Bimmermans Wheels
Bimmerman - I have the same wheels and due to insurance requirements had to get a quote for replacement. ACS Germany advised Eur800 plus VAT in Germany. Assume E800 plus VAT in UK and that would be GBP2,560 - right on the money for your GBP2,500. Personally I like them on my silver car and reckon they look great on yours.
Got my first 840 a couple of months back and took it to the shop for the first time to get a few niggles fixed: rear suspension clunk (new bushes), brake shudder (new front right caliper & disc),ashtray not closing properly (new ashtray), passenger seat not releasing to lean forward etc. GBP1,300 plus later...
Anyway, after collection I am driving home and an electric motor noise starts up. Intermittent and seems to come on only on acceleration and maybe a little more pronounced on corners. I make a novice guess that it is the petrol pump but seems that it has to be coming from the rear right roof pillar and there is no lag or stutter from any fuel starvation. Take it back to the mechanic (BMW specialist near Wycombe) and he is mystified. Absolutely agrees it is an electric motor noise. He check the diagram for the 8 and the only motors or anything similar are: window, fuel cap auto-lock, petrol pump in boot and CD stacker in boot.
We take a drive with rear centre opening to boot open so we can see if we can get a direct noise to the petrol pump and whilst driving play with window and CD changer. Noise keeps happening and is still coming from dead smack in the lower middle of the rear right roof pillar.
Noise has since stopped and not returned but is baffling.
Anyone with any ideas?
Told my wife the other day that driving the 8 was the best fun you can have with your clothes on;... then rubbed my chin and hummed thoughfully. She knew I meant that I could take off my clothes and drive it then it would be the most fun either way. I still think that the people gawking would be looking at the car.
Back to the topic. When I was in Galway recently I went to a specialised dealer/repairer (nice guys) and whilst waiting looked over their stock. Mostly top line Mercs, Audis and 1 Ferrari and all quite recent (3/4 yo at most). Out of 9 or so cars the only ones I would have considered swapping the 8 for (and note – I am not talking about any funds exchanging hands) was the Ferrari (it was beautiful – classic looking interior and the ) and the absolute top of the line Merc with full leather and every option (but I would have insisted on the serious stone chipped bonnet and cracked bumper being fixed). For me, there is absolutely nothing close to the style of the 8. I have always said I wanted a car that is big but a 2-door so it says ‘Yes it is impractical but I don’t care’ and had always thought it would be one of those thumping monstrous Mercs and not something as beautiful as the 8. To be able to purchase them for 10% of the original price and get a car with <100thd miles is ridiculous. When I get this car back to Oz in a few years it will make even more sense (cheaper fuel, wider roads and longer distances in a straight line).
I was thinking of going as far as High Wycombe as I had heard great reports about a mob called (I believe) J&D Vehicles, so Uxbridge is no problem if the guru is 8 expereinced and the price is reasonable.
Can you provide the details? Thanks.
Tall Tony
My expereinces sound just like yours especially the fuel guage. Exactly the same characteristics of the guage. As for the OBC, due to the common pictekl issue it is not readable at present (will get fixed v/soon) but I get around 8kms litre on the open road so it sounds about right. I have a v/slight miss in the engine but this will also get fixed soon.
As for the rear end noise, I did see your topic when previously searching for resolutions but it is definately coming from the spring area of the wheel and not the boot and also was happening even when the boot was fully loaded (with the boot-bed unable to move) so I think it is a suspension (or close) related issue. It is a single noise issue so I hope I don't have to go to all the work your did.
The windscreen fogs up internally all the time (it is my wife's heavy breathing I am sure 
) but this goes quickly with either a shot of the windscreen demist, or air con or opening the window for a minute. The the outside is the real problem where I can see sweeping marks left by the wipers which are semingly permanent. No amount of washing, glass cleaner etc seems to remove so it seems that perhaps the wipers were used dry on the window at some time.
Oh, and I also have a little of the fogging in the corners of the rear window but it is not something I am concerned about at this time.
Thanks again. Oh, and the car does look great. My wife is getting tired already of the people who keep approaching to ask about it especially when it is a youngish female (early 20's) who came up in Ireland and asked 'how many litres'. I replied '4' and she said sorta dreamily 'oh, its lovely'. If only I wasn't married and had 8 pints inside me 
Thanks for the feedback so far. Much appreciated. Seat looks like it should be an easy job whichever way. Don't think I'll fix the petrol issue as it does register from full to empty just with significant variations - I just need to calibrate my mind over time as to where it moves fast and slow.
Regards
Ealing would be fine. I am in Kensington. Are you the said 'guru'?
I am in the West of London and am looking for a reference for any good places to create a relationship with and take my 8 to for repairs and service as they arise. I have seen a great reference for Hants but this is a bit far. Any ideas/experiences (good and bad)? Thanks. Non-BMW franchise is fine if cheaper but if have good experience with BMW then also let me know.
Thanks again.
I have had my 8 for a few weeks and just completed a 1,300 mile trip around Ireland in one week. A great way to travel. Some issues have arisen that I would like some advice on. I have searched this website for info without luck (& I especially would have thought that the seat issue would be somewhere!).
Issues are:
1. Passenger seat does not tilt forward (for rear passenger entry). This is a mechanical not electrical issue but I was wondering whether anyone had some instructions for repair. The chrome handle depresses completely (then has to be manually coaxed to return) but does not release the seat retention mechanism. Also, the drivers side is sticky.
2. Pulsing of the brakes - there is an ABS like pulsing but it occurs even at easy braking speeds/effort - which causes quite a shaking and shuddering of the car, especially the steering if I loosen my grip a little. This is not a nice feeling. Seems to be coming from the front brakes. The car only went through the level 2 service 5thd miles ago and (I was told) that the brakes were replaced (presumably pads).
3. Rear left suspension has a clunking noise (developed from the poor Irish roads). The sound is sorta like petrol slapping in the tank (which it is not) and is only noticably on bumpy roads and is with or without heavy loads in the boot. I can manually reproduce the noise by lifting/pushing the left tail. An expert in Galway indicated it was probably a ball that was wearing (I got the impression the arrangement he was talking about is like a knee joint). I was concerned that something might be broken and the specialist put it on the hoist and advised that nothing was broken and reconfirmed his first thought. Any ideas to confirm or otherwise the above view before I take to a specialist and spend bucks. P.S - If anyone wants the name of a really nice, professional mob in Galway for special cars (premier. prestige) let me know. Put it on the hoist - 30 mins - no charge (of course I slipped them some euros).
4. Petrol guage - From full does 150miles to just a bit under the full mark, then 70 miles to halfway. Also, took it to reserve for the first time and did only 20miles to halfway though the reserve (casuing me to panic to locate a petrol station). Has anyone else experienced these strange variations?
5. Windscreen opaqeness in rain - the windscreen can be difficult to see through in the rain (perhaps a little scratched from old wipers at some point). Any ideas to fix (other than new screen) or comments?
- I have some other issues such as the pictels in the computer, colour worn leather - but I have seen comments already on these issues on this site.
P.S - this is by so far the best car I have ever driven - who cares about the price of fuel!
Thanks to all who read this and especially those who can assist.
8-Fest in Oz
Theo
Am an Aussie living in London at present so can't make it this year but in a year or two when I come home will be there for sure. Have purchased an 840 recently and have just come back from a 2,000 plus km trip around Ireland. What a way to travel.
Cheers and hope it goes well.
