RE: High-mile heroes | Six of The Best

[parabolica]

brickwall said:

Robertb said:

parabolica said:

Robertb said:

The Mercedes intrigues me. Serviced every six months and no doubt wanted for nothing and what a piece of engineering and craftsmanship.

Just not sure what the use case is.

6 month services would suggest private hire; one of my old uni friends worked at a Chauffeur Service in London/Surrey and the had S classes and A8s which they would run until 100k before selling on. Had gigs transporting celebrities from the posher parts of the subuarbs and running them into events in the city.

I’m pretty sure I saw this car and another identical one on the M4 once nr Bath. Defo luxury private hire.

Probably a nice earner to be fair… I knew a retired chap who had a nice Jaguar who did driving work from time to time for local film company; said it paid well and he got to meet some very interesting people.

The bit that intrigues me is running a Maybach for this vs. a “standard” diesel LWB S-Class.

The full cost of operation in the Maybach must be 2-3x a diesel over those mileages, yet I can’t see it commanding 2-3x the rates for private hire?

There are high-end chauffeur services running Rolls and Bentleys; a Maybach isn’t that far a leap.

[cerb4.5lee]

Oilchange said:

I have no love for Porsches of late but that 928

Agreed. The 928 is one of my all time favourite cars for sure.

[mooseracer]

2 GKC said:

Bweber said:

Only the Mercedes is high mileage. The others are all well below average…

But still high mileage. You’re confusing high mileage and high mileage relative to age.

I came to say this after the 2 posts saying they weren't high mileage.

[brickwall]

parabolica said:

brickwall said:

Robertb said:

parabolica said:

Robertb said:

The Mercedes intrigues me. Serviced every six months and no doubt wanted for nothing and what a piece of engineering and craftsmanship.

Just not sure what the use case is.

6 month services would suggest private hire; one of my old uni friends worked at a Chauffeur Service in London/Surrey and the had S classes and A8s which they would run until 100k before selling on. Had gigs transporting celebrities from the posher parts of the subuarbs and running them into events in the city.

I’m pretty sure I saw this car and another identical one on the M4 once nr Bath. Defo luxury private hire.

Probably a nice earner to be fair… I knew a retired chap who had a nice Jaguar who did driving work from time to time for local film company; said it paid well and he got to meet some very interesting people.

The bit that intrigues me is running a Maybach for this vs. a “standard” diesel LWB S-Class.

The full cost of operation in the Maybach must be 2-3x a diesel over those mileages, yet I can’t see it commanding 2-3x the rates for private hire?

There are high-end chauffeur services running Rolls and Bentleys; a Maybach isn’t that far a leap.

But I can see how a Rolls or a Bentley can command a material price premium over an S-class. And I suspect the Rolls/Bentleys have lower-mileage use cases (weddings, special occasions) where people are wiling to pay top dollar for something “special” rather than shuttling execs around.

It’s very cool doing >100k miles in a Maybach, but I just can’t see how it commercially makes sense!

[rossub]

marcusRR said:

rossub said:

Are there really people who will pay £50k+ for a quattro with that kind of mileage?

Feels more like a £20k car to me.

I think you may be a bit out of touch with prices for quattros especially the 20v version.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/335475474413?mkcid=16&a...

Or..

https://www.classiccarauctions.co.uk/1990-audi-qua...

Edited by marcusRR on Saturday 20th July 14:13

Yeah each to their own, but it’s bonkers money for something with that miles and a clearly worn interior.

[biggbn]

cerb4.5lee said:

What I also love about that Merc is that it is a fuel guzzling big engined petrol. Whereas with me being a bit of a tight git, I'd be running a S400d instead for that high mileage job. Money no object though...you can't beat a V12 petrol for sure.

Obviously the tree hugging lot would suggest that a battery powered car would be even better I'd imagine though, and it blows my mind that even Rolls-Royce do an EV now for example.

Lee, you're surprised that a company that has pursued soporific tranquility and values refinement over all has made a car with the quietest, most effortless power plant currently available? I'm surprised at your surprise....

[dunnoreally]

Most of these are interesting enough cars that I can see why you would, assuming Holland and Holland actually gets a premium because I have zero interest in Range Rovers. Most are more than I'd pay, but if that's the market then that's the market.

