Hmmmmm....

22 yr old BMW, shouldn't be that difficult....think again


Fuel...?

Won't run on unleaded without additives,
Won't run on super unleaded at all,
Won't run on LRP,
Will run on Optimax, but not got it over here, so thats out of the question,
Will run on good old 4 star...if you can find it....

Replacement tyres...?

CR28 220/55 R390 33V

Metric rims, only one tyre manufactured for this rim, the Avon Turbospeed...fine...til you see the price per tyre...£198 plus VAT/fitting.

Me thinks a slight reorganisation required in the fuel type department will be required, and when the tyres on the car now, which fortunately are new, eventually expire...new rims too...

So much for having a European built car making life easy....

 

LPG conversion? 100+RON don't you know!

And I'm sure you could find some nice aftermarket alloys and tyre combo's for £198+vat each

obviously have to chuck the originality book out the window

 

But new wheels. For a car that age you can buy some cheap wheels that look OK and will have tyres fitted.

Should run on LRP - how do you know it won't?. Else get it converted to run on unleaded.

 

LPG would definately be much cheaper to run...shall be looking into the cost of conversion for the 635 CSi...can't hurt to find out I spose...

As for the wheels, might see about getting BMW/BBS replacements, seeing as BBS do a range for BMW, so the originality won't be entirely lost...in theory at least.

 

Yup - many 635 owners use the BBS or a similar wheel from later beemers and it is "acceptable" in their words

 

Had a look at LPG conversions, cost £2115 inc VAT/fitting, saving an average of £225 per month based on annual mileage of 20k.....could work out quite well.

 

How well would a 22 year old car cope with 20k miles p/a?

 

Its got 265000 already on the clock and when cared for properly a car can cope with any number of miles put on it.

 

Does it show the last owner on your log book as NASA?

 

The car is 22 years old, hardly a driveway ornament either lol

 

No, the BBS wheel would not be acceptable in the BMW clubs. The best option is to buy a set of Alpina wheels. You can often get good deals through the BMW Drivers Club. The advantage of the Alpina wheel is that it was available as an option from new. To sort out the fuel issue, you probably need to replace the cylinder head. Is it a big 6 or small 6?

 

Just a thought wolf:

You say you can run on unleaded with adative or optimax which is also unleaded. So I would be right in saying you don't need leaded fuel to protect from valve seat recession.

If it's just an octane issue: Then why can't you just retard the ignition timing and fit cooler rated spark plugs?

OK you'll loose abit of power and mpg. But you get the same effect when on LPG (due to restrictions caused by the mixer and having the ignition timing set for petrol).