I saw your last video, I worked in the Advance Auto Commerical side for 15 years, I quit a few years ago but your last video makes sense. It USED to be when I started you could walk in ( I worked at a HUGE one ) and we had 50s to 70s parts on the shelf. Now because less and less people buy those parts. They dont stock them. Seems the last few years I worked there all the classic car parts stopped being made.
@@gee530 BMW have gone back to the 1980s when everything was optional, even electric windows and a stereo. Even on my 2003 UK Z4 there was no cruise control. But to add it all you need to do is buy the stalk and plug it in, not even any coding needed!
Given the propensity of older plastics going bad I think it is time for the car wizard to invest a high quality 3-d printer for some of these bits and pieces.
Correct! I was about to recommend that he ask the room if someone has a good one, and make him a new one from nylon. I have the capability, but not the time.
I restored a 1990 735il to close to showroom condition about 12 years ago....same engine only 3.5L versus 3.3L. When I finished and enjoyed it, I said, I am never selling this car because it is so good. But I did. Famous last words. A collector bought it...flew in and drove it back to Nevada where he got a high speed speeding ticket through Nevada. The big six...what it is referred to is considered one of the best engines BMW ever made...simple and bulletproof. No vanos or variable valve timing. Single timing chain and no belt. 2 valves per cylinder and still pulled like a freight train and would rev like a dentist drill. Around 130-150K mi best to pull the head and change the head gasket. These engines will go 300K miles without touching the bottom end. Yes, repeated heat cycles always exposed a weak radiator design BMW's have been known for. Clutch fans fail once in a while. At 150K, the engine still had all its cross hatchings in its cylinders and always run on dino oil and not synthetic until I owned it. BMW as the Wizard rightly says repeatedly, lost its mind about 20 years ago. A company that exists for profit only. The last BMW I owned was a 2003 330ci coupe which was really the beginning of the collapse of BMW with all the plastic under the hood and overcomplicated designs which were engineered to extract money from people. Design intent. The public who doesn't know better...buying into the marketing myth of Ultimate Driving Machine...until they own one or two and stop wanting to be broke and so stop buying them. I will NEVER buy another BMW and I can fix them. Simple and reliable used to mean something. Not anymore. The public is utterly clueless...in other words BMW's design philosophy is rewarded and why it continues.
I've got a 2004 E46 320d with 275k miles on it. Still on the original clutch, injectors and turbo. Friend has an early E90 (2005) and that doesn't seem any worse than mine build-wise. These cars are coming up 20 years old, way beyond what any manufacturer has ever expected of of its cars
I still own and daily drive a '91 735iL with 155,000 miles on it and has owned it for about 15 years. Pulled the head and replaced the head gasket at about 100,000 miles. This thing has been a great car and I love this thing.
@@R182video I have a '94 740iL with the M60 4-liter V8. It has 213k as of now, and the motor itself has never been opened up. Only had to replace the PCV system and knock sensors in 14 years of ownership. My only complaint about the car is the power seats are shit.
these days it's all plastic under the hood on every car! I have a mercedes sprinter and there's this plastic bracket thing that has no name or word for it because it's shape and purpose is just weird because it's a bracket that holds the fuel filter in place and it's also a bypass for the cooling system were a few cooling hoses are attached to and the other end is mounted against the cilinder head, and there it's starts to leak after 30k miles because the plastic is getting to hot and starts to deform and then water starts to push it's way behind the O ring. Besides that, you can't even recognize an engine under the heap of plastics, wire harnases, connectors, sensors, tubes, pipes and hoses. So it's like you look at the internals of a washmachine, and there's no way to swap a part without having to take half the engine apart. And thats why they use a large piece sheet of plastic to cover the entire engine, because else the chaotic mess would scare the crap out of the buyers. Back in the days the motto was to built cars that last forever, but these days it's all about selling NEW cars as much as possible, so they make cars that last 5 years because after that the warranty is over ,and then they only care to sell you a brandnew disposable lighter on wheels!
Owned a 89 525i, first year they made them 2.5 liter M20B25 engine. modded mine to make a little over 220 horse and the car was amazing and just recently sold it for over 2 times what I put into it and bought it for. Only 75,500 miles
@@blaketindle4703 The '90s 6 cylinder models were the most reliable/cheapest to maintain. I had two '95 525s. Great cars, except for the manual transmissions. The first one was totalled when I was rear ended. The 2nd one ate 2nd gear. Parts were still available, but the parts would have cost over $2500. I sold it to a scrap yard rather than fixing it.
This is the era of BMW that driving enthusiasts just absolutely loved. This car has the 3 speed automatic (the 6 and 7 series didn't get the 4 speed O/D option until '84), but it could be had with a 5 speed stick and it was one of the most perfectly balanced, most neutral handling cars in the world at the time. It was stable and rock solid and planted to the ground all the way up to 150 mph at a time most American cars were hardly able to hit 120. You felt every inch of asphalt through the steering wheel but it was light and laser sharp to steer. The brakes were powerful, consistent, easy to modulate. That engine - BMW's glorious inline 6 before they started throwing turbos on to it and computers and plastic intake manifolds and plastic fuel injector rails - silky, silky, silky smooooooooooooooth and consistent power all the way up to redline in every gear. And the entire car felt like it was chiseled out of one solid block of steel. Somewhere between here and the late 1990s BMW started hiring people who did not understand what BMW was about. What that car was to people who enjoy driving - I mean, REALLY enjoyed driving, took it very seriously, and every second behind the wheel of the car was what they lived for. Driving a 6 series to work was not just the commute to and from work, it was for many the absolute highlight of their day. Their life. Guys driving this car weren't wearing Ray Ban sun glasses, leather gloves, and driving shoes just for show - they wore them because they took driving very seriously. The Ultimate Driving Machine. It wasn't just their slogan. It was what BMW strived to build. And then in the late 1990s, they threw that legacy out to chase every suburbanite soccer Mom and image-seeking Dad. BMW cheapened out on the engine parts not to make the cars disposable so much as to make them cheaper. That aluminum intake manifold probably cost 3 times to cast than the plastic one used today. But that was alright - it meant more to pay $60k for a BMW in 1983 than it does to pay $60k for a BMW today. They were cars to aspire to. Cars you'd have to work hard for in school, or work. Today, every schlock with a $399 lease payment can drive a BMW.
@@CarWizard You would refuse to work on a 1977 Fleetwood Brougham but would work on a 1990 Brougham, which are almost identical cars except the 425 vs the Olds 307? How about a Euro 1979 W126 280SE which is almost the same car as a 1991 300SE?
@@jptech57 “almost identical” but with far more years of degradation. That is what the Wizard is driving at. And again, parts for 70’s and 80’s cars are drying up.
AS a young man I always wanted a 6 series like that one! But the price point was always out of my reach! I opted for an 1984 528 e ..similar but not as sporty and stylish! Those BMWs from the 80s and early 90s had a lot of character!
I have the pleasure of being the curator of this same year. Truly a joy to drive. SOO many comments and questions from people all ages. Surely a sign of a vehicle designed to be timeless.
Hey Wizard, greetings from N Ireland. Love how you say ‘boot’ and ‘bonnet’ when you’re talking about Euro cars 😂 Kudos to you . Thanks for the videos, always enjoy them 👍🏻
Thanks to "Moonlighting", I fell for the 635csi back in the 80s. Not a fan of BMWs per se, but this has always been one of my fave cars from that era.🌕
That gear is a perfect application for 3d printing. I would think someone here would want a crack at that. Put up a thread at a BMW owner’s blog and next thing you know you’ll have customers.
