Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 12]

[BrabusMog]

ian316 said:

I'm 6ft 4 and having met Prinny he's a similar size, I do think it depends on your leg, arm size I love an Alfa driving position lots of people hate it, I can imagine an A3 would be a 3 seater for me though

I've got quite long legs and arms, but i usually just crank the seat down as low as it will go. We've got all the modern Audi's in our fleet apart from that Q2 thing and the A1, and I have to say they're fairly nice places to be. The current A6 is really dated, but the newer A4 is a very comfortable steer in automatic and SE guise. The Q7 has the best head up display of any car in my opinion, and I say that as a driver of a MY18 Range Rover Sport.

[tobinen]

dme123 said:

Also the door locks that he was banging on about were just regular Jaguar parts from the Series XJ and XJS.

Indeed, and I notice Vauxhall Astra/Nova indicator/wiper stalks

[olly755]

ian316 said:

I'd go for the scruffy blue one and get it how I wanted in, there's enough money left for a respray

I’ve restored one car in my lifetime. Never again.

Best to enjoy it for what it is. A few hours with a gritty sponge and a rented Rug Doctor would wash away the previous owners, the mileage is reassuringly stratospheric, and much like an old Barbour, very few cars can pull off a high degree of scruffiness as well as an S124. If you drove it to the pub in your wellies, people would think you were a titled owner off a country estate. And I have a feeling it would plod on for the six remaining months of the MOT: I’d probably be bored of it and hoiking it on EBay by then anyway.

[defblade]

louiebaby said:

My E39 has developed the unusual practice of the climate control not blowing.

Everything else seems to work, it just doesn't blow. Internet self-diagnosis (after disconnecting the battery to try the old IT method) suggests I need a new spiny mammal. Further investigation suggests it isn't that expensive a part, but resides in one of those kinds of places where getting to it requires the operator to work at least part time as a contortionist.

I've asked my local Indie to price up a fitted replacement as:

1. I'm not a contortionist.
2. I have a tendency to break little plastic clips that mean it forever rattles somewhere in the dash board.
3. My bodge-up to get it back together would invariably result in the glove box dropping on the wife's legs when she and the kids are asleep and I'm ploughing up the motorway at a "making progress" kind of speed.

It would be helpful if they consider my previous spending habits with them, and also not find anything else wrong at the same time.

It's not a bad job, you just need a crosshead screw driver, and a torx driver of the right size (can't use a bit in a holder as one screw is down a channel)... Halfords' ones need most of the handle hacksawed off due to the steering column being in the way otherwise.
If you want to trek up to West Wales, I'll do if for you in 10 minutes or so, as I possess the right sized torx with just such a modification...

Oh, and you go in from the other side to the glovebox; your wife's knees would be quite safe

[Prinny]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

ian316 said:

I'm 6ft 4 and having met Prinny he's a similar size, I do think it depends on your leg, arm size I love an Alfa driving position lots of people hate it, I can imagine an A3 would be a 3 seater for me though

Nah, prinny's a short little fella. Fat too. Typical bmw driver really.

I’m ‘only’ 6’3”, but accept that I’m weirdly proportioned with long legs, it’s rare that I don’t have the seat fully back in anything I drive that’s smaller than an e-class. Even in the 7, I’m level with the B-pillar.
The SL’s seat (that all us typical BMW drivers also own, natch) doesn’t go anywhere near far enough back to where I’d like to be. Not had the pleasure of a 200+ mile trip in it yet, but I suspect I’ll not be able to do the same lengthy stints in it that I can do in cars like the 7, where the long base & tilt stop cramping thighs (the muscle on the back of the thigh, whatever it’s called). I’ve driven Home>Eurotunnel>Hannover in that, stopping only for fuel (lots), with no issues.

And as for fat, (git!) I’m getting there. My days of 32” waist trousers are behind me, the problem with my work (SAP consultant) is that the hours tend to be long when away from home, coupled with a sedentary desk job & hotel/restaurant food on the expense account. I hate gyms, but have conceded I need to do something, before I become a statistic. Albert Heins have the best pre-packaged salads in NL, Rewe do the best Fruit in DE, etc...

I seem to have wandered rather off-piste. Have we had this? (warning, ad contains CAPS)


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1977-S-MERCEDES-280E-AU...

I love the colours, but I don’t actually want to buy it.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Prinny said:

I’m ‘only’ 6’3”...

And as for fat ...

I really was only joking!
ETA. The old merc is sublime. Fantastic colours.

Edited by CharlesdeGaulle on Friday 22 June 23:27

[BrabusMog]

Prinny said:

I’m ‘only’ 6’3”, but accept that I’m weirdly proportioned with long legs, it’s rare that I don’t have the seat fully back in anything I drive that’s smaller than an e-class. Even in the 7, I’m level with the B-pillar.
The SL’s seat (that all us typical BMW drivers also own, natch) doesn’t go anywhere near far enough back to where I’d like to be. Not had the pleasure of a 200+ mile trip in it yet, but I suspect I’ll not be able to do the same lengthy stints in it that I can do in cars like the 7, where the long base & tilt stop cramping thighs (the muscle on the back of the thigh, whatever it’s called). I’ve driven Home>Eurotunnel>Hannover in that, stopping only for fuel (lots), with no issues.

