BMW 645Ci Manual - V8 German Muscle

[Scootersp]

Just bumping this (Woody, how is the car doing?) as I've bought my second manual 645, a coupe this time.

I'd been keeping my eye out for a coupe as I still think they are bargains, cheapest GT/sporty RWD V8 manuals out there from what I can see? (cheaper than MG ZT and Monaro's

I didn't get the number plate with it but it made the long trip home just fine, I probably paid a little over the odds but it's had a huge engine refresh done on it a few years back which I'm hoping means it'll be leak free, at least while I plough through loads of little/big! jobs on the convertible.



Contemplating a LSD, just weighing up the cost/benefit.

[W00DY]

Scootersp said:

Just bumping this (Woody, how is the car doing?) as I've bought my second manual 645, a coupe this time.

I'd been keeping my eye out for a coupe as I still think they are bargains, cheapest GT/sporty RWD V8 manuals out there from what I can see? (cheaper than MG ZT and Monaro's

I didn't get the number plate with it but it made the long trip home just fine, I probably paid a little over the odds but it's had a huge engine refresh done on it a few years back which I'm hoping means it'll be leak free, at least while I plough through loads of little/big! jobs on the convertible.



Contemplating a LSD, just weighing up the cost/benefit.

Awesome. Congratulations! Will you be doing a thread? I'd certainly be interested in LSD options. I'm jealous of the engine refresh that I'm building up the courage to doing myself.

Sadly mine hasn't been anywhere since the MOT lapsed at the end of April. Life has got in the way a bit and buying a campervan that needed some love to be useful took priority over the summer months, but I have renewed drive to make the 6 into the car I know it can be. As you said there really is nothing comparable for the money.


Obviously the most important place to start was the perfectly functional interior. I finally managed to find a set of sports seats in matching Chateau red for a price I could stomach so threw those in and then decided that I could no longer live with the grey family car headliner and fitted a nice anthracite one from an M6.



New seats, complete with adjustable lumbar. A huge improvement which should have always been the standard option.

Headlinging before



And after. Again a big change in feel, the material is much nicer and it makes the car feel much mre of the sports coupe it wants to be.




I have a big order of suspension bits coming this week.

Edited by W00DY on Tuesday 7th November 15:54

[phil_cardiff]

Great work on the interior. May I suggest a re-trimmed M-Sport steering wheel to really set it off?

[Mr Tidy]

phil_cardiff said:

Great work on the interior. May I suggest a re-trimmed M-Sport steering wheel to really set it off?

Agree it looks great - but an M-Sport wheel would work well with those seats and the anthracite head-lining!

[ATM]

W00DY said:

I have a big order of suspension bits coming this week.

What?

[Scootersp]

W00DY said:

Awesome. Congratulations! Will you be doing a thread? I'd certainly be interested in LSD options. I'm jealous of the engine refresh that I'm building up the courage to doing myself.

Edited by W00DY on Tuesday 7th November 15:54

Thanks, I need to sell my Mkiv Supra over the coming months before a can devote time to the 645's. I'm hoping to drive the new acquisition, whilst I go to town on the Cabriolet, cam covers, gonna do the alternator bracket gasket too, plugs, front suspension artm bushes etc etc!

Will perhaps pop some progress pics up in this thread over time if thats ok? (i'll see if the refresh booklet video the seller gave me will post up)

These are perfect for my situation I think, I just need to get a decent laptop with the BMW software and learn about that (currently have an 'ok' foxwell thing).

Had Supra's for over 20 years but they are now, to me, a liability as they have become valuable, theft/insurance (risk of not getting a decent payout) and part availability and prices etc have become an issue, the BMW's reset me back into my cheap and very cheerful happy place!!

[Scootersp]

W00DY said:

New seats, complete with adjustable lumbar. A huge improvement which should have always been the standard option.

Edited by W00DY on Tuesday 7th November 15:54

They and the headlining look great

Can I ask if the seats are a straight swap/plug in? My new one has these types of seats but the Cabriolet doesn't so that might be something I look to upgrade on it if it's not too much of a faff.

[GeniusOfLove]

That interior looks fabulous, I watch for these at auction and half hope a manual V8 doesn't turn up because I think I'll have to buy it despite having no space, no time, and no money

[Scootersp]

GeniusOfLove said:

That interior looks fabulous, I watch for these at auction and half hope a manual V8 doesn't turn up because I think I'll have to buy it despite having no space, no time, and no money

There is one hidden in the depths of facebook market place at the moment, cheap with some recent good 'problem' work done but in Cornwall though and I skipped it due to it having a lower than standard front lip that's incompatible with my drive.

