Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 14]

[anonymous-user]

Macron said:

Crap ad, 143k, and over thread at 6k, but, who knew this shape XK was getting so close to range?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...

These is no reason these shouldn't be mechanically robust, particularly if you stick with the tried and tested 4.2 rather than the 5.0 where Jaguar decided to reintroduce the excitement of failing timing chains. No fancy active suspension of any sort, well known ZF6 gearbox right up until the end of production, and aluminium bodywork so no catastrophic rust like the XK8. Even a NASP 4.2 will be brisk enough not to annoy.

A convertible is where it's at for me, otherwise it's just a more cramped X350 really

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 7th October 09:04

[E65Ross]

nobrakes said:

Lwb S320 grey on grey

It’s a 2000 car for 5 bags, but on only 46k is in mint condition

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

So, how does that compare with a younger average mileage S class for the same money? Badly?

I really quote like that. Dull colour scheme but my word is looks tidy!

I don't think it'll be long, however, until the W221 creeps into budget, certainly when the W222 is phased out. I think the W220 models (like this one) are quite poorly built, but I'm not sure about the W221. Even though it's very low mileage, I think it'd be prudent to have a little money put aside just in case things go wrong!

Good find though!!

[bolidemichael]

stickleback123 said:

Macron said:

Crap ad, 143k, and over thread at 6k, but, who knew this shape XK was getting so close to range?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...

These is no reason these shouldn't be mechanically robust, particularly if you stick with the tried and tested 4.2 rather than the 5.0 where Jaguar decided to reintroduce the excitement of failing timing chains. No fancy active suspension of any sort, well known ZF6 gearbox right up until the end of production, and aluminium bodywork so no catastrophic rust like the XK8. Even a NASP 4.2 will be brisk enough not to annoy.

A convertible is where it's at for me, otherwise it's just a more cramped X350 really

Edited by stickleback123 on Monday 7th October 09:04

This ad does not help to portray the seller as being anything other than incredibly conceited. Minimal word count description, no photos of the private plate that's included - strikes me as the type that wants to give as little as possible away to save potential comebacks. On the other hand, the website looks kosher.

[Krikkit]

stickleback123 said:

Macron said:

Crap ad, 143k, and over thread at 6k, but, who knew this shape XK was getting so close to range?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...

These is no reason these shouldn't be mechanically robust, particularly if you stick with the tried and tested 4.2 rather than the 5.0 where Jaguar decided to reintroduce the excitement of failing timing chains. No fancy active suspension of any sort, well known ZF6 gearbox right up until the end of production, and aluminium bodywork so no catastrophic rust like the XK8. Even a NASP 4.2 will be brisk enough not to annoy.

A convertible is where it's at for me, otherwise it's just a more cramped X350 really

Looks like tensioner replacement isn't too arduous a job on that engine, as everything's out at the front rather than at the back.

Wouldn't stop me buying a cheap 5 litre anyway.

Exciting that they're coming towards affordable now, such a nice design that's lasted well imho.

[bolidemichael]

E65Ross said:

nobrakes said:

Lwb S320 grey on grey

It’s a 2000 car for 5 bags, but on only 46k is in mint condition

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

So, how does that compare with a younger average mileage S class for the same money? Badly?

I really quote like that. Dull colour scheme but my word is looks tidy!

I don't think it'll be long, however, until the W221 creeps into budget, certainly when the W222 is phased out. I think the W220 models (like this one) are quite poorly built, but I'm not sure about the W221. Even though it's very low mileage, I think it'd be prudent to have a little money put aside just in case things go wrong!

Good find though!!

Boot carpet stripe fail

[Krikkit]

2/10 for striping.

It looks minty fresh, but what a poor MOT history for a car that's hardly done anything! Hardly a paragon of quality if the suspension's needing attention after 40k miles.

[anonymous-user]

Krikkit said:

2/10 for striping.

