Descrição
After 12 years of ownership the time has come to sell my pride and joy.
This is a genuine reluctant sale of a much loved and very special BMW 8 Series, but the opportunity has arisen for me to purchase something else.
A UK supplied car from new, my 850i was registered on 19th October 1992.
The ownership history is as follows:
Owner 1: BMW UK Head Office in Bracknell (19/ 10/ 92 – 02/ 01/ 93)
Owner 2: Redken Laboratories (02/ 01/ 93 – 01/ 01/ 98)
Owner 3: Mr Arthur Long (01/ 01/ 98 – 18/ 11/ 10)
Owner 4: Myself (18/ 11/ 10 – present).
Mr Arthur Long was the CEO of Redken Laboratories (a firm owned by L’Oreal), it was his company car from 1993 and he kept it after his retirement in 1998 for a further 12 years, driving it very infrequently. Copies of previous logbooks are present, including the very first old style one from the early 90s.
The most fascinating thing about the history of my 8 Series is that although it was registered in October 1992, it was manufactured nearly three years prior, on 24th November 1989. It was kept in storage by BMW in Germany for over two and a half years, and shipped to the UK on 22nd July 1992, stored for a further four months and registered later that year to BMW themselves.
I’ve spoken to a few people at BMW over the years both in the UK and Germany to try to establish the history of the car prior to 1992. Truth is nobody really knows fully, but it is likely that it may have been some kind of early ‘test car’, or a press/ media vehicle. It may have never been the intention to release it for sale, but with demand being high with a full order book and a two year waiting list back in the early 1990s, maybe they decided to move it on!
When I added the car to an International 8 Series owner’s register back in 2011, the Registrar told me some really interesting facts. Mine is number 41 out of all 30, 621 units, and number 2 of the entire right hand drive production.
Before my 850i became known, the only other known example produced in 1989 was number 57, built 12th December 1989. That one was never on the road and was dismantled as a pre-production test mule. Prior to mine surfacing, the other oldest known examples around the world included one in Australia (built May 1990) and one in USA (also May 1990). The previous oldest known E31 in the UK was built nearly a year after mine, in October 1990, this was when right hand drive production officially started according to those in the know.
To date, the E31 you see for sale here today is the only (known) 1989 example ever sold and the oldest on the planet by a good few months. During a large 8 Series meeting in Munich back in 2007, it was actually excluded by the Public Relations Managers of the BMW Dingofing plant that any pre-series cars would have been released to the public and there ought to be no hope that they’d ever see a 1989 specimen in person, since they’d ‘all been scrapped’ (BMWs own words!).
There is a few signs that supports this 850i being a very early / ‘pre-production’ model, such as the door sills without BMW logo (seen on another 1989 ‘test mule’ which was later dismantled).
The colour combination of Glacier Blue with Ultramarine (dark blue) leather has to be one of the best for an 8 Series of this era. It was one of 17 right hand drive E31s built with this combination. Both colours were discontinued only a few years into the production of the E31, possibly due to poor sales but personally I love these colours!
The standard equipment on the 850i was high as could be expected of a £60k+ car 30 years ago. Mine is fitted with Electronic Damper Control, electric rear blind, automatic air recirculation, auto-dip rear view mirror and heated front seats, all of which were cost optional extras on top of the £61, 495 list price at the time.
