my local choices (amazing)

["Ron" <miles2go@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

My search for a six in my local area is limited severely but I do have two
to consider. Actually I know of four FS in within the state but two are
automatics which I just can't deal with.
Here are accounts of my two local 5spd 635s.

1) This is a truly amazing occurrence. Ten years ago I bought my first BMW.
A black on tan 635CSi with a L.S.Diff a subtle Zender rear "wing" and very
low miles. I sold the car in Florida seven years ago with something like 86k
on it. Two days ago, here in Utah, I saw a similar car with a M spoiler and
M BBS wheels at my hospital. I was very happy as I've not come across such a
car the entire time I've been here (since 93). I left a note for the owner
to call me if they were interested in selling it. They called me that night
and it turned out to be the guy I sold my car to seven years ago and it is
my old car! If you think about this much you'll realize that the stars
really had to line up for this to be possible.
OK, seems like it is fate that I should buy it right and he'd said he'd even
sell it for around
$4,000. Not so fast though. It has near 300k on the clock (according to him)
and he swapped the original motor and tranny for a Euro motor (non-M). The
a/c was never hooked up, the odo stopped at 119K miles, he says the cold
start valve was just
replaced but is leaking and who knows what else. The car certainly still
looks good and I'm going to take it for a drive and have a closer look at it
tomorrow. Just for old times at the very least. One of the few pluses on
this one is that he still has the original motor and tranny plus a bunch of
other parts that are included in the deal. The car isn't registered here and
I'm not sure it'll pass emissions.
What is a high mileage US 635 motor and tranny worth and how much would it
cost to
have it rebuilt if needed?
Even though this is my old car I'm looking at it objectively. I don't want a
project car so it'll have to pass emissions and need no major work. In short
it would have to meet my specifications that I set in my prior post
"searching for a 635 and possible partial trade".
The car did look very good at a glance. I actually thought to myself "this
must be newer than the black six I owned"!


1) 86 635CSi, Bronzit, 5spd, 80k miles, "second owner and have had it since
it had 5,000 miles on it". I'm not too excited about this car due to the
color. I was going to look at it though but it'll be a 150 mile drive for
me.
I'm not sure if it has an LSD and the owner isn't either. The a/c "needs to
be charged". My experience tells me that this can translate to "the a/c
needs to be repaired". Other things that don't sit right with me include the
statement "I had to have some of the clear coat reapplied to the paint." and
"It hasn't been registered or regularly driven for a couple/few years". I'm
sure there are good reasons for storing a car and proper ways to
do it but I'm not sure if this car was stored properly. It's currently being
kept outside at the owner's girlfriend's home and the owner says it needs
nothing and is in very good condition.
Asking price is $7k and it has trx wheels.


Just thought I'd share and get some feedback. You must agree that the odds
on you selling a car to someone on one side of the country and bumping into
that car seven years later in a parking lot 3,000 miles from where you sold
it are pretty steep. Not to mention the fact that the person moved to your
town. Small BMW world indeed!

Cheers!

Ron

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