Best smoker barges 1-5 large [Vol 13]

[independentLee]

dme123 said:

Looks good, 4.2 too isn't it? Third thread X350 in a short space of time now.

With the gearbox in S mode I've found mine becomes a far more engaging drive, and remarkably quick by all but powerfully built PH company director standards. As standard it doesn't really have the low down torque to dominate the road from 1400RPM, which is all the gearbox seems to want to do.

4.2 it is. Lightly-footed, average 25.9mpg so far. Mixed driving. About the same as my older E230 tbh.

[Triumph Man]

Krikkit said:

Harking back a couple of pages to the E39 performance re 530i vs 540i - I think this is the reason the diesel barges of this era also make entertaining companions. Big lumps of torque always available, they shrug off their weight fairly easily and wind up to legal speeds nicely. Once really stretching them, of course, their diesel lumps do them no favours as they're slower than the petrol counterparts of course.

I do wonder whether I should have found an E39 530d instead of my 530i, but the reward from getting the petrol 6 "on cam" and keeping it there makes it worth it. Although I do sometimes think it ought to have a little more low down, but it's smoothness is un-paralled. My colleague and I had a little test once - get the car in top gear and see what speed it naturally pulls itself along at. My 530i was at roughly 25-30 mph at 650 rpm, and it pulled smoothly and cleanly without a hint of hesitation or grumbling from that speed up to cruising speed. His Mondeo diesel on the other hand was not such a happy camper!

[Krikkit]

Triumph Man said:

Krikkit said:

Harking back a couple of pages to the E39 performance re 530i vs 540i - I think this is the reason the diesel barges of this era also make entertaining companions. Big lumps of torque always available, they shrug off their weight fairly easily and wind up to legal speeds nicely. Once really stretching them, of course, their diesel lumps do them no favours as they're slower than the petrol counterparts of course.

I do wonder whether I should have found an E39 530d instead of my 530i, but the reward from getting the petrol 6 "on cam" and keeping it there makes it worth it. Although I do sometimes think it ought to have a little more low down, but it's smoothness is un-paralled. My colleague and I had a little test once - get the car in top gear and see what speed it naturally pulls itself along at. My 530i was at roughly 25-30 mph at 650 rpm, and it pulled smoothly and cleanly without a hint of hesitation or grumbling from that speed up to cruising speed. His Mondeo diesel on the other hand was not such a happy camper!

The petrol choice is a much better one if the performance feels adequate - it makes up for it when you point it down a good road and get the engine singing, something the diesels have no talent for. They're adequate for pushing you along, but not a pleasurable thing to wring out.

[derin100]

Lowtimer said:

are nose-heavy understeering overweight lumps compared to the petrol sixes and show it badly on poor roads.

Edited by Lowtimer on Sunday 24th February 23:07

Interesting...because that's not a criticism or something that I've ever heard the E39 M5 called (i.e. a nose-heavy understeering overweight lump) which uses the S62 engine (which is a further 18kg heavier than the M62 used in the 540i) and utilises the same steering-box arrangement as the other V8s.

[derin100]

independentLee said:

2.8 Bags. Lovely, lively, livery. New battery and earth points added. No dash light warnings.

Gosh! That looks handsome!

[SpeckledJim]

Krikkit said:

Triumph Man said:

Krikkit said:

Harking back a couple of pages to the E39 performance re 530i vs 540i - I think this is the reason the diesel barges of this era also make entertaining companions. Big lumps of torque always available, they shrug off their weight fairly easily and wind up to legal speeds nicely. Once really stretching them, of course, their diesel lumps do them no favours as they're slower than the petrol counterparts of course.

I do wonder whether I should have found an E39 530d instead of my 530i, but the reward from getting the petrol 6 "on cam" and keeping it there makes it worth it. Although I do sometimes think it ought to have a little more low down, but it's smoothness is un-paralled. My colleague and I had a little test once - get the car in top gear and see what speed it naturally pulls itself along at. My 530i was at roughly 25-30 mph at 650 rpm, and it pulled smoothly and cleanly without a hint of hesitation or grumbling from that speed up to cruising speed. His Mondeo diesel on the other hand was not such a happy camper!

The petrol choice is a much better one if the performance feels adequate - it makes up for it when you point it down a good road and get the engine singing, something the diesels have no talent for. They're adequate for pushing you along, but not a pleasurable thing to wring out.

The 2.8 is so multi-tonal and sweet I didn't want it to be any faster because the aural treat of accelerating was so nice I didn't want it to be over too quickly.

3.0 is lovely and smooth, of course, and a good chunk faster, but much less layered, in my experience.

[ilikejam]

0a said:

olly755 said:

There seems to be a glut of 200k mile plus Lexus LS600h's on Auto Trader, all descending rapidly towards the crosshairs of our meagre budget. No doubt the tax benefits, hybrid economy and usual Lexus reliability mark them out as the obvious choice in the VIP taxi game.

This seems to be the pick of the bunch at under £6k, although the rather awesome rear relaxation pack would be nice.



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Now officially in thread budget at £4,995. Go on someone!

If we were a year down the line I might well have been the one to take a punt! I do 8k miles per year, so the fact that other examples are up with 240 & 280k miles mean it could potentially do me for 5-10 years (man logic).

