Thinking about used E38? Here's what to look for.

[M.Wong]

There are several things to watch for. I would avoid anything without a full history and excellent service records. I would also lean towards a CPO or aftermarket warranty.

Some things to check:
Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display.
Catalytic converters failing
Power steering hoses leaking
Cup holders failing
Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8
Oil pump bolts backing out, generally pre 99 years
Radiator failures. Plastic neck breaking, all years
A/C stepper motors failing.
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing
Coolant thermostat failing
Poor quality jack
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer
Sunroof wind noise
CD player skipping in models older than 97
Older A/C temperature displays failing
Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications
A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound


Summary of model years:

1996
New 4.4 liter engine. Horsepower remained the same but torque went up from 295@4500 rpm to 310@3900 rpm. Standard steel sunroof changed, glass moonroof instead.

1997
Side impact airbags standard for front seat passengers. Navigation system became available but fitted into few cars.

1998
DSC became standard. HPS head airbags also standard and rear-seat side airbags optional. Navigation system more available. New AC control panel as well (although this was retrofitted to many pre-98 cars).

1999
Mild face-lift with scalloped headlights, crystalized taillamps, door scoop illumination, and chrome strip on the trunk. The 4.4 liter engine receives VANOS variable valve timing and torque rises from 310 to 324. Updated side skirts without the round hole plugs for the jack. Sport package consisting of 18-inch rims, blackout trim, lower gear ratio, and vavona redwood interior trim became available on the 740i.

2000
Features as standard that were options before. Xenon lights, rain sensing wipers, headlight washer nozzles, Navigation, DSP stereo with cassette in the dash and 6 disk changer in the trunk. Sport package became available on 740iL/750iL models, sans the lower gearing.

2001
For the last year, they added body colored side skirts, and front and rear air dams (all were black until 2001) and crystal clear turn signals. Features as standard that were options before, Star tac phone with mayday system, 16 way comfort seats, side airbags with head protection skirts. Mid year (9/00 production and later) they changed to a wide navigation screen.


Very important, if you are considering a 1995 V8, please see this link for the Nikasil Issue (Koala Motorsport) (http://www.koalamotorsport.com/article-m60v8.asp)

[MDabney]

Mark,

Thanks for the write-up. I'll park this as an "un-official" FAQ so everyone can add to it as needed. You can then edit your initial post to incorporate any new info at your convenience.

- Mike D.

[EstorilBlauM3]

Mark,

Thanks for the information. I'll pass it along to my aprents who are interested in a 2000-2001.

[EstorilBlauM3]

I looked at a 2000 740i today. I noticed that none of the body panels have the vin numbers on them. I have them on all the body panels of my M3. Is it normal for a 740i to be like this? Also, I noticed that the windshield is kind of tinted, but not around the area of the mirror and in the shape of a rectangle near the bottom, close to the dash. Is this normal? Also, do the factory floor mats say "BMW" on them? Thanks for your help.

[M.Wong]

It’s strange, but the E38 and E39 don’t have the visible VIN on all the fenders. My E30 has stickers in each rain gutter track on the top of the fenders. I know it’s in the normal places on the E38 (base of windshield and B-pillar at driver’s door) plus on the passenger side strut tower in the engine compartment and under the back license plate on a sticker.

There are several BMW windshields for the E38. The plain glass has a slight blue tint... Options on the plain are heating/defrost elements where the wipers park and rain sensing wiper gap in the tint.

The more expensive windshield is an infrared reflective glass with a brown tint. It has and gaps at the center top for the wiper sensor and center bottom for a radar detector or toll pass devices.

Mine did not come with mats that said BMW, but I changed them to the rubber BMW ones that do. (Seattle, lotsa rain, etc.)

http://members.roadfly.com/mwong/mats1.JPG

http://members.roadfly.com/mwong/mats3.JPG

[EstorilBlauM3]

Mark,

Thanks so much for answering my questions. I was thinking that maybe the e39, e38, e65, etc. have different ways of marking the body panels for identification. I saw something on the discovery channel sometime ago that talked about having the VIN number on more expensive automobiles be built into the paint or something like that. It would be more expensive to or nearly impossible to copy this type of technology when compared to the old VIN stickers. Again, thanks for the info. If I have more questions in the next few days, I'll PM you.

BTW: I like your choice of cars. :)

[M.Wong]

Has the radiator been replaced? If so, when?
Are the pixels working in the instrument cluster display and MID?
Does the front suspension making any noises? Any work done to it?
Have the water pump/thermostat been replaced yet? If so, when?
Have the catalytic converters been replaced?
Check the function of every electrical do-dad before you buy it. They can drive you nuts and cost plenty out of warranty to get right. Seat controls and memories (and steering wheel memory modules) fail from time to time so makes sure these work. CD changers, radio, NAV.
Check window shades for noise and/or function,
Radio AM/FM good reception or not? If the windows are tinted make sure about AM reception.
Plus all the normal used car stuff: brakes, engine oil leaks, power steering function and leaks, coolant leaks and running temp, AC/Heat function, tires, wheels, exhaust.

[SilverBeam]

Okay, lets see if anyone can beat me in services.


Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display.
>Catalytic converters failing
>Power steering hoses leaking
>Cup holders failing
>Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8(haven't had to replace, though)
Oil pump bolts backing out
>Radiator failures. Plastic neck breaking, mostly pre 98
>A/C stepper motors failing.
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing
Coolant thermostat failing
Poor quality jack (never had to check)
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer
>Sunroof wind noise
CD player skipping in models older than 97
>Older A/C temperature displays failing
>Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications
A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound

9 out of 17. How does everyone else come out?

[SilverBeam]

Originally posted by M.Wong

Seat controls and memories (and steering wheel memory modules)
Check window shades for noise and/or function,
Radio AM/FM good reception or not? If the windows are tinted make sure about AM reception.


No fair, these should have been posted before. If we include that second post: 12/20

Plus cruise control failure.

My car is a money pit, eh?

[iforged]

Who has a decent aftermarket warranty for the 7 series, or should I try to get it direct from the BMW dealer

[SilverBeam]

you can get one from BMW, but it doesn't cover jack. I had to deal with a lot of stuff that wasn't covered on that so called "bumper to bumper" waranty.

Now I'm trucking it alone, with 111,715 miles on my car, and some expencive things that need to be replaced.

[Lucky7]

to little740girl,
I have been following this forum for a few months (it's excellent just a little slow sometimes) and have read many of your posts.
As sad as it maybe but in my humble opinion you should consider selling the 7 for another BMW that is not going keep breaking the bank. I wish you all the best.

[SilverBeam]

everyone says that, but first you need to convince both myself and my mom that it's worth selling the car. I have good insurance rates with the seven, and no payment, so it's a pretty nice deal I have. Although, what I would be spending with a payment goes into service, but its spread out a bit.

I love my car. I do think about getting something smaller, something easier to maintain, but I love my car so much that I couldn't really think about selling her. Also, she's only worth about 15 right now, not enough to get something really nice to replace her with.

Come on people, how much have you had to replace?

[umnitza]

check your exhaust hanger bolts. out of the 4 on my wife's car, 2 had fallen off, 2 were on their last threads.

Just another FYI.

[M.Wong]

umnitza, I will check those hangers next weekend... thanks for the heads up!

Yeah little740girl, I'd consider getting something else too. Have you considered a newer used car? I still have CPO coverage for 45K more miles or two more years, which ever comes first. Here are the ones I have encountered:

Catalytic converters failing (done under warranty)

Oil pump bolts backing out (paid to have them checked, all okay)

A/C stepper motors failing (squeak noise, done under warranty)

Radiator failure. (Cost $50 under CPO)

Sunroof wind noise (replaced gasket and it's much better)

A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound
(didn't really have this problem but they did it under warranty anyway)

Cup holders failing
(not a problem, proactively bought aftermarket from cupholders.com)






None of the following:

Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display.
Power steering hoses leaking
Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing
Coolant thermostat failing
Poor quality jack (well, we all have this I guess)
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer
CD player skipping in models older than 97
Older A/C temperature displays failing
Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications

[iforged]

M. Wong, what kind of aftermarket warranty do you have?

[M.Wong]

It was a BMW CPO car...
Mark Wong

[claudebmw]

:redspot 12 I am here and learning how everything works other than BMW. Until now everything is low and individual postings as such I do not kno what works better or there is improvenment as to how it works... perhaps, there is a learning curve so give me a few days before next complaint.

