3.0 CSi (Ruf 3, you there?)
Discussion
I'm getting more and more turned on by these cars, especially now i've found out they are available for my kind of money.
does anyone have any experience of these cars (CSi CSa CSL) or owned one? are they as good as they look, and can i really get a half decent one for 5-6k?
The only PHer i can find with one is RUF 3. if you are there, can you comment please?
regards,
the lad
does anyone have any experience of these cars (CSi CSa CSL) or owned one? are they as good as they look, and can i really get a half decent one for 5-6k?
The only PHer i can find with one is RUF 3. if you are there, can you comment please?
regards,
the lad
I had my 3.0 Csi a good long time ago in the mid 80's. At that time it was not a particularly old car, and compared to other things of its era was pretty good.
I seem to recall that camshaft wear resulting in a noisy top end was an issue. My feeling would be that nowadays a 635 Csi would be a better bet as it was really a sorted but not dissimilar car, with a more modern feel to it. I suspect that the 3.0 Csi would feel like an antiquated old tub nowadays. Having said that they do still have a certain charm, and the style is still quite stunning. I had no problems with mine, although I always felt the handling was a bit suspect. I suspect nowadays that rust will be a problem. The CSL was the boy to have - alloy doors, wings, boot and bonnet - but even then a few fake CSL's were showing up.
The ones with the rear Wing and Deep Front Spoiler, known as the Batmobile are highly collectable and utterly gorgeous.
I guess that as long as you can accept the old car look, feel and potential problems it would be a very stylish and unusual mode of transport.
Oh and by the way, the Csa (Autobox) is shite.
Sorry I can't do much more but it was nearly 20 years ago!!
I seem to recall that camshaft wear resulting in a noisy top end was an issue. My feeling would be that nowadays a 635 Csi would be a better bet as it was really a sorted but not dissimilar car, with a more modern feel to it. I suspect that the 3.0 Csi would feel like an antiquated old tub nowadays. Having said that they do still have a certain charm, and the style is still quite stunning. I had no problems with mine, although I always felt the handling was a bit suspect. I suspect nowadays that rust will be a problem. The CSL was the boy to have - alloy doors, wings, boot and bonnet - but even then a few fake CSL's were showing up.
The ones with the rear Wing and Deep Front Spoiler, known as the Batmobile are highly collectable and utterly gorgeous.
I guess that as long as you can accept the old car look, feel and potential problems it would be a very stylish and unusual mode of transport.
Oh and by the way, the Csa (Autobox) is shite.
Sorry I can't do much more but it was nearly 20 years ago!!
RUF 3 said:
Sorry I can't do much more but it was nearly 20 years ago!!
not at all, thanks for your quick and positive response.
didn't fancy the auto anyway, so thats fine, and the dated styling and 'feel' is actually what i'm after i think its one of the best looking cars ever, and would go brilliantly with my new pair of flared jeans.
thanks again for your help,
the lad.
i've had 3 CS coupes: 1971 2800, bought new, 1974 3.0CSi, bought a few years old, and a 1973 3.0 CS bought 15 years on. beautiful cars, but they are getting dated. still a comfortable ride. in no way fast, but elegant. lots (LOTS) of rust problems. door hinges tend to weaken. electric window motors slow and go bad. never had an engine problem. the handling is nice for grand touring or daily driver chores. limited, because the rear of the car has a narrower track by a good bit from the front, since it came from the 4 cyl 2000 CS and the front was new and wider to accomodate the bigger 6 cyl. they called it "crab-tracked". you need to put wider tires on the back to compensate a bit, like they did on the CSL's. still a problem then.
nice car though and one of BMW's best all-time designs. far prettier than all but a handful (507 is up there and some really like the Z8) not much else comes to mind. a really nice coupe can be bought for $15-20,000.
nice car though and one of BMW's best all-time designs. far prettier than all but a handful (507 is up there and some really like the Z8) not much else comes to mind. a really nice coupe can be bought for $15-20,000.
My advice would be to buy a CSL as these will hold there money better and usually are better looked after consequently. I would recomend that you buy a LHD version though. The versions that came to the UK were suposed to be light which is what made them great, but buy the time the got here, all the perspex glass was changed for normal glass as well as many other bits and pieces like electric windows, sunroofs etc. making them some 200kg's heavier making them not much better than a csi. There were identical cars other than some aluminium pannels. A batmobile would be nice, but you would have to pay up to 20k for one.
Another option is to buy a 635csi/ M635csi. They are available in Manual but take a bit of looking. If you buy one make sure it is a series 2 635 post 82.
With both these cars rust is a major issue and needs to be inspected rigidly. I can give you more details of what to look for, and there have been some good articles in BMW car magasine and Total BMW with regards to buying. I can also put you in touch with clubs, and specialist particulary with regards to 6 series as i have and run one as a daily drive.
Good luck
Another option is to buy a 635csi/ M635csi. They are available in Manual but take a bit of looking. If you buy one make sure it is a series 2 635 post 82.
With both these cars rust is a major issue and needs to be inspected rigidly. I can give you more details of what to look for, and there have been some good articles in BMW car magasine and Total BMW with regards to buying. I can also put you in touch with clubs, and specialist particulary with regards to 6 series as i have and run one as a daily drive.
Good luck
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