Possible 635csi Purchase

[hlenoble]

I realize that this is a 5 series forum, but I have received so much good information here that I am looking for more. Hopefully there is some familiarity with the 635i as well.

I have a chance to buy an '87 635csi pretty cheaply. The car is a 5-speed with 133k on the clock. The body is good, with a (very) little surface rust on one fender, and the front air dam is damaged and needs to be replaced. The interior is very good and all the electric options work except one of the power headrests.

I am familiar with the powertrain, as it's essentially identical to my '90 535i. I am looking for information as to what else I should be looking for. What are the weak points of the car and what is the general consensus as to what the car is worth.

Thanks,
- Hal

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

I see most of them have rust at the lower edge

[Martin in Bellevue]

I had an '87 635csi. There are a few things antiquated, compared to the e34. F'rinstance, the ac systems don't cut it in Texas heat, even with the rear console ducts & fridge. There's about 3 times the wiring of the e34 & the fuse box of an '87 is from an era passed.
They are very fun cars with a 5 speed. Manual seats are much better than the comfort seats.
If I didn't have kids, I would still have my 6er, or something equally as sporty, or handsome.
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/Martin5er/635.jpg

[Gayle]

I have just recently gotten interested in the sharks. I really wanted to go to sharkfest in Montery this year but decided I would try to learn more about them and go next year.

I am embarrassed to say that I was reading about them on wikipedia which said the later ones, like the year you are looking at have better torque.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E24

Here is a German site that has some technical specs.
http://www.e-24.ru/

Here is the response someone got to the same question as yours on another board

http://tech.bentleypublishers.com/thread.jspa?threadID=24337&tstart=0


And finally, here are some picture that made my heart say "must have one".
Open links at your own risk.

http://bigcoupe.com/events/psf/

http://www.pacificsharkfest.com/pics/Thumbnails.html

No clue on price. There was a pristine one for sale at bimmerfest for $11,000. I am lucky it was auto or it would have come home with me and my husband would have killed me.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h235/Bimmerfest06/fs2Small.jpg


http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h235/Bimmerfest06/fs3Small.jpg

[shogun]

check out here, there are the experts and owners
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/e24/


Here is a German site that has some technical specs.

Gayle, that is a Russian site, not German ;)

[Gayle]

check out here, there are the experts and owners
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/e24/



Gayle, that is a Russian site, not German ;)

If it is not English, it is German to me. :p

[SnakeyesTx]

Ah I knew it! E34 and E39 owners have a thing for the older 6ers too. I knew I couldn't be the only one. It has a sporty modern look in the front still.. but kind of a strange older look in the back. I toyed with the idea of modernizing the rear somehow. I think I came up with trying a different set of tail-lights back there maybe an led set with cleaner lenses.

Most problems I hear or actually see on these is paint oxidation and rust. Most rust I see is around the doors, and basically where the water gets kicked up by the tires on all 4 corners. I think they look hot, and being a good sized 2 door is another bonus. Several I've seen on ebay have motor swaps for the 3.5 used in mid 90s E34's. I think if you could find one that's been converted with the proper electrics for a good price, that'd be a pretty sweet ride. My only vice with them is the side profile with the windows. They look proportionally huge and kinda strange.

[ILoveMPower]

There's an E24 in back to the future 2, it's the bud (buzz?) dude's futuristic car, with some lame body kit on it.

[barry 90 525i]

ive had a 83, two 86, and a 89, 88 or 89 are the best, 83 and up ride on the e28 frame, 77 through 82 ride on the e12, 635 came out in 85, 3.5 engine but cars also got heavier, 88 and 89 they had a lot of inprovements, bigger engine, faired bumpers and elptical headlights and foglights, also all leather interior like a L6, which was only sold in 87, there great cars, very easy to work on and share many parts with e28. at 80 or 90 miles a hour rock solid, buy a western car, no rust, if it has trx tires make the seller take a thousanf dollars off, thats about how much it will cost to replace them and there outdated, was voted by automobile mag as one of the 50 greatest cars of all time, im already looking for another.

[Ross]

Rust is the main issue on the ones around here, Chicago, and the rubber ends of the bumbers. Mechanically it's a two door 7.

[Bill R.]

635. I had a 85 635 with the sport seats, m steering wheel yada yada, 5 speed. etc..
It was an ok car, the appearance is the main factor, the driving is nothing the write home about. In my opinion the e34's are a much nicer car overall. They have a better feel to me. The long doors on the e24 get old after awhile, The steering box subframe mounts have a tendency to crack out where the box bolts to the subrame and thats always fun to remove the box, gusset and reweld the subframe. The entire subframe is more prone to flexing than the e34 is. As Martin stated the ac really sucks on all years of 635. To me the 88,89 were easily heavy enough to offset the horspower gains that the newer m30 motor had over the earlier m30. They tend to be rust magnets in some places. Mine spent its entire life in Arizona and Texas so it wasn't bad. Body and interior parts are outrageously expensive.

