Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol11]

[Zonergem]

Forgive slight diversion but Merc-beard advice required.

This is an MOT failure W201 in need of welding, located in the spiritual home of Merc-barging, Tyneside. Might be an adequate car aside from that. I wonder if the Man could get round it for £1000 or so, and I can put another 800-1000 into suspension components and full servicing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-190E-2-0-A...

Failed on

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)
Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)
Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

[Krikkit]

I think that's a bit of a generous estimate - depending on how badly the subframe mounts have gone could make it a tricky repair to do properly (rather than just bodge a plate in there), and it probably needs a complete suspension refresh front and rear from the advisories on the MOT...

That said, if the bodywork's in good nick and it's a keeper then it may be worth it.

[bob-lad]

TVRJAS said:

bob-lad said:

The X350 is better than the X300/X308 in every way bar looks.

I have to admit to X350 XJR ownership, so might be slightly biased

I can only imagine that the XJR is pretty impressive ,I simply didn't go for one as probably about 90% of the time I'm ferrying my 83 yr old mom around and don't think she would appreciate me unleashing the beast.

I gave my (late) father in law (aged 91) a lift and he rather enjoyed what he explained to his wife was "unavoidable acceleration".

Splendid chap.

Edited by bob-lad on Wednesday 26th April 09:53

[Lowtimer]

Zonergem said:

Forgive slight diversion but Merc-beard advice required.

This is an MOT failure W201 in need of welding, located in the spiritual home of Merc-barging, Tyneside. )

I strongly doubt there is an economic case for restoring that car. That wouldn't stop me if I owned it already, of course, but I can;t see it being wirth the participants' time and outlay to bring back from the dead on a commercial basis. I think its fate is probably as a parts donor if the interior is all good as claimed.

[TVRJAS]

Krikkit said:

I think the X350 is a lovely thing, although the slightly gawky-looking grilles after the elegance of the 308 and 300s were a bit off-putting.

The less said about the gauche X358 the better...

Edited by Krikkit on Wednesday 26th April 09:13

I had read about peoples dislike to the grilles before buying mine and that many were changing them to the mesh grill.
It just so happened that the one I bought which was local to me had been changed already,but if I'd of bought one with the original I would of left as it was as they don't offend me if I'm honest.




I still don't even know if that's the preferred look,but I think it looks alright and that's the main thing.

Edited by TVRJAS on Wednesday 26th April 13:41

[r129sl]

Zonergem said:

Forgive slight diversion but Merc-beard advice required.

This is an MOT failure W201 in need of welding, located in the spiritual home of Merc-barging, Tyneside. Might be an adequate car aside from that. I wonder if the Man could get round it for £1000 or so, and I can put another 800-1000 into suspension components and full servicing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-190E-2-0-A...

Failed on

Nearside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)
Offside Rear Subframe mounting prescribed area is excessively corroded (2.4.A.3)
Offside Rear Body or chassis has excessive corrosion, seriously affecting its strength within 30cm of the body mountings (6.1.B.2)

That's not a job for the Man but for Terry at Staithes Garage in Dunston. I expect you're looking at £1,000 to get the bottom welded up and to replace some of the suspension components.

The car looks clean in the pictures so, who knows.

But that kind of expense will just be the start of it. I expect it will need tyres, probably some brake parts, a very full service and who knows what else.

It is also in Sunderland. Well dodge. (That's a joke. Sort of.)

[Zonergem]

Cold-eyed financial rationality and the titivation of older Mercs don't always go together, it seems.

The very big service is going to apply to any W201 bought, unless it has been done recently and that's probably only true of the cars at 4-5k.

I suppose my big unknown is what other rust issues lie beneath. But that can be investigated before major expenditure is sanctioned. Worst case then I'm out for 500 + transportation costs and I still have a car worth breaking.

I feel foolishness coming on. The wife threatened to go nuclear last weekend over a different W201. I'm sure she'll understand when I explain that this one matches the R129.

Edited by Zonergem on Wednesday 26th April 15:20

[Krikkit]

Determined man-maths, good to hear!

TVRJAS said:

Krikkit said:

I think the X350 is a lovely thing, although the slightly gawky-looking grilles after the elegance of the 308 and 300s were a bit off-putting.

The less said about the gauche X358 the better...

Edited by Krikkit on Wednesday 26th April 09:13

I had read about peoples dislike to the grilles before buying mine and that many were changing them to the mesh grill.
It just so happened that the one I bought which was local to me had been changed already,but if I'd of bought one with the original I would of left as it was as they don't offend me if I'm honest.




