Weekend car

The 6, definitely.

+1 definitely a coupe for a weekend car.

The coupe makes for a better w-end car. Get it in that 1970's brown, if at all possible. Very Baader-Meinhof chic. And you shouldn't even consider automatic transmission.

Of those two, I'd vote for the 6 series. I take it you aren't going so vintage as to look into the 2002s?

I too have been thinking about picking up a 6. Gorgeous car, inside and out.

I prefer the manual, but if I had a choice of an 80's 5 or 6 series, I'd take the 6 regardless of the transmission.

Get an M6 and be a big timer.

I think that "weekend car" and "automatic transmission" are mutually exclusive. Even if it is a 6.

Oh yes!

For a weekend car, I'd personally want an E30 convertible or Z3 roadster, depending on price range. Of the two cars show, I'd hunt for an L6 - the luxury version of the E24 6-series.

My Dad has an '87 635csi with a 5spd as a weekend/knock around car. They're fantastic cars on the highway and surprisingly quick.

Any pics? If not, what color. I love those cars.

Have owned the former, not the latter, along with several E30's, and our house always had one or two of the more modern Bimmers as well...
The 6 is the weekend car of the two (the 5 is still a great driver, but doesn't really scream 'weekend fun' at you as much as 'Monday through Friday, 9-5'... look at the guy in the picture for reference), but the 6 has never really done it for me, it is nice for the guys who lived during that time and remember it as a nice car, and it's nice for diehard Bimmer fans who have nice Euro M6's and 635CSi's that are clean as a whistle, but in general, I'm not a fan of the $3000 US-Spec 635's with autos that lurk around auto classifieds in America. There are a lot nicer cars to be had.

$3000 auto 635's and M6's are not for the same buyer, but know that the M6's engine is insanely expensive to upkeep and put real mileage on; they require adjustments at regular intervals and parts nearly extinct; one of my dad's neighbors is a well-known specialist in that motor and he sells hot rebuilds (and requires a core) and they still cost like $14K.

The little E30 M3's will never be priced well again, they were resurrected on the used market around with the advent of the internet car messageboard and are far too expensive now, but if you did find a decent one for decent price, they're a good buy and will only increase in value as well. Similar upkeep to an M6, but a bit more common.

Unfortunately I think old 80's BMWs are now in the range of being too expensive for guys who want a cheap bucket to roll around in; they used to be this exact car 10 years ago, but now with the extra age and mileage most are complete buckets on the verge of needing restoration or pretty serious overhaul. E30's, you can sometimes find nice ones still, but they're becoming pretty dear as well, for nice ones....