1985 BMW M635 CSi

First registered in 1985 in Zinnerberrot over a grey leather interior, this M635 CSi was purchased by our vendor in 2015, and almost immediately shipped off to well-known specialist Munich Legends for refurbishment, mechanical and electrical repairs, to the tune of £3,971.

The vendor tells he has another invoice from Munich Legends, dated 13/01/2016 for £2,879.35 which was for bodyshop repairs to rectify and repair any corrosion found.

Since then, this M635CSi has been extensively fettled and cherished by the current owner, with everything from small items such as wiper blades and fuses up to interior system overhauls and routine mechanical servicing being kept on-top of and recorded, with a total expenditure in the current ownership of £14,688!

Interestingly, this example has also been fully converted/upgraded to ‘highline’ specification, which was carried out to the highest standards, making this a very desirable example of the M88-powered M635 indeed.

The owner of the car prior to Clive has recently contacted us to comment "The head has been changed as the M635csi has a single cam chain and a popular upgrade at the time was to upgrade to a double, which the e34 M5 had".

Zinberrot is the classic colour for the M635csi in our eyes, and this example is certainly no exception, and looks truly arresting, sat on a set of period BBS wheels.

The bodywork is lovely and straight throughout, with no dents or impact damage that we could see. The driver’s door needs a little adjustment as it can require some force to close, but otherwise the panels all seem well-aligned and even.

The paintwork is in good condition,with the only particularly noticeable mark being on the lower offside edge of the front air dam, likely from catching a kerb or speed bump at some point in its lifetime. It would also appear that the paint on the nearside door and rear quarter don’t quite match perfectly, whilst the arches are also slightly brighter in colour than the rest of the bodywork, though this is only noticeable when deliberately looking for it.

All of the side window glass still bears the original BMW engraving, whilst the window seals all seems to be in good order, with the exception of the nearside door which has been ‘pinched’ behind the glass, and may need replacement or adjusting.

Looking closer, there are a couple of patches of bubbling we noticed during our inspection (photographed in the gallery below) and there is some rough paint (perhaps bubbling?) noted on the offside of the sunroof channel which can be seen when the roof is open, but this has not broken the paint and appears to be only superficial.

All four wheels are in excellent condition, wrapped in matching tyres - always a good sign of fastidious ownership, in our view.

Inside, the grey leather interior sits well against the striking red paintwork, and on the whole the cabin presents well for its age, though there is plenty of potential for further improvement, should the next owner wish to do so.

The seats are all in good order, showing only typical commensurate wear to the front seats in particular, along with the outer seat bolsters being scuffed and worn. The carpets are in good shape, whilst up above the headliner is free from sagging or water damage and the sunroof is in full working order.

Of particular note is that the instrument panel, on board computer and electronic systems within the car have all been either overhauled or replaced at some point in recent years, and as a result all systems are working as intended, including all of the functions of the OBC.

In the boot, the fold-down toolkit is almost complete with only one or two missing items, whilst the luggage area is free from any heavy wear or staining. Underneath the carpet, the matching spare wheel is present, and the wheel well looks to be lovely and solid.

Out on the road, this M88-powered M635CSi is an absolute joy to drive, and one that our photographer was very reluctant to hand the keys back for.

The throaty six-cylinder fires up with ease whether cold or hot, and the overall feel whilst behind the wheel is of a car that is in rude mechanical health, with the characteristic bark from the individual throttle bodies resonating well thought the aftermarket exhaust, the gear change reassuringly mechanical and the clutch action wonderfully direct.

There is a ‘check’ light on in conjunction with a warning light for the brake lights, that extinguishes after depressing the brake pedal. The vendor says this means everything is working as intended. The gear shift is in keeping with this era marque/vintage too.

In the engine bay, the M88 block and ancillaries present well with no outwardly visible signs of any leaks or issues, though a through detailing and deep-cleaning would transform the appearance of the engine bay.

Underneath, the chassis looks to be in good, solid order throughout, with the Waxoyl treatment in 2017 (the certificate for which is in the folder below) evidently doing its part to ward off any corrosion or issues.

The history that is included with this car is absolutely incredible, compromising of two very well-stocked ring binders, with invoices and documentation sorted by subject and by owner, something that we haven’t seen for a very long time here at The Market.

Naturally, there is far too much to list here - pop the kettle on and work your way through the ‘documentation’ section below, you won’t regret it - but a few highlights include:

• The V5, showing 10 former keepers
• Annual insurance valuations whilst in the care of the current owner
• Paperwork relating to the upgrade to Highline specification
• The certificate from a Waxoyl treatment in 2017
• A fully itemised expenditure from 2000-present
• The most recent service invoice in May 2021 at a cost of £660
• Documentation relating to major work in 2020 including a major service and tachometer repair
• OBC computer strip and repair invoice, new NRVs and an MoT in April 2020 at a cost of £478
• A new SACHS OEM clutch in May 2020 at a cost of £1233
• Extensive works in July 2018 including new brake hoses, window motors, temperature gauge / various instruments, fuse box clean and rebuild and front brake calipers rebuilding at a cost of £2,491
• Invoices relating to welding following MoT advisories in 2015

There are also stacks of invoices from the likes of Munich Legends and other specialists, miscellaneous items and other parts, and manuals.

Arguably one of the most desirable ‘M’ cars to ever exist, the M635CSi retains a very strong following amongst both drivers and BMW aficionados alike, and it’s not hard to see why.

This particular 1985 example benefits from an incredible history, upgrade to highline specification and extensive recent works and expenditure, making it a fantastic classic that really is ready to simply jump in and enjoy.

Offered with an estimate of £20,000 to £30,000, this is a truly exceptional opportunity for any enthusiast and driver, and one that we estimate to be very popular indeed, so be sure to get your bids in early!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car is located at our headquarters near Abingdon; we are open weekdays between 9am-5pm, so to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.