Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 22]

[GeniusOfLove]

Venisonpie said:

What's the story on those v8 engines, pretty sure there's a gremlin to look for?

Oil leaks, coolant leaks, valve stem seals allowing it to burn oil.

They're all worth fixing to be able to have a car like that in 2026.

[anotherswifty]

soad said:

TVR Sagaris said:

That's lovely.

But, more importantly, there's another barge thread?

The Best ///M/Barge/General Rant/Look at this/O/T(Vol XIX)

There’s a smoker barges 5-10, next tier up, no ?
Altho of course it’s not a patch on this place.

[Bear-n]

That touring is getting me quite hot under the collar. Untaxed since May so it’s obviously a liability and of no temptation whatsoever.

• rubs thighs*

[Crook]

Bear-n said:

That touring is getting me quite hot under the collar. Untaxed since May so it s obviously a liability and of no temptation whatsoever.

• rubs thighs*

Stop rubbing and get ringing - that thing's a rare beast.

[The Don of Croy]

Crook said:

Bear-n said:

That touring is getting me quite hot under the collar. Untaxed since May so it s obviously a liability and of no temptation whatsoever.

• rubs thighs*

Stop rubbing and get ringing - that thing's a rare beast.

Excuse my stalking nature, but using the eBay listing of the seller and Companies House gives a couple of defunct trading entities related to car sales and tuning with which he was associated.

Might have no bearing on this (admittedly handsome) car, but the seller probably has some knowledge of motors and likely weak spots.

Or not.

[Scootersp]

Touring is lovely, but MOT history shows it's not been used much at all and up to 2022 had "Exhaust emits blue smoke during acceleration " type messages, so either the valve stem seals have been done (but then why not use it more after?) or it's been hidden, not mentioned the last few years.

Same owner since 2013, 94K miles, 2016 107K miles "burning oil?" advisory, same type of oil burning messages until 2022 115K miles.

So has to be a big red flag on the Valve stems seals needing to be replaced, if they'd been done they'd be making a sale point out of it?

They do mention "Recent rocker cover replacement with gaskets" so maybe, just maybe the seals were done and it's just not been highlighted.

[Venisonpie]

There's some impressive sleuthing going on here!

[Hippea]

This looks exceptionally clean, is it anyone’s on here?




https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20924947

[dscam]

Venisonpie said:

There's some impressive sleuthing going on here!

Yes, good sleuthing and due diligence.

I’m perhaps being overly optimistic in my hope that even with some necessary work to be done that would still be an excellent barge for someone to invest some time and money in.

Worth it just for the options fitted!

Rare car in period; as GoL suggests, it’d be a terrific thing to pedal in 2026.

[JeremyH5]

dscam said:

Venisonpie said:

There's some impressive sleuthing going on here!

Yes, good sleuthing and due diligence.

I m perhaps being overly optimistic in my hope that even with some necessary work to be done that would still be an excellent barge for someone to invest some time and money in.

Worth it just for the options fitted!

Rare car in period; as GoL suggests, it d be a terrific thing to pedal in 2026.

Can I suggest a “find another” attitude to the asking price and a big refurb to follow?

[KadettE]

Hippea said:

This looks exceptionally clean, is it anyone s on here?

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20924947

That looks fantastic

[anonymous-user]

Hippea said:

This looks exceptionally clean, is it anyone s on here?




https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20924947

Nice. My mate had a black one, same spec, and it always felt 'enough'. It was only when he got his S8 we realised it was never enough at all...

[Venisonpie]

JeremyH5 said:

Can I suggest a find another attitude to the asking price and a big refurb to follow?

Maybe.

Depends on the cost of doing the valve stem seals and future parts availability. I hadn't really considered the latter much but was speaking to lady VP's brother who runs an XK R 5 litre and he's finding some parts tricky (power steering pump recently).

A power barge sans modern interior nonsense and nanny kit would be lovely but it needs a pragmatic dose of reality applied I think.

[Leveret]

Using the full £10k allowance plus the free petrol, here's my choice for a pan-European any weather trip. 12 cylinders, AWD for snowy alps, Cd.27 for 250kph autobahn wafting, the luxury Audi 'comfort seats' with their multiple cosseting electric motors, comfort air suspension for any bumpy bits. Matchless?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202607304...

[McGee_22]

Leveret said:

Using the full £10k allowance plus the free petrol, here's my choice for a pan-European any weather trip. 12 cylinders, AWD for snowy alps, Cd.27 for 250kph autobahn wafting, the luxury Audi 'comfort seats' with their multiple cosseting electric motors, comfort air suspension for any bumpy bits. Matchless?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202607304...

Apart from that £12 sensor at the back of the W12 block that necessitates the £5k labour bill to replace it - perfect!

[W00DY]

That D2 is very handsome.



https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C2151241

This is very lovely.

[Crook]

JeremyH5 said:

dscam said:

Venisonpie said:

There's some impressive sleuthing going on here!

Yes, good sleuthing and due diligence.

I m perhaps being overly optimistic in my hope that even with some necessary work to be done that would still be an excellent barge for someone to invest some time and money in.

Worth it just for the options fitted!

Rare car in period; as GoL suggests, it d be a terrific thing to pedal in 2026.

Can I suggest a find another attitude to the asking price and a big refurb to follow?

That's where I'd be; buy expecting the asking again in getting bits done.

[GeniusOfLove]

Market seems very sluggish for cheap old smokers at the moment, my first nibble on that S Type and it's some fool who has messaged three times to ask if it has parking sensors, if they can have an AA inspection, and if it comes with a warranty.

Watching BCA prices on the sort of amusing tat that finds it's way onto thread firmed up earlier in the year but does seem to be really softening again.

[Venisonpie]

GeniusOfLove said:

Market seems very sluggish for cheap old smokers at the moment, my first nibble on that S Type and it's some fool who has messaged three times to ask if it has parking sensors, if they can have an AA inspection, and if it comes with a warranty.

Watching BCA prices on the sort of amusing tat that finds it's way onto thread firmed up earlier in the year but does seem to be really softening again.

Encouraging.

[QBee]

I suspect that the state of the economy, the impending energy and mortgage price rises, the continuing high cost of fuel and the risk of maintenance costs, when compared to the £x per month to have something shiny and new on the drive, like all the neighbours, may be putting off more potential purchasers than in the past.

I own a horse. Four legs and a tail, nothing special.
I keep him at my local stables, a place that pays it's stable staff minimum wage.

I parked this morning next to a Jaecoo 7, shiny and new, owned by one of the stable lads, doubtless on PCP.
He thinks I am mad, owning and running a 15 year old piece of Solihull's finest.
I think he is living beyond his means, but I don't blame him for wanting a nice reliable car at 22.
At last he can charge it at home overnight and do up to 56 miles a day on battery.