Old BMW 635csi or 740i any good?

[ShakeyC]

A friend of a friend selling a 635csi in silver manual with silver leather interior more like dirty grey to me for £1995 and a 740i i think he said its a 4.0 v8 dark blue with cream interior again looks like a dirty orange to me for £2800. Both chassis rust free but some signs of paint bobble on boot lids and archs, both with full bmw history since day1 being original owners.

More tempted by 635 it looks cool, maybe too big for my parking space but it does look like it deserves some cred! Do they handle well and overal performance ok? or do i carry on searching for what seems to be impossible a rust free e30?

[fozzymandeus]

Two very interesting propositions. What age is the 740i? For that price it's a lot of money for an E32 and very little for an E38, but if the latter may have nikasil bore wear issues on the V8.

The 635Csi is the more in demand car of the two, and if solid is well worth the money. Things to check for are: Rust, rust and more rust. Rust at the base of the C pillars (even a bubble needs to be investigated) Rust in the wheelarches at the sills could mean trouble, and last but certainly not least, rust in the front wings. Almost all 6ers have had their outer wings replaced due to corrosion, check the state of the wings - I've known everything from poor pattern wings that corrode again very quickly through to poorly fitting fibreglass affairs. If they are still original then check carefully anyway! Also look at the inner wings as they can corrode badly too. (rear as well)

Both of these cars having FBMWSH is great news as they have complex engines that can break expensively if maintenance has been missed. They are Chain cam engines so check for regular oil services and walk away if tappety.

Check if ancillaries are working, esp aircon and funny-ness with check control. Irregularities here can be troublesome. Look for any signs of removed bulbs etc.

All things being equal, I'd buy that 6er. A manual gearbox makes it a great car.

[casper8r]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the 635 have M30 engine? Since when is that considered complex? Granted, I know very little about engines but I was always under impression that M30 is an ancient, relatively trouble free (if thirsty) design known for being bulletproof. That being said having service history won't hurt but if there's less to go wrong and should be much cheaper to fix than a V8.

[dazleeds]

wings are bad for rot and cost £500 each

[Ant]

E24 all the way m8 !

yes they rot, but so does any car, not a bargain @ £2k but not OTT for a one owner car !

check the inner wings carefully as thats the £Â£Ã‚£Ã‚£nplace to repiar, outer wings are £Â£ as Daz has stated but a good late 6er with the right options/coulour is a £4k car aqll day regardless.

watch for ripping along the top edge of the wings, sure sign the inners are dusted.

better still,pop her to the w/shop dude , then we'll see whats what with ease.



As for the 740, not rare or desirable IMHO unless its minty mint mint and evertything is 100% bad risk dude.

[ChrisBarns]

i drove a 635 a few years ago - was planning to buy it but it drove like a luxury saloon rather than a big coupe. Slower than i was expecting too. Felt ponderous and heavy but it could have been a bit off colour.

I still think they look cool though.

[fozzymandeus]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the 635 have M30 engine? Since when is that considered complex?

Point taken, but I still wouldnt buy one without history except for real peanuts, as opposed to, say a cheapie 4cyl E30.

[maxfield]

Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't the 635 have M30 engine? Since when is that considered complex?

Point taken, but I still wouldnt buy one without history except for real peanuts, as opposed to, say a cheapie 4cyl E30.

There is also the M88 that came in the 635csi??

[fozzymandeus]

That's the M635csi, and if it's one of those for £2k it's way too cheap!

[maxfield]

I missed the 'M' out. Now that's a proper engine

[kadettc]

635CSI would be a good buy and uber cool too dude. Go for it, if sound that is.......................

Csi and M very different, not easy to get confused with.

[ShakeyC]

Cheers Ant might take you up on the offer

the old man and i taking closer look over w/end his better at buying cars than me he can get under to check it over. It is 1989 model serviced at 1 bmw main dealer 489k all paperwork history 10 months mot/tax too, its got all extras and dirty splashings of chrome everywhere

[HairyScreech]

489k? thats intergalactic milage.

word of warning though, spares arnt too cheep for the 6 series. have been helping a friend restore a 635 alpina and some of the prices are eyewatering.

[320Touring]

489k? thats intergalactic milage.

word of warning though, spares arnt too cheep for the 6 series. have been helping a friend restore a 635 alpina and some of the prices are eyewatering.

I belive that to be a txt speak typo- should read 4 89K.....

I'd have to be paid to take away a 6 er that had 489k on it....

I'd go e38 if it is so, nearly as pimp as an e24 buy lots less grief

I am a council deviant though

[HairyScreech]

i have to say the alpina burts got it very pimp.

alpine white, alpina kit, 16" alpinas, chrome window surounds and bumpers, green tint glass, leather interior.

[mattyb240]

635 is uber cool my dad has one with a dog leg box it's mean, the wings are the usual culprit but if you can find even a semi decent doner its all good.

[HairyScreech]

our scrap/spares car was unbeleiveable, at one point i swung under the car and a lump of the rear arch came off in my hand. poked about with a screwdriver to see what was salvigable and put it through the spring cups on the front struts, seems there a water trap.

the brakes and lpg conversion were the only "safe" things on it, boot floor is worth checking, as is the bottom corners of the bulkhead.

ill send him a message and ask what the things to watch out for are, being a scrap merchant and having broken a couple of proper rot boxes for spares he knows most of the week points.

[tannerman8807]

In my two years of owing an 1986 m635, the worst thing was replacing the rusty wings, then rebuilding the head when the head G blew at 90K, but worst of all was the handling, great in a straight line but change direction at speed and your a gonner, did a 360 on the m4/m25 slip road once

[ShakeyC]

Had a looky this morn with the my dad who told me to walk away, a lot of rust under the car around jacking points archs and some of the chassis he said you would push our hand all the way through the panels. The engine was mint so was interior the guy wanted to sell up for a new merc and new m3, milage seemed genuine just rust to hell underneath. From whats already said above not worth repairing if wings cost £500 a time we come back home with my money.