Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 21]
Discussion
Leins said:
Have we had this one yet folks: https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/13471136
A few marks despite the low mileage, but I love this era of Audi
I had a 2.6 one of these, only a few number plate digits away, as a temporary mini barge a few years ago. Lovely thing (if not much of a handler) - just shows how far Audi have fallenA few marks despite the low mileage, but I love this era of Audi
Ticks a lot of boxes for me other than the price
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165604133754?hash=item2...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165604133754?hash=item2...
An Audi A8 4.2tdi LWB debrief.
For those interested, here are my findings if buying, servicing and properly using a D3 A8. This may influence other threaders.
First and foremost, it didn't break. This was my biggest fear. I was covered for breakdown and am really glad I didn't need it at all. A lot of people give these cars a rough time iver reliability. I sustained myself by 1) servicing it and giving it new tyres before leaving and 2) by looking at several classifieds for these cars over 200k mi. Mine is only on 118k.
Not only did it not break, it did a wonderful job of conveying 3 adults and one child in considerable comfort to and from Bordeaux 'in a oner'. Both times I did the journey without changing drivers. The seats are bloody excellent. Probably 2nd comfiest after volvo v70/850 and not a long way behind. There is every chance I am looking back with Rose tinted specs and if that is the case, optional 'comfort' seats do exactly what they say on the tin.
It roars about in near silence, at whatever internal temperature you like, with Bluetooth audio and hands free phone. In that regard, it is really beguiling and far outstrips the 'all the car you'd ever want' tick-list.
As well as doing the big journeys, it functioned as a family bus whilst there. Water parks, beach, shops it did the lot. It is a bit of a swine for small spaces and I lived in fear of it being stored in by careless French people. Despite a very close call with a Renault Clio in Rouen on the way home, nothing bad happened. For all the mess and detritus that accumulated during a week of heavy use, it will not be more than a hoover out and a wash to restore full respectability.
The star of the show is definitely that engine. It will sit rock steady at 83mph at 2000rpm all day. This is not an exaggeration or thoughtless quip everyone uses to engender usefullness or driveability, this is me saying it does that. It is also more than capable.of creeping towards 100mph, 120mph or more and cruising. The only indication you are doing this is numbers changing on the dash and perhaps a bit more aeroplane-like soft roaring of air over the car.
Is it terrible on fuel? It depends what your frame of reference is? If you drive a hybrid, EV or tiny engined eco-machine, it is definitely terrible on fuel. However, it offers comfort, refinement, kit and pace they can't. How is it against other cars I've gunned across Europe? It is better on fuel than a P1 Volvo V70 and a nicer place to be overall. A lexus LS400 driven at similar speeds will be mid to low 20's mpg. Averaged over the trip, with plenty of short trips and squirtage where room allowed, it returned 33.8mpg. You choose if this is good or bad. I am chuffed.
Despite having driven a long way in it, well loaded, I don't think I got close to the spicy ceiling of this car's potential. It felt like it could have gone faster and further. A great achievement would be to do a whole tank with no stops but such a selfish enterprise was not possible with 4 bladders, 4 stomachs and so forth. I have absolutely no doubt it would smack into its 155moh limiter with ease. I think it would be a hoot 'chipped' or 'tuned or whatever but even 'plain Jane' spec it is a really brilliant car.
I would love to keep it. I might. But... I would not be using it properly. It would be a shame to use it to just go to the shops, the skate park with my boy, rural carparks for walks and cycling, the occasional pub. I would love it to carry on living its best life. In the current climate, high tax, fuel bills and elevated maintenance costs mean a lot of people snub it or even actively dislike it. However, to the right person, I bet this is an absolute bargain and maybe even a dream car.
It did what I wanted it to, without issue. I think it now represents a good example of a D3 A8. It has 4 new, matching tyres, a full and proper service and has just proven it is a working vehicle without any bork-alarms going off.
For anyone still reading. The holiday I just did absolutely chubbed my barge-parsnip. Anyone thinking about doing something along the lines of what I did - go for it. The tarmac is smooth, the roads are open, traffic density is low, waze tells you where the rozzers and cameras are. A lot the joy of driving sadly lacking in the UK is still to be found on the continent. For how long and for how long in these types of cars, I don't know.
One happy thing I saw was an enormous queue of tesla and the like waiting for a sip of electricity. With an ICE car you just roll in and roll out like normal. I don't think the threat to 'our type' of car will be the sudden proliferation and overnight excellence of EV. It will be the demonisation of their engines and exhausts, despite there being no viable alternative...yet.
I like this thread and the people herein.
Thanks.
For those interested, here are my findings if buying, servicing and properly using a D3 A8. This may influence other threaders.
First and foremost, it didn't break. This was my biggest fear. I was covered for breakdown and am really glad I didn't need it at all. A lot of people give these cars a rough time iver reliability. I sustained myself by 1) servicing it and giving it new tyres before leaving and 2) by looking at several classifieds for these cars over 200k mi. Mine is only on 118k.
