840 Running Costs |
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Longstaff
Newbie Joined: 16-July-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
Topic: 840 Running Costs Posted: 16-July-2004 at 13:20 |
I wonder if you could help me. I am 44 years of age and probably going through the sort of crisis that affects a lot of people around that age. For me, having had boring saloon cars ever since I passed my test, I have decided I need a 2 seater sports touring coupe. I have been looking for probably the last 12 months at the sort of cars that would realistically fit my needs of a comfortable long distance car, 6 cylinders or more and one that could possibly become a classic in it's own way in years to come. After lots of research, I am down to two cars. The Porsche 928 GTS or the BMW 840Ci. I am about 50-50 at the moment between the two, but recent research has revealed that the Porsche 928 has the potential to be pretty heavy on the running costs. Now, I certainly don't expect cars in this bracket to run on fresh air, but I have heard that at a minimum, I would be looking at 1000GBP to keep it in good order. That sort of figure would make me wince a bit, but some reports I've had put this figure closer to 2k which for the amount of driving I would be doing (as a 2nd car..) I would have to draw a line and say no. So, my question relates to typical running costs for the BMW. Could anyone tell me what sort of costs I would reasonably expect on a per annum basis (just normal, typical costs, barring catastrophies). To give you an idea of what I would be lloking at buying, I am looking at a 96/97ish 840 with less than 50k miles and I expect my annual mileage would be less than 8k. Many thanks in advance! Ian |
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sleeper
Really Senior Member II Original and STILL best Joined: 26-March-2004 Location: East Sussex/Kent border Status: Offline Points: 2098 |
Posted: 16-July-2004 at 13:30 |
Can't really help you with this one, however a friend of mine has a 928 and needs a new radiator. It has been off the road for 18 months as a new part is £870+VAT!! You will find that 928's spend alot of time lying around because of these costs and as such suffer quite badly from lack of use.
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Longstaff
Newbie Joined: 16-July-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
Posted: 16-July-2004 at 13:34 |
Thanks for that ...sounds to me like another nail for the 928 coffin!
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sleeper
Really Senior Member II Original and STILL best Joined: 26-March-2004 Location: East Sussex/Kent border Status: Offline Points: 2098 |
Posted: 16-July-2004 at 13:38 |
have you tried www.munichlegends.co.uk ? I think barney may have or know of a good 840i..... worthwhile calling him.
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Longstaff
Newbie Joined: 16-July-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
Posted: 16-July-2004 at 13:40 |
No I haven't. I'll have a chat with him. Thanks
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 27-August-2003 Location: Lost somewhere in time... Status: Offline Points: 6484 |
Posted: 16-July-2004 at 14:24 |
Ian, I don't know how much on an annual basis it would cost to run an 840, but doing 8k a year you are likely just to be paying out for 1 service, say 1/2 set of tyres (depending on how you drive). Give your local dealer a call and get a quote for servicing. The real cost with these cars is when something goes wrong or needs replacing, such as suspension components etc. I would be very suprised if an 840 costs as much to maintain as a 928, although a lot of it depends on how good the car is in the first place. Buy a neglected example of either and it will bleed your wallet dry. Last time I was in the dealer I overheard a conversation between the owner of an 850 and the service manager. The service manager was explaining to the owner why it was going to cost £2500 to fix the aircon. |
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Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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aussie840
Really Senior Member I Skip Joined: 07-June-2003 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 251 |
Posted: 19-July-2004 at 16:02 |
IMO the 840 is cheaper to run, I've found most of the engine & drive train prices similiar to the 540 and 740. Pricey items were exhausts, rear suspension bushings and front rotors. But of course I am incredibly biased towards the 840. I think overall its about 20% more to run than my old 325e Seeya Ian |
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Longstaff
Newbie Joined: 16-July-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
Posted: 20-July-2004 at 09:19 |
Thanks for your input, it is appreciated. Lots of thinking done over the weekend and I'm now going for it. I'm now on the look out for a luvverly 840...in blue. I know it could be a long wait, but I'm sure it'll be worth it!
