840Ci as a daily driver?

[1989 e3o]

Well last Saturday my E30 325i (one in my sig. still) was totaled, here is the link to that thread
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...-to-BMW-heaven

But anyways I now need a new Daily driver and there is one car in particular that has really got my attention a 1995 840ci. Here is the link to it
http://littlerock.craigslist.org/ctd/3773386165.html

The car seems to be in great shape has had some work done to it recently and the owner seems to be a stand up guy/girl and has only put 5k miles on it in 2 years. My question is, would an 840ci be a good car to drive everyday? I understand all BMW's are expensive to maintain and the 840 will probably have more expensive up keep than my 550i, But for $7900 I could do 20k in repairs and still come out cheaper than buying a CPO 1 series. Is this a good idea? Do any of you guys daily drive your E31?

[OttoB]

I bought my 1991 850 so I could spread out my 75 mile daily commute amongst the 2 others and the only thing holding me up is the amount of cosmetic/custom work I've chosen to undertake. You will hear all kinds of complements on the car and anywhere you pull up, you'll be seen as driving one of the most elegantly designed coupes of the modern era which is still very contemporary and for relatively very little money. You won't regret it if you're truly passionate about cars reaching 15-20 years old.

[Cali840]

Well, I daily drive my '94 840Ci. About every two weeks (give or take), I put about 300+ miles on it, since I drive to and from the Palm Springs area, in lower SoCal, as thats where i'm stationed. But I have had my share of issues, and have had to lay down the money. But honestly, it has totally been worth it. As long as your weekly/monthly maintenance says true, its a great daily driver. And yes, once you get one, you end up dropping money on more custom work, hard to avoid it.

Good luck!! 😄

[olinjohnston]

Daily-driven 1994 840Ci here...Got almost 150,000 on the little beast, and it has never let me down.

Think of it like an extra-beautiful E32 740i with multi-link rear suspension...it's not a totally exotic car. In my experience. BMWs operate better when driven regularly anyway, and it's not like a midwest 118k mile 840 is a car that needs to be preserved. I say do it, but just be ready to drop a dime if you want it to stay tight and pretty.

[chinito03]

850ci daily-driven if I don't feel like driving my SUV, which is almost everyday...

[1989 e3o]

Are they as reliable as any other Bmw?

[IcemanBHE]

As reliable as any V8 BMW. Typical cooling issues. Love to eat control arms. Etc etc

I drove mine everyday for 2 years, but missed a back seat.

And...those are hideous repr M Pars.

Get me the VIN and I can do some checking. I think thats a 94 car. Steering wheel emblem isnt right....

[BBmatic]

My 840 loves being driven pretty much every day and hasn't let me down once.... however it did benefit from a generous former owner who didn't cheap out.

In the UK they are available very cheap, but (assuming you care for it, and didn't pay over the odds) they hold their value well ..this takes depreciation out of the equation, another plus.

Personally if buying another 8 i'm pretty sure i would go for another higher mileage example - mine had done 11-12k miles a year every year; to me, that showed it was in regular usage and gave me confidence.

[1989 e3o]

Ok I'll try to get the vin for you tomorrow.

[barry8108]

I drive my 840 at least 4 days a week, been very reliable. I have seen that car for sale for a while now, he should be willing to cone down in price a little by now. When i bought mine here in Memphis they wanted 8000 and i ended up getting it for 7, maybe you can do the same.

[1989 e3o]

I did a lot of the work on my e30 myself. Is the e31 hard to work on?

[olinjohnston]

I did a lot of the work on my e30 myself. Is the e31 hard to work on?

It's a more complex car for sure, but it was made by the same company and sold originally at the same time as an E30. My point is, you're not going to need a whole new set of tools here.

[Cefalu]

The one you are looking looks nice and the price is fair. Pay very close attention to the idle and how smooth it is with and without the AC on. Check the climate control for proper operation. Then check how the auto gearbox shifts. Those are the basics which if not right can make an $8,000 car become a $12,000 car pretty fast.

And don't be expecting e30 fuel mileage. Be prepared for a SUV like 14-15MPG. Also, the electronics might be a bit more complex than your e30.

But I love mine. Never fails to get attention.

[Black88GTA]

I've been daily driving mine for the last 6 years (including a few NY winters!) although I wised up and bought a dedicated winter car a few years back. Keep up with the maintenance and you'll be fine. Mine left me stranded a grand total of 3 times (not including flat tires). First one (right after I got it) I ran it out of gas. I found out that day that the trip computer / range indicator is not to be trusted. Second time was shortly after that, when the fuel pump went (I wonder why!). And then, smooth sailing until yesterday when it quit on me and I had to get it towed. That one turned out to be a blown fuse under the hood.

[DanB]

What does the $7K in recent service consist of?

[1989 e3o]

What does the $7K in recent service consist of?

The entire suspension has been replaced, master cylinder, front bumper was repainted, door lock actuator replaced, and other small stuff.
I'm still waiting on the vin number tho. I want the car very badly but I don't want to buy one that will constantly need repair.

[Ferns8]

Mine was a daily driver for many years driving 55 miles each way with no major issues WHILE I was working. It now has 158K but is resting quietly right now in the garage.

[1989 e3o]

As reliable as any V8 BMW. Typical cooling issues. Love to eat control arms. Etc etc

I drove mine everyday for 2 years, but missed a back seat.

And...those are hideous repr M Pars.

Get me the VIN and I can do some checking. I think thats a 94 car. Steering wheel emblem isnt right....

Here is the vin WBAEF6302SCC89595

[IcemanBHE]

Pm me your email. Ill send you what I have.

and...

Prod.date

1994-05-31

[olinjohnston]

and...

Prod.date

1994-05-31

While that production date is correct, the car is considered a 1995 model year by BMW. The steering wheel with the colored roundel came 9/94 though...

This particular car got the Alusil block replacement at 52,000 miles.

[1989 e3o]

IcemanBHE gave me some great info on the car, I now have a few questions for the seller that are not quite adding up in my head.

[1989 e3o]

Spoke with the adjuster today. Could have my property damage settlement by Wednesday so I could have my 840ci this weekend!

[arthur1952]

Yes I use my 1994 840 3 days a week 40 mile round trip to work and back.
I drive down a short duel carriageway and the rest is country roads.
Started this 5 years ago and still enjoy the trip each time.
Arthur

[crazy8]

My 840 has been daily driven for 5 years and been an outstanding performer. If you just keep up with maintenance, you will be fine. The key is finding a good car to begin with. I've found the more you let them sit, the worse they run. But as others have stated, the e31 is not as scary as many like to make them out to be. The main issue is that many of the parts are scarce and pretty expensive. Other than that, 840s are solid machines. Happy motoring.

[1989 e3o]

Well it took a while but I should have my 840ci next week.