E31 as a daily driver?
Discussion
Ruinous? I'm told they suffer badly from electrical gremlins, by pretty much everyone I've asked.
Always wanted one and after an 840CI passed me in traffic with some aftermarket pipes during the week I've fallen in love all over again... I need a V8 back in my life.
Any advice from previous or current owners? I see they're anything from £5-20k depending on trim and engine.
Always wanted one and after an 840CI passed me in traffic with some aftermarket pipes during the week I've fallen in love all over again... I need a V8 back in my life.
Any advice from previous or current owners? I see they're anything from £5-20k depending on trim and engine.
Early cars can sometimes be affected electrical strangeness but this is more to do with cars in general that aren't used regularly - especially when they have two batteries wired in series.
Fuel is obviously the most immediate thing to be aware of. Depending on how and where you drive, you're looking at teens to mid-20s as an MPG figure.
Usual areas such as ball joints, bushes and brakes will wear often given the cars weight and power but it's all basid stuff.
The 850 is a lovely old thing but in reality, the 840 has the measure of it. Personally, I'd opt for a late 840Ci Sport (I did) above the earlier M60 powered cars. You'll benefit from a steptronic box which is far better than the earlier auto (unless you're lucky enough to score a manual) plus you'll have no shadown of Nikasil looming.
Plenty of people will bang on about how irrelevant this problem is but I drove two earlier cars whilst shopping for mine and they were suffering symptoms.
They're easy to work on and although they can look a bit scary, they're pretty basic in reality - epecially when comapred o more modern BMWs.
They're very solidly built and a joy to drive every day. They can be a bit of a squeeze if you're tall and/or wide but once you're in, they're avery comfortable place to be - as you'd expect of a GT car.
There's plenty more to learn about each model in terms of specific foibles etc but the reality is that a bit of prevantive maintenance and sensible buying takes care of it.
Fuel is obviously the most immediate thing to be aware of. Depending on how and where you drive, you're looking at teens to mid-20s as an MPG figure.
Usual areas such as ball joints, bushes and brakes will wear often given the cars weight and power but it's all basid stuff.
The 850 is a lovely old thing but in reality, the 840 has the measure of it. Personally, I'd opt for a late 840Ci Sport (I did) above the earlier M60 powered cars. You'll benefit from a steptronic box which is far better than the earlier auto (unless you're lucky enough to score a manual) plus you'll have no shadown of Nikasil looming.
Plenty of people will bang on about how irrelevant this problem is but I drove two earlier cars whilst shopping for mine and they were suffering symptoms.
They're easy to work on and although they can look a bit scary, they're pretty basic in reality - epecially when comapred o more modern BMWs.
They're very solidly built and a joy to drive every day. They can be a bit of a squeeze if you're tall and/or wide but once you're in, they're avery comfortable place to be - as you'd expect of a GT car.
There's plenty more to learn about each model in terms of specific foibles etc but the reality is that a bit of prevantive maintenance and sensible buying takes care of it.
Thanks, hadn't realised they suffered from nikasil issues as well.
Mpg not an issue, only seeing 23-24 now and that's paying an extra 10ppl for Super.
Definitely not afraid to work on then myself, just the BMW tax on parts is always the killer (or certainly was with my E46s).
What would you expect to pay for an 840 in good shape? Mileage doesn't concern me, in fact I'd argue theres more issues to be found in a car that age that hasn't been driven!
Mpg not an issue, only seeing 23-24 now and that's paying an extra 10ppl for Super.
Definitely not afraid to work on then myself, just the BMW tax on parts is always the killer (or certainly was with my E46s).
What would you expect to pay for an 840 in good shape? Mileage doesn't concern me, in fact I'd argue theres more issues to be found in a car that age that hasn't been driven!
Art0ir said:
What would you expect to pay for an 840 in good shape? Mileage doesn't concern me, in fact I'd argue theres more issues to be found in a car that age that hasn't been driven!
