What do you think of this car

Michael Kaye

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Hi all.

This car is for sale and I’m just wondering what you experts make of it.

It’s an ex South African Car, fully restored but to original spec. Lots of photos.

Does it look right? Anything immediately out of place or wrong? Is it priced fairly?

Also has anyone had any dealings with 1stChoicecars. If yes what’s their work like?

https://www.1stchoicecars.uk.com/classic-cars/bmw-30-csi-30-csi-rhd-1243/#PhotoSwipe154970948409

Anyway would be grateful for any thoughts and comments.

Thanks, Michael
 

Wladek

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1. not proper 3x chrome headlight frames - they are from headlight washing system, but no headlight washing.
2. obvious - ugly 80/90's knob & 80's momo wheel
3. wooden plate near knob is ugly, not proper cheap repro
4. radio panel is ugly repro
5. as for me, whole speedo panel is not from that car (not csi), even it is from later version
6. seats are not proper for that type of side panels (side panels from later version & seats are from earlier version)
7. custom trunk upholstery
8. probably not proper rear license plate panel (without fog light), not sure because it is UK & i'm not an expert
9. as for me bodywork & paintwork wasn't hi-end, made just surface work, no photo's of any repair of hidden body panels.
10. no photo's of technical repairs (engine, gearbox, diff, axles, brakes, steering etc., etc.)
11. not proper front badge (look like standard 82mm)
12. both wiper arms are from driver side (properly only one wiper arm should be with spoiler)

p.s. description:
"CSI MODELS ARE RARER THAN CSL MODELS":confused:
 
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sandhu

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Hi all.

This car is for sale and I’m just wondering what you experts make of it.

It’s an ex South African Car, fully restored but to original spec. Lots of photos.

Does it look right? Anything immediately out of place or wrong? Is it priced fairly?

Also has anyone had any dealings with 1stChoicecars. If yes what’s their work like?

https://www.1stchoicecars.uk.com/classic-cars/bmw-30-csi-30-csi-rhd-1243/#PhotoSwipe154970948409

Anyway would be grateful for any thoughts and comments.

Thanks, Michael
For that kind of money , you can find a better , more factory original csi out there !!!

If I was you I would buy a Csl restoration project for less than buying this csi , put 50/80 into it and you have a 200k valued mint Csl !!
Or
Increase your budget to 85/95k a buy a good condition driveable Csl !!
 

Peter Coomaraswamy

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I'm thinking that they should have not screwed the lower trim pieces on the rocker covers, that there shows the potential shortcuts taken possibly. Better cars for less money on this side of the pond. Also, I might add that just because we've seen a few examples sell for 100K plus publicly does not mean there are not great values out there below 50. This is a great place to find one of those, just post in the WTB CARS section :)
 

mr bump

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The one thing I cannot stand, is when there paragraph upon paragraph in the "cars description " but every line is all what every person knows about bmw's history, and then theres 6 lines about the actual car itself!! Really grinds my gears!!!

Looks a very nice well presented car mike, original wheels aswell which is nice, but everyone will tell you, go and view the car. Remember these e9s are really desirable at present, so dodgy body shops are bodging them up to make a lot of money. To run a critical eye, the badges look rough, the dash has been revamped, plus the seats don't look like original bmw velour cloth, looks like it's been retrimmed in something very close, stil its a good looking car, it's RHD, and manual box. Not for the purists im sure but its ideal for somone who wants a long term investment or to use it as a weekend whip.
50-60k?? I think Itl go slightly higher as good rare classic70s rolling stock is very hard for traders to find at present, so it won't surprise me if there's a trader battle.
But, go and view it is my advice, you might escape unscathed.
Good luck.
 

Michael Kaye

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Yeh I know what you mean. Tonnes of the model history but less about the car.

I think it unlikely I will bid on this car as I want something slightly more original - no idea why the owner had it resprayed away from the original colour. And as you said Mr Bump, not quite right.

Oh well my search continues...
 

arnie

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Any thoughts on this one. It's coming up for sale at auction on Saturday.

http://www.coys.co.uk/cars/1972-bmw-e9-csi-right-hand-drive

puuhuuuh,

maybe the PO invested some certain money, but in my eyes it didn't increase value that much. If he invested in that bloody webasto sunroof nightmare, he did the opposit ! Even if he wasn't responsible for this "upgrade", he should have invested his money in replacing that bull shit, instead of doing obvious poor cosmetics.