That was still the era when BMW had really strong NA I6's that were and still are solid engines. I have two BMW's left, the first being a 94 E36 318is pretty much stock with a tune up and basic care done (it's a 4 cylinder, but it's basically a racing pedigree I6 with 2 cylinders lopped off, still has the forged crank and all) that's what I would call "very good" condition I've tried to keep clean and enjoy. The second is a 97 E31 8 Series that I would have kept full factory, but it came to me as a roller with no engine just an automatic transmission. The body was clean dent/rust wise, but I had to do paint and restore the interior. The engine I had at the time on hand was a 1UZ 4L DOHC V8 from Toyota, so that's the engine that went in after tearing it and the factory transmission down for a rebuild. It's around 320hp and more torque, plenty to be a great touring car with some pep. I love the E31, it's one of my all-time dream cars, so having one, even if it's Toyota powered, was a big deal for me and still is. I've had other E36 in the past, both I got as blown rollers that ended up with either a GM 4.2l I6 turbocharged or a Ford 4.6l 32v DOHC V8 procharged. The GM 4.2l went to a Jag XJS, and the Ford V8 went to a 99 Jag XK8 I got bundled both as no engine rollers too. Sold the E36's with factory crossmembers and everything reassembled to friends that wanted to put in more modern turbo'd bmw I6's.
I have one of these, an '85 635CSi with the 5 speed manual and limited slip rear. It is a joy to drive on the highway and has been very reliable. It is so beautiful I always turn around to glance at it after I've parked it. Unfortunately, interior and trim parts are becoming scarce. Anyone who has owned an M30-equipped BMW knows that at 3-3500 RPM there is a very slight but deep thrum throughout the cabin, almost as if the car is "excited" to keep moving up the rev range. Very characterful.
I had two of these, and loved them both. Super reliable, bulletproof, elegant cars, built when BMW's were robust driving machines. The new ones are a punch line, just junk!
Hey Wiz, if you strike out on the "new" antenna gear, I recommend "G-Flex" epoxy glue by West System and glue the old gear together. It's really good stuff. It is probably every bit as durable as the original plastic. Good luck.
@Car Wizard. You can now 3D Print those plastic pieces with an affordable off the shelf 3D printer. You can use a Phone to Laser scan it, then go and print it. Why don’t you give it a shot? Might be useful for other situations.
How times have changed. Back many years ago I got a $6 fishing reel . Within a month a small gear in it failed. A couple of days later dad came home from work with a new one that one of his buddy's did in the machine shop at work. Worked perfectly. That was 60 years ago!!!!!!!!!
You could laser scan the old part, and 3-D print one. You can even 3-D print with metal. This is he future of keeping these old cars (and other old mechanical things) going IMO. Also, the car is gorgeous.
BMW color name is "bronzit" - I had an E34 535i with the mearly-same M30 engine which went 400k miles before I sold it to a surfer dude. Bring back the Toyota-like reliability BMW! I LOVED THAT CAR!
Try taking the plastic gear to a CNC shop, maybe they can make a new one from metal, as long as they have the dimensions of the original part. It may cost a fortune, but it's all for the originality. Or try a 3D printer.
a cnc shop could use the matching nylon material, metal would wear out the other gears too fast. 3D printing would defo be the best option. you could even take a mold and reproduce the missing part too by casting a new quarter, if you really wanted too do it. most jewellery workshops would have the equipment to do it. it's quite basic stuff
@@elvisrose That is true, the new metal gear will just eat the other plastic ones, that I didn't thought of. 3D printing will be the best solution here, as an old original gear can develop the same problem.
Wow that thing is nice. I had a W126 Mercedes for a while and it was built with the same philosophy as this car. It was designed to be repaired and kept on the road for as long as possible, not like the newer ones
I’ve seen one of these in St. Louis at the airport. Pretty good condition. Obviously enthusiast. Nice ride… before BMWs got hideous. They were graceful up until about 20 years ago
In 1967, I bought a BMW 1600 for $3200, taxes included. Great car. Lasted a long time and never cost me tons on upkeep. I wouldn't buy a new BMW on a BOGO today.
The first car I ever drove after getting my drivers license. 635CSI , Neighbour of the Chinese restaurant I worked promised it and he did. Great ; starting it up , cockpit with the check lights. Real memories
You can buy a new antenna for around $125 directly from BMW. Look at Maximillian Importing Company, a BMW Heritage part supplier here in the USA. I Own a 1985 BMW M635CSi ( non federalized ) with the legenderay M88/3 engine ...Parts are relatively easy to find and not that expensive...Great video.
I am restoring a german-spec 79' 635csi. The e12 based e24s are so prone to rust it will be hard to see many of them collecting if we don't restore them. I'm glad to see one in good shape!
Old beemers are better, this 633 is looking great 👍 I know someone who bought a first gen 1 series this year that was imported to the Netherlands in 2016. The first thing great came to mind that it’s gonna break down. And it did eventually. And he eventually sold it after just owning the car for a few months. Already knowing the wizard opinion on modern BMW’s made clear I have to run away from these mechanical nightmares.
I had a job at a BMW daelership and I drove one of those cars quite a lot and I can safely say, given enough highway it will hit 145mph, 150 with a good wind behind it. I also owned a 733i back then and that had the same nose on it and a great mile muncher!
I had a 633 CSI. It was great, but I sold it for a profit to help pay for my new house. The guy I sold it to, in 1985,and he still has it today! These were fairly rare, The 635 was more popular, and more problematic. BTW, I can relate to much of what you say in all your videos. I owned a foreign car repair shop in the late 70s and early 80s and know the old technology very well and enjoy your videos often
This car is quite beautiful! My favorite BMW ever is the BMW 8-Series, with the E31 chassis code. But, it is not as friendly as this one. Tyler had one, and even he send it away as soon as possible...
These cars are the definition of designed to be worked on. A lot of the marketing back then was hammering home quality and they were quality. Some sinister bean counter at BMW realized they were too good in the 80s and the engineers have now made them impossible to work on and lots of planned obsolescence. I have an 86 7series and driving it today in 2022 other BMW owners are puzzled how my old car is still cruising alongside them.
Cars today don't last as long because car manufacturer companies keep wanting to change and have the newest and coolest thing/engine or transmission. Back in the day, car manufacturers used the same designs for years. The reliability was better because of that, the manufacturers make a good engine or transmission and they stick with it for years. Today, manufacturers make a good engine and or transmission and within 6 months start thinking about how and what to change with it. Lol.
I've owned my 635CSI for ~15 years. Been a really good summer only weekend car for all those years. Definitely worth finding one with a manual transmission or doing a manual conversion. The M30 sounds good, but the power isn't anything amazing so if you're stuck with an auto it probably feels a bit slow. Fun if you can rev it out and enjoy the inline 6 properly though. Comfortable cruiser, handles itself fine, one of the best looking BMW's of all time. Doesn't have 'tech' obviously but has the modern conveniences that you actually need like air conditioning, sun roof, cruise control, power windows, power heated seats (highly recommend the 'sport' seats instead of the 'comfort' seats), etc. Just a really solid car even by today's standards.
CW, sharks do have nostrils....... Sharks have two nostrils (called nares) below their snout that are used for smelling, but they don't join up to the back of the throat like our nose does, so they can't sneeze like we do. If something floats into their nares, they might try to shake it out. Sharks breathe through the gills at the back of the mouth.
15:18 Not strictly true. If you pay for heated seats or other add on options, they are yours to use forever. However, to save costs, if you don't specify heated seats or other options, the options are added anyway but disabled (as you haven't paid for them), If at a later date you (or a later owner) decides that the options would be required after all, BMW will enable the "options" for a subscription or one off full payment.
Apparently they are already charging monthly subscriptions in some countries but they say they won't be doing that in the US. We'll see how long that lasts. In the UK it's like $20 a month.