That's exactly the attitude I take when buying cars. BMW engines are superb at eating the mileage. The V8's are even more capable in my experience.Decent examples are available from £4k for a standard car. Sports pull a premium. £6+k puts you in something that has a good spec and been cherished.
Bodykit, wheels, suspesion, some internal trim and a different torque converter in the box.
The steptronic box on the sport changes very quickly when used in manual mode but it noticeably slower on the standard - if that is important to you. Other than that, standard equipment and engine etc are the same.
The steptronic box on the sport changes very quickly when used in manual mode but it noticeably slower on the standard - if that is important to you. Other than that, standard equipment and engine etc are the same.
Art0ir said:
Not sure I'd even use it in manual mode if I'm honest. V8 waftiness is order of the day I think.
It has the 17" Type 5s (BBS lookalikes) which I love. Might get a viewing tomorrow.
They ARE BBSs! And are quite rare. Lovely cars, very much a GT but still good enough to hack around the Nurburgring, if that's what you want to do.It has the 17" Type 5s (BBS lookalikes) which I love. Might get a viewing tomorrow.
Truly lovely cars that are coming of age nicely. I remember when everyone deemed them a bit naff, personally I've always had a thing for them. Proper head-turner, especially today.
ran one for 6 months last year. tried my luck on a part ex clearance sat out the back of a jeep/chrysler dealer and snapped it up for £2600. this particular example had a decent service history (it was overdue one though) and was in fairly good nick. the garage just wanted shot of it so i made a low ball offer and it was mine.
she was a big old girl, but only on the outside really. for the size of the thing, the interior isn't as big as you might thing. the back seats barely fit anyone over 5 foot 5. despite the small rear seats, the front is comfortable and reasonably spacious. the cabin is designed around the driver and everything is where it should be. as far as performance, i would say the 4.4 V8 was reasonable... but you have to remember the 8 series is virtually 2 tons and is never going to set the world on fire with less than 300bhp. its a heavy car. this is also reflected in the handling around town. it felt very big and very cumbersome at times, but on a good day on a good b road it was able to put a smile on my face. where this car comes alive is on the motorway... for a long distance cruise this thing is up there with the best. it will sit at 2k rpm at 70mph all day long, and at higher speeds it feels so planted, comfortable and refined. it is definitely a car which is at its best eating up miles at high speed.
after the novelty of it wore off, the drives around town were also getting a bit tedious and it wasn't suitable for my needs. i just don't do enough motorway miles to enjoy the car at its best.
i spent a bit of money on it and found that part prices weren't that bad really. i replaced:
2x shock absorbers
2x rubber top mounts
2x dust covers
2x trailing arm front bushes
2x trailing arm rear bushes
2x reinforcement plates
this lot came in at £500
she was a big old girl, but only on the outside really. for the size of the thing, the interior isn't as big as you might thing. the back seats barely fit anyone over 5 foot 5. despite the small rear seats, the front is comfortable and reasonably spacious. the cabin is designed around the driver and everything is where it should be. as far as performance, i would say the 4.4 V8 was reasonable... but you have to remember the 8 series is virtually 2 tons and is never going to set the world on fire with less than 300bhp. its a heavy car. this is also reflected in the handling around town. it felt very big and very cumbersome at times, but on a good day on a good b road it was able to put a smile on my face. where this car comes alive is on the motorway... for a long distance cruise this thing is up there with the best. it will sit at 2k rpm at 70mph all day long, and at higher speeds it feels so planted, comfortable and refined. it is definitely a car which is at its best eating up miles at high speed.
after the novelty of it wore off, the drives around town were also getting a bit tedious and it wasn't suitable for my needs. i just don't do enough motorway miles to enjoy the car at its best.
i spent a bit of money on it and found that part prices weren't that bad really. i replaced:
2x shock absorbers
2x rubber top mounts
2x dust covers
2x trailing arm front bushes
2x trailing arm rear bushes
2x reinforcement plates
this lot came in at £500
have a read of this:
http://www.meeknet.co.uk/e31/
a superb knowledge base for all things e31. has a great buyers guide as well.
http://www.meeknet.co.uk/e31/
a superb knowledge base for all things e31. has a great buyers guide as well.
