Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 21]

[McGee_22]

SunsetZed said:

IgnitionMS said:

Have we had this beauty yet?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201271...



Very detailed advert from a private seller, with a great (in my opinion) colour combo.

Can’t check the MOT history due to numberplate being hidden, but seems to have had a fair bit spent on it.

Benefits from the 4.8 V8, LPG conversion and a panoramic roof.

Seems well priced compared to others

Beautiful colour combo indeed plus the 4.8 V8 and pan roof sound great but the other things listed in the ad would put me off (cat, sat nav, sensors) as would the LPG conversion unless it's got receipts from a well known garage.

I am very well versed in big BMW bills and I asked my 'The Man' about these a couple of years ago and he reckoned the build quality of the E53 (the first X5) is better than the later one and they are hewn from rock, but as they're hewn from rock all the suspension links and ball joints have a two, maybe three year life and as such are almost service items. He reckons despite the well-known timing chain and guide issues on the 4.6 alpina based engine the bigger 4.8 is more troublesome with the leaky coolant pipes, valve stem seals, valvetronic stuff and oil leaks.

He also said the 4.8 has troublesome air-suspension (obviously not in FFRR superleague bork levels) so stick to a 4.6 or 4.4 if you need the power or a 3.0 if you just want to chugg about.

WRT to the E38 petrol tank, the old one isn't leaking like a sieve but was stripped of a lot of the chipped original plasticote by me about nine years ago and then rust treated, primed and hammerited - it had spent the best part of 15 years resisting Scottish winters and salt. The new leak is apparently up on the side of the tank and inaccessible to repair in-situ and while I might have been able to patch it and soldier on I decided while it's out I will replace it with new for piece of mind for myself and any future owners.

Given the rarity of the 95l tank which was only fitted to lwb and V12 cars I suspect I will get maybe £200 for it as is, or perhaps get it repaired and resprayed and sell it for nearer £500/600.

[Muncher]

I just bought this 2006 Mercedes S500 LWB for £3,500

- Full service history, 3 owners, last one owned it for 8 years with no expense spared, all the preventative maintenance carried out you would want throughout
- Black leather reclining seats, TV option, fully updated, nav, phone, DVD players and TV in the back, upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, AMG brakes, sunroof, electric sunblinds
- 12 months MOT, decent Michellin tyres all round, new batteries, new radiators, engine and gearbox sweet as anything
- Inspected beforehand, no issues to report at all, no errors logged in any of the systems

Really smooth to drive, like piloting your living room.

[McGee_22]

Muncher said:

I just bought this 2006 Mercedes S500 LWB for £3,500

- Full service history, 3 owners, last one owned it for 8 years with no expense spared, all the preventative maintenance carried out you would want throughout
- Black leather reclining seats, TV option, fully updated, nav, phone, DVD players and TV in the back, upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, AMG brakes, sunroof, electric sunblinds
- 12 months MOT, decent Michellin tyres all round, new batteries, new radiators, engine and gearbox sweet as anything
- Inspected beforehand, no issues to report at all, no errors logged in any of the systems

Really smooth to drive, like piloting your living room.

Outstanding purchase - well played Sir, well played.

[TyrannosauRoss Lex]

Here's food for thought for thirsty barge owners (and potential buyers!).....

With fuel prices getting higher and higher (the current Russia situation won't help at all!) do we think big-engined car prices to drop a fair bit? When petrol hits £2/L I can't imagine many people are going to want a V8 old barge. Half of me thinks I should sell up now and get something more sensible, the other half says I don't do enough miles for the current prices to concern me a great deal and I should enjoy a lovely V8 whilst I can, because it'll likely be the last one I own. And how much longer will E5 fuel be around for? If that goes, then I'm in a spot of bother!

[W00DY]

Muncher said:

I just bought this 2006 Mercedes S500 LWB for £3,500

- Full service history, 3 owners, last one owned it for 8 years with no expense spared, all the preventative maintenance carried out you would want throughout
- Black leather reclining seats, TV option, fully updated, nav, phone, DVD players and TV in the back, upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, AMG brakes, sunroof, electric sunblinds
- 12 months MOT, decent Michellin tyres all round, new batteries, new radiators, engine and gearbox sweet as anything
- Inspected beforehand, no issues to report at all, no errors logged in any of the systems

Really smooth to drive, like piloting your living room.

Excellent purchase. I posted this exact car and thought that a bid of £3.5 might get it. Radar cruise too.

Has to be the best barge value out there right now.

