Buying an 850

[Bill1980]

Hi

I want to buy a BMW 840 or 850 for under £5K

I have got as far as deciding that I want to go for dark leather interior as it shows less wear, I want standard wheels to get the original BMW dynamics

There's aren't many 'clean' ones for this budget I know, so would appreciate any tips/ links to good ones!

Couple here:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/list.asp?s=135&...

And I found this one too:
http://www.usedcarexpert.co.uk/buy/bmw/8-series/d-...

But nothing any good on AutoTrader (in the Sount East)

Where else is there to look?

Thanks

[eastsider]

Nice choice - surely you need to decide 840 or 850 to do a focused search? One of the engines, from memory the 840 but I could be wrong, suffered the nikasil issues of that era. Search on here/google for more on Nikasil, I imagine any probs would have emerged and got sorted by now but worth being aware of.

Other than that I would suggest you try a specialist BMW forum in addition to here, BMW land and bimmerforums are usually good.

From a quick google this looks very handy:
http://www.meeknet.co.uk/E31/Buying_Guide/BMW_E31_...

[Huff]

Nikasil has been done to death, very unlikely to be a problem on V8s for a couple of reasons - the best one being that only a few early 840s got the 4.0, most had the later 4.4 whichis Alusil anyway

[parksie]

I'm on 8er number 6 yes six.

First one was a 94 840 which I sold after having it Supercharged as then I didn't like what I'd created
2nd & 3rd were both late model 840s, then came two 850s, Personally I never knew what the fuss was all about the V12s they offer nothing that the V8 models can provide
now number6 which is a 98 model sport 100k FBMWSH & immaculate inside & outside, looks like she will need new brakes all round quite soon, i paid £5k.

[pits]

Personally, 840 all the way 850 is too noise heavy and if you get a bad one the bills can outweigh the cars worth.
Check for rust around rear arches
Check for service history
Check who has owned it and how well it has been looked after
Check how it drives, listen for any clonks on the front end, we replaced the whole front end on ours
Check for any oil leaks, gearbox, diff
Check the rear of the heads for any weeping on the head gaskets

Sadly this is ours after it got remodelled by an F10, and the insurance company are trying to fk us over to put it bluntly with a piss poor offer, they are happy to give us £13k worth of hire car but wont give out true value of car.

[Frances The Mute]

Huff said:

Nikasil has been done to death, very unlikely to be a problem on V8s for a couple of reasons - the best one being that only a few early 840s got the 4.0, most had the later 4.4 whichis Alusil anyway

When looking for an E31 a couple of years ago, I test drove two that were suffering all the symptoms of bore wear. I've known of others that exhibit them, too.

OP - get yourself into a 97> 840ci. This will have the 4.4 and a steptronic box which is certainly the better option. Get yourself a sport model for a more engaging drive (as well as positive manual override gear change) and beefier aesthetics. They're fantastic cars.

[Subman]

parksie said:

I'm on 8er number 6 yes six.

First one was a 94 840 which I sold after having it Supercharged as then I didn't like what I'd created
2nd & 3rd were both late model 840s, then came two 850s, Personally I never knew what the fuss was all about the V12s they offer nothing that the V8 models can provide
now number6 which is a 98 model sport 100k FBMWSH & immaculate inside & outside, looks like she will need new brakes all round quite soon, i paid £5k.

That really is a lovely example. And all for the price of a fiesta. Madness.

[Kenzle]

I've had my '98 840ci for almost two years now - it's a fantastic car and still feels special everytime I go for a drive.

However I would recommend checking the electrics thoroughly on any car you are thinking about purchasing - the electronics on these cars are much more complicated than on other models of the era (eg E38 / E39) and can be hard / expensive to put right.

Also check for rust on the leading edge of the bonnet under the rubber strip, both the top and underneath and under the sunroof rubber strip.

[RESSE]

I have found a black 850 (manual) but it has the most hideous wheels fitted (real gangsta' etc etc).

This 840 any use to you (apart from cr*p wheels)?
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-pa...

840 slightly over budget?:
http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-pa...

[danielw]

Can I strongly suggest that you need to "buy on condition" and that the colour of the interior should be way down your list of requirements...

