Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 13]

[Mr Micawber]

and because there’s a lot of love for them



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1092150

[/quote]

That Merc looks super - and not millions of miles from me. I notice that the MOT has registered the mileage in kilometers - I take it there is a good chance it is a Japanese import? Assuming that it is - does that make it far less appealing/valuable?

[Stegel]

Krikkit said:

Stegel said:

Taste is a matter of taste re the full facelift! It is indeed a halfway house, which ran for about a year. I had a similar age E220 from new for a year and it didn’t miss a beat, contrary to tales of electrical meltdown from the off for early cars.

It will have the 7G box. With regards V6 vs I6, we have two V6s with more miles than that one - ok, one has had a new turbo and one a new intake manifold, but they’re free of the “Black Death” which supposedly affects the I6 cars. They do struggle to match the early cars’ supposed economy, but perhaps that’s due to driving style.

Is the rear end rather low on that car?

Black death is an easy enough fix of course - I sorted an injector on mine in a couple of hours once I had the appropriate pulling tool for the injector. Easier than an inlet manifold and/or turbo change.

My very early car hasn't had any unjustified electrical troubles, the two it's had have been caused by a duff alternator rectifier and a dead SBC/auxiliary battery.

I think the rear is a bit low on that car for a steel sprung one - I'm used to looking at the airmatic ones self-levelling and don't think about it.

Tongue firmly in cheek on the Black Death - the V6 is not as robust as the I6, and the slightly higher power and torque is not enough to offset it, but we run with what we bought. I’d probably have a go at a turbo swap now, but only on the basis I’d take my time and not be under time pressure.

Non-airmatic estates all have air self levelling on the rear, with steel springs at the front. I’ve fitted Arnott bags to our S211 and the rear is far perkier now, although new dampers take the greatest credit for the ride improvement.

[Mr Micawber]

Just found this within a strong haggle of thread budget.

It needs to lose the massive badge on the grill for me and it is the wrong engine - but these things are not about driving fast.



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1043755

Edited by Mr Micawber on Friday 22 March 14:17

[Prinny]

Mr Micawber said:

Just found this within a strong haggle of thread budget.

It needs to lose the massive badge on the grill for me and it is the wrong engine - but these things are not about driving fast.



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1043755

Edited by Mr Micawber on Friday 22 March 14:17

I’ve just spent a few minutes trying to figure out if there was some way of putting a roof fack on a convertible, and thinking that might be useful for the SL if I could maybe find one, before working out it’s a bleedin’ shadow...

SL1 (I sound like Zonergem, but SL2 is SL2, so it’s OK in my mind) has blotted its copybook this morning with a completely dead battery - not had any time to diagnose anything so far, but it was perfectly OK the last time it was driven. Still, it transpires when opening the boot to get to the battery that the boot wasn’t shut, just resting closed, so that might be it. Battery on charge, more news tomorrow - it’s got to go to the garage tomorrow as the MOT expires next week.
If the battery is buggered, I know the roof modules aren’t particularly happy about being jump started - is there a safe way to do it, or am I better off removing the battery from one of the other cars (the only good thing about having 4 big engined cars is I have 4 big batteries) and using that instead while I wait for Tayna to send me one?

[Krikkit]

Prinny said:

If the battery is buggered, I know the roof modules aren’t particularly happy about being jump started - is there a safe way to do it, or am I better off removing the battery from one of the other cars (the only good thing about having 4 big engined cars is I have 4 big batteries) and using that instead while I wait for Tayna to send me one?

If you have the battery spare I would always do it that way, I never like jump starting.

[anonymous-user]

Stegel said:

Tongue firmly in cheek on the Black Death - the V6 is not as robust as the I6, and the slightly higher power and torque is not enough to offset it, but we run with what we bought. I’d probably have a go at a turbo swap now, but only on the basis I’d take my time and not be under time pressure.

Non-airmatic estates all have air self levelling on the rear, with steel springs at the front. I’ve fitted Arnott bags to our S211 and the rear is far perkier now, although new dampers take the greatest credit for the ride improvement.

Sure I read somewhere that there's a Honda injector seal that supposed to be better than the OE one for the straight six. (or the four and five for that matter)

[derin100]

Krikkit said:

SpeckledJim said:

But, going away from the 3-pointed star, I'm quite taken by this sub-thread budget (before tittivation) E39 tourer. Seems like an honest seller, and will come with 12 months MOT for the asking. £950.



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

I know it's the inferior 523i, but it sounds like a sweet engine for pottering.

Edited by Krikkit on Friday 22 March 12:13

That engine is actually alright for daily use. I had a saloon 523i as my first E39 (sold it to a fellow PHer) and it was quite a nice daily drive. You only really noticed that it was down on power when you really pushed it and then it became a bit asthmatic but otherwise it was fine. Having the smaller engine didn't really seem to save any fuel though because I just tended to push it harder.