There is so much evidence of really bad restoration attempt, that I can't believe, that this car brings more that around 30 K. To be honest, 5 years ago these kind of cars would never have reached even this price level. Peoples minds went crazy the last couple of years and prices for buckets increased, at least in the opinion of the sellers. I don't know why, but for a lot of people it makes a car that more desirable, when it comes with genuine alloys and stuff bla bla, but don't they see the problems all over the rest of the shell ??? For instance I see a lot of bondo all over the inside wheel house panels / shock towers where seperate panels should be present, nicely covered with blue paint ....
It's allways the first look, when you go out and inspect such an E9. It's not important or a big advantage to have a nice and even well done upholstery job in good smelling leather or cloth. Structure of the boody is something where you should look at. Best point to start. Take a look in the engine bay !!!

Do yourself a favour and stay away from this linked 2 examples in this thread.
 

eriknetherlands

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I think the wood was painted with a brush, you can still make out the streaks... not particularly nice....
On the good side; it seems to have all the parts; as they are getting rare to come by.

As Arnie pointed out, having solid floors, rockers and A pillars is priority one if you want to drive. If these are bad you are looking at 500+- 250 hours in a metal shop. that's somewhere along 15-25K...I would like to see evidence of the insides if paying that price.
 

CSteve

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The main problem in the UK is that there is very little choice - £5k parts cars or £50k+ "restored"

There is also this one coming up (no connection to me!) - looks a bit more honest?

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/114/lot/43802/?url=/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/114/
Help Make America Great Again. Buy the best WE can find from your former colony after one of our more experienced owners gives it a THOROUGH examination. Ship it to you. Problem solved.

Steve
 

lloyd

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There is also this one coming up (no connection to me!) - looks a bit more honest?

https://online.handh.co.uk/m/lot-details/index/catalog/114/lot/43802/?url=/m/view-auctions/catalog/id/114/

Interesting prospect. Livery appears original and other than it being RHD, the example seems virtually identical to an E9 museum display. Photos are not as "sexy" as the taiga also under consideration (bottom). Images look clean, but accompanying text is ambiguous and could benefit from additional detail and additional images of the interior, boot and drive train. "Comprehensive bodywork and underside and mechanical restoration" might mean very different things to different people. ;)

1974 BMW 3.0 CSi UK  (1).jpeg 1974 BMW 3.0 CSi UK  (14).jpeg 1974 BMW 3.0 CSi UK  (13).jpeg 1974 BMW 3.0 CSi UK  (9).jpeg Ink 1974 BMW 3.0 CSi UK  (2)_LI.jpg

Museum
cs1.jpg


20170725_143903.jpg
 

Michael Kaye

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FYI

http://www.coys.co.uk/cars/1972-bmw-e9-csi-right-hand-drive-2

I went to Coys auction and had a look at the E9. It seemed an ok car (but remember I’m no expert).some minor rust bubbles. Needs a full respray. No idea how solid it was structurally but nothing obvious to me. Didn’t really like the sunroof or the upholstery.

I decided not to bid.

It went in the end for £31k. Bang on the reserve.
 

wilies13

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Rust bubbles are coming in most cases from inside to outside.
If there are o clear evidencies about status or repaired A-pillar, floor or sill then I would keep my fingers away.
It costs really a lot of time to do it by your own or in the other case a lot of money.
Best Regards; Willy
 

Cornishman

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I was also at the London classic car show today and saw this auction by luck. Couldn't believe it, walking about and suddenly there was a CSI for sale by auction. The hammer fell at £24,000, plus taxes that would be about the £31k mentioned above.
I then I found the car and took a brief look.
Chrome tarnished and thin, but solid.
Trim, mostly good.
Panel fit, pretty good. No visible serious rust, but the odd micro blister.
Paint, could be lived with.
Dash grab rail, varnished with high gloss!
Spare wheel well, looked pretty good.
Car was dirty with mud splashed up the sides. Who sells an E9 in this state?

Overall I would say, a nice every day driver. Had I looked at it first I would have bid for it at that price. Admittedly that would have given a storage issue, but the car looked Ok to me.
Disclaimer, i looked for less than 2 mins.

I have a video of the auction, just don't know how to post it.
 

Michael Kaye

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Hammer price was actually 31k. So with taxes and buyers premium that’s £36,580.
 

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wilies13

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I would recommend you to buy an endoskop camera (100€?) and to visit an experienced e9 owner in your area.
Learn about the critical topics of an e9 and how to use the endoskop.
Going inside; then the A-pillar down and see at the buttom.
See added picture. NOT visible from outside.

Don´t buy an newly painted car.
Test drive coasting mode (?? /Schubbetrieb) no blue exhaust.
..so many things..
..best would be t0 have an expert with you, before you buy an 40 year old car....

Then you will be at the end of the day an happy e9 driver :)
 

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