2004 BMW M3 CSL £134,950
It’s rare rare, but can it really beworthbe worth thismuch?this much? Perha Perhaps when it has an unusual manual gearbox conversion, says Richard Gunn
Amere 422 of these lightweight racing-inspired M3s were produced, so this car is a bit special. But even more so, as flawed semi-automatic SMGII gearbox has been replaced by a full six-speed manual conversion. The price may be high, but this is a superb lowmileage, high-quality example. With a genuine sub-40,000 miles and a paperwork file that testifies to much care and attention over the years, this BMW is barely run-in. It includes all the original owners’ books, in the correct CSL wallet, a fully stamped service book, a large file of invoices and MOT certificates confirming its mileage – and a wooden box containing the original gearbox.
It drives absolutely superbly – docile when it needs to be, with massive reserves of power when required. The gearbox conversion makes it much better at lower speeds and in stop/start traffic than its factory-spec siblings. The conversion was a professional one, accompanied by a differential upgrade; there’s some notchiness to the short-throw lever.
That very dark metallic green finish is not actually paint – it’s a wrap. A previous owner was a collector of green cars, so had the silver-grey body professionally shrouded. It’s been done very well; so well, in fact, that it’s difficult to tell it’s not paint. There are virtually no areas where the wrap has started to wear, crease, tear or get tatty – in fact, all we could find is a small chip below the Csl-branded treadplate in the driver’s door-shut. We’re told that the original paint is immaculate underneath. We can definitely confirm that the M Sport 19in alloy wheels are in a similar state of order, and their Michelin Pilot Sport low-profile tyres, datestamped 2020, have plenty of life left.
The cabin is resolutely grey, with the few splashes of colour being the gauge needles and M Sport stitching on the steering wheel. The seats are Amaretto suede and Reflex cloth; suede, of course, marks easily, but while there is some very minor wear to the driver’s seat bolsters, the rest is remarkably free from issues.
The carbon-fibre inserts are fine, with the limited edition plaque – confirming UK production of just 422 units – all present and correct just in front of the handbrake, albeit with some superficial scratching up close. The boot looks like it’s never even carried anything, and has been checked for the floor cracking that can strike these CSLS. Nothing was found.
Opening the bonnet reveals the original silver-grey paint – clearly some things you just can’t wrap. It’s about as flawless as could be for an environment subject to lots of oil, grease and heat. Everything is very clean and tidy; there are a few traces of grime here and there, but they’re only noticeable under very close scrutiny.
Everything looks completely factorystock, and the fluids are healthy and at the levels they should be. All the warning and information decals are intact and generally unmarked. When you look at this engine, it’s hard to believe it’s in been in place for 18 years. It looks more like something aged around 18 months.