The BMW E24 6-Series coupe remains one of the more handsome designs to come out of the 1980s, and finding one as clean as this is a treat. Complete with some period-correct upgrades and a proper respray in its original color, the car shown here has clearly been loved. The powerful M6 variant is the one that everyone loves to fawn over, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a more standard M30-powered car, which also has (typically) a slightly lower cost of ownership over the Motorsport variant as well. Find this Cirrus Blue 635CSI listed here on craigslist in Seattle for $15,995.
While the E24 generation had been in full swing throughout the early 80s, it took a while before the car ended up looking as refined as this 1988 model does. The typical challenges affected the early days of the E24, with the biggest being a visual one: the large, ugly U.S.-spec safety bumpers. By the time the E24’s production run was almost up, BMW had figured out a way to neatly integrate the big bumpers into the body along with adding color-matched bumper covers that did a wonderful job at masking the appendages. The car shown here also sports the slick front air dam with integrated fog lights. As noted earlier, the BMW has been resprayed, and a tell-tale sign is the misalignment of the trunk badge by the body shop.
One detail the seller doesn’t mention (he may not realize how his car is equipped) but this 6-Series has the rare L6 package. This was an upgraded trim offering for both the 6- and 7-Series cars in the 1988 model year. BMW added this unique hand-stitched ivory-colored leather everywhere: on the seats, the dash, the headliner, and the rear seat console. They also added rear temperature controls, which you can see mounted on the forward portion of the console just poking out between the front seats. A sunroof was standard, along with a high-end stereo and time-delay lights. What typically happens with this leather package is it gets stained and begins to shrink on areas like the dash, which is extremely hard to replace; fortunately, there are no such issues here.
The M30 inline-six is one of the best engines you can find in a BMW of this vintage, with plenty of power for modern-day cruising and a delightfully mechanical engine note. The seller’s car looks quite clean under the hood, and it’s always encouraging to see OEM-correct details like proper BMW-stamped expansion tank cap and BMW-supplied relays. The listing details note that the BMW also sports some Dinan upgrades, like Dinan performance chips for engine and transmission and Dinan-supplied suspension components. I’m curious why he lists an “A/C delete” as an upgrade – does this mean the system is not working? – but everything else looks bang-on for details. Thanks to Barn Finds reader Curvette for the find.
Oh man, this was the pinnacle in the late ’80s when I had my two-door 318i. My car was a five-speed manual, so it was probably more fun to drive than this automatic-equipped 635CSi, although quite a bit slower. The L6 luxury package on the 635CSi required the automatic. Just like the BMW L7 was only available with a four-speed automatic, you couldn’t get a manual with the L6 package. That’s a letdown, but I’m sure some owners have swapped transmissions, maybe even some Barn Finds readers?
“A/C delete” was definitely an upgrade on my 2007 Pontiac Vibe (160k miles & still going), albeit owner-enabled. At 7,000 feet in northern NM, I hardly ever used it. When the compressor went bad, probably from lack of use, I simply replaced the serpentine belt with one meant for a non-AC Toyota Matrix, bypassing the compressor completely. The Corolla engine in these Vibes runs so much more smoothly without it. It’s amazing.
Very nice BMW that looks like the owner has taken very good care of. Would take this over the Shelby CSX and save at least a couple of thousand dollars. One of the ’80s best looking BMW with one of the best 6 cylinder motors.
Proof that BMW once knew how to design graceful, elegant cars.
Truth
AGREE . . they sure don’t anymore with those aweful grills.
Right on! Until the bean counters took over.
This is probably one of the VERY few cars that I would consider flying in and driving back to RI. Yes, a 3rd pedal would be compelling, but for touring / delivery I’ll take the automatic (doesn’t seem applicable to call it a slushbox). A bargain at this price.
On another note, I think the L6 interior was a 1987 event. I had an ’88 M6 and the leather dashes in the ’87’s were a thing of the past. The dashes were swapped out by BMW. I loved the M6 but it was heavy, unless you had a euro with 30 more horsepower.