[SpeckledJim]

derin100 said:

Krikkit said:

SpeckledJim said:

But, going away from the 3-pointed star, I'm quite taken by this sub-thread budget (before tittivation) E39 tourer. Seems like an honest seller, and will come with 12 months MOT for the asking. £950.



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

I know it's the inferior 523i, but it sounds like a sweet engine for pottering.

Edited by Krikkit on Friday 22 March 12:13

That engine is actually alright for daily use. I had a saloon 523i as my first E39 (sold it to a fellow PHer) and it was quite a nice daily drive. You only really noticed that it was down on power when you really pushed it and then it became a bit asthmatic but otherwise it was fine. Having the smaller engine didn't really seem to save any fuel though because I just tended to push it harder.

I loved the '23i in the E39 because it was slow enough that you had time to enjoy the comings and goings of the various harmonies in the rev range. It's a great match to the car, IMO, if you're not a racer.

Likewise the '28i, to be honest. Not much in it, in appeal, for me.

[derin100]

Mr Micawber said:

and because there’s a lot of love for them



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1092150

That Merc looks super - and not millions of miles from me. I notice that the MOT has registered the mileage in kilometers - I take it there is a good chance it is a Japanese import? Assuming that it is - does that make it far less appealing/valuable?

Looks good. The only thing I would question (and it may just be an affect of the photos) is that the paintwork down that whole offside looks quite variable and even 'flat' in places. Look at the driver's door....?

[derin100]

SpeckledJim said:

I loved the '23i in the E39 because it was slow enough that you had time to enjoy the comings and goings of the various harmonies in the rev range. It's a great match to the car, IMO, if you're not a racer.

Likewise the '28i, to be honest. Not much in it, in appeal, for me.

Yep...agree with that.

[ElectricSoup]

Stegel said:

Krikkit said:

longblackcoat said:

nobrakes said:

derin100 said:

callahan said:

I waved goodbye to my Boxster this evening, so the hunt for a replacement estate car really ramps up - the more thread (but reliable) the better!

How about a wrong fuel but decent engine E320: https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Looks good...advert sounds good...possibly the sort of vendor with knowledge that you want.

Very refreshing to see an honest add with full pictures of the driver’s seat!

(7G ‘box? Not so sure it’s a 7 speed as that infers)

Worthers gold/metallic beige per ultimate barge spec.

Some won’t touch that era, but you could do a lot worse.

A decent enough car, but 57mpg on the motorway/35mpg around town? My E320 managed 25mpg as a genuine around-town and high 30s/early 40s at normal motorway speeds. Strangely, I get almost exactly the same from my current E220.

Other detractions - it's the pre-facelift model, it's got (slight) paint issues, there's that horribly tacky AMG badging on the cubbyhole cover.......a £1500 offer, I'd say.

It's actually a kind of mid-facelift having the later engine but early face. It'll have all the facelift electronics which is a bonus of course, but it does without the gawdy facelifted cosmetics.

Taste is a matter of taste re the full facelift! It is indeed a halfway house, which ran for about a year. I had a similar age E220 from new for a year and it didn’t miss a beat, contrary to tales of electrical meltdown from the off for early cars.

It will have the 7G box. With regards V6 vs I6, we have two V6s with more miles than that one - ok, one has had a new turbo and one a new intake manifold, but they’re free of the “Black Death” which supposedly affects the I6 cars. They do struggle to match the early cars’ supposed economy, but perhaps that’s due to driving style.

Is the rear end rather low on that car?

Just out of interest, do these semi-facelift V6s have SBC brakes?

I've got a pre-facelift I6 estate (05 reg), 127k on the clock. Injector 3 has been leaking for a bit, it's going to a specialist to have it sorted next week at MOT time. Also doing brake fluid and fuel filter. I'm not up to tackling those jobs, but I'll be doing oil & filter, air filter and cabin filter myself when it gets back.

I've had the car 3 years and have had the misfortune to have to replace the torque converter and both rear airsprings. Had to pay the specialist to do those jobs. Few other things too, e.g thermostat and probably other stuff I've forgotten. It's been a bit of a money pit but I'm hanging on in the hope that the worst of it is over and it'll last years now. Cue SBC going rogue.

Edited by ElectricSoup on Friday 22 March 15:52

[r129sl]

Prinny said:

I’ve just spent a few minutes trying to figure out if there was some way of putting a roof fack on a convertible, and thinking that might be useful for the SL if I could maybe find one, before working out it’s a bleedin’ shadow...

There is a rack available for the r129. It goes on the boot. It is intended for fitting ski-holders to but it could take anything. I have bought one on eBay but a month has gone past and still it has not arrived.

[Mr Micawber]

derin100 said:

Mr Micawber said:

and because there’s a lot of love for them



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1092150

That Merc looks super - and not millions of miles from me. I notice that the MOT has registered the mileage in kilometers - I take it there is a good chance it is a Japanese import? Assuming that it is - does that make it far less appealing/valuable?

