Newbie Selling 850ci needs advice

[jinx_uk_98]

Hi Guys,

I'm a complete novice when it comes to cars, I drive one but that's about as far as my knowledge goes.

anyway, I inherited a BMW 850ci which I intend to sell but want to know a few things first.

Firstly, the car has just had £500 spent on it to pass it's MOT but should I know get tax for it? I have no insurance for the car so would have to get that first I assume? Can I get insurance for just a few days to allow me to actually tax it?

Next, from the paperwork I have the vehicle is a BMW 850ci but on the boot it says "AC Schnitzer S8 850i". What does this mean?

Next, it's on a '91 plate with 80,100 miles on the clock. This seems quite low for such an old vehicle, is this the case?

Next, the vehicle has had 7 owners. 8 now with me. Is that a problem?

Next, before the owner died he just spent £950 on some new wheels and tires I've no idea if these are special in some way, will this add to the value of car?

Next, the drivers seat has some sort of control panel on the side which has been damaged. Anyone know where I can get a replacement?

Finally, what sort of price should I expect for it. It's white and pretty good condition both inside and out (except the drivers seat control panel). Any good tips for maximising it's value? (valet etc..)

Thanks for ny advice anyone can give.

[pgilc1]

jinx_uk_98 said:

Hi Guys,

I'm a complete novice when it comes to cars, I drive one but that's about as far as my knowledge goes.

anyway, I inherited a BMW 850ci which I intend to sell but want to know a few things first.

Firstly, the car has just had £500 spent on it to pass it's MOT but should I know get tax for it? I have no insurance for the car so would have to get that first I assume? Can I get insurance for just a few days to allow me to actually tax it?

Next, from the paperwork I have the vehicle is a BMW 850ci but on the boot it says "AC Schnitzer S8 850i". What does this mean?

Next, it's on a '91 plate with 80,100 miles on the clock. This seems quite low for such an old vehicle, is this the case?

Next, the vehicle has had 7 owners. 8 now with me. Is that a problem?

Next, before the owner died he just spent £950 on some new wheels and tires I've no idea if these are special in some way, will this add to the value of car?

Next, the drivers seat has some sort of control panel on the side which has been damaged. Anyone know where I can get a replacement?

Finally, what sort of price should I expect for it. It's white and pretty good condition both inside and out (except the drivers seat control panel). Any good tips for maximising it's value? (valet etc..)

Thanks for ny advice anyone can give.

If its not taxed i wouldnt go to the trouble of insuring it to tax it. it could cost you a fortune. The most important thing is having the years MOT.

I suspect the AC Schnitzer badge means either, its had the badge put on, OR it has some sort of AC Schnitzer bodykit / tuning package.

Some pics would be useful too.

Also, personally, i'd post this over on www.bmwland.co.uk in the general section and 8 series sections. They might be able to help better with what mods the car has, wheels, and locating any parts.

Good Luck

[V12Les]

Take a few pictures and go to clube31.com, we'll try and help you out there. What "paperwork" says its a ci? The more info the better.
Les

[belleair302]

The best thing to do is to compare it pricewise with what other 850's are going for at the moment. They are expensive to run and although great cars not quite what many people want and many BMW folk just don't get the big coupe styling.

Also spend maybe £300 getting a specialist to go over the car and see what may need replacing in the near future.

1. Suspension parts, steering and brake pads and disks
2. The exhausts and catalytic converters
3. Potential rust around the bonnet, bootlid, rear arches and under the doors
4. Batteries, what condition are they in?
5. Is the paintwork in good condition, any scrathes or major blemishes.

Number of owners is not an issue, but history and bills or names of previous garages is vital regarding what is has done to it.

Prices vary hugely but somewhere between 7 and 9 K would not be far off the mark.

Good luck!

[jinx_uk_98]

Cheers everyone. I'll get down to the car ASAP and get some photo's.

what sort of photo's would help? engine etc..???

[V12Les]

Yeah just general pics of inside & out with a proper camera, not a phone. Its unlikely a "ci" as they wernt produced in that year. Dont expect anywhere near Bellairs figures, prices of 8s are very low. Can give you a better idea after pics/info but expect between £3500-£5500.

[jinx_uk_98]

this is a screen shot from the BMW computer system I got my hands on. It cleary states CI ??

reg year was '92
production year was '91

bit confusing

[pgilc1]

belleair302 said:

Also spend maybe £300 getting a specialist to go over the car and see what may need replacing in the near future.

Why would the seller spend £300 to give a list of potential future problems to a buyer who would thus use them as a bargaining tool to lower the price?

[derin100]

Nice rare colour in this country!

[dxb335d]

Any old MOT and S/H to verfify mileage?

