How many V8 engined cars have you owned and what's your favourite

[350cls]

I've owned a few. Was curious to hear what others have owned and thoughts were on them.

I've owned 8 in total. I'll name them later in the thread.

Cheers

 

[ToeKnee]

17 in total. 13 SD1's, 2 AC cobra replicas, and 2 SL's, a R230 and my current R231.

 

[DoberMan]

Own 2 now.
Jaguar XK8 4.2 Convertible
Audi Allroad (Estate) 4.2

One for summer, one for winter

Won't be selling either anytime soon.

 

[E53AMG]

Just 2x, both hard top convertibles, my current R231 SL and a Lexus SC430. Guess which was the best ;-).

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

[Smart320]

Had 3.
First was a Discovery V8 in the early 90's( with twin carburettors ) sounded lovely when it ran properly but that was not often, stopping from speed was interesting. Then a XJR ( V8 ) in 2000, fabulous engine but found the driving seat uncomfortable after an hour. Latest is my current R172 SLK, best car I have ever had, sounds great, especially in Sport mode with the top down and so comfortable.

 

[SmartAmg]

1. 1990 Lexus LS400.
Supremely smooth quiet car,
But have to say a tad soulless.

 

[daveenty]

No idea how many, a lot of Yank stuff in the 70s & 80s as well as current things.

Favourite was a W212 E63 which was played with by MSL. A lot.

 

[ioweddie]

One Rover 3500's P6

 

[Londonscottish]

Four. 2 x C43's followed by 2 x E500's.

Current E500 is the best. Love the 5.5, great engine.

 

[Deleted member 126251]

Two........

Dodge Durango 5.7L Hemi V8 - fabulous with all the luxury and for dune bashing / day trips into the desert in the Middle East.
Toyota Landcruiser 200 series 4.5L V8 - did 10's of 1000s of km touring the Australian outback with it and it never missed a beat.

Loved both for different reasons.

 

[moonloops]

4

2 x Triumph TR7 V8 convertables
1 x CLK 500
1 x MK2 Toyota MR2 with an Audi S8 engine stuffed in it.

TR7 race car was the most fun

 

[Gbrowncls55]

6 I think. Lexus sc400 (import) 500 sec, 560sec ,Bmw 535 (E39), E500 (211) Cls55 (219) I have liked them all but overall whilst the cls is huge fun the E500 was smooth very very quiet, comfortable and quick enough. great engine, Great car. CLS is a very close second and and often first....oh Im changing my mind again

 

[horatio]

Had a few P38 rangies and a disco which were all totally dependable - as in, you could depend on them to conk out at the most inconvenient moment. Which is why I bought three in a row

Also had an E39 which was a fantastic when it wasn't busy overheating. So fed up with its cooling system woes, I replaced *what I thought was* the entire cooling system for it then to pop an obscure coolant hose at the back of the engine and overheat on a busy roundabout

Would love something with an M113.

 

[James Copeland]

2
A Rover 3.5 P6 and a BMW 3.5i

 

[Merc220cls]

Only one previous for me, a 1985 SD1 Vitesse which I purchased at three years old with 18k on the clock
Had it for 29 years and just sold it earlier this year when I purchased the SL

Fantastic car in its day and mine was rebuilt with new body panels so was like new when sold.
It was well know in SD1 circles and is now with a collector.
Funny thing is I purchased a V8 plate with the intention of putting it on a Jaguar but finished up with a V6 Jaguar. The plate was also on two V6 Rover 75’s and now on a V6 SL.

There’s nothing to compare the V8 experience but I have to say I’m more than delighted with my V6 350 SL

 

[cawkyuk]

5
TVR 350i
TVR Chimaera 500
TVR Chimaera 430
TVR Chimaera 400
and the C63

 

[MD5]

I've owned seven. 1st was a Sunbeam Tiger, powered by a lazy 260 cu in 4.2 decompressed Ford (Mustang) engine. MGBs and MGCs always used to challenge it, thinking it was an Alpine, and I could still accelerate in 1st whilst the MGBs were changing from 2nd to 3rd gear. That said, early generation Golf GTis were probably quicker. The gearbox in the Tigers desperately needed either overdrive or a fifth gear, and had a low ratio 1st gear which was capable of 55 mph +.

I had two 3.5 Rovers, a P5 saloon and an SDI. The next V8 was my 96 SL500, with the M119 and electronic ignition, so none of the distributor niggles of the earlier engines. I still have this car on 157k miles, and I bought another one about 6 years ago, a 98 model with about 98k miles, which I sold after I bought an R230 three years ago. The 119 engine with a 5sp auto box is a great combo, and kicking down from 5th to 3rd at 80 is fun!

I've owned an S211 E500 for six or seven years now, and love it to bits. The M113 engine is not quite as grunty as the M119, but delivers evenly and quietly through the revs matching the 119's performance. When paired with the 7G, you have a quiet, quick and effortless motorway muncher. If I had to pick just one car, this could be it, given the usefulness of an estate car.

Finally, I bought an 08 SL500 three years ago, with the M273 5.5 engine. The 7G+ gearing is different to the 7G in the S211, and needs the extra grunt to push through the lower ratio gears on kick down - you're either too high or too low, but the S211 always seems to find the right gear. From a standing start though, it's under 6 seconds for 0-60.

The pairing of the right gearbox is important for any V8, but I think the M113 is my favourite engine, especially given it's success in AMG 55 mode, which I've never had the pleasure of owning.

 

[C43AMG]

8 They where all Brilliant in there own way
300SEL 6.3
560SEL
560SEC
C43
W220 500 S-Class
BMW 740iL
W221 500 S-Class
W216 CL 63 Bi-Turbo

 

[merc85]

All Mercedes,

w126 380sel
w126 420se
c126 500sec Lorinser
w211 e55k
s211 e55k

Favourite one out of all of these v8's to Own and drive and the presence of the thing would have tobe the c126

 

[350cls]

Some lovely V8 cars in reading your car history. .

Mine in order of ownership.
:E39 M5 an absolute beast. Just under a year, should of owned it longer.
:E39 Alpina B10 V8 2001 year. An amazing machine spec was amazing on that car. A joint second for me of favourites.

:E39 Alpina B10 V8 2002 year. The first one was better long story.

E53 4.8is X5 very disappointing. Money pit to say the least. Didn't ride neither for me. 2006 model. Wouldn't own one again if given it for nothing.

38 Range Rover 4.6 HSE. 1999 year. green. Lovely spec car and lovely drive. Wished I had kept to be honest.

E61 BMW 545i estate. A lovely car again lovely spec. Got a gearbox issue that I could never get to the bottom of. Spent loads trying to rectify it but to no avail. Shame!!!

:W211 E55K you all know what I think of this car an absolute Brutal Beast of a car. That can do everything you want a car to do. Would have liked to keep but needed to fund a different car.

:W212 E63 6.2. This car has really amazed me on so many levels. It's hard to describe in many ways but again does everything so effortlessly easy. But when you want to play it's there at the press of a button. My only negative if you want to find is the front suspension feel through the runflats. I will change when needs must to original tyres. This may improve ride quality at the front of the vehicle. But like said I'm clutching at straws to write this negative.

Favourite in order.
1: E63
2E55k, Alpina B10 V8 first one I owed lol. Joint second for these two.
3:E39 M5. Again wished owned it longer
438 4.6 HSE. So comfortable armchair on wheels lol.
5:E39 Alpina B10 V8 the second one.
6: E61 BMW 545i few issues spoilt I thought a great car.
E53 4.8is X5 shocking car absolutely bonfire job !!!!!

There you have it. Some crackers that I have loved. A couple that did my head in.