'Bargain' 850CSi

[MitchT]

I'm always keeping and eye out for 8 Series for sale and have noticed this...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/918420.htm

I'd love an 850CSi and at that price this car looks like a snip. Of course such a low price also stimulates one heck of a lot of suspicion. The comments mention that the car "requires minor cosmetic to bodywork" though the only visible work that needs doing is the replacement of the lower section of the front bumper which is clearly missing - perhaps there's more to do than that. This could, in theory, be a small project for someone that would result in one awesome car! I have to say I'm sorely tempted!

I'm also (largely due to its sublime colour combo) very much in love with this... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/908564.htm though I'd prefer a manual, and having read many comments about how the 840 fares relatively to the 850 I think I'd always wonder what I was missing if I bought an 840. Lovely car though!

[mike325112]

Is the first one you post that cheap though? There are loads for quite a lot cheaper than 7k on autotrader.

I would love the balls to own an 8 series one day. I just have the worry that an 850 would cost mega money to put right anything went wrong.

Edited to say just seen that the first one is a csi motorsport, thats just lovelly inside. Damn you I'm going to be looking at these for the next couple of hours now!

Edited by mike325112 on Friday 27th February 22:59

[Mark V8]

No mention of history on that early CSi.....there may be trouble ahead......though, if you can arrange a full mechanical inspection at a nearby independant, and the outcome is favourable, at that price it may prove a true bargain.
840 is tasty but still a little strong.

[MitchT]

mike325112 said:

Is the first one you post that cheap though?

Yes, it's a CSi - a totally different beast to the standard 850 (I see you've edited to acknowledge that). If it's only the lower part of the front bumper that's missing and it's mechanically sound than it's an absolute steal at that price. Thus far I haven't seen a CSi for sale for less than £16k.

Mark V8 said:

No mention of history on that early CSi.....there may be trouble ahead......though, if you can arrange a full mechanical inspection at a nearby independant, and the outcome is favourable, at that price it may prove a true bargain.

I have a contact who owns an 850CSi and an 850Ci and knows these cars inside out, so I would have every confidence in an 8 which I had bought with his blessing, in fact I wouldn't dream of buying one without him looking at it for me.

Mark V8 said:

840 is tasty but still a little strong.

Indeed. I saw another 840Ci Sport a while back - Same interior but Velvet Blue paintwork. It had under 60k miles and was up for £9,995. I was waiting to see £9k and then I was going to move, but it must have sold. With this car I'd say the same - £9k and I'm ready to talk.

Edited by MitchT on Friday 27th February 23:10

[Mark V8]

Exactly my thoughts. However there are purchasers who, having looked at one too many dogs will take comfort in the individual colour, FBMWSH and sensible mileage. Dealer will want his 10k I think and has priced to attract a haggling situation. Its a (fairly) rare and aspirational machine after all.
If I was closer to that CSi I'd be having a gander this weekend.....

Edited by Mark V8 on Friday 27th February 23:30

[tali1]

850csi is one of rarest BMWs past or present sold in UK

[MitchT]

Mark V8 said:

Exactly my thoughts. However there are purchasers who, having looked at one too many dogs will take comfort in the individual colour, FBMWSH and sensible mileage. Dealer will want his 10k I think and has priced to attract a haggling situation. Its a (fairly) rare and aspirational machine after all.

Yes, you're right there. I love the Individual interior and the Individual paint is great too. I don't doubt that it will go for more than the £9k that I'd be willing to pay, however I have to draw the line on the low side as it's an auto and I really want something with a manual 'box.

Mark V8 said:

If I was closer to that CSi I'd be having a gander this weekend.....

Me too!

tali1 said:

850csi is one of rarest BMWs past or present sold in UK

Certainly is - One of the rarest modern BMWs in the world in fact!