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Badger 540
Really Senior Member I Joined: 23-October-2003 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 451 |
Posted: 20-July-2004 at 21:12 |
All the warnings about the M60 Nikasil block should be taken on board, especially with a low mileage example which may exhibit the fault in the near future. I'm not sure when the M62 went into the 840, certainly it was '96 in the E39. My friend has a 96 840ci with an M60 though. Cheers. Andy West Midlands (alusil M60 ) |
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Badger540 West Midlands
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aussie840
Really Senior Member I Skip Joined: 07-June-2003 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 251 |
Posted: 21-July-2004 at 02:21 |
Good luck on the purchase. I've read hundreds of posts on Nikasil vs Alusil on different boards and I think Nikasil has got a bad wrap just because of the high sulphur fuel in the States. Nikasil is still used in performance bike & car engines. I thought the instances of high sulphur fuel in the UK was pretty rare or at least a thing of the past. There haven't been any reported Nikasil problems down under. Ian
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Longstaff
Newbie Joined: 16-July-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 5 |
Posted: 21-July-2004 at 09:35 |
Andy From the research I have read I understand it was mid 97 when the 840 got the M62. I also understand that most of the claims were met by BMW, so I've been told that if I see one pre 97, to make sure it is stamped accordingly with the block change - as long of course that the block was changed after mid 97, otherwise it'll still be Nikasil. Is that your understanding? Thanks! Ian |
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Badger 540
Really Senior Member I Joined: 23-October-2003 Location: West Midlands Status: Offline Points: 451 |
Posted: 23-July-2004 at 21:10 |
The block in my 540i was changed around July '96 for an Alusil M60 block at 66K miles. This was less than 3 years after the car was manufactured. They were still putting Nikasil replacements in upto around '97 by all accounts, so you have to be careful. Madly, the M52 Nikasil engines were still supplied new upto some time in '98 (my Dad has a '98 328 on Nikasil). They repaired the faulty blocks with steel liners on these engines. I can only presume that they had an excess of new engines (M52 and M60) so carried on installing them for some while after they new about the Nikasil issues. Good luck with your search !! Andy West Midlands |
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Badger540 West Midlands
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bodgit09
Groupie Joined: 20-August-2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 65 |
Posted: 23-July-2004 at 23:15 |
Having run a 928 in the past I have the following comments: Yes a 928 is scary for parts costs (MOT and spring repair + water pump once cost me 2500). Yes a 928 is scary for fuel costs Yes a 928, (S4) is normally around 100k miles for about 9K to buy. I would have to say though that I still dream of owning a 928 GTS and would love to as a second car, (not a normal drive). My 928 was an S4 and as such, a step down from the GTS. This M3 for GTS and 330ci for S4. Read some comparison reviews for them both. I always preferred, (and still do), the looks of the 928 over the 8 series. Porsche wins hands down for me every time. 8 series had many fancy gadgets and was a lot more 'modern'. The 928 though is just muscle car and a wonderful thing to look at, listen to, drive and sit in. I assume both will have large running costs. I would expect the Porsche to be more expensive to run and I think a 928 GTS will still cost around 15K for a fair example, (they are relatively rare). last copy of Porsche post lists one GTS for sale at 25k for a 1995 with 40k miles . An 1988 928 S4 with62k miles is around 10K. Auto-trader has a 97 840 with 53k miles for 14.5K So it boils down to expense and brain or 'feel' and heart. Given 15K and a choice between a 928GTS, (unlikely at this price) and an immaculate 850, (let alone 840), I would choose the 928. If running costs are the worry, plump for the 840. |
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Happy to be a BM bore !!
ex - Black/Black 330 coupe sport auto now - 320d SE Touring A step up in many ways; a step down in terms of 'street-cred' |
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agremlin
Newbie Joined: 07-August-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Posted: 13-August-2004 at 23:35 |
For the 840 expect at least a £300-500 bill everytime you put it in the garage. But don't waste your money with BMW main dealers, find a good independent who can handle most of the servicing, and just use a main dealer sparingly for the really difficult problems. If your particular solution to the mid-life crisis needs a loud throbbing engine, buy the Porsche. Otherwise the 840 is fabulous (I'm biased, but you do get a lot of car for your money) and will zoom you about in near silence as the sound proofing is so thick you cannot hear your wallet, wife and bank manager screaming. Just live for today, forget the pension and the kids inheritance, go out and get an 840 (97P or younger) as soon as possible.
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aussie840
Really Senior Member I Skip Joined: 07-June-2003 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 251 |
Posted: 14-August-2004 at 03:19 |
hi agremlin, good to see another 840 nut on board! Ian |
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Old shape!
