What to look for when buying a BMW E31 8 Series (e31 850i v12 840ci v8 buyers guide) | 4K
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2022
- What to look for when buying an BMW e31 8 series. The buyers guide.
The 850 was one of the most subtle super-GTs, with a remarkable 0.29 drag coefficient. This ultimate autobahn-stormer could cruise all day at 150mph, delivering the driver relaxed to their destination thousands of miles later.
Never really a sports car, even when BMW added a six-speed manual 'box and M-technic suspension as options, it came closer when the phenomenal CSi was launched in 1992 - after which the 840 joined the range as the entry-level model.
The ultimate Alpina B12 5.7 manual boasted 416bhp; there was also a B12 5-litre automatic with 350bhp. The majority were 840s and most were automatics.
Official figures show that 3040 came to the UK, of which 850 were V12s. DVLA records cast doubt on that, showing 1215 V12s registered in 1999, but, equally surprising, just 306 left in 2011. Some have been crashed and others broken for spares, but surely not so many?
Of the V8s, the DVLA's highest figure was 2001 cars; now it's 1259, a more plausible depletion rate.
They are extremely tempting as a classic buy. Prices have shot up in recent years, but you can still get a rough 840 or 850 for under £10,000, and a good one for less than £20,000, and cars of at least 20 years old are eligible for cheap insurance.
The 4-litre is arguably the best value, often better equipped than the 4.4s. Though officially limited to 155mph, most cars will go faster. Of course, the more complexity, the greater the danger of getting your fingers burnt but, because these cars were so well made, if you find one that has been properly maintained and cherished, there is little danger of being hit by horrific bills. That sub-£10,000 car, however, could easily cost another £10k to bring back to a decent standard.
Corrosion, check for poor past repairs and, if the paint is fading, remember that resprays are not cheap. High mileage is rarely a problem: neglect is the main enemy and irregular use can wreak havoc, especially if the car is stored in damp conditions.
And don't be taken in by a vendor saying: "The dash displays aren't working, it's probably just a fuse." More likely, he tried to jump-start it and blew an £800 control module. Boffins can rebuild them for less, though it's still a costly repair.
The heart of every 8 is a superb V12 or V8 engine. Look for oil, water and clutch-fluid leaks, plus non-standard parts, signs of tampering and recent major work that may not have been done properly. Fully synthetic oil is best avoided: it's too thin and is consumed rapidly. A full service history is a big bonus, reflected in price.
If water level drops, air locks form and need a specialist fix - otherwise head gaskets can blow, leading to major problems if not repaired promptly.
Automatic gearbox problems are rare; its specification is better on later cars. Manuals can become notchy, though this can be rectified for £700-1000.
Most driver's seat side bolsters have worn through, and the foam behind often breaks down. Budget £250-350 to replace worn panels and re-colour.
Most dash displays have lost pixels: a repair costs c£80; replacement c£330. Check that it all works: a jump without spike protection kills costly electronics.
Check pop-ups operate and reflectors are in good order. Dipped beam is very poor; HID upgrade with ballast in loom transforms it from £250.
These were some of the first cars with 'fly-by-wire' throttles. They are packed with ECUs, each of which can cost hundreds, if not thousands, to fix if they fail. Viscous fan, water pump and cam-cover gaskets are common failures, needing hours of work to replace. Beware oil leaks from the upper and lower sump, plus timing-cover gaskets on V12s: £1500 minimum to do the lot.
Engines are immensely durable. The Nikasil liner problems on 4-litre V8s have virtually all been sorted and 180k miles without problems is not unusual; some V12s are up to 220,000 miles.
To check for a misfire, select park/neutral with the engine warm and ticking over, then floor the throttle and lift off - as the revs rise, listen for an uneven note. On the test drive, doing 30mph, accelerate hard and look for smoke behind. Poor running is often down to ageing Lambda sensors or throttle bodies out of sync, though it could be valves, stem seals or low compression.
The brakes should be excellent, but calipers stick on infrequently used cars. Automatic Stability Control units can leak - replacement is £3000 unless you can find a second-hand one. On a CSi, check that the rear steering works; you can feel it on roundabouts or tight corners. The £3k actuator solenoids seize, but can often be freed.
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I fell in love with the v12 when I first saw one in NY and I still want one. I was just a young kid when I saw it, the best part was how it reminded me of a shark.
207K Miles on my 1991 V12. Rubber and plastic failing, Just did the complete rear end 2K just in parts. Cool does not come cheap
Ahh mate definitely agree cool doesn't come cheap. I spent over 8k on just the rear end and front end which included few upgrades as well then did a full respray.
Fantastic video. Many thanks for sharing this information. I'm about to pick up my 840ci so good to inspect this list of defects to watch out for. After many years owning and upkeeping E36s I'm stoked about moving onto an 8. I'm hoping these hold their values and increase over time. Keep the videos up and look forward to hearing more.
