[Closed] Any one ever bought a cheap 'luxo-barge' S-class etc.

My pal a crazy polish guy loves his big cars and paid 3k for an ex embassy merc from
Some obscure African state in London. It's done 130k but full merc dealer history and drives like new. Obviously if it fails it's for the bin but he loves the thing and looks like a pimp going to work.

I have a soft spot for the Lexus ls400, £1500 will get you a really good one, even old 7 series for less than a grand

Are you the local dealer?

😉

A guy at work runs an older 7 series and loves it. Actually quite reasonable to service at a specialist. Just oil, filters and spark plugs - dealer servicing charges of £300+ are a joke. There are plenty of specialists out there who know more than dealers and can give you advice about the best way to run these things.

Obviously if something substantial like gearboxes and engines start blowing up then it'll cost you, but brakes/suspension and other parts can be purchased for decent money and there will be plenty of breakers out there for 2nd hand parts.

I've often been tempted by used Audi A8's / VW Phaeton's. £80k + cars that can be had for less than £10k after 5yrs with decent mileage. Just a shame they don't do these big barges in estate versions.

My son and I test drove an S-Class for the Independent a few years ago, when they got readers to do the reviews. I only had it for an hour, so couldn't play much, but the size and power were pretty impressive.

I pass an older s8 on a morning always been a dream car for me, few years time I might treat my self to one for a few months

I am a sucker for the Luxo-barge and have run an A8 and a Merc CL (2 door s class). Cheap, comfortable, think nothing of heading off for a three hundred mile drive.

Down sides were tyres on the CL600 weren't cheap and 20-25mpg can get expensive if you are doing high mile ages , but still worked out cheaper than buying a new Ford fiesta and running that for four years.

Interesting, I quite like the novelty of it... Huge difference to my current cars

Just a shame they don't do these big barges in estate versions.

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If only they still did these, you could get the set in a week 🙂

Closer than a Skoda

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Funny, those 4 estates all seem to look horrible ...

Agreed. The Lynx Evemter looked okay but big estates are difficult to get right. The new Merc CLS isn't too bad either

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7 series is the cheapest way to v8 power!

I would love an e38iL.

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You can get a v8 VW Phaeton... or a v10... or a w12 🙂

My uncle and cousin run old luxo barges, a very well off family but have little to no real interest in cars. But they both buy a 7 series each for less than 5 grand then run em into the ground. I think the tyres aren't cheap, but as they work from home so petrol isn't a huge consideration. The last two they had then got nearly 10 years out of.

I considered it recently when I was looking for a car for a grand, just couldn't convince the wife. Maybe next time.

That XJS Shooting Brake is niiice!

We ran an old Nissan President (4.4 litre V8) in New Zealand a few years ago - fuel was cheap then, and the exchange rate was also helpful.

Loads of fun, if you can afford it, do it. Might as well be wafting along in luxurious comfort if you can.

I've had a run of slightly daft big cars - BMW E23 728, E32 735 and now a Merc E430 estate. I don't do lots of miles so they work for me in preference to a new car depreciating on the drive.

Buy a good one that's been well looked after and (aside from fuel) it should be fairly cheap to run...

There is an oustanding specialist just outside Woking in Surrey called Merc-Medic. If you are local he would be worth asking advice of and also even perhaps sourcing a car. He used to service our A6 for a fraction of the main delaer cost, he saved us over £2,000 in work recommended by the main dealer but which was un-necessary.

What ever you buy find a specialist not a main dealer as soon as it is out of warranty

If the did an A8 estate I would have a 4 litre twin turbo tdi quattro. But alas they don't 🙁

Discovery next for me. We got a Freelander earlier in the year and now I want bigger.

Had a 535i for a few years, my local mechanic serviced it and wasn't particularly expensive - and tbh quality tyres were cheaper than the wifes' 4x4's.

Only real expense was fuel, and knowing when something big went I'd be throwing it (autobox in the end). But then that could occur with any car.

Seeing as my crappy golf tdi is about to fail badly its time for a new motor
Personaly I keep thinking 7 series. The bills/ build quality can't be worse than the golf

Top thread. I now want an A8 3.0tdi. Can swap my Mondeo for a 2005 with 80k ish.

I had an LS400 back 5/6 years ago. If you drove like a tool on the stick with the PWR button on (ie commuting) then it did 21mpg. On a long run, stick cruise control on 90mph and it did 32mpg. I bought it with 167k miles on for a grand and it lasted me until an Artic cut a roundabout short and went into the side of it.
Lovely engine.
I am avoiding buying a Phaeton V10TDi currently even though I would love one.

Alfa Romeo 164 Quadrifoglio Verde???

Bike Chariot par excellence

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Volvo-960-Hearse-and-Limousine-/191253843662?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c879e0ece

Had a V10 Audi S8 for about 8 months.

Amazing amount of car for the money
Surprisingly good mpg considering - avg about 23
Ate tyres and they weren't exactly cheap.

