Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 16]

[biggbn]

g3org3y said:

biggbn said:

tobinen said:

0a said:

Another 350 miles done in the z4 today. 41mpg for the first half, 37mpg overall. Not too bad.

Blimey! Good travels sir!

Thinking about a z4 to replace Mrs z3 before it completely disintegrates. Sounds great!!

What's your budget buggbn? The (E85) Z4 is a great car and early ones are an absolute bargain.

Will be bottom of market and not till early next year. We love the old z3 and the fact they feel more old fashioned is a big plus, but good ones are getting dear and bad ones are rusty!! Ours only a 1.9, owned for about 10 years with zero maintenance, so our own fault it is what it is!!

[0a]

tobinen said:

0a said:

Another 350 miles done in the z4 today. 41mpg for the first half, 37mpg overall. Not too bad.

Blimey! Good travels sir!

Every mile done with the roof down, and no breaks! I do like a good long drive.

[dscam]

MercedesClassic said:

Wow nice car, was this the NI car you put the call out for? I was going to offer my local services but you got other offers.
I've owned 2 R230s previous SL 500 and current SL 55 and both great cars but with issues. You've picked well in the 350 with non ABC suspension plus it's facelift so niggles ironed out. Like roof sealing is better etc.
Always a pleasure to drive and adults will hate you as a flash bast which is typical of UK/Ireland culture.
Kids will think you're cool with the folding roof and TV in dash.
I also have an R129 in SL 320 flavour, 1994. Well they are very different dynamically. Newer car is a better steer I suppose but older car is more of cockroach and more solid and durable. Silver with gingers it is classic.
Love them both but they are different. The latest model is different/better again but I'm waiting a while to afford one. Thinking of selling both to get an SL 63 R231.

The car in NI I was interested in was (topically) a Jag XJR. Ended up it appeared sold before any more serious enquiry could be made. My thanks to Mccrackenj nonetheless.

You can tell my taste is quite eclectic moving from that to the SL but I maintain a rolling ‘bucket list’ of cars and both were on it.

Before such things really do become extinct I am aiming to own a V6, V8, V10 and V12 - even if only a year each.

[rm163603]

728 days later said:

If any of you frequent YouTube, the guy from the M539 restorations channel has just bought a cheap E60 M5 6 speed manual and there’s a rather good video of him fixing it.

Thats a good call, I enjoyed that.

His e38 750i videos are good as well.

I actually think he did really well with that m5....

[g3org3y]

rm163603 said:

728 days later said:

If any of you frequent YouTube, the guy from the M539 restorations channel has just bought a cheap E60 M5 6 speed manual and there’s a rather good video of him fixing it.

Thats a good call, I enjoyed that.

His e38 750i videos are good as well.

I actually think he did really well with that m5....

Great YouTube channel.

[BlueMR2]

g3org3y said:

biggbn said:

tobinen said:

0a said:

Another 350 miles done in the z4 today. 41mpg for the first half, 37mpg overall. Not too bad.

Blimey! Good travels sir!

Thinking about a z4 to replace Mrs z3 before it completely disintegrates. Sounds great!!

What's your budget buggbn? The (E85) Z4 is a great car and early ones are an absolute bargain.

I've been fancying a Z4, just not sure I'd fit.

They have probably gone up abit in cost since pre covid, a 3L manual or auto would be nice. However I seem to recall that the auto's can have really expensive faults with the reverse gear? and the need the roof motor putting in the boot to keep it dry.

[g3org3y]

BlueMR2 said:

I've been fancying a Z4, just not sure I'd fit.

They have probably gone up abit in cost since pre covid, a 3L manual or auto would be nice. However I seem to recall that the auto's can have really expensive faults with the reverse gear? and the need the roof motor putting in the boot to keep it dry.

Only one way of knowing for sure! My BIL is tall. He fits but needs the seat all the way back.

Prices are strong for the most desirable 3.0Si models. You can get an early 3.0 (prefacelift + M54 engine) for 3-4k.

I'm not familiar with the auto box issues.

Yes, the roof motor can be bothersome. Primarily an issue with drains getting blocked and the motor sitting in water. I understand relocation to the boot can be done fairly cheaply (lots more detail on the Z4 forum: https://z4-forum.com/forum/index.php)

The Z4 is a very good car. IMVHO, better looking than the equivalent Boxster.





[/biased]

Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 12th July 06:25

[olly755]

I collected the RX400h yesterday. No forecourt shot as the car was local, and it’s only lady owner had kindly put £50 in it to “get me home” anyway. The professional valet and polish was a surprising and generous bonus. It’s an excellent example that has been on a Lexus service and warranty plan from day one. I always feel incredibly grateful to custodians of cars like this for pampering and servicing and dropping untold money on their cars, seemingly for no other reason than to provide me (and us) with a bargain used car buy.




