershop]

JF87 said:

This C43 has been knocking about for a bit; I think he's just dropped the price (to within a haggle of thread budget). Looks very smart, and sounds well cared for. 22 stamps in the book! Can only assume the high miles are putting people off, though the MOT history is fab and it's had a new gearbox and timing chains. Ditchfinders on the rear though.



http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...

Different shade of silver on the front wings

[K12beano]

hornetrider said:

E55.

Fine looking hearse, if a bit sparse - but pricey (and potentially costly)??

[hornetrider]

This I like. Loaded A6 4.2 Under-the-radar-wagon mit 4x4.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[BrabusMog]

hornetrider said:

This I like. Loaded A6 4.2 Under-the-radar-wagon mit 4x4.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

That is really nice, the kind of thing you don't see much of in the UK.

You might want to remove your postcode from the AT search by the way.

[ian316]

that ls400 looks good

[hornetrider]

And for even more underer the radar, a Passat V6 also mit 4x4. I don't think it gets any more sleeper than this.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[hornetrider]

BrabusMog said:

You might want to remove your postcode from the AT search by the way.

Cheers. It's close but changed a bit

[LandyManSam]

olly755 said:

LandyManSam said:

Here's my £1200 land yacht purchased just before Christmas as a quick stand-in for my overheating IS220d, private plate included:

Looks great.

Did the Mk4's come with xenon lights then?

Yeah! Doesn't include the full beam though which is still halogen.

[LandyManSam]

cornershop said:

Congrats on the Ls400, I got mine a few weeks ago.

My experience has been identical to yours, and surprised just how well it goes.

Just picked up a set of the 17" DHP wheels, hopefully get them fitted in the next week or so once refurbed.

I've got that CD too - I assumed it was video, will dig it out for my next cruise

Has your cambelt, waterpump and pulleys been done? Cambelt needed every 10yrs I believe.

Nice! Mine will be staying on the current wheels for now as it's got a very good set of winter tyres fitted.

The CD is definitely worth a listen, really completes the experience

My cambelt etc are all due unfortunately. I was tempted to give it a go myself, but Lexus Canterbury gave me what I think is a very reasonable quote for a replacement of £290 all in. Considering a full cambelt kit is between £150-£200, I will leave my tools in the box for that price!

[SimonConnell]

hornetrider said:

E55.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Photos not great but appears nice on the face of it. Worm doesn't appear evident to the naked eye.

That's been for sale since about November - and although it says reduced, the price hasn't dropped since then.

[cornershop]

LandyManSam said:

Nice! Mine will be staying on the current wheels for now as it's got a very good set of winter tyres fitted.

The CD is definitely worth a listen, really completes the experience

My cambelt etc are all due unfortunately. I was tempted to give it a go myself, but Lexus Canterbury gave me what I think is a very reasonable quote for a replacement of £290 all in. Considering a full cambelt kit is between £150-£200, I will leave my tools in the box for that price!

good price, but bear in mind that will likely be the cambelt only and will exclude idler pulley, tensioner, water pump - add all that up and you're looking at 700 plus based on the quotes i received from Lexus swindon and Edgware road (London). I've got mine booked in at the latter first week in Feb.

Just started winter proofing mine today and cleaned out the wheel arch lips and treated surface rust with FE-123. Scrubbed the arch lips back to clean metal, and coated with Dynax UC wax. Also removed the plastic arch edge protectors, which was very worthwhile based on the crud i managed to remove. The front arches are much better protected than the rear thanks to the wheel arch liners

New boot seal fitted today too to hopefully resolve the wet spare wheel well syndrome.

Good luck with yours! (pic of mine back on p86)

[confused_buyer]

The cambelt on a LS400 VVTi books at about 3.5 hours IIRC so isn't too horrific. I finally did mine a couple of months back on my occasionally used 1998 105k example which I'm pretty sure was on the original belt. The belt wasn't so bad condition wise but the hydraulic tensioner (which doesn't usually come as part of the kit) was right at the end of its travel so needed doing.

You may as well do the aux belt and idler etc. at the same time as they all have to come off as well if being thorough.

[cornershop]

I got the discounted labour rate at Lexus Edgware Rd - £110 + vat (vs the usual £140 + vat)

[tombar]

LandyManSam said:

Here's my £1200 land yacht purchased just before Christmas as a quick stand-in for my overheating IS220d, private plate included:



[url]
|http://thumbsnap.com/Z8Bukbww[/url]


For a 1998 vehicle it's a pretty astounding thing. 120,000 miles with full Lexus service history and literally EVERYTHING on it still works perfectly, including the automatic cabin air re-circ which isolates the cabin when high levels of pollution are detected.

My dad had a couple of these from the first few years of production, and they always went well but this with the VVTi engine and 290-odd bhp is surprisingly quick. Just this evening I upset the driver of a '63' plate SLK350 on the M1 who decided to try and accelerate away from me during an overtaking manoeuvre

The best bit is that it came with its original "Lexus Experience" CD, which I will have to upload an excerpt from. It ends with the BBC English voice saying "Settle back into your seat, and enjoy the flawless reproduction of the LS400's digital sound system with this specially chosen musical selection.", followed by a selection of imperious sounding classical pieces. MOVE OUT OF MY WAY, PLEBS!!!

Do let me know when you are selling, I'd be interested...(genuinely). Unless it gets under your skin and you keep it, LS 400s are a bit like that! I so miss mine....

[mondayo]

LayZ said:

idiotgap said:

Preface lift car at post-facelift price. For my money, go for one with higher miles and half the price for pre-facelift or same money post-facelift. With this one you have inflated bork potential without the cheapness offering the insurance of a warchest.

That would be my take too. There are lots out there with big spec and many well cared for. The 12.9mpg on the dash will put nearly all normal buyers (i.e. not us) off!

Almost heresy to say I know but try an OM642 V6 320 CDI. Performance almost the same as the 350 petrol, can chip to 272PS, very refined, and it'll literally never say anything like 12.9mpg. There's a reason most of the higher end W211s are in this spec.

Cheers for all the advice and feedback gents.
Ideally I'm after an E500, so the E350 was a bit of a compromise already and after several years of diesel daily driving, I fancy a nice big petrol estate.
The search continues

[Painter38]

Lexus LS430 available in Kings Lynn £1850-

http://angliacarauctions.co.uk/en/modern-auction/w...

[sussexcoast]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371548326799

(BMW 325i compact 2003)

Am going for a test drive this Saturday, what do I need to look out for?

The car has no history, the trader has had it for over a year, it will come with a new MOT.

Or if not this car, what other two door manual big engined barge can I buy?

(Worthing, Sussex, upto £3k)

Edited by sussexcoast on Tuesday 17th January 08:23

[E65Ross]

sussexcoast said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371548326799

(BMW 325i compact 2003)

Am going for a test drive this Saturday, what do I need to look out for?

The car has no history, the trader has had it for over a year, it will come with a new MOT.

Or if not this car, what other two door manual big engined barge can I buy?

(Worthing, Sussex, upto £3k)

Edited by sussexcoast on Tuesday 17th January 08:23

Cooling issues and, I think, rust. Don't kid yourself though, they certainly are NOT a barge and noticeably a downstep in quality from a 5 and certainly a 7 series (as you'd expect to be honest). They're nice enough cars and good, chuckable fun.

[bob-lad]

That's neither big-engined nor a barge.

If it hasn't shifted in a year, it's clearly over priced for the market and ebay would seem to agree. There appear to be plenty for half that price and many more that don't even reach the bottom of thread budget.