1988 Bmw 635csi Nice Semi-restored Over $28k Invested 635 Csi E24 Coupe 2 Door on 2040-cars

This 1988 BMW 635CSi was the top of the line car that BMW sold in 1988, very reliable and one of the last over-engineered cars BMW made to last. This car is a great example, with lots of repairs and maintenance that put it above the competition. Don’t let the mileage fool you, the car comes with a stack of receipts and the car is in great condition. I will try to be as detailed as possible letting you know everything i know, good and the bad about the car, as I hope to receive when I’m buying next time. Very fair reserve price set on this auction.

If you want a semi-restored affordable e24 “shark” that you aren’t scared to drive, super reliable and well maintained that isn’t perfect, but still turns heads this is the one for you. This car shines up amazingly and had a professional paint job done 12/05, now 9 years later it has a little wear and tear as the car has been driven 25k miles since. Very nice well kept car for 26 years old and mostly all stock. The gray on gray color combination is timeless!

Some other similar cars may have lower mileage, but as you probably know the odometer gears wear out and quit turning. You never really know if the mileages are correct without detailed receipts as some were driven for 20-50k of un-recorded miles with the odometer not turning. The previous owner had the odometer gears replaced in 3/10, and its stated on the receipt the odometer had just starting not turning intermittently around 154k miles and it was repaired at that time. There’s another receipt about 6 months earlier where the car had about 2k less miles, so there are very few un-recorded miles on this car.

Most major mechanical systems have been replaced or rebuilt in the past 9 years, see details below. The original leather interior is in great condition, showing little wear for the age and mileage. Front and Rear AC, both work and blow cold. Factory original radio works, antenna goes up and down. All power windows work, sunroof works, drivers door still locks/unlocks both doors, trunk and gas door. Both power front seats, all adjustments work. Check engine light is NOT on. All exterior lights work, cruise works, wipers work, on board trip computer works. Original tool kit still in trunk. Original owners manual & pamphlets (see pic).

- NO LEAKS AND USES NO OIL (yes that’s correct, I’ve driven it on long trips twice over 1,000 miles and never had to add a drop of oil between oil changes). I’ve always used Valvoline “Racing Oil” as the previous owner did, as it helps protect the engine parts from wear, because today’s fuel and oil no longer have the additives in them to protect the older engines.

- I have over $28,000 in receipts spent on the car in the past 9 years. The car has been partially restored, including a 7 layer professional paint job from the bare metal (previous owner paid over $14k for paint and body work), rebuilt top end of the engine, replaced steering gear box and rebuilt front suspension components (see below for a more detailed list and pictures of a few of the bigger receipts).

- I’ve had no mechanical issues with the car in the almost 2 years and 6k miles I’ve owned it. I replaced most of the cooling system last year as preventative maintenance, because the radiator had a slight seep. While it was apart i decided to replace the fan clutch, fan blades, radiator, thermostat, water pump, fan switch, and 3 of the hoses. Also replaced all the belts at this time.

- I drove the car home from Denver, CO (~1500 miles) in September of 2012, when i bought it, with no issues. The car is 26 years old and you never know but, I wouldn’t think twice about driving it anywhere.

- The reason I am selling the car is two reasons, one I bought a new car and haven’t given the shark as much attention and driving in the past 6 months that it deserves. Secondly and more importantly, I moved a few months ago and no longer have a garage to park the car in, only a carport. I feel like the car should be parked inside and hate to see it weather in the elements. I hate to let the car go it’s been nothing but good to me and i’m in no rush to give it away.

Most all common issues have been taken care of now or replaced, if you notice below on the list of receipts the last 4-5 years and over 21k miles driven have required little repairs and/or maintenance. The car has been maintained and in great condition. Car drives great, transmission shifts as it should.

Partial list of recent repairs below in order by date (oil changes & some minor repairs not listed, list would be way too long to list everything). Oil & filter always changed every 3k miles or 6 months.

Receipts of all work since 2004 will be included in a 2+ inch thick folder, which consists of many receipts and pictures of the body disassembled and down to the metal. Most of the work from 2004-2012 was done by BMW specialty shops, I have done all the maintenance myself since i’ve owned the car. The receipts for parts will be included for work i’ve done myself in the past 2 years.

11/13 – Cooling system replaced, as noted above, replaced all 3 belts & new battery installed. 170k miles.

6/12 – Replaced front thrust rod bushings, fuel filter, plug wires, cap/rotor & adjust valves. 164k miles.

9/10 – Replaced brake sensors, upgraded headlights and fog lights. 159k miles.

4/10 – Replaced rear differential seals and fluid. 154k miles.

3/10 – Installed rebuilt head, camshaft, rocker arms, related gaskets, replace coolant, expansion tank. (overheated from cracked expansion tank, when they opened the engine up they pretty much rebuilt the whole top end). 151k miles. $2,962 paid.

2/08 – Replaced power steering gear box & brake booster. 146k miles. $2,702 paid.