Claude

:eyes1

[Tranceshark]

test

[jimbartlett]

Hi -- just had to add to Mark's comments on the E38s... I'm very much enjoying mine...looked at many of these cars before buying "Baby". Since then I've helped several other fellows as they've shopped for and purchased their E38s....provided them each with a list of things to inspect, etc.

With so many options and features on these cars, it's very important to make a checklist and go over the car with a fine-tooth comb (FTC) before making an offer....esp if it's non-CPO, like mine was. You should of course take it to a BMW dealer or other after-market specialist to have a pre-purchase bumper-to-bumper inspection done...that will help you identify any major gotchas. But I don't know any mechanics who will do the FTC inspection...that falls to the prospective buyer.

With dozens of items that can fail (and which can cost hundred of $$ each to repair) you can be looking at a big repair bill if you're not careful. I've seen all kinds of cars....some with up to a dozen or more "gotchas" that needed fixing....with potential bill of $1,000 or more...and all were minor things you wouldn't notice while test driving or taking to a dealer for a checkout.....unless you do the FTC checklist inspection.

Basically, just go through the owner's manual cover-to-cover, and write down every feature or option that's listed. Then review the car to see if (a) it has that feature or option, and (b) if it works as it should. Some other unique items on these cars are things Mark listed already in his original post....e.g. fading/vanishing pixels, weak neck on radiator hose mounting flange, etc.

Bottom line -- Awesome car! Just be a careful and detailed buyer.

[Kend1606]

without an E38. My '01 740il has only had 1 from the list, noisy sunroof. That was finally fixed at dealer and has been only good dealer experience in 2 1/2 years. Still trying to decide if April '04 and end-of-lease means "go it alone for repairs", buy CPO at dealer and prepare for more years of frustration and disappointment, or look for 3rd party warranty. Recommendations? Ken

[pogcarr]

My wife's 1990 525i got crunched by a careless Acura just before Christmas. She would like another BMW, but with child seats and things would like the extra space of the 7 series. Our 525 was a dead-nuts reliable car. In ten years of ownership, we only ever had one relay and a muffler fail. From what I gather here, the 7 series doesn't have that kind of dependability...right?
Also, if we did find a car that would pass the FTC test, what is a reasonable price to pay for a 1997-2000 car?

[FlyingHigh]

Hmmm, pogcarr, that's a loaded question.... My personal experience is that buying a well maintained 7 should give you a relatively trouble free experience. I have put 25k miles on my '95 (currently 77k miles) and have only had to make one trip to the dealer (the infamous Nikasil engine - most of it was covered under warranty).

....I've spent a great deal of dollars on upgrades, but that's a whole other story... :eek:

Buy as new a model as you can afford. You can check online sources such as Kelly's and Edmunds for pricing. Also check Autotrader.com. You will get an idea of the range you can expect to pay for each year.

If you are concerned about major repairs, buy CPO or get an aftermarket warranty.

Also, note that many of the irritants that are well documented in this thread are fairly easy to stay on top of and not overly expensive. If you follow some of the great advice in this thread you can end up with a great used 7 for half the cost of buying it new. ...and your wife and child will have the added protection of a bigger car, improved restraints and better airbags. Unfortunately, you will probably not get to drive the car very often :awink:

[texbeamer]

Hm....

I replaced

Weather strips on the door
Valve Cover Gasket.
Thrust Rod Bushing.
Windshield washer pump.
Power Stering hoses. -- watch out if you replace one..another one might leak - since the pressure change in the system

good luck

[Aussie740Limo]

I can offer two opinions, one as an Aussie where anything imported costs a lot, and as a professional driver and commercial vehicle operator where every cost has to be minimized.

Aftermarket parts specialists such as Import Advantage in Brisbane stock most of the service parts for 7s, other parts may have to be new genuine or come from one of the BMW wreckers in the southern states of Oz.

Good quality aftermarket catalytic converters are readily available for approx $1100 fitted, Continental and Pirelli tyres in 16 inch sizes are available but don't last long and I have run Asian-made Nankangs which were half the price and good value - a little noisy but not obtrusive. Tyre rotation every 10K is a must especially if you have the car loaded all the time like I do.

There are plenty of independent BMW techs who hated working in the dealership system and have their own shops, and I have found their labour rates to be close to what the normal Ford/GM guys charge. It will help to have someone with a bit of experience with the marque, and this is definitely the case with the electrics. Yes, you will need the trans serviced because they are a $8K proposition here if they fail. I used to use Castrol synthetic then semi-synthetic Mobil engine oil, but I have since changed to Conoco Hydroclear and I am really impressed so far.

They seem to hold wheel alignments well ($88 as an average), even on our NYC-like pot-holed roads - wheel wobble @ 80km/h is common, and because my strut bar bushes are OK I have found running 38psi in the front tyres eliminates this (35 on rears).

The dust sealing and water sealing is excellent for all you outback blokes - you would think they had Australian input into this its so good. Sound proofing is average - a lot of engine noise comes into the cabin, but because its a glorious song of 8 or 12 cylinders, who gives a @#*&? I have found the double glazing to quieten down the outside noise but more importantly keeps the cabin temperature longer than any single pane window cars I've had - huge difference and massive advantage in my line of work. The A/C is absolutely freezing on 16 degrees celcius BTW.

NEVER EVER EVER put standard Aussie unleaded petrol in them - they ping like buggery and the high sulphur content is detrimental to the health of the oil, catalytic convertors and will increase the coolant temp because of the predetonation. Premium unleaded is a must, and they are even picky on that. Shell Optimax or BP Ultimate will add another 70kms range over normal premium, and the increased throttle response is noticeable.

Little niggles - I find the screws holding the door opener recesses in the inside door panels continually need tightening because of the use they get - coat all of your electrical bulb ends with electrical grease otherwise when it rains you will get the bulb warnings going off repeatedly - the leather is hardy but dirties easy clean with mild wool wash such as Softly which will clean well and won't pull the oils out of the leather - if you don't keep drilube on the hinges on the doors bootlid and bonnet they can make a grinding noise after a while and this shortens their life - the indicator cancelling cam always breaks and doesn't cancel the LH side - running with the front and rear foglights on is essential on country roads, but the rear fogs are as bright as, and it really blinds some drivers.

My overall summary - the best vehicle I have ever used for limousine work. It still turns heads wherever I go, my clients love the look of it, the atmosphere of the cabin and the TV which I have on all the time. I do 1000 to 1500kms a week over potholed city streets, red dirt country roads, glassy smooth freeways and our famous rough bitumen highways and I have always felt safe and enjoyed every moment in it. The legion of enthusiasts on boards such as this that share product knowledge and life in general just tops off the good vibes for this car.

I wholeheartedly recommend this motor vehicle.

Cheers

JOHN

[taiheung]

As he said. :D
Though try to sneak in Sat Nav if you can - you may say you don't need it, but I swear to God within a week you'll be suffering from S.N.E! Sat Nav Envy!

[capn]

would these problems be the same for the V12's?

also how much could i find a decent used one for?...with V12

[TxDarth]

You all are making me feel bad.......I have had "0" failures from your list on my '01 740iS. The passenger side outside mirror started to vibrate at highway speeds and the dealer quickly fixed - Ridgefield BMW in CT.

I replaced the first set of Michlins with Toyo's at 17K miles, they still had about 20% tread left.

Oh....it now has 18,200 miles. Sorry! but it sleeps for the CT winters and it is a fourth car with only two drivers - one has driven this car only .5 miles by herself since '01. She did drive it back from New Jersey last summer when I had several drinks and she kind of liked it...I told her not to get too used to it though.

I think it is safe to say the milage will not exceed the time remaining on original warranty and I do plan on keeping it for a while longer. :stickoutt

[M.Wong]

Zero? That's great!

Man, when my wife drove the E38 the first time (we bought it in CA and drove it home to WA in two days) I took a nap. When I woke up she said "I gotta have one of these too!" She decided the iL was a bit large, so she considered the i. She ended up with the E39 instead.

Maybe I should have tried to keep her in the driver's seat for only .5 miles. It would have been alot cheaper!
:)

[Shinobi'sZ]

Zero? That's great!

Man, when my wife drove the E38 the first time (we bought it in CA and drove it home to WA in two days) I took a nap. When I woke up she said "I gotta have one of these too!" She decided the iL was a bit large, so she considered the i. She ended up with the E39 instead.

Maybe I should have tried to keep her in the driver's seat for only .5 miles. It would have been alot cheaper!
:)


My cats are a rattlinnn. :mad

[Reed Hunt]

My cats are a rattlinnn. :mad

Miles on your car?

