Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol11]

[Jimmy Recard]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Sounds really decent value, especially if it was lower end of our budget.

Below budget, £950.

If anyone remembers, I was looking for a V6 Omega. I stumbled across this on eBay and decided if it stayed cheap, it was worth a go. It stayed cheap and now it's outside my house

[Krikkit]

Sounds like a great purchase - all the go, but none of the dreadful styling.

[Jimmy Recard]

phil_cardiff said:

Jimmy Recard said:

olly755 said:

Congratulations chap, and if by chance it's an stealthy ex-Plod VXR, then also a bit jealous- it's an itch I've always fancied scratching.

I love a sleeper.

That's exactly what it is!
2.8 turbo V6 VXR engine and brakes but SRi body kit and interior. 17" alloys that just fit over the brakes. Very tight fit.

And all for £950. Some interesting police history came with it, I'll dig it out tomorrow. And photos of it in livery in the Thames Valley force

A few faults, but nothing major

VXR suspension too? I seem to remember evo magazine rating the VXR Vectra back in the day.

I'm unclear on that. I don't think it has all the trick stuff the VXR has, but it's the most taut and best driving Vectra I've driven, so I think there's something over standard

[Jimmy Recard]

Krikkit said:

Sounds like a great purchase - all the go, but none of the dreadful styling.

Exactly my thoughts. It's pretty battered though, I'll get some pictures in daylight tomorrow

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Jimmy Recard said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Sounds really decent value, especially if it was lower end of our budget.

Below budget, £950.

Brilliant. Great value, and I hope you enjoy it.

Fancy doing a reader's ride thread?

[Jimmy Recard]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Brilliant. Great value, and I hope you enjoy it.

Fancy doing a reader's ride thread?

Thank you, I hope so.

I'll get onto that tomorrow. I only got home an hour ago. At some point it'll have to see a rolling road. The seller thinks it has had a remap, I'm not so sure.

I'm quite impressed - not one squeak, creak or rattle in the interior. And crucially there's a receipt for replacement seats since it left the police

Here is that well-known Evo write up on the Vectra VXR, if anyone is interested:
http://www.evo.co.uk/vauxhall/vectra/14196/mitsubi...

Edited by Jimmy Recard on Saturday 5th August 22:44

[Jimmy Recard]

sleepera6 said:

You told me you bought a Meriva, Zafira or a Frontera!!

I am disappoint

Nope, you said that

[phil_cardiff]

I find this appealing. Probably a trouble free way to waft around with small-ish running costs.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Download the app to find your perfect car.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.c...

[Thankyou4calling]

That sounds very expensive to me for a 14 year old manual Diesel.

[golfer19]

Thankyou4calling said:

That sounds very expensive to me for a 14 year old manual Diesel.

I thought the same.
Miles are good though coupled with the less troublesome 1.9 tdi engine.

[TobyLerone]

golfer19 said:

Thankyou4calling said:

That sounds very expensive to me for a 14 year old manual Diesel.

I thought the same.
Miles are good though coupled with the less troublesome 1.9 tdi engine.

At half the price it would be more enticing. Almost £5k for a 14 year old 1.9 diesel estate though. Not for my tastes!

[PartOfTheProblem]

Agreed, but HOW MUCH!? Even £3k would be pushing it I think, although very hard to find one in such nice condition I'd agree. Pretty stingy spec too, no heated seats or cruise control, 5 speed etc.

[0a]

Sub £1k might make the concrete mixer under the bonnet passable.

[bob-lad]

Harsh.

But funny

[phil_cardiff]

Tough crowd...

[layercake]

Lovely 190 mini barge

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-Mercedes-Benz-190e-...

[vournikas]

To me, not unappealing for as a "barge-light" with that colour and the 2.8 V6



A4 Avant

[0a]

layercake said:

Lovely 190 mini barge

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-Mercedes-Benz-190e-...

Cheap. I wonder what the driver side seat is like (seems to be mysteriously out of the images!) and the spoiler would have to go. I'd love a 2.6 manual though.

Mine auto was great over 400 miles this weekend. They are surprisingly solid at 100+ - that typical 80s Merc stability and feeling of wellbeing covering ground is definitely there.

[Max M4X WW]

vournikas said:

To me, not unappealing for as a "barge-light" with that colour and the 2.8 V6



A4 Avant

Love it, viewed a month ago. Needs a clutch soon (bite is high) but most of the service history is laminated (!) and the previous owner has removed his address from every receipt with a blade (but it is still on the V5!)

Edit: It was £2995 then, I think he said he would get 'his man' to do the clutch for that but don't think it included the flywheel.

[0a]

Max M4X WW said:

vournikas said:

To me, not unappealing for as a "barge-light" with that colour and the 2.8 V6



A4 Avant

Love it, viewed a month ago. Needs a clutch soon (bite is high) but most of the service history is laminated (!) and the previous owner has removed his address from every receipt with a blade (but it is still on the V5!)

Edit: It was £2995 then, I think he said he would get 'his man' to do the clutch for that but don't think it included the flywheel.

You see I like that. These were the last proper Audis in many ways - before they switched build quality to just variations of 'soft touch' on top of pure VW platforms. If you could get the clutch issue sorted and pay c£2k that would be excellent value and probably a good motor.

The ride was never particularly good, and from memory the 5th seat is just uncomfortable plastic (at least on the 4 door I went in regularly).