Re: For Mike Barrett and all other L6 owners (archive)

The complete automotive resource for buyers, sellers, and owners like you.

: For quite some time now I've have read several messages concerning the L6. When it was made, when BMW stopped producing them, engine size, etc... Now I'm tired of reading that there only 87 L6's. This is not true! I'm going to end this debate right now. First of all, if you look at the badge on the inside of the door on my car it reads "L6". If you look at when was manufactured it reads 03/88. If you look at the owners manual it reads "L6". If you run my vin number which my dealership ( every time I go in for service) and my insurance agent both do, it comes up L6. Also, the full leather ( leather dash etc..) was in the car. Replaced once for free, and then the second one also got destroyed. So currently, the dash and wrap around area are plastic/vinyl. At 1999 Oktoberfest, I autocrossed against an 87 and there are differences. The bumpers, front and rear spoilers are different. The engine is different also. The 87 has a 182 hp engine. My car has the 208 hp engine with different compression, torque, and top end. The rear diffential's are not the same either.( different ratios) When I took first place in the Concours at O'fest ( read October's issue) it was for an 88 L6 not a 635csi. Bailey Taylor( our old pres.) spent some time with the car at O'fest 99 and never told me it wasn't an L6, but instead he said how rare the car is. I just pointed to the license plate. It reads " RARE L6". In fact the car is extremely rare. 1988 was the rarest production year for all the 6's (L6, M6 and 635csi). There was only 102 88 L6's manufatured, compared to 1,217 for 87. This should end this crap. See Ya at O'fest 2000!

Mike, I know where you are getting your figures, but it is obvious you do not understand what you are reading (BMW 6 Series Enthusiasts Companion). If you look at the same appendix, it indicates that NO 6 series car was built after 4/89, yet there are 90 and 91 models out there. How is this possible? Easy; BMW had a habit (maybe still does) of selling off its stock in years subsequent to that of the vehicle's production. My 1969 2000 sedan was most likely built in 1966. My 1988 635 was built in 6/87, and it too says "L6" in the door jamb - of course, it also says 635 as well. I don't care what the owners manual says; mine says 635/M6, but I certainly don't have an M6 (and I really don't care what your license plate says). The L6 badges were added by BMW NA, not the factory. Call BMW NA, or stop whining. You're the one perpetuating this thread.

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.