If below 80K, you're covered...

[cmalspeis]

I just bought a 1997 e38. Aside from the pixel problems at temperature and the busted cupholder, I thought I was getting a terrific car - until I found this bulliten board. Now I'm scared I just bought a money-pit.

I've been a Honda guy all my life. My two accords have given me nothing but 20 years of reliable, trouble-free, maintenance-free transportation. I (incorrectly?) assumed BMWs were just as well engineered and built as my Hondas. That said, I bought the car with 120K mi. assuming I'd get 50K more out of it without much trouble.

Now, according to the threads on this board, I'm facing about 20+ repairs, each likely to cost me $500. Service record? What's a service record? The only thing we Honda drivers every worried about was chainging the timing belt.

Yes, the car looks great, but I'm not keen on getting to know my mechanic on a first-name basis. I was looking forward to joining the local car club, but I'll pass if this is going to cost me $5000/year in maintenance.

Somebody please tell me I'm overreacting.

Chuck M.
Jacksonville, FL

[snikwad]

i think your overeacting Chuck.
i am about to buy a BMW prolly next year, and i frive an accord now, and really, ill tell you, Hondas are'nt as reliable as they used to be, and the driving experience the BMW will give will be more than rewarding.
hopefully your isnt a "bad apple" who knows, maybe it ran all the way up to that mileage with little or now problems, you could get lucky.

[Reed Hunt]

I've been a Honda guy all my life. My two accords have given me nothing but 20 years of reliable, trouble-free, maintenance-free transportation. I (incorrectly?) assumed BMWs were just as well engineered and built as my Hondas. That said, I bought the car with 120K mi. assuming I'd get 50K more out of it without much trouble.

Now, according to the threads on this board, I'm facing about 20+ repairs, each likely to cost me $500. Service record? What's a service record? The only thing we Honda drivers every worried about was chainging the timing belt.

I was looking forward to joining the local car club, but I'll pass if this is going to cost me $5000/year in maintenance.

Somebody please tell me I'm overreacting.

Chuck M.
Jacksonville, FL

Well, BMWs aren't Hondas, for better and worse. So you will virtually never get 20 years of reliable, trouble-free, maintenance-free transportation out of them.

Your choice of words is interesting, though, as few here view their BMWs as merely "transportation". What this means is that most of us will put up with some amount of "challenge" when it comes to owning our cars because of the enjoyment we get from them...

Not sure if this fits you or not.

And (and this is just my opinion), anyone who buys a 120K-mile car and doesn't do their homework is asking for trouble, whether it be a Honda, a BMW, or a you-name-the-brand...

But note that $5K per year is most likely too high, though $3K may not be. This includes tires and other disposables and the possiblity that the "mod" bug may bite...

Good luck, keep us posted.

[tyzik]

Hey guys, i am looking into getting a second car, it's going to be a commuter....I found a 95 740i, the price is $6800, it has 145k miles, it seems to be in a good shape, besides the radio not catching a reception,keyless entry not working, and some condensation accumulated in a rear break light.....
The car is at the VW dealer, I want to find out what kind of maintanance has been done to it in the past, what would be the best way to get that info?
Also, Is the engine block problem eliminated after the recall maintanance has been performed on it, or it can reoccur again?

Thanx for any input...

[M.Wong]

Sorry, did not see your post here. Did you ask again with a new thread? If not, you can take the VIN to any dealer and ask them if they will run the vehicle history report. You will get a series of codes that can be translated.

Double check the NIKASIL engine block information.

[tyzik]

Thanx man, that particular model didnt have engine block replaced, I found a perfect 93' 500sel, the price was right so I bought it....Enjoying the ride to work every day..... :buttrock

[M.Wong]

Congrats! Hope it serves you well!

[nixtfy]

I have been tossing the idea around of a extra car being a 740i/750il which I feel is the ultimate car for road trips. My 97' m3 is great just not the best for long trips and storage. What years should I consider taking into account for depreciation is the best value and are they pretty easy to work on like the m3. I would probably at most only put 4,000 miles per year.

[M.Wong]

Watch out for the 1995 with the Nikasil issue. A 95 with a replaced block would be economical to purchase.

99+ has the body changes, 01s are the best of the best. If you're looking for lower purchase costs, the 95 or the 96-98 would be where I would start.

Look at www.e38.org for alot of DIY maintenance projects and see if they compare to the M3 work with which you are familiar.

[LiquidKernel]

I have a question about buying an E38 with some mileage on it. I saw a nice 2000 E38 w/ 120k on the clock near by... very clean car w/ navi and everything I'd want. The 120k doesn't scare me too much, I am used to Volvos that hit their prime at 100k. I assume the 4.4l V8 is no worse in reliability in comparison to Volvo's I5s... can someone confirm that? :)

[M.Wong]

While I have no Volvo experience, I think many E38'ers would argue that miles are not as critical as a good service history on a well cared for car. I had my E30 until 195K miles, and people I know think 75K is just getting broken in! :)

Good luck!

[760list]

I think we need to have one for the E65/66 7 series which has been out for almost 4 years now. I have had experiene with 02's and 04's and 05's.

[chasmanbmwfan]

2001
For the last year, they added body colored side skirts, and front and rear air dams (all were black until 2001) and crystal clear turn signals.



I have a 1997 E38 and, in an attempt to give the car a newer look, bought the clear turn signals (including the side lights -- those tiny lights about half way down the front quarter panel) and swapped them with the corresponding amber colored lights on my car.

The problem is this. I'm getting an error message "Check Side Lights" even though they both seem to be working fine.

Also, I note that when my parking lights are on, there are no lights illuminated on the front end of the car -- is this normal? I don't recall whether any lights on the front came on with just the parking lights on before I made the swap.

Thanks in advance.

[tyzik]

With the parking lights issue, u need to change the bulbs to dual coiled ones, i encountered the same issue with the Benz when i installed the euro corners, purchased of ebay....

[ve39]

what about 1995 does it fall into e38 group too ? does it only have 4 liter engine ?



1996
New 4.4 liter engine. Horsepower remained the same but torque went up from 295@4500 rpm to 310@3900 rpm. Standard steel sunroof changed, glass moonroof instead.

[M.Wong]

what about 1995 does it fall into e38 group too ? does it only have 4 liter engine ?

In the US, the 1995 was the first year of the E38. It was powered by a 282-hp, 32-valve, 4.0-liter V8 coupled with a 5-speed automatic transmission.

In 1996 the 740 went to the 4.4 liter V8.

In 1999, the V8 engine received a technology called VANOS, a variable valve timing. The power output remained at 282 hp, but peaked at 5400 rpm vs. 5700 before; its torque output went from 310 lb-ft. @ 3900 rpm to 324 lb-ft. @ 3700 rpm — ratings that indicate this engine's strong response at low to medium engine speeds.

* VANOS = VAriable NOckenwellen Steuerung = variable camshaft control, or variable valve timing.

[bakhtyari]

I just bought a 1997 e38. Aside from the pixel problems at temperature and the busted cupholder, I thought I was getting a terrific car - until I found this bulliten board. Now I'm scared I just bought a money-pit.

I've been a Honda guy all my life. My two accords have given me nothing but 20 years of reliable, trouble-free, maintenance-free transportation. I (incorrectly?) assumed BMWs were just as well engineered and built as my Hondas. That said, I bought the car with 120K mi. assuming I'd get 50K more out of it without much trouble.

Now, according to the threads on this board, I'm facing about 20+ repairs, each likely to cost me $500. Service record? What's a service record? The only thing we Honda drivers every worried about was chainging the timing belt.

Yes, the car looks great, but I'm not keen on getting to know my mechanic on a first-name basis. I was looking forward to joining the local car club, but I'll pass if this is going to cost me $5000/year in maintenance.

Somebody please tell me I'm overreacting.

Chuck M.
Jacksonville, FL

I know exactly how you feel - i bought a 98 740iL for my wife about six weeks ago. Drove it for a few days and was even anticipating giving it to my wife when my tranny went out. Well - lets just say it's still in the shop!!

[racytracy]

At 90,000 miles, this very clean car that I had just purchased, broke the sproket of one of the overhead camshafts. The camshaft sproket drive, instead of being all metal, has a rubber insert riveted onto the camshaft, then a metal chain sproket riveted onto the rubber. The rubber failed. The camshaft chain broke, several valves were bent on both heads. The engine was removed, the camshafts and valves replaced. Cost: $8,000.00. This is a potential failure on all these cars with the rubber camshaft sproket insert.

