Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 12]

[minerva]

[Milemuncher]

The V140’s been for sale for ages.

I’ve watched it on eBay a few of the times it’s been up but over time have come to the conclusion that I’d probably prefer a V126 / W126.

I think someone earlier in the thread suggested it’s had paint / a colour change at some point?

[Dominic H]

Anyone got a good supply of brave pills?

500hp bi-turbo V12 at £3300?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



Sure it's a Cat-C that's been to Mars and back and has an ABC fault showing. But what's the worst that can happen?

[minerva]

I had an 04 plate E55 which I purchased in 2012 for £9k with 130k on the clock. I sold it in 2015 with 150k on the clock (I lived in Germany at the time) and £6k on eBay. Quick check online shows it was probably broken for spares. I spent about £5k on rectifying the faults that were there when I bought it, but the (unscrupulous) vendor had had the fault codes re-set.... Besides, from experience I now run away from cat. C!

[carparkno1]

Croutons said:

carparkno1 said:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Somebody talk me out of this, (or into it). Looks like a tremendous amount of car and very low mileage, for likely 7 grand?

Top of this page/ comments below, 2/3rds of that money got a silky smooth 5.5 V8, 2 years newer. Sure, more miles, but no stinky diesel.

The base model is well equipped but hardly rare, and if you really must go near the black pump, for that much dosh I'd want a Grand Edition, which might be pushing it, but their additional spec is worth hunting one out IMO.

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/general-pistonhea...

The diesel part appeals due to some very big upcoming drives I have - I wondered if I could have the CLS for 12-18 months without taking a huge hit over that period of time.

Thanks for the heads up on the Grand Edition, that's quite the spec! I did see one recently but it had galactic mileage and hadn't worn it well otherwise I'd have been on it.

[olly755]

What's the thread's informed collective thoughts on oil? Or more accurately in this case, ATF fluid?

I've always been of the thinking that oil/fluid is produced to a particular specification and standard irrespective of brand, and as long as the specification meets the criteria for your particular car then all is well. A premium brand carries a premium price.

The niggle is the gaping price disparity of the particular ATF fluid that I require. Four litres of Toyota spec Mobil Type IV ATF is more expensive than 20 litres of Mannol, both made to the same specification. The nagging doubt is that the Mannol is too cheap, and the Mobil reassuringly expensive, so therefore it must be better, right??

[edo]

minerva said:

Help required. These are all coming up fairly soon... I'm getting one of these, depends on your collective opinion which one!

W140. S600. £5k. 235k miles (which is rather attractive in a funny kind of way).

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-Benz-S-Class-S-6...



W220 S600. £2k. Obviously not in as good nick as the first.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-S600L-2001-Cheap...


BMW 750. E38 £1500.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bmw-750i-1995-326-BHP-24v...


Bentley Mulsanne. £5k at the moment.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bentley-Mulsanne-S-6-8-Ba...

bentley

[Krikkit]

20 pages of barging to catch up on after hols, just checking in! W211 was the perfect companion for getting home after a horrible 17h red-eye set of flights yesterday.

[J4CKO]

Dominic H said:

Anyone got a good supply of brave pills?

500hp bi-turbo V12 at £3300?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



Sure it's a Cat-C that's been to Mars and back and has an ABC fault showing. But what's the worst that can happen?

Good spot

140k isnt that bad for a 15 year old car.

Cat C, sounds like it had a bit of a small knock, hardly a concern, sounds fairly well looked after.

The ABC pipe, could be a world of pain and agro but how bad can it be if you go into it eyes fully open and expect to do it, work out how to do it and how much it will cost, the owner sounds fairly clued up and isnt having a go so that would concern me, at that price though it looks viable and realistic, if you are unhinged enough. To be honest, there are loads out there without ABC faults, yet,

Its the proper Biturbo version as well, could be the cheapest way into a night on 600 bhp car (with a remap) or that world of pain I mentioned.

[SpeckledJim]

olly755 said:

What's the thread's informed collective thoughts on oil? Or more accurately in this case, ATF fluid?

I've always been of the thinking that oil/fluid is produced to a particular specification and standard irrespective of brand, and as long as the specification meets the criteria for your particular car then all is well. A premium brand carries a premium price.

The niggle is the gaping price disparity of the particular ATF fluid that I require. Four litres of Toyota spec Mobil Type IV ATF is more expensive than 20 litres of Mannol, both made to the same specification. The nagging doubt is that the Mannol is too cheap, and the Mobil reassuringly expensive, so therefore it must be better, right??

That's exactly what they want you to think. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was exactly the same product.

I'd go for the cheap stuff, unless the gap isn't very big in the context of the whole bill inc labour.

[cwoodsie2]

Long time lurker with a quick question please!

