Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 13]
Discussion
Busy few pages since I posted the 500E!
I’m rubbish at multi-quoting so, in no particular order
Derin - Great to see you back posting and I look forward to more of your barge adventures.
Volvo V70 et al - get a post ‘04 facelift car and change the auto fluid and cam belt. They can take big miles. Accept the point about rear leg room for the longer-limbed and actually the Skoda Superb estate is an excellent suggestion because they make the Volvo look small inside.
500E - glad it went down well. I also remember when you could hardly give them away at c.£10k but would £25k really be a bad call on what is a pretty rare car? Maybe but I’d happily pay it because that car would be a joy for me.
SJ - glad you’ve got your motor running.
I’m rubbish at multi-quoting so, in no particular order
Derin - Great to see you back posting and I look forward to more of your barge adventures.
Volvo V70 et al - get a post ‘04 facelift car and change the auto fluid and cam belt. They can take big miles. Accept the point about rear leg room for the longer-limbed and actually the Skoda Superb estate is an excellent suggestion because they make the Volvo look small inside.
500E - glad it went down well. I also remember when you could hardly give them away at c.£10k but would £25k really be a bad call on what is a pretty rare car? Maybe but I’d happily pay it because that car would be a joy for me.
SJ - glad you’ve got your motor running.
Rockettvr said:
Hi all
Thanks for the replies so far
We had v70s on our shortlist to start and viewed a couple but both my offspring are above average hieght - my daughter is only 5’10” but “leggy” my son is a strapping 6’4” add in my slightly taller than average wife and me - mr average - and although the Volvo has a vast load space unless you push the front seats forward quite a lot the back seat passengers are a bit tight on room-
I'm 6' 4", daughter a mere 5' 9".Thanks for the replies so far
We had v70s on our shortlist to start and viewed a couple but both my offspring are above average hieght - my daughter is only 5’10” but “leggy” my son is a strapping 6’4” add in my slightly taller than average wife and me - mr average - and although the Volvo has a vast load space unless you push the front seats forward quite a lot the back seat passengers are a bit tight on room-
House renovations were accomplished in an older A6, which had the remarkable ability to go from very nice tidy high end car (albeit without all the modern bells and whistles) into a large, rubble filled, tip-run van... and back to nice car again with just the occasional wave of a vacuum cleaner around the carpets. I don't recall how much time I spent sitting in the back, but they're not small
Should be available well below budget.I currently run a Gen 4 Subaru Legacy ... I had cause to ride in the back for an hour and a half trip a while back - plenty of room
No complaints from daughter day-to-day ... in fact, quite the opposite. Both her and SWMBO prefer it to the E39 it replaced!Not quite so large as an A6 in the boot but hardly tiny, either... less common on the market, but could be worth a look if there's any near you.
derin100 said:
In fact, I just done a very quick AT search and there seem to be plenty of E-Class Estates available within or round about Budget. This one in Chelmsford is even quite close to you?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
See this. If its as good as it looks in the flesh buy it. https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Had a Volvo XC70 Ocean Race before I bought one like the one in the advert last July but in black. Same wheels, engine, mileage etc which makes the one in the advert even better than mine as it is now cheaper. I paid dead on £5k for mine.
No comparison with the Volvo which although a good car does not have the same quality as the Merc. I use mine for my business and it tows 1.8 tonnes of trailer like a dream at mid 20's mpg. The Volvo was a little unsteadier but only got 17.5 mpg on LPG. Load space is huge, all the electric toys and a very nice place to sit on long journeys.
Highly recommended.
Cheers,
Tony
Welcome back Derin.
There's a chap with a renovation thread on here who bought an old Ford Galaxy which seems to do excellent service as a tip car and builders merchant delivery wagon. Plenty of space in those of course, and not too desperate. In fact, the two S-Max I had were surprisingly competent and very practical. Might be worth considering.
There's a chap with a renovation thread on here who bought an old Ford Galaxy which seems to do excellent service as a tip car and builders merchant delivery wagon. Plenty of space in those of course, and not too desperate. In fact, the two S-Max I had were surprisingly competent and very practical. Might be worth considering.
I was going to suggest as a renovation tip type car that a Galaxy or Chrysler Voyager etc would be a good way to go.
Failing that how about a car that always gets overlooked the R class?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...
Failing that how about a car that always gets overlooked the R class?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...
CharlesdeGaulle said:
Welcome back Derin.