Forgot to post up my bike carrier car earlier. Mainly because it is an embarrassing great lump of rubbish.

Still a 4.3 V8 Mercedes ML was a Luxo barge or sorts I guess

I'd love a Citroen C6....not sure it's quite a luxo barge, but I think they look great.

matt_outandabout - Member

Just a shame they don't do these big barges in estate versions.

Close...

[url= http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201407175886250/sort/default/postcode/s87rw/page/1/radius/1500/make/skoda/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/usedcars/maximum-age/up_to_3_years_old/advert-type/Classified/model/superb/engine-size-cars/3l_to_3-9l/body-type/estate?logcode=p ]this is closer albeit not cheap[/url]

The trouble with post 2006 old luxo barges is the road tax. I notice that the Skoda (MrNice post) co2 isn't included in the advert. I'd assume that it's because it's £500 per year. This will kill off many post 2006 luxo barges since people won't want to pay it.

I dream about a early 2000's RS4 estate. can be had for 10k or so, but the mega mileage on those highly strung engines worry me. I imagine it would be a very big money pit...

High road tax

^^^^^^^^^

Probably helps make them cheap 🙂

tonyg2003 - Member
The trouble with post 2006 old luxo barges is the road tax. I notice that the Skoda (MrNice post) co2 isn't included in the advert. I'd assume that it's because it's £500 per year. This will kill off many post 2006 luxo barges since people won't want to pay it.

Yeah, I just noticed this. You can get a 58 plate Citroen C6 with 55k miles on for about £7k. But road tax is pretty much £500/yr.

I think your ownership experience wholly depends on how good your spannering is or how lucky you are finding someone who can,

In theory the bigger engines are less stressed and should be less hassle than you'd think.,,

It's the niggling things that catch you out like 1000 pound spark packs 🙂

like 1000 pound spark pack

V8 Mercedes has 16 spark plugs

£25 for 4 = £100 for 16 plugs

Possibly a typo on OP

One of the Mercedes v12 cl600

Clarksons bought one for a look how much you get for your money on top gear and it packed up with a faulty was yonks ago so the part may be cheaper..

There's always ways around it .... I remember having a new bushing put in a porsche 944s wishbone when porsche would only sell a complete assembly for silly money when only a 5 quid part was worn..

It's only machinery nothing special ....

V12 spark packs are done in two banks of 6 🙂

Spark pack sits on plug

Been there done that loads. Most have expensive habbits

Except one.

The most comfortable car ever, the most reliable car ever.
It's no slouch either (0-60 6.5), will return over 30mpg on a run (not with a bike rack on though) and is std PLG tax.

Lexus LS400 Mk4, 1997-2000.

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Lexus LS400 Mk4, 1997-2000.

<Partridge>Its the Japanese Mercedes! </Partridge>

Looks troublesome to park properly 😉

[i]Looks troublesome to park properly[/i]

<Partridge>Its the Japanese Mercedes! </Partridge>

😉

Do you have a nice sweater to wear when driving it?

i ran 2 very nice v12 850 BMWs for 6 years, very comfortable, quite rare and surprisingly very reliable.
at the moment i have an Xjr v8 4.0 supercharged " barge" with the pully mod, blimey its quick,

Clarkson's problem was with a coil pack that went soon after car purchase. IIRC they ran a 12cyl Merc, an 850 Bimmer and an old Roller. I never did see the follow up apart from the guffaws about the Merc's expensive habit.

Yep cl600. Fairly notorious for failing coil packs and ABC (active suspension) struts at £1500 per corner.

I run an old LS430 (newer version of the 400s up there). LPG conversion means it costs 17p per mile to run - amazingly fast, really comfy (the kids love the air conditioned massage reclining rear seats), every toy you can imagine (I smile at the self closing doors every time I get in it) and available for not much money.

Do some research so you know the common faults - on LS430s it is steering wheel auto adjustment motor, self folding wing mirrors, the rear fridge failing and the air suspension. Only the last one is expensive (and even that can be bodged). Will buy another one when this one dies.

[i]The trouble with post 2006 old luxo barges is the road tax. I notice that the Skoda (MrNice post) co2 isn't included in the advert. I'd assume that it's because it's £500 per year. This will kill off many post 2006 luxo barges since people won't want to pay it. [/i]

Agree, but tbh there are an awful lot of 'normal' cars hit by this too; my wife's previous Freelander (an auto 2.0 tdi) was 1 co2 over the limit.

'Road tax' ? C'mon guys, you of all people on a biking website should know that there's no such thing. FFS.

After I started this thread i have been keeping my eyes open. There seem to be a lot of bigger Audis around here. E-class merc's too.

I used to roll in one of these badboys...
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Not very luxo, but definitely a barge.

The 2-litre V6 was a great engine, surprisingly powerful and beautifully smooth.

Was nice to own something a bit different, but I'd just get a Mondeo now (if I didn't have a van).

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You lot will be needing these

You might scoff, but it looked pretty sweet next to the repmobiles in the car park at the Linton Travel Tavern.