BMW: 8-series 850i

1991 BMW 850i E31 RWD two door w/ 6sp manual transmission- 100% original, unmolested, and has been referred to as "sat in a time capsule" condition. This car has been relegated to weekend use (BMW events) and is rarely taken out of the garage. That being said, the car could be driven across the country today with absolutely no issues. Finished in Schwarz Black over a Silver leather interior with MANUAL transmission (very rare:#121 of 847 total M70 E31's with 6 spd and only 17 M70's ever made in this color combo with 6 spd- vehicle build sheet can be emailed which confirms this). Car is registered in E31 classic car registry.

Sold new by Main Line BMW in Philadephia, PA with a MSRP of $80,000 (which would have been $150k+ today if adjusting for inflation), the car’s original owner was a doctor at the University of Penn hospital and used it to commute from New Jersey daily. The original window sticker is included with the car. He owned the car until February 2000, when he sold it with 145K miles to me (the car’s second owner). Bought in 2000 with 145K and have some receipts from the BMW dealer (Main Line BMW) with my name on them dating back over 10 years ago. I recently moved back to PA this year and so it is now titled and inspected in PA with classic tags.

Overall Condition

Brand new PA state inspection good until June 2016. The original owner had the motor replaced at 138K with a brand new motor at Main Line BMW (covered under an extended warranty at the time) due to a timing chain issue. Always garaged - winner of the 2013 Super Clean Car category in a local car show for original >20 years old import class. When looking at other sellers, mostly dealers, you'll notice they say very little or as little as possible about the factual condition of their cars. They want you to do all the leg work to discover the hidden issues with their cars and they hope you'll never find out. You'll also notice a lot of salvaged, storm exposed or rebuilt cars out there. I'm not automatically saying stay away from them, you can get some real good deals - but if you want a well maintained, adult driven, all original dealer maintained 8 Series that you can just get in and drive across the country, this is the car. Putting out 296 hp and 332 ft-lbs of torque, the 5.0L V12 engine makes the car an absolute Autobahn bomber, but ride quality is immaculate whether in town or on the highway, the suspension and brakes each functioning flawlessly, rounding out a solid and secure driving experience that causes one to truly appreciate the engineering that went into the 8 series. It's hard to envision anything distinctly more pleasurable to drive, and that includes BMW’s more modern (but less exclusive) offerings.
Exterior
The car’s Black (Schwarz) finish is in "show car" shape, there are no dents, rock chips, scratches, and ZERO RUSTthe paint has an absolute showroom shine. The body is entirely straight, all of the trim, rubber and glass is in excellent condition and the car rides on the original authentic BMW wheels wrapped in very good tread. The hood and front bumper were professionally resprayed to completely remove any flaws (i.e. rock chips). The wheels are original and have been refinished. The car has never been in any accidents and all of the body parts are original.
Interior
The interior of the car is all original and immaculate. The on board pixel displays all work. The leather passenger sport seat and rear seat have almost zero usage throughout the cars life (no damage or tears). The leather on the drivers seat is structurally perfect and shows negligible wear on the bolster with no tears as well. The carpet is clean and the mats are brand new 850i floor mats. There is a small crack in the plastic below the center phone where the cradle used to rest. The dash is perfect with no cracks and the trunk area is also clean. The headliner is in great shape. The car was never smoked in and the windows, sunroof, seats, etc. all function flawlessly.
This car comes with everything it came with day one.2 keys, a full size spare with tire in perfect condition, fold up toolkit, lift jack, owners manual, and even a BMW tape cleaning kit. It also comes with the original window sticker.
Mechanical
The car is also mechanically excellent, the M70 V12 engine starting effortlessly, pulling strong and smoothly through each of the manual transmission’s gears with even compression across all 12 cylinders. Just about all steering, suspension, and braking items were replaced to make the car feel like new again. It currently drives like it has 30K miles with a very tight suspension and firm braking. The A/C blows ice cold and the heat works great. There are no grinding noises, squeals, clanks, or looseness in this car. The clutch does not slip and grabs where it should.
I have many repair records going back to 1998. The following are repairs, which were performed under my supervision:
Regularoil/filter changes every 3,000 milesTransmission fluid changedNew spark plugs, caps and rotorsNewbrakes (and brake bomb), rotors and sensors Newfront bushingsReplacedtie rods Replaced thrust armsRebuiltsteering gear and steering control armOxygensensors replacedAll wheels reconditioned and brought back to new condition
MISCELLANEOUS: I have put the additional mileage on it since then and when it hit around 215K I had a complete mechanical restoration done to the car as preventative maintenance. In addition to this car's specific repairs, I have spent a lot of time and money getting the basics right by replacing worn out plastic pieces, air collectors and connecting hoses, brake lines, repairing common issues and basically getting this car in perfect working order. Everything works as expected on this car. There are no switches, knobs, levers, buttons, signals, or lights that are non-operational. The OBC (On Board Computer) has NO pixel problems (an issue common to this unit), and the brake pressure accumulator is brand new. Has the typical M70 fog in mornings. Following is a more comprehensive list of improvements made to, repairs done to the car:

Work over last 15K miles:
Pixels repaired for onboard computer display (common issue)
Two brand new batteries and new alternator
Replaced 12 spark plugs
Replaced rear suspension and bushings
Cleaned both MAF’s, throttle bodies, and injectors
Replaced two air filters and two cabin air filters
Replaced fuel filters, fuel lines, and hoses
Replaced all rubber fuel lines
Valve cover gaskets and cam case gaskets
Chain tensioner
Replaced all vacuum hoses and coolant hoses
Cleaned engine bay, all electronic connectors, and complete interior detailing
Replaced intake boot and manifold gaskets
Replaced serpentine belts
Replaced crankcase ventilation valve
Replaced all fluids
BACKGROUND: The E31’s revolutionary CAD based design by Klaus Kapitza is the ominously gutty, patently era-specific representation of nearly $1B in total development cost for BMW. The distinctive model was envisioned in the late 1980s as the marque’s undeniable flagship, symbolic of the excesses of the decade and the fierce battle with Mercedes for European luxury car supremacy. Consequently it was prohibitively expensive, something that didn’t help BMW’s sales targets as the party of the ‘80s came abruptly to a halt with the recession of the early 1990s. Production was therefore relatively limited, further ensuring the 8 Series’ future as an iconic collector’s piece. And as the few other rare BMW models of the era have shot up in the value (the E30 M3, E28 M5, E34 M5, et al), the E31 has quickly begun to follow suit. The E31 was the first ever V12 produced in the world with a 6sp manual gearbox. In 2009 the world celebrated the 20th anniversary of the BMW 8, an unparalleled series beloved by owners, coveted by collectors and still hailed for its groundbreaking design today.
DETAILS & TERMS:
This e31 is in my garage in Royersford, PA (30miles outside Philadelphia, PA). Inspections are encouraged and welcomed PRIOR tothe close of the auction. All sales are final after the auction though.It has a clear & clean PA title in myname. The registration is current. $800deposit due via Paypal at the close of the auction.Balancedue via cash in person, cashiers check or bank wire transfer within 3 days(72 hours) of auction close.Buyerresponsible for shipping, although I’m happy to assist.Pleaseemail me with any questions prior to bidding. Thanks for looking! You’ll get a great car!

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