Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270110)

My hobby. Finding them and bringing them back to life.

The black 1983 533i gone - white 1984 633Csi still with me - sitting in the garage waiting for me to re-install the transmission after replacing the clutch.

Amazing how transmissions are easier to remove than install . . .


http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d14/robeyf/mybs.jpg

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270111)

Used to sell those. Nice cars. What you really need to find, though, is a 1973 3.0CS.

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270112)

Man, those are the best - the prices are getting ridiculous for rust free southern or California cars though - out of my price range.

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270113)

I used to own one, bought it new for something like $12,000. You can add another zero these days. :(

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270114)

The lines on those cars are perfect - what a design. If I ever find one I can afford I'm going to fit an M30 6 cyl. in it and keep it forever.

Originally Posted by djv8ga (Post 270117)

Some dude a few blocks from me has three in his backyard that look like that, but have a one piece looking headlight (cover?) that wraps around the front.

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270116)

The CS and CSi all had versions of the M30 (2.8 and 3.0 litre carbureted and 3.0 litre C.I.S. Are you thinking of the 2000 CS?

Originally Posted by d-ray657 (Post 270143)

Besides a prestigious name, what else goes in to making an older vehicle one that will catch a premium price?


Regards,

D-Ray

Originally Posted by Tom Joad (Post 270139)

I'll stick with a 55 olds super 88 convertible as my dream car.

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Archi...VERTIBLE-74999

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270145)

For me, I had never owned a BMW or thought much about them until I bought the '84 533i pictured above from a friend who had babied it.

I liked the style and after prob. putting my mechanic's kid through college the first year of ownership, learned to do maintenance and repair on it myself.

In the course of replacing worn parts and puttering around I discovered these old BMWs were over engineered for their time and are safe. When you want it stop, it STOPS - turn, it turns immediately.

The M30 motors are bulletproof - change the oil and adjust the valves when you are supposed to and they will go 300,000 easily.

Originally Posted by d-ray657 (Post 270147)

I can understand that value from a functional standpoint. But what I am wondering is what causes cars to be valued far beyond their functionability?

Regards,

D-Ray

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270129)

I would stick one in with the Motronic Fuel Injection/engine management - I have heard horror stories about the L-Jetronic.

I suppose you could retrofit the fuel Inj. into any M30, but I am not that good.

I can bolt on, bolt off but don't do internal engine and electronics just piss me off.

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270150)

Hell, while you're at it, just drop in the 3.5 litre M5 or M6 engine.

The only trouble is, that hurts the value. On the other hand, if you were to go the Alpina route........

The CS carbureted ones had two single choke Solex downdrafts. Don't remember how big. I had zero trouble with that setup.

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270149)

Marketing, pleasing design.

And car people are weird.

Originally Posted by d-ray657 (Post 270147)

I can understand that value from a functional standpoint. But what I am wondering is what causes cars to be valued far beyond their functionability?

Regards,

D-Ray

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270129)

I would stick one in with the Motronic Fuel Injection/engine management - I have heard horror stories about the L-Jetronic.

Originally Posted by Tom Joad (Post 270139)

I'll stick with a 55 olds super 88 convertible as my dream car.

http://www.barrett-jackson.com/Archi...VERTIBLE-74999

Originally Posted by Pio1980 (Post 270162)

Association with pleasant events and persons, social aspiration past and present, good design and styling appeal, in some examples, timeless excellence. For some, the mechanicals are the primary attraction with the packaging secondary, tho generally styling and association trump all else. BMWs are generally well engineered cars with a style that has it's own fan base.
however, for big money in an auction market, American muscle cards of a certain age are the new superstars.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Dondilion (Post 270198)

For BMW some people put great value on the German rep for close tolerance engineering.

A look at the new kid on the block.
http://www.bmwusa.com/bmw/7Series

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270201)

Hopefully my next will be a Euro model E24 M6 - they can still be found in very good condition for around 20,000.00 USD.

http://www.vacmotorsports.com/AdvHTM...d/IMG_0632.JPG

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270209)

I always liked the E28 (1980s 5 Series) better than the E24. Something always struck me as "wrong" about the 6 Series, maybe just because it wasn't the old CS/CSi. I think I'd be happier with the M5 version of the E28.

(Of course, the E26 would be nice too. ;)

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...018/BMW-M1.jpg

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270209)

I always liked the E28 (1980s 5 Series) better than the E24. Something always struck me as "wrong" about the 6 Series, maybe just because it wasn't the old CS/CSi. I think I'd be happier with the M5 version of the E28.

(Of course, the E26 would be nice too. ;)

http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/image...018/BMW-M1.jpg

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270210)

I love E28s - 533i was my first old BMW. I bought the E24 because it became available at a very good price and it grew on me.

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270215)

Ever see a 535iS? They only offered it for a couple of years, Basically, it was trimmed out like an M5 and had a tweaked suspension, not quite up to M5 specs. The engine was the basic SOHC six that the regular 535i (and 635CSi and 735i) came with. They didn't sell well at all but they were pretty nice. I wanted one as a demo but they were hard enough to sell without miles on them. Plus, the owner wanted a 7 Series in demo service so that's what I drove (when it wasn't out as a service loaner for some high roller).



First BMW I ever drove was my dad's 1970 2500. I fell in love so in '72 I picked up a 2002 "for the little woman". Great little car! In some ways it was more fun than my 911.

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270217)

It was designed by Lamborghini - the engine a beast for the time (BMW M88) and went on to power the M6.

Originally Posted by Boreas (Post 270220)

Actually, it was built by Lamborghini but it was designed by Giorgetto Giugaro of Italdesign, the same guy that designed the Audi Turbo Quattro.

Originally Posted by catswiththum (Post 270221)

My bad - but then, YOU get to live in California - classic auto nirvana. ;)