The Neglected Treasure

Hameed’s 1995 BMW 840CI

When we look back at the history and predecessors of the very cars we see on the road today, how often do we feel impressed? Or perhaps how often is it that we find ourselves wanting the older relative over their new born versions of today? Personally I don’t think there are that many cars that I see on the road with those characteristics in mind. It’s always nice to see how a brand progresses and innovates their technology as we progress, and what’s even better is being able to own such an iconic piece of history.

The BMW 8 Series which was first revealed in the late 80’s is such an overlooked piece of history. When it comes to classic BMWs I think some of the most recognized ones include the E30, E36, and the E32. BMW has done a fantastic job at creating beautiful machines throughout its history and I’m not surprised to see 20 - 30 year old BMWs in much better condition than their 5 year old versions on the road.

The 8 Series is a car that had a lot of experimental technology as well as forward thinking features that were thought to be a car from the future back then. This car was equipped with a five link suspension together with electronic assists such as stability control, traction control, and even damper control (EDC) to ensure a comfortable and civil ride for the driver. You might be accustomed to the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes S-Class, or the Lexus LS when 90’s luxury comes to mind — but that is exactly where the 8 Series has placed itself in a new level of imagination. A big, heavy 2 door coupe with no B-Pillars, pop-up headlights, a drag co-efficient of 0.29, and almost no legroom at the back. Quite confusing when you hear those; am I buying a luxury car or a sports car?

I guess you can say that this one was made for the select few high level executives; the ones who prefer to be behind the wheel as they casually cruise the Autobahn at 220km/h in their expensive suits and their big chunky mobile phones on the way to a very important business meeting.

This is Hameed’s 1995 BMW 840CI. Hameed is an avid BMW enthusiast who loves to collect classic BMW’s and has a long history of ownership with some of the most iconic chassis that BMW has ever made. He has owned this piece of history for over a year now and it has quite the origin. When he attended H2Oi in Wasaga Beach with his E30 the year prior, he had done his ritual of searching online for classic BMWs to purchase. That’s just one of his things — he likes to search for cars that he can potentially buy that is among his long list of cars to own. In this case, this was his next target… The 8 Series.

“It was actually a very odd listing. There were no pictures, no details whatsoever. All it said was: original 8 series will be for sale soon. Coming out of covid storage." As you can probably guess, he got in contact with the seller in every way possible. “Serious buyer, cash in hand. I'd love to pick it up, I'd love to know the details and I've been looking for one for a long time. I'm a BMW enthusiast, let's do this.” After a couple days of sleeping with his eyes open from the excitement, he then gets a call back and as soon as he answers, he follows up with a question related to the price and condition of the car. The seller ignored his question and asked him what he knew about the car instead. Seemed pretty odd to start a sale right? No pictures, no description, no price. Because of his optimism about this particular car, he answered all the seller’s questions and ended that call with a healthy rapport and relationship. At the end of the phone call, he offered to send $1,000 as a form of deposit to show that he was serious and wanted to pick up the car at the earliest day possible. The seller had advised to give him some time to get the car ready.

Upon sending the seller the money, he had suddenly soaked himself back to reality. Doubtful thoughts started to take over: “did I really just send $1,000 to a complete stranger? did I get too excited and blindly trusted someone?” 3 long weeks went by of Hameed trying to contact the seller through email… the seller is 86 years old by the way, so he’s not exactly as tech savvy as most of us here, who has our smartphones at our disposal everywhere we go. At this point, he didn’t want to be too hopeful so he had set out to purchase a winter beater for the cold months coming ahead. After almost letting go of the thought of finally owning a car he’s dreamed to have, he suddenly gets a call back and was asked if he could pick up the car the next day. With the car in Ottawa, Hameed reluctantly said yes.

