Thinking about an E24 635csi. Someone talk me out of it.

[ThePhantom!]

Since I was a kid in the 90s I always wanted the classic E24. It is easily one of the top 3 nicest BMW designs of all time. I have an e39 540i that I have maintained and worked on myself over the years and I grew up around BMWs, so I know what BMW ownership is like for e46s, e39s, and even the e65 and e92, but the e24 is a car I don't know too much about. Lately, I've been more interested in actually buying one and driving it vs day dreaming about it.....but I am hesitant due to how old these cars are now and the fact that every 200k mile + auto example is trying to fetch 10k+. COVID really effed up the used car market!

I would only get a 5-speed if I actually bought one but I hear these cars have rust problems, electrical issues, and are overall money eating headaches. I'm interested in hearing from the guys who have lived with these cars for years. Is this a car that one can own in 2021 and drive on the weekends without constant issues? Or should I give up the dream and run far from these before I shoot myself in the foot and have a never ending money pit of doom on my hands? Your comments are appreciated!

[Sean635B]

They’re very reliable in my opinion I’ve owned mine for 8 years and it’s never really let me down apart from needing normal maintenance. However it’s been off the road for the last year undergoing restoration as like you say - these things are starting to get rusty now.

I dread to think of the condition of most of these £10-15K E24s being sold in the UK at the moment. You never see shots of the underside…

[ThePhantom!]

Yeah I imagine anything in the UK, or east coast of the US will have rust. Most examples I find are either on their way to the grave or mint cars being sold for $20-30k USD + (BaT)

[bigperm206]

I've owned my 84 euro 5-speed for over 10 years and I would echo what's been said previously, keep up on regular maintenance and you'll be fine. I would stay away from rust if at all possible. I drive mine on a quasi daily basis. Parts are fairly easy to find either new from online vendors or new/ used from the folks on the forums. The forums are full of knowledgeable people so you don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are also products that have been developed to fix known problems like the front end shimmy, poor gauge cluster lighting, bad SI board batteries, etc. Good luck on your search.

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[ThePhantom!]

That's encouraging to hear. I read this article recently and did not know what to think:

https://drive-my.com/buying-guide-bmw-e24-635csi/

[jmile46]

Well I cant talk you out of it, but I am here to tell you my 90k mile 5 speed 633csi is for sale. Fully regasketed with all fluids replaced. Brake lines, etc. car needs nothing but to be enjoyed. Located in chicago. Looking for $16,800 If interested pm me.

[sienayr]

If you've been supporting an e39 540i for several years, then I don't think you will have any problems maintaining an e24. I have both. Once you understand the Motronic system it's pretty easy to diagnose and troubleshoot engine air/spark/fuel related issues with a multi-meter and a fuel pressure gauge. There are a few very good troubleshooting guides out there that are invaluable. It's a very simple system compared to e39 and of course newer cars. And you don't need a laptop or any software or cables!

I found a gem with only ~30K miles on it, and just concluded a whole saga of fixing misses under WOT, occasional no-start, and bogging down from a dead stop. I traced it back to the fuel tank (by testing fuel pressure and electrical components), which was full of rust. Pulled fuel tank, cleaned and coated with the por15 fuel tank system, cleaned the screen on the in-tank pump which was covered with sediment. Also discovered the ground strap on the in-tank lift pump was broken, so that probably hadn't been working. Great, fixed that. Reinstalled fuel tank, verified main fuel pump was working. Also replaced all of the rubber fuel hoses in the rear, as well as the ventilation hoses which were making the trunk smell like gasoline. On the second drive after that, the car died and left me sitting on the highway, wouldn't fire back up. Turns out the rust, and probably the inop of the lift pump, led to the early demise of the main fuel pump. Installed new main fuel pump, now everything seems to be happy.

Some of the fun you might have to look forward to.

[ThePhantom!]

That does sound like a bit of a headache but manageable. Sometimes it is frustrating but once you get things right, the car is good for a while until the next challenge. That's what can make it all the more rewarding though.....
Only 30K miles when you got your hands on it!? That is really something. Every example I find on craigslist is either too far gone, or looks neglected and asking prices are ridiculous nowadays. I am seeing 20-35k for nice examples that still have a lot of miles and are auto transmission. I was hoping I could find an e24 1984-1989, manual transmission for under $7K. Now I'm wondering if those days are gone or if I can find the deals everybody I speak to seems to so easily find.

[ThePhantom!]

More than I am looking to spend on one but thank you for the offer.

[sienayr]

Yeah it was a good find, it was at the bottom of a garage sale ad on craig's list in a small town in mid-Missouri. I was driving the car home within 24 hours of seeing the ad. If you expand your search nation wide you should be able to find one in acceptable condition for under or around $10K.

[jbd5015]

The numbers for a manual trans 88-89 are so few that you would be hard pressed to even find one for sale. I believe there are less than 250 manual units made in 1989.

