One of BMW’s most successful designs, the E24 6-series coupe is a beautiful car, on the bucket list of many a car enthusiast. In spite of its similarities to the first-generation (E23) 7-series, it’s actually based on the E12 (and later, E28) 5-series sedan. Powered by the M30B32 engine with 181hp and 195lb.-ft. of torque, you’d think it would be an absolute rocket, and while it is fairly fast, it’s also fairly heavy at just shy of 3300 lb. But those are exactly the ingredients for a great long-distance cruiser, which is why you should find one far from home and, after a careful prepurchase inspection, get acquainted on a road trip. This 1980 BMW 633 CSi is for sale in Umpqua, OR for a mere $2750.
In spite of being on everyone’s bucket list, and having every part the cool factor of many other 1980s icons like the Porsche 911, the cost of entry is much lower than for the others. And since it shares its platform and many parts with other standard production BMWs, access to parts should be pretty straightforward. Of course, the car does have some drawbacks, like the less-popular color combination of Safaribeige on a Mocca leather interior. Perhaps some gold-center BBS mesh wheels and a lip spoiler would compensate for that? The E38 740i take-off wheels do suit it well, though, and the car has new tires and brakes.
The car has benefited from many more improvements, including a fuel pump, ignition switch, alternator and common wear parts like hoses and belts. It does give the overall impression of being carefully maintained, and originally being from California gives hope that there’s limited rust. Among its needs are a heater fan switch, rear shock absorbers, odometer, and some repair to a small dent on the right rear fender.
The more you look at it, the more you can see this is likely a car that has aged gently, with obvious signs of wear over its 33 year life, but few signs of neglect. The rear bucket seats look great, and the fronts do as well, with the exception of some damage to the piping on the driver’s outer seat bolster. This year was also just the second in which the car was offered with a 5-speed transmission. Even the trunk looks pretty clean, with most tools in the kit still present.
Here you can see the small dent above the fuel filler door. So the question is, for the apparently good condition of the car, can you overlook the color? These cars look great in black, dark blue, and various shades of red (even bright colors like yellow, green, and orange in the first two years), but those make the price less attainable. Start with the comprehensive checklist at BigCoupe.com and see if the car is ready for a road trip with you.
Rusty But Trusty 
August 31, 2017 at 9:23 pm |
Is it still available?