What Car? A barge beckons...

[Baryonyx]

Afternoon all.

A lazy morning with nothing to do saw me heading towards the local car supermarket to have a nose around a W220 S Class. I've been thinking of one for a while, since I'm now doing more miles for work. My previous car was a 1999 Audi A8 4.2, which I ended up selling after a faff on at work where I was told I was moving site, and wouldn't have space to park my A8, hence the need for a smaller car.

That move never came to pass, so I have enjoyed buzzing around the countryside in a hot hatch for a while, but I am ultimately doing many motorway miles for work and for day to day stuff. Hence, my master plan was to buy a comfortable wafter and have a motorbike on standby for when I want to have fun. Something I'd be happy to carry the sprogs in would be useful. I know we all used to get carted round in cars with sidewalls like crisp packets and no airbags, but driving standards were better in those days and I'd dread to think what a sideswipe from a careless MPV driver would do to the side of my current car!

To that end, I'm looking into bigger cars. My rough ideas are...

1) 5 or 7 series size. Preferably Full Size Executive if possible. It must be at least 5 series size with a decent boot. I'm thinking E39 5 series as the lower limit on size. Must be a saloon or coupe. No SUV's or MPV's.

2) Sporting a reasonable blend of power and frugality. For the first time, I am thinking of an diesel (or coal burner, as I call them). I rack up a couple of hundred miles a week, maybe a bit more, so the sting of a large displacement petrol would soon set in. Hence why the W140 coupe is off the shopping list! So, a diesel may be the answer. A decent return at the pumps would put a smile on my face. I'm not looking for the last word in performance, but a reasonable grunt for overtaking would be nice.

3) Price around or below £5000. The lower the price, the bigger a smile I'd have though I do believe in buying the best you can afford to ensure you don't end up paying to fix a banger. To that end, I may squeeze the budget a little more for the right car, but that would obviously nibble at my bike fund.

4) A decent level of spec would be nice. Heated, leather seats are a must. I'm flexible on most other things, though the more toys the better, even if they won't be used often.

5) Relatively hardy. I would like to keep this car until it blows up or falls to bits, preferably a good few years from now. Something I could keep and be happy to run and run would be great.


Bring me inspiration!

The obvious answer would be to get a D2 A8 2.8 with the V6 petrol, though if I am honest, it would be a bit like going back to an old girlfriend and finding she'd gone a bit slack in the intervening years. My A8 was a beauty, with a great file of history and a huge level of spec and upgraded parts. It was a real gas guzzler though and gave me back less than 20mpg most days, so obviously wouldn't suit my needs now.

My thoughts seem to focus on the W220 S class eith the 320 CDi engine, though a viewing of a Honda Legend this morning made me realise I could have gotten tunnel vision over this car, to the extent that I'm missing obvious, decent choices elsewhere!

[kambites]

I think that budget would put you slap-bang in the middle of the Mercedes "rust years"... I'm sure there are good cars out there, but check carefully.

[300bhp/ton]

Late Lexus LS400 with LPG? Are Citroen C6's down to this prices yet?

[Baryonyx]

kambites said:

I think that budget would put you slap-bang in the middle of the Mercedes "rust years"... I'm sure there are good cars out there, but check carefully.

This period of Mercedes car is an interesting one. Some of their cars just didn't seem to rust. I've never seen a rusty R230 SL, and my mates SL 500 was an incredibly finished piece of kit. Sitting in it, you'd never know Mercedes were having a 'rough patch', it was every bit the top class piece of kit! Simiarly, I don't think I've ever seen a rusty CLS. I've seen some dreadfully rusty W220 S Classes, but also some which are as rust free as the day they left the factory. It really seems to be a mixed bag, and I'd definitely be looking hard a few good photographs of any Mercedes before I went to look at it!


Good shout on the C6 there, they seem to be falling into place now. I hadn't even considered one. The interiors on the Lignage models looks a bit low rent in black. In the exclusive models it looks better, but these still demand a premium. Otherwise, an atrractice package. Do they actually 'feel' premium? Even in a cheap S Class, you can feel the quality of the materials and the refinement is evident in the drive. Does the C6 feel special, or does it feel like a scaled up C5?

[dbdb]

kambites said:

I think that budget would put you slap-bang in the middle of the Mercedes "rust years"... I'm sure there are good cars out there, but check carefully.

That's what I was thinking. My brother had an S500 back then. It was the most horrendously badly built thing with major rust, air conditioning and suspension problems, together with myriad electrical faults which left him stranded several times. Not good when the car cost him as much as that one did! When the suspension failed he traded it in for a Jaguar (Daimler) Super V8. He'd had enough!
That (X350, the aluminium XJ) Jaguar was an excellent car - well made and trouble free, fast and luxurious and even returned early 20s mpg despite being a supercharged V8. Well worth considering, I'd say. He replaced that with a 7 series (740Li) which though as dull as ditch water (though incredibly roomy) is also a very reliable and well made thing. It doesn't go wrong. He has found the 7 series to be incredibly thirsty though - much worse than the Super V8. He rarely gets better than 17/18mpg from the 7 - and it is often far worse. He reckons it is because the 740 is underpowered.

[dbdb]

Baryonyx said:

kambites said:

I think that budget would put you slap-bang in the middle of the Mercedes "rust years"... I'm sure there are good cars out there, but check carefully.