@@ericg7044 Yeah but, only if you have opted at a later date to activate the option that wasn't specified at point of sale. You don't have to pay it and, if you had bought an older car without the option, you couldn't have it anyway without a costly upgrade costing far more than the monthly subscription. You can pay a one off fee anyway which would still be far less than adding the option afterwards.
it’s so nice seeing the car wizard working on my exact make and model of car. absolutely beautiful example though! the e24 is so criminally underrated and it’s so nice seeing a little more content on this beauty :)
I had a 88 M6 in the 00s. Great car, though even as a M car it drove a bit boaty, being the 70s design that it is. Mechanical parts availability was good, being it was mostly shared with the 5 series, but some of the cosmetics were tough to get, even back then. As for new cars with subscription features, Wizard's favorite TOYOTA is/was considering turning keyless entry/start into a subscription feature. I suspect just building all the cars the same and enabling features via subscription is going to become more of a thing by everyone in the future.
I could care less about keyless starts. But in that context I do kinda get it, those wireless systems require constant updating to maintain security, which is something that all modern cars are sorely lacking. I'm still not on board with the sub service though.
Tbh these car manufacturers are clowns for trying to pull this subscription nonsense off. In this day and age of increasing climate change concerns and cars becoming considered a public enemy more and more by the day, why the hell would anyone want to buy a brand new car in 2 or 3 years time when there's more and more pressure from our government to cycle and use public transport? I'm saying this as someone that grew up fascinated by cars and still am, but over the past year I've even been questioning whether I even want to own a car anymore with the way things are turning; not only is driving considered increasingly 'bad' with time, car manufacturers are spiting their customers with poor disposable designs that will be lucky to see a decade that aren't even fun to drive, spares become obsolete within 5 years, and now they want to charge you to use products you already paid for. The automotive industry is shooting itself in the feet with this mindless greed, and karma will hit them back in the next few years, and frankly, when that day comes, good riddance. Hard times to be a car enthusiast.
@@solitaryclusterofneurons598 The irony is that it takes a substantial amount of energy and resources "up front" to build a good car, a sh!tty car, a gas car or an electric car. If the "powers that be" were indeed sincere with their environmental concerns, we would be taking advantage of all that was learned over the decades to build cars (and other durable goods) that last longer than the typical finance term.
As to the cogwheel: I once heard the trick of pushing it into a piece of plasticine, turn it, so that the missing teeth also will be "imprinted", and then fill the space of the missing teeth with baking soda and superglue. No idea whether this works, but maybe others may have tried it...
@@Default78334 Yep. But if you have no other option as a professional, it might be worth trying. One can still throw the whole unit in the trash if it does not work.
@@jaapdoedens727 I would think messure the wheel, and look for a copycat replacement from an audi or some other manufactuer that used the same part, as its a power anttena on a BMW, it might be the same unit in an audi too.
I've got a '76 2002. Easiest car in the world to work on. I have owned her since the early '80s. Has a tremendous cult-like following. A lot of parts still available but starting to fade away. I am an old man now, hopefully my grandson will keep her going for a few more yrs.
Get someone to take that broken gear and design a new one to 3D print. It wouldn't be overly expensive and it would be much more durable than a salvage yard find
Bad gear: Piece of cake for a 3D printer. There are commercial shops that replicate parts like that, and enthusiasts who will do it as a hobby project. Plastic is way cheaper than metal, but there are 3D printers that do metal as well.
My goodness, what a gem. I share your opinion about BMW then vs. now. Back then, they showed that form could follow function - but they could still be beautiful. Today it’s all about electronic party tricks. Thanks, I enjoyed this one!
Could you have it 3d scanned and printed? It could even possibly have an aluminum version cast, or have one fabricated using the measurements from that broken part.
3D printing has helped my son repair and bunch of these plastic bits and bobs on his "89 325I especially plastic gears like the one you need. Great vid again friend
Slick six, and in the year of my birth too! My father has a 733i when I was a kid, so I'm partial to "shark nose", new look beemers. Plus a complete tool kit too! Wow, that kit is nearly unattainable. Cool car!
Scan the gear and have it printed with an appropriate plastic composite. I think it is originally nylon, perhaps? Love this series os CS, but the previous E9 interiors were so much of a higher quality.
For the bmw heated seat thing. If the vehicle is optioned with it when purchased new it will always be activated and useable(no subscription needed) but if not optioned when purchased new(the heated seat will be in the vehicle just not activated) then you will need the subscription to use it
The euro bumpers make these cars beautiful but we need the big impact bumpers in the US. The euro bumpers would be destroyed by some of the terrible drivers on our roads and in our parking lots.
beats paint, bodywork, and a collapsed front end in a wreck with bars along the sides of the doors so if you get side swiped you can live to talk about it.
I had a 533i from the same year. Same engine, I had a 5-speed manual. Fun, fun,fun. I like a manual. Air flow meter you can change the track of the wiper running down the circuit board of resistors to renew it. Manual adjusting valves, get your feeler guages out. Something under the valve cover needs locktiting or it comes loose, I can't remember what that was. Check front coil spring seats, might need a bit of welding. GL4 in the manual no sulphur, and limited slip diff I can't remember. Changing starter motor remove heater hose so wrench can swing. I forget the rest of relevant stuff. I wish I still had it.
The 533i was a panic move by BMW when their two year release of the ETA motor, new standard in the motor for 5 series, threatened BMW's reputation for performance. The panic move was to take this engine from the 633i and 733i and put in the 5-series and called it the 533i. Pair it with a manual transmission and limited slip differential and you had a hot rod. Fastest production car of 1983. It beat EVERYTHING else that year for performance
The wheels are a weird metric size like 151/3 inches. Coker does a remake of the TRX tires but so expensive so switch the rims to other hub-centric BMW wheels with same bolt pattern.
I have the M30B34 1986 735i. I think this is the M30B32 but essentially the same engine. That AFM sweeper arm can be the culprit of a shaky idle in which some owners never crack open. It’s such a simple design once you see the operation and makes all the difference when it is in proper condition, no big grooves or flat spots on the swiping surface. I think the main thing to check with the valve cover off is the oil sprayer banjo bolts which can back out. This is also very common in Mercedes of the 80s and early 90s. Also replace the valve cover gasket but that’s all BMWs even new ones.
I ran my antenna up in my 83 633 i 5 speed and disconnected the power. All of those power units go bad, even the aftermarket ones. My car developed oil leaks and brake issues and ac issues and door lock and window problems. I thought is was the prettiest coup I ever had but I let it go for a Japanese replacement. It also had the infamous BMW "twitch" from the rear in the rain. Nice second car to drive on dry weekends.
Hi wizard. Just saw your comments on the antena gear. I faced a similar situation several months ago. What I did was that I searched and found a place where they 3D print gears (with reasonably low torque specs). It cost $60, they did it in 1 week and I solved the problem. If I found a 3D printer in Caracas, Venezuela, FOR SURE you can find a 3D printing company in Kansas. Greetings from Caracas !
That antenna is actually a Hirschmann antenna that was found on most high end german cars of the period including mercedes and porcshe as well. Trouble is like you said these antennas these days are basically non existent since these antennas were extremely expensive to have and most of them today are mostly beyond repair and they're still expensive to rebuild.
@paul lee...i remember reading a story in (I think) the BMWCCA Roundel about BMWNA bringing some engineers from Germany to Texas in the summer to prove the inadequacy of their AC units. European summers aren't normally as extreme as ours are here. Apparently they returned home an ordered some upgrades.
@@pclayton5063 I care more about Driving, and that's what those cars are about. I graduated to a 911 Targa and a 912 Targa Soft Rear Window and they trounce any BMW
Thanks for another excellent vid, Car Wizard! I was particularly interested in this one, because I've owned in the past, an '87 635csi, and an '88 M6. I still think these cars are among the most beautiful ever made, particularly of the BMW designs. And I particularly enjoyed your comments about how the newer BMWs are basically built to fail, i.e. all the plastic parts, bad designs (that stupid tiny o-ring), etc.. Thank you!