There's a chap with a renovation thread on here who bought an old Ford Galaxy which seems to do excellent service as a tip car and builders merchant delivery wagon. Plenty of space in those of course, and not too desperate. In fact, the two S-Max I had were surprisingly competent and very practical. Might be worth considering.
Local cabby in the village I used to live in had a scabby Galaxy. It had 700k on it last time it took me to Gatwick.There's a chap with a renovation thread on here who bought an old Ford Galaxy which seems to do excellent service as a tip car and builders merchant delivery wagon. Plenty of space in those of course, and not too desperate. In fact, the two S-Max I had were surprisingly competent and very practical. Might be worth considering.
CharlesdeGaulle said:
In fact, the two S-Max I had were surprisingly competent and very practical. Might be worth considering.
I have bought two S-Max for (on behalf of) my sister and found them to be really rather good and I would think excellent car/vans during a home renovation.I bought an S211 for a build project and despite all the associated abuse the cream interior scrubs up perfectly.
Rockettvr said:
Afternoon gentlemen
After another fruitless morning of searching and looking ( a search that has been in progress since before Christmas) I’ve still been unable to find a vehicle that will allow me to join your esteemed ranks.
I’m currently restoring a property and am in need of a large estate that can carry 4 adults plus luggage tools and various sundries , large distances ( I’m in Thurrock Essex the property in County Mayo Eire) in some comfort at reasonable speed.
My current search is for E class mercs, 5 series BMW’s or (wife’s pick) an xc90, in petrol or pre-DPF diesel, although I’m open to alternatives.
Budget is £4K
Although this not an inconsequential sum (to me at least) I’m realistic enough to know that this doesn’t buy a great deal these days so have set my expectations low only to find that the offerings I’ve looked at fail to even match those meagre levels.
Thus far all I’ve found are overpriced , badly maintained, poorly presented, poorly/ misleadingly/fraudulently described.
TBH I’m finding this process very taxing but I’m sure the car I’m after is out there ......somewhere
Therefore I’m appealing to you esteemed gentlemen if you’re aware of a vehicle that fits my criteria I’d be very grateful if you could point me in its direction
My thanks in advance
Ron
Id say Skoda Superb Estate maybe something like this?After another fruitless morning of searching and looking ( a search that has been in progress since before Christmas) I’ve still been unable to find a vehicle that will allow me to join your esteemed ranks.
I’m currently restoring a property and am in need of a large estate that can carry 4 adults plus luggage tools and various sundries , large distances ( I’m in Thurrock Essex the property in County Mayo Eire) in some comfort at reasonable speed.
My current search is for E class mercs, 5 series BMW’s or (wife’s pick) an xc90, in petrol or pre-DPF diesel, although I’m open to alternatives.
Budget is £4K
Although this not an inconsequential sum (to me at least) I’m realistic enough to know that this doesn’t buy a great deal these days so have set my expectations low only to find that the offerings I’ve looked at fail to even match those meagre levels.
Thus far all I’ve found are overpriced , badly maintained, poorly presented, poorly/ misleadingly/fraudulently described.
TBH I’m finding this process very taxing but I’m sure the car I’m after is out there ......somewhere
Therefore I’m appealing to you esteemed gentlemen if you’re aware of a vehicle that fits my criteria I’d be very grateful if you could point me in its direction
My thanks in advance
Ron
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Being 6ft 4 Myself I know I can sit in the front comfortably and with the seat in that position I can sit behind it in the back comfortably too, slightly above your budget but it seems to tick all the other boxes you need?
Something like this will probably be my next family car in a few years as my kids get bigger and I do my upmost to avoid having to bu a people carrier
Jamescrs said:
Id say Skoda Superb Estate maybe something like this?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Being 6ft 4 Myself I know I can sit in the front comfortably and with the seat in that position I can sit behind it in the back comfortably too, slightly above your budget but it seems to tick all the other boxes you need?
Something like this will probably be my next family car in a few years as my kids get bigger and I do my upmost to avoid having to bu a people carrier
It's good, but you seem to have missed half an engine (yes I know this is not estate)https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Being 6ft 4 Myself I know I can sit in the front comfortably and with the seat in that position I can sit behind it in the back comfortably too, slightly above your budget but it seems to tick all the other boxes you need?
Something like this will probably be my next family car in a few years as my kids get bigger and I do my upmost to avoid having to bu a people carrier
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2018...