Really Senior Member I Joined: 08-January-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 497 |
Posted: 17-August-2004 at 13:14 |
So, the choice is clearly the 840. A final reminder..... The 928 looks like an Austin Allegro from the rear, often driven by the poorer of the footballers wives. The 840 breathes and ouzes class, style, panache, "juno say kwa, Rodney". And, for all the things mentioned above, the BMW wipes the floor with it's tutonic upstart of a brother. I am within a year or two of you, and dealing with the same MLC! But I am Old shape, I am considering a 6 series Shark nosed classic, or even an older Series 1, 3 series. But I don't want a rolling restoration. Good luck with your 8. You know it makes sense.
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Paul DH
1994 E38 "Proud owner of a "3/4 engined E37.9 that's almost a real car with real paint...WITH 6 WASHER JETS!" 1989 520i (E34) Gone 1988 320i Coupe (E30) Gone 1995 520 Estate (E34) (Wife) 1992 320i SE OBC (E36) (Wife) Gone 1988 320i Saloon (E30) (Wife) Gone |
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Peter Fenwick
Bavarian-Board Contributor Joined: 27-August-2003 Location: Lost somewhere in time... Status: Offline Points: 6484 |
Posted: 17-August-2004 at 13:24 |
The 928 looks like an austin allegro from the rear!!! have you had your eyes tested recently The 928 is a stunning looking car and while I agree that it will probably cost more to look after than an 840, to say that the 840 wipes the floor with it is just..............well just silly! The 928 is faster, handles better, and is more like a sports car than a luxury cruiser like the 840. This is not to say that an 840 is not a great car, but it's a different kind of machine to a 928. Oh and a 928 sounds brilliant, it has a real V8 muscle car howl.
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Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel.
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bodgit09
Groupie Joined: 20-August-2003 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 65 |
Posted: 17-August-2004 at 13:43 |
Ditto the last post. I was just about to post and I find somebody already has. All a matter of taste I suppose. 928 always. 840/850 if you can't afford a 928. |
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Happy to be a BM bore !!
ex - Black/Black 330 coupe sport auto now - 320d SE Touring A step up in many ways; a step down in terms of 'street-cred' |
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sleeper
Really Senior Member II Original and STILL best Joined: 26-March-2004 Location: East Sussex/Kent border Status: Offline Points: 2098 |
Posted: 17-August-2004 at 13:55 |
I like both too, the 840 as a daily driver and 5.7L of porky for the weekend. weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!
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Old shape!
Really Senior Member I Joined: 08-January-2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 497 |
Posted: 18-August-2004 at 11:19 |
Ah, you see guys, you are obviously young and bashful and want a car that runs on Viagra. My "wipe the floor" comment is nothing to do with driving around with yer eyebrows touching, pedal to the metal at the lights etc. It's to do with luxury, comfort, practicality, costs and the ability to scorch if you want to. The "Looks" bit is entirely to taste, IMO the 911 is a true Porsche good looking shape. I still stand that the hatchback appearance and Austin Allegro lights let the looks of the 928 down a great deal. I have been in the 911 and the 928, and of course, the drivers were showing off the speed etc. But, for old gits like me, it was too noisy, too bumpy. It fely like I was sliding down a hill on a piece of cushionfloor! Like we did as kids. I like to cruise along at Motorway speeds, listening to music as a background entertainment, not having to put the CD on Volume 60 to get over the Lump-noise. As for sound, it's a choice between the Raw Roar of a Porsche (Which in my opinion has an annoying after-rattle) or the Angry Purr of a BMW. I prefer the latter. Nothing sounds like a BMW. The base-ball capped no*heads with Baked-Bean-tin exhausts are mimicking the sound of a Porche, with their Novas. They can never get that BM sound though. Anyway, it's all on taste. And that's mine. I'll shurrup now, you'll have me down as a ranter.
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Paul DH
1994 E38 "Proud owner of a "3/4 engined E37.9 that's almost a real car with real paint...WITH 6 WASHER JETS!" 1989 520i (E34) Gone 1988 320i Coupe (E30) Gone 1995 520 Estate (E34) (Wife) 1992 320i SE OBC (E36) (Wife) Gone 1988 320i Saloon (E30) (Wife) Gone |
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