Lots of threads about them relatively recently :
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
They are great cars, a very competent GT. Mine loves to swallow up my daily comute round the M25 and still manages to put a smile on my face after a long hard day at work.
As for what to look for. They can rust. Look for it in the arches, door sills, sunroof panel etc. The brake pipes and fuel pipes that run under the car also rust. These can be pricey to replace as the rear subframe need to be removed to do the job properly. A couple of specialists have quoted me around £1500+Vat for the job
Thankfully mine doesn't need it yet but many that I looked at did. They also can eat bushes and suspension parts, as expected for a heavy car though. Running costs aren't too bad, its prices for eight series specific bits that can be a bit pricey.
Once you start looking at cars you will see vast differences between the sports up for 6-8k and the ones on at 10-12k+. This is what i settled on what mine had to be, they look so much better than the Ci's. The sports kit really does suit them, i think they look quite ungainly without it, but thats just my opinion.You really do get what you pay for. You will notice that those with beige dashes will be relatively cheaper for condition, thats because in my opinion the look nasty
I went to look at one with it, even though it was a fantastic car, I just could not live with the interior.
Get out there and start looking at as many as you can as it could take a while to find the right car for you. It took me almost 12 months of searching and one mistake of an e65 to find mine. Now couldn't be without it. Will be at the Sunday Service this weekend if you wish to take a look around mine.
Good luck with the hunt, sounds like they have you hooked.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
They are great cars, a very competent GT. Mine loves to swallow up my daily comute round the M25 and still manages to put a smile on my face after a long hard day at work.
As for what to look for. They can rust. Look for it in the arches, door sills, sunroof panel etc. The brake pipes and fuel pipes that run under the car also rust. These can be pricey to replace as the rear subframe need to be removed to do the job properly. A couple of specialists have quoted me around £1500+Vat for the job
Thankfully mine doesn't need it yet but many that I looked at did. They also can eat bushes and suspension parts, as expected for a heavy car though. Running costs aren't too bad, its prices for eight series specific bits that can be a bit pricey.Once you start looking at cars you will see vast differences between the sports up for 6-8k and the ones on at 10-12k+. This is what i settled on what mine had to be, they look so much better than the Ci's. The sports kit really does suit them, i think they look quite ungainly without it, but thats just my opinion.You really do get what you pay for. You will notice that those with beige dashes will be relatively cheaper for condition, thats because in my opinion the look nasty
I went to look at one with it, even though it was a fantastic car, I just could not live with the interior.Get out there and start looking at as many as you can as it could take a while to find the right car for you. It took me almost 12 months of searching and one mistake of an e65 to find mine. Now couldn't be without it. Will be at the Sunday Service this weekend if you wish to take a look around mine.
Good luck with the hunt, sounds like they have you hooked.
The black one I've spotted is owned by a leisurely gentleman who uses it as a weekend toy and keeps it garaged. Paintwork and interior is immaculate and he's only the 3rd owner. He's up the country for a short holiday in his second home (old money 
) and is going to call me later to let me know when he'll be back.
) and is going to call me later to let me know when he'll be back.Went to see the car today. Tried to make sure the head ruled the heart; not easy with such a beautiful car.
Paintwork is immaculate, leather in incredible condition. Wheels have very, very slight corrosion on the bolts. I reckon I could sort it myself with a few bottles of vinegar.
The only fault is a temperamental lock mechanism which means one times out of twenty the car door doesn't close properly. Seems I can sort it for £100 or thereabouts.
Giving it a day or two, but I think I'll be pulling the trigger...
Paintwork is immaculate, leather in incredible condition. Wheels have very, very slight corrosion on the bolts. I reckon I could sort it myself with a few bottles of vinegar.
The only fault is a temperamental lock mechanism which means one times out of twenty the car door doesn't close properly. Seems I can sort it for £100 or thereabouts.
Giving it a day or two, but I think I'll be pulling the trigger...
Edited by Art0ir on Sunday 23 March 00:43
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