The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T (Vol XVII)

[rejn]

Ali2202 said:

rejn said:

Oh. My. God.

As 2 car pairings go, I'd struggle to think of anything to beat that. You could swap the 250GTO out for a DB4GT Zagato maybe, but that it just incredible.

I really should have worked harder at school...!

Think that's a 250 SWB. No?

Oops - sorry - big typo. Yes, most definitely a SWB - brain thought "swb", but fingers typed "gto".

You could swap the SWB for a GTO to make another nice 2-car pairing, too, I guess!!

[sleep envy]

Beefmeister said:

Seems apt to post this. Have spent a fair bit of time with Gavin (TurboTeriffic9 on here) and his F1 after I found he lived about 2miles down the road from me. He's taken me out in it a few times and by God it's every bit as incredible as I hoped, especially with its new sports exhaust from McLaren. I actually think the passengers get a better aural experience as they're closer to the engine and intake.



Been out in its garage mate too. Possibly the best two car collection I could imagine, even though there's an Eagle E-Type, Merc 190SL Roadster, Ferrari FF etc as well....

Is that a mate of yours?

[rejn]

sleep envy said:

Beefmeister said:

Seems apt to post this. Have spent a fair bit of time with Gavin (TurboTeriffic9 on here) and his F1 after I found he lived about 2miles down the road from me. He's taken me out in it a few times and by God it's every bit as incredible as I hoped, especially with its new sports exhaust from McLaren. I actually think the passengers get a better aural experience as they're closer to the engine and intake.



Been out in its garage mate too. Possibly the best two car collection I could imagine, even though there's an Eagle E-Type, Merc 190SL Roadster, Ferrari FF etc as well....

Is that a mate of yours?

Anybody who owned an F1 and took me out "a few times" would automatically qualify as my mate, so I'd take that as a yes!!

[L100NYY]

If anybody knows of a nice 840/850 (preferably low miles) do please let me know

[Beefmeister]

sleep envy said:

Is that a mate of yours?

Haha, yes yes Riccardo. Have I not mentioned it?

[sleep envy]

Not this week

[LaurasOtherHalf]

bungle said:

I seem to be obsessing about getting a 350z at the moment. Dug out an old brochure (when I was toying with getting one new in 2006), looked up an Evo review in my old magazine stash, shot off a couple of emails to dealer just now. Maybe it's the 2 glasses of (very nice) red, but they've been on my mind for a while now. Not that I need another car, got 2 already...

Any experiences, anything to look out for in a now 10 yr old 350z?

I can't comment on the 10 year old part as mine was fairly new when I had it back then, but they're lovely old busses.

They're as heavy as you imagine but mine stood up to a shed load of abuse at my hands and never missed a beat, in fact I probably did half a dozen track days including spa and the ring (when I didn't know them either) and I didn't so much as change a tyre or brake pad-still not sure how I managed that!

Ageing very well too, I sometimes pass one in the above colour on the way home from work and it still looks good to my eyes

[rejn]

Beefmeister said:

sleep envy said:

Is that a mate of yours?

Haha, yes yes Riccardo. Have I not mentioned it?

ahaa - maybe I need a whoosh parrot, then!!!

[Beefmeister]

rejn said:

Beefmeister said:

sleep envy said:

Is that a mate of yours?

Haha, yes yes Riccardo. Have I not mentioned it?

ahaa - maybe I need a whoosh parrot, then!!!

Don't worry about it, Ric is a member of a Facebook Group I run/ran (it's the new PH doncha know) and I have probably mentioned the F1 a few too many times.

But, wouldn't you?

[anonymous-user]

dom9 said:

Just checking back in as we were discussing the 545/550i a few pages back and my 545i SE Touring.

I had a full cat-back built by these guys, yesterday: http://www.profusioncustoms.com/

Absolutely epic! I am literally in love! Still virtually silent on a motorway cruise with no drone whatsoever but it's quite deep and menacing slowly accelerating from low revs and really howls when you floor it.

The best mod I have done to any car, by far. I am loving pulling up at the lights and hearing the exhaust play a tune as the 'box shuffles down the gears. Absolutely magical. Need to get a sound clip up but it's not so easy on your own!

My mate (not into cars but previously owned a V8V) said "love the sound of your engine" last night and I just took it over to my Dad's who said it "sounds like a race car". Now I want a 550i Saloon for when I don't have the dog with me!

Interesting, as I'm in the market for a 550iT, how much was the exhaust?

Thanks

[dom9]

wsurfa said:

Interesting, as I'm in the market for a 550iT, how much was the exhaust?

Thanks

It is just getting better and better with miles as well. Just put a review on Google for them as I really am very impressed indeed. I was originally quoted £850 inc Vat for the cat-back but ended up paying £1,000 as it's a 2 or 3 silencer system as opposed to a straight pipe/ centre box delete and rear silencer. Apparently it helps with the drone (there is none).