Croutons said:
Jamescrs said:
Id say Skoda Superb Estate maybe something like this?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Being 6ft 4 Myself I know I can sit in the front comfortably and with the seat in that position I can sit behind it in the back comfortably too, slightly above your budget but it seems to tick all the other boxes you need?
Something like this will probably be my next family car in a few years as my kids get bigger and I do my upmost to avoid having to bu a people carrier
It's good, but you seem to have missed half an engine (yes I know this is not estate)https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Being 6ft 4 Myself I know I can sit in the front comfortably and with the seat in that position I can sit behind it in the back comfortably too, slightly above your budget but it seems to tick all the other boxes you need?
Something like this will probably be my next family car in a few years as my kids get bigger and I do my upmost to avoid having to bu a people carrier
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2018...
BigBen said:
I have bought two S-Max for (on behalf of) my sister and found them to be really rather good and I would think excellent car/vans during a home renovation.
I bought an S211 for a build project and despite all the associated abuse the cream interior scrubs up perfectly.
I am about to test this theory. Just took a load to the tip in my 211 and managed to put a dirty mark on the headlining whilst loading - mud from an upturned leg of a garden table. Will see how it cleans up. It did make me remember why I don’t have a newly leased car. I can occasionally abuse it without significant consequence!I bought an S211 for a build project and despite all the associated abuse the cream interior scrubs up perfectly.
With regard to discussions on leg room, we are all tall in our clan and there is significantly more room in the back of the 211 than in a V70. We regularly blast down to the south of France with no complaints from the backseat.
So my e39 528i touring has just received another years ticket... the advisory list is stacking up a bit but what a car it is. Picked it up at about 150k miles for £1500 about 8 years ago with a years ticket. Bought in a panic as we were driving down through France with some friends and had to finally admit we would never get everything in our current car! Thought if it lasted that first year it would have paid its way.... since then it has done about 10 house moves for various different people, never ending tip runs during a house refurbishment and many motorway miles in ice cold air conditioned granite-like waftyness (once you power through the 'they all do that sir' shimmy!)
Aside from standard consumables it has had a bit of welding, a water pump, an ignition switch and a gearbox oil cooler in my ownership (the previous owner had spent a fair chunk on bringing it up to standard) and must have paid for itself so many times over now.
It is getting a bit rough around the edges now unfortunately, but as is often said, they don't make them like they used to. I have driven many more modern cars but the value of this car is so much in excess of what it has cost me! Wish you could buy them brand new still!
What are peoples views as to potential more modern equivalents of E39s? Are there any cars out there that are heading bargain barge way in the coming years?
Aside from standard consumables it has had a bit of welding, a water pump, an ignition switch and a gearbox oil cooler in my ownership (the previous owner had spent a fair chunk on bringing it up to standard) and must have paid for itself so many times over now.
It is getting a bit rough around the edges now unfortunately, but as is often said, they don't make them like they used to. I have driven many more modern cars but the value of this car is so much in excess of what it has cost me! Wish you could buy them brand new still!
What are peoples views as to potential more modern equivalents of E39s? Are there any cars out there that are heading bargain barge way in the coming years?
I have been in a similar boat as a few chaps on here. Previously owned old Volvo's, 9-5 Aero estate and an E39 Touring but trying to find something that is a bit more modern but also under the £4000 mark seems to be where I keep looking in the classifieds.
I also have looked at loads of XC90's as one of my brother has one on a 10 plate. He has spent a small fortune doing all the brakes and tyres but the engine has given him no bother at all.
One of my other brothers owns an XC70 on a 55 plate. Its down 190000 miles now and he maintains it religiously. It sounds as sweet as a nut.
Also looked at E320cdi Sport estates as they just look so good. I hear horror stories about them but then watching YouTube videos under the title Hoovies Garage and he shows you maintenance on them and what to look for.
Good luck finding the correct car.
I also have looked at loads of XC90's as one of my brother has one on a 10 plate. He has spent a small fortune doing all the brakes and tyres but the engine has given him no bother at all.
One of my other brothers owns an XC70 on a 55 plate. Its down 190000 miles now and he maintains it religiously. It sounds as sweet as a nut.
Also looked at E320cdi Sport estates as they just look so good. I hear horror stories about them but then watching YouTube videos under the title Hoovies Garage and he shows you maintenance on them and what to look for.
Good luck finding the correct car.
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