I still look for a no panoramic roofed one (like Woody's) for the perfect trio!

Edited by Scootersp on Wednesday 8th November 12:56

[bolidemichael]

ATM said:

W00DY said:

I have a big order of suspension bits coming this week.

What?

He said that he has A BIG ORDER OF SUSPENSION BITS COMING THIS WEEK.

[d_a_n1979]

bolidemichael said:

ATM said:

W00DY said:

I have a big order of suspension bits coming this week.

What?

He said that he has A BIG ORDER OF SUSPENSION BITS COMING THIS WEEK.

[W00DY]

Mr Tidy said:

phil_cardiff said:

Great work on the interior. May I suggest a re-trimmed M-Sport steering wheel to really set it off?

Agree it looks great - but an M-Sport wheel would work well with those seats and the anthracite head-lining!

Thanks both. I quite like the current wheel, it doesn't look much different to the M-sport and isn't too fat. With every modern BMW being covered in M tat (both original and aftermarket), I like the lack of tricolore. I would be tempted if there's more dish to the wheel though, I even looked into getting a spacer (quite pricey and not the most attractive) since I'd like it a touch further aft than it currently sits at full extension.

ATM said:

What?

I went with some Meyle HD arms as per your recommendation as well as some Eibach pro springs and various related bits. stuck with the standard dampers for now to avoid the spend getting out of hand.

Scootersp said:

Thanks, I need to sell my Mkiv Supra over the coming months before a can devote time to the 645's. I'm hoping to drive the new acquisition, whilst I go to town on the Cabriolet, cam covers, gonna do the alternator bracket gasket too, plugs, front suspension artm bushes etc etc!

Will perhaps pop some progress pics up in this thread over time if thats ok? (i'll see if the refresh booklet video the seller gave me will post up)

These are perfect for my situation I think, I just need to get a decent laptop with the BMW software and learn about that (currently have an 'ok' foxwell thing).

Had Supra's for over 20 years but they are now, to me, a liability as they have become valuable, theft/insurance (risk of not getting a decent payout) and part availability and prices etc have become an issue, the BMW's reset me back into my cheap and very cheerful happy place!!

Sounds great, definitely pop as much in here as you can, It'll definitely be of interest. Shame about the Supras (I'm a big fan), but at least you got to enjoy them without the modern worries and it's always good to try something new.

Scootersp said:

They and the headlining look great

Can I ask if the seats are a straight swap/plug in? My new one has these types of seats but the Cabriolet doesn't so that might be something I look to upgrade on it if it's not too much of a faff.

Yep, straight swap with no issues, there may be changes with different model years. but not in this case. Worth keeping an eye on ebay for cars getting broken since the parts are usually significantly cheaper than some sellers want for fully listed stuff.

GeniusOfLove said:

That interior looks fabulous, I watch for these at auction and half hope a manual V8 doesn't turn up because I think I'll have to buy it despite having no space, no time, and no money

They're a guaranteed* future classic. You cannot** lose

[ATM]

W00DY said:

ATM said:

What?

I went with some Meyle HD arms as per your recommendation

Impressed that someone actually listens to Me. Make sure you tell everyone to do the same.

Thanks

[Scootersp]

W00DY said:

Yep, straight swap with no issues, there may be changes with different model years. but not in this case. Worth keeping an eye on ebay for cars getting broken since the parts are usually significantly cheaper than some sellers want for fully listed stuff.


They're a guaranteed* future classic. You cannot** lose

Cheers for this, I have been watching for breakers or even a whole car that has issues, with reasonable mot'd and running fine cars being as low as £3,500 the ones that need an immediate spend are often peanuts, the right seats wheels and headlights and the rest of the car is virtually free!?

I rode the unforeseen appreciation wave with the Supra and cashing out will give healthy budget for refreshing anything on the BMW's

[d_a_n1979]

It'll do well with the Eibach pro kit springs on the OEM dampers Woody (if the dampers aren't shot, fingers crossed they're not).

Are you fitting new top mounts and drop links whilst it's all coming out?

I've gone for Eibach pro kit springs and Bilstein B4S shocks for my F31; the B8s are just too firm for UK roads and every day driving IMO

[W00DY]

ATM said:

Impressed that someone actually listens to Me. Make sure you tell everyone to do the same.

