There’s a distinct quality of vehicles that haven’t been abandoned for decades but perhaps fell on hard times in the last few years. In my opinion, these are compelling to buy as projects, as the neglect is perhaps only skin deep and there’s even a chance it ran not too long ago. The BMW 6-Series shown here on craigslist is certainly in tired condition, but it appears to still have some potential left. It’s equipped with the preferred 5-speed manual, and that feature alone makes it worth saving. Mileage is high, but the price is low, with the seller asking just $1,600.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the tip. When I first saw these photos, I wondered if this was one of those cars left in long-term parking at a local airport, waiting for an owner who never returned. This has been a story in the news as of late, with some airports auctioning off cars and trucks that have been parked there for years. However, it appears this 6-Series is parked at a repair facility, though it could certainly be a long-term inhabitant at a shop where the owner has given up and the mechanic in charge wants the car off his property. The 633CSI has typical signs of prolonged outdoor exposure, like the faded bumper trim and failing clearcoat.
The Pacific Blue interior is a classic color scheme for a 1980s BMW, and one of my favorite interior finishes. The early 3-spoke steering wheel tells you this is an older model before BMW transitioned to the updated M-Tech wheel. The dusty, tattered interior likely looks worse than it is, and if you give it a good cleaning, I’m sure it will look better. There’s some exposed wiring on the steering column, which could be due to a failing turn signal indicator or perhaps a locked column. My guess is the dashboard is cracked, but who knows – if it’s been indoors or under cover, it may remain intact. The fact that it’s been parked with the windows down is not encouraging.
The good news is the legendary M30 inline-six still runs, which is hardly a surprise. This is a robust mill that is know for racking up huge miles. The listing shows that this 6-Series already has over 290,000 (!) miles on the clock, and 300,000 is a known high watermark for this engine. However, replacement engines are still fairly easy to find in a junkyard, and rebuilds are not complex. The engine produces 181 horsepower and 195 lb.-ft. of torque, and these motors like to rev despite being torque-rich six-cylinders. This is a big project, and the challenge is there’s still a good crop of used-up 6-Series to choose from. If the seller has some flexibility on some price, it’s worthy of rescue.
There’s more than the asking price in the value of the parts.
Walk away……I had a 84 535, great car except for the rotted gas tank, and eventually the steering ignition lock crapped out. Bought it for $800, sold it for scrap, body was rust free, 5spd. The ignition lock was impossible to repair
I really like these cars. But be ready to rebuild the front suspension and steering. (About $1,500 if you do it yourself.) Also the rear suspension bushings. (About $600 doing it yourself.) I was at a campground in Northern California where the owner was doing an engine swap on his. He was installing a 400 SBC. As he was on his 3rd. head gasket and he was done with the 6 cylinder. (Yes they fail, but normally 150,000 miles to a head gasket is about the average we used to see at the dealership.) He concerned about what he was going to do about the front sway bar blocking the oil pan area. Luckily, on this car you can easily relocate the sway bar mounting by just reversing it. I have seen several V8 engine swaps. Usually with a 5.0 Ford. These cars really drove nice and the body style is one of my favorites.