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1987 BMW 635 CSi (E24)

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  • Mileage~150,841 on clock
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Engine3.4-litre
  • LocationAbingdon

AUCTION CLOSED

1987 BMW 635 CSi (E24)

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Introduction

Darren Rungasamy
Editor and Photographer

The BMW 635 CSi is a perfect blend of performance, comfort, and sophistication.

Created to effortlessly cruise the Autobahns, the BMW 6-Series was perched at the top of the BMW pecking order, carrying over the lineage of the stylish E9 Coupé. Recognisable by its Paul Bracq-penned ’ Shark's nose’ styling, the 6 Series's power, comfort, ergonomics, and interior space placed the car as one of the 1970s’ best grand tourers. The range was overhauled in 1982 to include new suspension, interior design, revised engines and subtle exterior upgrades, to become a symbol of the new upwardly mobile scene.

The 635 CSi produced 215bhp from its M30 3.4-litre six-cylinder engine, and maintained BMW's reputation for driving dynamics and handling balance: its smart, muscular lines also gave the car an impressive road presence. Tremendously advanced for its time, the innovative digital trip computer forms part of the wrap-around centre console: still a design feature in modern BMWs.

We are delighted to present you with this 1987 automatic BMW 635 CSi, finished in 'Zinnober Red' with black leather seats and a factory sunroof, coming from ~22 years with our vendor. It has had just 4 owners and has 22 service stamps since new. It has only covered around 800 miles since a body restoration in 2017. It is sold with two keys, its owner's & service booklet, and a fresh MOT valid until September 2026. The car will be road tax and MOT exempt in two years' time.

This listing was written from information supplied by Darren after meeting Vernon the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

When I first spotted the car in 2003, I knew I had to make an offer!

Vernon chose the BMW to enjoy and drive, having spotted it in a tyre shop in 2003. After leaving his details with the garage, he was delighted to discover that the owner was keen to sell the car to him. It came with a comprehensive folder of invoices, but unfortunately, all of the pre-2003 invoices and paperwork were lost in a fire. Vernon's work took him across the world, and it was placed in storage for periods of time until he decided to go all in and restore the car in 2017.

The car is being sold due to a lack of use and increasing mobility issues. Whilst he will be sad to see the car go, Vernon would love it to go to a good home where it will be enjoyed.

Vernon would be happy to answer any questions about the car in the comments section below.

Vernon
Vehicle Owner

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CONTACT OWNER

Exterior

Restored in 2017, since which it has only travelled ~800 miles.

Wheels and Tyres

The 17” aftermarket alloys are cleanly presented with a few minor surface marks but no scuffs on the rims.

The front of the car is fitted with 2016 Dunlop Sport Maxx tyres in 225/45 size and the rear 2015 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 (245/40). All are in good shape with even wear.

Please take a look at the photos and videos for a detailed view of the exterior of the BMW and a closer look at the wheels and tyres to make your own assessment of their condition.

Bodywork

The exterior presents well: we didn’t notice any discernible corrosion or dents. The panel flow is flush to the body, with decent shut lines. All doors open and close with ease.

The underside is cleanly presented, with a coat of inhibitor. The engine bay, floor pan, wheel wells (and front trumpets), boot floor and sills are solid. The sills and suspension mounts look positive, with some minor signs of age.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our high-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view of what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The 'Zinnober Red' paint has even coverage, with a consistent hue. The finish has a decent lustre, catches the sunlight positively and we didn't spot any road chips.

The body has a few paint imperfections, with a few minor blisters and runs. We spotted these on the offside front wing, roof, nearside rear wing, and bonnet. There was minor orange peeling on the rear valance, and there is a chip on the boot lid edge, but most of these issues could be treated and resolved by a detailer.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these high-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass is in good shape with decent seals. The headlamps are in good shape, but both rear lenses have minor fractures.