[MichaelY]

1. Check the power steering system for leaks, and smell the power steering fluid in the reservoir.

If the car you are looking at is an iL and has the self-leveling suspension, then the car is supposed to have CHF11S mineral oil/synthetic hydraulic oil in the PS system. On these cars, if ATF is added to the PS system (normal for most other bimmers) it will eat the seals and you'll be rebuilding just about everything in the power steering/power brake boost/self levelling suspension system. If you have an iL, the color of the PS fluid should be yellow-green. If it's red or smells like ATF, be veeeery careful about buying the car, you may be spending big $$ to fix it.

2. If the power seatbacks are "broken" and don't move correctly, it's probably just a stretched seat cable. They cost around $10, and are a bit of a pain to replace, but are really no big deal. You're not looking at $1000 for a new seat or anything horrible like that.

[theod]

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Is this true? Also, would someone be kind enough to tell me what BMW does to their cars(engineering wise) to make it "drive" the way it does? That driving experience is unparalleled...</TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[MichaelY]

Is this true?
In reference to the tranny question, that depends on how it was driven and whether it was mistreated. They are susceptible to specific problems, for example, getting fried because of extended revving in "park" during an emissions test. But if not abused, they can last 200K miles.

Also, would someone be kind enough to tell me what BMW does to their cars(engineering wise) to make it "drive" the way it does? That driving experience is unparalleled... That's a bit like asking "How does spacefilght occur?" Simple to ask, but it's so big that it's hard to answer. All in all it comes down to the design objectives of the company that makes the cars.

Caddilac, for example, generally designs cars to _isolate_ their customers from the road. So the ride gets so soft that it doesn't handle very well. BMW designs cars to _connect_ its customers to the road. So BMW's show up with fully independent suspension, disk brakes, fairly even weight distribution (light motor up front, battery in the back seat or trunk, etc.), and their ride doesn't mask speedbumps like a caddy, but you can actually get some satasfaction in a turn.

Caddy, by the way, when it decided to make a sport/touring car, made the STS, which is a very respectable car... powerful, good reflexes, without sacrificing too much ride quality. Since caddy, the same folks responsible for the "tunaboat handling experience" can put out a good handler like the STS, I'd say it's about making handling a priority during design. Caddy does this some times. BMW does this almost all the time.

[die Überholspur]

It's spelled, "Cadillac" :)

[MichaelY]

It's spelled, "Cadillac" :)
Typo. My fingers get thick when moving too fast!

[Grd4Spd]

hello gents!

been a while since we chatted.....last time was back in 2003 (or was it 02?) when i purchased the 528....now im looking for a 1999-2002 740iL....and im looking for some fine advise and leadership which i found here on this forum previously....so now im back! :)

ive read about the nikasil issue....i really dont need to worry about that as the model year im looking for they sorted out the issue, correct? :)

BUT!!!! in the year/model BWM that im looking for is there any need for concern on any matter? again im looking for a 1999-2002, black on tan, silver, or grey/gunmetal color......that said what sort of wonderful advise might the mighty have for me on the E38 forum???!! :)

regards,
terry

[M.Wong]

now im looking for a 1999-2002 740iL

ive read about the nikasil issue....i really dont need to worry about that as the model year im looking for they sorted out the issue, correct? :)


E38s only went until 2001. A 2002 is the new body style.

Correct, no nikasil issues in the E38 except the 1995 V8.

1999 was a short production year so there are not many out there.

Most desirable? Consider a 2001 740i Sport if you don't need the iL length. Those are the "best of the best" according to many. Also, a late 01 (i or iL, Sport or non-Sport) with the widescreen NAV.

Otherwise, the 99-00-01s are similar when it comes to mechanical issues.

[Grd4Spd]

E38s only went until 2001. A 2002 is the new body style.


thanks for writing back Mr. Wong! :)


thats good news....i like the "older" body style in the E38 moreso than the later 2002 and up....so i will concentrate on the 1999-2001 yrs.





1999 was a short production year so there are not many out there. [


anything special about the 1999 that make then worth having?




Most desirable? Consider a 2001 740i Sport if you don't need the iL length.


yeah, im REALLY like the length in the iL versions....so im definately shooting for that and not a sport package....got a sports car, need a luxury sedan now. :)



Those are the "best of the best" according to many. Also, a late 01 (i or iL, Sport or non-Sport) with the widescreen NAV.

i dont really have a hardon for NAV systems.....but are the "older" BMW nav systems good? are they accurite? can i update them (software/downloads)? or is it more of a novelity?




Otherwise, the 99-00-01s are similar when it comes to mechanical issues.


are there any concerns that i should be aware of in those years other than whats discussed/posted here?

thanks again for the reply/feedback!

terry

[Grd4Spd]

just a followup...i was over on the "Beefup" thread....Green Ox has a fine looking 97 iL.....i really like the simple clean line of the car....did they change (suttle or major) body/mechanical in the 97-2001 years (the years im looking at)....for color i REALLY like the black/tan grey or silver colors.....any thoughts? did green ox lower his 97?

regards,
terry

[Grd4Spd]

any thoughts on this 2001 iL?

http://************/qnuxj

regards,
terry

[RIboater]

Like that ad says, high miles but great price. It also appears to be a "sport" which adds to the value but they fail to mention.

[M.Wong]

No reason to get a 1999. They are rare because the cut off date for model years changed for the 2000s. They are not better. 2000s are the exact same car with more features standard instead of optional.

00 and 01 had NAV standard. (99 it was an option.) The wide screen is much nicer for appearance, but the NAV systems are all accurate. Older NAV drives are slower than the newest ones.

The 98 and older vs the 99 and newer have a few visual changes that are obvious once you know them... the older has rectangular headlights vs the newer with scooped headlights. (Front fenders are different, so it's not an easy upgrade to make.) Older has side skirts with round buttons on them for the jack, newer has a cleaner side skirt and a different jack. Tail lights are different as well... older are a flat reflector finish, newer are crystal-like. And the 2001s have clear turn signals all around and body color painted lower skirts all around instead of black.

Look on e-bay for some pictures and compare a 98 or older vs a 99 or 00. Then compare an 00 vs an 01.

[Grd4Spd]

MWong,

thanks for VERY informative reply/.EDU.....good stuff there!

now i just have to focus on the year!

regards,
terry

[mdrealtor]

I was driving my 1998 E38 this morning and without warning my fan exploded! The Fan Blades are gone, the hood is trashed. Any idea what happened. It is a great car well taken care of, new belts,hoses,center control arm, and tie rods just last month.

Thanks MDREaltor

[M.Wong]

Yes, unfortunately I have heard of that... not too common, but it happens.

You can read these:

Exploding fan (http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/175092/)

or

Exploding fan (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=237366&highlight=exploding)

or

Exploding fan (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325347&highlight=exploding)

[mdrealtor]

My exploding fan was due to the gear freezing. I am very lucky my insurance company (GEICO) is paying for all but 50.00 of the 2,400 needed for repairs and a new hood, she'll be good as new and back on the road my tomorrow. I have an awsome mechanic who takes really good care of me.

[Grd4Spd]

I have an awsome mechanic who takes really good care of me.


bah-jezzzuz!! exploding fans on a $70K car?!?! say it aint so!!!

wonder what BMW thinks of this?.....you think they are as kind/understanding as your mechanic?!?!? ;)


bummer of a story.....great outcome though!

[Mork Bradys]

My 98 740IL has been loosing the mileage display over time and I am wondering if anyone can tell me what I can expect to have it fixed?

[manhattan12]

I feel its a great vehicle. My 7 is a weekend driver only and i love it that way. My wife and I are the only ones to get in the vehicle. I haven't had to do anything to it yet but I maintain it like it my life depended on it. My son loves it and believes that it will be his one day. NOT. Anyway everyone I know that has one loves it and feels that is a great family vehicle. You have bimmer history with your 5 series. It only gets better with the 7series if you take care of it.

[M.Wong]

My 98 740IL has been loosing the mileage display over time and I am wondering if anyone can tell me what I can expect to have it fixed?
Look up "pixel" in the search and you should find some answers...

[buci]

.

[Joe F]

I moved this. Sorry.

