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whats my 635 worth?

Thinking about selling it for something newer. It's a 1985 635CSi with 130k and the rare five speed manual. Mechanically it runs great. I've spent probably $5-7k updating everything from the cooling system, clutch, valve job, tune up, new shocks and struts, brakes and a lot more. Engine is very strong. Interior is nice. Leather is still supple and not torn, dash has a few cracks, but is very clean inside.

A few small things don't work such as the foglights, ABS works on the front wheels but not the rear, brake lining light wont shut off, needs a new hanger on the exhaust. The only major drawback is rust is starting to bubble out along the bonnet and door sills. Likely it would need new fenders on the front ($250) each or have the holes filled with bondo. Car was repainted about six years ago but apparently it was done cheap. The 16" BBS wheels look ok but have some clear coat peeling off.

I'd like to get $5-6,000 with all the money I've put into it, and mechanically it is very good with a ton invested. What do you think?

Reply to
944guy
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Rust on an old car is a price killer

Reply to
Fred W

Similar car in better condition down the road from me (UK) Guy wants £850 ($1700US) but would probably let it go for £600 -£700 ($1200 - $1400US)

So in reality it might be better to scrap it or part it out as it needs so much work. Design life was a bout 5 mins - in reality about 8 10 years. Kharmann couldn't build a car that didn't rust away in 2 years and they did all the bodywork.

Reply to
Oscar

Odd - check fuses, relays.

Very odd - would be a killer if I were buying the car. Can be expensive too.

Used incorrect pads or did not wire them up properly - should be easily sorted, even it means replacing them again. Who did the work?

Well fix it.

Oh dear - the door sills are structural, and rust in them would fail an MOT in the UK. It will be expensive to fix [properly] too. If the car is a drop head don't drive it until this is done!

$250 for bumpers on a 635i - we are talking salvage aren't we...

Slunked, bottom end blow over - looks like they made things worse.

Blast them and redo it.

Maybe such cars have a higher value in the US, plus if you sell it somewhere warm and dry, the rust should at least stabilise. Earlier (say '79) 6 series suffered badly from rust and I have seen two that look like lace, but by 1985 this was largely sorted - has the car been crashed?

Anyway in the UK this car in *pristine* condition might be worth a premium price as it is a bit of a classic (most EU side cars were manual), but as a rust bucket to haemorrhage money parked at the repairers it would not be worth a great deal.

Even in 1996, this car was only worth £2,760 in the UK (a bit over $5,000), just 10% of its purchase price. Another eleven years later it will have depreciated a lot more.

OT In 1985 I was visiting the US with my boss. We passed a billboard with an advert for the BMW 635 and one of guys we were visiting said "Gosh I wish I had one of those", my boss rather undiplomatically said "Well he has" pointing at me, which caused dropped jaws among the Americans. Actually I had a 735i manual at the time, IMHO a more practical car...

Reply to
R. Mark Clayton

Oops Mark Fenders in the US are wings to us brits.

Reply to
hsg

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