E24 - What Would I Be Getting Myself Into?

[Phillies8008]

For years now, in the back of my head I've had a nagging desire to pick up an E24 635csi, probably later in its run like '87-'89 or something like that. The 635csi was my first BMW-love, and I just have a real desire to own one and fawn over it, lol.

I'm not really close to pulling the trigger or anything, but I was just wondering if anyone had any insight into what sort of mess I'd be getting myself into.

Caveat: I'm not really a turning-wrenches sort of guy – I have very little experience, and am unfortunately not particularly mechanically inclined. I'd be willing to try and learn more minor stuff, but anything really involved is going to have to go to an indie shop.

Potentially save me from myself, please. Unless it's a great idea which I hope it is.

[TriumphTim]

Well, I would probably try to test drive one first, it really isn't going to handle or be as fast as the cars you already own. Older car have their merits but tend to come at a cost of time/effort/money.

My basic line for people that want to own vintage cars is to really be passionate about the experience, it will likely not be a good financial payoff. Also, if you owned and drove something at age 18-25 and are now 45-65, you most likely have a different set of driving values, lol.

I have driven a E24 M6 and E34 M5 and not super impressed with the steering boxes these cars have, I am used to the rack & pinion 3 series and such. The e24 is definitely more of a cruiser or gt than the Z4 sports cars, much softer overall...

Good that you are upfront about mechanical ability, older cars always need something. I would definitely get a pre purchase inspection, talk to your local mechanics about their specific knowledge and advice, and have a generous budget for sorting and maintaining.

[lllRazorlll]

Originally Posted by TriumphTim

Well, I would probably try to test drive one first, it really isn't going to handle or be as fast as the cars you already own. Older car have their merits but tend to come at a cost of time/effort/money.

My basic line for people that want to own vintage cars is to really be passionate about the experience, it will likely not be a good financial payoff. Also, if you owned and drove something at age 18-25 and are now 45-65, you most likely have a different set of driving values, lol.

I have driven a E24 M6 and E34 M5 and not super impressed with the steering boxes these cars have, I am used to the rack & pinion 3 series and such. The e24 is definitely more of a cruiser or gt than the Z4 sports cars, much softer overall...

Good that you are upfront about mechanical ability, older cars always need something. I would definitely get a pre purchase inspection, talk to your local mechanics about their specific knowledge and advice, and have a generous budget for sorting and maintaining.

How is the steering box feeling different from a rack?

By the way, I used to live in Bucks County

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by TriumphTim

Well, I would probably try to test drive one first, it really isn't going to handle or be as fast as the cars you already own. Older car have their merits but tend to come at a cost of time/effort/money.

My basic line for people that want to own vintage cars is to really be passionate about the experience, it will likely not be a good financial payoff. Also, if you owned and drove something at age 18-25 and are now 45-65, you most likely have a different set of driving values, lol.

I have driven a E24 M6 and E34 M5 and not super impressed with the steering boxes these cars have, I am used to the rack & pinion 3 series and such. The e24 is definitely more of a cruiser or gt than the Z4 sports cars, much softer overall...

Good that you are upfront about mechanical ability, older cars always need something. I would definitely get a pre purchase inspection, talk to your local mechanics about their specific knowledge and advice, and have a generous budget for sorting and maintaining.

Thanks for the input – greatly appreciated. I definitely wouldn't be buying it as investment, but rather a passion, and certainly wouldn't expect a "modern" driving experience. If I were to get one it would mostly be for my appreciation for the design, wish-fulfillment, and a cool cars & coffee car.

Absolutely on the PPI – I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid. Well, maybe. Fortunately, we've got a couple of dependable indie shops around here that tend to be very good with older BMWs, so hopefully that'd include something of this vintage.

[John in VA]

Southeast Sharkfest 2026 is officially slated for the weekend of May 2, 2026 in Richmond, VA. You can get totally immersed in the E24 there, and get a lead on any examples that might be coming available.

https://www.bmwsharkfest.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/southeastsharkfest

https://bigcoupe.com/phpBB3/index.php

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by John in VA

Southeast Sharkfest 2026 is officially slated for the weekend of May 2, 2026 in Richmond, VA. You can get totally immersed in the E24 there, and get a lead on any examples that might be coming available.

https://www.bmwsharkfest.org/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/southeastsharkfest

https://bigcoupe.com/phpBB3/index.php

OMG, thank you! Or maybe my wallet curses you, depending, lol.

