Opinion of BMW 840
 

Other possible option is a BMW 8 series...has anyone on the board owned one and what did you think of it? Thanks.

No to 840, just my opinion
 

That V8 is a troubled motor. Stay away from 540 from that era too. If budget is not a concern, get the 850csi which is essentially the M8 BMW never built. If budget is a concern, get a 1991 6-speed 850i. Very fun car, although rather heavy. Put aside lots of money for maintence, though. Nothing like engine or tranny, just rotors, hydrolics, electronic modules, etc.

I used to have a 1990 BMW 750iL Dinan Twin Turbo. That car was a beast: 0-60 in 4.3; 1/4 mile in 12.75 and a top speed of 191. No bull****. I will get that car back one day: I promise.

Re: No to 840, just my opinion
 

WOW! :eek:

That's really... AWEsome!

btw.. just to not go off topic. I really love the 8's shape! I wish they were cheaper to maintain since they're really coming down in price..

Thank you for the advise on the 8 series. I am really undecided about what to buy. Maybe an M3. I like the 500E but am not completely sold on its looks. But, need room for the kids.

Richard:

I was test driving several 8 Series cars prior to purchasing the 500E. I too appreciate the look of the GT coupe. One car that really caught my fancy was a Black/Gray 91 850i 6 speed. The car had 125k miles. Though it had all the right 'things', I walked away from it because of the maintenance issues that needed to be addressed. The entire front end needed TLC. The car did not have as much performance as the 500E.

I still smile and long at the 8 Series when I see one on the road. Someday, I'd consider a CSi when the depreciation has been complete ... now that's a GT!

Check out this link for additional information on the 8 Series ... http://www.clube31.com/ and http://bimmer.roadfly.org/bmw/forums/e31/

The V8 (840) requires much less maintenance and funds than the V12 (850). Also, the LEDs throughout the Control Consoles tend to fail ... FYI.

Good luck on your search.

... V8 and V12 issues
 

Here is info I found regarding the V8 and V12 issues ...

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Hi Jeff;

Welcome to the 8 Series forum. Requests like yours are very common on this board due to the resurgent popularity of the 8 Series.

The archives are rich in information for you to peruse. Answers to your questions are contained in the archives.

For the moment, since you're a newbie, here are direct answers to your questions:

1) I have heard that some of the 4.0 liter 8 cylinder engines had problems during some years. Are there any known problem years for the 840CI?
Answer: Yes there were Nikasil block engine issues for 1994-95 540's, 740's, and 840's (plus another 5 series model I've gone blank on). When using the search engine below, enter "Nikasil" and you will find a wealth of information about the problem and resolutions. Some owners of 1994-95 840Ci's have reported no problems with their engines, while others in "high-sulfur" content gasoline states report lots of problems.

2) What was the difference between the CI and CSI models?
Answer: The 850Ci was the base V12 8 Series. The 850CSi was the ///M derived version. For specific differences, visit this website for details: E31.Net Website

3) Are there any benefits or problem issues with the 5.0 liter 12 cylinder engine?
Answer: Benefits are numerous. Torque. Smoothness. On and on. Problems/Issues: if the 850 V12 has not been properly maintained, it will cost you dearly to bring it up to standards. When looking at any 8 Series for that matter....always ask for service records...if none exist, be wary. Any car that hasn't been maintained ultimately will catch up with you.

Good luck on your pursuit.

Jud Spencer
E31 Registry Agent

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8
 

Not to offend anyone's tastes... but the 840/850 looks a wee bit too Ford Taurus-esque, from a distance.

:rolleyes:

No offense taken ...
 

I don't see that, but Nissan sure copied the styling ques with the 240SE ... or one of those cars. Especially the rear taillight treatment.

I just love the B-pillar-less look on a coupe ... just like the SEC, the CL, and the CLK.

Now, not to offend anyone, but the new E (W211) rear quarter looks very Taurus to me. Slowly, I am begining to warm up to the styling ... slowly, very slowly.

And as always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Beautyy.....
 

http://users.rcn.com/holsonyap/E31.jpg

I grew up when the 8-Series was "The Coupe"! I even had a few 8-series radio controlled cars (Nikko brand). I guess I was a car fanatic since I was young I started finding out about the 8 and what engines it had, etc.....

thanks to that... it has joined the 500E as my dream cars...

BTW, does anyone have high-res picture of the E31?

Not to offend anyone's tastes... but the 840/850 looks a wee bit too Ford Taurus-esque, from a distance.

Too Ford Taurus-esque!?!?!?

I'd say the back end of a W210 IS WAY MORE Ford Taurus-esque!

IMHO I think the 8 series coupe is one of the nicest looking car on the road. True on could say it's rather late 80s early 90s in its treatment of body flares. But it's still a really clean design and always turns my head (quite a few 8s out on the west end of Los Angeles). If I were bloody rich I'd go for the V12 but in reality, if I do have a chance to get an 8, it will most likely be a V8.

Be sure to check out:

http://www.e31.net/english.html

This guy has some wicked bad video of his E31!!! They are a must see.

yeah I'm not seeing much Taurus there...the 8's look very Italian, very sexy. Sorry 500 guys, but the 124 car looks more than a little frumpy next to that coupe.

Who penned this car?

Mike

The 840 is much better looking than a 500E! It's a sleek coupe for starters, but as for performance, well that's a different story. :)

you an a coupe - but with space for the kids?

Have a look at the W140 CL range...like mine ;)

6' tall people can sit in comfort in the back... plus the boot (trunk) is big enough for at least 4 to 5 bodies :D

Resale is a heckuva'lot better on the CL too. What does that tell us? :)

tells us that the E31 is a nicer looking car for less money!