Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol11]

[hornetrider]

Biglips said:

What do you think the e500 will go for?

Low 6s?

[CharlesdeGaulle]

AlfaManc said:

Cars appeal for different reasons, but I genuinely lament the loss of cars like the 166, Saab 95, C6, and Renault 25, Citroen XM, Saab 900 before them. Flawed some of them may have been, but all offered something distinct from the mainstream offerings, and could actually be quite good too.

That's a widely held view in these parts.

[Biglips]

hornetrider said:

Low 6s?

I think it is worth that and might even go a little higher. It is the best one I have seen.

[ess]

MJK 24 said:

golfer19 said:

cornershop said:

W00DY said:

Front end = No
Everything else = Yes

I agree.
The front is a bit marmite.

I've mellowed about the front end over time. The facelift front is better however.

The 'face' on these never photographs well.
Looks great in the flesh. Well I think so....

s

[derin100]

AlfaManc said:

K12beano said:

hat's got Attitude - hasn't it?! Wouldn't tire of looking at it even if it wanted to rape your wallet....

A fellow a couple of pages back quoted £1000-1500 in maintenance costs for his E39 and nobody batted an eyelid. An Alfa turns up and it's wallet rape I have owned three of these, and apart from cambelt changes at 60K miles (V6 engine), I haven't had any bills that I wouldn't expect from a BMW/Mercedes/Jag of a similar vintage. The 166 is by far the best built Alfa I have owned, and it clearly suffers from the general reputation Alfa brought upon themselves. Nevertheless it has a niche following, many of whom struggle when it comes to finding a replacement.

As a proposition for this thread, it lacks rear wheel drive, and the variety of engines and specs that the other brands offer, but it has its place. The cabin has a wonderful ambience, the V6 is a delight, and it adds up to more the sum of its parts. Like any car of its age, parts availability is becoming an issue. Most need a suspension refresh, door locks can be an issue, but like all barges, history is all important.

Cars appeal for different reasons, but I genuinely lament the loss of cars like the 166, Saab 95, C6, and Renault 25, Citroen XM, Saab 900 before them. Flawed some of them may have been, but all offered something distinct from the mainstream offerings, and could actually be quite good too.

Definitely a lot of truth in that.

Alfa (and Lancia) are still burdened, in this country, by the legacy of their poor build quality from years and years ago. The truth was that this then improved. However, 'traditionally' their second-hand values plummet like stones because of the saddle that they seem never to have been able to shake off.

Back in 1985 (as a student) I bought a 3 year old Lancia with something like 23k miles on the clock. It had cost £11,000 new ( a decent wedge in 1982). I bought it for £1100! And its build quality even then was as good as the BMW it replaced.*

I don't think you can buy Lancias in this country anymore but Alfas still follow the same general trend of depreciation. So, if people buy one for let's say only £1500 and then get a bill for £800 they feel wallet raped and that: "... it was all the fault of Alfa's poor build quality...etc. Whereas, in fact, in most cases it would be just as easy to get walloped for £800 by a £1500 BMW. But, in the case of the BMW that's usually put down to "...normal wear n' tear, consumables....etc".

(* Although it did catch fire at a petrol station! Which was less than ideal )

[Krikkit]

The same issue that French cars have as well - many of them are German-equivalent quality, but are stigmatised as being unreliable lumps.

I think it's fair to say that all cars have potential to throw large bills, especially complex ones.

[bob-lad]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

A budget-buster for bob-lad's delectation.

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C789741

Very nice. Interesting price.

[mondayo]

Biglips said:

hornetrider said:

Low 6s?

I think it is worth that and might even go a little higher. It is the best one I have seen.

I think his last one went for around £6,200 and whilst a more appealing colour, wasn't as well spec'd. If it was a darker interior, it would be perfect for me.....well more the kids, as they'd trash that.

[anonymous-user]

Apologies if already posted, but I'd expect this will come into the bottom end of budget.

Mercedes E320 CDI ELEGANCE Estate http://r.ebay.com/9spIMZ



Even seems to have some of its arches left unrusted...

from the ad ' Heidi's a big, honest, buxom blonde, with a few stretch marks and bit of cellulite', sounds like the seller is from this thread....

[CharlesdeGaulle]

wsurfa said:

from the ad ' Heidi's a big, honest, buxom blonde, with a few stretch marks and bit of cellulite', sounds like the seller is from this thread....

Sounds like the seller's a right perve.

Anyone that names a car is a bit of a bell and best avoided.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

r129sl said:

The details are up on the Palmier shill bidding special E500. Shill bidding or not, that is an insanely well-specified car. It has everything. And the condition looks utterly superb.

Double glazing, which I have never seen before on a w211. Heated rear seats, ditto. Electric, memory, heated, cooled, vibrating, massaging front seats, ditto.

It is about to break thread budget, but what a car.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262867321374?_trksid=p20...

Anyone thinking of a last minute bid shouldn't leave it too long.

[hornetrider]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Anyone thinking of a last minute bid shouldn't leave it too long.

Well. They'd leave it to the last minute surely.

Does that car have nav btw? I'm no Merc beard but not sure if Comand was around then, and Msr Palmier has glossed it over with "12 speaker premium sound system" which sounds like flannel. Happy to be corrected...

[jke11y]

Even if it did, it would be utter mince. I vaguely remember the nav in my 211 looking like Tetris.

[jas xjr]

picked this up yesterday for £800. 11 months mot , 520 manual.very clean. matching premium tyres. drives well if a little slow

[Patrick Bateman]

Hard to complain for the price.

[r129sl]

hornetrider said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Anyone thinking of a last minute bid shouldn't leave it too long.

Well. They'd leave it to the last minute surely.

Does that car have nav btw? I'm no Merc beard but not sure if Comand was around then, and Msr Palmier has glossed it over with "12 speaker premium sound system" which sounds like flannel. Happy to be corrected...

£6,500. Who bought it? Not me.

[Motorrad]

6.5K for the epic spec E class at the house of Palms. Not bad value but I prefer the saloon on the Merc forum at half the price, no help if you need a load lugger or 7 seats but fantastic value comparatively.
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/classifieds-cars-sa...

[Biglips]

mondayo said:

I think his last one went for around £6,200 and whilst a more appealing colour, wasn't as well spec'd. If it was a darker interior, it would be perfect for me.....well more the kids, as they'd trash that.

I would have bought this if I hadn't got something else lined up already. I agree that the interior was a worry for me with my kids and runs to the tip with garden rubbish!

[0a]

r129sl said:

hornetrider said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Anyone thinking of a last minute bid shouldn't leave it too long.

Well. They'd leave it to the last minute surely.

Does that car have nav btw? I'm no Merc beard but not sure if Comand was around then, and Msr Palmier has glossed it over with "12 speaker premium sound system" which sounds like flannel. Happy to be corrected...

£6,500. Who bought it? Not me.

Really?!

Fess up whoever else it was!

[0a]

jas xjr said:

picked this up yesterday for £800. 11 months mot , 520 manual.very clean. matching premium tyres. drives well if a little slow

Loads more detail and a reader ride thread if you have the time. I often see 520s and wonder what they would be like.