[Diesel Barge Sympathiser]

Krikkit said:

I feel like both of you have done well - they've made a few quid for a reasonably small outlay of time and energy, you've got a good barge with a fresh ticket.

I would agree with that, top effort on the poster buying that S80 with eyes wide open.

[21st Century Man]

That S500 looks like a great buy.

[Diesel Barge Sympathiser]

21st Century Man said:

That S500 looks like a great buy.

+1

[dscam]

21st Century Man said:

ian316 said:

dscam said:

Loosely speaking about opportunities to meet up - are there still plans for the ‘north’ gathering on 19th March at The Motorist?

Even further OT I priced up DFDS for the sailing to Newcastle-Amsterdam in July as I am thinking of a European jaunt with the family. Appreciate it’s peak season but not sure I was expecting almost thread entry point for the four of us for even the cheapest option. Now on the back burner I think.

Well no one has said it's not on so I'm assuming it is, Have you priced up the crossing from Hull to amsterdam? probably expensive too as it's peak but worth a look

Hull - Rotterdam would be my choice, Amsterdam is a short drive from Rotterdam. But then Amsterdam isn't very far away to drive to anyway, it's a one hitter using the tunnel even if you're coming from up North.

Prices are very punchy - around £900 return on various dates I’ve tried in July. Eurotunnel is more like £400 return but very much more driving involved on both sides…

Muncher - great purchase with the S500. That’s all the car you’ll ever need.

[SunsetZed]

Looks like an absolute bargain. Clarification: the S500 not the ferry prices!

Edited by SunsetZed on Wednesday 2nd March 09:35

[Mezzanine]

The ideal time to start following this thread is when you have sold your only car, have cash in hand and are in need of a replacement, right?

[anonymous-user]

Muncher said:

I just bought this 2006 Mercedes S500 LWB for £3,500

- Full service history, 3 owners, last one owned it for 8 years with no expense spared, all the preventative maintenance carried out you would want throughout
- Black leather reclining seats, TV option, fully updated, nav, phone, DVD players and TV in the back, upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, AMG brakes, sunroof, electric sunblinds
- 12 months MOT, decent Michellin tyres all round, new batteries, new radiators, engine and gearbox sweet as anything
- Inspected beforehand, no issues to report at all, no errors logged in any of the systems

Really smooth to drive, like piloting your living room.

Nice car and very sane pricing. If you fancy a project to try and fit the rear fridge PM me, I've got one hanging about that can go to a threadist on the cheap.

[JeremyH5]

Mezzanine said:

The ideal time to start following this thread is when you have sold your only car, have cash in hand and are in need of a replacement, right?

Perfect timing!

[21st Century Man]

Mezzanine said:

The ideal time to start following this thread is when you have sold your only car, have cash in hand and are in need of a replacement, right?

Or when you have several cars, no spare money really, no need of an additional vehicle, but train/forecourt anyway.

[JeremyH5]

W00DY said:

Excellent purchase. I posted this exact car and thought that a bid of £3.5 might get it. Radar cruise too.

Has to be the best barge value out there right now.

I’m a BMW fanboy mainly, but that S class at £3500 is an excellent purchase. I must be getting old

[blueb10]

Muncher said:

I just bought this 2006 Mercedes S500 LWB for £3,500

- Full service history, 3 owners, last one owned it for 8 years with no expense spared, all the preventative maintenance carried out you would want throughout
- Black leather reclining seats, TV option, fully updated, nav, phone, DVD players and TV in the back, upgraded Harman Kardon sound system, AMG brakes, sunroof, electric sunblinds
- 12 months MOT, decent Michellin tyres all round, new batteries, new radiators, engine and gearbox sweet as anything
- Inspected beforehand, no issues to report at all, no errors logged in any of the systems

Really smooth to drive, like piloting your living room.

Is that your 928 as well, in the bottom picture?

[W00DY]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325077585798

Yum.

[ian316]

Macron said:

ian316 said:

There's nothing weird about Fridays except most of the stuff isn't barge related

Most stuff on here is barge adjacent at best!

Well we've had white goods to distillery tours and everything else in between, I don't know about anyone else but over the last couple of years this thread has been the only thing to keep me sane (Mrs 316 would probably say this is debatable) when all there's been to do is go to work then go home, Although some poor buggers haven't had that long may the thread run in its totally random fashion

[stevethegreek]

blueb10 said:

Is that your 928 as well, in the bottom picture?

That's a 944

Lovely S500 that, nice purchase

Edited by stevethegreek on Wednesday 2nd March 09:48

[tobinen]

Congratulations Muncher. An excellent start to March