Your best bet for a manual trans car for less than $10k will be an '83-'86 and I bet it will have over 125K on the clock. Those low mileage cars are as much of a project as the high mileage cars at this point due to age.

Finding one that is driven regularly and maintained is wayyy more important than mileage.

I wish you the best of luck, but the cheap solid 6'er is all but gone at this point.

-Jeff

[ThePhantom!]

Thanks for the advice Jeff. I have heard that 88-89 manual cars are rare. I'll keep my focus on 83-86 5 speeds. Thanks.

[RSheiman]

FWIW from Hagerty for my 86, 635 csi



Current Values

• #1 Concours$51,400
  Condition #1 vehicles are the best in the world. The visual image is of the best vehicle, in the right colors, driving onto the lawn at the finest concours. Perfectly clean, the vehicle has been groomed down to the tire treads. Painted and chromed surfaces are mirror-like. Dust and dirt are banned, and materials used are correct and superbly fitted. The one word description for #1 vehicles is "concours."
  
• #2 Excellent$32,100
  
• #3 Good$17,500
  
• #4 Fair$8,200

[Zieg]

I guess I can speak from experience. I have owned two E39 540i's a 2000 auto and a 2003 M Sport 6 speed. Of all the BMW's I have owned the M Sport is right up there as one or two. I have owned 2 6 series one a very early Karman bodied early 77 630CSi with a dog leg 5 speed. I also have owned my 84 633CSi for 16 years. It is automatic has 159K on the clock and runs perfect. It does have some interior seat and dash issues. As far as maintenance is concerned there is none. The M30 motor in any BMW is if taken care of is a 250K+ motor easy. E 24's were made when BMW made some of the best cars in the world prior to cars being rolling computers. Not that the E39 didn't have some computer issues. The biggest problem with E24's and E28's is twofold. Number one is rust especially on the E24 as body parts are not easily obtainable. Second is if you live like I do in a hot climate (Florida) the A/C system will struggle to keep up with 90+ temp and 95% humidity.
So, find yourself a rust free sixer is my best advice. As said above if you can maintain an E39 540i the E24 6 is a piece of cake. MY 84 633CSi is for sale on Facebook Marketplace at $8,500 it has ZERO rust and lots of service records including restored 3-piece BBS RS wheels on brand new tires. If you are handy, you can swap the auto box and get all the stick shift parts from either another E24 or the more plentiful E28's GOOD Luck! There are many You Tube video's on how to do this swap.

[ThePhantom!]

Thanks! Good to know.

[Stantz]

I had a US spec 85 635CSi that came from California. It had around 90k miles on it when I got it. It eventually needed some suspension parts, a new clutch slave cylinder and a clutch. I did all of the work myself (I have a lift in my garage) and it wasn’t that bad. The engine was completely reliable and never gave me any issues. It had enough power to get up and go, but nothing special. I sold it to a friend when I found an 85 M635CSi that was a grey market import back in the 80’s. It’s also from California. Although significantly more expensive to maintain, the extra 100 hp makes it a totally different experience. I really like the way both of them handled, it’s smooth, a bit heavy, but feels sturdy. Both cars are over-built to a level not found in anything new.

[ThePhantom!]

Having a lift is so helpful. You’re talking me more into it than out haha. I keep my eye out local cars frequently. As much as I’m tempted with the well kept automatic examples, I need this car to have a manual and I don’t think I want to go through swapping transmissions.

[Stantz]

Having a lift is a lifetime dream that’s finally come true. In my early 30’s I restored a 73 Pontiac; I did it on jackstands. It was a labor of love, and I’m glad I did it, but ugh what an ordeal. I don’t have the time or patience for that anymore. Anyway, I’d say the ticket to getting a nice 6-series for around 10k is vigilance. It took me months of searching Craigslist and eBay before I found my first 635. I did a lot of reading and research. Also, the M30 isn’t so complicated that you need a rocket scientist to work on it. Being from 1985, there’s not much along the lines of electronic gadgetry to fail. If you do most of the simple stuff yourself, I’d say you could get away with a few hundred bucks a year for maintenance and random broken stuff. Just don’t mess with the air conditioning: it wasn’t great from the beginning, and upgrading it to “modern” hardware and R134 can become an expensive quagmire.

[DesktopDave]

There's a lot of great advice here, that's for sure. I'd certainly echo the "no rust" refrain. Otherwise they are a joy to work on. The only real downside to maintaining an E24 for me is the relative lack of interior trim & decent bodywork. I've already gone through two parts cars getting it mostly right, and I still have a bit further to go.

I will say that if you're used to an E39, the E24 will feel somewhat old-fashioned. The bank-vault solidity of the E39 was a high point for BMW IMHO. It's easy to nitpick an E24: it's drafty, HVAC is somewhat lacking, steering is pokey, chassis flexes too much, gauges are dim, it's a huge car considering the adequate interior space, etc. But...they sure are pretty cars.