Just come back from holiday where I had the use of a W208 320CLK convertible. Despite being the unloved rental car at my FiL's place, it went ok and got me thinking. Anyone had any experience of them here or are they best avoided due to the ongoing battle with rust? Anything else to look out for?

Must be getting old as the looks are growing on me! Thanks

[olly755]

SpeckledJim said:

olly755 said:

What's the thread's informed collective thoughts on oil? Or more accurately in this case, ATF fluid?

I've always been of the thinking that oil/fluid is produced to a particular specification and standard irrespective of brand, and as long as the specification meets the criteria for your particular car then all is well. A premium brand carries a premium price.

The niggle is the gaping price disparity of the particular ATF fluid that I require. Four litres of Toyota spec Mobil Type IV ATF is more expensive than 20 litres of Mannol, both made to the same specification. The nagging doubt is that the Mannol is too cheap, and the Mobil reassuringly expensive, so therefore it must be better, right??

That's exactly what they want you to think. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was exactly the same product.

I'd go for the cheap stuff, unless the gap isn't very big in the context of the whole bill inc labour.

That's my thinking. I'd just be somehow a bit happier if it was 25% cheaper, rather than 75%. I can't believe I'm saying that.

Anyhow in the unlikely event that Mannol Type IV is mildly inferior to Mobil/Toyota type IV, it surely has to be better than the stuff that's sloshed around in the 'box for the last 19 years.

[carinaman]

J4CKO said:

Dominic H said:

Anyone got a good supply of brave pills?

500hp bi-turbo V12 at £3300?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



Sure it's a Cat-C that's been to Mars and back and has an ABC fault showing. But what's the worst that can happen?

Good spot

140k isnt that bad for a 15 year old car.

Cat C, sounds like it had a bit of a small knock, hardly a concern, sounds fairly well looked after.

The ABC pipe, could be a world of pain and agro but how bad can it be if you go into it eyes fully open and expect to do it, work out how to do it and how much it will cost, the owner sounds fairly clued up and isnt having a go so that would concern me, at that price though it looks viable and realistic, if you are unhinged enough. To be honest, there are loads out there without ABC faults, yet,

Its the proper Biturbo version as well, could be the cheapest way into a night on 600 bhp car (with a remap) or that world of pain I mentioned.

For the benefit of others, AT site says no longer available.

[JamesRR]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/mercedes-benz/mercedes-e...

With a less vulgar set of alloys, this could be quite nice. Although the sellers claim that it’s cheap to help the new owner pay for the next service might be a thin veil on massive borkage around the corner?

[Krikkit]

JamesRR said:

https://www.gumtree.com/p/mercedes-benz/mercedes-e...

With a less vulgar set of alloys, this could be quite nice. Although the sellers claim that it’s cheap to help the new owner pay for the next service might be a thin veil on massive borkage around the corner?

Wouldn't take much to get a replacement set of those wheels. Can't quite make out what the spec's like from the pics, but it looks good to me!

[mattman]

Love the colour of this 190 and a fairly reasonable price too - buyer even gets to appear on TV according to the ad


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1990-Mercedes-190E-2-0-A...

[Zonergem]

Anyone feeling brave? £1500 R129 500SL with a decent MOT. Not wiring loom era. Appears to be wearing Lorinser alloys without the centre caps. Priced at or below breaking value IMHO and some of the faults aren't impossibly expensive. Roof the biggie, obv.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Patrick Bateman]

Must be a rare sight nowadays-

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Pity it's not a 530i. Can't be many left still going to the main dealer for a service.

[r129sl]

cwoodsie2 said:

Long time lurker with a quick question please!

Just come back from holiday where I had the use of a W208 320CLK convertible. Despite being the unloved rental car at my FiL's place, it went ok and got me thinking. Anyone had any experience of them here or are they best avoided due to the ongoing battle with rust? Anything else to look out for?

Must be getting old as the looks are growing on me! Thanks

They are unloved and somewhat under appreciated. Bruno Sacco's 1993 Coupé Concept was a genuinely beautiful car. Unfortunately, much of the delicacy was lost in translation to production. Obviously the pillar-less design was lost, as was the fastback rear end, but also gone was gentle and light curvaceousness, replaced with something rather less sophisticated and rather more blobby.








However, I think the production design works best either as a cabriolet or with the butch AMG bodywork. The cab loses the pillar again. And the AMG coupés are genuine bargain semi-super coupés. They are cheap to run, being all w202 C-Class under the skin. But rust is a terrible problem for them.




This loaded CLK430 cab is within budget: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

But at half the price this may be a better bet:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by r129sl on Wednesday 18th October 22:38

[SpeckledJim]

Frumpy, plumpy, and makes me grumpy.

I think an E46 coupe or cabrio is a nicer car in every way.

And if one wouldn't be seen in a BMW, the Volvo C70 is smart and respectable, and comes with the usual Volvo benefits of seats and stereo, albeit it's a bit wobbly.