Phoenix of the Purple Haze CSi Planned

[Ferns8]

I am sure many of you have read the shocking story of how the owner treated this beautiful car after buying in it 2012. It showed up at Bimmerfest in May of 2012 and we were all shocked. Andrew Kahn of Avus Autosports who was the 2^nd owner just happens to be there and saw the car in a very poor condition and was furious with the owner.

A week later still upset that the car was in such poor shaped that he sent a flat bed truck to pick it up and take it to his shop and have his detail guy do a complete detail at his own expense. Andrew even offered to buy the car back just to keep it out of the owner’s hands but was turned down. A few days later the owner picked up the car and took it back home. 2 -3 weeks later I saw the car and it was destroyed again but this time it was worse. During several more weeks he allowedhis three 250lbs dogs to have the run of the car inside. Tore up the lower lip ( In the second picture you can see where they tried to bondo it on lower passenger side), there were scratches from the dogs were on the doors, door dings, and the batteries died, he also left it outside uncovered for several months and never washed it. He let his young friend drive it and now there is an issue with the 6th gear. Worst of all he never paid the sales tax or registered it in his name for 2012 and 2013.

However there is light at the end of this story. One of our SoCal 8 members just bought it and it is going to a new home where it will get all the TLC you can imagine. The new owner is not new to eights and owns another CSi as well as 6 other eights. You may know who he is. He has always wanted this car since seeing it for sale on eBay, and now it’s his. He plans to bring it back to its previous glory and pristine condition when it was owned by Andrew and maybe if it done in time he will roll it into 8-Fest in October. As I write this work has already begun.

I really loved this car when Andrew had it and I told him many times that it was always my favorite CSi. I have followed this car through all its changes both in good times and bad times and I am very happy that I was able to help it go to a good home. Thus the PurpleHaze will rise again.

Before and after original thread:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1839761&highlight=purple+haze





On its way to a new home:

[CaifanSC]

OMG...i wondered how this car would turn out after reading the original story.

Glad to hear it's going to a new good home. This is a 1 of 1 car for jeeesus sake!

[DriftGirl]

Love this car...story just breaks tha heart tho

[Ahmed303]

Andrew even offered to buy the car back just to keep it out of the owner’s hands but was turned down. A few days later the owner picked up the car and took it back home. 2 -3 weeks later I saw the car and it was destroyed again but this time it was worse.

Yup! Broke my heart as well. During that time, I offered to buy this as well where I was going to suspend buying my X5 to redirect my $$ to this and I was told "Not for Sale" as well without even asking how much I was willing to offer.

[olinjohnston]

Horrifying to have seen it in person in 2012, but I'm glad its been rescued again from the clutches of death. WTF is wrong with that guy?

[CaifanSC]

Horrifying to have seen it in person in 2012, but I'm glad its been rescued again from the clutches of death. WTF is wrong with that guy?

I think in the other post it was mentioned that he does in fact have some health issues. If I'm not mistaking he had a red CSi which was parted out from TN after being totaled in a crash in CA, then he purchased Purple Haze.

What was the CDxxxxx number for purple haze anyways?

[Ferns8]

I would say he has some health issues but in the same sense he is very smart man. It's not like he does not know right from wrong. It's just not his thing and he will tell you that. Taking care of anything he owns including his home, property or personal appearance is not his number one priority ...He once asked me to if I would come over and wash his previous CSi for $20...lol BTY, the VIN is SCD00162. I'm just happy I was able to help get it out of his un-Allstate hands.

[olinjohnston]

I don't have any problem cutting slack to those that are ill or disabled, but what's the medical diagnosis for destroying valuable things?

If he is mental enough to "not know right from wrong," he doesn't belong behind the wheel of any car.

[CaifanSC]

the VIN is SD00162

SD00162? I thought all US-spec CSi's started with CDxxxxx? Or is it an import?

[rogbmw]

Glad to hear that it is going to a good home!

[Ferns8]

I am not sure where it originated from but that was the vin I found on the ebay post.

[Jayccel]

I don't have any problem cutting slack to those that are ill or disabled, but what's the medical diagnosis for destroying valuable things?

Yea, this^^^!!

Anyway, glad it's in good hands once again

[Ferns8]

Here is the posting info that was on eBay on Feb. 2012 soldout of Springfield Missouri. Hope you can read this.

[CaifanSC]

gotcha! i thought I had saved that auction in PDF to but I can't find it. Yeah, the vin ends in SCD00162 but usually only the last 7 are used to identify the particular chassis.

Hopefully the new owner will post pix once it's detailed...that interior is just gorgeous!

[ElRojo]

I am amazed everytime this car comes on a forum. A man bought a car with his own money and did with it what he wished. I think it was a beautiful car, but I didn't help him pay for it so what he did with it is not my business.

[Ahmed303]

I am amazed every time this car comes on a forum. A man bought a car with his own money and did with it what he wished. I think it was a beautiful car, but I didn't help him pay for it so what he did with it is not my business.

Understood but there is always a human calling of people of specific interest to preserve something unique. I am sure the world will go crazy if someone buys the page of DaVinchi's sketchbook and then destroys to this degree (let alone the Mona Lisa or other more prominent paintings).

For me it was a piece of art and an individual piece at that. This is the only CSi in this color combo in the USA and may be in the world. The only other CSis that may be equally rare as this in the USA would probably be Santorini Blue and Fjord Gray.

My regret is that I was (as well as Andrew and a few other people) ready to buy this back from him to preserve it and was not able to.

[CaifanSC]

Unfortunately, even if restored, it no longer will be the original it once was. What a loss.

That's tru, but it could have been a lot worse! AT least the car is in decent enough shape to get restored to a very good condition.

Does anyone know the chassis number for the previous CSi Andrew had? I remember seeing pictures and it was red...probably Calypsorot, but as I was browsing the CSi salvage listings on 8coupe.org that car is not listed yet.

Just browsing pictures there I'm very supriced that some 8's have been damaged extensively and then been brought back from the dead.

[Ferns8]

Previous '95 CSi taken 2/16/13

- - - Updated - - -

[CaifanSC]

dang...i saw the picture of the damage to the drivers rear, but this is the first time I see the damage to the front.

[olinjohnston]

He's quite the experienced CSi wrecker! It makes me wonder how many of the original 225 US-spec cars are left in good condition.

I'd love to see photos of the car being restored (again)

[Jayccel]

Previous '95 CSi taken 2/16/13

- - - Updated - - -

To the CSI destroyer; why purchase a rare vehicle if this is the end result you're hoping to achieve? Go to the junk, and walk around for a few hours to get your fix; geez.

[nervnom3]

Here is the posting info that was on eBay on Feb. 2012 soldout of Springfield Missouri. Hope you can read this.

Heated steering wheel?? Really?
Side airbags?! Really?

[X5X]

What is his obsession with the CSI? As said, 'Taking care of anything he owns including his home, property or personal appearance is not his number one priority', so why choose to destroy CSI's in particular? He could get a new BMW for 65k instead and no one would miss it. This is not a dime a dozen car to be treated like this. Makes me angry whenever this car comes up on this forum.

[CaifanSC]

It makes me wonder how many of the original 225 US-spec cars are left in good condition.

As far as the registry goes there are 6 junked US-spec CSi's and 4 that were salvaged but then rebuilt. I'm sure those figures are not that current though....the calypso CSi above is not yet in the junked section.

[Bryson]

Good news!

Also, I'm still looking for a broken donor CSi nose that I can use for an undertray mockup! Wouldn't mind that hazy purple one if the new owner doesn't mind letting go of it