Best smoker barges 1-5 large [vol11]
Discussion
JZZ30 said:
funkyrobot said:
Any thoughts on this?
It's a loooooong way from where I live. However, a manual is rare, is it not? Would love to go and see it but it'll be a whole day out for me.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
This is about 12 miles away from where I work if you want me to go and have a poke around it?It's a loooooong way from where I live. However, a manual is rare, is it not? Would love to go and see it but it'll be a whole day out for me.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
r129sl said:
rejn said:
Is there a similar thread "man" for fixing the oily bits on w124s? I live in Bath and I've seen a couple of local (ish) places with reasonable prices and reputations but interested if there are other options.
While your car is in Gateshead, you might want to send it to Baister at Staithes Garage, just round the corner. While undoubtedly sloppy in oh-so-many respects, nobody can better diagnose and repair Mercs of this vintage than him. And he's cheap. I have a chum who drives his 107 up from London, gets the train back, then returns a few weeks later to collect. You just have to hassle him a lot about deadlines.
Excellent. Thanks. Will do. Krikkit said:
Hugh Jarse said:
when did mercs stop being rusty POS?
just seen a nice 2004 e class estate for sale. 2k
About that time I think, my 53-plate W211 is spotless apart from a bleb on one arch where the bumper has rubbed and been left untreated. I've never seen a noticeably-rusty W211 either.just seen a nice 2004 e class estate for sale. 2k
What are the oily bits like, diesels included? Are they reliable or potentially ruinous?
And what's the difference between avant-garde, elegance and sport?
Thanks in advance.
JZZ30 said:
louiebaby said:
Big, soft wuffle-y SUVs with big, soft, wuffle-y petrol V8s are in scope for this thread, right?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Looks relatively clean, and a good little winter run-around for someone...
I had the older model grand Cherokee years ago to two a big trailer for work. It was the 4.0 six cylinder. Very comfortable old thing. Felt unburstable.http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Looks relatively clean, and a good little winter run-around for someone...
Atrocious fuel economy though.
4700 cc
200 bhp
17mpg.
What a machine
SpeckledJim said:
Dr Interceptor said:
0a said:
A cool car for a mum! I bet a steam clean would see that interior come up really well.
I've already given it a go over with Meguires leather cleaner since I took those photos, it cleans up really well.It was a Puttocks/Tony Purslow dealer car when it was new, run by their sales manager. A family friend of ours bought it at 3 months old as an ex-demo, and we bought it from him at 2.5 years old when he traded it in for a new one, so I've literally known it since it was almost new.
Just put the original plate back on (DS52 BHN), still had the old Tony Purslow branded plates in the garage.
Not mentioned in the advert, it has the 2 jump seats in the boot too, so it's a 7 seater.
tick tock.
Mini barge purchase.
Whether this counts as a barge or not is up for debate, however in true thread style it has been purchased from Ebay unseen from a nice chap 250 miles away from me. Never even driven one before - but always liked the look of them. Low miles and only 3 owners helped make up my mind - as well as the current owner being a massive Saab enthusiast who has addressed the known weak spots. It is also the HOT aero version - not expecting it to be fast, but it does mean it is well specced and I quite like the bigger bumpers. What are the collective's thoughts on these?
One way train ticket booked for next Thursday to collect - will get a forecourt pic on the way back to Edinburgh.
It is the start of my mini barge fleet, as it joins my E46 330 convertible which can now take some time off for the winter months.
Whether this counts as a barge or not is up for debate, however in true thread style it has been purchased from Ebay unseen from a nice chap 250 miles away from me. Never even driven one before - but always liked the look of them. Low miles and only 3 owners helped make up my mind - as well as the current owner being a massive Saab enthusiast who has addressed the known weak spots. It is also the HOT aero version - not expecting it to be fast, but it does mean it is well specced and I quite like the bigger bumpers. What are the collective's thoughts on these?
