Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 18]

[Macron]

It's not thread fodder being 12k of 22" wheeled X5, but if you're thinking of buying a V8 petrol engined one (as I am) the list of whats been done in the last 12 months is illuminating. 6k plus brakes...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021022695...

[g3org3y]

LetsTryAgain said:

g3org3y said:

Fond E23 memories. My uncle had a 728 in green. Rust killed it unfortunately.


My dad and I doing some work on it (fanboy indoctrination from an early age!)

That's an absolutely fantastic picture.

Thank you. If my dad ever complains that I spend to much time/money on cars, I remind him it's all his fault


Overpriced prefacelift E39 535i, but reportedly rust free: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-e39-535i-v8-auto...



Or would sir prefer more luxury and bork potential? Facelift E65 750i: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/2006-bmw-7-series-5....

[g3org3y]

Macron said:

It's not thread fodder being 12k of 22" wheeled X5, but if you're thinking of buying a V8 petrol engined one (as I am) the list of whats been done in the last 12 months is illuminating. 6k plus brakes...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021022695...

N62 can bring bill bills. Feel sorry for the owner, spent £££ and ultimately left with a mediocre spec'd car that makes him/her look like a drug dealer.

(No cooled seats, no active seats, no 4 zone climate, no rear heated seats, no pano roof (and I assume no HUD but switch (or lack of it) can't be seen in the photos). I'd be staggered if it has the Dynamic Drive option, but again can't see the switch (just in front of the auto selector). Also st wheels.)

At least it has the 7 seat option (if important!)

E70 X5 spec is quite variable. Quite a few poorly spec'd examples out there.

Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 7th March 13:24

[BlackStang5point0]

123DWA said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303886007604

Has anyone had any dealings with this chap? I’ve noticed he sells a few big Lexus/Toyota. Also, any previous experience with LS460’s here? Most uk based stuff I can find online is about the 600h

I'm sure someone more learned than I will be along shortly but I 'think' that chap has had a few aliases over the years and sold a few dodgy motas..!! Probably best avoided.

T-Lex is your man for current LS460 patrionship but one or two others have experience also. I also seem to recall there is/was an LS460 currently for sale at a small dealer that was previously owned by a threadist and the word is that it is best avoided.

[bolidemichael]

bolidemichael said:

BlackStang5point0 said:

LetsTryAgain said:

bobiwine said:

I watched the M539 YouTube video of this m5 rod bearing and engine work last night. The amount of work he did on it is frankly frightening. £7k in parts alone

Running one with a full/comprehensive warranty is the most sensible choice.

All this E60 M5 talk and this thread has recently popped up:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

In summary guy buys M5 from independent dealer. Has it inspected by BMW and given clean bill of health so goes ahead with purchase plus adds BMW insured warranty + a ghost immobiliser. 4 weeks later engine goes kaputt. Gets dragged into BMW they inspect and put in warranty claim which is refused as vehicle fitted with non BMW approved modifications (the immobiliser). Or something like that..!!

I think that there is a slim hope of BMW Mondial capitulating, but I doubt it.

Golly. This thread got removed after the revelation that the claimant owned a business offering 'super car experiences'.

[anotherswifty]

Scooobydont said:

Couple of interesting ones up this way today:

£3495

1985 SAAB 900 GL 5 DR

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1311042



£6500, a touch over budget but lovely colour and I guess quite rare?

2002 330 D ALPINA M TECH

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1310761

Great example of how the market has gone a bit nuts.
Sold my 9-3 (last of the hatches) 5d weasel powered 2002 for 5k+ after lingering for a while. 3.5k seems steep.

[anonymous-user]

g3org3y said:

Or would sir prefer more luxury and bork potential? Facelift E65 750i: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/2006-bmw-7-series-5....

Really like those. It's like crispy bacon fat or eating the chicken skin. Totally indulgent but you know it's going to contribute to your premature death.

[d_a_n1979]

g3org3y said:

LetsTryAgain said:

g3org3y said:

Fond E23 memories. My uncle had a 728 in green. Rust killed it unfortunately.


My dad and I doing some work on it (fanboy indoctrination from an early age!)

That's an absolutely fantastic picture.

Overpriced prefacelift E39 535i, but reportedly rust free: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-e39-535i-v8-auto...

£2-£3k overpriced easy enough...

A good spec; but still; it's an SE and it's not a popular version to go for... It'll be sale for a good while at that price unless they get a clueless/desperate buyer etc

[W00DY]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-G-BMW-525I-SE-E34-...

[BlackStang5point0]

bolidemichael said:

bolidemichael said:

BlackStang5point0 said:

LetsTryAgain said:

bobiwine said:

I watched the M539 YouTube video of this m5 rod bearing and engine work last night. The amount of work he did on it is frankly frightening. £7k in parts alone

Running one with a full/comprehensive warranty is the most sensible choice.

All this E60 M5 talk and this thread has recently popped up:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

In summary guy buys M5 from independent dealer. Has it inspected by BMW and given clean bill of health so goes ahead with purchase plus adds BMW insured warranty + a ghost immobiliser. 4 weeks later engine goes kaputt. Gets dragged into BMW they inspect and put in warranty claim which is refused as vehicle fitted with non BMW approved modifications (the immobiliser). Or something like that..!!

I think that there is a slim hope of BMW Mondial capitulating, but I doubt it.

