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Want a classic 1980s BMW, a race-bred motor, and a car nearly guaranteed to appreciate over the coming years? The S38 powered M5 and M6 are the place to look right now, since the only other two options – the M1 and M3 – aren’t the best options right now. Traditionally, the M6 held higher values than the long-unappreciated M5; a great looking grand tourer, the M6 is certainly capable of keeping up with sports cars in a straight line and around curves. The other nice thing about the M6 was that unlike the E28 M5, it was available in many shades. Today’s example shows that off nicely in Cinnabar Red with Lotus White Nappa leather:
“It was a running driving car when parked” has to be one of the most pointless things that is put into a used car advertisement. First off, in order to park, most cars needed to run. They need to drive to where they were parked. But then, something happened. Something happened that made you not go start the car again. Sure, we hear the stories from time to time about an owner who died, left the country, suddenly became completely uninterested in the car. But usually, those cars are first generation Ford Tauruses or Jeep Wranglers; it’s not often that they’re a 1987 BMW M6. Well, we do get the typical ad lines – selling for a friend’s widow, car ran when parked, looks good when sprayed with water. But with the frenzy of activity in the M market these days, is it worth the risk to step into a legenary S38-powered M6 that’s been sitting for 15 years?
As E30s go bonkers, E24s continue to be the dark horse in the 80s M-cars race to the top of the appreciation charts. Those who know appreciate the great styling, fantastic engine, and impeccable cruising ability. Those who don’t, well – don’t; they see it slip by as innocuously as any other old Bimmer. Today’s comes in a very subdued blue (sublued?) with just 68k miles. The asking price of $24.5k seems, for once, pretty darn reasonable. You could drive this another 30k miles in the next 5-10 years and sell it for a hefty profit, having a great time while doing so.
If you want a grand coupe, room for 4 in a pinch, looks to melt hearts and minds and a race car soundtrack, the E24 M6 and M635CSi are one of the few options for you. A supreme autobahn blitzer capable of hanging with sports cars on back roads, the M6 has a pretty unique skill set hidden beneath that flowing exterior. Right now, there are five great condition Ms up on Ebay, so I thought it was time to do a roundup of what was available and take a look at the options. The first is probably the best one money can buy, and not a stranger to these pages. We saw this ultra-low mile museum piece as part of the 1980s BMW M “Holy Trinity” post I did last fall, and while the location and seller has changed, the condition hasn’t:
As my E28 sits in the shop for some serious work, I’ve been reexamining the haste with which I jumped into an almost 200k-mile 80s BMW. Would I have been wiser to heed the common cries (often my own!) of “buy low mileage, save the headaches!” I’m young and dumb, but more than that, I was excited about having a rebuild already taken care of and having a car I could drive without reservation. If I were a little older and a little wiser (and had a bigger bank account), I’d probably go for lower mileage, but 80s BMWs will most likely be seriously expensive at that point. So jump in while you can folks, and snag the good ones. This 104k-mile M6 appears to be one of the good ones.
