Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 13]
Discussion
JOB2.5-16 said:
Another one leaving Chesterfield for the last time. A local car from new with it's original Bridgegate Chesterfield dealer sticker and number plates, 75k miles and Alpine White with BBS' - THE spec for an E30!
N.B. The W201 is the better car.
erJ5lb9ORweinRwDBVZiZg by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr
What a photo! How were they seen in the day - was the merc viewed as a lot more expensive, less sporty, higher quality as I assume? N.B. The W201 is the better car.
erJ5lb9ORweinRwDBVZiZg by Jack O'Brien, on FlickrKrikkit said:
More details required on the Turbo R!
Long termers on here knew the car well, Pistonfest, Black Tie & Pie, hoons out etc. It was a 1990 Series II car, Balmoral Green with Parchment hide, Green top roll and piping. I kept it immaculate and it was a magnificent thing, I loved it, loved it maybe too much actually. When I sold it, it was like the death of a close freind.Balmoral said:
ong termers on here knew the car well, Pistonfest, Black Tie & Pie, hoons out etc. It was a 1990 Series II car, Balmoral Green with Parchment hide, Green top roll and piping. I kept it immaculate and it was a magnificent thing, I loved it, loved it maybe too much actually. When I sold it, it was like the death of a close freind.
That was a legendary PH car...I took a bit of a sabbatical from PH and missed the fact that you sold it. Wasn’t your username balmoral green or am I making that up? What made you get rid?
And for the sake of the thread...would you recommend them? What were the ideal years/models etc.
Balmoral said:
Krikkit said:
More details required on the Turbo R!
Long termers on here knew the car well, Pistonfest, Black Tie & Pie, hoons out etc. It was a 1990 Series II car, Balmoral Green with Parchment hide, Green top roll and piping. I kept it immaculate and it was a magnificent thing, I loved it, loved it maybe too much actually. When I sold it, it was like the death of a close freind.hondafanatic said:
What made you get rid?
Typically I was spending about £3k a year on it for servicing and maintenance (I was bloody fussy/fanatical though), some years less, some years more. In my last year though I had two £4k bills and a few other bits and bobs and spent about £9k on it, plus there were a few rot/paint issues coming back through despite a £20k repaint ten years earlier, which was potential for more spend. Eventually I decided enough was enough and put it up for sale a few times for a bargain price considering the condition and service history. Didn't get a sniff, not so much as a derisory offer, so I pretty much gave it away to some very dear freinds of mine who had always coveted it.The two Rover 75s.
Firstly the petrol V6. Sounds an "honest" description, nothing particularly unremarkable. Airbag warning light is common and almost always a loose connection under the seat that anyone remotely familiar with the car could fix in a jiffy. Ditto sunroof motor.
The V6 cambelts (all three of them) need changing every 90,000 miles or six years whichever comes sooner. If done correct to time for a 2001 plate car that should have meant 2017, 2013 and now 2019 which might be why it's being sold. Budget £400 for tools (requires specialist Rover tools) and labour from a Rover specialist or many £hundreds and a potential bodge from someone who isn't. The 75ZT club lists many mechanics around the country who can still do V6 cambelts for a decent price.
If there is a water leak on the V6 it's nearly always from the thermostat not the headgasket - the V6 never had the gasket failures associated with the straight 4 K series engine as it used different materials.
Shame about the gearbox but some folks seem to like manuals.
Then the V8. Actually seems a fair price for something that is highly collectable even if beaten in 0-60 performance and horsepower by other V8 saloons. Has the desirable Audi style front grille too. Only gripe is the steering wheel looks to be of walnut yet the interior on the facelift 75s was usually oak so the steering wheel may not match the other wood trim - strange decision to fit if true.
The fact it's had an LPG conversion can only add to the appeal as it offers diesel-like running costs for the fun of a V8. Perhaps just a shame the owner who converted it went for the tank in the boot option rather than in place of the spare wheel under the boot as it compromises the boot capacity slightly - the Rover 75 has a generous boot without an LPG tank..
Firstly the petrol V6. Sounds an "honest" description, nothing particularly unremarkable. Airbag warning light is common and almost always a loose connection under the seat that anyone remotely familiar with the car could fix in a jiffy. Ditto sunroof motor.
The V6 cambelts (all three of them) need changing every 90,000 miles or six years whichever comes sooner. If done correct to time for a 2001 plate car that should have meant 2017, 2013 and now 2019 which might be why it's being sold. Budget £400 for tools (requires specialist Rover tools) and labour from a Rover specialist or many £hundreds and a potential bodge from someone who isn't. The 75ZT club lists many mechanics around the country who can still do V6 cambelts for a decent price.