It looks minty fresh, but what a poor MOT history for a car that's hardly done anything! Hardly a paragon of quality if the suspension's needing attention after 40k miles.

The W220 has about as much appeal as a dose of the clap for me. Not sure even an S600 TT could convince me to part with anything more than £500. They look very cheap and dated now, inside and out, and even the best kept examples were often starting to look scabby before they were ten years old even when they weren't obviously rusting. Curly rubbers, dull paint, oxidized wheels, yellow headlights.

If it was a Korean car we'd all laugh at their pitiful attempt to "do a barge".

[bolidemichael]

Pothole said:

CharlesdeGaulle said:

I'm interested to know whether your ladies-of-a-certain-age in a DB9 are the same ladies-of-a-certain-age that, hypothetically, one would attract in a Lexus SC430? Not that I'm planning on competing with you - I know my limits after all - but I'd like to know my target zone before committing to one or the other.

There is a school of thought that women notice nothing of these things, although it's telling (and unsurprising) that Big Ben's wealth provoked some interest. I have no wealth so don't have to worry too much about attracting the 'wrong sort'. To provide some colour, one of the European types that's currently in my social orbit, a generously-bosom'd Mediterranean lady, drives a Corsa. Badly; very, very badly. But with the additional airbags it might be worth the risk.

According to something which caught my eye some years ago, some of the most generously-bosomed ladies in Europe are from an archipelago of small islands plonked between Sicily and the North African coast...in my experience they are also some of the most irritatingly bonkers. Proceed with caution if your potential targets hales from those climes. Otherwise, bon chance!

Have you any photographic evidence to support your anecdotes?

[strangehighways]

Krikkit said:

stickleback123 said:

Raino144 said:

For some people receiving a car allowance with work, the allowance can come with stipulations as above... certain type of car, age etc...

Otherwise it is reverse ‘man maths’...

Who among us can honestly say that if we owned a solitary barge as our only car it would never have let you down once in the last 3 years? Or that it hasn't kicked you in the nuts with a four figure bill from nowhere? Or it's ever had every single thing working perfectly like a new car for more than a year at a stretch?

I love the barge buying man maths but PCP/PCH is so cheap that if you're not doing this as a hobby it makes FAR more sense than buying a middle aged used car, let alone a barge.

When you have a barge mostly working, the equipment that still does will outnumber the gadgets on a lease car at the same level.

One of my mates is leading a very generic Golf with a diesel engine for 200-odd quid a month. It's just about tolerable on the move, but it had no character at all. Over the same period my w211 was better spec, less than half the price, and never had a failure to proceed.

For the same money as his golf I could've run a twin turbo V12 S class and have money left over for the extra fuel!

I run a Jaguar XJR X308 as a daily car, averaging 22 mpg between central York and Northallerton, commuting 3 days a week to the office.

I reckon it has cost me about £100 a month in maintenance over the last 20 ish months. I bought the car cheap for £2400, and it is probably worth roughly that amount now.

£100 a month in repairs/maintenance etc and probably another £100 a month more in fuel than a new car returning a combined early 40s mpg.

Off the top of my head it's had two wheel bearings, water pump, tyres, welding, servicing etc.

So I reckon my car overall costs about the same as a pretty boring new Golf/1 series etc in the £200 - £300 a month bracket.

No comparison for me, and I can live with the odd issue. It only failed to start just after I bought it when it needed a new water pump. Since then (Jan 2018) it has always got me to my destination.

I've been doing about 1000 miles a month in it.

Just edited to add...If you want literally 0% hassle, get a new car, but if you can live with the odd niggle here and there, then driving a really lovely fast interesting old barge can work financially. I've always run old interesting cars as my main cars, doing between 12 - 18k miles a year. The list includes E38 740i, Alfa GTV V6s, 166 V6, 164 V6, Merc 190 and SEC 500, BMW E34 540i etc. It has been great fun.