These are old cars and not many are going to be mint for £5k. Getting a sub £5k car to be mint is going to cost a mint

FWIW - I have an old BMW with light tan interior and a V12 and it hasn't shown it's age at all.

Bill1980 said:

Hi

I want to buy a BMW 840 or 850 for under £5K

I have got as far as deciding that I want to go for dark leather interior as it shows less wear, I want standard wheels to get the original BMW dynamics

There's aren't many 'clean' ones for this budget I know, so would appreciate any tips/ links to good ones!

Couple here:
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/list.asp?s=135&...

And I found this one too:
http://www.usedcarexpert.co.uk/buy/bmw/8-series/d-...

But nothing any good on AutoTrader (in the Sount East)

Where else is there to look?

Thanks

[parksie]

I think everyone is enjoying this post other than Bill-----Where are you BILL

[Bill1980]

I have been calling dealers!

I am getting cold feet - I need to know whatever I buy will get me from London to Yorkshire to Norfolk and back again over Xmas....

Thanks for the posts everyone - I have enjoyed them and they have definitely helped my thinking.

[Bill1980]

Oh, also, the best one I have seen so far IS an 850....

Again, may be I need to calm down and consider if this is MAD.

[parksie]

If your going down the Dealer line then you are going to get ripped!! That Black 850 hasn't turned a wheel in two years & that my friend is not good.

[danielw]

How about pushing the boat out a bit and going to see the one on here:

http://www.oldcolonelcars.co.uk/index.htm

[eastsider]

danielw said:

How about pushing the boat out a bit and going to see the one on here:

http://www.oldcolonelcars.co.uk/index.htm

This one looks lovely! This thread has got me thinking. If only I didn't live in central London, parking on street, and could remotely justify more than one car!!

[Bill1980]

danielw said:

How about pushing the boat out a bit and going to see the one on here:

http://www.oldcolonelcars.co.uk/index.htm

I've been watching that one too ... the price has come down because they all seem a bit hard to sell... I was wondering how far it might drop

But if you compare it to the 850 I saw on Used Car Expert, I think the 850 is better value at £1k less, with private plate (and apparently it was in The Bill TV show the dealer says - probably a villa's car!). Also the black leather doesn't show the age as much

[The Stiglet]

I still have a real soft spot for these cars, IMHO they still look fantastic - beautiful and timeless proportions. I still turn and stare like a kid when I see one on the street and hope that it might be a real CSI.

I drove an 840ci Sport in Barbados Green before I bought a TVR some 3 years ago and it was really very, very nice. I defnitely wish I'd bought that over the TVR, which was always breaking down and cost me twice the purchase price!

The back seats are useless though, I'm 6'1" and although I could fit in the back because of the bucket style seats, the stupid front seats go right down to the floor and you can't put your toes under them. It was horrendously uncomfortable and more like a 911. The boot was a fair size though.

A family friend had an 850ci from new in Calypso Red, love that colour and I really think the 840ci drove better - sport suspension aside, it felt more nimble and less nose heavy as described above. The running costs are higher on the V12 and for no performance gain. It's been too long to recall how smooth it was in comparison to the V8 but smoothness does have its attraction!

I think the best E31 made, apart from the 850 csi, is the 840ci Sport with the uprated V8, steptronic, m-tech suspension and aero components and revised steering rack ratio (from memory, is that right?). If prices are going to go up, I imagine this would be the one to have.

What stopped me buying the E31 were the compromised rear seats, dated interior and some horror stories about how much things cost when things go wrong. With the interior, I didn't think that it quite matched the beauty on the outside but maybe that is being picky. The costs were probably similar to the car I have now so really I could have coped.


I liked the V8 so much that I have one in my E39, which by the way, you can certainly find for £5,000 or less...but I bet you'll still look twice at an E31 every time they go past.

[parksie]

The Stiglet said:

What stopped me buying the E31 were the compromised rear seats, dated interior and some horror stories about how much things cost when things go wrong. With the interior, I didn't think that it quite matched the beauty on the outside but maybe that is being picky. The costs were probably similar to the car I have now so really I could have coped.

What is not to like about the interiors??

[The Stiglet]

parksie said:

What is not to like about the interiors??

Oh that part is very nice, it's this part I think I have a problem with