Cars today are designed to fail, older cars like this were engineered to last, 60,000 miles means this was babied its whole life, damn shame about those butt ugly bumpers & auto transmission, one of these has always been on my list to own, I've got older BMW's & have almost no problems finding parts for them, Rj in Oz
Cars today are made with more plastic and made to only last about 5 years so that way you keep trading em in. Now obviously mechanics like, the Wizard here does not like it when new cars keep getting sold because that means he gets less older cars that are out of warranty to work on and charge a shit ton for in labor on. Lol. He says new car manufacturers are greedy and horrible but on the other end of the car scale, Wizard is greedy and is in business to make money, just like the car manufacturers. Everyone is biased to there own lives and life styles. If just 20% more people bought new cars every 5 years, Wizard will be making a lot less money. Ha
Your worthy competitor Wheeler Dealer had a similar issue with a broken sunroof clip. The took the part down to a company in Orange County, CA that scanned and printed the broken part. Seems with the plane manufacturers in Kansas there must be a company local to you that could reproduce / print the broken gear.
When BMW's were dignified and well styled, today, over complicated with (subjective) horrendous styling, love the channel, one of the best mechanic channel on UA-cam, very informative and honest!
The 1980s BMW 6-series cars are some of the most beautiful BMWs ever made. A friend of mine, back in the day, had a 1984 635 CSi with a 5-speed manual -- what a great car!!
The BMW E24 is probably the only BMW in which a single model actually straddled two different engineering platforms. The first BMW 6-series from 1976 to 1981 was based on the E12 5-series (first gen 5-series 1975 to 1980). The updated models then switched to the BMW E28 (1981 to 1988) 2nd generation 5-series (1981 to 1988 5-series). Very unique big coupe from BMW. I love these.
What beautiful example of an 80s BMW. It reminded me of my "once in a life time score", a 1981 BMW 733i 5 speed. Yes 5 speed! Even with 300K miles on it, it was the epitome of the BMW driving experience. I miss that car.
I used to work on those when they were new. The 633CSi is the best of their entire line. Sporty, quick, efficient (for their day) and comfortable. However those gears in the antennas were never available from BMWNA. I'm surprised it lasted this long. If I remember correctly, they were made by Blaupunkt and they were junk form the get go. Water would enter through the mast and destroy the innards. We usually installed aftermarket units that were way more reliable after the 2 year warranty expired. The heater controls were also an issue back in the day. Not too hard to remove, but failed gears and cables all the time. Even under warranty. Nice Car! Good luck. (I quit working on cars, professionally, in 1996.) Since then I just make dealers' and service writers' lives a living hell! Lol
My neighbor owns a 735 sedan of the same year with about 150000 miles ( 273000 km) on the odometer and it looks almost the same! Thats quality. Every service was done and this amazing 6cyl. engine runs like a turbine. BMW at its best. Yours is a true grand tourer.
My first car was a 1980 320i 5sp manual, crank sunroof and windows, black vinyl seats and no working AC. Oh, and it was fire engine red(damn near orange). Those were the days.
Growing up my neighbor had a 635 CSi that I worked on for him several times. He also had a pair of 2002, one was a tii. I loved that car. He moved when I was away for college, I wish I knew where he landed.
I remember some old mechanics that specialized in repairing and restoring rare and exotic cars would machine and manufacture their own parts because they could not find the parts. Way before the internet, such repairmen would use suppliers who would track down exotic car parts or use shops that could reproduce replica parts.
Cars today are made with more plastic and made to only last about 5 years so that way you keep trading em in. Now obviously mechanics like, the Wizard here does not like it when new cars keep getting sold because that means he gets less older cars that are out of warranty to work on and charge a shit ton for in labor on. Lol. He says new car manufacturers are greedy and horrible but on the other end of the car scale, Wizard is greedy and is in business to make money, just like the car manufacturers. Everyone is biased to there own lives and life styles. If just 20% more people bought new cars every 5 years, Wizard will be making a lot less money. Ha
I will still work on select 80s cars guys. My last video was a reference to quitting on the 70s and older cars.
David l am a fan of inline 6 engines and this BMW 633CSI has 181 HP that is good HP in my book...Thanks Mr. & Mrs Wizard
Shoe🇺🇸
The complete tool kit is worth a fortune cause usually it is missing.
I saw your last video, I worked in the Advance Auto Commerical side for 15 years, I quit a few years ago but your last video makes sense. It USED to be when I started you could walk in ( I worked at a HUGE one ) and we had 50s to 70s parts on the shelf. Now because less and less people buy those parts. They dont stock them. Seems the last few years I worked there all the classic car parts stopped being made.
@@steveshoemaker6347 Euro 635CSi was 218 bhp, higher compression.
@@gee530 BMW have gone back to the 1980s when everything was optional, even electric windows and a stereo. Even on my 2003 UK Z4 there was no cruise control. But to add it all you need to do is buy the stalk and plug it in, not even any coding needed!
Given the propensity of older plastics going bad I think it is time for the car wizard to invest a high quality 3-d printer for some of these bits and pieces.
Correct! I was about to recommend that he ask the room if someone has a good one, and make him a new one from nylon. I have the capability, but not the time.
I was thinking the same thing
Save the 633! Calling all engineering geeks! Let’s get this done.
Or a couple cnc machines
I am seriously considering it for my 34 year old E32
I restored a 1990 735il to close to showroom condition about 12 years ago....same engine only 3.5L versus 3.3L. When I finished and enjoyed it, I said, I am never selling this car because it is so good. But I did. Famous last words. A collector bought it...flew in and drove it back to Nevada where he got a high speed speeding ticket through Nevada. The big six...what it is referred to is considered one of the best engines BMW ever made...simple and bulletproof. No vanos or variable valve timing. Single timing chain and no belt. 2 valves per cylinder and still pulled like a freight train and would rev like a dentist drill. Around 130-150K mi best to pull the head and change the head gasket. These engines will go 300K miles without touching the bottom end. Yes, repeated heat cycles always exposed a weak radiator design BMW's have been known for. Clutch fans fail once in a while. At 150K, the engine still had all its cross hatchings in its cylinders and always run on dino oil and not synthetic until I owned it.
BMW as the Wizard rightly says repeatedly, lost its mind about 20 years ago. A company that exists for profit only. The last BMW I owned was a 2003 330ci coupe which was really the beginning of the collapse of BMW with all the plastic under the hood and overcomplicated designs which were engineered to extract money from people. Design intent. The public who doesn't know better...buying into the marketing myth of Ultimate Driving Machine...until they own one or two and stop wanting to be broke and so stop buying them. I will NEVER buy another BMW and I can fix them. Simple and reliable used to mean something. Not anymore. The public is utterly clueless...in other words BMW's design philosophy is rewarded and why it continues.
I've got a 2004 E46 320d with 275k miles on it. Still on the original clutch, injectors and turbo.
Friend has an early E90 (2005) and that doesn't seem any worse than mine build-wise.
These cars are coming up 20 years old, way beyond what any manufacturer has ever expected of of its cars
I still own and daily drive a '91 735iL with 155,000 miles on it and has owned it for about 15 years. Pulled the head and replaced the head gasket at about 100,000 miles. This thing has been a great car and I love this thing.
