Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 13]

[tobinen]

That must be JOB's latest acquistion. £17,000. Seventeen. Thousand. Pounds.

[tobinen]

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

[tobinen]

bern said:

Finally bought something today!

It was a toss up between a W211 E320 estate and a Legacy 3.0R estate. I went with the Legacy in the end. The Merc had my spidey senses tingling. The Legacy is a nice straight example and hopefully the cylinder count allows entry? Big sunroof and cream leather interior make it a nice place to be. The drivetrain is incredibly smooth and I'm hoping the mpg doesn't prove to be too ruiness as it will only be doing around 4k miles a year.

Picking it up on Monday evening so I'll post a few pics then.

Congratulations. I look forward to the forecourt shot.

[JOB2.5-16]

Salmonofdoubt said:

Waaay over budget. And not really enough cylinders. But the lack of miles

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1083835

However it looks odd in this pic as if the body and wheels have been badly photoshopped together. Or were they all so high?

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151033616@N03/5TntSy

[derin100]

E24man said:

Lowtimer said:

carinaman said:

Some have posted that E39s are that old and the suspension possibly so worn that most us wouldn't notice, but the I6 E39s have rack and pinion steering so may have purer, more wholesome steering than the V8s.

At their present ages of 15 to 24 years old all E39s have shagged suspension unless they have had it properly rebuilt within living memory, meaning ALL the bushes, including rear subframe, and dampers. Quite possibly top mounts (especially if it's been on bigger than 17" wheels and/or some sort of lowered aftermarket suspension).

For cars in good order the steering is perfectly acceptable on the V8 models but it is better on the sixes. On a petrol six you can also feel the reduction in front-end weight over either the diesel six (iron block rather than light alloy, plus the weight of the turbo and intercooler gubbins) or the petrol V8 (just big and heavy, plus different and heavier steering and front suspension).

A manual 530i is about 140kg lighter than an auto 540i and that's about eight per cent, most of it at the front. It makes quite a difference. A 528i is about another 35kg lighter than a 530i, so 175 kg, 10 per cent lighter in total than a 540i slusher, and the equivalent of two pie eaters.

The 530i is also 85 kg lighter than the diesel 530d, only one pie eater but it still makes a definite difference to the agility. My 530i turns in a lot more eagerly than my 525d or 530D used to,

Edited by Lowtimer on Saturday 23 February 23:21

But 535i aside, most of the sixers wouldn't see which way any of the four (or five) big V8's went

I agree. My wife and I once had virtually identical spec E39 Tourings autos, hers a 528i and mine a 540i. In the real world, there is no comparison in performance. The 540i is way, way faster! Again in the real world, I never noticed any supposed difference is "steering feel" even driving them back-to-back and IMHO I think this is a subtle nuance that gets blown out of all proportion in internet folklore.

Once up and running, say on a track maybe a 528i would be that far behind but that's not what reality is like on the public road where low down grunt and pick up from low speed matters. The 540i would be gone before a 528i even knew it!

I have to say that I think the Alpina 3.3 gets excessive credit in this respect too. I know it's (275bhp) looks close to the 540i's (286 bhp) power but it's max torque of 335 Nm/4300rpm is significantly down on the 540i's of 440 Nm at only 3600rpm. Again, this translates into a significant 'real world' advantage and I can give a genuine example of this.

One day, when I hand my 540i, I was driving along the A5 in Shropshire. Anyone who knows this road will know that it is a fast road punctuated by series of roundabouts. Suddenly, as Alpina 3.3 appeared and was driving really fast and aggressively, hassling and hustling other cars. I decided to give chase.
I stuck behind him and he realised he was being chased by another E39. Probably confident that what was chasing him was an M5 he started going faster and faster at each stretch between the roundabouts. I waited until I knew it was the last of the roundabouts for a while and as it then goes from dual-carriageway and then filters down in to single. So, still ahead of me, we come off the roundabout (real world remember?...there's a limit to the speed you can carry around a public road roundabout) and you could see he was really 'trying' by the way he took the roundabout then I booted it! The 540i just reeled him in rapidly and then just went right past him.

The 540i has always been a very underestimated car in my opinion...both as an E39 and in its day as an E34. I think too often people are ready to assume that the presence of an Alpina badge confers immediate superiority over anything the parent company was offering at a similar time. This is simply not the case. Another good example of this misconception is E34 Alpina 3.5 vs BMW E34 540i.

[derin100]

JOB2.5-16 said:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151033616@N03/5TntSy

God! That's nice!

[r129sl]

E65Ross said:

Salmonofdoubt said:

Waaay over budget. And not really enough cylinders. But the lack of miles

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1083835

However it looks odd in this pic as if the body and wheels have been badly photoshopped together. Or were they all so high?

Whilst nice, I think it's priced oddly. I can understand it being more expensive, but are there really (m)any people willing to part with £17k for a 2 litre 190E? I presume it's a 2, not a 1.8?

The ride height is perfect. That's how they were. They dropped a bit at the facelift. Likewise the 124, although 4matics remained high. It's a brand new 190. Somebody will want it at any price. And that's not irrational: the w201 is a superb car, so thoroughly well-designed, well-built and, more than anything, useable.

[derin100]

r129sl said:

E65Ross said:

Salmonofdoubt said:

Waaay over budget. And not really enough cylinders. But the lack of miles

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1083835

However it looks odd in this pic as if the body and wheels have been badly photoshopped together. Or were they all so high?