Edited by strangehighways on Monday 7th October 10:53

[nobrakes]

Krikkit said:

2/10 for striping.

It looks minty fresh, but what a poor MOT history for a car that's hardly done anything! Hardly a paragon of quality if the suspension's needing attention after 40k miles.

I like the simplicity of the early version, but it will need new bits at that age no matter what miles it’s done.

[Krikkit]

stickleback123 said:

The W220 has about as much appeal as a dose of the clap for me. Not sure even an S600 TT could convince me to part with anything more than £500. They look very cheap and dated now, inside and out, and even the best kept examples were often starting to look scabby before they were ten years old even when they weren't obviously rusting. Curly rubbers, dull paint, oxidized wheels, yellow headlights.

If it was a Korean car we'd all laugh at their pitiful attempt to "do a barge".

A good one very much looks the part, but they're very colour and wheel-sensitive.

I'm starting to feel the same about the W221 actually - that rear end styling and the usual wheel choices are very off-putting.

strangehighways said:

Just edited to add...If you want literally 0% hassle, get a new car, but if you can live with the odd niggle here and there, then driving a really lovely fast interesting old barge can work financially. I've always run old interesting cars as my main cars, doing between 12 - 18k miles a year. The list includes E38 740i, Alfa GTV V6s, 166 V6, 164 V6, Merc 190 and SEC 500, BMW E34 540i etc. It has been great fun.

Thing is, I don't mind at all if people who don't care about cars (beyond impressing the neighbours and owning something new) want to lease something boring at great expense. It's when they try and convince everyone and anyone that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread... Spending 4 years PCP'ing a Golf for £12-15k is a serious wodge for something extremely boring.


ETA: How's this for a classico-barge? Much want for a 40, even if it turned out to be a basketcase. It even has cloth seats for the luxury-haters.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352809771955

Edited by Krikkit on Monday 7th October 11:25

[strangehighways]

Krikkit said:

Thing is, I don't mind at all if people who don't care about cars (beyond impressing the neighbours and owning something new) want to lease something boring at great expense. It's when they try and convince everyone and anyone that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread... Spending 4 years PCP'ing a Golf for £12-15k is a serious wodge for something extremely boring.

As with many things in life, I think the devil is in the detail a lot of the time when comparing new lease/pcp or newish private purchase vs old interesting car. If I was comparing my costs with someone who bought a vanilla Ford Focus purchased at a year and a half old and keeping the car 3 years, the Focus costs would undoubtedly be cheaper than mine as their depreciation costs would be way way less than a new car.

I agree that running an old tank doesn’t necessarily cost more and can cost less than something new. I would want something interesting and fast if I was going to have a new car and I can imagine I would be having to spend at least 500 a month for that.

Edited by strangehighways on Monday 7th October 11:28

Edited by strangehighways on Monday 7th October 11:30

[anonymous-user]

stickleback123 said:

The W220 has about as much appeal as a dose of the clap for me. Not sure even an S600 TT could convince me to part with anything more than £500. They look very cheap and dated now, inside and out, and even the best kept examples were often starting to look scabby before they were ten years old even when they weren't obviously rusting. Curly rubbers, dull paint, oxidized wheels, yellow headlights.

If it was a Korean car we'd all laugh at their pitiful attempt to "do a barge".

221s are are massive step up in fit and finish in my experience. First thought getting back into my 220 after a while was... This is kinda rubbish.

I can only see the appeal in 600TTs or shed money V8s, other wise a 211 or 221 are nicer places to be.

[SpeckledJim]

Jim the Sunderer said:

My XJ isn't going anywhere now as my house needs work, I don't suppose anybody knows what kind of adhesive one should use on a roof membrane?

High temperature spray glue. This stuff:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trim-Fix-500ml-Temperatur...

As a veteran of re-covering the headliner on the XJS I can say it's an easy-enough job. Verging on the fun, in fact. The toughest bit is getting it out, and then once repaired getting it back in again without creasing it or getting it grubby.