One way train ticket booked for next Thursday to collect - will get a forecourt pic on the way back to Edinburgh.
It is the start of my mini barge fleet, as it joins my E46 330 convertible which can now take some time off for the winter months.
tobinen said:
SpeckledJim said:
Dr Interceptor said:
0a said:
A cool car for a mum! I bet a steam clean would see that interior come up really well.
I've already given it a go over with Meguires leather cleaner since I took those photos, it cleans up really well.It was a Puttocks/Tony Purslow dealer car when it was new, run by their sales manager. A family friend of ours bought it at 3 months old as an ex-demo, and we bought it from him at 2.5 years old when he traded it in for a new one, so I've literally known it since it was almost new.
Just put the original plate back on (DS52 BHN), still had the old Tony Purslow branded plates in the garage.
Not mentioned in the advert, it has the 2 jump seats in the boot too, so it's a 7 seater.
tick tock.
Eagerly awaiting SOTW
funkyrobot said:
I thought a manual would be better on an older car. Less to go wrong?
Dunno, I wouldn't countenance a manual E39 myself. The autobox might go wrong, probably not tbh and for 1500 quid, it's worth the gamble for an infinitely nicer drive. The manual will definitely need a clutch at some point - that's guaranteed. E39 used autobox £250, fluids and fitting about the same.
phil_cardiff said:
This thread has got me looking at W211s. They've aged well, certainly better than their E60/1 counterparts.
What are the oily bits like, diesels included? Are they reliable or potentially ruinous?
And what's the difference between avant-garde, elegance and sport?
Thanks in advance.
Right well...What are the oily bits like, diesels included? Are they reliable or potentially ruinous?
And what's the difference between avant-garde, elegance and sport?
Thanks in advance.
There was a facelift in 2006, you can tell a later one by the pointier front grille, shape of the steering wheel buttons and the lines across the indicators at the top of the headlights.
Images of earlier kit
Images of later kit
Later cars are supposed to have thousands of upgrades and suffer fewer electrical faults. There are a couple of other key improvements that came in over time.
Some very early cars had a particular kind of radiator made by valeo that leaked glycol into the gearbox killing it. Don't hear about this much any more, many had the radiators changed and cars after about 2004 are possibly immune.
All pre-facelift cars have a sophisticated brake-by-wire system called SBC which is great in operation, but has a limited lifespan. Once the car has determined the SBC pump has expired it has to be replaced. This used to be very costly but as it's become understood I think it's got a bit cheaper.
All this means that pre-facelift cars are nice and cheap and post-facelift cars are more expensive.
Some cars pre and post facelift have air suspension, all estates have air suspension in the rear. The airbags go from time to time and can be a bit pricy to fix, but this has come down as aftermarket parts have become availalble.
I bought pre-facelift about 2 years ago because I think the market is so scared of the early cars they have have been devalued to the point they are worth it. I understand the risk of some additional bills and garage time, but so far my experience has been good.
W211s:
As ig says above really, early cars are cheap because they can be needy. The electrical systems are fiercely complex, coupled with SBC they can be a ticking time-bomb of electrical woe. I'd say that unless you're prepared to put up with occasional foibles (and either self-fix or send to the man) to go for a post-facelift car.
Engines and mechanicals are generally very tough and wear the miles well. As noted above the gearbox oil cooler is integrated into the radiator, so you want to see a replacement radiator fitted at some point, and make sure the gearbox behaves itself when cold to be sure it's not about to go bang.
Injectors sometimes get the "black death" where the seat starts leaking, but a refurbed injector is available for <£100, doesn't need coding like some cars, and is a simple enough fit if you extract them with the right tools (done one on mine already).
Suspension is reasonably straight-forward in design, and easily accessible at the front. The rear is a bit more difficult, and airmatic complicates things as well. Tourings will have at least the rear being airmatic.
