Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 21]

[RicksAlfas]

W00DY said:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14211895

Outrageous spec. I didn't even realise you could get radar cruise on a 2005 E90.

Folding rear seats too!

[W00DY]

RicksAlfas said:

W00DY said:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14211895

Outrageous spec. I didn't even realise you could get radar cruise on a 2005 E90.

Folding rear seats too!

If only it'd been specced as an estate in a dark colour and I'd probably have become a 3 BMW man.

[Bannock]

nobrakes said:

I think this qualifies

Toyota Camry
2002 (02 reg)
3.0 V6 CDX auto

100k miles

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209119...



The boot spoiler seems wholly inappropriate for this car, but that shouldn’t be a show stopper.

That's my kind of barge. Lovely.

[anonymous-user]

Bannock said:

nobrakes said:

I think this qualifies

Toyota Camry
2002 (02 reg)
3.0 V6 CDX auto

100k miles

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202209119...



The boot spoiler seems wholly inappropriate for this car, but that shouldn’t be a show stopper.

That's my kind of barge. Lovely.

Decent price too, I watched this one go at BCA and with fees it'll be barely any cheaper than the one you can go and look at



That'd make a decent no nonsense smoker.

[Crook]

Looks good value - not the best proportioned of cars however being a Camry it's not going to surprise in any negative ways and will probably be quite amusing to mooch about in.

Internet says:

Reports Find the Toyota Camry is Twice as Likely as the Average Car to Reach 200,000 Miles
The Toyota Camry has been America’s best-selling car for almost 20 years straight. Kudos to Toyota’s premier engineering ability, because boastful Camry-owners can be found in comment sections across online forums raving about their vehicle’s high milestones.

A significant number of owners report seeing their Toyota Camry’s odometer reach between 100,000 to 200,000 miles. Some owners even report mileage as high as 300,000 and beyond.

According to reliability studies conducted by automotive research firm iSeeCars, the Toyota Camry is nearly twice as likely to reach 200,000 miles over the average car. The report also found that 8.5 percent of original Toyota Camry owners kept their vehicle for 15-plus years, which is almost 1.5 times longer than the average car.

(Also, what a weird name.)

[anonymous-user]

I really don't understand how anyone else sells dross (Mondeos, Focuses, Meganes, 308s, all the NPC cars) when you could just buy a Toyota. They're all boring, they all drive much the same, if you've already decided you want white goods and they all cost more or less the same surely you get the one that you'll have to think about the absolute least? I know, rationally, that there are Nigels at home unzipping their fly every time they get out their Qashqai or Kadjar brochure and really hope they can get the EXS because the EX doesn't have illuminated door pockets, but on a profound level I just don't understand it.

I know that I, and I suspect a lot of other people, were put off Japanese cars by the UK motoring press pouring cold piss on them all through the 80s and 90s with drivel like how they are "boring" and "soulless" but it wasn't like a Sierra or Cavalier was swinging the excitement meter up to 11 was it? With the benefit of age and independent thought I think almost anyone who bought any of those stty cars would have been better served by a Carina.

[Bannock]

stickleback123 said:

I really don't understand how anyone else sells dross (Mondeos, Focuses, Meganes, 308s, all the NPC cars) when you could just buy a Toyota. They're all boring, they all drive much the same, if you've already decided you want white goods and they all cost more or less the same surely you get the one that you'll have to think about the absolute least? I know, rationally, that there are Nigels at home unzipping their fly every time they get out their Qashqai or Kadjar brochure and really hope they can get the EXS because the EX doesn't have illuminated door pockets, but on a profound level I just don't understand it.

I know that I, and I suspect a lot of other people, were put off Japanese cars by the UK motoring press pouring cold piss on them all through the 80s and 90s with drivel like how they are "boring" and "soulless" but it wasn't like a Sierra or Cavalier was swinging the excitement meter up to 11 was it? With the benefit of age and independent thought I think almost anyone who bought any of those stty cars would have been better served by a Carina.

I've owned dozens of cars, mostly European, but now I have 3 on the drive - Honda, Nissan and Toyota. So I think the penny has dropped with me. The last straw which tipped me out of Euro metal was a money pit Merc S211.

I'm in the process of helping to find a cheap starter car for a niece. I keep showing them Yarises, Jazzes etc, but no. They will buy her a VW Polo - I asked my sister why so stuck on them, and well, "they're pretty". It will be ste. My other niece was the same, bought an old FIAT 500 against my advice and has regretted it ever since, but still won't change it despite it breaking down about 7 times a day. There's just no helping some folk, they've got to have the Waitrose image when you can find better products for less at Aldi.

In the case of smoker barges though, there just are too few Camrys in the UK to make them a realistic option. Which is a massive shame.