The trim is complete and correct for the model, but there are instances of poor masking on the plastic and rubber trim - these could be cleaned off with some effort and patience. The chrome work is in good shape, with some signs of age on the guttering trim. The bumpers are well-mounted, with a few light marks on the rubber trim and light surface pitting.

Interior

The interior has been well looked after and presents very positively for its age.

Seats and Carpets

The black leather seats are smartly presented and very comfortable, with a little wear on the driver's side bolster beading and light creases elsewhere.

The carpets and mats are in good condition and free of damp. The boot trim suggests careful use with age-related wear on some of the furnishings.

Dashboard

The dashboard, binnacle, and facia are in good shape with no significant damage; aside from a mark on the glovebox and drill holes in front of the centre vents.

The dials, switches, and controls are in good condition, and all are said to work as they should.

The headlining, interior trim, and door cards are all decent.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel and gear lever are tidy.

Mechanics

Smooth, refined, and durable: BMW engines are amongst the best straight sixes in the world.

Engine and Gearbox

The engine fires up after only a couple of turns, and once it catches, the engine idles smoothly with no undulations. The usual cold engine condensation was noted from the exhaust, but there were no excessive fumes at any point. The engine also starts up readily when warm.

All of the dashboard warning lights remained off. Vernon pointed out that the cooling light warning occasionally flags up on the computer warning module, which can be attributed to a loose sensor wire, but while we were in the car, nothing came up.

The 3.4-litre engine is cleanly displayed, showing evidence of good maintenance with decent hoses and ancillaries. The car remained leak-free during our visit. It had a new starter motor and a new battery in 2022.

The automatic gearbox operates without any faults: it selects drives with smoothness and is free of unusual noises.

Suspension and Brakes

The car rides without any negative feedback, and we didn’t hear any untoward noises from the wheels. At low speeds, the suspension absorbed the road without problems and felt tight. The suspension bushes were all replaced in 2017.

The braking is effective, with no squeaks or grinding. It felt reassuring to slow the car down from 40 mph, with no unwanted noises heard. The discs, pads, calipers, master cylinder and lines were renewed in 2017.

The Drive

'The Ultimate Driving Machine': the 635 CSi perfectly embodies BMW’s marketing description. The potent 3.4-litre straight six engine is eager, and is made all the more pleasurable by the confident grip and sharp steering.

We were offered a low-speed drive of the 635 CSi, with a few 40 mph stretches, which offered a positive experience of the car's driving manners. While we were deprived of the full performance potential by the roads, the car's balanced handling and smoothness are remarkably advanced for its age.

It pulls smoothly from rest, with no hesitancy from the engine. The steering remained composed and free of wobbles or pulling when braking. The stainless steel exhaust adds a pleasing resonating tone upon acceleration, but never intrudes into the cabin. There were a few minor interior trim rattles, but nothing too distracting.

The engine has plenty of torque, making it easy to drive at all speeds. It performed perfectly as we hunted around looking for photographic locations, and it is as manageable and controllable as any modern car.

The engine temperature and oil pressure all remained stable during our visit, and Vernon has not reported any issues with the car's reliability.

Electrics and Other

A CD/USB Kenwood head unit has been installed.

The sunroof and all electric windows operate without fault.

Vernon told us that everything is working, to his knowledge.

History and Paperwork

It comes with 22 service stamps and has a year left on its fresh MOT.

It was first registered by BMW main dealer Stokesley Motors of Middlesbrough in April 1987. It has seen an impressive routine of servicing since then, with 22 stamps in the service book.

Over the years, it has had 4 long-term keepers, with Vernon taking over the ownership of the car in 2003. Aside from a spell in storage from 2009 to 2016 and a year in 2020, the car has been used, including several trips across the continent.

In 2017, the car underwent a major bodywork refurbishment, which included metal fabrication to the front and rear bottom ends of the wings. Sections of the inner front firewall and the structural stiffeners were replaced, and all secondary body rust holes and blemishes were cut out and replaced. A full body paint respray was completed soon afterwards. Since its renovation, the car has covered around 800 miles and has only been used in fair weather.