A quick note on spec/trim:
Elegance is the comfy spec, Avantgarde is a sportier spec (most of them have "sports suspension" which makes what should be a comfy car less comfortable), and 17" wheels which slightly reduce the primary ride quality. To counter it they're often better-specced than the other models in the range. Not sure about Sports as they were distinctly undesirable.
I was looking for an airmatic car (just for fun really) with both driver and passenger electric memory seats, and couldn't find a decent Elegance with it, but a few Avantgardes.
I bought an Avantgarde 320CDI with airmatic, xenons and dynamic seats a month ago and I'm enjoying it a lot. It's got a few niggling faults, but I went in knowing that it'd need some TLC and likely be a bit of a project. Unfortunately it has 17" wheels so they will need changing, it also has a problem with the dynamic seat pump (apparently quite common), so lumbar adjustment etc on the seats is currently out of action which is annoying. It also has a lingering electrical malfunction warning message pop up once in a while, I've a feeling it's the electrical plate on the gearbox valve body, but I haven't got access to a STAR decoder to find out for sure. I'm tempted to purchase a Chinese copy for £180.
That said it's a very refined, composed companion, capable of 40+mpg on a run, and moves very decently indeed. Special mention for the engine - I've never tried a straight-6 diesel before and I'm sold. I've had 4 and 5-pots, and experienced V6 diesels, but none of them holds a candle to how refined this is, there really is no vibration in the cabin at all, just a thrumming under high load. At small throttle cruise it's completely indistinguishable from road noise. Other good aspects are the climate control, which works extremely well (and doesn't need to be interfered with, a rarity in my experience), ergonomics and general quality feel from the cabin, good sound insulation and a great stereo even without the upgrade.
As ig says above really, early cars are cheap because they can be needy. The electrical systems are fiercely complex, coupled with SBC they can be a ticking time-bomb of electrical woe. I'd say that unless you're prepared to put up with occasional foibles (and either self-fix or send to the man) to go for a post-facelift car.
Engines and mechanicals are generally very tough and wear the miles well. As noted above the gearbox oil cooler is integrated into the radiator, so you want to see a replacement radiator fitted at some point, and make sure the gearbox behaves itself when cold to be sure it's not about to go bang.
Injectors sometimes get the "black death" where the seat starts leaking, but a refurbed injector is available for <£100, doesn't need coding like some cars, and is a simple enough fit if you extract them with the right tools (done one on mine already).
Suspension is reasonably straight-forward in design, and easily accessible at the front. The rear is a bit more difficult, and airmatic complicates things as well. Tourings will have at least the rear being airmatic.
A quick note on spec/trim:
Elegance is the comfy spec, Avantgarde is a sportier spec (most of them have "sports suspension" which makes what should be a comfy car less comfortable), and 17" wheels which slightly reduce the primary ride quality. To counter it they're often better-specced than the other models in the range. Not sure about Sports as they were distinctly undesirable.
I was looking for an airmatic car (just for fun really) with both driver and passenger electric memory seats, and couldn't find a decent Elegance with it, but a few Avantgardes.
I bought an Avantgarde 320CDI with airmatic, xenons and dynamic seats a month ago and I'm enjoying it a lot. It's got a few niggling faults, but I went in knowing that it'd need some TLC and likely be a bit of a project. Unfortunately it has 17" wheels so they will need changing, it also has a problem with the dynamic seat pump (apparently quite common), so lumbar adjustment etc on the seats is currently out of action which is annoying. It also has a lingering electrical malfunction warning message pop up once in a while, I've a feeling it's the electrical plate on the gearbox valve body, but I haven't got access to a STAR decoder to find out for sure. I'm tempted to purchase a Chinese copy for £180.
That said it's a very refined, composed companion, capable of 40+mpg on a run, and moves very decently indeed. Special mention for the engine - I've never tried a straight-6 diesel before and I'm sold. I've had 4 and 5-pots, and experienced V6 diesels, but none of them holds a candle to how refined this is, there really is no vibration in the cabin at all, just a thrumming under high load. At small throttle cruise it's completely indistinguishable from road noise. Other good aspects are the climate control, which works extremely well (and doesn't need to be interfered with, a rarity in my experience), ergonomics and general quality feel from the cabin, good sound insulation and a great stereo even without the upgrade.