Golly. This thread got removed after the revelation that the claimant owned a business offering 'super car experiences'.

According to the OP it was removed for naming and shaming and it's back up.... 'sort of':

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[anonymous-user]

MichaelXJ said:

bolidemichael said:

plasticpig said:

MichaelXJ said:

The X350 for me is the one to get, still classically styled and a really good reputation for reliability!

I agree! My thinking is there can’t be much wrong with it if it’s returning that kind of mpg

Not my experience of the X350. In 30k miles I had the:

Air spring suspension control Module
O/S headlamp
Drivers door Module
Drivers window regulator

All fail on me.

Bon chance, Michael

If you did the same 30k miles in a s class or 7 series you will maybe have a different opinion on what’s a bad 30k miles

That seems a very reasonable list of repairs over 30k (2/3 years?) in a car that is at least 10 years old and possibly as old as 17.

I've done circa 5k in a 2007 Mercedes S600 with 80k on the clock in six months and spent well over a grand in parts alone, and if I didn't DIY (or get WB to help) I'd have spent similar in labour. Running old barges is rarely cheap, unless you buy an LS430.

[buccal]

Heading towards 3 years in my LS430.

It’s needed a wheel bearing and a control arm.

After years of running MBs and whilst I’m certain an S500 would be a far nicer drive I can’t ever see me going back.

[g3org3y]

W00DY said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1989-G-BMW-525I-SE-E34-...

This colour/alloy wheel combo brings back memories, had an E34 520i (manual) in my final year of medical school (after my Boston Green E36 328i saloon got written off), driving between London and Canterbury. Very relaxing and comfortable car.

This looks like a nice example but 6k...

RonaldMcDonaldAteMyCat said:

g3org3y said:

Or would sir prefer more luxury and bork potential? Facelift E65 750i: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/2006-bmw-7-series-5....

Really like those. It's like crispy bacon fat or eating the chicken skin. Totally indulgent but you know it's going to contribute to your premature death.

I think the facelift front end really helps the E65 styling (imo the Bangle design which has aged the worst).

I always find the interiors of these a bit odd, with nice wood and leather and then the grey plastic vents and bits on the centre console which look quite cheap. Perhaps they look/feel better IRL?

Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 7th March 16:25

E39 action here: Facelift 525i for half Barge budget: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-525i-automatic-o...



Advert has the kind of photos I like with spare wheel well, toolkit, keys and service history all included.

Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 7th March 16:33

[Dapster]

Have we had this before? I don't think that it's one of Shilly's efforts despite the suburban street and general spanking presentation? Bit leggy and the copy
isn't like him. 140k miles but clean MOT.







https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Mercedes-E430-Avan...

[Macron]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021022494...

Abysmal photos, looks like it's never been cleaned by the ONE owner, and condensation inside, but great colour combo for a Mk1.

[Nicks90]

That's really nice, but I struggle in my mind with the point of an e430 amg
Surely if you want lots of power and horrendous mpg + massive bork factor, you just buy a 500 and be done with it.
What does the 430 have over the 500? Maybe 2-3mpg - but then loses out everywhere else.

Or am I missing the 'point' of one of these?

[g3org3y]

Macron said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2021022494...

Abysmal photos, looks like it's never been cleaned by the ONE owner, and condensation inside, but great colour combo for a Mk1.

I bought that exact(!?) colour combo as an E70 (I notice SE with the sideboards as well). My seller also had rubber mats in his advert photos!

[Dapster]

Nicks90 said:

That's really nice, but I struggle in my mind with the point of an e430 amg
Surely if you want lots of power and horrendous mpg + massive bork factor, you just buy a 500 and be done with it.
What does the 430 have over the 500? Maybe 2-3mpg - but then loses out everywhere else.

Or am I missing the 'point' of one of these?

It isn't an "AMG" - that's just a stuck on badge. The 430 was the big engined barge for wafting from the office to the golf club. The E55 was a proper hairy chested "AMG" and 80 odd more bhp. In the W210, the 430 was the biggest engine you could get before going AMG. The non AMG E500 only came out in the W211 which followed this.

[LetsTryAgain]

g3org3y said:

My seller also had rubber mats in his advert photos!

Not to mention his finger over the shutter...
That X5 (yours) looks smart as a carrot.


Thread - look at the front end photo of the red E34 posted (think it's the 8th picture) and tell me it isn't 100 times preferable to whatever BMW are churning out ATM.

[d_a_n1979]

g3org3y said:

I think the facelift front end really helps the E65 styling (imo the Bangle design which has aged the worst).

I always find the interiors of these a bit odd, with nice wood and leather and then the grey plastic vents and bits on the centre console which look quite cheap. Perhaps they look/feel better IRL?

Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 7th March 16:25

E39 action here: Facelift 525i for half Barge budget: https://www.gumtree.com/p/bmw/bmw-525i-automatic-o...



Advert has the kind of photos I like with spare wheel well, toolkit, keys and service history all included.

Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 7th March 16:33

Agree re the E65; wouldn't consider a pre-FL one at all; but the FL ones are nice and nice interiors too IMO; as long as it's not that ' orange' wood finish Has to be a Sport too IMO; nicer steering wheel then

I really liked the interior on mine:



That E39 525i looks a lovely car; £2.5k for that with genuine Style 37s on isn't bad at all; it'll go for c£2k IMO

You'd get close to £1k just selling the alloys & tyres!