What cheap V8? Bought a LS400 & it's not for me.
Discussion
What's the budget?
Merc E-class options:
E430 for £600:
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
E55 for £4000
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
£100 at an exhaust shop to cut out the central silencer if you want more noise.
Merc E-class options:
E430 for £600:
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
E55 for £4000
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
£100 at an exhaust shop to cut out the central silencer if you want more noise.
braddo said:
What's the budget?
Merc E-class options:
E430 for £600:
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
E55 for £4000
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
£100 at an exhaust shop to cut out the central silencer if you want more noise.
....or a early W211 E500? The 430 and 500 would probably have to lose a silencer or two if you want a bit of raw noise. Or a s/s exhaust. The 43 and 55 come with noise out of the box.Merc E-class options:
E430 for £600:
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
E55 for £4000
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
£100 at an exhaust shop to cut out the central silencer if you want more noise.
Heard a 540i the other day with s/s zorst - fruity.
We're lucky - have a plethora of V8s on the driveway, one being a 2002 E430, an other being a 1998 XJ8 4.0 (X308 model).
The Merc is a very solid, capable cruiser. It feels like it will sit at 140mph all day long, blatting up and down the autobahns. However it is not a drivers car, it has absolutely no steering feel whatsoever. It doesn't inspire confidence... you know the grip is there, with its huge 265/35/18 rear tyres, but you can never fully exploit it due to a lack of feedback.
The Jag is another story. It feels like a much smaller car when you're driving it. The steering really is excellent for a big saloon, the 4.0 V8 has plenty of urgency about it and makes a lovely noise. The Sport mode on the Auto box works well. Mine is in Carnival Red with Cream leather, lovely colour combo. It doesn't have as many toys as the Merc, but I generally prefer it as a place to be.
On all cars of that age though, as others have said, buy on condition and history. They're all prone to rust, the Beemers, Mercs, and Jags. Pick up a car with main dealer history, no signs of tin worm or paintwork, put your fingers up in the arches and make sure they're made of metal, not filler. An independent AA check before buying will pick up on any items that may have been 'ignored' by a friendly MOT tester too - things like brake lines, bearing play etc.
The Merc is a very solid, capable cruiser. It feels like it will sit at 140mph all day long, blatting up and down the autobahns. However it is not a drivers car, it has absolutely no steering feel whatsoever. It doesn't inspire confidence... you know the grip is there, with its huge 265/35/18 rear tyres, but you can never fully exploit it due to a lack of feedback.
The Jag is another story. It feels like a much smaller car when you're driving it. The steering really is excellent for a big saloon, the 4.0 V8 has plenty of urgency about it and makes a lovely noise. The Sport mode on the Auto box works well. Mine is in Carnival Red with Cream leather, lovely colour combo. It doesn't have as many toys as the Merc, but I generally prefer it as a place to be.
On all cars of that age though, as others have said, buy on condition and history. They're all prone to rust, the Beemers, Mercs, and Jags. Pick up a car with main dealer history, no signs of tin worm or paintwork, put your fingers up in the arches and make sure they're made of metal, not filler. An independent AA check before buying will pick up on any items that may have been 'ignored' by a friendly MOT tester too - things like brake lines, bearing play etc.
Who says an E34 V8 is too refined eh?
Play it to the end with the sound well up...
http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/qq349/SixFiend/...
Play it to the end with the sound well up...
http://s462.photobucket.com/albums/qq349/SixFiend/...
Countdown said:
IMO they're a class below the other stuff being suggested.
The C43 in Braddo's link looks massively tempting
The build quality of the ZT is great, IMO. Nice interiors that are well put together, they don't rust and the V8s and V6s are inherently reliable, as are the diesels. Certainly better screwed together than many comparable Mercs of the same era. The C43 in Braddo's link looks massively tempting
E38 735i / 740i sport
Had the same itch - scratched with a mint £3k 735i sport and don't regret it at all. Amazing car and the V8 soundtrack is lovely.
Currently have 9 points on my license hence the refined yet interesting waft-o-barge - but they come off mid-November so I am contemplating moving the BMW on and getting into something a bit more chuckable like an Evo / STI.
Just find a well cared for E38 (I think the facelift sport is the best choice) and enjoy. Move it on when you get another itch!
Had the same itch - scratched with a mint £3k 735i sport and don't regret it at all. Amazing car and the V8 soundtrack is lovely.
Currently have 9 points on my license hence the refined yet interesting waft-o-barge - but they come off mid-November so I am contemplating moving the BMW on and getting into something a bit more chuckable like an Evo / STI.
Just find a well cared for E38 (I think the facelift sport is the best choice) and enjoy. Move it on when you get another itch!
braddo said:
What's the budget?
Merc E-class options:
Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
that looksd like a great car for 2.5kMerc E-class options:
Or C-class C43 for £2500
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
I'd be another one to suggest the 540 E39, the E39 535 was also a V8 but I got one after I'd had the 540 and missed the extra grunt/wafting ability of the bigger engine, not that the 535 was exactly slow.
Wasn't much difference in fuel economy either, think I got another 3-5 mpg out of the 3.5 if that.
Wasn't much difference in fuel economy either, think I got another 3-5 mpg out of the 3.5 if that.
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