Do you have a DIY addiction?

[uflnuceng]

Ok... my current BMW collection includes my 2004 325xi, which is a nice daily driver to get to-and-from work, and the fold down rear seats make it pretty much a truck. The wife doesn't permit me to tweak this car much, and amazingly the AWD cars have very little available for them compared to the RWD ones... Conforti is still working on a chip for the cars made from 09/03 and up (which happens to be the exact build date of my car ).

Therefore I have turned my relentless addition to spend money on salvage yard parts and performance upgrades on my 1990 325i (now 335i). Its an awesome car and definitely nearing a stage of completion that I could stop molesting it (basically paint, roll cage, and some body work is all that is needed... plus some stuff to make it street legal maybe).

Now Im getting a chub to find a nice 6 series to work on... I need help. I mean... I have the garage space (sorta)... I could definitely get the cash for a 4-5 grand one in a few months... the wife would probably not be pleased... actually I know she wouldn't at first. I dunno... I just have always liked the look of the classic 6 series... you don't see them around here and now that I have an M30 in my E30 I would love to have one in a car I could use as a weekend driver. Absolutely phenominal engine. A lot of the spare parts I have lying around could be used on either project car (750il master cylinder... my transmission parts... spare slave cylinder... tons of drivetrain parts).

I don't know... I guess Im just going to end up lurking on eBay and Roachfly for awhile. Some of those cats want way to much for their cars, but maybe I'll get lucky.

Anybody else have this problem where they can't rest between projects? I think its an addiction. I lose sleep over this kinda shit.

Anyone know of a nice 6series lying around in a field somewhere that needs a good home? :twisted:

[rs4pro3]

I did the exact same thing ;) Got the M30 running, then purchased a shark :D Still have to get mine running but I've got tons of goodies to throw at it from my dead M30. Parts are A LOT HARDER to find for the 6 at least used. so be warned. I've been looking for 3 months now for a Driver's side headlight grill for mine(last set on ebay went for $80). For ease of upgradability, get a 84 or newer, as almost all E28 performance parts bolt right on, or should I say performance parts for the E24 bolt onto the E28 as they did come first :roll:

[uflnuceng]

Yeah... an '85 635CSi seems to be well within my means... but the people with the 88 and 89's are wanting $10k+ more than KBB (or any resonable estimator) value. They are the ones that have been on roachfly forever or never meet reserve on eBay.

I just really love this M30... such an amazing engine, especially in its final rendition. I know I have to get one with a good body/interior though since BMW Mobile Tradition hasn't started producing replacement parts for things like the grills...

Then there is my turbo project... I could either put it in an E30 which I would really only drive to/from/at track events and only get to enjoy it once in a great while... or I could get a decent E24... do the turbo swap on it and have a really nice weekend driver.

Decisions, decisions...

[e30sd]

no i'm just cheap

[rwh11385]

I'd never buy up a BMW knowingly aware it would need a project completed to be driven......



oh thanks again Ely for the driveshaft to replace my fucked one on my new eta.

DIY is a nice way to get shit for cheap. And drive them for cheap. And get what you want.

[uflnuceng]

I'd never buy up a BMW knowingly aware it would need a project completed to be driven......

Yeah... I see what you mean... if the car can't move under its own power you better be getting it for $50 or less or you shouldn't be interested.

Like this car is perfect... Im watching it, but I think its going to go fo over $10k

1989 635CSi black/black 5-speed

The only thing that erks me is the whole "Only 1 of 61 Made in the USA", although he does correct later in the description saying "Made for the North American market".

Still... its a 16 year old car that has 144k+ miles on it... KBB is in the $5k's most like... for the partial service records and apparent very good condition I could see paying a 20% premium... it is no reserve though... I'll wait a couple days and if it still seems logical I might bid on it.

But, that's why Im not selling my E30... probably never will... what I put into it would make me feel like I was anally raped by a freight train if I went and sold it for a couple thousand. But to me its money well spent because I have learnt a lot about working on cars from it. Maybe that's a good thing about me not fucking with the E46... if something better came along I wouldn't mind trading it in.

[rwh11385]

actually, that was sarcasm. i got my eta with nonworking wipers, missing fog and headlights, and fuxored CSB. half the reason i got it for a steal.

but make sure you get it for a deal if it's messed up. if you can fix it, have a car for a bargain

[uflnuceng]

if you can fix it, have a car for a bargain

Yeah... there is this one '85 635CSi that might be not to far from me with a broken transmission. If its a 5-speed I can fix that no problem as I pass by a BMW Salvage yard going to/from where this car might be.

Still haven't heard back from this person yet though...

What Im agreeing with is if this car has a broken transmission and can't move under it own steam, then I ain't even paying $1500 for it cos the brakes might be fucked, there could be rattles and shakes, etc.

Then again... there is an E30 just down the road that seems to have a good straight body that I don't know if this guy is going to fix or not... I think my father-in-law fears my addiction because I take up his garage space :twisted:

[nickmp0wer]

the m30 in the e30 may seem "amazing" but we have one in our 735 and it sucks

[Perplexus]

We picked up our 635CSi almost completely by accident. Saw an ad in the newspaper for an auction with a 6-series BMW. We were definitely the only ones there who knew what it was, and walked away with it for 2200 :D .

The only other shark I've ever seen around here is an L6 that a service guy at a Ft. Wayne dealership drives. Good luck in your hunt, they are amazing cars!

[mph]

Back when I was looking for another car suitable for winter use, I stumbled upon a 1986 635csi with 120k, in mint condition with minor rust. The seller was the original owner of the car and really didn't know what it was worth. He was asking a measly $2900 for the car. The car was seriously mint with a little surface rust on the rocker panel.

Instead I found a 1989 325iX with 56,000 miles on it for $8,900 and decided to stick to the e30 line. The iX was my 3rd e30 and I didn't want to step into the sharks. Looking back, I'm very happy I bought the iX but I should have also bought the 635csi.

Having said that, pay what you feel the car is worth. But bear in mind KBB is almost never correct on what the actual market value is for a car. They're either above it or below it (how you get some major deals and keep seeing them). I'd pay $8k for a nice Shark with less than 150k. Just my thoughts though.

[Bimmerfanatik]

Back when I was looking for another car suitable for winter use, I stumbled upon a 1986 635csi with 120k, in mint condition with minor rust. The seller was the original owner of the car and really didn't know what it was worth. He was asking a measly $2900 for the car. The car was seriously mint with a little surface rust on the rocker panel.

Instead I found a 1989 325iX with 56,000 miles on it for $8,900 and decided to stick to the e30 line. The iX was my 3rd e30 and I didn't want to step into the sharks. Looking back, I'm very happy I bought the iX but I should have also bought the 635csi.

Having said that, pay what you feel the car is worth. But bear in mind KBB is almost never correct on what the actual market value is for a car. They're either above it or below it (how you get some major deals and keep seeing them). I'd pay $8k for a nice Shark with less than 150k. Just my thoughts though.

Wow.

You spent 9 grand on an e30? I've never spent more than 800 - I'm a true baller. :)

Must be one clean ass mofo iX buddy.