This period of Mercedes car is an interesting one. Some of their cars just didn't seem to rust. I've never seen a rusty R230 SL, and my mates SL 500 was an incredibly finished piece of kit. Sitting in it, you'd never know Mercedes were having a 'rough patch', it was every bit the top class piece of kit! Simiarly, I don't think I've ever seen a rusty CLS. I've seen some dreadfully rusty W220 S Classes, but also some which are as rust free as the day they left the factory. It really seems to be a mixed bag, and I'd definitely be looking hard a few good photographs of any Mercedes before I went to look at it!


Good shout on the C6 there, they seem to be falling into place now. I hadn't even considered one. The interiors on the Lignage models looks a bit low rent in black. In the exclusive models it looks better, but these still demand a premium. Otherwise, an atrractice package. Do they actually 'feel' premium? Even in a cheap S Class, you can feel the quality of the materials and the refinement is evident in the drive. Does the C6 feel special, or does it feel like a scaled up C5?

I hadn't seen this post when I made mine. You could be right that some Mercedes from this time are better than others - and the bad ones are mostly dead or dying. If you can find a good one it would be a lovely car.

[Baryonyx]

My main concern over the W220 S Class is the reliability of it. Mainly because the one I went to see at the dealers today wasn't available, due to being broken! Concerning. So the gamble would be, do I go for a good W220 and hope it doesn't go wrong, and potentially luck out and get a good one thus being quids in because they are cheap, or do I pay a little more for something a little sturdier in the hope that that will see me well for a few years use?

[ED209]

A bit of an unusual idea?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...

Not that far away from buget, might get it for close to 6k

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/c...

Maybe a skoda?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...

lexus in an old mans colour?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...

[Geekman]

How about one of these? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XJ-Series-3-0-aut...

Mine will easily get 30MPG on the motorway, and it's surely the definition of barge.

[J4CKO]

Look at some seven grand Lexus, BMW and Mercs with big engines and make some cheeky bids, be prepared to walk away, leave your number, its a buyers market.

[300bhp/ton]

Baryonyx said:

What Car? A barge beckons...

I presume this would be taking the thread title too literally

[16plates]

S type Jag instantly jumped to mind for some reason.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/j...

[Baryonyx]

16plates said:

S type Jag instantly jumped to mind for some reason.

Maybe with the diesel engine! Or maybe not. There are few cars in this segment that can put me off with looks alone, but I think the S Type may be one of them. Add to that the 2.7 diesels seem to be the best regarded models, and carry a premium which I personally wouldn't pay over the competition.

I've actually sat in this car:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-JAGUAR-XJ-2-7-TDVI-...

Very, very impressive piece of kit. Mind you, it is comically large. I suspect my old A8 would seem positively svelte if parked next to it! The price is too much at the minute though. In a couple of years, these will probably be great bargains. Mind you, this particular dealer are known for stiff ticket prices. I doubt you'd see much off the top of that. Also sampled today was a manual 530d at £10,999, though it was a bit scruffy and tired looking for top whack cash like that.









One car I've looked at is the Honda Legend, which is probably more of a 5 series/E Class competitor. Absolutely stunning levels of finish on them, they are superbly built. With no badge tax, they sell relatively cheaply and with great spec and lowish miles. That said, I think they are stymied by the lack of an engine relevant to the UK. The only option appears to be a 3.5 VTEC petrol, which will probably be nearly as thirsty as my 4.2 A8 was. Shame, as they look great and feel fantastic.

[Mastodon2]

ED209 said:

lexus in an old mans colour?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...

Now that looks ace. With these luxobarges, I always think the interior is what counts, the looks on the outside are secondary. In particular, the pensioner colour of this one may be a boon, as it's probably less desirable than "younger" colours, and people would likely be less inclined to take any particular notice of it. Very stealth, hiding in plain sight. This one looks like an amazing place to sit, I could quite merrily waft around on that.

[Kolbenkopp]

Probably to small, also not *that* good on fuel, bit heavy. But a 5 pot DI diesel and AWD. And the looks obviously...



More mainstream (and objectively better), E60 525d and up should work well enough? Not sure about UK prices...

[jfbrin]

Coming from an A8, I am surprised you havent considered this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2009-59-VOLKSWAGEN-PHAET...

Older verions are cheaper but this looks good vfm for such spec.

[Axionknight]

Volvo S60R, or a S60 T5 if the budget won't stretch to a good R. Left field choice, comfortable when cruising and very reliable, quick too. Just avoid the tan orange seats *spew*

[sparkyhx]

Mastodon2 said:

ED209 said:

lexus in an old mans colour?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...

Now that looks ace. With these luxobarges, I always think the interior is what counts, the looks on the outside are secondary. In particular, the pensioner colour of this one may be a boon, as it's probably less desirable than "younger" colours, and people would likely be less inclined to take any particular notice of it. Very stealth, hiding in plain sight. This one looks like an amazing place to sit, I could quite merrily waft around on that.

nice - warning its due a fairly expensive belt change. Stick LPG on and 50mpg equivalent

[0a]

The next barges on my hitlist are an ls400 and a bigger old Merc, maybe a w126. I know what you mean about the 20mpg, it's such a difference between 20 and 25 that I get in my current Merc (though that's hardly good).

[Allblackdup]

The fuel economy is your biggest issue given the cars you are looking at. Spend a bit less on a petrol powered car and use the cash on the fuel. If you do fancy an A8 give me a shout.