The 8 series is one of those unfortunate cars which doesn’t get its due respect. A sizable budget was allocated for its development, this being one of the first BMWs to be designed with CAD modeling. This car also featured BMW’s first multilink rear suspension and a classic pillarless design. It’s aggressive look and performance was not enough to capture interest, as fewer than 8,000 were sold in the US market over seven years. Prices on these flagships have dropped significantly and they are slowly gaining interest by enthusiasts. This particular car for sale in California represents the final year the 8 series was sold stateside.
1997 BMW 840Ci on eBay
This particular example is a one owner car from new, that was sold new by our Crevier BMW dealership. With just 59,000 documented miles from new, this fastidiously maintained example shows like new. The owner kept a log book noting every fuel fill up and the current mileage. The car was always stored indoors, never smoked in and never in any accidents. It is all original. It has the original books and manuals as well as the original casette tape. 1997 was the final year of production for the 8 series and the 840ci was powered by BMW’s 4.4l 282hp V8 and used a 5 speed automatic transmission. It offered excellent performance and handling.
When new, these coupes started out in the mid $70,000 range; a considerable amount given inflation. This car has obviously been cared for, as evidenced by the low mileage and the log book recording each fueling stop. Details such as that tip me off that this wasn’t your average owner. Even still, $25,000 is a bit too strong considering the market. This car would talk to me if it was priced around $15,000 to $18,000.
-Paul
Great design, nice GT car, but not really intended to be a rocket – at least not in 840ci form. BMW pricing is what held sales back, not buyer interest.
As a 15-year-old German flagship packed with leading-edge (at the time) technology, it will eventually require a serious influx of cash. Still, this example looks like it might wait a little longer to eviscerate your wallet.
$25K isn’t realistic though, even for such a nice example.
I’m always torn between an 8 series and a late model 928. Similar expenses and issues for the age. I like the log book and low miles on this 8 for sure. Nice Paul,
dc
The manual version of this GT car is definitely the rarer and much more desirable one to get. Having said that, the electrical issues that many owners have reported on this car are definitely cause for concern. I do really like the look of these cars though.
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