At $8,000, Is This 1985 BMW 635CSi A Teutonic Temptation?
The seller of today's Nice Price or No Dice 635i claims that all it needs is someone to "get it and drive it!" With over 236,000 miles on the clock, it's already well-versed in the driving part. Let's see if we think its price makes piling on more miles all the more compelling.
One has to pity the poor Camaro. In the popular zeitgeist, Ford's Mustang rules the roost as the OG pony car, creator of the category. And thanks to the movie "Smokey and the Bandit," the Camaro's F-body twin, the Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am, will forever be enshrined as a true Hollywood legend. That's not to say that the Camaro hasn't found its minor niche in pop culture. It was, after all, Bumblebee in the "Transformers" movies, and was the featured subject of the Dead Milkmen's "Bitchin' Camaro," Weezer's "Yellow Camaro," and the simply titled "Camaro" by Kings of Leon.
One would think then that the 1992 Chevy Camaro Z28 convertible that came our way yesterday would have been a big hit. It did offer V8 power, a manual transmission, and the promise of a well-documented service history. Unfortunately, it also came with a $15,000 price tag, and that had many of you saying "thanks, but no thanks." Ultimately, that manifested in an unfortunate 68% 'No Dice' loss for the Camaro.
Near and dear
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than half of all motor vehicle accidents happen within a five-mile radius of the operator's home. That makes the 1985 BMW 635CSi a non-starter for me because the shop that it's pictured in is less than five miles from my house, and that's just too close for comfort. For the rest of you, however, this looks like a big coupe with lots going for it.
First off, this is a later E24, meaning that it rides on the updated underpinnings of the E25 5 Series, featuring that model's more capable suspension geometry. It also has the biggest motor available in the model at the time, the 3430cc M30 SOHC straight-six. In this model year, that fuel-injected engine was capable of a smooth-as-silk 182 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque. Backing that up is a five-speed Getrag 265 manual gearbox, driving the rear wheels. All four wheels wear BBS basketweaves, shod with tires that the seller says are still in the fight.
Not cool, man
Other pluses noted in the ad include a recent (50 miles ago) valve job, along with a new radiator and cooling system hoses. On the downside, the A/C (evil R12) is on the fritz, as are the power controls for the front bucket seats. Everything else seems to be in working condition, and the car appears to be in solid shape with no major issues in the bodywork, all its trim intact, and paint that the seller claims just needs a "nice polish to bring it out."
The side and rear glass feature a heavy tint which probably helps on hot days with the A/C out, but might require removal should it prove too dark for the law's liking.
The appearance under-hood is about as tidy as you could expect from a four-decade-old car, and it all seems to be factory with no weird monkey business or missing pieces.
All those miles
Things seem just as inviting in the cabin, with just some minor cracking in the driver-oriented dashboard and those non-functioning seat controls to mar the overall experience. There's an aftermarket head unit in the dash, but other than that, it all looks to be perfectly stock. Amazingly, the sport bucket seats evidence almost no wear. Perhaps they have been re-skinned at some time? There is some evidence of use on the three-spoke steering wheel and shift knob, but that's pretty minor.
It's all the more amazing when you consider that this car sports over 236,000 miles on its odometer, and, according to the seller, one or two ownership changes. For a car to have racked up such impressive mileage and still look this good means that it has most likely been cared for along the way. Per the seller, all it needs is someone to keep caring for it and to drive it.
What are we getting ourselves into?
The ad notes that the car has a clean title; however, the pictures show it to have 2025 tags on its license plate. That could portend back registration fees if it's not currently on non-operation status. Even worse, the lack of current tags could mean it has some major issue passing its biennial emissions test, as required by California, where the car is currently plated. Or maybe the photos are just two years old.
At an $8,000 asking price, would you be willing to roll the dice on those prospects, given how nice this desirable Bimmer seems in the ad? Or do the high miles and the thought of possibly piling on past fees put you off?
You decide!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
Hat tip to Don R. for the hookup!
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