Thanks

Scootersp said:

Cheers for this, I have been watching for breakers or even a whole car that has issues, with reasonable mot'd and running fine cars being as low as £3,500 the ones that need an immediate spend are often peanuts, the right seats wheels and headlights and the rest of the car is virtually free!?

I rode the unforeseen appreciation wave with the Supra and cashing out will give healthy budget for refreshing anything on the BMW's

Although sometimes it's easier to let someone else find out that there isn't much market for 6 series parts. I had a few back and forth with a guy who wanted £1100 for an interior for over a year before he sold it for about half of that (which is what I offered in the first place). I ended up getting the pair of front seats (didn't want the whole interior) for £150.

d_a_n1979 said:

It'll do well with the Eibach pro kit springs on the OEM dampers Woody (if the dampers aren't shot, fingers crossed they're not).

Are you fitting new top mounts and drop links whilst it's all coming out?

I've gone for Eibach pro kit springs and Bilstein B4S shocks for my F31; the B8s are just too firm for UK roads and every day driving IMO

Thanks Dan. Definitely hoping the dampers are ok for now. I was wary of going too stiff which would rather ruin it I reckon, but some fresh dampers would no doubt be a good upgrade for the future.

Drop-links and top mounts are both on their way.

[d_a_n1979]

W00DY said:

ATM said:

Impressed that someone actually listens to Me. Make sure you tell everyone to do the same.

Thanks

Scootersp said:

Cheers for this, I have been watching for breakers or even a whole car that has issues, with reasonable mot'd and running fine cars being as low as £3,500 the ones that need an immediate spend are often peanuts, the right seats wheels and headlights and the rest of the car is virtually free!?

I rode the unforeseen appreciation wave with the Supra and cashing out will give healthy budget for refreshing anything on the BMW's

Although sometimes it's easier to let someone else find out that there isn't much market for 6 series parts. I had a few back and forth with a guy who wanted £1100 for an interior for over a year before he sold it for about half of that (which is what I offered in the first place). I ended up getting the pair of front seats (didn't want the whole interior) for £150.

d_a_n1979 said:

It'll do well with the Eibach pro kit springs on the OEM dampers Woody (if the dampers aren't shot, fingers crossed they're not).

Are you fitting new top mounts and drop links whilst it's all coming out?

I've gone for Eibach pro kit springs and Bilstein B4S shocks for my F31; the B8s are just too firm for UK roads and every day driving IMO

Thanks Dan. Definitely hoping the dampers are ok for now. I was wary of going too stiff which would rather ruin it I reckon, but some fresh dampers would no doubt be a good upgrade for the future.

Drop-links and top mounts are both on their way.

Yup; having been out in F30s and F31s with Bilstein coilovers, B12 kit and then my pals with new B4s and eibach pro kit springs; that won it for me straight away... Perfect for the UK roads; slightly stiffer than OEM but then again my springs & shocks are dated 2015 and nearly 100k miles; so ripe for a change!

[Scootersp]

W00DY said:

Although sometimes it's easier to let someone else find out that there isn't much market for 6 series parts. I had a few back and forth with a guy who wanted £1100 for an interior for over a year before he sold it for about half of that (which is what I offered in the first place). I ended up getting the pair of front seats (didn't want the whole interior) for £150.

Noted thanks, I have a recency bias, because I lived through the Supra years of, bumpers and cats etc being almost given away, £60 sort of range that are now gold dust and hundreds, supply out did demand for while, like your seats!?

It might never happen with these but at worst they'll be a low cost healthy used spares bin for me, I thought the Supra would be a forevercar, but it's appreciation meant a re think. My mindset is that I can go back to basics, enjoy stripping a cheap 6 and learning for peanuts, rather than having an expensive car. If they appreciate one day the bits will too, not a plan but it can happen.

[waynedear]

That is gorgeous, especially the interior, I am 6 days into 630 ownership, boring Dakota (cream) interior, I do love it though.

[Scootersp]

Spent a few hours on my convertible putting new front control arms on, tightened up the front nicely, they'd been on the to do list for a while.

Cam covers gaskets plugs and oil change the next things on the list.

Partly bumping in case anyone wanted to dabble into the manual 645 market, as there is currently a very cheap one (not without issues) on the usual sites.

Apparently I can't have 3!