I would definitely echo your choice of the '83-'87 manual cars; that's the one I ended up with. Mine came to me without a powertrain, but they're so simple it never caused me any worry. It is possible to swap late model bumpers, but I've grown used to the big cheeky US bumpers and now I actually prefer them.

I know you're against the idea, but I'd definitely consider swapping an automatic, particuluarly if it's a decent '88-'89 example. I've never done an E24, primarily due to the lack of decent candidates, but I have done a few E30s. They are very closely related. Although the Getrag 265s have gotten a bit pricey, there are plenty of decent 260/6 gearboxes with the M30 bellhousing pattern, and the swap is well documented. Lots of rusty E28s remain available as donors. No need for coding; just jump a few wires and you'll be ready to go.

[ThePhantom!]

Definitely a dream of mine as well. I hear you on the vigilance too, I searched obsessively and researched a lot before buying my 540i. Found a perfect one on Craigslist and it all worked out well. It’s encouraging to hear the m30 isn’t all too bad to work on too. I know one can’t be too picky when searching for an e24, but I don’t want to be the sucker buying someone else’s money pit so like you said, vigilance is key.

[ThePhantom!]

Thanks for your comment! I will certainly stay away from the rusted examples, I know completely rust free will be hard but as little as possible for sure. What you said about the old fashioned build of the e24 - might sound strange but I really like that quality in old cars. There’s a comfort in it. I had an 89 golf for years and I liked it a lot.

I was leaning against the idea of swapping the transmission but if I find that I can find a very decent e24 that auto, I may go for it and then hunt for parts to do the swap with a friend.

[DesktopDave]

Thanks for your comment! I will certainly stay away from the rusted examples, I know completely rust free will be hard but as little as possible for sure. What you said about the old fashioned build of the e24 - might sound strange but I really like that quality in old cars. There’s a comfort in it. I had an 89 golf for years and I liked it a lot.

I was leaning against the idea of swapping the transmission but if I find that I can find a very decent e24 that auto, I may go for it and then hunt for parts to do the swap with a friend.

I started off with an '85 Golf, tremendously likable cars, couldn't agree with you more. IMHO the E24 remains a 70s car, there's lots to like about that. I love the feel (& smell) of thick leather over horsehair padding, and the driving position is first-rate. It's one of the very best of the so-called "malaise-era" cars. I'm less happy about 70s chassis flex & coachwork. The thousands of little random mismatched trim screws everywhere are an annoyance. The door seals, windows & gutters of the E24 are tragic.

As for the swap , it's more or less bolt-in. I'm a fairly poor mechanic, but I managed it solo over a few nice days with little more than a trolley jack and good stands. I was shocked at how easy it ended up being. My car was already a manual, so I didn't have to deal with the E24 automatic's wiring harness, but I've done that with several E30 and they're nearly identical under the skin. I think the only gotcha there was making the cruise control work.

The ideal donor is a late '81 633CSi 5-speed, but those are hard to find these days. The first-year E28 (533i OR 528e) or the '85-only E28 are another good source. The E24 manual pedal cluster is difficult to find, but it can be fabricated if you can't find one. There's a lot of detail on the late-model automatics in the '89 635CSi ETM.

I lucked out with an 8/81 Euro rust bucket, the result worked out well in my '86 NA. if you're interested in the complete process I've documented it all here. DM me if you consider that route, I'll share whatever pointers I can.

[BimmerFlyer]

I have an 97 E38, as well as an 88 E24…. So similar experience, I did swap a manual into ‘88 and that most certainly changed the whole character off the car…. For the better . there are lots of write ups on line on how too…its really pretty straight forward, no coding or electrical issues… I highly suggest, that if you do this, you find a complete E28 donor car.. all parts are 100% interchangeable, and there are lots of little pieces that need to be swapped…but very doable… the original slushbox was not a bad unit, but a manual sure makes this car…

as far as typical issues for a E24, pretty all mentioned above…. Rust is a concern, some parts are getting more difficult to obtain,.. but overall an easy and straightforward car to maintain..
Pete

[ThePhantom!]

Desktopdave and bimmerflyer - along with the other posts suggesting a transmission swap, you’re definitely changing my mind as to doing the swap. I would prefer a local one but I definitely might have to expand my search. Appreciate all the detailed input from everyone. I would prefer to pay 5-7k for one because I already know the amount I will be putting in to make it how i envision.

[smiller]

I've had my '86 for 12 yrs now. I've driven it semi daily some summers, but less lately. Required maintenance has been reasonable. I did the 750 /540 big brake swap and bushings, more out of desire than need. It does need shocks now, but otherwise, maintenance has been minimal. Odometer gear, guibo, radiator overflow nipple, brake mc, ac (slow leak somewhere ), 1 injector, trans shift cable. You'd be hard pressed to find a more reliable classic.