And that's with the large door apertures of the XJS. I'm not sure how you'll do it on an XJ, but it must be possible. Hopefully without removing the rear screen.


I wrapped the perimeter in cling film for getting it back in, so it didn't get dirty. Then once it's in place it's easy to tear the clingfilm away.

Edited by SpeckledJim on Monday 7th October 11:51

[anonymous-user]

SpeckledJim said:

I wrapped the perimeter in cling film for getting it back in, so it didn't get dirty. Then once it's in place it's easy to tear the clingfilm away.

GENIUS!

[SpeckledJim]

stickleback123 said:

SpeckledJim said:

I wrapped the perimeter in cling film for getting it back in, so it didn't get dirty. Then once it's in place it's easy to tear the clingfilm away.

GENIUS!

More than a little generous, but thank you!

[Krikkit]

If I was doing it in an XJ I'd be tempted to take the seats out for maximum space to faff around.

[SpeckledJim]

Krikkit said:

If I was doing it in an XJ I'd be tempted to take the seats out for maximum space to faff around.

The front seats are a large part of the obstacle, so if they can be vamoosed, that would indeed be helpful.

[olly755]

stickleback123 said:

Macron said:

Crap ad, 143k, and over thread at 6k, but, who knew this shape XK was getting so close to range?
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2019...

These is no reason these shouldn't be mechanically robust, particularly if you stick with the tried and tested 4.2 rather than the 5.0 where Jaguar decided to reintroduce the excitement of failing timing chains. No fancy active suspension of any sort, well known ZF6 gearbox right up until the end of production, and aluminium bodywork so no catastrophic rust like the XK8. Even a NASP 4.2 will be brisk enough not to annoy.

A convertible is where it's at for me, otherwise it's just a more cramped X350 really

Edited by stickleback123 on Monday 7th October 09:04

Selling some metal and posting that Jaguar all on the same day may go down as an Incredibly Bad Thing for my relationship.

And Stickleback's soothing, reassuring words really hasn't helped either.

[E65Ross]

WorldBoss said:

stickleback123 said:

The W220 has about as much appeal as a dose of the clap for me. Not sure even an S600 TT could convince me to part with anything more than £500. They look very cheap and dated now, inside and out, and even the best kept examples were often starting to look scabby before they were ten years old even when they weren't obviously rusting. Curly rubbers, dull paint, oxidized wheels, yellow headlights.

If it was a Korean car we'd all laugh at their pitiful attempt to "do a barge".

221s are are massive step up in fit and finish in my experience. First thought getting back into my 220 after a while was... This is kinda rubbish.

I can only see the appeal in 600TTs or shed money V8s, other wise a 211 or 221 are nicer places to be.

I have never been in a W220, and my only experience of a W221 is a 350cdi about 10 years ago, if not 11. I liked it very much! I've never been a fan of the W220.... But a W221 I would very much be happy with, but I think it'd have to be at least the 500. They rev incredibly low on the motorway, around 2500rpm at 100mph in 7th I think.

RE leasing something interesting.... I'll find out what my old man is paying for his F Type R.... I know it's not cheap!

And I saw it mentioned above about old barges having more tech than a lower model PCH/PCP car..... Totally this. Said Audi A1 doesn't even have climate control! Just air con. Even my shed of a Corolla has climate control!

Audi doesn't have cruise, it has halogen lights, nothing fancy at all.... It does have an MMI screen though.....

I have just driven down to Devon (160 mile drive for me) and whilst the Corolla did it fine cruising at about 80-85 it's certainly a bit buzzy (4k rpm at 80!) and it made me miss the E65 or even the E38 a lot. The E65 was just a mega mile muncher. It did 3k rpm at about 105-110mph or so. And despite its reputation.... It never actually broke down on me!

Edited by E65Ross on Monday 7th October 14:08