Replacement brackets for my sports seats were 400 per side per seat from bmw..1600 for the brackets for both seats. The gearboxes do get broken on the sport seats. I ended up replacing them with the comfort seats even though they aren't as nice. To me they are just like owning a
Porsche 928, they're both cars that i wanted based on appearance, But after owning them the driving experience wasn't up to the looks. Whereas the e34 drives and functions better than its appearance. Comfort , overall usefullness, handling etc. Some pics of my car when we were going through it to become my nephews high school everyday driver.http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/6351a.jpg

http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/6351b.jpg

http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/635.44.jpg
http://www.bimmernut.com/%7Ebillr/images/635seatfinished1.jpg

ive had a 83, two 86, and a 89, 88 or 89 are the best, 83 and up ride on the e28 frame, 77 through 82 ride on the e12, 635 came out in 85, 3.5 engine but cars also got heavier, 88 and 89 they had a lot of inprovements, bigger engine, faired bumpers and elptical headlights and foglights, also all leather interior like a L6, which was only sold in 87, there great cars, very easy to work on and share many parts with e28. at 80 or 90 miles a hour rock solid, buy a western car, no rust, if it has trx tires make the seller take a thousanf dollars off, thats about how much it will cost to replace them and there outdated, was voted by automobile mag as one of the 50 greatest cars of all time, im already looking for another.

[Ross]

My '85 635csi sold for $5400 in "97. Don't recall miles but condition was on the low side of good due to rust.

[Dash01]

Bill R, I'd say your nephew is a very lucky kid, moreso to have you helping him on this 635 project. A white 635 is on my short list of favorite cars.

I'm smitten with the 635, except for the clunky bumpers on the US version.

I wonder if anybody has tried adapting E32 735i or E34 535i bumpers to a 635i ?

Eyeballing it, seems like it might fit. Ideas?

[barry 90 525i]

u will never see a 84 us 635, look at ones for sale, 84's are always 633, in my opinion its a much nicer car at high speeds than a e34, true they dont handle well, but u can beef them up to turn real nice, i was in calif with mine where rust wasnt a issue, but cant compare them to a 928, its much easier to work on since its a 2 door 5 series, i guess u really have to luv them, get around a 6 series gathering like sharkfest and u will see how nice these cars are, we were in a pack of 6 doing over a hundread on the freeway, e34 really cant compare to that, 6 is like a 8, just gobbles up the miles.

[Lennyz525i]

There's an E24 in back to the future 2, it's the bud (buzz?) dude's futuristic car, with some lame body kit on it.

http://www.zidz.com/img/forumbiffcar.jpg

http://www.codeoneauto.com/frames/images/griffmobilebransonhatch.jpg

[hlenoble]

Thanks to all for some excellent info and pics!

I looked at the car closer today, and I'm going to drive it tomorrow. I need to see if the AC works, but all-in-all the car is pretty decent. As I mentioned, there is a very small spot of surface rust on the driver's fender but nowhere else I can see. The front spoiler/air dam is shot and needs to be replaced, but the paint (dark blue) looks like it should shine up very nicely. I am also going to put the car on a lift and look at the suspension, shich I hope is similar to the e34's. I have replaced the front suspension parts on two of my e34's so I am not afraid to do that on this e24 if need be. Also, the exhaust was supposedly replaced recently so I'll be looking at that.

I think I can buy the car for about $750, which is why I'm tempted to buy it and sell the 535i. I'll post again tomorrow and let everyone know what I found..

- Hal

[hlenoble]

You're right, I've always liked the look of the older 6ers. I agree that the rear looks more dated than the front, but I like it anyway. I was just thinking that if I can buy it cheaply it may be fun.

[barry 90 525i]

im so used to working on them id take it if its not to far from me, the front spoiler will be expensive to replace, your better off trying to rebuild it, one of mine was all cracked and had pieces hanging off, i took it off and rebuilt it, there always talking about them on the e24 board, good luck

[3rdE34]

i think the 635csi's rock, (dont quote me, but i was once told they were the fastest production car available in their time) and they are an absolute classic automobile in the true sense.... unfortunately i have never been able to find one with a "getrag dogleg" transmission in good condition where i live BUT....having said that, i have been more than satisfied with E34's......

[3rdE34]

"e34 really cant compare to that, 6 is like a 8, just gobbles up the miles."

hi Barry, sorry, but i beg to differ, my ole 540i resembles that, in fact i think my 535im does as well , or maybe its just me.... cheers...