[Job38]

Discussed here too: http://www.8er.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8257

It does appear an amazing value CSi (and in a great colour combination) !
One wonders what the dealer paid for it at that price!
Either it's an amazing bargain and they don't know quite what they've got, or it's a monumental money pit

I'd strongly recommend a PHer go and check it out.
It could make someone an amazing purchase.

The CSi is an incredible car - beautiful, purposeful, seriously quick.
You have just got to experience 410 lb/ft normally aspirated torques in a manual box
And, only 153 made for UK

[E31Shrew]

Shame tha the wheels on the 840 need a bit of work but otherwise go for it!

Awesome cars....I'm on my second...

[MitchT]

Job38 said:

Discussed here too: http://www.8er.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8257

Shame I don't understand German!

[Job38]

E31Shrew said:

Shame tha the wheels on the 840 need a bit of work but otherwise go for it!

Awesome cars....I'm on my second...

The wheels wouldn't put me off, that's a fantastic looking car.
(Though the interior colour is not to my particular liking - no change there then !!!

Here from Jud of the 8 Register E31.net (for the English speakers )



I bring to your attention this very special 1-owner 86k mile 1999 M62 840CiA RHD:
http://www.jamespaul.co.uk/vehicle-d....asp?ID=810...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=200312618...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/908564.htm
Contact the dealer directly for the VIN and other background information regarding this car.

It is the "last" Aegean Blue (code 336) 8er built for the UK market on 31-March-1999. Aegean Blue (known as ÄGÄISCHBLAU METALLIC (336)) was a low production colour for the 8er. In total, there were 45 Aegean Blue (code 336) 8ers produced:
United Kingdom: 26 cars (all 840CiA's)
Australia: 2 cars (all 840CiA's)
Germany: 7 cars
5 S70 850CSi's
The very last 850CSi, currently for sale in Germany, is painted in this colour.
2 M73 850CiA
Italy: 1 car (M62 840Ci 6spd)
Middle East: 8 cars
All were M73 850CiA Platinum editions
Unknown: 1 car (M62 840CiA LHD, somewhere in Europe)
The last Aegean Blue M62 840CiA was an Australian built car April, 1999. The very last Aegean Blue 8er was a Platinum Edition M73 850CiA for the Middle East, also April, 1999.

This particular car has the rarely-seen upholstery in an 8er, Cremeweiss (code 2 423 379). Of the 1,470 M62 RHD 840CiA's built worldwide, only 19 cars had variations of this interior. Coupled with Aegean Blue (code 336) , there were only 3 that came in this interior; all delivered to the UK. Two of the three were done exactly the same way with these attributes in 1999, both built during March, 1999:

Z1XX Upholstery
Following items are in leather Nappa creamwhite (nb. 2 423 379)
Front and rear seats
Head rests
Upholstery middle part
Inserts in the doors and rear side panels (Processing such as BMW 850 CSi)
Bezel instrument panel below
Quilting yarn sandbeige (8 174 137), code 0972 B.
Sewing thread sandbeige (8 174 131), code 0972 B.
Piping on the driver and front passenger in Nappa marineblau: (Nr. 8 174 059)
Remaining interior Black Nappa leather: Schl.Nr. M5SW
The other one of the three was done in a very special way in 1998.

[Job38]

MitchT said:

Job38 said:

Discussed here too: http://www.8er.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8257

Shame I don't understand German!

and in English, as requested:

From Jud of the 8 Register from E31.net:

This car has this low production interior. Out of 1,510 850CSi's produced, only 116 came with the upholstery: LEDER NAPPA/SILBERGRAU (0496/N4SL)

Breakdown by 850CSi global production:
21 - S70 850CSi RHD (all UK)
82 - S70 850CSi LHD Euro
13 - S70 850CSi LHD North America
For the UK, this car is the only one that came with this colour combination:
SCHWARZ 2 668 - Jet Black
LEDER NAPPA/SILBERGRAU (0496/N4SL)
Worldwide, there are 6 850CSi's in this colour combination. Five are in the USA and the remaining one is in the UK (subject car). If anyone decides to purchase this car, it will be the only Euro 850CSi RHD/LHD in this colour combination.

Here's the build sheet:

Type code EG92
Type 850CSI (EUR)
Dev. series E31 ()
Line 8
Body type COUPE
Steering RL
Door count 2
Engine S70
Cubical capacity 5.6
Power 280
Transmision HECK
Gearbox MECH
Colour SCHWARZ 2 668 - Jet Black
Upholstery LEDER NAPPA/SILBERGRAU (0496/N4SL)
Prod. date 1994-07-01

Order options
No. Description
243 AIRBAG FOR FRONT PASSENGER
255 SPORTS LEATHER STEERING WHEEL
401 SLIDING/VENT ROOF, ELECTRIC
416 SUNBLINDS
428 WARNING TRIANGLE
459 SEAT ADJUSTM., ELECTR. W MEMORY F DRIVER
481 SPORT SEATS F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER
494 SEAT HEATING F DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER
500 HEADLIGHT WASHER SYS/INTENSIVE CLEANING
528 AUTOMATIC AIR RECIRCULATION CONTROL(AUC)
537 PARK VENTILATION
662 BMW BAVARIA C PROFESSIONAL RDS
672 CD CHANGER BMW FOR 6 CDS
676 HIFI LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM
686 DIVERSITY-FUNCTION AERIAL
812 ENGLAND VERSION
850 ADD FUEL TANK FILLING FOR EXPORT

[MitchT]

Job38 said:

E31Shrew said:

Shame tha the wheels on the 840 need a bit of work but otherwise go for it!

Awesome cars....I'm on my second...

The wheels wouldn't put me off, that's a fantastic looking car.
(Though the interior colour is not to my particular liking - no change there then !!!

Which 840 are we talking about here? The silver one for sale on the same site as the 850CSi or the Aegean blue one that I provided a link to in my OP?

[AB]

Id love an 850CSi, but I would go for the 840Ci over the 850Ci if it were my money...

The only thing that annoys me about mine is the steering is a little 'loose' feeling. Other than that it feels every bit as good as new.

[E31Shrew]

MitchT said:

Job38 said:

E31Shrew said:

Shame tha the wheels on the 840 need a bit of work but otherwise go for it!

Awesome cars....I'm on my second...

The wheels wouldn't put me off, that's a fantastic looking car.
(Though the interior colour is not to my particular liking - no change there then !!!

Which 840 are we talking about here? The silver one for sale on the same site as the 850CSi or the Aegean blue one that I provided a link to in my OP?

I was talking about the Aegean blue one. Noticed the wheel rims were painted and not polished. Minor irritation!

[Job38]

Me too.....

[MitchT]

E31Shrew said:

I was talking about the Aegean blue one. Noticed the wheel rims were painted and not polished. Minor irritation!

Personally I prefer the painted look to the polished look, however, if I were to buy that car the first thing I'd do would be to swap the wheels for the type that I've pictured below as I think they suit 8 Series Sport models much better.

[Talkwrench]

A stonking buy! And if I didn't have quite so many projects under way I'd be straight down to take a look. My recommendation to anyone considering this rare and extremely desirable individual CSi would be to buy it and expect to spend about the same again bringing it up to tip top condition.
I'd rebuild front and rear suspension, steering, brakes, all brake pipework. I'd whip the engine & gearbox out, overhaul both and pop in a decent clutch. Tidy up the underbonnet area, strip out the interior, deep clean the carpets and trim and refurbish the leather, then tackle the bodywork. I reckon for £14/15k you could have a superb, reliable CSi that felt like new, looked mint and was totally reliable. And it'd be good for another 100k.......
Believe me, a refreshed, mildly upgraded CSi is a truly wonderful experience.

[Job38]

wot ee sed

These are extremely rare and desirable machines, well worth saving and enjoying, a real Pistonheads dream.........

[parksie]

Well I won't be Buying it

The Barstools don't want my 840 in P/Xburn the840 then buy the Csi