I was pretty happy with that as H&S had quoted me £1k + VAT (I believe) straight off the bat. Others may be able to do it cheaper but these guys had done more than one 545i previously and have a load of parts on the shelves. Apparently they tried a number of configurations before settling on the final one and they nailed my criteria. Love it.

Good luck finding a 550iT - They seem like rocking horse excrement, especially ones with low miles. If there is a 550iT M-Sport with 50k miles or less available in a year or two then I'd be all over it but it probably won't exist. The first thing I'd be doing is the exhaust though - I'm yet to hear something nicer on the road this side of an exotic.

[rejn]

Mondial update: shocking, but I still haven't driven it, and work/home commitments mean that's unlikely to change any time soon.

I think the two most sensible options for me are:
1 - sell it on, admitting that it was a folly and I probably shouldn't have bought it in the first place. it owes me £28k, so hopefully I wouldn't even lose much. It's a RHD 3.4t version. Is it worth sticking it on ebay with a decent reserve and seeing what happens?
2 - stick it into storage for a couple of years until I'm ready to look after it properly.

Oh decisions decisions. What's the collective view on here?

[barchetta_boy]

Do you have free and secure storage?

[rejn]

barchetta_boy said:

Do you have free and secure storage?

Nope - it'll need a paid-for storage facility somewhere.

ETA: I think the writing is on the wall: I should sell it, shouldn't I? Let somebody else enjoy it.

Edited by rejn on Wednesday 22 July 12:13

Edited by rejn on Wednesday 22 July 12:14

[ferrisbueller]

It will cost a couple of grand to insure, maintain, tax and store for a year. In the current environment, what's it going to appreciate by?

[anonymous-user]

dom9 said:

It is just getting better and better with miles as well. Just put a review on Google for them as I really am very impressed indeed. I was originally quoted £850 inc Vat for the cat-back but ended up paying £1,000 as it's a 2 or 3 silencer system as opposed to a straight pipe/ centre box delete and rear silencer. Apparently it helps with the drone (there is none).

I was pretty happy with that as H&S had quoted me £1k + VAT (I believe) straight off the bat. Others may be able to do it cheaper but these guys had done more than one 545i previously and have a load of parts on the shelves. Apparently they tried a number of configurations before settling on the final one and they nailed my criteria. Love it.

Good luck finding a 550iT - They seem like rocking horse excrement, especially ones with low miles. If there is a 550iT M-Sport with 50k miles or less available in a year or two then I'd be all over it but it probably won't exist. The first thing I'd be doing is the exhaust though - I'm yet to hear something nicer on the road this side of an exotic.

Sub 50k miles doesnt bother me, as long as it's not 130/150k+. Anything under 100k I'd be rat/drainpipe. There was one on auto trader at c75k miles I think, but limited equipment (eg no xenons), so I've left that one for now.

[dom9]

wsurfa said:

Sub 50k miles doesnt bother me, as long as it's not 130/150k+. Anything under 100k I'd be rat/drainpipe. There was one on auto trader at c75k miles I think, but limited equipment (eg no xenons), so I've left that one for now.

Totally know what you mean, the thing is, the 550i will be the last of the big, naturally aspirated Tourings, as far as I can tell so the next one (if I can find it) may be the 'life keeper', so maybe better starting with lower miles. I wanted the one on AT but it disappeared the week 'mine' appeared and then reappeared (I think it's the same one) on eBay after I bought mine

However, I am loving mine and it's an ex-PHer car

[L100NYY]

rejn said:

Mondial update: shocking, but I still haven't driven it, and work/home commitments mean that's unlikely to change any time soon.

I think the two most sensible options for me are:
1 - sell it on, admitting that it was a folly and I probably shouldn't have bought it in the first place. it owes me £28k, so hopefully I wouldn't even lose much. It's a RHD 3.4t version. Is it worth sticking it on ebay with a decent reserve and seeing what happens?
2 - stick it into storage for a couple of years until I'm ready to look after it properly.

Oh decisions decisions. What's the collective view on here?

You've not driven it yet!? Crikey.

[braddo]

rejn said:

barchetta_boy said:

Do you have free and secure storage?

Nope - it'll need a paid-for storage facility somewhere.

ETA: I think the writing is on the wall: I should sell it, shouldn't I? Let somebody else enjoy it.

I reckon you should keep it for a while to see if you'll get the chance to use it now and then (or at least, drive it once ). Isn't there some loony bloke around here who can sort proper storage in Essex for a reasonable sum?

If you sell so soon, you might find you get some pretty derisory bids, with people thinking either you bought it to flip it for a profit or that there's something critically wrong with the car... So, rather than take a £2k hit on selling it, better to spend that £2k on keeping the car a bit longer and seeing if you can find time to get some enjoyment out of it.

[/manmaths]

[L100NYY]