Prospective Bimmer owner

[Foxey]

Hi all,

As the title suggests I currently do not own a BMW. However I am hoping to change that soon enough. I wanted to get advice from this forum but couldn't ask questions without joining.
So my car history is as follows; I had a 2000 540i (E39) is Australia and changed over the an E60 is 2004. We moved to Dubai in 2006 and I went with another German powerhouse and bought a 996 Carrera 4S. With the arrival of our second child I was ordered by "she who must be obeyed"to get a propper car with 4 doors and a real back seat so I downgraded to a Golf R32. I have to say it was a great little car and really fun to drive. Anyway since selling the R32 (company cars available so didn't make sense to keep the Golf too) we have had Jap and U.S. cars which are slowing killing me with boredom. I have a bit of spare time on my hands now so I am looking around for a car I always loved...

Please don't hate me but I want to get my hands on an 850. I know it is foolish and they cost a bomb to run and maintain but they are a classic and still look good today.

I am struggling to find a half decent car on the web and also I would be interested in suggestions on where I would find a suitable service center that knows their way around a V12.

Look forward to hearing from any and all on this forum.

Cheers
Foxey

[ahmad.alkhalil]

we definitely dont hate you for wanting an 850... I for one would love to own one at some point! its stance and curves are just immaculate! However, that being said they do tend to be problematic cars from what I hear... but what is fun without little problems ;)

Ayham has had a few come into his shop (Das Autoworks) in the past and they seem to be in pretty good shape... he'll be on shortly to tell u if any are for sale...

Good luck with the search.... they truly are rare

[Foxey]

Thanks for the quick response Ahmad. I did see a couple advertised last year and should have grabbed one but it wasn't the right time for me. Still I will wait and the right one will turn up if it is meant to be.
Is that your M3 in the picture? It's beautiful!

[ahmad.alkhalil]

that was my baby yes... sold her last year and got me a V10 BEAST :D still miss that car to be honest...

[Bruno]

so are you looking for a 4 seater sports car? or are you looking at a sedan?

[Foxey]

Hi Bruno,

I mentioned in my introduction that I was considering an 850 (preferably an 850csi) but after a lot of searching (mostly of the soul) I think I may have to settle for an 840. That complex v12 seems to pose too much trouble for many and so there are very few decent cars around.

[Makaveli7]

Welcome abroad Foxey, You will find something around, I found a lot in sharjah showrroms a year back when I was looking, but they were asking for 60K or something, claiming it was an M8.

If you really have some spare time, get an 840 and get an E92 M engine or an E60 M engine in there:P

Good luck with the search !

[Foxey]

Makaveli7, are you hacking my pc???? I was just surfing the the local web pages in the hope of finding an E60 M engine so I could price up the cost of an 840 with a transplant.
I think it's the way to go but I need to understand the legal (RTA) rules around undertaking such a project. Yeh Sharjah seems to be where old 8 series cars go to die...

[zakariajm]

Hi foxey, i could'nt agree with you more that the 8 series is one of the most beautiful cars ever made but unfortunatelly its very hard and expensive to maintain specially the V12s and its not the best car in terms of driving pleasure due to its over weight compared to other beemers, to cut it short, if i were to buy one i would do it if it was only mint condition and that would be just to put it on show on classis car exhibitions..but if you want to enjoy driving and not break your bank get something more drivable and maintainable and a 1:18 scale auto art die cast model of the 850csi for your living room, thats what i did.

[Foxey]

Hi zakariajm, I was chatting about this very point earlier in this thread with Makaveli7. I think we had the same solution at the same time. Makaveli7 suggested finding a cheaper 840 and planting an e92 or e60m engine into it. It was scary because when he was writing his comments I was actually looking for a suitable engine having had the very same idea.
I have tried to find out what I would have to do in order for the RTA to pass the car once I had transplanted the engine but I have had differing responses from them.
It seems they don't worry too much about the engine size as long as it is a v8 like the original but then they have issues with anything that is supercharged or turbocharged. I will keep hunting.