Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 21]

[E90_M3Ross]

I couldn't give a toss what a tyre tread looks like. The only time I care is when it's worn Most important things are dry and wet grip, braking performance, then durability and efficiency. I certainly wouldn't buy a tyre based on what the tread pattern looks like, a half-decent looking sidewall can be a nice touch but far from a deal breaker.

You guys are mad

[RUI488]

But the point being that if you know what you’re looking at the tread pattern can give you an idea of those qualities you’ve outlined.

[E90_M3Ross]

RUI488 said:

But the point being that if you know what you’re looking at the tread pattern can give you an idea of those qualities you’ve outlined.

I just go by online reviews (eg Tyre Reviews) rather than by looking at the tread pattern to be fair

[CharlesdeGaulle]

RUI488 said:

But the point being that if you know what you’re looking at the tread pattern can give you an idea of those qualities you’ve outlined.

I'm sorry chum but that's complete guff. The average motorist cannot tell squat about tyre tread. I venture that virtually none of us can tell squat about tyre tread. As a general rule, I suspect that new average tyres will perform better than well-worn premiums, but who can really tell from the tread alone?

[BenS94]

tobinen said:

BenS94 said:

If one of you fine gents with a BCA trade account could keep an eye on my old L494 and let me know what it sells for, my curious, nosey mind will be very grateful.

https://www.bca.co.uk/lot/PL65%20URE?q=Land+rover&...

£13,400 provisional

Thank you for that, they won't take that as they'll be losing £3,000

[21st Century Man]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

RUI488 said:

But the point being that if you know what you’re looking at the tread pattern can give you an idea of those qualities you’ve outlined.

I'm sorry chum but that's complete guff. The average motorist cannot tell squat about tyre tread. I venture that virtually none of us can tell squat about tyre tread. As a general rule, I suspect that new average tyres will perform better than well-worn premiums, but who can really tell from the tread alone?

Which is why the reviews across a range of conditions are the thing to study. I was reading an UHP summer tyre review and one of the top performers dropped off dramatically when part worn, which fair put me off it, whereas the others with similar top points didn't. How it would compare to a new average tyre in tests would be interesting. Also, the top performer/test winner may not be the best tyre for one's needs, if one prioritises say ride, noise and wet weather performance above other disciplines. I often find that 3rd or 4th place might be the best tyre for me, although it may also be that the winner is too, coincidentally.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

Exactly, 21CM. The reviews by professional bodies are helpful; the aesthetic of the tread is not (for virtually everyone, expert tyre designers excepted).

[GeniusOfLove]

BenS94 said:

tobinen said:

BenS94 said:

If one of you fine gents with a BCA trade account could keep an eye on my old L494 and let me know what it sells for, my curious, nosey mind will be very grateful.

https://www.bca.co.uk/lot/PL65%20URE?q=Land+rover&...

£13,400 provisional

Thank you for that, they won't take that as they'll be losing £3,000

They will eventually...

[E90_M3Ross]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Exactly, 21CM. The reviews by professional bodies are helpful; the aesthetic of the tread is not (for virtually everyone, expert tyre designers excepted).

Agree with you both.

[21st Century Man]

CharlesdeGaulle said:

Exactly, 21CM. The reviews by professional bodies are helpful; the aesthetic of the tread is not (for virtually everyone, expert tyre designers excepted).

I wouldn't entirely say that the tread pattern was unimportant, my Vredestein Quatrac look bloody terrible on the Century, not just the tread pattern but the fancy sidewall graphics too. It didn't stop me from buying them but it was VERY close to being a deal killer.

[Swervin_Mervin]

21st Century Man said:

Tread patterns are like watch straps, you wouldn't want mesh on each corner surely?

And don't get me started on the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta not being handed, so they looked so wrong on one side.

They were bloody brilliant tyres though.

[21st Century Man]

Swervin_Mervin said:

21st Century Man said:

Tread patterns are like watch straps, you wouldn't want mesh on each corner surely?

And don't get me started on the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta not being handed, so they looked so wrong on one side.

They were bloody brilliant tyres though.

Yes. I wanted a set back in the day, but they didn't do my size.

[Swervin_Mervin]

21st Century Man said:

Swervin_Mervin said:

21st Century Man said:

Tread patterns are like watch straps, you wouldn't want mesh on each corner surely?

And don't get me started on the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta not being handed, so they looked so wrong on one side.

They were bloody brilliant tyres though.

Yes. I wanted a set back in the day, but they didn't do my size.

Had them on my E91 and was gutted when they stopped making them. The GY F15 wasn't a patch. The current Michelin PS5 are decent, but at a price (and no rim protection)

[ingenieur]

My apologies for turning this into a tyre thread. I should have thought about what could happen before making that comment!

[21st Century Man]

Friday.

We could've spent pages on chickens or trousers, or both.

[bolidemichael]

_jon the PHer that runs tyrereviews.co.uk has repeatedly told us on the winter tyre thread that manufacturers drive tyre tread design more to aesthetic appeal than outright function, as there's little meaningful variation in increments of tread design over compound quality. It's a thing.

[Mancayman]

ingenieur said:

Mancayman said:

E90_M3Ross said:

donkmeister said:

Mancayman said:

Good evening bargeists
Hoping you can help.
Would like something comfy to get me from Cheshire to Gloucestershire and back once a week - a round trip of 230ish miles.
Currently use my wife's X1 or our Mini. The X1 is great at that, the Mini isn't too bad surprisingly. However, at 12 years old the Mini is more expensive to run than my Cayman due to the frequency of things that need fixing and replacing. Also, it's not auto and does not have cruise or heated seats.
The curve ball here is that my son takes his driving test next month - is there a barge in existence that would be insurable for a newly qualified 17 year old for him to use when necessary.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Or am I being completely unrealistic?!
Thanks in advance.

The answer is just above you - V8 M3 will do it in just over an hour each way whilst sipping gently at the petrol.

fuel efficient it really isn't. Not too bad for what it is I guess, but yeah, it's not great. Worth it

Think insurance may be an issue too!

About the best you're going to be able to do with it being vaguely insurable is to go for something like a 1.6 Vauxhall Insignia / Vectra. Some of them have a long fifth gear so can be quite good for motorway cruising, you'd have to do some research to figure out which model would suit.

Haha was hoping someone would say an A8 or XJ is just the ticket! Thanks for the suggestion.

[deadtom]

Mancayman said:

Haha was hoping someone would say an A8 or XJ is just the ticket! Thanks for the suggestion.

Does it have to have to be in any way socially acceptable to said 17 year old? I'm sure something old and Volvo shaped would be no worse to insure than a small hatchback.
Like you suggest, an XJ might be a good one to look at; when I was 19 it cost about the same to insure me as a named driver on my dad's XJ6 4 litre (a 10 year old car at the time) as I paid for my own car insurance, around £600 for the year if I recall, so while I suspect you might still have to look at the same shape as I was insured on (X300 / X308 shape), you might find that insurance is still tolerable due to them being as desperately uncool now as they were then.
In case you aren't a colossal barge bore like the rest of us in this thread and don't know old Jags by their model code, the X300 / 308 is this shape:


I suspect an A8 would be a fair bit more expensive as the Audi badge is actually desirable to young people

[Wulf Sternhammer]

Happy Friday, everyone.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023113044...


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202402096...


https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202401306...

[21st Century Man]

WoubleWu 126, WibbleWu.