1978 BMW 733i E23 - For Auction

This car is in auction on The Market website. The auction ends on 13th November. Price is an estimate.

The lovely example was in the same family for 34 years, having been bought new by the uncle who then passed it on to his nephew in due course. The current owner bought it five years ago from a fellow member of the BMW Car Club, since which time he has only driven around 1,500 miles in it.

The vendor tells us that the original owners have confirmed that the BMW was regularly serviced and always kept garaged when it wasn’t being used, both of which help explain its remarkable condition. The pampering continued with the fourth and current owners, both of whom are card-carrying BMW enthusiasts who appreciated the significance of the car and its remarkable condition.

Fitted with the rare manual gearbox, the vendor had planned to keep the car but the purchase of an even rarer model now forces its reluctant sale. He describes it as being in potential show-winning condition, needing only a small amount of paintwork to bring it up to a very good standard. He singles the interior out for specific praise, describing it as being “almost museum quality”.

The Chamonix White coachwork is in very good condition, with tight, even shutlines and panel gaps, and a good gloss to it, even after all these years. There are half-a-dozen small rust spots but we’ve taken a close look at them and they all still seem to be relatively trivial (probably surface rust rather than rotted through); we think that localized repairs should be easy to make and matching the paint should be pretty straightforward too, given the car’s non-metallic colour.

Apart from that, this ‘bahnstormer has clearly been well cared for, the panel gaps are consistent and sharp, the paint finish is very good and we struggle to criticize. Perfection requires remedial work, but is it worth it?

The four Alpina Style alloy wheels are in stunning condition having been recently refurbished. They are also shod with relatively new, matching Falken tyres; matching tyres are one of the very best indicators we know of a caring, understanding, and mechanically sympathetic owner, so potential bidders should take heart in their presence and set their bids accordingly.

The exterior chromework is still lustrous and largely free of rust pits, and the light lenses are in good condition with the indicators and brake light lenses remaining bright and unfaded.

The underside has had some very minor welding for previous MOTs, and so is solid and well cared for. However, a weekend’s worth of wire brushing and undersealing would pay dividends. This would be an easy DIY job or could be undertaken by a professional for around £200. The current owner has been underneath with a (sensitively-prodded) screwdriver and claims that there is no more rot to be found. Feel free to arrange a viewing prior to auction end to check out for yourself. …much more text on our website

Please note that the text above is just a brief summary of our listing. Please click on the link below, or visit The Market website for the complete description plus at least 100 photos and videos fully illustrating the car and its service history. All bidding occurs through our website, and our website listing is the best place to ask questions directly to the seller.

The vehicle can be viewed with us in Abingdon, South Oxfordshire.

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