Looking to buy an 8

[Yenny]

anything I should look for? Problems? Way to check for mods all that jazz?

[TerryY]

The list of what to look for varies with the year and variant that you are looking at.

Early years seem to have more electrical problems.
V 8 engine could be a problem in early 840's

I love mine but it is a 2 person car.

[gra8fuldd]

I love mine too

BUT ... I just bought a NEW M5 and I'm seriously contemplating on finding a new home for it.

It's a 1995 Arctic Silver w/Grey Supple leather and I'm the original owner. 50K miles on the car and 13K miles on engine that BMW replaced by I insisted cuz it was a Nikosil engine I didn't want to possibly have problems down the line. They replace everything ... 100% under warranty and it drives fabulously.

BUT ...

I haven't decided.

They are great cars and I believe that they are the sexiest car that BMW ever designed.

[Yenny]

Hmm I'd have to look more into the engine scenario. I like the silver 840 either that or black one. What would you be looking for as far as compensation :12: Anywho let me know how things go with that.

[TerryY]

Hi

I Love my 8 so I obviously believe that Arctic Silver is the best color to get one in!

Silver shows off the design detail best of all of the colors and Black shows off the dust best. I went looking for a silver 840 after searching for a while (drove 2 850's first).

The original V8's were prone to excessive cylinder wall wear if too much sulphur was present in the gasoline used. The replacement engines that BMW installed have a different cylinder lining material and should last a very long time.

It depends where the car spent it's life. My 840 was always on the West coast and has 128,000 miles on the original engine with no problems. On the other hand, my 740 spent the first 45,000 miles in Ohio with high sulphur in the gas and was showing signs of the problem at 95,000 miles. It is now at 108,000 and still running strong though.

[Yenny]

Definately where the car has been driven makes a big difference. Like in the NorthEast the salt kills cars. So the rebuilt engines run well ??

[Evan e21]

Get one, they are beautiful cars

[TerryY]

BMW replacements were a NEW shortblock so all of the rotating parts except the camshafts in the heads were replaced.

They are a ball to drive and the problem is not getting you picture taken by Photo radar here .

They are not real sports cars but Autobahn cruisers. Two people at speed in all the comfort one could ask!!

It seems impossible to make a stoplight dragster from them because they weigh almost 4000 pounds but they are quick enough to leave most of the coffee can equipped kids behind at the light.
At 60 you stomp on the gas to pass and start wondering if the back seat is strong enought to catch you after it downshifts ! It gets hard to let off the gas because it feels so good!

Oh well. Can you tell how I feel about mine?

[zenon]

Terry, why did you end-up getting the v8 after trying a few v12's?....I'm sure one rip in a v12 and my mind would be made!

[TerryY]

1) My chipped 740 had more power than either the 840 or 850's that I drove. So I assumed that I could use the same type chip in an 840 and get the same results-I was right.
2) Growing up in the 50's made a V8 kinda guy out of me I guess. The theatrical presentation of the V12 which is composed of mostly air flow noises combined with a bit of mechanical sound and almost no exaust noise wasn't all that impressive to me. It isn't like hearing a Ferrari at full song.

The V8 has a bit of burble at and just off idle and to me a better air flow sound. The current chip changes the air flow to more of a throaty moan than either the factory or Dinan chip that was in the 840.

[99bmw740il]

Does J Conforti make a chip for the m62 v8?? Dinan stuff sucks!

[TerryY]

I think that it depends on build date how Conforti chips them but I think they do all of them.