Best Smoker Barges 1-5 large [Vol 4]

[CampDavid]

BeirutTaxi said:

Quietlybonkers said:

I could have been in a BMW. It was that poor.

The peasants will protest that statement

I just think he's probably envious of the superior drive a Bavarian beasty manages over a posh Skoda

[em177]

E39 540i Touring, gingers, nav, and leather (individual?) seems a bargain if you could knock it down to a bag?



http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/1999...

[Zwolf]

Quietlybonkers said:

hornetrider said:

Anything with four rings leaves me cold these days, unless it's an A8. Which is weird as I used to be quite a fan of VAG cars.

Absolutely with you there. All other models seem so poorly specced. My 2004 A8, with the fully adjustable electric leather comfortable seats just went in to an Audi dealer for some analysis. They loaned me a 2012 A6, apparently 40 grand's worth. Yes, it was very quiet and drove well, but the interior was all black and gloomy, the seats were hard and unsupportive, manual with little lumbar support, no bum warmers. I could have been in a BMW. It was that poor.

That's because they've cottoned on and followed BMW/Mercedes' lead in terms of charging a lot for a car, then charging a whole heap more if you actually deign to want some toys.

My favourites were £150 to paint the door handles on an E46 3 Series (four-cylinder, sixes had them colour-coded as standard) and £250 for a 6 CD boot changer on a £59,950 E39 M5. I gather carpet mats have been standard fit for a few years now at least.

I also heard on here that a fully-optioned £60k A6 comes out just over the six figure threshold. Insane.

It's just one reason I like the V12 Sevens (I gather W12 A8s are similar) in that they have considerably higher standard kit than the rep versions, some of which isn't even an option on the lower rungs of the ladder.

I did like the solar-powered sunroof thingy that D2 A8s had, I presume later models retain updated versions of this.

Still, we must remember that in this thread we are discussing cars that can be bought for the same prices as many of their first owners paid for an item or two of gadgetry...

[Oak Green]

Blown2CV said:

Oak Green said:

Rollcage said:

:cough:

113

I'm watching it on all 3 of my Ebay accounts

presumably 3 accounts for shill bidding?

One for buying, one for selling, one is a work account

[edo]

worth a punt at this sort of money for someone?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Jaguar XJ 4.0 4DR AUTO - ONLY 49K - 1990

4 Doors, Automatic, Saloon, Petrol, 49,000 miles, Metallic Blue. ABS, Adjustable seats, Adjustable steering column/wheel, Electric mirrors, Electric windows, Foglights, Full Service History, Head restraints, Heated screen, Leather seats, Leather upholstery, Immobiliser, Power assisted steering, Radio, Remote locking, Radio/Cassette, Sports seats, Alarm. Insurance Group:17, ++ VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT, POSTCODE MK443AX £œ1,490

[edo]

Advert short on detail, but might be a steal?

Volkswagen Passat 4.0 W8 4MOTION 4dr Saloon 2003
55,600 miles

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...




4 Door Saloon, Blue, Petrol, Manual, Drivers airbag, Front electric windows, Front fog lights, Headlight washers, Electric door mirrors, Radio/CD Multichanger. Heated seats, non-smoker, climate control,. ϣ2,995

[Quietlybonkers]

CampDavid said:

BeirutTaxi said:

Quietlybonkers said:

I could have been in a BMW. It was that poor.

The peasants will protest that statement

I just think he's probably envious of the superior drive a Bavarian beasty manages over a posh Skoda

I don't question that BMWs are great depriving machines......I actually typed "driving machines", the bloody psychic spellchecker changed it to depriving........it's just that every time I try to find, say, a 330d auto with leather electric heated seats, the only one I find in the entire country is 200 miles away and has been to the moon and back. So I have never actually owned a Bayerische Motor Wagen because I have never found one that's acceptable to my beloved, who likes her bum warmed and the seat automatically in the right position at the touch of a button.

My A8 does all that, as well as moving the driver's seat to her position as soon as she unlocks the driver's door, and even has a seat memory on the passenger seat (as well as rear seat heater and aircon controls). As for the six controls on the front seats......

FWIW, I was leading a run in my TVR last weekend, and the M3 behind looked to be handling very nicely. Driver had a TVR standard smile on his face.

Oh, and you can easily get a good A8 for smoking barge money. Mine is only just above that level.

[Zwolf]

Heated seats are a rarity on any Three, but they're (along with electrical adjustment) de rigeur for respectably engined Sevens, which would be the "apples and apples" comparison.

A4s are similarly bereft of bum warmers, generally.

