RE: BMW 850CSi: Spotted
Discussion
Ive got a lovely 840 4.4 Individual...Same colour as article car + champagne leather, spent money on the front suspension, tyres, and a central locking issue as soon as Id bought it...car was tramlining badly, a decent 4 wheel align sorted that out.
Its thirsty around town (15ish) but decent on a run at 27 ish....not a flying machoine by modern standards, but its quick enough for a heavy cruiser.
It feels like a special car everytime you drive it, and I love thw way it looks.
McAndy said:
Lowtimer said:
Interesting pic. You really can see the DNA there.
The M1 to 850 is clear to me, but I'm struggling to see much of a link other than the "kidney" grille between the 850 and i8.
In the mid 90s I was a salesman at the local BMW dealer. I dealt with the used cars, there was just me and one other guy back then.
The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
Burt124 said:
In the mid 90s I was a salesman at the local BMW dealer. I dealt with the used cars, there was just me and one other guy back then.
The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
Thats a lovely car...funnily enough I used to sell them too at a main agent, and you are correct about interesting people buying them..The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
I was looking for around 3 years to find a csi, about 2 years ago found one just up the road from me, it needed a full paint job load of other work, priced at 10k.
I put a offer at 7.5k and a year later he made his mind up and let me have the car for 7.5k.
It needs around 15k spending on it, but when you drive her it pulls and pulls to the max speed limit and I can seen why no one wants to them once you had one.
only does 7mpg and at its best around 14mpg
I put a offer at 7.5k and a year later he made his mind up and let me have the car for 7.5k.
It needs around 15k spending on it, but when you drive her it pulls and pulls to the max speed limit and I can seen why no one wants to them once you had one.
only does 7mpg and at its best around 14mpg
Burt124 said:
In the mid 90s I was a salesman at the local BMW dealer. I dealt with the used cars, there was just me and one other guy back then.
The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
That's a beautiful one...love the colour combination.The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
Edited by derin100 on Tuesday 12th January 23:01
POORCARDEALER said:
Burt124 said:
In the mid 90s I was a salesman at the local BMW dealer. I dealt with the used cars, there was just me and one other guy back then.
The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
Thats a lovely car...funnily enough I used to sell them too at a main agent, and you are correct about interesting people buying them..The dealership was great fun to work at but, thinking back now, it was incredibly slack. As long as you kept out of the ferocious MD's way, you could more or less please yourself. This meant we drove whatever used car took our fancy be that a BMW or, more often than not in my case, some sort of interesting part exchange.
We didn't often have 850is in stock, they seemed less popular, but we did sell quite a few 840s. I didn't really get on with the 850; I may be wrong on this but the ones I drove had a switchable suspension (I think this was standard IIRC) and it could be set to a comfort or sport setting. Neither setting worked for me, it was either too soft or too hard.
We sold two 850CSi models during the 3 years I worked there, I sold them both. The first one that arrived with us was blue and on a K plate. I liberated it from the forecourt for a few days and thought it was fantastic. It felt very different to the standard 850 and seemed very fast particularly once it was up and running.
I enjoyed selling the 8 series, the customers were interesting and the car always seemed special.
A few years ago I ended up underwriting an 840 for a local dealer. I always liked them and driving one again made me want one, but not this 840Ci, I wanted a late Sport with lowish miles.
I've had a 98 Sport for around 3 years now. I like the looks, the way it drives and the sense of occasion that the car provides. The build quality also appeals to me, it is very well put together.
jango said:
I was looking for around 3 years to find a csi, about 2 years ago found one just up the road from me, it needed a full paint job load of other work, priced at 10k.
I put a offer at 7.5k and a year later he made his mind up and let me have the car for 7.5k.
It needs around 15k spending on it, but when you drive her it pulls and pulls to the max speed limit and I can seen why no one wants to them once you had one.
only does 7mpg and at its best around 14mpg
If thats really all you're getting, then there's something wrong with it!I put a offer at 7.5k and a year later he made his mind up and let me have the car for 7.5k.
It needs around 15k spending on it, but when you drive her it pulls and pulls to the max speed limit and I can seen why no one wants to them once you had one.
only does 7mpg and at its best around 14mpg
My CSi has never got below 12-13 when properly thrashed and averages 18-19 with brisk normal driving.
It gets around 22-23 on a motorway run. My Ci is a little thirstier by around 2mpg.
I'm in the unusual position of owning an 850 Ci and a CSi. They really are completely different. I love them both for different reasons. The CSi really is very special indeed. I also look after a few 840's for people. A different car again but, to me, less appealing than a V12.
If we're talking gratuitous photos of e31's, here's my velvet blue 840 Ci Sport from '99 with a champagne interior.
They are a great event to drive even if not that fast by modern standards. Good ones are pushing £20,000 and I'm sure it's still a bargain at the moment. Only time will tell, hopefully I'll still have mine in 10 years, already owned for three with no intention of selling.
They are a great event to drive even if not that fast by modern standards. Good ones are pushing £20,000 and I'm sure it's still a bargain at the moment. Only time will tell, hopefully I'll still have mine in 10 years, already owned for three with no intention of selling.
CRA1G said:
The Big G said:
Good ones are pushing £20,000 and I'm sure it's still a bargain at the moment.
But your right i think the E31 is a very under estimated future classic and there only going to go one way...! 
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