12/05 – Disassemble body, strip body to metal, repair any rust with metal patches, replace some exterior moldings/parts/gaskets, 2 coats of primer, 3 coats of paint, 2 coats of clear coat & had clear 3M bra installed over front, mirrors, side valances & lights. $14,482 paid. see pic for receipt.

11/05 – Full tune up, valves adjusted, replaced blower motor, headlamp inserts, hood struts, water pump, fan clutch, all hoses, engine mounts, power steering hoses, both front support arm bushings, dipstick, rear subframe mounts, high and low pressure brake accumulators, aux. fan resistor, transmission fluid, filter & pan gasket, clean and flush brake fluid, clean and flush power steering fluid & change rear differential fluid. 145k miles. $3,472 paid. see pic for receipt.

9/04 – Replaced upper control arms, sway bar links, idler arms, tie rods, lower control arms, upper control arm bushings. 142k miles. $1,048 paid.

The tires will need replacing soon. You can decide if you want to keep this tire size and wheels, the tires (16” dia) cost about $100 each or you can put new bigger wheels and tires, your choice. Rear self-leveling suspension is not functioning (common for these cars), but the car still drives amazing. There is some sun damage around the rear speaker covers. This is not a perfect “show car” by any means, it has a dozen or so minor chips in the paint in diff areas (most are very small pin point size). Although the paint has a great shine and mirror finish, it looks great and you can see the quality. There is minor body/paint damage on drivers side rear corner (see pic with 2 yellow circles, the area near the bumper has been touched up with paint and the side by the tail light has a few dimples in the body), this was here when i bought the car. Previous owner said he left the car in drive and it rolled into a tree, rear rubber bumper luckily kept the damage down. Honestly you can barely notice it unless the car is very clean, shiny, in bright lighting and looking for it. There is a thumb sized raised place in the paint on lower rear passenger side wheel well area (see pic with one yellow circle). There’s also some damage to the paint on the front under bumper valance. I had a quote last year from a local shop for $450 to touch up the paint on the 3 worst areas, but honestly it isn’t that bad and i never bothered with it. Last picture shows the dash under the carpeted cover, it has a few small cracks, the stuff on top of the dash is Velcro and double sided tape used to hold the cover in place.

With a little TLC this luxury BMW coupe could be a collector's dream or kept as is for a second car, weekend car or daily driver! The original list price in 1988 was over $45,000. There were not many built and even less shipped to the US for sale. It is loaded for the model year: power seats, power windows, sun roof, AM-FM-cassette (no CD), leather seats and interior, including console and head liner, trip computer, rear seat temp. control, chrome sills, heated seats, rear sun shade and more. The carpets, floor mats and trunk are clean and look good. The car shows no signs or smells of being smoked in. The original complete tool kit is still in the trunk. This coupe seats four. The inline six-cylinder 3.5L engine is rated at 220 hp at 5200 rpm. Top speed is 140 mph and acceleration is 0-50 in 6 seconds, the quarter mile in 16 seconds.

1989 was the last year the 635CSI was built. Its classic lines and design are legendary in the BMW world, and it can only increase in value. The 1988 and 1989 models are the most sought after of all of the E24 coupes with their 4 place seating and dual A/C systems. They are also the only years fitted with the sleeker "World" bumpers, and have the most horsepower. And then there’s the rear air conditioned “cooler” in the rear center console that holds a few can drinks and it can hold your cassettes. They are surely to increase in value, and are a fantastic opportunity to own a true piece of BMW history. Note the escalated values of E9's in the past few years!! E24's are definitely next!!

Here are some last notes to keep in mind about this car at this price compared to others. 98% of the exterior rubber/seals around all windows, doors and sunroof were replaced (both bumpers rubber is original) when it was painted in 12/05, this is great for an older car, since the rubber is usually dried, cracked and leaks. Exterior moldings were also replaced. Everything on the car works. No leaks. Top end of engine has been rebuilt (cost $3,000), new steering gear box (cost $1,600), rebuilt brake system, recent brand new cooling system. A stack or receipts with over $28k spent in the past 9 years. All gauges, fuel, temp, etc work. Previous owner had lights behind the radio, gauges, etc on the dash replaced. Still has 3M clear bra over front end and lower panels. You won’t find all of these things on most other cars, and it adds up to a car that’s had all the little things taken care of and not ignored!

Remember this was a top of the line, executive car in its time. You can own it now for a fraction of the original cost. I have no regrets owning this car but may regret selling it, however it isn’t practical for me now with no garage to keep it in. If the buyer flies into GSP (Greenville/Spartanburg) airport, i can meet and pick them up at the airport, as long as my schedule allows it and i’m pretty flexible and not too far away. Can also meet a delivery truck somewhere close by Greenville, SC if you have it transported.

$700 non-refundable deposit via paypal due within 24 hours of purchase, remaining amount due must be paid by cash or a certified cashier's check from a major bank at time of pick up. Please only bid and/or buy if your serious. Full payment due within 7 days of auction end. Clear SC title in hand. If you have any questions email me, i will get them on my phone and be able to reply pretty quickly.

Thanks, Clayton