In my recent write up of two pretty overpriced 318ti M-Sports, I suggested that a vintage 635CSi would probably be a better option if you were looking for a collectable BMW for around the same ask of those two models. To put my theoretical money where my unfortunately quite real mouth is, here’s a lineup of the venerable E24 grand tourers. For a modest price you get a tremendous amount of style, sport, near bulletproof engine and drive train and a potential investment. I have five examples to look at; interestingly, four of them are the last of the run, rare to see mid-88 and up refresh models. Also interesting though less surprising is that none of them sits on their original wheels. That, and their birthplace may be the only thing that links them though, as they’re all quite different. Which would be the one you’d choose? Let’s take a look at the oldest:
Tag: TRX
Witness exhibit C in my anti-E30 M3 campaign. Like yesterday’s 1988 635CSi, this is another clean and tidy, well presented E24. But unlike yesterday’s end of the run car, this is a mid-year non-M spec car that I would generally consider the least appealing of the bunch. So what’s special about this one? Well, it’s a 5-speed car, always a plus amongst the big 6s. It’s got lower miles, too – only 68,000 in this case; that’s less than 2,500 on average if you’re counting. It’s all original, too – right down to the TRX wheels and tires. It has the unique Buffalo hide leather – an interior usually seen in the M cars but less frequently in normal production models. But in my mind I love it because it’s a Euro-spec car with a documented history, and an interesting one at that:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 BMW 635CSi Euro-spec 5-speed Manual on eBay
4 Comments“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?
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1987 BMW M6 on eBay
1 CommentA about a month ago I wrote up a M6 roundup, covering the many nice examples for sale. They range greatly in price and condition these days, so it’s really best to do your homework, find the one you like and try to get one with a solid maintenance history over a few less miles. But occasionally one pops up that you just say “Wow!” to, and this one is pretty high up here. With a reported 40,000 miles, this European-spec 1985 M635CSi is just jaw-dropping:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1985 BMW M635CSi on eBay
3 CommentsWhen my father started his foray into German cars, I was a young teenager. The first car he bought was a 1982 BMW 633CSi; to my eyes, still a beautiful car. Shortly after that he bought a companion 1985 635CSi automatic; and even though that car wasn’t quite as pretty as the earlier shark and was an automatic, it was much more fun to drive. It wasn’t because of the displacement increase in the motor, but rather the changeover to E28 mechanicals that really transformed the E24 from what was a stunning looker into a real driver’s car. These later 6s usually carry a bit of a premium over the early models, though truth be told the E24 market is really in a state of fluctuation where you can buy great looking cars for a steal or see very overpriced examples that need work. Currently falling into the former category is today’s black over cream 1986 model, sporting lower miles and the all-important 5-speed manual: