Need to get a (sensible) V8 out of my system...

[80sboy]

McHaggis said:

Except I've said I'd prefer an estate...

Now if only they had done an estate version...

You don't want as estate... you want one of theeese!

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Vitorio]

Oh man, of all the problems in the world to have, not knowing which V8 to get

Anyway, given the constraints, i'd probably look for either a Merc or BMW, The 300c is awesome, but looks naff as an estate, the various monaros are just a bit too jobbo-ish for my taste, and the Lancia 8.32 is getting a bit old for a daily driver. Besides, i just love the AMG mercs, take a normal taxi-cab (most new-ish mercs in holland are taxis), and slot in a huge growling v8

I suppose you cant find a maserati quattroporte in decent nick for 15k yet?

[McHaggis]

Vitorio said:

I suppose you cant find a maserati quattroporte in decent nick for 15k yet?

Even if I could, I said I had some reserves for repairs, not the GDP of a small country.
Also not an estate...

All - I love the V8 saloon suggestions, but I need flexible load space - going to the tip and picking up things that don't fit in a saloon boot...

[Vitorio]

McHaggis said:

Even if I could, I said I had some reserves for repairs, not the GDP of a small country.
Also not an estate...

All - I love the V8 saloon suggestions, but I need flexible load space - going to the tip and picking up things that don't fit in a saloon boot...

Hah, fair enough (although i am part of the gang of people saying newer italian cars arent that bad)

Anyway, E55 AMG it is then!

[RenesisEvo]

McHaggis said:

BMW 550i

E39 M5? Or an Alpina for some exclusivity?

[McHaggis]

RenesisEvo said:

E39 M5? Or an Alpina for some exclusivity?

Touring? Can't find any in the <£15k bracket.

[Digger]

Might be offloading my '04 RS6 Plus (53k) in the next month or two. Might not be soon enough for you though, possibly a smdge over budget?!

[Jayzee]

Digger said:

Might be offloading my '04 RS6 Plus (53k) in the next month or two. Might not be soon enough for you though, possibly a smdge over budget?!

What colour? OP, the RS6 plus is the thread closer IMO

[McHaggis]

At the moment it's the 550i Touring as a sleeper, A6 4.2 post 05 and the S6 4.2...

[sparks_E39]

McHaggis said:

RenesisEvo said:

E39 M5? Or an Alpina for some exclusivity?

Touring? Can't find any in the <£15k bracket.

E39 B10 Touring gets my vote. Shame there wasn't an E39 M5 Touring.

[Otispunkmeyer]

My vote is the 300C Tourer in SRT-8 Trim

My irish friend used to have one and by god it was a beast. Automatic only though I think (if that matters), and while the interior isn't the best, the massive seats were super comfy. Designed for fat americans, they just swallow you...amazing. Engine note was all detroit, just stunning. Not the fastest car (he reckoned it topped out somewhere just below 170....thanks to barn door aerodynamics) and at the very very best 18mpg and you have to budget for some serious rubber, I think it had 20inch wheels.

Edit... just remembered they had a normal 300C tourer with the V8. 5.7 HEMI instead of the 6.1 in the SRT version. It also has that cylinder deactivation to try save some fuel... so I vote this as well.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Wednesday 16th May 18:32

[Dave200]

You could easily get a fantastic example of the E39 M5 for that kind of money. Wonderful woofly, but revvy V8 - Spending a £k or two on an exhaust would give you the soundtrack, the practicality, the drivability (it likes being chucked around, for a 4dr saloon) and the practicality (5 leather seats and a boot, plus TV and climate).

The best bit is, you'd probably still have £3-4k in the bank for any eventualities...

[silverback mike]

Audi s6 avant but i'm biased

[Contigo]

So really you want/need a V8 estate,

Your options are pretty limited to

S4 B6 Avant (Cracking engine, great drive and understated)
RS4 B7 Avant (Proper V8 Growl in S Mode, probably over budget though)
RS6/RS6+ (Great V8 Twin Turbo with brutal performance to match especially in the plus form)
C55 AMG Touring (a worthy contender although a little dated looking for my liking)
E55 AMG Touring (as above)
Alpina B10 V8 Touring (If you like that sort of thing, shame they didn't make the E39 Touring)
Chrysler 300C Hemi 5.7 or 6.1 V8 (Head check required?)


Fancy buying my M5 E61?

[bigricho]

Would a Maserati 4200 be sensible enough? Masses of room in the back, lovely engine, some might say (not me however) potentially ruinous running costs. Whats not to like?

[JohnoVR6]

ZT-T would also be my suggestion, such as this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-MG-ZT-T-4-6-V8-260-...

And a boat load of change to go with...

[greggy50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFNkrwRmba8

[SpecB]

richardxjr said:

E500 is good value too

Just bought one of these to replace my Legacy SpecB. I love it to bits.

[Bill]

JohnoVR6 said:

ZT-T would also be my suggestion, such as this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-MG-ZT-T-4-6-V8-260-...

And a boat load of change to go with...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbQOlGryDcJs

[tvrolet]

bigricho said:

Would a Maserati 4200 be sensible enough? Masses of room in the back, lovely engine, some might say (not me however) potentially ruinous running costs. Whats not to like?

Not an estate, as per the OP's request - but it does introduce the question of what someone actually wants from a V8? Is is just 8 cylinders in a V, or is it the 'classic' V8 rumble, torque, smoothness etc.

For my sins I've never driven a BMW, Merc or Audi V8 so can't comment if they have that touch of magic that makes a V8....well, a V8. The Maserati 4200 doesn't have that 'classic' V8 feel Not that it's a bad motor by any means - I have one - and it makes a fabulous noise, makes good power throughout the range etc., but it's not got that silky-smooth American V8 feel with gobs of torque. Neither did it's predecessor in my garage - the AJP V8 in the Cerbera. Another great engine with hair-trigger responses...but more 8 cylinders in a V (or 2 fours on a common block) than a classic V8 feel.

I have a Small Block Chevy 383 (6300cc) in the Tuscan and even though it's a thug of an engine it has the classic magic. I've also driven Corvettes, Camaros, Mustangs and a Challenger and while the cars were all different, the engines all shared the classic V8 feel - as does the Rover V8 unless it's been worked on heavily.

So do BMW, Merc and Audi V8s drive in the 'classic' American style, or are they more 'European' as per Maserati, TVR/AJP, Ferrari etc? I didn't even bother looking at European V8s when I wanted to replace the daily driver - I went for the Hemi Jeep as I knew it would do what it said on the tin!