@@R182video I have a '94 740iL with the M60 4-liter V8. It has 213k as of now, and the motor itself has never been opened up. Only had to replace the PCV system and knock sensors in 14 years of ownership. My only complaint about the car is the power seats are shit.
these days it's all plastic under the hood on every car! I have a mercedes sprinter and there's this plastic bracket thing that has no name or word for it because it's shape
and purpose is just weird because it's a bracket that holds the fuel filter in place and it's also a bypass for the cooling system were a few cooling hoses are attached to
and the other end is mounted against the cilinder head, and there it's starts to leak after 30k miles because the plastic is getting to hot and starts to deform and then water
starts to push it's way behind the O ring. Besides that, you can't even recognize an engine under the heap of plastics, wire harnases, connectors, sensors, tubes, pipes and hoses.
So it's like you look at the internals of a washmachine, and there's no way to swap a part without having to take half the engine apart. And thats why they use a large
piece sheet of plastic to cover the entire engine, because else the chaotic mess would scare the crap out of the buyers.
Back in the days the motto was to built cars that last forever, but these days it's all about selling NEW cars as much as possible, so they make cars that last 5 years
because after that the warranty is over ,and then they only care to sell you a brandnew disposable lighter on wheels!
The 80s BMW models were truly the best looking and most reliable
Owned a 89 525i, first year they made them 2.5 liter M20B25 engine. modded mine to make a little over 220 horse and the car was amazing and just recently sold it for over 2 times what I put into it and bought it for. Only 75,500 miles
Still have my E30 318iS, very reliable. So much nicer than anything they make today.
Early to mid nineties were great too!
@@blaketindle4703 The '90s 6 cylinder models were the most reliable/cheapest to maintain. I had two '95 525s. Great cars, except for the manual transmissions. The first one was totalled when I was rear ended. The 2nd one ate 2nd gear. Parts were still available, but the parts would have cost over $2500. I sold it to a scrap yard rather than fixing it.
2002/1602. Great little 2 liter
This is the era of BMW that driving enthusiasts just absolutely loved. This car has the 3 speed automatic (the 6 and 7 series didn't get the 4 speed O/D option until '84), but it could be had with a 5 speed stick and it was one of the most perfectly balanced, most neutral handling cars in the world at the time. It was stable and rock solid and planted to the ground all the way up to 150 mph at a time most American cars were hardly able to hit 120. You felt every inch of asphalt through the steering wheel but it was light and laser sharp to steer. The brakes were powerful, consistent, easy to modulate. That engine - BMW's glorious inline 6 before they started throwing turbos on to it and computers and plastic intake manifolds and plastic fuel injector rails - silky, silky, silky smooooooooooooooth and consistent power all the way up to redline in every gear. And the entire car felt like it was chiseled out of one solid block of steel.
Somewhere between here and the late 1990s BMW started hiring people who did not understand what BMW was about. What that car was to people who enjoy driving - I mean, REALLY enjoyed driving, took it very seriously, and every second behind the wheel of the car was what they lived for. Driving a 6 series to work was not just the commute to and from work, it was for many the absolute highlight of their day. Their life. Guys driving this car weren't wearing Ray Ban sun glasses, leather gloves, and driving shoes just for show - they wore them because they took driving very seriously.
The Ultimate Driving Machine. It wasn't just their slogan. It was what BMW strived to build.
And then in the late 1990s, they threw that legacy out to chase every suburbanite soccer Mom and image-seeking Dad. BMW cheapened out on the engine parts not to make the cars disposable so much as to make them cheaper. That aluminum intake manifold probably cost 3 times to cast than the plastic one used today. But that was alright - it meant more to pay $60k for a BMW in 1983 than it does to pay $60k for a BMW today. They were cars to aspire to. Cars you'd have to work hard for in school, or work. Today, every schlock with a $399 lease payment can drive a BMW.
Well said, well written. Agree completely.
We just throw the automatic in the garbage where it belongs.
M30 engine was amazing for its time.
Its the casualization of luxury. I feel similarly about Mercedes Benz CLA line. A line litteraly made for the lower class
Absolutly agree. I don’t think I could’ve said it better.
This gear can fairly easily be made on a 3D printer. And quite cheap aswell!
I was going to suggest the same thing. Lol
good idea!
You should print some up and sell them for $100 a piece!
is probably also a lot more durable than some 30 year old plastic from a junkyard
LOL, just posted pretty much the same idea
Wizard - I’m not working on older cars, AND I’m not working on BMW’s.
Also the wizard - I’m excited to work on this old BMW !!!
Hahaha yeah I was thinking the same 😂
Old as in 50s-70s
@@CarWizard You would refuse to work on a 1977 Fleetwood Brougham but would work on a 1990 Brougham, which are almost identical cars except the 425 vs the Olds 307? How about a Euro 1979 W126 280SE which is almost the same car as a 1991 300SE?
Glad I'm not the only one that heard him say that. If it comes with a dump truck load of cash behind it, he'll work on it.
@@jptech57 “almost identical” but with far more years of degradation. That is what the Wizard is driving at. And again, parts for 70’s and 80’s cars are drying up.
AS a young man I always wanted a 6 series like that one! But the price point was always out of my reach! I opted for an 1984 528 e ..similar but not as sporty and stylish! Those BMWs from the 80s and early 90s had a lot of character!
3d printing a gear is doable. Additive manufacturer is the new way forward on car restoration.
Especially if you've got a part you can scan
I have the pleasure of being the curator of this same year. Truly a joy to drive. SOO many comments and questions from people all ages. Surely a sign of a vehicle designed to be timeless.
Hey Wizard, greetings from N Ireland. Love how you say ‘boot’ and ‘bonnet’ when you’re talking about Euro cars 😂
Kudos to you . Thanks for the videos, always enjoy them 👍🏻
I got a 1990 bmw 535i. It’s got a few things I need to take care of but it’s been super super reliable and somewhat easy to fix!
"BWM," must be a new entry by a Chinese Manufacturer in the US using the old BMW tooling from the 80's
I wouldn't mind having one of these new BWM's, they look absolutely gorgeous.
That... doesn't sound like a bad idea at all actually. "Beijing Working Motors" kinda has a nice ring to it.
The Wizard will NOT work on BMWs... but he will work on BWMs (Back when Well Made?)
I'd rather have a Merdedes-Benb.
Thanks to "Moonlighting", I fell for the 635csi back in the 80s. Not a fan of BMWs per se, but this has always been one of my fave cars from that era.🌕
Ha - that's always the first thing I think of when I see this model BMW
That gear is a perfect application for 3d printing. I would think someone here would want a crack at that. Put up a thread at a BMW owner’s blog and next thing you know you’ll have customers.
I'VE always admired this 6. Brings me tears of joy wizard.
I agree. 3D printing is the way to go. The Car Ninja can order a small batch of 10-12 parts to keep in stock.
That was still the era when BMW had really strong NA I6's that were and still are solid engines. I have two BMW's left, the first being a 94 E36 318is pretty much stock with a tune up and basic care done (it's a 4 cylinder, but it's basically a racing pedigree I6 with 2 cylinders lopped off, still has the forged crank and all) that's what I would call "very good" condition I've tried to keep clean and enjoy. The second is a 97 E31 8 Series that I would have kept full factory, but it came to me as a roller with no engine just an automatic transmission. The body was clean dent/rust wise, but I had to do paint and restore the interior. The engine I had at the time on hand was a 1UZ 4L DOHC V8 from Toyota, so that's the engine that went in after tearing it and the factory transmission down for a rebuild. It's around 320hp and more torque, plenty to be a great touring car with some pep. I love the E31, it's one of my all-time dream cars, so having one, even if it's Toyota powered, was a big deal for me and still is.
I've had other E36 in the past, both I got as blown rollers that ended up with either a GM 4.2l I6 turbocharged or a Ford 4.6l 32v DOHC V8 procharged. The GM 4.2l went to a Jag XJS, and the Ford V8 went to a 99 Jag XK8 I got bundled both as no engine rollers too. Sold the E36's with factory crossmembers and everything reassembled to friends that wanted to put in more modern turbo'd bmw I6's.