[Elderado82]

Man, as long as it’s a financially responsible decision, then do it! I love the E24 too, and the only reason I haven’t gotten one is because it’s just not the right time for me, my family, or my bank account. Oh, and there’s the E30 M3 I want as well…

[pbonsalb]

Find a good independent BMW specialist and ask him. We had a 79 635csi for over 10 years and I did a lot of work on it. Parts are scarce and you have to be comfortable taking the car apart. Think of it as potentially an expensive hobby. If you like it enough to invest in it, go for it. Definitely a classic.

[Efthreeoh]

It's all good if you have disposable income to support the car. If you are financially constrained, then move on.

My 2 cents.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TriumphTim

Well, I would probably try to test drive one first, it really isn't going to handle or be as fast as the cars you already own. Older car have their merits but tend to come at a cost of time/effort/money.

My basic line for people that want to own vintage cars is to really be passionate about the experience, it will likely not be a good financial payoff. Also, if you owned and drove something at age 18-25 and are now 45-65, you most likely have a different set of driving values, lol.

I have driven a E24 M6 and E34 M5 and not super impressed with the steering boxes these cars have, I am used to the rack & pinion 3 series and such. The e24 is definitely more of a cruiser or gt than the Z4 sports cars, much softer overall...

Good that you are upfront about mechanical ability, older cars always need something. I would definitely get a pre purchase inspection, talk to your local mechanics about their specific knowledge and advice, and have a generous budget for sorting and maintaining.

I've tried several times to rewind time and rebuy a model that I once owned or drove in the past. Such as an E21, E30, and Fiero to name a few. NONE of them drove like I remembered they drove in the original era from where they came when I drove/owned them (i.e. when they were new cars). Old cars drive like old cars even if refreshed to new condition. Modern cars are just so much better.

[pbonsalb]

I agree with the comment above about how old cars drive. You have to love them enough for that not to matter. Some like the more direct steering that you don’t get with an electric rack even if the modern electric rack car will run rings around the old car on a track.

I have only one old car now, a 1999 M3 that I am attached to and have significantly modified, but I drive it very little compared to my modern cars because it still drives like an old car. Gets more attention than my modern cars and I do enjoy driving it. I have a 75 2002 that I completely disassembled to restore but that was 6 years ago and I still have not gotten around to starting to put it back together. It would also be modified and would be an occasional driver since it will still drive like an old car.

[Phillies8008]

Thanks all -- the input is very appreciated. I'm not really anywhere close to doing it, if I even do. I was just curious if it was something that was even worth thinking about, or if I should just file it in the "it'd be nice, but nah" bin. I use that bin a lot, lol.

After reading the replies, on the whole I'm probably a bit reticent to do it given my lack of repair skills. Seems like maybe it'd end up being a money pit. But never say never!

[John in VA]

That's why you buy one like the M6 my college buddy sold last year. He had it >20 years and spent all the time/money getting it right! All the new owner needed to do was slide into the driver's seat (although he did upgrade the A/C & planned to do the sound system)!!

[pbonsalb]

Paying more for a great example could save money in the long term. Late model M6 is what I would want. Our 79 635csi had a 1994 3.5L, Schrick cam, headers and exhaust without cats, and an intake but was probably still a bit down from the strangled 256 hp M6 the USA received.

[TriumphTim]

Originally Posted by lllRazorlll

How is the steering box feeling different from a rack?

By the way, I used to live in Bucks County

I have found the steering boxes in e24, e34, and e31 to be less crisp, more dead play in center, and generally less direct feel overall. The older non-3 series BMW cars I have driven just seemed softer steering than my E30 of the similar era but there are in a grand touring class.

Supposedly, the E34 M5 I drove had a brand new steering rack but it sure didn't feel like it. I have found a E39 M5's to be very tight and direct.

If you google, there are a lot more opinions out there too...

"Okay, this is the thing. The Recirculating Ball is going to give a more smooth, yet isolated feeling (some prefer the isolation). It is also a bit dead on center.

The Rack & Pinion setup is going to be a bit more firm, have much more road feel, and communicate better with the driver as to what is going on with the road."

[TriumphTim]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I've tried several times to rewind time and rebuy a model that I once owned or drove in the past. Such as an E21, E30, and Fiero to name a few. NONE of them drove like I remembered they drove in the original era from where they came when I drove/owned them (i.e. when they were new cars). Old cars drive like old cars even if refreshed to new condition. Modern cars are just so much better.