Great video 👏
Thank you
Always wanted one of these but got too many projects on the go already 😂 great video, very useful 👌👌👌
Thanks buddy..when your a BMW enthusiast its never enough of project cars lol
@@BMWRestored haha your not wrong 😂😂
I owned a 1991 850i for 3 years, and drive a 1994 840ci for the last 15 years. In the 840 the valley pan gaskets go, the plastic radiators break, the headlights dont pop up ( bad relay is problem) the secondary water pump breaks, the headlight adjusters break, the side windows get out of alignment and can shatter when closing. In colder temperatures the general module can cause random working of the locks, windows, interior lights and wipers. (capacitors need replacing) the accelerator linkage can fall apart. Parts that are still available that are specific to this car are a fiotune
Cleann bro 👊🏼
Thank you
great work , one more thing to check is the rear lower jack points rust badly , mot failure for sure as are rusty brake pipes
That was the last thing I covered the jacking points before ending the video but yes major one which I forgot to mention is the fuel lines and brake lines. Thanks for picking this up 👍
Bmw:s most iconic beautiful car.... Love it!
Lower Control arm bushing are a big weak point on these cars also run at least once a week or your battery will die GREAT CAR I have one and I love it v12 manual
Nice video.
Thank you 🙏
Thanks
Nice Video Bro 👍🏽👌🏽 Greetings e31germany
Thanks bro..good to see you on here..thank you for the support 🙏
Nice car i have the exact same specs car 1991 850i manual which also sat for 9 years and im in process of restoring it
I love the throwing star wheels i wish i can find for my car i currently have bbs rc 303 on it
Fantastic..its painful restoring process but you will love it when it's done. I will be selling these throwing stars soon..let me know if your interested
Very detailed video. My headlight washers work fine. What do you want to know?
Thanks Fraser. Would love to see a video of the washer in action. Will you be able to send it to my Instagram @bmwrestored please?
🔥🔥🔥😎
At this rate, can you offer a service as an E31 8 Series inspector for buying one?
I wouldn't say I'm a expert but happy to always guide anyone who's looking to purchase a E31 from the knowledge I have.
That's my old car.. I put those M3 mirrors on it 👍👍
Hi, when did you own the car? Do you remember who you sold it to?
@BMWRestored I owned it in South Ireland back in 2005, it was still on UK plates when I sold it, it went BACK to the UK. I had it for around 18 months.. Customs we're looking for €11,000 off me to change the plates hence the sale. She was running perfect.. An appreciating classic.. well wear !! I bought an R34 Skyline right after it 👍👍 As regards who bought it from me.. clueless
@A_Different_Kind_Of_Truth awesome to find more history of the car..it was bought by a Dr name was Dr Kats..hence the number plate. Unfortunately he passed away due to cancer but he did make most of the car drove around France before passing away. Car was maintained by Chris Burton ( 8 series guru) whilst it was in Dr's possession. After the Dr passing away Chris Burton bought it and was just sitting in his yard outside for about 9 years. Car was absolutely ruined. I then bought it of Chris even though I went to see a 840ci but as soon as I heard it was a manual I had to jump on it. I then took the challenge to fully restore the car, engine and gearbox recommissioned with stage 2 racing clutch from Australia all bushes and suspension arms replaced, subframes powder coated and resprayed the whole car again. I have now owned it for nearly 4 years and loved every moment of it. Sadly I'm now thinking to sell her as I have another 8 series which I'm currently doing some mods on and will be playing around with that.
@BMWRestored Awesome bit of information, it's nice to come across most of my past experiences here, and see others enjoy them as much as I did. Funnily enough, I was only chatting to a guy last week about a 1995 Toyota Supra Twin Turbo that I used to own and was delighted to see it again in all it's glory. Sadly though, as I always say to myself "I should have kept it OR them" but realistically "you can't hold onto them all". The only "classic" I did manage to keep was a 1978 Daimler Sovereign 4.2 LWB Auto which is rust free and she's an inline 6 which has a unique sound. I'm a mechanic so the reasoning was that "she was way ahead of her time", disc brakes, timing chain, all electrics etc. And it's kinda "Kray Twins Querky" .. so I love it.. LOL
Hey, nice chatting to you, don't sell that BMW for anything less than £32,000.. she's worth every penny to the right punter 👍👍 take care Sir. 🙂
@A_Different_Kind_Of_Truth great chatting to you and knowing one of the owner. What's your name?
Your right you can't keep them all. I have 12 at the moment which includes 4 e31. I have actually owned a super 8 as well.. I have to say I do regret selling that car as I didn't get a chance to enjoy it properly..loved how it had the option to recline tue rear seats.
My plan was to sell the car for 34k