If there is a water leak on the V6 it's nearly always from the thermostat not the headgasket - the V6 never had the gasket failures associated with the straight 4 K series engine as it used different materials.
Shame about the gearbox but some folks seem to like manuals.
Then the V8. Actually seems a fair price for something that is highly collectable even if beaten in 0-60 performance and horsepower by other V8 saloons. Has the desirable Audi style front grille too. Only gripe is the steering wheel looks to be of walnut yet the interior on the facelift 75s was usually oak so the steering wheel may not match the other wood trim - strange decision to fit if true.
The fact it's had an LPG conversion can only add to the appeal as it offers diesel-like running costs for the fun of a V8. Perhaps just a shame the owner who converted it went for the tank in the boot option rather than in place of the spare wheel under the boot as it compromises the boot capacity slightly - the Rover 75 has a generous boot without an LPG tank..
Edited by Chromegrill on Wednesday 23 January 21:45
NorthernSky said:
0a said:
That era of z4 now looks incredibly good compared to the next one - and the new one. Shows how right the design was, and how lost BMW are now.
The M and Alpina versions look even better. I’d take the Alpina.
No wonder we didn’t hear from you for a while - prepping to derin standard takes months/years at a time!
It's good to hear you old salts praising these original Z's. :-)The M and Alpina versions look even better. I’d take the Alpina.
No wonder we didn’t hear from you for a while - prepping to derin standard takes months/years at a time!
If push came to shove, I'd probably keep the Alpina too in preference to the Z4M. The Z4M is undoubtedly the faster, racier and more performance competent car...that's immediately palpable. I'd even go so far as to say it has the nicer interior. But that kind of performance is way beyond what I (or probably most mere mortals if they were honest) can put onto a public road.
Yet, the Alpina is the prettiest (possibly of all Z4s?) and rarest that I own (only 164 RHD and 5 in the World in that colour).
The 3.0Si is a star car though. Very little delivers that kind of bang for bucks these days both in terms of performance and ease of living with it that I can think of. It was so fast for the money and cheap to run!
JOB2.5-16 said:
Another one leaving Chesterfield for the last time. A local car from new with it's original Bridgegate Chesterfield dealer sticker and number plates, 75k miles and Alpine White with BBS' - THE spec for an E30!
N.B. The W201 is the better car.
erJ5lb9ORweinRwDBVZiZg by Jack O'Brien, on Flickr
Having owned several of both E30s and W201s. There is no better car than a W201...period! N.B. The W201 is the better car.
erJ5lb9ORweinRwDBVZiZg by Jack O'Brien, on FlickrThus rendering comparisons with an E30 somewhat superfluous.
Salmonofdoubt said:
Exhaust blowing in that vid?
It's the sort of noise that's great for the first two minutes, then you sink into your loafers at the thought of driving the thing to the south of France for the summer and having to wear ear defenders for 1000 miles each way.
Or perhaps I'm just getting old.
Edited by bob-lad on Thursday 24th January 00:15
E65Ross said:
Riley Blue said:
£10k 
When you consider how much better metal is around for the money, you'd be mad to buy that. And only 256bhp from a 4.6 V8 in a car made in 2006? I'd much rather an E65 750i and some change left for repairs/servicing.
https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/618714985/...
WorldBoss said:
Logistics have been arranged - Looks as if I collect the W221 S600 on Sunday!
Really excited! It's going to be a fun project and an awesome smoker.
My w220 600TT will be up for sale in a few months. 170k miles and needs some TLC (plus engine mounts!), But has a eurocharged ECU and TCU tune and moves quite nicely. It'll have 12 months MOT at the time of sale. I'll pay the love forwards and do a good deal for a threader if they are interested.
Really excited! It's going to be a fun project and an awesome smoker.
My w220 600TT will be up for sale in a few months. 170k miles and needs some TLC (plus engine mounts!), But has a eurocharged ECU and TCU tune and moves quite nicely. It'll have 12 months MOT at the time of sale. I'll pay the love forwards and do a good deal for a threader if they are interested.
That is ace, please do a RR thread!
Riley Blue said:
E65Ross said:
Riley Blue said:
£10k When you consider how much better metal is around for the money, you'd be mad to buy that. And only 256bhp from a 4.6 V8 in a car made in 2006? I'd much rather an E65 750i and some change left for repairs/servicing.
https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/618714985/...