What a car they don’t make BMW’s like this anymore this car is beautiful
I have one of these, an '85 635CSi with the 5 speed manual and limited slip rear. It is a joy to drive on the highway and has been very reliable. It is so beautiful I always turn around to glance at it after I've parked it. Unfortunately, interior and trim parts are becoming scarce.
Anyone who has owned an M30-equipped BMW knows that at 3-3500 RPM there is a very slight but deep thrum throughout the cabin, almost as if the car is "excited" to keep moving up the rev range. Very characterful.
I had two of these, and loved them both. Super reliable, bulletproof, elegant cars, built when BMW's were robust driving machines. The new ones are a punch line, just junk!
Hey Wiz, if you strike out on the "new" antenna gear, I recommend "G-Flex" epoxy glue by West System and glue the old gear together. It's really good stuff. It is probably every bit as durable as the original plastic. Good luck.
@Car Wizard. You can now 3D Print those plastic pieces with an affordable off the shelf 3D printer. You can use a Phone to Laser scan it, then go and print it. Why don’t you give it a shot? Might be useful for other situations.
How times have changed. Back many years ago I got a $6 fishing reel . Within a month a small gear in it failed. A couple of days later dad came home from work with a new one that one of his buddy's did in the machine shop at work. Worked perfectly. That was 60 years ago!!!!!!!!!
You could laser scan the old part, and 3-D print one. You can even 3-D print with metal. This is he future of keeping these old cars (and other old mechanical things) going IMO. Also, the car is gorgeous.
Lost pla casting is just the most amazing thing ever.
BMW color name is "bronzit" - I had an E34 535i with the mearly-same M30 engine which went 400k miles before I sold it to a surfer dude. Bring back the Toyota-like reliability BMW! I LOVED THAT CAR!
Try taking the plastic gear to a CNC shop, maybe they can make a new one from metal, as long as they have the dimensions of the original part. It may cost a fortune, but it's all for the originality. Or try a 3D printer.
Or go full-on Clickspring and hand file a gear out of brass.
a cnc shop could use the matching nylon material, metal would wear out the other gears too fast. 3D printing would defo be the best option. you could even take a mold and reproduce the missing part too by casting a new quarter, if you really wanted too do it. most jewellery workshops would have the equipment to do it. it's quite basic stuff
@@elvisrose That is true, the new metal gear will just eat the other plastic ones, that I didn't thought of. 3D printing will be the best solution here, as an old original gear can develop the same problem.
During my restoration of my 1987 635 CSI I had the same issue and I decided to go to an aftermarket antenna which works great!
Wow that thing is nice. I had a W126 Mercedes for a while and it was built with the same philosophy as this car. It was designed to be repaired and kept on the road for as long as possible, not like the newer ones
Now that's a bimmer! That's another thing I like about those- the built-in tool kit.
I’ve seen one of these in St. Louis at the airport. Pretty good condition. Obviously enthusiast. Nice ride… before BMWs got hideous. They were graceful up until about 20 years ago
I had an 85 635csi..... amazingly reliable and very fun to drive and maintain.
In 1967, I bought a BMW 1600 for $3200, taxes included. Great car. Lasted a long time and never cost me tons on upkeep. I wouldn't buy a new BMW on a BOGO today.
Growing up, my Uncle had a 1985 635csi. I think that E24 was one of the reasons why I fell in love with cars!
The first car I ever drove after getting my drivers license.
635CSI , Neighbour of the Chinese restaurant I worked promised it and he did.
Great ; starting it up , cockpit with the check lights.
Real memories
Thanks for the Kudos about this model! I own an 89 635csi and also love the style and design.
You can buy a new antenna for around $125 directly from BMW. Look at Maximillian Importing Company, a BMW Heritage part supplier here in the USA. I Own a 1985 BMW M635CSi ( non federalized ) with the legenderay M88/3 engine ...Parts are relatively easy to find and not that expensive...Great video.
I am restoring a german-spec 79' 635csi. The e12 based e24s are so prone to rust it will be hard to see many of them collecting if we don't restore them. I'm glad to see one in good shape!
Old beemers are better, this 633 is looking great 👍
I know someone who bought a first gen 1 series this year that was imported to the Netherlands in 2016. The first thing great came to mind that it’s gonna break down. And it did eventually. And he eventually sold it after just owning the car for a few months.
Already knowing the wizard opinion on modern BMW’s made clear I have to run away from these mechanical nightmares.
I have an '82 633 CSI...nice to see the appreciation for this car!
I had a job at a BMW daelership and I drove one of those cars quite a lot and I can safely say, given enough highway it will hit 145mph, 150 with a good wind behind it. I also owned a 733i back then and that had the same nose on it and a great mile muncher!
Passed a ford dealer once and saw something funny. They were driving a police interceptor around and yielped the siren 🚨
I still have an original Motor Trend article comparing the top ten fastest production cars of 1987 and the BMW M6 topped out at 145 MPH.
I had a 633 CSI. It was great, but I sold it for a profit to help pay for my new house. The guy I sold it to, in 1985,and he still has it today! These were fairly rare, The 635 was more popular, and more problematic. BTW, I can relate to much of what you say in all your videos. I owned a foreign car repair shop in the late 70s and early 80s and know the old technology very well and enjoy your videos often
probably a hirschmann antenna, like all high end euro cars had back in the day. the plastic gears are available on Amazon.
Oh man that thing is a beauty. Someone really cared for that car. You can tell because all the trunk tools are still in the proper place
This car is quite beautiful!
My favorite BMW ever is the BMW 8-Series, with the E31 chassis code.
But, it is not as friendly as this one.
Tyler had one, and even he send it away as soon as possible...
Very cool how the Hood opens!!! 👍
These cars are the definition of designed to be worked on. A lot of the marketing back then was hammering home quality and they were quality. Some sinister bean counter at BMW realized they were too good in the 80s and the engineers have now made them impossible to work on and lots of planned obsolescence. I have an 86 7series and driving it today in 2022 other BMW owners are puzzled how my old car is still cruising alongside them.
Cars today don't last as long because car manufacturer companies keep wanting to change and have the newest and coolest thing/engine or transmission. Back in the day, car manufacturers used the same designs for years. The reliability was better because of that, the manufacturers make a good engine or transmission and they stick with it for years. Today, manufacturers make a good engine and or transmission and within 6 months start thinking about how and what to change with it. Lol.
I've owned my 635CSI for ~15 years. Been a really good summer only weekend car for all those years. Definitely worth finding one with a manual transmission or doing a manual conversion. The M30 sounds good, but the power isn't anything amazing so if you're stuck with an auto it probably feels a bit slow. Fun if you can rev it out and enjoy the inline 6 properly though. Comfortable cruiser, handles itself fine, one of the best looking BMW's of all time. Doesn't have 'tech' obviously but has the modern conveniences that you actually need like air conditioning, sun roof, cruise control, power windows, power heated seats (highly recommend the 'sport' seats instead of the 'comfort' seats), etc. Just a really solid car even by today's standards.
Beautiful cars. That engine oil pan is cast aluminium though - and vulnerable because of it!
CW, sharks do have nostrils.......
Sharks have two nostrils (called nares) below their snout that are used for smelling, but they don't join up to the back of the throat like our nose does, so they can't sneeze like we do. If something floats into their nares, they might try to shake it out. Sharks breathe through the gills at the back of the mouth.
I've always loved that car. I've seen some done really well. I've thought of getting one and building it up to my taste . Maybe.
Reminds me of BMWs 850i from the early 90s with the pop up headlights.