Edited by Krikkit on Friday 22 September 10:13
iSore said:
Dr Interceptor said:
Hasn't yet, but I have had someone from Wembley offer me £600.
Was it 'cash 2nite bruv' ? I suggested he come and take a look and make a sensible offer...
Due to 'the high miles' I was offered £1,000 as a fair price. I'm asking £2,200. I suggested an offer, with no viewing, of less than half the asking price was wasting both his and my time.
I then got a reply offering £1,100 and then, the bit that struck me as surprislng and memorable - another text 2 mins later, before i'd replied saying
'Please'
Captaincheese said:
Mini barge purchase.
Whether this counts as a barge or not is up for debate, however in true thread style it has been purchased from Ebay unseen from a nice chap 250 miles away from me. Never even driven one before - but always liked the look of them. Low miles and only 3 owners helped make up my mind - as well as the current owner being a massive Saab enthusiast who has addressed the known weak spots. It is also the HOT aero version - not expecting it to be fast, but it does mean it is well specced and I quite like the bigger bumpers. What are the collective's thoughts on these?
One way train ticket booked for next Thursday to collect - will get a forecourt pic on the way back to Edinburgh.
It is the start of my mini barge fleet, as it joins my E46 330 convertible which can now take some time off for the winter months.
Excellent.Whether this counts as a barge or not is up for debate, however in true thread style it has been purchased from Ebay unseen from a nice chap 250 miles away from me. Never even driven one before - but always liked the look of them. Low miles and only 3 owners helped make up my mind - as well as the current owner being a massive Saab enthusiast who has addressed the known weak spots. It is also the HOT aero version - not expecting it to be fast, but it does mean it is well specced and I quite like the bigger bumpers. What are the collective's thoughts on these?
One way train ticket booked for next Thursday to collect - will get a forecourt pic on the way back to Edinburgh.
It is the start of my mini barge fleet, as it joins my E46 330 convertible which can now take some time off for the winter months.
The last of the good ones before they got Edna'd.
Bargista said:
iSore said:
Dr Interceptor said:
Hasn't yet, but I have had someone from Wembley offer me £600.
Was it 'cash 2nite bruv' ? I suggested he come and take a look and make a sensible offer...
Due to 'the high miles' I was offered £1,000 as a fair price. I'm asking £2,200. I suggested an offer, with no viewing, of less than half the asking price was wasting both his and my time.
I then got a reply offering £1,100 and then, the bit that struck me as surprislng and memorable - another text 2 mins later, before i'd replied saying
'Please'
Just want someone to turn up, grease my palm, and take it away. Collecting the replacement tomorrow, so its going to be very much surplus.
Dr Interceptor said:
tobinen said:
SpeckledJim said:
Dr Interceptor said:
0a said:
A cool car for a mum! I bet a steam clean would see that interior come up really well.
I've already given it a go over with Meguires leather cleaner since I took those photos, it cleans up really well.It was a Puttocks/Tony Purslow dealer car when it was new, run by their sales manager. A family friend of ours bought it at 3 months old as an ex-demo, and we bought it from him at 2.5 years old when he traded it in for a new one, so I've literally known it since it was almost new.
Just put the original plate back on (DS52 BHN), still had the old Tony Purslow branded plates in the garage.
Not mentioned in the advert, it has the 2 jump seats in the boot too, so it's a 7 seater.
tick tock.
Eagerly awaiting SOTW
Does the air con work?
Do the heated/cooled/ortho/electic seats work?
How bad is the rust on the underside, especially around the boot wells?
Has the suspension ever had any work (like new front shocks, new bushes)?
Has the gearbox been serviced?
What is the chassis number?
Does it have comfort suspension?
Does it have a tow bar?
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