Looks good. The only thing I would question (and it may just be an affect of the photos) is that the paintwork down that whole offside looks quite variable and even 'flat' in places. Look at the driver's door....?

I have now spoken to the vendor. He seemed like a Mercedes enthusiast and doesn't think that the car has had any paintwork and wasn't aware of any inconsistencies in the finish. The car was imported from Japan in 2015 and has already had 2 previous UK owners, although not many miles have been covered. This means there is little in the way of service history - so the car would have to be bought on condition alone. I may go and see it tomorrow. What are the collective thoughts on value given the import and lack of history?

[SpeckledJim]

Mr Micawber said:

derin100 said:

Mr Micawber said:

and because there’s a lot of love for them



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1092150


That Merc looks super - and not millions of miles from me. I notice that the MOT has registered the mileage in kilometers - I take it there is a good chance it is a Japanese import? Assuming that it is - does that make it far less appealing/valuable?

Looks good. The only thing I would question (and it may just be an affect of the photos) is that the paintwork down that whole offside looks quite variable and even 'flat' in places. Look at the driver's door....?

I have now spoken to the vendor. He seemed like a Mercedes enthusiast and doesn't think that the car has had any paintwork and wasn't aware of any inconsistencies in the finish. The car was imported from Japan in 2015 and has already had 2 previous UK owners, although not many miles have been covered. This means there is little in the way of service history - so the car would have to be bought on condition alone. I may go and see it tomorrow. What are the collective thoughts on value given the import and lack of history?

Personally I'd see it as a good thing, overall, as long as things like the stereo and speedo, etc, is all correct for the UK.

25 y.o. pieces of paper are exciting for the completer-finishers amongst us, but if like me you're waaaay too cool for school, you just want it to work, and preferably be shiny. I'm not fussed how broken it was in October 1998 or how comprehensively it was fixed in November 1998, as long as it's not broken now.

Looks a great prospect to me.

[Krikkit]

Yep, I'd echo that too - I couldn't give a fig if the oil was changed in April rather than May 2001, as long as it's running alright now.

Sounds like another case of crappy carandclassic pics. When will they update to decent pictures? I'd guess they're stuck with a crappy CMS which can't handle bigger pictures.

[Croutons]

£900 Cadillac with "slight misfire". What could possibly etc.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...

[derin100]

SpeckledJim said:

Krikkit said:

Yep, I'd echo that too - I couldn't give a fig if the oil was changed in April rather than May 2001, as long as it's running alright now.

Sounds like another case of crappy carandclassic pics. When will they update to decent pictures? I'd guess they're stuck with a crappy CMS which can't handle bigger pictures.

Owned by eBay so I do wonder if they're sandbagging it somewhat, given their listings are free.

They HAVE changed them recently...And made them worse!

[derin100]

SpeckledJim said:

Mr Micawber said:

derin100 said:

Mr Micawber said:

and because there’s a lot of love for them



https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1092150


That Merc looks super - and not millions of miles from me. I notice that the MOT has registered the mileage in kilometers - I take it there is a good chance it is a Japanese import? Assuming that it is - does that make it far less appealing/valuable?

Looks good. The only thing I would question (and it may just be an affect of the photos) is that the paintwork down that whole offside looks quite variable and even 'flat' in places. Look at the driver's door....?

I have now spoken to the vendor. He seemed like a Mercedes enthusiast and doesn't think that the car has had any paintwork and wasn't aware of any inconsistencies in the finish. The car was imported from Japan in 2015 and has already had 2 previous UK owners, although not many miles have been covered. This means there is little in the way of service history - so the car would have to be bought on condition alone. I may go and see it tomorrow. What are the collective thoughts on value given the import and lack of history?

Personally I'd see it as a good thing, overall, as long as things like the stereo and speedo, etc, is all correct for the UK.

25 y.o. pieces of paper are exciting for the completer-finishers amongst us, but if like me you're waaaay too cool for school, you just want it to work, and preferably be shiny. I'm not fussed how broken it was in October 1998 or how comprehensively it was fixed in November 1998, as long as it's not broken now.

Looks a great prospect to me.

I agree. It's how it is now that really matters and is it all sorted at this point in time.

There's this other model-specific forum that I go (that shall remain nameless) where there are characters who seem to think the most important thing is to accrue a collection of historical service stamps in a book, all nicely in order, irrespective of mileage or whether a car has turned a single wheel between them.

After a few glasses of wine one evening, I suggested to them that a better hobby for them might be straightforward stamp-collecting and to just skip the car part out completely!

Edited by derin100 on Friday 22 March 17:20

[SpeckledJim]

derin, your persistent mangling of the quotes is forcing me to consider resigning as right hand man for the Glorious Revolution.

If you can't even accurately quote a chap, how can you expect to credibly sell him into slavery?

I've a strong record in the Hench industry, I'm not risking it working so visibly for a Muppet Dictator.

[derin100]