BMW 850CSi vs BMW M6 (E24) vs 928 S4\GT (5 Speed)

slow&rusty · 10-10-2017, 04:20 AM

Fun discussion topic.
Assume all are equally priced, which one would you pick?

1)

2)

3)

onewhippedpuppy · 10-10-2017, 04:24 AM

928S4 in a heartbeat. The E24 will feel pretty archaic compared to the others, and the 850Ci is supposed to be an unreliable nightmare of a car. Plus I think it's the best looking.

strupgolf · 10-10-2017, 04:32 AM

Completely disagree. The 2 bmw's are bullitproff, engine and chassis wise. The 928 is an electrical nightmare. I've owned a 635 before and it was the best car ever in terms of realiability. I've also had friends with 850, the v12 kind, and they also has few problems. Keep them up and they give back lots in return. I would buy either one tomorrow, but the 928, it would scare me with electrics. Hope you find a good one.

WPOZZZ · 10-10-2017, 04:40 AM

I've had a M635, and a 750il was my daily for 10 years, so I know the maintenance needed on these beasts. There is something about that 8 series that is so sexy! The 928s4 is a beautiful car too, but that 850csi is what I would get.

onewhippedpuppy · 10-10-2017, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strupgolf

Completely disagree. The 2 bmw's are bullitproff, engine and chassis wise. The 928 is an electrical nightmare. I've owned a 635 before and it was the best car ever in terms of realiability. I've also had friends with 850, the v12 kind, and they also has few problems. Keep them up and they give back lots in return. I would buy either one tomorrow, but the 928, it would scare me with electrics. Hope you find a good one.

I've talked with people that have had the exact opposite experience. And personally given up on BMWs after having three that basically fell apart under me due to shoddy build and material quality. I also don't want to work on this:

nvr2mny · nvr2mny's Garage

I'm with Matt on this one. The 928S4 is just beautiful. I've had a few bimmers and was not all that impressed BUT if I were to go back those 2 would be at the top of my list. Partial to the M6 in that series. IF cost were no object in a BMW the the Z8 wins the prize for me.

greglepore · 10-10-2017, 05:51 AM

Interesting choice. For my money, the M6. The 850 is more skewed to the gt side of the spectrum. The 928 is a killer car, but without the handbuilt exclusivity of the E24. It is a bit archaic, but that's the point. And its build quality is well before the BMW mass market downturn.

slow&rusty · 10-10-2017, 06:06 AM

Keep the comments coming! Great responses.

BReif61 · 10-10-2017, 06:30 AM

While the 850 and 928 are comparable, I don't feel like the M6 is really in the same category. But I wouldn't even consider an 850i. While I was picking up my BMW from it's latest ridiculous failure (clue 1), I was talking to the service manager regarding the 850i parked in the service lot (clue 2). Turns out the owner has TWO of them; probably so that the odds of one running when he'd like to use it is increased.

928 all day for me.

onewhippedpuppy · 10-10-2017, 06:54 AM

Btw, between the two BMWs I would take the M6 all day long. Straight six with ITBs, nice.

scottmandue · 10-10-2017, 06:57 AM

I installed a heater in a wealthy guys house, had to pull the heater in through the garage and his 928 was parked there. He threw me the keys...
I got in, released the parking brake, put it in neutral, and had my helper gently push it out onto the driveway.
Helper: "Why didn't you just start it up and back out?"
Me: "If I started it up I would drive away and never come back."

As for your choices, I love all of them, like asking which super model you would like to sleep with... however also like a super model they all have a reputation for being high maintenance.

But then the 944 has the same reputation and I see you are not afraid of them.

Oh looks alone (very tight race)
1) 850 {always had a thing for these cars}
2) M6
3) 928

nota · 10-10-2017, 07:06 AM

500sl likely cheaper to buy and maintain

speeder · speeder's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by nota

500sl likely cheaper to buy and maintain

Didn't see that in the choices.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Based on looks alone, if those were the three actual cars, I'd take the M6. They are all similar in value and all sort of heavy and slow GTs but the 928 is downright ugly w those fender flares and wheels. It's strange that they are all in the same bland tone of beige metallic but the M6 actually looks good.

That generation of BMW was built extremely well. You can't compare it to some schit e36 you once owned or whatever it was. It would be an aging car now but same w the others. I never really wanted a 928 when they were new but they were nice on the showroom floor and on test drives with repair costs and reliability issues not yet on the horizon. They were super nice cars but kind of odd, sort of a German Corvette more than a Porsche to me. Very expensive when new as well so there was alway a new 930 for less $$.

The 8-series BMW just never registered w me.

Deschodt · 10-10-2017, 08:23 AM

Go watch the petrolicious video on the V12 850 and weep... Gorgeous car... Super $$$ though, I'm surprised it's in the same breath as the S4.

taylorpatterson · 10-10-2017, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I've talked with people that have had the exact opposite experience. And personally given up on BMWs after having three that basically fell apart under me due to shoddy build and material quality. I also don't want to work on this:

Hey that's my engine! Well it USED to be my engine until I sold that car. And it was easy peasy to work on.

aap1966 · aap1966's Garage

I own a e24 635 CSi, my daily driver since 2006.
Absolutely love it.
Be prepared for an ongoing relationship with your auto-electrician. Having said that, the guy I use (who does almost exclusively European cars) says the 8 series is more difficult in terms of electrics, fewer options to 'repair', more just 'replace'.
My brother had a 928 for a few years, a great car.

black_falcon · black_falcon's Garage

That E24 M6 is an amazing car that was underrated for many years. I've always been curious about the 850 but would guess its size and weight would take away from the traditional BMW driving dynamics, where the M6 is like an E30 on steroids.

Had a lower mileage 5spd 635CSi for a couple years and wouldn't call it extremely reliable, but a very good drive. That creamy smooth I6 only put out something like 170hp but felt waaaay more powerful with effortless torque across the entire rev range and sounds incredible on full tilt. A classic that doesn't feel like a dinosaur by modern standards, quite the opposite actually.

javadog · 10-10-2017, 03:23 PM

I've never owned an M6, but I've owned 4 other M cars from the same era. My experience with BMWs of that vintage is that they tend to nickel and dime you to death. I've never owned an 850, but I've heard nothing but bad things about them from the leading BMW tech at the local dealer. I have years and years of 928 experience, no real problems. I think the alleged electrical problems with those cars are way overblown if you buy a decent car. I certainly wouldn't criticize a 928 for electrical problems when discussing a BMW 850. That particular 928 will suck the headlights out of the other two cars on the twisty road.

My advice, as always, is to simply get out there and drive an example of each one and see which one floats your boat.

asphaltgambler · 10-10-2017, 03:42 PM

Can I take all 3? I've driven and worked on all of them. The Porsche appeals to the hot-rod / exotic part of me: 4 cam V-8, manual trans, rear wheel drive.

The M6 is just beautiful. Very refined for that era. I remember the first 1 I saw new was on the dealers showroom, red with white leather. Just stunning.

The 850 is a veeeeeery smooth, good looking car. The sophistication of the engine and the first ever use of drive-by-wire throttle in a production car.