Cheap ASS "Luxury" cars.

[spottedlaurel]

surprisingskoda said:

cgi.ebay.co.uk/1986-NISSAN-LAUREL-2-4-SGL-AUTO-BLUE_W0QQitemZ230163119481

Some differences between the blue C32 SGL and the later gold SGX one, apart from the facelift – plusher interior on SGX with A/C on late ones (which gold one has), and SGX has IRS whereas SGL has solid rear axle. Both RWD and L24E straight-six engines, bit outdated by the late 80’s but still nice and smooth with injection.

Contrary to what eBay says the gold one is still available, I think I should have the seller’s number somewhere. He wants it to go to an enthusiast, not just as a cheap hack.

I’ve spoken to the owners of both cars before either came up for sale, both seemed sound and so I reckon either of those cars would be a good bet. If I hadn’t already had one (well, still got it in a partially dismantled state) I would be very interested in them.

[akku]

The Audi was OK unless it was wet.

Or gravelly.

Or a roundabout.

I prefer the smoke at the back end of the car LOL.

FWD is a copromise for a plush car but I wouldn;t write off every FWD car without trying a few of the better (or entertainingly worst) ones.

[Harold Ramp Bumface Fandango]

3.0 24V Senator ftw.

[chrissyb]

alistairk said:

I found the probelms with stuff like my old Audi 80 which was an inliner was more that there was no frikkin traction rather than torque steer.

No problem with my saab 900 t16- inline slant 4, 204ft/lbs - torque steer is a non-issue. Doesn't feel like a front driver and still beats most new stuff on the twisties

But yes traction is intresting with curse word tyres and wet weather ;D

I suppose there's no real point making a big luxo car FWD so they stick to RWD and it's expected basically....

but if your just wafting around in a big barge I don't thik it's important which wheels drive - didn't stop Caddilac.

[Lankytim]

Get a Volvo 960. You can buy them for a few hundred quid, they're 2.5 or 3 litre inline straight 6's independant suspension all round so they handle too. Very understaed luxo barge. 760s are good too, but the V6 can be fragile. Even cheaper though.

[Robinxr4i]

lankytim said:

Get a Volvo 960. You can buy them for a few hundred quid, they're 2.5 or 3 litre inline straight 6's independant suspension all round so they handle too. Very understaed luxo barge. 760s are good too, but the V6 can be fragile. Even cheaper though.

Forgot about the old 940/960's IMO the saloons are luxo barges and very comfy with it! 2.0 and 2.3 turbo models offer potential performance bargain for less than grand.

VIP look 940 anyone?

[Lankytim]

740s/940s are luxury but nothing compared to 760/960. They were the real flagship model of the Volvo range back then. 740s and 940s are very slow in 2.0 form. Good in 2.38V, better in 2.3 16vform but excellent in 2.3 8v turbo form. You can tune the engine very easily and crank the turbo boost right up. 200bhp is easy to get and with a few mods 250bhp is cheaply available. The 4 cyliner "redblock" engine is a bit of a rough diamond IMHO. They idle a bit lumpy. 6 cylinder engines suit luxury barges much more I think.

[magnetteman]

popuptoaster said:

Anything FWD is ruled out of luxury cars, if you can feel the steering tugging at you when you accelerate its not luxury its compromise.

Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't the 2wd versions of the A8's FWD and that's a big ol' luxury barge....

A prestige car for me is just that, a bigger, more luxurious, more gadget loaded comfy mobile. A Mondeo with all the gadgets doesn't cut it

My daily is a W220 Merc and that is by far the smoothest, quietest and most comfortable beasty I've ever owned. ;D

[Nick]

I havent really read the thread, so i don't know whats gone on and i don't know what the price range is, but early 90's J barges are pimp and cheap. buy mid to late 90's J barges for next to nothing for what you get. but they arent exactly retro.

with regards to prestige, well my granada had a lot of toys and comforts, more so than equivalent year topof the range bmw's

if i compared my granada of equal year to my friends dads 7 series..there was no comparison which was the better put together car, that felt so much more "quality" inside. and it wasnt just down to the materials used. i can't explain it really.

[Harold Ramp Bumface Fandango]

alistairk said:

Is the purpose of owning a luxory barge to be comfy or to be driving a prestige vehicle?

If the former, then a Rover 800, Renault 25 or whatever will do nicely. If the later then you needz a Merc, Beemer, etc.

I kinda like Carltons, especially the early ones, but they just are a Vauxhall. A BMW 750iL can be had for not much now and they cost more than most peoples houses did when they were new. And they still feel like class.