Whilst nice, I think it's priced oddly. I can understand it being more expensive, but are there really (m)any people willing to part with £17k for a 2 litre 190E? I presume it's a 2, not a 1.8?

The ride height is perfect. That's how they were. They dropped a bit at the facelift. Likewise the 124, although 4matics remained high. It's a brand new 190. Somebody will want it at any price. And that's not irrational: the w201 is a superb car, so thoroughly well-designed, well-built and, more than anything, useable.

I agree...and it only takes one person because there is only one car.

[Salmonofdoubt]

r129sl said:

The ride height is perfect. That's how they were. They dropped a bit at the facelift. Likewise the 124, although 4matics remained high. It's a brand new 190. Somebody will want it at any price. And that's not irrational: the w201 is a superb car, so thoroughly well-designed, well-built and, more than anything, useable.

I completely understand the price because it falls into the category of 'find another one'. The ride height thing looks very wrong but more likely because it's rare to see a pre facelift car that isn't a clapped out shed.

I'd love to see how one feels compared to its more recent equivalents in the range.

[E65Ross]

derin100 said:

r129sl said:

E65Ross said:

Salmonofdoubt said:

Waaay over budget. And not really enough cylinders. But the lack of miles

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1083835

However it looks odd in this pic as if the body and wheels have been badly photoshopped together. Or were they all so high?

Whilst nice, I think it's priced oddly. I can understand it being more expensive, but are there really (m)any people willing to part with £17k for a 2 litre 190E? I presume it's a 2, not a 1.8?

The ride height is perfect. That's how they were. They dropped a bit at the facelift. Likewise the 124, although 4matics remained high. It's a brand new 190. Somebody will want it at any price. And that's not irrational: the w201 is a superb car, so thoroughly well-designed, well-built and, more than anything, useable.

I agree...and it only takes one person because there is only one car.

I am not sure if I agree about it being a brand new car. Rubber still perishes with time.

The W201 is a good car, but I don't think they're that great but the standards of today. I've been in 3, driven 2. In my humble opinion, the 2 litre engine is the least characterful/most dreary 4 cylinder petrol engine I have ever come across, the gearbox is frustrating by today's standards and they're pretty slow. They're well screwed together, but that doesn't mean they'd require less maintenance than a car 20 years younger. They do have a charm that isn't present with many other cars, mind, and I can understand why they have a following. I just think that a W124 is a much better car.

[Jim the Sunderer]

tobinen said:

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

That would do for me, I forget if it's old enough to be the cheaper tax banding.

[0a]

My 190 goes in for a few bits and bobs at the end of the month. Can’t wait to get it back. They definitely have something special about them. It feels good (but non pretentious) to be wafting about in one.

[Jimmy Recard]

I've done around 1000 miles in my old W163 ML this weekend. Still perfectly fresh after spending around 11 hours in it on Friday.
It has even managed mpg in the 30s. Great old bus.

[tobinen]

Jim the Sunderer said:

That would do for me, I forget if it's old enough to be the cheaper tax banding.

£315 p.a.

[Jimmy Recard]

tobinen said:

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

Ooh yes, I really like that!

[callahan]

What is the general consensus on the Volvo xc70? Could be a perfect family / dog / tip run car but I have a nagging thought that they have inherent issues, is that right?

This place has lots of Japanese imports that seem very good value: https://www.akcofhertfordshire.co.uk/used-cars?sor...

Thanks

[r129sl]

A bit off topic, I know, but there seems to be a lot of G-Wagen love here, especially G-Wagen towing something. I spent a few hours on Friday afternoon splitting wood. a 300 GEL then hauled it home. I reckon the trailer is a tonne and its contents another two tonnes. Add the petrol splitter in the boot and you have quite an outfit. The G is ultra-competent in this mode, though. I must, must buy one. Not sure who the handsome lumberjack is.

[bern]

tobinen said:

bern said:

Finally bought something today!

It was a toss up between a W211 E320 estate and a Legacy 3.0R estate. I went with the Legacy in the end. The Merc had my spidey senses tingling. The Legacy is a nice straight example and hopefully the cylinder count allows entry? Big sunroof and cream leather interior make it a nice place to be. The drivetrain is incredibly smooth and I'm hoping the mpg doesn't prove to be too ruiness as it will only be doing around 4k miles a year.

Picking it up on Monday evening so I'll post a few pics then.

Congratulations. I look forward to the forecourt shot.

No problem. I don't think it will be capable of passing many petrol stations.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

r129sl said:

Not sure who the handsome lumberjack is.

Tasselled loafers are always the quickest giveaway.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

r129sl said:

E65Ross said:

Salmonofdoubt said:

Waaay over budget. And not really enough cylinders. But the lack of miles

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1083835

However it looks odd in this pic as if the body and wheels have been badly photoshopped together. Or were they all so high?

Whilst nice, I think it's priced oddly. I can understand it being more expensive, but are there really (m)any people willing to part with £17k for a 2 litre 190E? I presume it's a 2, not a 1.8?

The ride height is perfect. That's how they were. They dropped a bit at the facelift. Likewise the 124, although 4matics remained high. It's a brand new 190. Somebody will want it at any price. And that's not irrational: the w201 is a superb car, so thoroughly well-designed, well-built and, more than anything, useable.

How useable is it really though? The value is surely in its probably unique 9k miles and 'unused' look.

Edited by CharlesdeGaulle on Sunday 24th February 18:39