15:18 Not strictly true. If you pay for heated seats or other add on options, they are yours to use forever. However, to save costs, if you don't specify heated seats or other options, the options are added anyway but disabled (as you haven't paid for them), If at a later date you (or a later owner) decides that the options would be required after all, BMW will enable the "options" for a subscription or one off full payment.
Apparently they are already charging monthly subscriptions in some countries but they say they won't be doing that in the US. We'll see how long that lasts. In the UK it's like $20 a month.
@@ericg7044 Yeah but, only if you have opted at a later date to activate the option that wasn't specified at point of sale. You don't have to pay it and, if you had bought an older car without the option, you couldn't have it anyway without a costly upgrade costing far more than the monthly subscription. You can pay a one off fee anyway which would still be far less than adding the option afterwards.
it’s so nice seeing the car wizard working on my exact make and model of car. absolutely beautiful example though! the e24 is so criminally underrated and it’s so nice seeing a little more content on this beauty :)
Scanning and 3d printing would be a good solution for that gear.
Man these 80s and early 90s cars have a lot of class. I remember my 1994 Buick Park avenue, it's just a classy looking car.
Hey Wizard,
If you like this 6.33 CSI, you should give a try on a 3.0 CSI from 74’ By far the most beautiful BMW to my taste. A master piece 😍
Love this old Bimmer! Also love the E32 Seven Series!
I had a 88 M6 in the 00s. Great car, though even as a M car it drove a bit boaty, being the 70s design that it is. Mechanical parts availability was good, being it was mostly shared with the 5 series, but some of the cosmetics were tough to get, even back then. As for new cars with subscription features, Wizard's favorite TOYOTA is/was considering turning keyless entry/start into a subscription feature. I suspect just building all the cars the same and enabling features via subscription is going to become more of a thing by everyone in the future.
I could care less about keyless starts. But in that context I do kinda get it, those wireless systems require constant updating to maintain security, which is something that all modern cars are sorely lacking.
I'm still not on board with the sub service though.
Tbh these car manufacturers are clowns for trying to pull this subscription nonsense off. In this day and age of increasing climate change concerns and cars becoming considered a public enemy more and more by the day, why the hell would anyone want to buy a brand new car in 2 or 3 years time when there's more and more pressure from our government to cycle and use public transport? I'm saying this as someone that grew up fascinated by cars and still am, but over the past year I've even been questioning whether I even want to own a car anymore with the way things are turning; not only is driving considered increasingly 'bad' with time, car manufacturers are spiting their customers with poor disposable designs that will be lucky to see a decade that aren't even fun to drive, spares become obsolete within 5 years, and now they want to charge you to use products you already paid for.
The automotive industry is shooting itself in the feet with this mindless greed, and karma will hit them back in the next few years, and frankly, when that day comes, good riddance. Hard times to be a car enthusiast.
@@popifrex1993 Not the phone start, the keyfob start, so the same insecure communication that was there before.
My dad has an 87 M6 he’s owned since 1998. Since before I was born (2001). These cars are the reason why I am a car enthusiast.
@@solitaryclusterofneurons598 The irony is that it takes a substantial amount of energy and resources "up front" to build a good car, a sh!tty car, a gas car or an electric car. If the "powers that be" were indeed sincere with their environmental concerns, we would be taking advantage of all that was learned over the decades to build cars (and other durable goods) that last longer than the typical finance term.
Bronzit Beige Metallic ❤️❤️❤️
As to the cogwheel: I once heard the trick of pushing it into a piece of plasticine, turn it, so that the missing teeth also will be "imprinted", and then fill the space of the missing teeth with baking soda and superglue. No idea whether this works, but maybe others may have tried it...
That's the kind of thing you do as a home hobbyist, not a professional.
@@Default78334 Yep. But if you have no other option as a professional, it might be worth trying. One can still throw the whole unit in the trash if it does not work.
@@jaapdoedens727 I would think messure the wheel, and look for a copycat replacement from an audi or some other manufactuer that used the same part, as its a power anttena on a BMW, it might be the same unit in an audi too.
I've got a '76 2002. Easiest car in the world to work on. I have owned her since the early '80s. Has a tremendous cult-like following. A lot of parts still available but starting to fade away. I am an old man now, hopefully my grandson will keep her going for a few more yrs.
That 2002 will always remind me of Jack Lemmon in "The China Syndrome".
Get someone to take that broken gear and design a new one to 3D print. It wouldn't be overly expensive and it would be much more durable than a salvage yard find
After you said in another video about using BG MOA 115 my vehicles are running perfect.
Thank you Wizard
Bad gear: Piece of cake for a 3D printer. There are commercial shops that replicate parts like that, and enthusiasts who will do it as a hobby project. Plastic is way cheaper than metal, but there are 3D printers that do metal as well.
My goodness, what a gem. I share your opinion about BMW then vs. now. Back then, they showed that form could follow function - but they could still be beautiful. Today it’s all about electronic party tricks. Thanks, I enjoyed this one!
Could you have it 3d scanned and printed? It could even possibly have an aluminum version cast, or have one fabricated using the measurements from that broken part.
3D printing has helped my son repair and bunch of these plastic bits and bobs on his "89 325I especially plastic gears like the one you need. Great vid again friend
6:25, I wish it was manual!
Great choice! The styling is timeless! BMW in-line 6s we’re very reliable.
Glad Mrs. Wizard approves! (Key to a long life)
Absolutely beautiful.
*When BMWs were well made.*
Not like the troubling cars they currently are.
Slick six, and in the year of my birth too! My father has a 733i when I was a kid, so I'm partial to "shark nose", new look beemers. Plus a complete tool kit too! Wow, that kit is nearly unattainable. Cool car!
Scan the gear and have it printed with an appropriate plastic composite. I think it is originally nylon, perhaps?
Love this series os CS, but the previous E9 interiors were so much of a higher quality.
For the bmw heated seat thing. If the vehicle is optioned with it when purchased new it will always be activated and useable(no subscription needed) but if not optioned when purchased new(the heated seat will be in the vehicle just not activated) then you will need the subscription to use it
There will be somebody around who will have a 'fix' for that stupidity.
@@vumba1331 oh definitely
The only BMW I would consider owning. As somebody from the UK, those bumpers are hideous. A seriously cool car.
yes, Euro spec cars have the nicer bumpers and cleaner aesthetics for sure
The euro bumpers make these cars beautiful but we need the big impact bumpers in the US. The euro bumpers would be destroyed by some of the terrible drivers on our roads and in our parking lots.
@@jameskerherve7487 I understand that, however, there are terrible drivers all over the world.
beats paint, bodywork, and a collapsed front end in a wreck with bars along the sides of the doors so if you get side swiped you can live to talk about it.
My uncle had the 4 door in blue 35 years ago in Abu Dhabi! Such a beautiful car!
I had a 533i from the same year. Same engine, I had a 5-speed manual. Fun, fun,fun. I like a manual. Air flow meter you can change the track of the wiper running down the circuit board of resistors to renew it. Manual adjusting valves, get your feeler guages out. Something under the valve cover needs locktiting or it comes loose, I can't remember what that was. Check front coil spring seats, might need a bit of welding. GL4 in the manual no sulphur, and limited slip diff I can't remember. Changing starter motor remove heater hose so wrench can swing. I forget the rest of relevant stuff. I wish I still had it.
The 533i was a panic move by BMW when their two year release of the ETA motor, new standard in the motor for 5 series, threatened BMW's reputation for performance. The panic move was to take this engine from the 633i and 733i and put in the 5-series and called it the 533i. Pair it with a manual transmission and limited slip differential and you had a hot rod. Fastest production car of 1983. It beat EVERYTHING else that year for performance
The wheels are a weird metric size like 151/3 inches. Coker does a remake of the TRX tires but so expensive so switch the rims to other hub-centric BMW wheels with same bolt pattern.