Easy tiger

[Harold Ramp Bumface Fandango]

Erm, I'm a bit lame at multi quoting but had a Volvo 940 2.0 turbo fairly recently Tim and it was a mare to drive. Planting your foot down seem to result in a large jettison of fuel reserves rather than any great leap forward in speed, unless you happened to be at exactly the right amount of revs in exactly the right gear. Found it a pig to drive and happily got shot of it.
740s on the other hand, especially the 2.0 manual, are ace to drive. Found the 2.3 too thirsty and never seemed to run as smooth as the two litre.
820 are a nice car to drive, suprisingly nice actually, and aside from niggly electrical issues are almost class leading for comfort and the way they drive imho.

[qwerty]

I dunno where the word "prestige" came from I just meant big omfortable cruisers.


This is giving me the horn at the moment!! Only £550! Full leather all the toys its awesome.
pictures.autotrader.co.uk/ATD_web/servlet/media?id=590842736

Definitely feeling a lot of Carlton love!

[akku]

that looks feckin clean and tidy. Nice colour for it too. The other really good colur is the dark blue. A mate had the Diplomat in that dark blue.

[80mojo]

I think if you're looking at a Cheap Ass luxury barge then you need to get out and try a few. See what you find comfy and nice to drive. I had 2 estates. the last was a 2.0 CDXi and it wasn't blistering, but it was luxury and it was respectably quick and good fun sideways...

The carlton's are lovely drives. Sepecially the Diplomats and CDXi. Bit more sporty, but how about a GSi? Straight-6 loving in a big good handling car?

There's also a 3.0 12v Carlton estate (manual) on the bay right now. BIN £350. F'kin bargain if you ask me! (Can't link to it cos e-bay's blocked on works pootas. Apparently we spent too much time on it! )

If anyone is seriously considering one and fancies a go in a 24v Senator then they're welcome to travel over here and have a go in mine. I guarantee you'll be getting one yourself before the weeks out. ;D

[herald948]

Just out of interest, did many Lincoln Town Cars or similar American barges make it to these shores? And when they have how much of a premium do they carry?

I'm constantly seeing '70s and '80s US luxury barges being driven by grannies every time I go to Canada to see the in-laws, and when they sell over there they go for relative pennies (or maybe that should be Canadian cents!).

They have all the toys and they are very comfortable but the performance is usually pedestrian, the suspension is made of blancmange and they have comedy brakes. Still, if it lights your candle...

Personal importing one wouldn't be out of sight on the cost front but is probably more trouble than it's worth.

[akku]

lats time I was in the US I looked at the price of those old granny Lincoln Towncars and the like and they actually sell for as much if not MORE over in the US than they do here.

Especially by the time you add transport costs in.

A local dealer had two in at $2500 each and sold both while I was there, thses were the boxy 1980-1988 or so style which would get you about £1000 - £1200 on eBay although you see hopeful ads in Classic American with guys asking like £3500 for them as wedding cars. I bet hardly any of them sell...

FWD Cadillacs like the mid 80s on Sedan De Ville and late 70s 80s (downsized) Eldorados are cheap too. Usualy advertised with faults when on eBay but I saw the same '89 or so Sedan DeVille sell on eBay about 4 times for £300-£400 money. It was without MOT though....

[qwerty]

alistairk said:

that looks feckin clean and tidy. Nice colour for it too. The other really good colur is the dark blue. A mate had the Diplomat in that dark blue.

Exactly what I thought!! Rear arches seem nice wich is unheard of!! Love the colour and diplomat spec seems very good!

[herald948]

alistairk said:

lats time I was in the US I looked at the price of those old granny Lincoln Towncars and the like and they actually sell for as much if not MORE over in the US than they do here.

Especially by the time you add transport costs in.

A local dealer had two in at $2500 each and sold both while I was there, thses were the boxy 1980-1988 or so style which would get you about £1000 - £1200 on eBay although you see hopeful ads in Classic American with guys asking like £3500 for them as wedding cars. I bet hardly any of them sell...

FWD Cadillacs like the mid 80s on Sedan De Ville and late 70s 80s (downsized) Eldorados are cheap too. Usualy advertised with faults when on eBay but I saw the same '89 or so Sedan DeVille sell on eBay about 4 times for £300-£400 money. It was without MOT though....

My experience is of Canada rather than US, and viewed at an (until recently) more favourable exchange rate. True I wasn't looking at the cars as a buyer so they could have been utter dogs but in general the uber-barges I saw were not of the highly priced variety.

Of course YMMV...

[akku]

YMMV?

Also SOuthern states USA and Canada are completely different markets. Sountern States USA and West Coast USA are different...

[herald948]

YMMV? You're kidding, right?

Your Mileage May Vary.

The standard disclaimer used by car manufacturers to escape liability for optimistic quoted figures.

en.wiktionary.org/wiki/your_mileage_may_vary