E65Ross said:
£10k
When you consider how much better metal is around for the money, you'd be mad to buy that. And only 256bhp from a 4.6 V8 in a car made in 2006? I'd much rather an E65 750i and some change left for repairs/servicing.
It was well off the pace even when it was launched, but the pricing was at BMW 330i levels so if you were really quite drunk you could possibly have made an argument for buying one. When you consider how much better metal is around for the money, you'd be mad to buy that. And only 256bhp from a 4.6 V8 in a car made in 2006? I'd much rather an E65 750i and some change left for repairs/servicing.
If you think the 256bhp 4.6 litre 16 valve V8 is bad, I can only assume you weren't aware that it has a 4 speed Ford 4R75W auto. In 2006. It does have torque converter lockup, but only in 4th, so fuel economy must be truly dreadful for the power output.
The much loved ZT V8 is even more idiotic as it seemed to come as standard with a really obnoxious exhaust to get everyone's attention as you unleashed the hounds of hell to just about keep up with a 330d.
At this point nobody buying one is doing so for V8 power, it must purely be Rover beards wanting a piece of the sorry history of MGR.
dme123 said:
E65Ross said:
£10k
When you consider how much better metal is around for the money, you'd be mad to buy that. And only 256bhp from a 4.6 V8 in a car made in 2006? I'd much rather an E65 750i and some change left for repairs/servicing.
It was well off the pace even when it was launched, but the pricing was at BMW 330i levels so if you were really quite drunk you could possibly have made an argument for buying one. When you consider how much better metal is around for the money, you'd be mad to buy that. And only 256bhp from a 4.6 V8 in a car made in 2006? I'd much rather an E65 750i and some change left for repairs/servicing.
If you think the 256bhp 4.6 litre 16 valve V8 is bad, I can only assume you weren't aware that it has a 4 speed Ford 4R75W auto. In 2006. It does have torque converter lockup, but only in 4th, so fuel economy must be truly dreadful for the power output.
The much loved ZT V8 is even more idiotic as it seemed to come as standard with a really obnoxious exhaust to get everyone's attention as you unleashed the hounds of hell to just about keep up with a 330d.
At this point nobody buying one is doing so for V8 power, it must purely be Rover beards wanting a piece of the sorry history of MGR.
ZT, 75, and MGF and TF are the ones that stand a chance of lasting into old age in any numbers. The ZS180 has a following, but it's a following that gives them absolute death and strips them out and takes them on track days and things, so whilst they're well-regarded, their numbers are thinning fast.
There are hundreds and hundreds (and hundreds, and hundreds) of very smart 75s out there in nice colours, living in garages and doing a thousand miles a year. The biggest threat to these cars is mice.
Edited by SpeckledJim on Thursday 24th January 10:10
SpeckledJim said:
The biggest threat to these cars is mice.
I had noticed that there is a steady and never ending trickle of super clean, low mileage V6 75s selling for three digit figures. Getting rid of grandads old car ready to sell the house, presumably.
It really is an itch I must scratch one day, I like the 75 a lot and they do seem to have built them very well.
Balmoral said:
I agree that the V8 is rubbish on paper, but they're rated as a good steer and appear to be more than the sum of their parts. The supercharged ones are the car it should have been.
Evo slammed the 75 V8:https://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/530...
I'm never sure if I believe what I hear about it. Motoring journalists now seem to be largely fools, and owners have massive confirmation bias. MGR did know how to make a car that drove very well though.
Speaking of parts I suspect running one could be a challenge, there are a lot of non standard bits including the entire HVAC system. Not ideal in a car knocking on for 15 years old.
If you're not a Rover beard but want to fly the flag a late Jaguar S-Type V8 is going to be better in absolutely every single way. They even undid some of the ugly with the 2004 facelift.
dme123 said:
Balmoral said:
I agree that the V8 is rubbish on paper, but they're rated as a good steer and appear to be more than the sum of their parts. The supercharged ones are the car it should have been.
Evo slammed the 75 V8:https://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evocarreviews/530...
I'm never sure if I believe what I hear about it. Motoring journalists now seem to be largely fools, and owners have massive confirmation bias. MGR did know how to make a car that drove very well though.
Speaking of parts I suspect running one could be a challenge, there are a lot of non standard bits including the entire HVAC system. Not ideal in a car knocking on for 15 years old.
If you're not a Rover beard but want to fly the flag a late Jaguar S-Type V8 is going to be better in absolutely every single way. They even undid some of the ugly with the 2004 facelift.
The Rover sounds better though. Much better.
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