Not only did it not break, it did a wonderful job of conveying 3 adults and one child in considerable comfort to and from Bordeaux 'in a oner'. Both times I did the journey without changing drivers. The seats are bloody excellent. Probably 2nd comfiest after volvo v70/850 and not a long way behind. There is every chance I am looking back with Rose tinted specs and if that is the case, optional 'comfort' seats do exactly what they say on the tin.
It roars about in near silence, at whatever internal temperature you like, with Bluetooth audio and hands free phone. In that regard, it is really beguiling and far outstrips the 'all the car you'd ever want' tick-list.
As well as doing the big journeys, it functioned as a family bus whilst there. Water parks, beach, shops it did the lot. It is a bit of a swine for small spaces and I lived in fear of it being stored in by careless French people. Despite a very close call with a Renault Clio in Rouen on the way home, nothing bad happened. For all the mess and detritus that accumulated during a week of heavy use, it will not be more than a hoover out and a wash to restore full respectability.
The star of the show is definitely that engine. It will sit rock steady at 83mph at 2000rpm all day. This is not an exaggeration or thoughtless quip everyone uses to engender usefullness or driveability, this is me saying it does that. It is also more than capable.of creeping towards 100mph, 120mph or more and cruising. The only indication you are doing this is numbers changing on the dash and perhaps a bit more aeroplane-like soft roaring of air over the car.
Is it terrible on fuel? It depends what your frame of reference is? If you drive a hybrid, EV or tiny engined eco-machine, it is definitely terrible on fuel. However, it offers comfort, refinement, kit and pace they can't. How is it against other cars I've gunned across Europe? It is better on fuel than a P1 Volvo V70 and a nicer place to be overall. A lexus LS400 driven at similar speeds will be mid to low 20's mpg. Averaged over the trip, with plenty of short trips and squirtage where room allowed, it returned 33.8mpg. You choose if this is good or bad. I am chuffed.
Despite having driven a long way in it, well loaded, I don't think I got close to the spicy ceiling of this car's potential. It felt like it could have gone faster and further. A great achievement would be to do a whole tank with no stops but such a selfish enterprise was not possible with 4 bladders, 4 stomachs and so forth. I have absolutely no doubt it would smack into its 155moh limiter with ease. I think it would be a hoot 'chipped' or 'tuned or whatever but even 'plain Jane' spec it is a really brilliant car.
I would love to keep it. I might. But... I would not be using it properly. It would be a shame to use it to just go to the shops, the skate park with my boy, rural carparks for walks and cycling, the occasional pub. I would love it to carry on living its best life. In the current climate, high tax, fuel bills and elevated maintenance costs mean a lot of people snub it or even actively dislike it. However, to the right person, I bet this is an absolute bargain and maybe even a dream car.
It did what I wanted it to, without issue. I think it now represents a good example of a D3 A8. It has 4 new, matching tyres, a full and proper service and has just proven it is a working vehicle without any bork-alarms going off.
For anyone still reading. The holiday I just did absolutely chubbed my barge-parsnip. Anyone thinking about doing something along the lines of what I did - go for it. The tarmac is smooth, the roads are open, traffic density is low, waze tells you where the rozzers and cameras are. A lot the joy of driving sadly lacking in the UK is still to be found on the continent. For how long and for how long in these types of cars, I don't know.
One happy thing I saw was an enormous queue of tesla and the like waiting for a sip of electricity. With an ICE car you just roll in and roll out like normal. I don't think the threat to 'our type' of car will be the sudden proliferation and overnight excellence of EV. It will be the demonisation of their engines and exhausts, despite there being no viable alternative...yet.
I like this thread and the people herein.
Thanks.
Mod edit
CharlesdeGaulle said:
TyrannosauRoss Lex said:
I agree. They're handsome things. Sterillium said:
Weekend perusal, some with mild Friday budget creep...
5.0 SL500 in a lovely colour.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205035...
Not really a barge at all.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207187...
An S500 in a great colour.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207278...
An utter monster, but comes with a fridge and a free sausage dog.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207228...
4.2 litre Daimler Limousine with a big bum.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207187...
Are we actually seeing the used market slowly getting back to 'sensible'? With people not being able to take the proverbial? 5.0 SL500 in a lovely colour.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205035...
Not really a barge at all.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207187...
An S500 in a great colour.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207278...
An utter monster, but comes with a fridge and a free sausage dog.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207228...
4.2 litre Daimler Limousine with a big bum.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207187...
That's £5K off the price of the Camaro's advertised price of a month ago and £1500 off the 500SL price of a fortnight ago...
Foeux said:
One happy thing I saw was an enormous queue of tesla and the like waiting for a sip of electricity. With an ICE car you just roll in and roll out like normal. I don't think the threat to 'our type' of car will be the sudden proliferation and overnight excellence of EV. It will be the demonisation of their engines and exhausts, despite there being no viable alternative...yet.
I like this thread and the people herein.
Thanks.
Anecdotally, I saw quite a few Scandinavian registered Teslas and other EVs as far south as Dubrovnik and Montenegro this summer. That demonstrates a certain amount of viability.I like this thread and the people herein.
Thanks.
Mod edit
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