You need to get into Volvo, where the Winter Pack is a legal necessity, from base models up.

[s m]

Zwolf said:

Heated seats are a rarity on any Three, :

I struck lucky on my 328i - they work as well!

[Quietlybonkers]

Zwolf said:

Heated seats are a rarity on any Three, but they're (along with electrical adjustment) de rigeur for respectably engined Sevens, which would be the "apples and apples" comparison.

A4s are similarly bereft of bum warmers, generally.

You need to get into Volvo, where the Winter Pack is a legal necessity, from base models up.

That's a fair comment, I was remembering last December when I tried really hard to find a 330d leather auto estate, and ended up with a Saab to get the spec. Nice car, rubbish engine, which is why I have changed it only 9 months later.

Unfortunately, and strangely, big BMWs give me image problems with clients (too expensive and flash, I am a freelance accountant), whereas Audis, Saabs and Volvos of all sizes don't. As for Jags.......I might as well spend 25k on a second hand Bentley Continental so long as I don't want to keep any clients.

[Baryonyx]

Quietlybonkers said:

My A8 does all that, as well as moving the driver's seat to her position as soon as she unlocks the driver's door, and even has a seat memory on the passenger seat (as well as rear seat heater and aircon controls). As for the six controls on the front seats......

I love this feature on my A8. I have my settings programmed for me and the wife's key programmed for her preferences. Not that she ever drives it mind! But it's nice to see the seat and steering wheel move by themselves! This is the unit you use to do it, in the driver's door pocket...



I also thought I should draw attention to this:



The little buttons on either side of the sunroof dial control a little LED light concealed (I think) on the lip of the headlining where it meets the windscreen. When activated, it gently lights the cabin with this white light, much more soothing than using the normal bulbs.

I have been using the A8 for my nightshift commute this week. I love sitting in it, starting it up and flicking the light stalk on. Absolutely everything in the cabin is backlit with a red light. On, the pampering I receive in this thing. It makes the 06:45AM dash home quite sublime too. Getting your foot down in extreme comfort is addictive.

[Phunk]

I discovered (after owning it for 4 years) that if you push the twist knob on the sunroof on my dads A8 that it tilts!

[Quietlybonkers]

On your last pic, of the roof and mirror, mine has buttons marked 1, 2 and 3. Apparently you point the remote control for your electric gates, garage door etc at the front of the car once, the car learns the transmitted signal, and the button then works in place of the remote. Not that I have electric gates or any kind of garage! what will they think of next? Vibrating seats to keep the wife happy on a long journey?

[jonnydm]

Elec memory seats, meh. Pretty sure that my 3 has them but only I drive it so they stay where they are. Even my £1k E39 had them. As for heated seats, nice in deepest winter but only for the second 5mins of any journey as it seems to be nothing and then uncomfortably hot from experience. The LS did have cooling seats though, which was interesting but not much use in December.

[sparks_E39]

I want an A8

[mattman]

GET IT BOUGHT!!! 37,000 mile E38 728 for 2995? Boston Green, Grey leather and full gingers - thats more like it...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-728I-AUTOMATIC-UNIQU...

[Zwolf]

That'd make a lovely daily.

So long as all that sitting around doesn't mean its fuel tank resembles Emmental.

[jonnydm]

Looks good for a grand..

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C306715
Only a 300, mind.

[SpeckledJim]

Quietlybonkers said:

Zwolf said:

Heated seats are a rarity on any Three, but they're (along with electrical adjustment) de rigeur for respectably engined Sevens, which would be the "apples and apples" comparison.

A4s are similarly bereft of bum warmers, generally.

You need to get into Volvo, where the Winter Pack is a legal necessity, from base models up.

That's a fair comment, I was remembering last December when I tried really hard to find a 330d leather auto estate, and ended up with a Saab to get the spec. Nice car, rubbish engine, which is why I have changed it only 9 months later.

Unfortunately, and strangely, big BMWs give me image problems with clients (too expensive and flash, I am a freelance accountant), whereas Audis, Saabs and Volvos of all sizes don't. As for Jags.......I might as well spend 25k on a second hand Bentley Continental so long as I don't want to keep any clients.

Sounds like a Lexus might be up-your-street?

[Quietlybonkers]

SpeckledJim said:

Sounds like a Lexus might be up-your-street?

Had two 400s from 1995 to 2003, and did 150000 miles in them. Great cars, thoroughly enjoyed them, though did have some quite major repair bills. They unfortunately don't come in diesel.....and I still do 25,000 a year on business