• No 8 Series is economical
• Thirsty engines, high CO2, higher purchase price
• Shouldn’t prove too troublesome to own

What are the running costs?

The BMW 8 Series Convertible is not going to be a cheap car to buy or to run. The cheapest model starts just shy of £90,000 with no options fitted, while the car pictured – an M850i with a few options packs – would cost more than £140,000 to purchase.

Don’t think you only need deep pockets to buy it, either. The most economical model is the entry-level 840i, which claims a maximum WLTP fuel economy figure of 33.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 195g/km. We found this more like high-20s in reality.

Step up to one of the V8s and those numbers tumble – the 850i claims 26.4mpg, but we saw more like 22. The M8 Competition claims a maximum of 24.8mpg, but expect figures in the teens if you’re ever going to trouble that mighty performance. The M850i and M8 Competition emit 244g/km and 261g/km respectively.

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The previously-available diesel offered significantly better economy but is no longer offered in the 8 Series Convertible range. It could make a savvy used buy, however.

Servicing and warranty

BMW offers fixed-price service plans that cover all servicing and maintenance work for the duration of your finance agreements. It’s not cheap, though, and nor is ad hoc servicing at any BMW dealer – though it’s in line with what you’d pay a Mercedes garage for the same service.

BMW’s warranty isn’t very long at just three years, but it is unlimited mileage which should give continent-crossers some peace of mind.

Reliability

The 8 Series borrows prolifically from elsewhere in the BMW range and has very few bespoke parts. BMW as a manufacturer has taken a real turn, and was dubbed most reliable car maker overall in the 2022 FN50 reliability survey, with its 3 Series the most reliable car overall.

The 8 Series range as a whole has had five recalls since 2019, four of which are applicable to the 8 Series. Check that these have been seen to if you’re purchasing used.