My worry would be around finding a reliable indy that could service all the hybrid gubbins - never had one myself and the nearest Lexus centre is 3 hours away.

[LeighW]

Geekman said:

tobinen said:

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

Pictures probably aren't doing it any favours, but that colour is even worse than the gold on my dad's one! Also looks to have a yellow warning light on the dash which could just be the washer fluid, or could be something more sinister.

Does look to be a good example otherwise though, and you can't argue with the price.

I assume they've now fixed the suspension issues that it failed its MOT for in August 2007? That's a long time to sit doing nothing IMO.

The warning light is just a door open warning though I think.

[LeighW]

independentLee said:

2.8 Bags. Lovely, lively, livery. New battery and earth points added. No dash light warnings.

Lovely! That's an early one, I don't recall seeing a 52 reg before.

[JOB2.5-16]

LeighW said:

independentLee said:

2.8 Bags. Lovely, lively, livery. New battery and earth points added. No dash light warnings.

Lovely! That's an early one, I don't recall seeing a 52 reg before.

That (on a 52), and an early L332, complete with gingicators and headlamp wipers epitomise the shining face of the British Motor Industry at the turn of the millennium. Very Tony Blair, nouveau riche-ish.

[The Don of Croy]

LeighW said:

Geekman said:

tobinen said:

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

Pictures probably aren't doing it any favours, but that colour is even worse than the gold on my dad's one! Also looks to have a yellow warning light on the dash which could just be the washer fluid, or could be something more sinister.

Does look to be a good example otherwise though, and you can't argue with the price.

I assume they've now fixed the suspension issues that it failed its MOT for in August 2007? That's a long time to sit doing nothing IMO.

The warning light is just a door open warning though I think.

Ad states it to be 'ready for MOT' so make of that what you will...not exactly a ringing endorsement.

[tobinen]

I think it says they'll put a new one on for the new owner.

[derin100]

The Don of Croy said:

LeighW said:

Geekman said:

tobinen said:

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

Pictures probably aren't doing it any favours, but that colour is even worse than the gold on my dad's one! Also looks to have a yellow warning light on the dash which could just be the washer fluid, or could be something more sinister.

Does look to be a good example otherwise though, and you can't argue with the price.

I assume they've now fixed the suspension issues that it failed its MOT for in August 2007? That's a long time to sit doing nothing IMO.

The warning light is just a door open warning though I think.

Ad states it to be 'ready for MOT' so make of that what you will...not exactly a ringing endorsement.

A dealer so maybe what they do is wait until the sale and then give it to you with a new 12 months MOT on it rather than MOT it now and then if it takes 3 months to sell it having just 9 months ticket on it?

[E65Ross]

derin100 said:

The Don of Croy said:

LeighW said:

Geekman said:

tobinen said:

Just over max, pictures not the best but it looks tidy. Jaguar Super V8

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-XJ-SUPER-V8-03-0...f:1

Pictures probably aren't doing it any favours, but that colour is even worse than the gold on my dad's one! Also looks to have a yellow warning light on the dash which could just be the washer fluid, or could be something more sinister.

Does look to be a good example otherwise though, and you can't argue with the price.

I assume they've now fixed the suspension issues that it failed its MOT for in August 2007? That's a long time to sit doing nothing IMO.

The warning light is just a door open warning though I think.

Ad states it to be 'ready for MOT' so make of that what you will...not exactly a ringing endorsement.

A dealer so maybe what they do is wait until the sale and then give it to you with a new 12 months MOT on it rather than MOT it now and then if it takes 3 months to sell it having just 9 months ticket on it?

Yep, makes sense that way.

[SimonTheSailor]

ritch said:

long time lurker here!

has this been posted here? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lexus-GS-300-3-0-auto-S...f:0

not far from me and very tempting, if only I wasn't locked into a PCP with negative equity......

Got to be worth a grand right ?! Go and have a look and then show us the keys later......

[W00DY]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-Mercedes-Benz-E55-...


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-VOLVO-V70R-AWD-AUT...

[E24man]

derin100 said:

Lowtimer said:

are nose-heavy understeering overweight lumps compared to the petrol sixes and show it badly on poor roads.

Edited by Lowtimer on Sunday 24th February 23:07

Interesting...because that's not a criticism or something that I've ever heard the E39 M5 called (i.e. a nose-heavy understeering overweight lump) which uses the S62 engine (which is a further 18kg heavier than the M62 used in the 540i) and utilises the same steering-box arrangement as the other V8s.

Not a criticism of the Alpina B10 V8 and B10 V8S; it's almost as if the poster is claiming the 540i is unique in this respect...

[Patrick Bateman]

Never once while taking the M5 out for a blast did I ever think yeah it's nice but I really wish it had the 530i steering.

[SimonTheSailor]

W00DY said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-VOLVO-V70R-AWD-AUT...

'(Propshaft Has Been Removed and is Available with the car).'

Eh ?!

[Eachandeveryday]

SimonTheSailor said:

'(Propshaft Has Been Removed and is Available with the car).'

Eh ?!

It’s 4x4 . So the owner made it either RWD or FWD