I still don't even know if that's the preferred look,but I think it looks alright and that's the main thing.

The mesh grilles look good (although the purist in me wants them to be reserved for the R), but the "slatted" grille looks awful imo.

X308:




X350:


It's a small change, but significant to my eyes.

[Patrick Bateman]

Yeah it's not the best.

Am I alone in preferring the X358 to the X350?

[TheLordJohn]

The best XJ was the Series 1 and each generation has progressively got less desirable, to me.
A modern XJ, I'd have an X300 XJR. With those XJ220 style alloys.
Cool as a penguin.

[Patrick Bateman]

I suppose 'modern' can be subjective.

[TheLordJohn]

Patrick Bateman said:

I suppose 'modern' can be subjective.

Any modern 90's motor is modern to me, and I'm only 29...
I tend to hover between mid 90's and very early 00's with most of my car purchases.
Had a brand new car in 2011 (Clio 200 Cup) but only because it was tax free with a decent discount.

[r129sl]

Zonergem said:

Cold-eyed financial rationality and the titivation of older Mercs don't always go together, it seems.

The very big service is going to apply to any W201 bought, unless it has been done recently and that's probably only true of the cars at 4-5k.

I suppose my big unknown is what other rust issues lie beneath. But that can be investigated before major expenditure is sanctioned. Worst case then I'm out for 500 + transportation costs and I still have a car worth breaking.

I feel foolishness coming on. The wife threatened to go nuclear last weekend over a different W201. I'm sure she'll understand when I explain that this one matches the R129.

Edited by Zonergem on Wednesday 26th April 15:20

You could get it for less than £500, surely? Weighing it in will net him £120 max. Maybe offer £350?

[SpeckledJim]

Patrick Bateman said:

Yeah it's not the best.

Am I alone in preferring the X358 to the X350?

I thought the updates to create the X358 were cheesy and heavy-handed.

The doughy front bumper and big chrome wing vent were obviously cheap to engineer and come across as a bit naff, IMO.

X350 was a victim of Dearborn trying to force competitive levels of interior space into a shape that wasn't going to cooperate. So it's obviously compromised in the elegance stakes in comparison to what went before. But it's a much much bigger car inside, so there's an upside.

X358 to me feels like the company recognising that the X350 style was outdated at launch, and trying to retrospectively apply contemporary ideas to a shape that, again, wasn't going to cooperate.

[BlueMR2]

r129sl said:

tobinen said:

When is the barge meet please? I can't find the post. Thanks

Isn't it 11am on 7 May at the National Railway Museum?

Could have met at http://www.carsinthepark.org.uk/ for a car based day over at http://www.newbyhall.com/ on the 7th.

I'll be helping with the parking as usual so wont be able to be over in York at the same time.

[JF87]

Disappointing response to my 8-series ebay ad. Only two viewings - a self-styled classic-car dealer who thought he could knock off a couple of grand if he sucked his teeth enough, and a much more genuine chap who seems to be having trouble arranging cost-effective insurance (still haven't given up on him).

Had some entertaining swap offers though - best was a pair of Omega Seamasters. Someone also wanted to trade it for their 124 convertible, which might have been interesting in other circumstances (ones in which I don't already have too many cars).

Anyway - just relisted it with a £750 haircut to top thread budget.

[TheLordJohn]

JF87 said:

Disappointing response to my 8-series ebay ad. Only two viewings - a self-styled classic-car dealer who thought he could knock off a couple of grand if he sucked his teeth enough, and a much more genuine chap who seems to be having trouble arranging cost-effective insurance (still haven't given up on him).

Had some entertaining swap offers though - best was a pair of Omega Seamasters. Someone also wanted to trade it for their 124 convertible, which might have been interesting in other circumstances (ones in which I don't already have too many cars).

Anyway - just relisted it with a £750 haircut to top thread budget.

Stick a link up, please. My Dad has been after an E31 pretty much since they came out...

[Krikkit]

This lovely looking 840Ci cropped up in my usual LPG search, looks very good if in need of a little TLC.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-BMW-840Ci-/25289878...

[JF87]

Thanks - that looks FANTASTIC.

[SpeckledJim]

Krikkit said:

This lovely looking 840Ci cropped up in my usual LPG search, looks very good if in need of a little TLC.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1996-BMW-840Ci-/25289878...

I'm getting the twitch. It's been nearly 2 months since I bought another car...