[Tommy2Z]

Good day members! I am very soon to take ownership of a 1996 750IL and would appreciate your feedback and pointers. I have been reading the posts for several days and found some very valuable threads...especially this one. Please fill me in on any thing I might have missed in my inspection/research and also add any tips that you have found in your ownership.I belong to a similar community for BMW motorcycles and have found it invaluable...nothing like networking!
The car is black on black/ '96 750IL/ 117000 miles w 63500 on a new BMW installed powerplant/ pixels,radio, cat and cupholders done at same time. The brakes/rotors and tires were replaced 13000 miles ago.Her body is in good condition as is the interior although I am excited to perform the detail procedure outlined in Dave's parked thread from the detail section of the forum. I have known the previous owner (1 out of a total of 3) and also know the shop that has performed the major work as well as the dealer doing the maintenance.
I have been very impressed with the 12 cylinders performance but especially the mileage I have gotten over my weekend test drive.
Please give me your opinions and your advice on ownership,driving subtleties and maintenance expectations..if different from above. Thanks

[MarkinNYC]

I just bought a 1997 e38. Aside from the pixel problems at temperature and the busted cupholder, I thought I was getting a terrific car - until I found this bulliten board. Now I'm scared I just bought a money-pit.

I've been a Honda guy all my life. My two accords have given me nothing but 20 years of reliable, trouble-free, maintenance-free transportation. I (incorrectly?) assumed BMWs were just as well engineered and built as my Hondas. That said, I bought the car with 120K mi. assuming I'd get 50K more out of it without much trouble.

Now, according to the threads on this board, I'm facing about 20+ repairs, each likely to cost me $500. Service record? What's a service record? The only thing we Honda drivers every worried about was chainging the timing belt.

Yes, the car looks great, but I'm not keen on getting to know my mechanic on a first-name basis. I was looking forward to joining the local car club, but I'll pass if this is going to cost me $5000/year in maintenance.

Somebody please tell me I'm overreacting.

Chuck M.
Jacksonville, FL
So your first BMW? Okay after 20 years of Honda's you're in a whole new ballgame. My ex drove Hondas for 20 years and she never changed the oil or rotated the tires. She only bought gas because she found they would not run without it. (Now you understand the divorce.) Anyway her cars all did the same thing. No problems what-so-ever. But they were boring as hell to drive on a good day. Daughter turned 16 and dad got her a 3 series convertible. Figured the maintenance would run about the cost of the lease on a Honda. I was right. 3 year old car with low miles, automatic, all the creature comforts, and great shape. The thing averages about 200/mo in maintenance. I paid cash for it, so there's no payment. Yes, my kid could have had a Honda for less money and no problems. But she wouldn't have learned to change the oil, do the radiator flushes, and replace filters (air, fuel, oil, etc.) with never chipping a perfectly manicured nail. The BMW dealer in Scottsdale where she lives has dad's Amex on file and they know to do what it takes to keep it running and safe. My daughter takes better care of this car than some people take of their kids! I'm very proud of her for making sure her car is cared for to a fair-thee-well. Though she might get her mom's "automotive neglect" dna and she didn't! She has had her BIMMER for almost four years now and she's put a total of 20k miles on it. The car is cleaner now than the day I bought it for her. And yes, we did get an extended Warranty for the "major" items that can and do cost a fortune in a BMW.

I have a 98 740i and it had all the same problems yours does when I bought it. I got it CHEAP from a friend who's a wholesaler and it was worth dumping four grand into it to "clean it up". Now days nothing much goes wrong with it. These engines will run to 250k and beyond if cared for. Change the fluid in the Transmission once every 80k miles (yes, it's a fortune to do so!) and don't tear into the dash until something like the blower motor or the final stage resistor goes. When one goes, replace both of them! The blower motor is a $340 part. The cost of labor to get to it is about $500 average. The Final Stage Resistor is another 70 dollars with the same labor required to get to it. Do both if you have to do either one. BTW: when the dash is open is the time to get those displays with dying pixels replaced. They're about 300 to 400 each. Do the worst one first. They will be brighter by far than the original ones - so be warned. Power steering hoses go quickly. Use only BMW brand PS fluid. Makes the hoses last longer. I use an Independant Service shop in Long Island City (called the Little Garage if you happen to be local) and the place is great. The prices are about 20 to 30 percent less for a given part or service than my dealers in the tri state area are. The owner of the place happens to drive a '99 740i and knows and loves these cars. He warns me that a car of this vintage and milage is going to cost me about 3k to 4k per year net average over a decade to keep it running and in pristine shape. He went two years without spending a penny on his 99 and then had to replace both the transmission and the Water Pump in the same two week period at a cost of about $6500. So he's right on schedule with his "3 to 3.5k/year" maintenance rule of thumb. Seems to hold for my car, too. Still it's vastly cheaper at that rate than a lease payment would be on a new one. Or (gulp) laying out nearly a hundred grand for a brand new one if I paid cash for it! For that kind of money I should be buying gold or silver or anything other than a car, IMHO.

Nope - it's not as trouble free as your Honda's were. It's not as forgiving of neglect either. But in the end, which would you really rather be driving? Yeah, I thought so! All the best. But be forwarned... once you've gotten used to these puppies you will never be able to go back to a lesser car comfortably. They do manange to get under your skin.

Mark in NYC

[roys740]

Good Info

[woofster]

Dear M.Wong, :D j/k, this is an open question to all members!

(Actually, I've read through this thread and your E38 posts have been quite informative. Seeing as you also have an E39, you seem like the perfect candidate to answer my specific question.)

What would the reasons be to choose a 740i over a 540i?

I am interested in getting another car for more comfort and practicality. My daily beater has been great at what it does and my project car keeps me busy all year round as well. What I'm looking to add to my driveway now is a large (i.e. practical) 4-door highway cruiser with occasional city driving.

I've been checking out the 740i at the same time as both E34 540/535s and E39 540s. The E39s are little pricier than the E38s but you get that excellent 6-speed manual tranny and the classic sports sedan lines. However, I'm willing to go with a slushbox for a 7-series. Speed & acceleration isn't high on my priority list.

* Is reliability between the 740i and E39 540i fairly similar? From reading this and other E38 forums, there seems to be lots of little problems that require not-so-little funds for repairs. Quite honestly, this scares me a bit.
* As a DIYer, are repairs fairly straightforward on an E38 as it is on an E30 or even an E34?
* Would you say size is the main benefit of the 7 over the 5? (Why did you guys choose a 7 instead of a 5-series?)
* What are your thoughts on the E320 or E420 Benz (also up for consideration) vs. the 740i?

:help Thanks for all your feedback, guys!

Fred

[M.Wong]

Mechanically similar, same engine and many other parts. Some problems are the same, 540i vs 740i/iL. (Window regulators, radiators, cup holders...)

There are plenty of things that are DIY'able, though in general, not as easy or cheap as the good ol' trusty E30.

The 7er is more luxurious, with much more room for the back seat passengers, and seem to have more creature comforts.

But the 5er (6 speed manual) is a dream to drive and has a stiffer suspension. I wouldn't go for an auto in a 5er. To me, it's either the luxury of the 7er or the sportiness of a 5er manual.

Why the 7er? Because of the style, I guess. If I could do it again, I would have gotten a 2001 740i Sport (instead of the 00 non Sport). If something happened to my car today, I'd probably get the wife's 2003 540i/6 and she would get something else. Or I'd find that perfect (Imola red/black) 2001 740i Sport with the widescreen NAV.

Now days? I think you can get a 2001 7er much less than a 2001 540i/6.

Test drove the E-class last winter. E55AMG is a little much, but the one I would want. Non AMGs are nice, but don't hold the road or feel like a BMW. Plus Mercedes up here are all silver, black, or white. I prefer more unique colors (like O-blue or Imola red!)

[01sport]

I have driven a 5er only once. It was the first BMW I ever drove. The 5 impressed me but I recall there was very little room for my right foot. It seemed the bell housing was so large that I had to move my right leg to the left in order to work the accelerator. For me it was very uncomfortable. I went for a 2001 740i Sport. All the comfort and performance I'll ever need.

[woofster]

This may have been explained earlier but, quickly, what is the simplest (and perhaps the most accurate) visual cue to tell you whether or not the 7er you're looking at is a Sport model or not?

[01sport]

http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e38/forum.php?postid=3495178&page=1

There is tons of info on this site and e38.org

[mcshaner2k]

just bought one today....leaky rad. neck power steering hose leak...lol Also I might add it smells like the stinky guy who used to own it.

[woofster]

To the E38 owners who purchased their car with service history records and safety certification (where applicable), did you still discover a lot of annoying little problems that pop up?