As for the car itself, it’s really good. Boringly impressive, as unphotogenic as any Lexus, everything works and it needs nothing. The usual stuck record Lexus stuff. Probably the complete antithesis of the desirable world of pain that is the sub-£5k FFRR that I would love to buy but never would. These RX hybrids are nicely in thread budget now and are well worth considering if you need a bargey SUV or dog carrier.

No used car is 100% perfect of course. The interior smells of expensive perfume (better than the usual used Lexus smell of testosterone-y bald heads according to Mrs 755) and Silk Cut. I’m fine with the former but can’t stand the latter. Any sage advice as to how to deal with it?

[cornershop]

Joss sticks?

I read somewhere activated charcoal helps absorbs the smell, I don’t know how easy to obtain.

I like the RX400 - what is the quality of the interior and controls like?

[Bonefish Blues]

I used an AC bomb-thingy in a Saab once. Helped somewhat.

[defblade]

g3org3y said:

BlueMR2 said:

I've been fancying a Z4, just not sure I'd fit.

Only one way of knowing for sure! My BIL is tall. He fits but needs the seat all the way back.

I'm 6' 4". I don't know about with the roof up, but with it down, I have the choice of either hunching to look under the top windscreen rail, or stretching a bit to look over it A pity as I've always fancied one and they're really affordable these days.

[tobinen]

Congratulations olly755.

[biggbn]

olly755 said:

I collected the RX400h yesterday. No forecourt shot as the car was local, and it’s only lady owner had kindly put £50 in it to “get me home” anyway. The professional valet and polish was a surprising and generous bonus. It’s an excellent example that has been on a Lexus service and warranty plan from day one. I always feel incredibly grateful to custodians of cars like this for pampering and servicing and dropping untold money on their cars, seemingly for no other reason than to provide me (and us) with a bargain used car buy.




As for the car itself, it’s really good. Boringly impressive, as unphotogenic as any Lexus, everything works and it needs nothing. The usual stuck record Lexus stuff. Probably the complete antithesis of the desirable world of pain that is the sub-£5k FFRR that I would love to buy but never would. These RX hybrids are nicely in thread budget now and are well worth considering if you need a bargey SUV or dog carrier.

No used car is 100% perfect of course. The interior smells of expensive perfume (better than the usual used Lexus smell of testosterone-y bald heads according to Mrs 755) and Silk Cut. I’m fine with the former but can’t stand the latter. Any sage advice as to how to deal with it?

Fantastic, very jealous.

[Sterillium]

Is it me, or is there something odd about this 530 M Sport?

Not with the car, but with the seller... the AT link to their website 404's for me, unless I go via a Google search. No answer to a message via AT, no answer to an email, phoning just won't connect, and it's on AT but not on the website...

I'd quite like it as a daily driver, but the universe is conspiring against me I think.


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[LetsTryAgain]

olly755 said:

I collected the RX400h yesterday. No forecourt shot as the car was local, and it’s only lady owner had kindly put £50 in it to “get me home” anyway. The professional valet and polish was a surprising and generous bonus. It’s an excellent example that has been on a Lexus service and warranty plan from day one. I always feel incredibly grateful to custodians of cars like this for pampering and servicing and dropping untold money on their cars, seemingly for no other reason than to provide me (and us) with a bargain used car buy.

What age is it?

[User33678888]

Those Lexus RX are built like tanks. V popular in countries with terrible roads.

[W00DY]

olly755 said:

I collected the RX400h yesterday. No forecourt shot as the car was local, and it’s only lady owner had kindly put £50 in it to “get me home” anyway. The professional valet and polish was a surprising and generous bonus. It’s an excellent example that has been on a Lexus service and warranty plan from day one. I always feel incredibly grateful to custodians of cars like this for pampering and servicing and dropping untold money on their cars, seemingly for no other reason than to provide me (and us) with a bargain used car buy.




As for the car itself, it’s really good. Boringly impressive, as unphotogenic as any Lexus, everything works and it needs nothing. The usual stuck record Lexus stuff. Probably the complete antithesis of the desirable world of pain that is the sub-£5k FFRR that I would love to buy but never would. These RX hybrids are nicely in thread budget now and are well worth considering if you need a bargey SUV or dog carrier.

No used car is 100% perfect of course. The interior smells of expensive perfume (better than the usual used Lexus smell of testosterone-y bald heads according to Mrs 755) and Silk Cut. I’m fine with the former but can’t stand the latter. Any sage advice as to how to deal with it?

Very nice.


Someone linked to a product recently-ish that got great reviews for odour elimination, but I can't remember what it was called.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

That's a really nice car olly755, congratulations.

[Macron]

Six grand??

That's what's odd about it Sterillium!

Edited by Macron on Sunday 12th July 12:33

[Sterillium]

Macron said:

Six grand??

That's what's odd about it Sterillium!

Edited by Macron on Sunday 12th July 12:33

As 530 Sport Tourings go, without resorting to the diesel variety, these are few and far between, with this one significantly lower on the price scale than other examples but (it appears) significantly higher in terms of condition and history.