I’ve covered around 2800 careful miles in the past 12 years, the current mileage is 63, 500. Every single stamp in the original service book are BMW Main Dealer. I’ve been having the oil changed at the Main Dealer every 3 years due to the ultra low yearly mileage. The BMW Main Dealer service stamps are as follows:
1. Pre-delivery check, 02/ 10/ 92 (BMW UK Distribution Centre, Thorne)
2. Running-in Inspection, date not stamped (Autohaus BMW, Aylesbury)
3. 23/ 08/ 93, mileage not written (Autohaus BMW, Aylesbury)
4. 19/ 05/ 94, 14, 972 miles (Altwood BMW, Aylesbury)
5. 28/ 09/ 94, 18, 510 miles (Altwood BMW, Aylesbury)
6. 01/ 11/ 95, 29, 535 miles (Altwood BMW, Milton Keynes)
7. 07/ 10/ 96, 36, 728 miles (Reg Vardy BMW, Milton Keynes)
8. 30/ 06/ 97, 44, 729 miles (Reg Vardy BMW, Milton Keynes)
9. 02/ 06/ 98, 51, 837 miles (Victoria BMW, Milton Keynes)
10. 18/ 02/ 00, 54, 734 miles (Victoria BMW, Milton Keynes)
11. 04/ 02/ 02, 57, 762 miles (Wayside BMW, Milton Keynes)
12. 13/ 10/ 05, 60, 099 miles (Wayside BMW, Milton Keynes)
13. 13/ 08/ 08, 60, 492 miles (Wayside BMW, Milton Keynes)
14. 15/ 06/ 10, 60, 667 miles (Wayside BMW, Milton Keynes)
15. 11/ 06/ 11, 61, 139 miles (Soper BMW, Lincoln)
16. 09/ 08/ 14, 61, 771 miles (Lloyd BMW, Carlisle)
17. 28/ 06/ 17, 62, 581 miles (Soper BMW, Lincoln)
18. 10/ 07/ 20, 62, 989 miles (Soper BMW, Lincoln)
Yes, that's no less than 7 Main Dealer services since the 60, 000 mile mark! As you can see, in the past 20 years, it has covered a mere 6000 miles. The same BMW Dealer in Milton Keynes looked after the car for a good 15 years and when I first viewed it in 2010 we met there as the previous owner wanted me to meet the Service Manager so he could tell me all about how well maintained it had been.
The current M. O. T. is valid until 14/ 10/ 22 and every M. O. T. certificate since its very first old style hand-written one in 1995 until the last one in 2021 are included . There was no MOT between 2011 and 2013 as I laid the car up during that period. On the last M. O. T. in October 2021 the advisories were front brake pads and a corroded fuel pipe.
All original handbooks are present in their original BMW wallet, as are the original two keys and aftermarket remote fob fitted in the early 1990s (working!). There’s a stack of receipts and BMW Main Dealer paperwork from as early as 1993. The previous long term owner kept everything, as I have too! There’s even a copy of a fax from Autohaus BMW of Aylesbury in 1993 to the first private owner confirming the cars list price including extras (£65, 094. 65!).
The car was under genuine BMW Extended Warranty until 2004, some time ago now but only around 4000 miles ago. There’s several letters present from BMW confirming the warranty cover was taken out year after year from 1995-2004.
The car is totally original, no nasty aftermarket modifications. Original 'style 8' 16" wheels, original radio head unit, original tool kit and even the original BMW branded yellow duster! I’ve got some aftermarket rubber floor mats fitted, but only to protect the original dark blue velour mats.
It has a genuine BMW breathable outdoor car cover specifically for the E31, which I had to source from a Main Dealer in the USA a few years back as BMW UK discontinued them a long time before that and wouldn’t source one for me! I only use this during the summer months as the car has been dry stored from October - May every year during my ownership and the previous owner had it in a garage from 1993-2010.
Prior to sale, the front brake pads will be replaced, and the fuel lines are going to be changed with new rubber ones. In additional to this I’m going to have the 12 spark plugs changed, air filters, fuel filters, and it will return to Soper BMW in Lincoln for another oil change and a further stamp in the book.
The sunroof fabric has become detached, but I’ve recently acquired some decent quality grey fabric from a reputable firm who has been supplying BMW restorers for years, this will be replaced prior to sale.
The tyres are all premium Goodyear (replaced 23/ 06/ 20, 62, 971 miles). The wheels for their age are in good condition, but if I was keeping the car I’d have them refurbished in a nice fresh silver. The original centre caps are ok but I bought a set of brand new centre caps including BMW logos a few years back just in case they discontinued them, they've never been fitted.
The private registration plate is not included in the sale, it will revert to a 1992 'K' registration. The 1980s Honda Scooter shown in the first photo isn't included too, just thought it looked cool next to the 850i with having a pop-up headlight of it's own :-)
If you’re in the market for a low mileage unmolested 850i with a fascinating history, here’s a unique one for your collection.
The car is 33 years old nearly; this model should be a good solid appreciating investment, I can only imagine the values rocketing further when it enters the 40+ year old age bracket which isn't too far into the future now.
Serious enquiries only please.
I'm located near Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, UK.
Many thanks for taking the time to read this advert.