[Talkwrench]

Condition and history is everything. Do all you can to make it look perfect. They are constructed of the very best materials and should come up like new.
It is a rare colour and would appeal to a discerning purchaser looking for something a little unusual.
The price of these cars are currently so low primarily because people are scared of unknown costs. They can prove horrendously expensive if you buy a bad one. However, a good one with known history and sound provenance will sell at a reasonable price - if you can prove its worth.
An inspection by a decent specialist may work in your favour if everything is sound - but may well be a complete waste of money if it comes up with a list of problems that you really would not want a purchaser to know about!
There is absolutely no difference between an i and a Ci - it was just a change of BMW nomenclature to bring it in line with convention. There are crossover cars scattered all through 1991 -1992. If it says Ci on the BMW computer and on the log book, then it surely can be called a Ci, though I suspect the tyre pressure guide on the drivers door shut calls it an 850i!
I really wouldn't give it a second thought.
Its all about proving that the car is a good one and not a money pit waiting to open......

[jinx_uk_98]

Gents,

Thanks very much for all the useful replys. Like I say I will be getting some photos soon this week.

Just one query, MOT history and in fact any previous service books have all been lost.

All we have is

LogBook (v5c)
MOT Certificate
and some recipts for part and repares needed to get it through it's most recent MOT in December.

Is there anywhere I can go to get replacements??

Sorry for the ignorance.

Kev

[Talkwrench]

Very unfortunate that the MOT and service history is missing - but not necessarily a complete disaster. If the car has a full and comprehensive BMW history, then chances are that BMW will be able to confirm this - certainly the latter part at least. If you can find a friendly and cooperative dealer and supply them with the VIN number, they can look up the service record with BMW - and perhaps print it out for you if you are lucky! This will show details of the BMW service history and mileage of the car at each service.
Sadly, the service book is virtually impossible to replicate and any evidence of independant servicing will have been lost forever. Fingers crossed that the car has a pretty full BMW history!

[belleair302]

Regarding a specialist, if you find out that within 90 days something will fall off the car, the new buyer can come back for a full refund....ITS THE LAW!! Also getting a few bits repaired can add money to the car if the buyer gets it looked over before buying. Nobody is going to buy one of these without doing some research and having the car checked out.

[jinx_uk_98]

excellent thanks, I have a contact at bmw who can get this for me. so thats a start.

can anyone recommend me a BMW specialist in the portsmouth/hants area that can check it out for me?

[parksie]

Jinx

I could be interested in buying it from you.

Could you send some info & Photos to me at

[e-mail]

[derin100]

The 'real' 850Ci was never available in the UK...it's a LHD only model fitted with the later version of the V12 in 5.4L guise rated at 326bhp as stock...a '91 car won't be a real 'Ci'.

That's not good not having the service history and will significantly and adversely affect the value.

As others have said though all is not lost as you may well be able to trace it and get another service booked signed, stamped and issued via BMW.

I had this on my daily driver E39 523i...I got it with only a 'half stamped up' book (the first book having been lost at some stage). Forunately, I had all the invoices and could thus easily trace the servicing to one supplying dealership. I sent them the book to stamp retrospectively...They mislaid it within their own premises (!) so sent me another fully stamped 'new' one; then found the old one and stamped and sent that one as well...so I have two! Ergo...my car is worth twice as much!

Edited by derin100 on Sunday 3rd February 21:22

[burriana]

derin100 said:

Ergo...my car is worth twice as much!

Thing is Derin ... your cars usually ARE worth twice as much

[Talkwrench]

derin100 said:

The 'real' 850Ci was never available in the UK...it's a LHD only model fitted with the later version of the V12 in 5.4L guise rated at 326bhp as stock...a '91 car won't be a real 'Ci'.

hmm... not my experience.
I have seen many UK RHD 5.0L cars with 'Ci' consistant throughout all build sheets, purchase invoices, paperwork and even scribbled on the inside of trim parts and loom tags.
I agree that a '91 car is unlikely to have been built as a Ci but later ones certainly seem to have been.
I had a relative who was a BMW salesman at the time and he claimed that the 'C' should have always been there to denote 'Coupe' and the later addition was just bringing nomenclature into line.
My 1992 Ci was sold as a Ci - originally badged as such and stated as such on the original purchase invoice. If the 'Ci' never appeared until the later (1994) 5.4 engine materialised, where they just guessing that it might be later called a Ci? I doubt we'll ever get a definitive answer from BMW but there were clearly Ci's being sold in RHD form and a couple of years before the 5.4 appeared.

[jinx_uk_98]

derin100 said:

The 'real' 850Ci was never available in the UK...it's a LHD only model fitted with the later version of the V12 in 5.4L guise rated at 326bhp as stock...a '91 car won't be a real 'Ci'.

Cheers for that but it's just really confusing eh? The paperwork I've got says it's an 850ci (and it's RHD) but your saying it's not. But from what I now understand it makes little or no difference.

pgilc1 said:

I suspect the AC Schnitzer badge means either, its had the badge put on, OR it has some sort of AC Schnitzer bodykit / tuning package.

yea it's got quite a nice body kit on plus we just had a 1k set of new wheels and tyres put on it. But photo's will prove that soon.

cheers again.