Invoices for maintenance go back to 2004, and most recently it had a full engine and transmission fluid service in 2024. It comes with its owner's and service booklets and two keys. The car's body stripes and badges will be supplied with it. It has an MOT to September 2026.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment of the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bids, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
11-09-2025 MOT 150,830
31-07-2024 MOT 150,818
19-07-2024 MOT 150,705
20-07-2023 Indepedent Service 150,705
13-06-2022 MOT 150,469
18-06-2021 MOT 150,380
01-08-2018 MOT 150,182
07-08-2017 MOT 150,131
07-07-2016 MOT 148,987
04-09-2009 Indepedent Service 148,853
19-12-2008 MOT 146,849
01-12-2007 Indepedent Service 141,704
01-12-2007 MOT 141,704
03-04-2007 Indepedent Service 135,434
22-04-2006 MOT 130,038
06-03-2006 Indepedent Service 128,685
07-05-2005 MOT 124,433
12-08-2004 Inspection II 122,185
29-11-2003 MOT 120,739
03-10-2002 Indepedent Service 114,381
01-10-2002 MOT 114,357
13-06-2001 Indepedent Service 106,177
11-04-2000 Indepedent Service 99,482
15-06-1999 independent Inspection 96,328
18-08-1998 Indepedent Oil Service 80,952
08-10-1996 BMW Oil Service 76,309
20-04-1996 Ford Main Dealer Inspection II 69,134
03-10-1994 BMW Oil Service 62,427
26-05-1993 BMW Inspection II 54,158
20-07-1992 BMW Oil Service 47,132
16-10-1991 BMW Inspection I 40,987
03-01-1994 (Wrong Date Noted) BMW Oil Service 34,648
27-04-1990 BMW Inspection II 27,635
29-08-1989 BMW Oil Service 20,897
22-02-1989 BMW Inspection I 14,023
04-03-1988 BMW Oil Service 6,898
14-06-1987 BMW Running-in Inspection 850
Key Details
  • ModelBMW 635 CSi
  • TransmissionAutomatic
  • Reg. Date02-04-1987
  • CC3430
  • Mileage~150,841
  • HistorySince 2004
  • ColourZinnober Red
  • Interior ColourBlack
  • Interior TrimLeather
  • Chassis #WBAEC820208187376
  • Engine #41503971
  • Last Service18-07-2023
  • RestoredYes in 2017
  • MOT10-09-2026
  • MOT Exemptin 2027
  • Road Tax Exemptin 2027
  • HPi ClearYes - all clear
  • Former Keepers4
  • Tyre BrandDunlop Sport Maxx tyres/Michelin Pilot Sport 3
  • Tyre Age2016/2015
  • # of Keys2
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~22 years
  • Key FeatureOriginality and recent restoration
  • Vehicle RegistrationD210 FEF
  • Fuel TypePetrol
  • Body Type2 door Coupe
  • Auction ID3197






Auction Closed

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information or let us know if you want to be notified when a similar car comes to market.

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Ask Questions
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3 Comments
bakerassociates
bakerassociates
4 months ago

I would welcome your answers to the questions regarding the gearbox, and also why the ‘inspection’ service required light is on.

steve
steve
4 months ago

Hi Vernon, had a couple of these in the past, gearbox faults are common, locking into 3rd gear to get you home, i see it does not change gear on the test drive, has the box been serviced, does it have the fault i didn’t see a fault light on the dash but also didn’t see the check light comeon pre startup so the bulb could be out? Does it shift between all four gears, and again into drive nad reverse without a hard clunk? thank you

roosenk
roosenk
4 months ago

Just a couple of quick questions Vernon (lovely car by the way). In the video it didn’t quite start first time – is that normal and is it from cold or warm? In the video driving it, you had the automatic gearbox locked into first gear rather than “D” any reason for this? Finally the description mentions paint “runs” which would imply poor painting at the time of refurb or subsequently could you elaborate? Many thanks

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Abingdon

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