[Krikkit]

stickleback123 said:

I really don't understand how anyone else sells dross (Mondeos, Focuses, Meganes, 308s, all the NPC cars) when you could just buy a Toyota. They're all boring, they all drive much the same, if you've already decided you want white goods and they all cost more or less the same surely you get the one that you'll have to think about the absolute least?

I wouldn't agree they drive the same - Ford in particular produced some extremely well-engineered cars in terms of dynamics, and before that PSA were top of the pile when the Japanese equivalents drove very boringly.

Then you've got the less tangible questions of styling preferences etc, some people just irrationally prefer certain brands.

Some friends of ours have had 3x Avensis in a row, and although they've been good cars they haven't been imperious in terms of reliability, they're boring to drive and very unexciting to look at and sit in. Just bland.

[Crook]

stickleback123 said:

I really don't understand how anyone else sells dross (Mondeos, Focuses, Meganes, 308s, all the NPC cars) when you could just buy a Toyota. They're all boring, they all drive much the same, if you've already decided you want white goods and they all cost more or less the same surely you get the one that you'll have to think about the absolute least? I know, rationally, that there are Nigels at home unzipping their fly every time they get out their Qashqai or Kadjar brochure and really hope they can get the EXS because the EX doesn't have illuminated door pockets, but on a profound level I just don't understand it.

I know that I, and I suspect a lot of other people, were put off Japanese cars by the UK motoring press pouring cold piss on them all through the 80s and 90s with drivel like how they are "boring" and "soulless" but it wasn't like a Sierra or Cavalier was swinging the excitement meter up to 11 was it? With the benefit of age and independent thought I think almost anyone who bought any of those stty cars would have been better served by a Carina.

I think you're forgetting the speaker joystick in the Ford. Easily the best in-class feature.

That and the Ford dealerships had RS areas where you could lust over "pepperpots" and "7-spokes".

[ferrisbueller]

W00DY said:

RicksAlfas said:

W00DY said:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14211895

Outrageous spec. I didn't even realise you could get radar cruise on a 2005 E90.

Folding rear seats too!

If only it'd been specced as an estate in a dark colour and I'd probably have become a 3 BMW man.

To be fair, with the folding rear seats I can't recall many occasions where mine not being an estate was a serious limitation. E91s are so hard to find I think many people search out an E90 with the folding seats.

[donkmeister]

Speaking as someone with a 15 year old Toyota (a Lexus LS460) the reliability angle is overstated, and it is far from bargain bucket motoring when things are required.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's unreliable, and I wasn't expecting it to be cheap to run so I'm far from disappointed, but looking at the service history back to new as well as my own experiences over the last year I'd say it's been no better than an equivalent S-class of similar vintage (comparing it with 7 years of E500 ownership and extrapolating).

Now one could say "but it's beyond design life, obviously things will need changing"; true, but I've not seen any fewer parts need changing due to life than I have on a Mercedes.

[callahan]

StescoG66 said:

james6546 said:

For connectivity you could get something like this (I've got a taotronics one in my saab, but I can't seem to find it for sale).

.

It plugs into the aux and cigarette lighter, then turns off and on with the car power and pairs like the car would.

The mic on the one I bought is perfectly acceptible and it's reasonably easy to get used to it being stuck to the dash.

Thank you

I had looked at this however only downside is you have to pick your phone up to change/select tracks etc which is - obviously - not advisable

I have one of these in my Outback: https://www.gromaudio.co.uk/products/bluetooth-han...

It works really well over Bluetooth and can give you steering wheel controls too if you get the right bits, although you still have to get it started before you set off - ie select playlist etc.

Jealous of the Levinson sound system, I bet that's lovely.

[RicksAlfas]

Anyone any hints and tips for curing a slow retracting seatbelt?
(Renault Clio non barge).

[Bonefish Blues]

Silicone spray

[d_a_n1979]

RicksAlfas said:

Anyone any hints and tips for curing a slow retracting seatbelt?
(Renault Clio non barge).

Wash it first and then a light spraying of furniture polish or as above silicone spray... That'll soon sort it

[RicksAlfas]

Thanks. Will give that a whirl.

[SpeckledJim]

And in the opposite direction, any tips for hyper-sensitive inertia reel catches that don't release properly to allow the belt to extend? (Alphard)

[Bonefish Blues]

Cursing loudly hasn't worked for me, but it remains my standard approach.

[Mark-C]

Bonefish Blues said:

Cursing loudly hasn't worked for me, but it remains my standard approach.

I hadn't actually realised there were alternative methods ...

[RicksAlfas]

Mark-C said:

Bonefish Blues said:

Cursing loudly hasn't worked for me, but it remains my standard approach.

I hadn't actually realised there were alternative methods ...

You can try varying the strength of your tug.
Also make sure you are on the flat when doing it as an incline can make a difference.