And as for fat, (git!) I’m getting there. My days of 32” waist trousers are behind me, the problem with my work (SAP consultant) is that the hours tend to be long when away from home, coupled with a sedentary desk job & hotel/restaurant food on the expense account. I hate gyms, but have conceded I need to do something, before I become a statistic. Albert Heins have the best pre-packaged salads in NL, Rewe do the best Fruit in DE, etc...

I seem to have wandered rather off-piste. Have we had this? (warning, ad contains CAPS)


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1977-S-MERCEDES-280E-AU...

I love the colours, but I don’t actually want to buy it.

SAP consultant = licence to print money to fund barging

[tobinen]

Prinny, I lost two stone with Slimming World in 8 months. Never felt hungry, good menus. If you're eating out a lot it will be more difficult but should be doable. Recently ordered some new jeans with a 32" waist which was strangely satisfying

Might be worth a go for you

Anyway, back to barges - new volume soon

[ian316]

That Merc would look great after a good polish

[Motorrad]

louiebaby said:

My E39 has developed the unusual practice of the climate control not blowing.

Everything else seems to work, it just doesn't blow. Internet self-diagnosis (after disconnecting the battery to try the old IT method) suggests I need a new spiny mammal. Further investigation suggests it isn't that expensive a part, but resides in one of those kinds of places where getting to it requires the operator to work at least part time as a contortionist.

I've asked my local Indie to price up a fitted replacement as:

1. I'm not a contortionist.
2. I have a tendency to break little plastic clips that mean it forever rattles somewhere in the dash board.
3. My bodge-up to get it back together would invariably result in the glove box dropping on the wife's legs when she and the kids are asleep and I'm ploughing up the motorway at a "making progress" kind of speed.

It would be helpful if they consider my previous spending habits with them, and also not find anything else wrong at the same time.

It shouldn't be more than 1/2 an hours labour to fit one. I got to the point where I could remove the plastic cover, fit the hedgehog and put everything back in under 10 minutes. That's because I had 5 of them in the 2 years that I owned my E39, some lasted a few weeks (BMW OEM replacement) and others a few months (hella branded unit). I'm not sure if there was some underlying fault with my car causing this but the only real solution rumoured to work was to fit an uprated aftermarket unit only available widely in the USA.

[stewjohnst]

BrabusMog said:

SAP consultant = licence to print money to fund barging

Your mileage may vary...I’m another such consultant although my barging is constrained by the wife, house renovations, kids, dogs, etc.

If anyone finds a pair of balls on eBay, do send them my way.

Prinny, the secret to the waistline lies in water not wine with the hotel meals.

[tobinen]

I applied (and failed to land) a more technical role where I work last month, made it to the last two. One of the attractions was a £470 gross per month barge allowance, though they'd mis-named it 'car' allowance. I was already planning the repair list for the CL, which was not a good thing to do.

In other news I've procured a set of 16" alloys from Slovenia so now I am on the hunt for tyres, centre caps and bolts. I'm not sure whether sell the monoblocks or keep them for summer use.

Edited by tobinen on Saturday 23 June 08:50

[olly755]

Tobinen, I stumbled across some genuine MB alloy wheel bolts a while back, purchased for my ‘124 forever ago, and still in the packet. From memory, the bolts on the steelies fitted to my car were not suitable for the set of alloys I’d procured, hence the purchase. Yours if they’re any good to you.

[tobinen]

Thanks for the offer, I may take you up on that. I'm just going to have a wander over to MB parts dept (250m away) and annoy the parts lad to check part numbers. The offset is different between my current 18" and the 16" so I assume the bolts will be different.

[olly755]

Found them



Let me know if any good.

[W00DY]

tobinen said:

Thanks for the offer, I may take you up on that. I'm just going to have a wander over to MB parts dept (250m away) and annoy the parts lad to check part numbers. The offset is different between my current 18" and the 16" so I assume the bolts will be different.

Surely the offset only affects the position of the barrel of the wheel compared to the mounting face and not anything to do with the mounting itself? Although they could still be different.

[W00DY]

I shouldn't love it, but I do.

[tobinen]

olly755 said:

Found them

Let me know if any good.

Bugger it, I forgot to make a note of the part number when he showed me. My head was turned by a wonderful young curvy brunette in a pencil skirt and frilly white blouse. Same for the blonde on reception. Sytner's dress code is spot-on.

The parts lad was not a lad but huge. He took a genuine interest in the car as they rarely deal with them; nice chap. He recommended MB Poole as they have an 'old timers' bit where they buy NOS.

I've ordered the caps as they were £12 each so less than I was expecting but held fire on the bolts as they were £6 each. I'll check next week when I pick up the caps.

W00DY said:

Surely the offset only affects the position of the barrel of the wheel compared to the mounting face and not anything to do with the mounting itself? Although they could still be different.

You could be correct, I am not sure.

Edited by tobinen on Saturday 23 June 10:26

[0a]

I really wish this was, say, £1,999. How can they ask that much for a car where the headlamp washers are wonky! https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1007644

[tobinen]

Very shoddy. If they want to acheive a crack-pipe price at least present it correctly. Lovely colour though