Yeah, you really have to reset your expectations... lol

The 1988 325is still feels fine for me for the most part but the e46 coupe outshines it in every way. I could see the E21 and Fiero not aging well as a driving experience.

I run into older guys that may had a MG or TR back in the day or grew up lusting after an Austin Healey, they are usually in for a really BIG surprise!!

[TriumphTim]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

Thanks all -- the input is very appreciated. I'm not really anywhere close to doing it, if I even do. I was just curious if it was something that was even worth thinking about, or if I should just file it in the "it'd be nice, but nah" bin. I use that bin a lot, lol.

After reading the replies, on the whole I'm probably a bit reticent to do it given my lack of repair skills. Seems like maybe it'd end up being a money pit. But never say never!

Always fun to window shop and/or dream! Doing some research and asking around never hurts, maybe even try to test drive or ride in one if something local comes up.

People can go either way... either "this car is so raw and exciting" or "what a rattle trap slug"... lol

[Carl-Bimmer]

Originally Posted by Phillies8008

For years now, in the back of my head I've had a nagging desire to pick up an E24 635csi, probably later in its run like '87-'89 or something like that. The 635csi was my first BMW-love, and I just have a real desire to own one and fawn over it, lol.

I'm not really close to pulling the trigger or anything, but I was just wondering if anyone had any insight into what sort of mess I'd be getting myself into.

Caveat: I'm not really a turning-wrenches sort of guy – I have very little experience, and am unfortunately not particularly mechanically inclined. I'd be willing to try and learn more minor stuff, but anything really involved is going to have to go to an indie shop.

Potentially save me from myself, please. Unless it's a great idea which I hope it is.

Great cars, but go in eyes open -an E24 will need regular maintenance and an indie BMW shop budget. If you buy a well-sorted late car, it’s a rewarding classic, just not a low-effort one.

[TriumphTim]

Good example of steering, check out the steering wheel movement around corners and such... no judgement, just pointing it out for comparison to you might experience in newer and or smaller cars...

[mjr24]

I ended up going down this same road with an E30 cabrio (red exterior/tan interior 1988 325i) this summer.

It depends what you want out of it.

I've never driven a E24 (but I assume the E30 is similar) but what the poster above might be saying is that it basically drives like a school bus. It's like 4 turns lock to lock.....which is a lot. Most cars nowadays are half that or a little over half. The E24 steering probably feels dead because it probably doesn't actually turn the damn car until you've turned the wheel 2 times. A horse and buggy might be 6 turns lock to lock....just as an example.

I actually had to replace the steering rack when I got the car and since they don't make E30 racks anymore, the popular plug and play upgrade is to a Z3 or E46 rack (this is a popular upgrade even if your rack doesn't need replacing). Now I see why. These are like 2.4 turns lock to lock. It actually feels like a normal car now.

I paid $8500 for mine sight unseen (sight unseen in person, that is). It had 166k miles on it but it was a California car and I knew it would have no real rust. I also bought it from a guy who owned a Euro service shop and who bought it from the previous owner who had it serviced there (and at a BMW dealer it appears until like the mid 2000's) so I figured it would be reasonably well running. I probably had way too high expectations for that price. I thought I could buy it, put $5k into it and be done. Haha. Not close. Like you, I am not the least bit mechanically inclined so I've had to pay everyone to do the work. Well, whether your car is a 2024 or a 1984, the labor price is the same. So the rack put me down $1800 right away ($1000-1200 labor).

Bushings. You could buy a car with 2k miles on the clock and it still will need every single rubber bushing replaced. 40 year old rubber is 40 year old rubber. This is....sway bar front/rear, rear subframe, trailing arm, control arms, etc. etc......that's going to run me another $2500 in LABOR alone. Most people with E30s say don't even consider it unless you know how to work on your car. That is generally true but, as mentioned, depends on your disposable income.

I have a bit of an OCD problem, too, so this wasn't a wise purchase for me because I now I want the entire car to be mint. Again, I figure after doing the rack, all bushings, springs/shocks, new wheels, brand new interior, replacing lots of parts or stuff that didn't work....I'll have almost $40k into the car. Seriously. Did I need to do half of what I've did/will be doing? Probably not.

That being said, the E30 is sentimental to me and it will be great when it's done.