[melevo]

hi there, sorry to jump in but dont know where to start , first i have a decent 1987 730i, so first question is what class/model is this, second have a few probs with it, 1st, when pressing brake gently things are ok, but if i apply the pedal hard/quick it brings on the brake warning lamp, levels are ok. 2nd when using pas steering i get a sort of, jumping /on/off feel through the steering , can anyone help, thanks

[tar.bz]

hi there, sorry to jump in but dont know where to start , first i have a decent 1987 730i, so first question is what class/model is this, second have a few probs with it, 1st, when pressing brake gently things are ok, but if i apply the pedal hard/quick it brings on the brake warning lamp, levels are ok. 2nd when using pas steering i get a sort of, jumping /on/off feel through the steering , can anyone help, thanks



Your car is most likely an http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_E32

[melevo]

any chance on info on my problems

[SevenThirty]

Well there's a lot of BS talked about Nikasil engines. Yes, they CAN be a problem but don't forget that most 911's and 928's also used Nikasil, without many problems.
Nikasil, if treated right, doesn't wear out quickly. What does ruin them quickly is poor running in when new. The quickest way to completely bugger one up is get in in the morning, start it up, reverse out of the garage, turn it off. Go and have tea/coffee, come out again and drive the car 1 mile to the shops. Get out, buy milk or whatever and drive the car 1 mile home. The poor engine doesn't stand a chance or warming up and bore wear is rapid. Once the Nikasil coating has a scratch, sulphurous fuel quickly eats away at the scratches and lifts the coating.
I have seen countless Nikasil BMW engines, 6 and 8 cylinder with over 150'000 miles and still going strong. The key is to fire the engine up and not turn it off again until it's good an warm. These high mileage Nikasil motors were fired up and driven for 100 miles before stopping for fuel/food/a p*ss.

With or without a block swap, the M60 is a better engine than the M62 which as far as I can tell can be a complete disaster. M60's used a proper duplex twin row timing chain (so avoiding the stupid chain wheel fault), a conventional thermostat that isn't controlled by the ECU and they seem far less prone to head gasket failure.

My idea of a good E38 is an original Nikasil 730i or 740i, running sweet with 150'000 miles. It's worth very little because every expert knows about the potential engine problems but looked after it will do 200'000. The build quality of the E38 is not equal to the E32 - to me it's just a big E36 with some very Ford/GM bit of trim plastic but they do look nice.
The Germans had a six speed manual option for the 740i. Bastards.

As for Hondas - well the 2.7 V6 Legend was a piece of rubbish as was the useless Rover Sterling that used the Honda engine.

[PaveIt]

Just purchased an orient blue-2000 740IL a week ago. First BMW actually owning. Found this awsome web site with loads of info. Anyways my car has a lot of moon/sun roof noise. What is the cause of this and what is the typical repair

[JizJizJiz]

What would the reasons be to choose a 740i over a 540i?

I am interested in getting another car for more comfort and practicality. My daily beater has been great at what it does and my project car keeps me busy all year round as well. What I'm looking to add to my driveway now is a large (i.e. practical) 4-door highway cruiser with occasional city driving.

I've been checking out the 740i at the same time as both E34 540/535s and E39 540s. The E39s are little pricier than the E38s but you get that excellent 6-speed manual tranny and the classic sports sedan lines. However, I'm willing to go with a slushbox for a 7-series. Speed & acceleration isn't high on my priority list.

* Is reliability between the 740i and E39 540i fairly similar? From reading this and other E38 forums, there seems to be lots of little problems that require not-so-little funds for repairs. Quite honestly, this scares me a bit.
* As a DIYer, are repairs fairly straightforward on an E38 as it is on an E30 or even an E34?
* Would you say size is the main benefit of the 7 over the 5? (Why did you guys choose a 7 instead of a 5-series?)
* What are your thoughts on the E320 or E420 Benz (also up for consideration) vs. the 740i?

:help Thanks for all your feedback, guys!

Fred

My exact question (yeah, I should've read before posting in the 5er forum). I wouldn't consider any non-AMG Mercedes sedan, so the E-Class isn't an option...but I simply can't decide between the 5er and the 7er. Yeah, the 7 looks better and is more luxurious, but the 5 is lighter and seems quicker and nimbler. Dammit.

[kromdom]

Just purchased an orient blue-2000 740IL a week ago. First BMW actually owning. Found this awsome web site with loads of info. Anyways my car has a lot of moon/sun roof noise. What is the cause of this and what is the typical repair


you can either try to adjust the sunroof: http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e38/forum.php?postid=1942244&page=1

or change the gasket to the newer/upgraded FELT-backed unit, good tips here from Sarasota: http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/290412/

[theword]

Hey guys, Merry xmas! I am looking at purchasing a 1999 740iL in Brisbane. I've noticed that you have multiple issues mentioned in previous listings. What in particular should I look at when evaluating a potential purchase?

[kromdom]

Hey guys, Merry xmas! I am looking at purchasing a 1999 740iL in Brisbane. I've noticed that you have multiple issues mentioned in previous listings. What in particular should I look at when evaluating a potential purchase?


best to read the FIRST page of this STICKY. And if available, pay a tech to do a prepurchase inspection.


Go here and look at the GENERAL section for other write ups: http://www.e38.org/

[lcbrevard]

I bought a 1997 740iL in 1999 and got an aftermarket warranty that was awesome. It even covered an exterior rear drivers side door handle that broke off - to the amazement of the dealer. I also got the dash and MIDS displays replaced due to pixel failure.

In 2003 I found a 2001 740 iL Sport that included goodies missing in my 1997 - Xenon headlghts, Navigation, rain sensing wipers, etc. And it was a CPO car.

BUT... the CPO warranty was nowhere near as good as the aftermarket one I'd had before on the 1997. In particular the NAV system failed after the initial warranty and in the CPO period and WAS NOT COVERED.

As the CPO warranty ran out last summer (June 2006), I bit the bullet and bought four more years (or 100K miles) of an aftermarket warranty that covers all the electronics etc. that the CPO had not.

I plan to keep the car at least two more years - it only has 52000 miles and I only put about 5000/year - and I figure the transferable waranty will be a selling point in 2008 or so.

The only problem will be what to get next. :-( I really like the E38!

[sanjoses2k]

What aftermarket warranty provider do you use? Do they have a website? I might look into doing the same thing.

[kromdom]

What aftermarket warranty provider do you use? Do they have a website? I might look into doing the same thing.


Also interested since I am shopping around for a cheaper carrier. I currently have a 3 yr/36K mile plan with Mercury Insurance ($100 deductible), pretty much bumper-to-bumper for $3K.

Not many carriers will sell direct to the public plus some will not sell to cars with over 60K-70K.

[740iOrientBlue]

I bought a 2000 740i Sport from a reputable dealer (Advantage Certified) in Manassas, VA. I took it to Fairfax Server Center, Fairfax, VA to have it checked out during the 5-day no questions asked money back guarantee period. They found it in great shape except for 2 P/S lines that were leaking slightly. Advantage Certified fixed them and several other items and I was on my way.

I would really like to do several things to upgrade the Nav/Comp/Audio but there seem to be some limiting factors with DSP in 2000 models.

I bought an Aux kit from bavsound. I haven't installed it yet, but know it will definitely remove the 6-CD changer from play. This is not a big deal because I can put as much on on MP3 (if that's what I decide to "aux" to) as the 6 CDs, but I wonder what it will do to my Nav screen display when cycling through the CD portion.

There's a local place here called Underground Audio that I've seen do amazing work on many vehicles (sort of a Unique Whips kind of place). They will put an Eclipse Nav/Mp3/AM/FM/Aux unit replacing the entire stock Nav/Comp/Audio unit. I don't know if the driving computer stuff (fuel consumption, avg speed, etc.) will still be intact or not. Obviously it will not be visible when the unit is replaced, but it might still be visible (if not settable) on the dash where you can cycle through it with the turn signal switch.

