1998 BMW 840ci Sport

This Barbados Green (we think that’s the shade) BMW 840Ci Sport was first registered in the UK in March 1998.

It has covered 87,985 miles and had four owners from new.

The current vendor has only had the car a short while (he bought a Ferrari 348 at about the same time and decided to stick with that), but knew the previous owner, who had owned the car from 2011 onwards.

On the occasion of its 2012 MoT it had covered 87,695 miles so, clearly, the car has done almost nothing for over a decade.

The car is in very decent overall condition and has a comprehensive main dealer and specialist service history covering its years of active service up to July 2011, when it had covered 86,521 miles.

We have driven the car and can attest to its build quality and its ability to press on with enthusiasm.

It has plenty of balance and poise and does everything asked of it with oodles of class and style.

We felt that the brakes were a little soft, but it’s possible that we were just imagining that.

The bodywork is in very impressive condition, overall, and there are no dinks, dents, creases or folds to speak of anywhere.

The panel gaps and shut-lines have retained all of their Teutonic exactitude and the doors close with plenty of weight and precision.

The ‘Throwing Star’ wheels have held up well, but we did notice that the car is currently sporting 3 different brands of tyres.

There is some bubbling around the edges of the sun-roof, in the black metal roof gutters and on the nearside headlamp cover.

A section of trim to the nearside of the front number plate is missing.

There are scuffs around both nearside wheel arches and on the sill on the same side.

There is some scuffed and faded paint visible in the crease below the air vents on the bonnet, plus a few scuffs on the roof on the nearside and around the rear bumper.

There are also a few scuffs and abrasions at the base of the front valance, which is that little bit lower on Sport models, and one or two stone chips around the ‘nose’ of the car.

The car’s trim, lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings all seem decent.

The interior of an 8 Series remains a very classy place to spend some time, and this example is no exception.

The grey leather hide is untroubled by the vicissitudes of time, wear or use save for the odd light crease here and there.

There are a few spots of discolouration around the grey plastic handle/seat-belt point on the shoulders of the front seats.

The carpets, mats, door cards and headlining are all pretty good, although there is some loose trim hanging down under the sunroof.

The glove compartment still contains its rechargeable torch.

The dashboard and centre console are in good order, as are the steering wheel, gear selector, handbrake and other controls.

We didn’t press every button, flick every switch or pull every toggle, but everything we did manage to press, flick and pull worked as intended.

Some of the electronic displays on the centre console are a little faded, as is often the case with 8s of this era.

Inside the car, the centre upper bolster of the rear seats is loose (it can be removed to afford easier push through of skis) and just needs to be pushed back into place.

The boot is in good condition and the ski-hatch still has the ‘sock’ in situ.

The engine and engine bay are clean and dry. Everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

The undersides of the car seem to have plenty of structural integrity, and we’ve seen nothing to make us tut or raise an eyebrow.

The service book has main dealer and specialist stamps all the way through to 2011, at which time the car went into storage and put its feet up for the next decade or so.

The car has recently been serviced by Milford Motor Services of Milford on Sea, Lymington, and has been valeted.

The car comes with its original handbooks and manuals and a recent, clear, HPI report.

The car’s MoT is valid until 26.7.24.

These were the flagships of BMW’s range back in the day, and it’s easy to see why.

They look as fabulous as ever, and a good one can still give you all the pedigree GT class, performance and style you could possibly want.

We’re confident to offer this fine example for auction with an estimate of £13,000 - £18,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.