After driving more than 400kms, he had finally met the car he’s been looking for. The very thing that had kept him up all night wondering if he played himself is finally right before his very eyes. He then asked the seller what happened in the past 3 weeks; “I just wanted to make sure that everything was done right. Safety is on and you should be good to go.“ He even advised Hameed to leave his plates and insurance on until he had driven the car back home safely… talk about risk takers making a transaction right? A buyer who had blindly sent a deposit to a stranger all from good gut feel, and a seller who chose to risk his insurance record and possibly waking up with a tainted one the next day.

The day after he had parked his 8 Series in his own garage, he found a receipt dated one day before he picked up the car. The receipt was for $2,700.00 and it was an invoice to purchase and replace two control arms, two tires, and the taillights. He really didn’t hold back when he said he wanted to make sure everything was done right. Without any extra expense or any negotiations from the added expense on the seller’s side, it became evidently clear how much the previous owner cares about his possessions and where they go after.

This origin story between Hameed and the previous owner of this car reminds me of a father-son relationship where the father would sit his son down as soon as he turns 16 as he prepares him for his first car. In this case, the cars are his children and he cares for them very well. And when it’s time to let them go, he only wants the best for them… What a true car guy.

Before the 8 Series and his E30, Hameed has owned more than 12 different cars. The BMW story started with a 330ci ZHP E46 that he purchased for $8,000. At the time, it was the most logical way (on paper) for him to get his hands on a car that was great for the track and the street. The suspension setup, the design and aesthetics of the car, RWD, 6 speed manual, equipped with loads of alcantara makes for a great enjoyable car.

Before Hameed started driving, he actually got his driver’s license suspended 2 days right after he received his G1. In Toronto, a G1 is like a “learner’s permit" which you usually get at 16 years old with restrictions that requires you to drive with a fully licensed adult. From 16 - 19, he ended up working endlessly and acquired the E46 above.

After experiencing such an amazing chassis by BMW, he felt like he needed to experience the full capability of this particular model. So like many BMW enthusiasts, he had to pick up the M version. At this point he had already learned a lot about cars and his tastes, as well as a way to acquire each and every one on his list. He considered purchasing cars that held value well, or cars that were in great condition including all original parts.

The end of the E46 M3 ownership was when someone offered him $5,000 more for what he had paid for the car. One might ask why he sold a car that he considered to be one of his dream cars… his response? “there’s not enough years in my life to go through the list of cars I want. and they’re all pre 2006. I wanna try them all.“

After the M3 ownership, he was in a deep BMW addiction. He realized what he fell in love with — heritage. As a result, he went back even farther in time.

There is a long list of ownership history but these are some of the notable ones. A 1993 535i, 1995 530i, and a 1998 740iL stands out from the long list, with this 1988 325 Coupe still under his possession.

Right now Hameed is enjoying his 1995 8 Series and the experiences he has with it. The mods are as simple as it gets, with purpose to enhance the look just enough. With the original oxford green paint, it sits on H&R lowering springs with OZ Breytons (18x10.5+7 in the front; 18x12+2 in the rear) to bring out that VIP look. He didn’t opt for an aggressive stance nor fitment as he wanted to be able to daily drive his car anywhere and anytime without sacrificing the ride comfort of this big luxury coupe.

While this car sits extremely simple and almost close to OEM, the condition of the car doesn’t fall short. The smell of the leather, and the natural cracks from its age brings a nostalgic feeling just as if you were back in the 90’s.

Personally I’m not exactly the best person to ask about purchasing old BMWs. At one point I’d definitely want to own an E30 myself, and if I were to buy one, I know who to go to for any advice or guidance.

With the number of BMWs owned sitting in the double digits, the list doesn’t end there. It’s pretty cool how he has a notes page that he titled “collect everything“ which tracks all the cars he’s ever owned.

It’s difficult enough to find older cars in Toronto that are in great condition, and what’s even more difficult is being able to track down the car’s history.

How often is it that you buy a car made more than 20 years ago with all the service documents intact? A true enthusiast will have these in check, and Hameed definitely checks off the box as a true BMW enthusiast.

If you would like to connect with Hameed, you can follow his instagram page: @hvmeed