[romkausa]

Sorry, im new here...
My 99 740 il is making noise in a right front corner when brakes are applied sometimes or on slight road bumps/holes...
took it to alignment shop, they did not find a thing wrong with it, suggested that may be something wrong in the shock itself, inside.
I just wanna listen to your guys opinion, since its my 1st bimmer..
Tnx

[M.Wong]

Sorry, im new here...
My 99 740 il is making noise in a right front corner when brakes are applied sometimes or on slight road bumps/holes...
took it to alignment shop, they did not find a thing wrong with it, suggested that may be something wrong in the shock itself, inside.
I just wanna listen to your guys opinion, since its my 1st bimmer..
Tnx

Welcome... You should post a new thread (instead of adding to this one) and make the title something like "Help with front end noise, 99 740iL"
:)

[alanuk400]

Thanks for all the info, it was helpful. Sometimes to much can scare people away, I find my 740iL a lot more reliable than my Mercedes V-Class MPV.If the list of potential faults was put on paper we would be on page 50 by now. It is handy to know the faults though.
Alan

[MidnightE38]

Justbought a 98 740 I last month, rasio display has problems mentioned, replaced gear in passenger window and had to replace co2 sensors (2)


Other than that, the car is awesome!!!! (so far)

[Cross495]

Hi all
I'm thinking about a 7er for myself, so here go my questions(i hope it's ok to ask a lot..i'm a newb in BMW..)
first thing, the Pricing for an e38 in Russia(dat's where i'm from) is ab 11K for a 94 728i to 35K for 2001 L7, so they're pretty pricey, and i don't want to buy ,f.e. a 728 and after a month determine that it's not what i want and think about a 730(740,750 etc).I'm 100% sure it will be a 7er because i used to have a 520 e39(1999) with a manual trans, liked it a lot, but the 5er is too small for me.I really enjoy the look the e38 has..
the questions are:
which engine would you recommend?why?
If i have the choise to get a car with manual trans, should i go for it? ( there are a lot of 728, 730, and some 735 and 740 on sale with MT)
should i go for the newer year or lower miles?(forget about the Service records, i'm im Russia)
also, would really appreciate any other handy info - been reading the Forum for 4 days, and finally registered today..
10x, Alex

[kromdom]

ALEX,
Welcome. A few guys prefer the manual tranny so they will envy you if you can get one. My personal philosophy is: buy the newest car one can afford so my vote goes to the M62 (has improvements/refinements over the M60).

The mechanical health of the car is of bigger concern to me, more so than model year or mileage.

I got lucky to have found my '01: fully loaded, in pristine shape (in and out) and average mileage. More reading for you (if you feel like it):
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedan/112_0308_1995_2001_bmw_7_series/index.html
http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/17971

[Cross495]

kromdom, thanx for info, btw i used 2 spend a lot of time in CA with relatives(Palo Alto)
the main problem with the newest year is that those cars were mostly in use by government so-called VIPs to drive them, so most of 7er 1999-2001 are black\black or blue\black, hand washed by drivers in the garage by drivers during free time(to save the money for themselves), so here goes the matte paint, the skipping of service etc etc. those ones are also pretty bad on technical health.
i did some research and the results are:
the cars in best condition are the ones bought in 1996-1999 or brought by order from Germany(years 1997-2001), but there would still be some minor technical issues with those.
i tested 2 cars today:2001 750il and like heaven and hell.
I tested the 2001 750il today.the tag is 29.4K $, the mileage is 210K Km..
It runs very well, engine sounds nice and all, but it's all matte, the back seat is almost ruined-as far as i know some minister almost lived on that back seat, there was a pc installed,but the took it out,so here go the hanging power wires tec..

[Cross495]

the 2nd part about the 740 i didn't show up,so i'm retyping it..(weird)
1998 740i,238K Km, perfect inside and out, only one owner in Russia(brought the car for himself from Germany in 2002),
after a crash in 2004 switched ruined front&rear bumpers to ACSchnitzer's finest, installed the new optics and xenon lights, made a slight window tint. to be short, i loved the car...the tag's 20K$..
I don't know what to do: either narrow the search by selecting the specs actual for me and then search for that car, or just wait anв see: more cars, more opinions, more options?..

[kromdom]

looks like the 740 is the better pick. Worried about that crash in 2004 though...fender bender or major?? Maybe the seller can flex a bit on price because of it.

Never been to Palo Alto...however, I know only RICH people live there.

[Cross495]

The crash was pretty minor: someone bumped into him from behind and pushed him all the way to the car in the front. The total was ruined bumpers, front lights,fogs, and trunk(it got scratched). As far as he wasn't the one to blame, he changed everything with restyled details(lights) or better ones(ACShnitzer's)..
Hell, i really don't know what to buy..=(

[pman54]

Thanks for the info, And I thought I had done all the above, I just bought a 97 740il it is clean and ran out great until this morning, I notice it running a little rough so I took it to the local bmw dealer (holding my breath) and well after having it for a week its going to cost me 614.00 in repairs a crank blowby sensor or valve. I tried to look it up but cant find anything on line. I bought the car out of state. Well Im hopeing that this is not the beginning of the end.

[nottmeiere]

I am trying to sell a 2001 imola red 740i sport, though with tan leather and small-screen nav, 92K miles, $19900, 904-233-1386

[NYxx740IxxNY]

guys how can i tell what motor block do i have on my 95 e38
what good and what not?????

[M.Wong]

guys how can i tell what motor block do i have on my 95 e38
what good and what not?????


From this:
http://www.e38.org/koalamotorsport/v8shortblock.htm

"How do you tell which material is in your short block ?

That part is fairly easy. But it requires getting under the right front of the car. All M60 and M62 blocks have casting numbers on the right side, directly alongside the 3rd cylinder, slightly above the coolant drain bolt.

These are the casting numbers to look for :

Nikasil M60B30 1 725 970 or 1 741 212
Nikasil M60B40 1 725 963 or 1 742 998
Alusil M60B30 1 745 871
Alusil M60B40 1 745 872
Alusil M62B44 1 745 873 NOTE, all US market M62 engines are Alusil.

This is the only way to determine which M60 you have, short of removing a cylinder head.

In performing engine repairs or rebuild procedures in the future, it is imperative that you correctly identify the cylinder block, as the pistons and rings used in each style are different and not interchangeable."

[M.Wong]

Before you post a question here...

Your question will get more exposure and attention if you post it as a new thread with the question or the subject of the question in the title. Always add the year and model if possible, and where you are located. (Different countries have different options and specifications.)

[740iOrientBlue]

I learned an (new to me) old saying today:

"A buyer must be blessed with a thousand eyes... while a seller can afford to be blind."

A word to the wise is sufficient.

[decepticons7]

I just bought a 1997 e38. Aside from the pixel problems at temperature and the busted cupholder, I thought I was getting a terrific car - until I found this bulliten board. Now I'm scared I just bought a money-pit.

I've been a Honda guy all my life. My two accords have given me nothing but 20 years of reliable, trouble-free, maintenance-free transportation. I (incorrectly?) assumed BMWs were just as well engineered and built as my Hondas. That said, I bought the car with 120K mi. assuming I'd get 50K more out of it without much trouble.

Now, according to the threads on this board, I'm facing about 20+ repairs, each likely to cost me $500. Service record? What's a service record? The only thing we Honda drivers every worried about was chainging the timing belt.

Yes, the car looks great, but I'm not keen on getting to know my mechanic on a first-name basis. I was looking forward to joining the local car club, but I'll pass if this is going to cost me $5000/year in maintenance.

Somebody please tell me I'm overreacting.

Chuck M.
Jacksonville, FL

your not overreacting.

I too was once a Honda owner...

I will never look back again.

[Guam740il]

I just bought a 1997 BMW 740il for a really cheap price I think. $1k. It looks nice except for the bumpers, etc. Now after an additional 4K I have a new radiator, new control arms, new front and rear bumpers including the impact strip, new plastic bottom cover, new brake pads, New emblems, Tune-up, new winshield weather strip, (1) New M-parallel wheel 18" x9.5".

I have a 2004 Subaru STI and a 2006 BMW 325i, I have also had a 1989 M3, 1987 635CSI most are kinda sporty now that I am 40 I like the room and comfort of the 740il. Almost everything works except for the Headlamp washer and windshield washer. Also the headliner is falling apart.

My problem is here the car sits low to the ground and scrapes most of the time in entering ramps. I asked the local shop and they said this is the sport suspension option and it is low. Also after my radiator upper hose neck broke on me on the road and had no clue that the system needed to be bled my oil pressure light is on after a couple of minutes and then goes away and sometimes blinks a bit the car has 27,892 miles on it. According to the mechanic when they changed the oil it had a lot of sludge should I?

1. flush the engine and use synthetic oil?
2. remove and clean the oil pan?
3. I saw some oil pump bolts that need to be checked, where are they?

Now it scares me but I like the ride and the character of this car.

Thanks

[nixter]

Hi guys, I'll be looking at a '95 on Saturday that had the engine replaced at 100k, it's currently 43k past that (143k total). I will take this list to the ppi but is there anything else specifically about the 95 to watch out for?

cheers,
n

[icebergtec]

Thanks. This is great info. I just bought a '96 740iL. I will pay close attention to these possible problems.

