I'm looking into both of these cars as daily commuters, and I don't know which one would be the best. I'm looking into them both having automatic transmissions, since manual seems like a pain to learn. Which car has the best balance of saftey, power, handling, gas mileage, looks, luxury, availability for customization, space, and repairs/maintenance?

I'm really looking to only spend about $20k on the car itself, and eventually I would like to add aftermarket parts to it. (But I heard there's nothing really for the 8 series, is that true? I guess I could just be content with new rims and side skirts or something.)

Which is the better buy? I somewhat prefer the look of the 330ci, but you see 3 series everyday, and I strive to be unique, so maybe the 850 is better?

Thank you in advance if you help me out.
I forgot to mention, due to my budget here, I would really be looking towards '01-'02 330ci models.

So the bottom line is that the 850i is too expensive to maintain and it would need repairs constantly?

Wouldn't that weight of the 850i be to it's advantage in terms of driving in different weather conditions?

The 850 is a beatiful car with a timeless design , but it is a very expensive daily driver and parts are hard to come by and expensive and very little aftermarket support . The 330 is a much better platform in your case , you wont be unique , but with aftermarket available you can atleast stand out a little .
And stock for stock the 330 is faster in straight line and turning performance . The 850 weighs alot more than it looks
No the weight would be a huge braking disadvantage , in good or bad weather .

I dont know which one is better but BMW 330ci looks better :)