Huge difference (archive)

First, you can't compare the 8 as a successor to the 6...which it's not...we don't know how that got started. That debate's already been had here so we won't go over it again. If it was a successor, they would have named it 650. The similarities are that it's a BMW , it's big, and there are only two doors. It ends there.

In my experience, the 6 series is cheaper to maintain up to a point. You have to consider that the youngest 6 is older than the oldest 8, and the oldest 8's are in the 10 year range. There are going to be a lot of things that you would be replacing on a 6 no mater how good the example is, so it becomes an issue of how much money you want to throw at it. They are definitely easier to work on for DIY projects.

Consider this scenario. You have a 1986 635csi with 180,000 well maintained miles on it. You are having problems with the air conditioner compressor, and they tell you that you would be better off doing a retrofit to move away from R12. That would be a $1000 or possibly $2000 investment in a $6000 car. That wouldn't be the only thing either. Bottom line is that, based on the value of the car and the maintenance that would be required to get up to the standard of the entry level 8, most available examples could be considered as totaled from a maintenance point of view. On the other hand, throwing a few thousand on an 8 to sort it out makes more sense.

Personal experience: 6 is more flickable in the twisty bits. 6 has better mileage. 8 is more comfortable and idles better. 6 has bigger back seat. Trunk about the same 6's trunk is wider and lower, and 8 is taller and narrower. 8 is more quiet at high speed.

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