Relative comparisons (archive)

Joseph, your comment that we are a bunch of "V12 owners who love" their cars suggesting that of course we will be biased about maintenance issues, etc. is a bit bothersome. Although we'd like to sit around patting ourselves on the back for choosing the cars, this forum is where we air the maintenance issues, not conceal them. Additionally, most of us own or at one time owned other cars including M5s, Mercedes 430s, Porsche 928s, etc. and use them as the basis for our comments regarding the V12's bulletproof troublefree nature... relative to other cars. For example, I find it more troublesome that 840's blocks are nikasil and prone to compression problems than that V12 DK throttle bodies last approximately 70k miles or that manifold gaskets may leak at some point. Relative to other cars, the amount of power generated by the V12 while remaining reliable and relatively troublefree is amazing to me. My 1988 M5 generates the same level of power but has a handful of known issues from timing chain jumps to water pump failures that come with this level of performance. New M5s are now generating the same level of issues, far beyond those of the V12, including clutch problems and oil consumption. I repeat, the V12 is amazingly trouble free and reliable relative to other 300hp plus cars of any marque, even as a ten year old design.

Greg K

Terry:If you look at all the posts on this board you can see indeed that the v12 does have a few more problems than a 6 or a 8 ,leaks at the intake gaskets ,trotlle body replacement outdate engine ,(no 4 valves per cylinder like the 840 or 5 or 3 series, most of the problems talk on this board are about the V12 ,you rarely see problem with the V8,my advice go for the 840 and if you want more power you can also make it go faster.
The M5 and the Z8 are derive from the 4.4 liter V8. Most posters here are in love with the car regarless of any problems they have from it,take a 540i that has made a lot of mile and the expenses will be less than the V12.
I know I will hear a lot of bitching about that
but that is just my opinion.

joseph
97 840CI
91 325i

Went to the local BMW dealer to check out what cosmos black looked like in person, and was told that I should stay away from the 850 because the 12 cylinder is a big time expense to maintain, and that if I was set on an 8, I should stick with the 840. He wasn't very enthusiastic about the 8 series at all, and sort of shook his head. My favorite body shop guy also has alluded to the problem of the electronic throttles of the 12 cylinders and said "lots of problems, expense and worries, avoid them and stick to the V8". So, what is the real truth? I,ve browsed the board and looked in the archives a little, and seem to get a varied response to the maintenece of the 850. Thank you again for your help!

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