1989 BMW 635CSi

This 1989 BMW 635CSi is one of just 181 Motorsport Editions produced for the UK market.

Just to add to its exclusivity, it’s finished in the rare colour of Macau Blue Metallic and has light grey carpets and mats with Lotus White upholstery in top-spec Nappa leather.

It currently has 116,000 miles on the clock having notched up just 4,000 since 2005.

Viewed from across a road at twilight, it looks very fine.

Beautiful lines, no overly worrying dents or dinks to speak of, very handsome indeed.

Get closer though and you can see that the car is some way from perfect. There is cosmetic wear and tear, both externally and internally, and there places where the paint and lacquer are peeling and/or bubbling.

Which means, of course, that it has plenty of room for improvement. And that can be a golden opportunity in a car of this pedigree and rarity.

We have driven the car and can report that it is currently a little wayward in it’s handling.

The vendor tells us that this is almost certainly a consequence of cracked and weakened walls on the car’s Michelin TRX tyres, although it’s possible that there is some other issue with the steering geometry and/or suspension.

It might well be an easy fix. We don’t know. An expert opinion is required.

Either way, it’s something you’ll want to address.

Aside from that, and a few largely aesthetic issues, the car starts, goes and stops well and currently has an MoT (with no advisories) until 14.7.21.

We can report that the engine pulls strongly across the auto-box and the car feels solidly screwed together with no groans, squeaks, rattles or clunks to worry about.

Broadly speaking, the panels and shutlines are clean, even and free from any dinks, dents, ripples, cracks, creases or warps.

The paintwork is a bit of a curate’s egg though: good in some parts, bad in others.

In places the lacquer has peeled, the paint has lifted and the odd bubble of rust has crept in here and there.

But this car is far from being in the grip of galloping rot.

Most of the chrome work, trim and badging are in decent nick.

The bumpers and grille are straight and free from dinks or dents.

The driver’s side wing mirror has come a little loose at the mounting and there is some rust in evidence where it meets the bodywork.

The original alloys are in fairly decent condition, aside from the odd nick or two, although the o/s/r wheel is showing some alloy corrosion in the latticed section surrounding the hub.

The Motorsport Edition’s interior features hand-stitched Nappa leather on the seats, door panels, centre console, glove-box, roof lining, sun visors, door pillars, upper door trim and the dashboard.

Not content with draping everything in acres of hide, BMW also slotted in memory electric seats, rear head restraints and a leather-trimmed steering wheel, while tri-colour M-Sport labels remind you and your passengers that you’re sitting in something decidedly superior.

The interior of this car is in fairly decent condition although it would benefit from a good clean and the leather would thank the next owner for some proper care and attention.

There is some creasing and cracking on the front seats, particularly on the driver’s side, but there are no tears or holes, so the leather can be refurbished.

The rear seats look as if they’ve rarely been troubled by a backside for any length of time and are in good overall condition.

In general, and taking into account the door cards, dashboard, carpets, mats and headlining, the overall impression is of an interior that’s more in need of some soap, water and elbow grease than a major programme of parts replacement.

Yes, it’s a little grubby and shabby here and there, and yes there are a couple of scuffs on the dashboard and one or two stitches coming loose on the armrest, but it’s not broken or beyond redemption. It just needs a little care and affection.

The boot is in reasonable nick and is home to a spare wheel and the original BMW toolkit. Lifting up the carpets reveals a dusting of what appears to be largely superficial rust.

As far as we can tell, all things electrical are present, correct and in working order.

Rumours are rife that the Motorsport Edition had a few extra bhp to compensate for all the luxury trim and equipment – and those rumours suggest that 220bhp might be available.

Who knows?

Either way, the engine bay seems to have all the right bits in the right places but it does have instances of corrosion that will need addressing some time in the not-too-distant future. The wire that serves the bonnet opening mechanism is corroded to the point of what looks like imminent failure and there’s some corrosion on the pipes around the radiator.

The car’s undersides seem pretty solid and largely free of anything other than superficial rust dust.

The car comes with a stamped service book, some manuals and guides, various bills and a handful of old MoT certificates.

The car has a current MoT certificate (with no advisories) valid until 14.7.21.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos and paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very good standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

However, if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

We include an online HPI report run at the auction start which shows no finance outstanding and no insurance markers for theft or damage.

A good BMW 635CSi remains a safe place to put your money, especially when it’s a rare Motorsport Edition model like this.

We don’t have a great deal of history to share with you but we can say that a look back through the car’s online MoT history indicates the work that must have been carried out to correct the various advisory issues and get it through the next MoT.

Yes, it needs some work to get it looking its best again. But we think its underlying integrity will provide the next owner with a good, solid platform upon which to build.

And, for not a huge amount of money or effort, you’ll be rewarded with a truly iconic vehicle that’s always going to reward discerning drivers and attract new generations of admirers.

We’re confident to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £15,000 to £25,000

Inspection is always encouraged, within Govt. guidelines of course, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.