1978 BMW 733i

The lovely example was in the same family for 34 years, having been bought new by the uncle who then passed it on to his nephew in due course. The current owner bought it five years ago from a fellow member of the BMW Car Club, since which time he has only driven around 1,500 miles in it.

The vendor tells us that the original owners have confirmed that the BMW was regularly serviced and always kept garaged when it wasn’t being used, both of which help explain its remarkable condition. The pampering continued with the fourth and current owners, both of whom are card-carrying BMW enthusiasts who appreciated the significance of the car and its remarkable condition. 

Fitted with the rare manual gearbox, the vendor had planned to keep the car but the purchase of an even rarer model now forces its reluctant sale. He describes it as being in potential show-winning condition, needing only a small amount of paintwork to bring it up to a very good standard. He singles the interior out for specific praise, describing it as being “almost museum quality”.

The Chamonix White coachwork is in very good condition, with tight, even shutlines and panel gaps, and a good gloss to it, even after all these years. There are half-a-dozen small rust spots but we’ve taken a close look at them and they all still seem to be relatively trivial (probably surface rust rather than rotted through); we think that localized repairs should be easy to make and matching the paint should be pretty straightforward too, given the car’s non-metallic colour. 

Apart from that, this ‘bahnstormer has clearly been well cared for, the panel gaps are consistent and sharp, the paint finish is very good and we struggle to criticize. Perfection requires remedial work, but is it worth it?

The four Alpina Style alloy wheels are in stunning condition having been recently refurbished. They are also shod with relatively new, matching Falken tyres; matching tyres are one of the very best indicators we know of a caring, understanding, and mechanically sympathetic owner, so potential bidders should take heart in their presence and set their bids accordingly. 

The exterior chromework is still lustrous and largely free of rust pits, and the light lenses are in good condition with the indicators and brake light lenses remaining bright and unfaded.

The underside has had some very minor welding for previous MOTs, and so is solid and well cared for. However, a weekend’s worth of wire brushing and undersealing would pay dividends. This would be an easy DIY job or could be undertaken by a professional for around £200. The current owner has been underneath with a (sensitively-prodded) screwdriver and claims that there is no more rot to be found. Feel free to arrange a viewing prior to auction end to check out for yourself.

The dark blue velour interior is prone to fading but careful storage has preserved it from the damaging effects of the sun’s rays and the colour is as deep and dark as the day it left the factory. Of equal importance is the fact that the dashboard hasn’t cracked and the material along the top of the back seats hasn’t degraded as so many have.

The blue velour seats, fitted only to the earliest cars, are taut and free of rips, tears and other wear. They remain supportive and comfortable, even after forty years of (admittedly careful) use. The door cards, dashboard, ‘wooden veneer’ trim, and carpets are all in equally good condition.

All the electrical equipment works as it should, and all the early, much prized, switchgear is in place and looking as good now as it did when it was first installed. 

The interior of the boot is immaculate and the tool kit is present and correct. Incredibly, the first aid kit has never been opened and retains it cellophane wrapping intact. 

The tyre on the spare wheel is also the original, and while we wouldn’t recommend using it on the road, it is a charming period feature that goes straight to the heart of the care the car has received during the past four decades.

The only problems we can find are that only one of the four electric windows works. 

The vendor confirms that the car is in fine fettle, starting and driving exactly as it should. He’s used it regularly to keep the rubber seals lubricated and the engine free. The underbonnet area itself is tidy and clean. The long-term owner confirmed to the current custodian that regular servicing had been undertaken, but advancing years and alternative priorities meant that he has not been to find and post on the paperwork to prove it unfortunately.

We’ve driven it too and can confirm that it’s a good ‘un but we’d be delighted to welcome you to Patina HQ here in Abingdon should you want to come and take a look at it for yourself! 

The vehicle comes with the original ‘BMW Owners Information’ folder, as well as the owner’s handbook and an instruction book for the modern Panasonic radio/CD player. There are also a number of old invoices and bills to support its recent service, repair, and refurbishment history.

The online MOT history shows some minor corrosion to the underside but there is nothing there that would worry us if we were considering bidding on it. 

The car comes with some old, expired MOT certificates and tax discs and the MOT itself expires on the 7th May 2019.

All available documents are, as always, in the gallery of this listing.

Although always in the shadow of the BMW 6-series, the E23 7 Series has become deservedly popular and this low-mileage, manual car is one of the very best being offered on the open market. 

It’s not perfect, but the bits that need attention are those that are among the easiest to resolve - and that beautiful, immaculate interior alone ensures that the car deserves to have a few pounds spent on it to bring it back up to showroom condition. 

This work could be done on a piecemeal basis dealing with problems as-and-when they arise, or the new owner could bite the bullet and commission a full respray. We must stress though that this is not a restoration project; it just has a few minor bubbles and we are only suggesting a respray because the rest of the car is so good that the investment in one now would probably repay itself many times over later.

And the very good news is that the popularity of the E23 cars hasn’t yet translated into telephone number values; despite being in such good condition and having such an attractive provenance, we expect this car to sell for between £4,000 and £7,000, which is a ridiculously small sum to pay for a car of this quality.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in 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’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.