Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 22]

[Patrick Bateman]

I have mixed feelings because this thread is the reason I bought the well known 745i and learnt the hard way how cripplingly expensive a high mileage N62 can be to run.

[bolidemichael]

ingenieur said:

bolidemichael said:

C12HLL said:

ingenieur said:

C12HLL said:

ingenieur said:

If anyone has any links to nice CL500s with a 55 reg and less than 100k on the clock I'd consider one of those. They're such great cars, fantastic MPG for a 5.0 v8 and probably the best car I've had out of maybe a hundred I've owned over the years.

PM sent

I can't see it. Link it here.

I tried to add the link but the post got removed.

Possibly because it is suspected you are the seller of the vehicle.

I emailed you about it yesterday. Maybe it went to spam?

It's a shame this process has been made so difficult as a CL500 is one of the cars on my list and he has one for sale.

As I'm not the seller I guess I can post the link: https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/mer...

If you are deemed to be either friends or family with the seller, then it can be deleted as it contravenes one of the myriad rules governing the otherwise entirely reasonable interactions between a loosely affiliated cohort of losers.

Edited by bolidemichael on Tuesday 29th April 14:43

[Rayny]

E90_M3Ross said:

Rayny said:

E90_M3Ross said:

The whole thing is a farce and a reminder why I left this thread for some time.

Did you leave the thread, or did you just take time out to enjoy your menage a trois with the two BMWs...

I left and deleted it from "my stuff" until bolidemichael begged me to come back.*


Beg may be the wrong word

Other words beginning with 'b' include bribe and blackmail - Did you receive the filthy lucre or did you have to hand some over...

[Rayny]

nobrakes said:

Indeed, I bought a w124 from inter thread discussion/link from Garrick in circa 2011. I think that might have been time before PH classifieds.

Part of what started to keep me reading this thread was the inter-threadist purchases - Each party would pop in here after the deal to say that a very pleasant transaction had taken place. Compare that to the number of threads in PH generally where either a buyer or a seller bemoans the sale/purchase.

Long live the 'Best smoker barges 1-5 large' thread.

[GeniusOfLove]

I've offered maybe 3 cars in the last 12 montsh to thread at about half what they'd get on Autotrader or similar, perfect project smokers for buttons for someone to have a laugh with, and all except one was shot down by mods so I sold them for literally thousands more than I'd asked for on here.

Mind you the one that did sell turned out to be quite the "project"

[The Count]

W00DY said:

you're one Boneless Banquet away from having a crash.

[macron]

I have nothing to do with this seller bar I am in Glasgow most of the time and this isn't far away. Seems good VFM even if I suspect the first pic was from the apparent purchase a year ago, but who knows, and I'm not clear if those alloys have been "shadow chromed" or the like, but sensible miles for something of this age, which is increasingly rare.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/mer...

And no-one can argue with a V8 burbling through town at no additional charge

MY55GLC
Make: MERCEDES
Model: CL500 AUTO
Colour: Silver
Vehicle type: PRIVATE_CAR
Fuel type: Petrol
This vehicle can be driven in any Low Emission Zone in Scotland*

AND I suppose you have a future proofed private plate, although I have no idea if a GLC is available with anything approaching an engine, but hey.

[ingenieur]

They're ULEZ compliant for London and lower tax if no later than 2005. Handy for me when I drive to the big smoke.

[macron]

To my surprise you can have a GLC63!

Which as they seem to have the 4.0 engine means badging it later as a 55 by putting that plate on is as sensible as what Merc have done with the dumbass numbering system of nonsense they use.

Ugly AF. Ideal for the school run. So quick no one needs to know it's you in there.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025041011...

[TVR Sagaris]

Cheap W211. What's the 3.2 like? Do these have the balancer shaft or tumble flap issues?

No heated seats but decent spec otherwise.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504291...

Is it sitting low at the back?

[tog]

TVR Sagaris said:

Re: Saabs, my 9-5 is 2006 and the build quality is atrocious. The only car I've had that felt cheaper was a classic Mini but you could forgive that for all its charm. It's full of nasty plastics, buttons with poor connections, trim that's broken, and I've had silly faults that - from Googling - seem to be common, like the window regulators failing.