Could I have bought a well maintained one for $30-35k? Sure. There are some rare examples but they don't come along often. But there is no guarantee any of those wouldn't have needed all the same bushing work done/interior work done to some extent, etc. It would have been less stressful for sure.....but I realize now any car from that age will need some work done, even low mileage ones. Again, it's all what your expectations are. Also know that once I do all this work, it will never again need it the rest of it's life (or my life). I also know if I ever sell it I won't get every dollar spent back but I bet I get 75% back so that makes it a little better.

Oh, speaking of life..... just also realize you could be a goner if you get in any sort of wreck with a modern vehicle given their size relative to cars back then and the lack of safety systems. I have no airbags and 40 year old seatbelts. My car is slow AF. I don't have anti lock brakes.

[TriumphTim]

mjr24's experience is most likely to be expected with similar cars.

Again, different personalities will read that as either a horror story or a fun project...

I would add that the non-3 series/steering rack cars have more dead feel on center due to the steering box. You can see in the video above that the driver is always making micro adjustments to the steering wheel...

[Phillies8008]

Originally Posted by mjr24

I ended up going down this same road with an E30 cabrio (red exterior/tan interior 1988 325i) this summer.

It depends what you want out of it.

I've never driven a E24 (but I assume the E30 is similar) but what the poster above might be saying is that it basically drives like a school bus. It's like 4 turns lock to lock.....which is a lot. Most cars nowadays are half that or a little over half. The E24 steering probably feels dead because it probably doesn't actually turn the damn car until you've turned the wheel 2 times. A horse and buggy might be 6 turns lock to lock....just as an example.

I actually had to replace the steering rack when I got the car and since they don't make E30 racks anymore, the popular plug and play upgrade is to a Z3 or E46 rack (this is a popular upgrade even if your rack doesn't need replacing). Now I see why. These are like 2.4 turns lock to lock. It actually feels like a normal car now.

I paid $8500 for mine sight unseen (sight unseen in person, that is). It had 166k miles on it but it was a California car and I knew it would have no real rust. I also bought it from a guy who owned a Euro service shop and who bought it from the previous owner who had it serviced there (and at a BMW dealer it appears until like the mid 2000's) so I figured it would be reasonably well running. I probably had way too high expectations for that price. I thought I could buy it, put $5k into it and be done. Haha. Not close. Like you, I am not the least bit mechanically inclined so I've had to pay everyone to do the work. Well, whether your car is a 2024 or a 1984, the labor price is the same. So the rack put me down $1800 right away ($1000-1200 labor).

Bushings. You could buy a car with 2k miles on the clock and it still will need every single rubber bushing replaced. 40 year old rubber is 40 year old rubber. This is....sway bar front/rear, rear subframe, trailing arm, control arms, etc. etc......that's going to run me another $2500 in LABOR alone. Most people with E30s say don't even consider it unless you know how to work on your car. That is generally true but, as mentioned, depends on your disposable income.

I have a bit of an OCD problem, too, so this wasn't a wise purchase for me because I now I want the entire car to be mint. Again, I figure after doing the rack, all bushings, springs/shocks, new wheels, brand new interior, replacing lots of parts or stuff that didn't work....I'll have almost $40k into the car. Seriously. Did I need to do half of what I've did/will be doing? Probably not.

That being said, the E30 is sentimental to me and it will be great when it's done.

Could I have bought a well maintained one for $30-35k? Sure. There are some rare examples but they don't come along often. But there is no guarantee any of those wouldn't have needed all the same bushing work done/interior work done to some extent, etc. It would have been less stressful for sure.....but I realize now any car from that age will need some work done, even low mileage ones. Again, it's all what your expectations are. Also know that once I do all this work, it will never again need it the rest of it's life (or my life). I also know if I ever sell it I won't get every dollar spent back but I bet I get 75% back so that makes it a little better.

Oh, speaking of life..... just also realize you could be a goner if you get in any sort of wreck with a modern vehicle given their size relative to cars back then and the lack of safety systems. I have no airbags and 40 year old seatbelts. My car is slow AF. I don't have anti lock brakes.

Thanks so much for the input! I think maybe I'll buy a poster of it instead.

As far as safety, yeah, definitely. I have an '06 Z4M and while it certainly has more safety systems than a mid- to late-80s car, it's definitely not as safe as something current. And, of course, there's this:



But what can you do? It's just one of things you have to accept and decide if it's worth the risk to you. I'm okay with it.