I have the M30B34 1986 735i. I think this is the M30B32 but essentially the same engine. That AFM sweeper arm can be the culprit of a shaky idle in which some owners never crack open. It’s such a simple design once you see the operation and makes all the difference when it is in proper condition, no big grooves or flat spots on the swiping surface. I think the main thing to check with the valve cover off is the oil sprayer banjo bolts which can back out. This is also very common in Mercedes of the 80s and early 90s. Also replace the valve cover gasket but that’s all BMWs even new ones.
I ran my antenna up in my 83 633 i 5 speed and disconnected the power. All of those power units go bad, even the aftermarket ones. My car developed oil leaks and brake issues and ac issues and door lock and window problems. I thought is was the prettiest coup I ever had but I let it go for a Japanese replacement. It also had the infamous BMW "twitch" from the rear in the rain. Nice second car to drive on dry weekends.
Maybe the dash mat is there to prevent cracking?🤷♂️
That's why mine is always in place in my 84 635CSI - 230k miles and no cracks!
Hi wizard.
Just saw your comments on the antena gear. I faced a similar situation several months ago. What I did was that I searched and found a place where they 3D print gears (with reasonably low torque specs). It cost $60, they did it in 1 week and I solved the problem.
If I found a 3D printer in Caracas, Venezuela, FOR SURE you can find a 3D printing company in Kansas.
Greetings from Caracas !
That antenna is actually a Hirschmann antenna that was found on most high end german cars of the period including mercedes and porcshe as well.
Trouble is like you said these antennas these days are basically non existent since these antennas were extremely expensive to have and most of them today are mostly beyond repair and they're still expensive to rebuild.
I’ve heard this term first time about 20 years ago. Planned Obsolescence
The 633 and 635 and the 2002 is where my love for BMW cars begins and ends. Period.
You didn't think much of any BMW from that era if it had AC and you lived somewhere where you needed it. Like blowing cold air through a straw.
@paul lee...i remember reading a story in (I think) the BMWCCA Roundel about BMWNA bringing some engineers from Germany to Texas in the summer to prove the inadequacy of their AC units. European summers aren't normally as extreme as ours are here. Apparently they returned home an ordered some upgrades.
90s BMWs are acceptably well designed too. It's after that which is unbearable
@@pclayton5063 I care more about Driving, and that's what those cars are about. I graduated to a 911 Targa and a 912 Targa Soft Rear Window and they trounce any BMW
@@bmwloco Maybe, depends on the driver, but talking about the AC, not how fast you can throw it into a corner.
When I was a kid and that car came out, it was my favorite BMW. Heck it was my favorite sensible car of the era.
Such a gorgeous car. Bit of a shame that in the US, they had to tag on these massive bumpers, but even with them, it is still a very nice car.
I like the 5mph bumpers on my 1984 325e, hit me i dare you with your grey market import...lol
Those are 5 mph bumpers. No damage in crash up to 5 mph. Worth it.
@@reestyfarts No its not worth looking ridiculous the whole cars life for MAYBE saving a few bucks once. Or more likely never.
Yes. The 88 and 89 models got the “world bumpers” , that were fitted on all models regardless of nationality.
Thanks for another excellent vid, Car Wizard! I was particularly interested in this one, because I've owned in the past, an '87 635csi, and an '88 M6. I still think these cars are among the most beautiful ever made, particularly of the BMW designs. And I particularly enjoyed your comments about how the newer BMWs are basically built to fail, i.e. all the plastic parts, bad designs (that stupid tiny o-ring), etc.. Thank you!
Cars today are designed to fail, older cars like this were engineered to last, 60,000 miles means this was babied its whole life, damn shame about those butt ugly bumpers & auto transmission, one of these has always been on my list to own, I've got older BMW's & have almost no problems finding parts for them,
Rj in Oz
Cars today are made with more plastic and made to only last about 5 years so that way you keep trading em in. Now obviously mechanics like, the Wizard here does not like it when new cars keep getting sold because that means he gets less older cars that are out of warranty to work on and charge a shit ton for in labor on. Lol. He says new car manufacturers are greedy and horrible but on the other end of the car scale, Wizard is greedy and is in business to make money, just like the car manufacturers. Everyone is biased to there own lives and life styles. If just 20% more people bought new cars every 5 years, Wizard will be making a lot less money. Ha
Your worthy competitor Wheeler Dealer had a similar issue with a broken sunroof clip. The took the part down to a company in Orange County, CA that scanned and printed the broken part. Seems with the plane manufacturers in Kansas there must be a company local to you that could reproduce / print the broken gear.
When BMW's were dignified and well styled, today, over complicated with (subjective) horrendous styling, love the channel, one of the best mechanic channel on UA-cam, very informative and honest!
The 1980s BMW 6-series cars are some of the most beautiful BMWs ever made. A friend of mine, back in the day, had a 1984 635 CSi with a 5-speed manual -- what a great car!!
The BMW E24 is probably the only BMW in which a single model actually straddled two different engineering platforms. The first BMW 6-series from 1976 to 1981 was based on the E12 5-series (first gen 5-series 1975 to 1980). The updated models then switched to the BMW E28 (1981 to 1988) 2nd generation 5-series (1981 to 1988 5-series). Very unique big coupe from BMW. I love these.
What beautiful example of an 80s BMW. It reminded me of my "once in a life time score", a 1981 BMW 733i 5 speed. Yes 5 speed! Even with 300K miles on it, it was the epitome of
the BMW driving experience. I miss that car.
I used to work on those when they were new. The 633CSi is the best of their entire line. Sporty, quick, efficient (for their day) and comfortable.
However those gears in the antennas were never available from BMWNA. I'm surprised it lasted this long. If I remember correctly, they were made by Blaupunkt and they were junk form the get go. Water would enter through the mast and destroy the innards. We usually installed aftermarket units that were way more reliable after the 2 year warranty expired.
The heater controls were also an issue back in the day. Not too hard to remove, but failed gears and cables all the time. Even under warranty.
Nice Car!
Good luck.
(I quit working on cars, professionally, in 1996.) Since then I just make dealers' and service writers' lives a living hell! Lol
One of the coolest cars from the 80's.
5:07 Fun Fact: Billy Ray Cyrus now always said ‘Don’t TELL my heart’. Used to be ‘Don’t break my heart’. Mandela Effect.
My neighbor owns a 735 sedan of the same year with about 150000 miles ( 273000 km) on the odometer and it looks almost the same! Thats quality. Every service was done and this amazing 6cyl. engine runs like a turbine. BMW at its best. Yours is a true grand tourer.
My friend had one of those back in the late 70's when new and it was a fast rig.
My first car was a 1980 320i 5sp manual, crank sunroof and windows, black vinyl seats and no working AC. Oh, and it was fire engine red(damn near orange). Those were the days.
Growing up my neighbor had a 635 CSi that I worked on for him several times. He also had a pair of 2002, one was a tii. I loved that car. He moved when I was away for college, I wish I knew where he landed.
I remember some old mechanics that specialized in repairing and restoring rare and exotic cars would machine and manufacture their own parts because they could not find the parts. Way before the internet, such repairmen would use suppliers who would track down exotic car parts or use shops that could reproduce replica parts.
Cars today are made with more plastic and made to only last about 5 years so that way you keep trading em in. Now obviously mechanics like, the Wizard here does not like it when new cars keep getting sold because that means he gets less older cars that are out of warranty to work on and charge a shit ton for in labor on. Lol. He says new car manufacturers are greedy and horrible but on the other end of the car scale, Wizard is greedy and is in business to make money, just like the car manufacturers. Everyone is biased to there own lives and life styles. If just 20% more people bought new cars every 5 years, Wizard will be making a lot less money. Ha