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What to check: BMW 8 Series

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Ranked across all years of the BMW 8 Series, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 1.8% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 0.0%

WheelsLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 0.8% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 0.1%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 16.1% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 16.6%

Pads and discsLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 3.1% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 7.2%

Windscreen and wipersScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 1.1% of tests at age 3-5 · class average 1.4%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

On an E31, pop the sill trim or feel underneath around the jacking pad sockets.Crumbly or flaky metal there means the sill is rotten from the inside, not just surface rust.

Ask to see the recall/campaign history on the V5 or via BMW, checking the starter motor fire recall specifically.If it shows as outstanding, or only shows the earlier partial fix, budget for a dealer visit before driving it hard.

Start a V8 car stone cold and watch the exhaust in the mirror.Blue-tinged smoke on startup that clears after a few seconds points to worn valve stem seals.

Check the coolant level and look for staining low down at the front of the engine.A car that keeps needing coolant topped up with no visible leak on top may be weeping from the V-valley pipework underneath.

On a diesel, check for a recent AdBlue or EGR-related fault in the service history.Repeat AdBlue faults or an EGR cooler already replaced once suggests it's a car that eats these parts.

Cycle the roof fully on a convertible, twice.Hesitation, an error message, or it stopping partway usually means a sensor or microswitch needs attention.

Idle the engine for a minute or two on a warm car and listen for chain rattle.A metallic rattle that fades once oil pressure builds is the timing chain guides wearing, worse on higher-mileage V8s.

Full BMW 8 Series reliability report