The 9-5 started out pretty solid and went downhill with each facelift. The Dame Ednas are worst, but I drive my dad's chrome-grille 2001 car often and it's still quiet and comfortable, all trim still excellent. I had a very early 1997 9-5SE, admittedly many years ago but it was a lovely car.

[macron]

£735 tax and 150k. Don't fancy this late 9-5's chances myself.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025042015...

This one is double thread, but an interesting claim of spec/ Saab UK MD first owner

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024061407...

Edited by macron on Tuesday 29th April 22:04

[tog]

I wasn't thinking of those NG9-5, but I suspect they are not as high quality inside as one would really like. They have held their value surprisingly well, all things considered, but the market must be small for them. I think they look pretty modern for their age, though is a shame the estate never made it into production before the end.

[Inspire]

tog said:

I wasn't thinking of those NG9-5, but I suspect they are not as high quality inside as one would really like. They have held their value surprisingly well, all things considered, but the market must be small for them. I think they look pretty modern for their age, though is a shame the estate never made it into production before the end.

Yeah, it is surprising how well their values have held up. I occasionally look to replace my 9-3 with a NG9-5 but am put off by the prices and a concern about build quality (they must have been looking to save costs wherever possible before the end).

Thanks

Rob

[ingenieur]

TVR Sagaris said:

Cheap W211. What's the 3.2 like? Do these have the balancer shaft or tumble flap issues?

No heated seats but decent spec otherwise.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202504291...

Is it sitting low at the back?

I don't think you get any air as standard on a saloon. I think the estate comes standard with rear air springs to compensate for heavy loads. So most likely it'll be steel springs on the rear and no concern.

Apart from that it looks a bit like it has a mahoooosive dent under the door mirror? And I don't think it's a high spec by Mercedes standards. This is the sort of car you could run as a winter 'beater' as the Americans like to say. But it's never going to be nice or cherished by now.

[rider73]

macron said:

£735 tax and 150k. Don't fancy this late 9-5's chances myself.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025042015...

This one is double thread, but an interesting claim of spec/ Saab UK MD first owner

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024061407...

Edited by macron on Tuesday 29th April 22:04

Am I being stupid or can I not see any description on the first one? Who puts up an ad and didn't do that!?

The 2nd looks crazy money to me

[macron]

Sometimes AI is quiet. It's probably better that way.

I think the late ones go to those who hark back for better times. As in when elongated rebadged Vauxhall's were the future, and it was merely the business aspect and not the engineering that failed.

If they're right or not, who knows, but the low milers really do seem to have a niche but determined buying set. Like those who own Volvo 740's perhaps.

Striking when you see them too. Usually hanging well over the end of a parking space...

Anyway, sun is out

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025020889...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025040610...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2025042517...

[tog]

rider73 said:

Am I being stupid or can I not see any description on the first one? Who puts up an ad and didn't do that!?

The 2nd looks crazy money to me

2nd is highish, but they are often advertised at or near that still. This is crazy money:

https://www.hagstromsaabspecialists.co.uk/vehicle/...

If you get one I recommend not needing to replace trim, glass or body panels.

[W00DY]

In a good colour those 9-5s look fabulous. Definitely a shame they didn't last long enough to make more than about 4 and a half estates.

The prices have always been pretty mad and there's a lot of Insignia inside, which is very much not up to barge standards.

My 2.0T was £2k when cars were expensive. An equivalent 9-5 saloon was three times that.





I really loved my 9000 Aero. My 9-3 was pretty horrible though.

[bolidemichael]

tog said:

rider73 said:

Am I being stupid or can I not see any description on the first one? Who puts up an ad and didn't do that!?

The 2nd looks crazy money to me

2nd is highish, but they are often advertised at or near that still. This is crazy money:

https://www.hagstromsaabspecialists.co.uk/vehicle/...

If you get one I recommend not needing to replace trim, glass or body panels.

It’s also described as being “astronomically rare” which frankly, is cosmically stupid.