Five and a half for a fairly leggy example of a pretty unremarkable old beemer (unless I'm missing something) feels steep though. Even if it's been very well cared for, that one still seems more like a 3 grand car to me.

[FarmerJim]

biggbn said:

Lee, you're surprised that a company that has pursued soporific tranquility and values refinement over all has made a car with the quietest, most effortless power plant currently available? I'm surprised at your surprise....

Not least because Henry Royce was a skilled electrical engineer. The F H Royce company made electric cranes and dynamos. I am quite sure that, had he been alive in the current age, he would have been leading the development of electric car design.

[flight147z]

The only realistically priced car is the BMW. Suspect the others will either be on the market for a long time or never driven again

[cerb4.5lee]

FarmerJim said:

biggbn said:

Lee, you're surprised that a company that has pursued soporific tranquility and values refinement over all has made a car with the quietest, most effortless power plant currently available? I'm surprised at your surprise....

Not least because Henry Royce was a skilled electrical engineer. The F H Royce company made electric cranes and dynamos. I am quite sure that, had he been alive in the current age, he would have been leading the development of electric car design.

Yeah and I just associate a roller as having a big engine really, because that was my era of knowing them. However I do get that electric can work well from a smoothness/quietness point of view though for sure.

[Mr Tidy]

That's a pretty varied collection, even if they look expensive to me!

I got over my mental block about 100K mileages when I bought a Mercedes 190e and I've had quite a few since. None has caused me any more issues than the newer lower mileage cars I ran before.

[biggbn]

cerb4.5lee said:

FarmerJim said:

biggbn said:

Lee, you're surprised that a company that has pursued soporific tranquility and values refinement over all has made a car with the quietest, most effortless power plant currently available? I'm surprised at your surprise....

Not least because Henry Royce was a skilled electrical engineer. The F H Royce company made electric cranes and dynamos. I am quite sure that, had he been alive in the current age, he would have been leading the development of electric car design.

Yeah and I just associate a roller as having a big engine really, because that was my era of knowing them. However I do get that electric can work well from a smoothness/quietness point of view though for sure.

'The only noise you can hear is the ticking of the clock'. I really want an old Roller. I mean, an OLD one. Something like a 20/25, something you have to DRIVE. Something utterly beguiling about a vintage Rolls Royce, and they can be surprisingly affordable.

[Lester H]

Hereward said:

Robertb said:

The Mercedes intrigues me. Serviced every six months and no doubt wanted for nothing and what a piece of engineering and craftsmanship.

Just not sure what the use case is.

To and from LHR T5 several times a day. Very cool car.

Absolutely. Lots of lesser shiny black Mercedes on the M25, but this is seriously classy and will go on for ages if cared for, especially if driven at chauffeur speeds. Lovely.

[86wasagoodyear]

Love lists like this. From these I especially like that Toyota GT-Four as a real-world proposition. Brilliant thing without being showy.

[braddo]

Agreed on the Celica gt4, great to see one on such mileage, it must be one of one in the uk. It is only potential bargain on this list, the rest look rather expensive to me.

[braddo]

Agreed on the Celica gt4, great to see one on such mileage, it must be one of one in the uk. It is only potential bargain on this list, the rest look rather expensive to me. Interesting selection

[732NM]

FarmerJim said:

Not least because Henry Royce was a skilled electrical engineer. The F H Royce company made electric cranes and dynamos. I am quite sure that, had he been alive in the current age, he would have been leading the development of electric car design.

He did, my great grandfather was a salesman for him based in his Manchester works.

[Heaveho]

Glad to see it's not just me who likes the GT4. It's the one I'd have.

[cerb4.5lee]

Heaveho said:

Glad to see it's not just me who likes the GT4. It's the one I'd have.

One of my mates had one years ago, and I always enjoyed driving it at the time. I also used to enjoy having a bit of fun racing him in my 200SX at the time as well.

Good memories.

[Baroque attacks]

Bweber said:

Only the Mercedes is high mileage. The others are all well below average…

True.

I’ve been in that model/spec only briefly when being driven from airport to hotel in HK. It was all very nice but the reclining seats in the back didn’t half grumble - not a rattle but the seat back rubbing against the rear bulkhead (or whatever it’s called) would get annoying pretty quick, let alone after biggly miles.