[lectrik1]

I just purchased a 1998 740il with one line of pixels going out in the instruments. How expensive is it to have it fixed? Right now, I am not worried about it since it is only one line. Instead of reading 8:00 it shows 3:00.

[fastattack686]

You HAVE bought a money pit.. I read comments from these people that rationalize "$4000 maintenance is not too much to expect from a car of this quality"... BS.. people get your head out of your arse and call a spade a dang spade.

I love the look and drive of this car. I absolutely HATE this car. Between the dealer screwing me when I paid for an inspection before buying.. (oh yes.. we pull the wheels and do a full CPO inspection...only to have the 'brake light' come on 1 week after buying.. silly me.. did not see brake rotors severely warn).. C
alled dealer to express my pleasure with one of the KEY items they said they checked.. "we can do those brakes for you and knock off 1/2 hour of labor.. price $600" . Thanks.. no.. I don't feel like receiving an unsolicited body penetration from you....

Then the rear window regulators (both..).. then the drink holder breaking.. then the display pixels.. then the ABS.. then the Visor snapping off.. then the seat trim breaking.. then the 1 1/2 months at 3 garages for the starting problem (or lack of) .....then the bolts for Oil filter housing.. then both front window regulators going bad.. then the radiator cracking.. then the water pump going.. then the hose to heater control valve blowing... all the while the AC being totally substandard...

I have done all the repairs myself except the starting problem.. and trying to get the money for the front windows regulator replacements, which makes the AC problem even more frustrating.. now.. I posted my NEW problem with my BMtroubleu... Turn left and fan slows down on interior.. go figure...

The wife refuses to take this car on vacation.. the kids keep saying.. can we just get a different car.. then neighbors and my coworker chuckle and say "I told you so... "

If you want a car that you will love to drive, but absolutely HATE and get pissed at, buy a Beemer 7 series.. I HIGHLY encourage it.. That way I am not the only fool....

For all you that think this many repairs, breakdowns, failures is normal........the emperor is NOT wearing cloths.. these cars are very unreliable and money pits.. and there are much more reliable cars, and I am at my breaking point...

Nuff ranting...

[nixter]

I think you bought a car that was not well looked after. The second problem , (actually this should be first), was that your pre purchase inspection was done by the same people who sold you the car. This is called a "conflict of interest". It's funny, large, cushy, luxury vehicles are often bought (new) by people who have enough money to not really care about the amazing car they have! So many of these machines are abused and then sold for cheap. People like your dealer fix up the bare minimum to impress on the test drive and then make a quick buck on a guy who really loves these cars and has purchased it more with his heart than his head because it seems like a great deal.

The same could have easily happened to anyone and often only the experience makes you wiser.

Sorry for your experience. My friend ended up buying the car and it has been great so far. Although he's a tad absent minded and ran out of gas this morning on the way to work. (he's probably going to be reading this) :)


n

[fastattack686]

Nope.. bought from an Indy.. took to the dealer for the 'independent' inspection..

... what a waste..

Although minor.. another problem was the windshield washers stopped working.. leaking water out the hook. Did not have time to fix, so dropped off at dealer. They repaired.. 1 hour.. can live with that...

Now the vent grille on hood has the hold down 'buttons' or retainers broken.. 2 holding, 2 laying down in grill.. 1 missing...and dealer worked on last. I called for these $0.15 items.. "you have to buy the whole grill". .... are you on fricken drugs???

I called service department.. and they want me to stop by to talk to service manager.. think it would have been better if they handled it by phone..


Happiest 2 days in my life..... day I bought it...

and day I sell it...

[fastattack686]

The car is in pretty good shape. I got a pretty good deal.. (remains to be seen ) as I think I will still come out ok when I trade/sell it... that was my rationale for buying.. since they seem to hold value (plateu out about 9-10,000)..

You read thru all these "check this long laundry list of items" for all the problems you will encounter....

No .. I think BMW has a great product with either A) poor QC in some areas B) poor engineering on key critical items and c)dealers who absolutely RAPE their customers.

The hoses I purchased for the replacements recently done was $94 with shipping... dealer wanted $271 +tax. The brakes they wanted $600 for front, I did all 4 for $298. These were with BMW OEM parts (Brembo and stamped BMW hoses).


When the talking to the indy, he was like.. don't use the windows.. they will break in another 2 years... what is wrong with BMW??? What is wrong with the people who accept this???

I make reasonable money, but I don't like getting taken advantage of, nor having simple items just.. well break. Its sad when you have to say.. "DON'T use that, I don't want to have to replace it" for items like the 'oh sh33t' handles above the doors.. (lol.. I state they are just for looks.. )

I am glad others are having such great service life with their 7's.. Consumer reports does not have such glowing fondness of the car, and unfortunately I see why...

When a car has lost the confidence of the owner (and his family..) it don't matter how much you like the looks/feel/performance.. the car needs to be replaced with a less 'stress intensive' alternative....

I keep holding out hope I might replace the last item.. but then I hear the replaced rear window regulator start clicking......................sigh................ ....

[nixter]

Your car obviously had major issues when you bought it. I'll let you know how it goes with this one.

As for your windows, if they are not working but you hear clicking then try this. Open the door with the non working window. Hold down the window button. Make a fist and using the palm of your fist (as if pounding on a table), give the inside of the door a few good sharp whacks in various places. If it's anything like the 5's then the best spot is lower front corner of the door panel. The windows often stick with age and trick many people in to buying new switches, motors, and relays when all you need is a fist :) I had the same problem when i bought my m5. The PO even included new motors that he had bought off ebay! I just need to figure out where to lube the mechanicals now.

[dophineh]

Wow fastattack686, sounds like a terrible experience. I wonder if your car is a lemon. A 2000 740il should be easier to maintain than that. I guess I'll find out for myself if I buy this '98 740il I am looking at.

[barsouma]

Thanks for all the wonderful info guys. I just acquired a 2001 740iL last month and have put about a thousand miles on it. Apart from some minor irritants which I have been able to fix my only problem so far is the pixel display which is so broken up that I can barely read the trip odometer and the temperature not to mention the warning messages.
What do I have to do to get the problem fixed?

[M.Wong]

my only problem so far is the pixel display which is so broken up that I can barely read the trip odometer and the temperature not to mention the warning messages.
Take a look at these for pixels:

Short version
Pixel Repair (http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/52513)

Long version
Pixel Repair (http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83256)

[Grd4Spd]

good morning all!

im still have a big rubbery one for the 704iL.....just love the lines of the car....tech but not overly done (no idrive:)) ...... are there any (newer) issues other than the ones cited on the first pages that i need to concern myself with? as far as the nav system, is it out of date? can i get an updated cd or programming? is the later center mount nav better, bigger, larger? from what i have seen i like it better as center mount. i have plenty of time to search for the perfect car, as im in no rush....want origional owner, low miles, no snow/bad/winter roads driving, warranty...ect.....ebay still the best option? any recommended dealers? what are some of your experiences since purchasing and logging miles on a used E38 in the 2001 vintage?

thanks to all and enjoy!


td

[Grd4Spd]

test drove a very sharp, 2001 black on black, widescreen nav 740iL sport....all is good....well except for the sport package!!! really dont like the ride on that! whew....kinda harsh (for a sedan of that caliber)....well....at least i know i wont be getting a 740sport!

[Grd4Spd]

ok....drove another 740iL....SPORT! today..........this one ran pretty smoothly.....i suspect that there was something wrong with the first sport that i tested....here they are....

the rough riding (lowered?) sport....

http://************/2s3mof


the fine ridin sport, but lots of pixels out on the display.....

http://************/2phtc9

ok....now the question....whats the difference in the "sport" iL and the "normal"? this first fella at legacy told me that the wheels are bigger, the suspension is different (lowered), different programming in the engine/tranny......body styling.....however the sport i drove today does have the bigger/blingy wheels, but is not lower.....so....whats the REAL deal? any linkys to the differences?....also.....whats up the the vibrating seats!?!?! gezzusss!!! guess in need to know whats standard vs optional on these babys......as the first one had rain sensing glass....but no vibrators?

thanks!

g4s

[psjr]

Here's a link.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=10547714&postcount=10

[familycar]

got mine the other week. one thing i didn't know was the radio shuts off every few minutes if the nav is borked (only turned the radio on for like a minute when test drove). i knew the nav needed to be replaced when i bought it though. considering it's the only real thing wrong with the car, and i got it for 13k i'm not heart broken. perfect excuse for the mk4 . i love the car so far though. handles amazing for such a heavy/big car. gonna pick up an acs shift knob (that fits the 00 sport right?..stock one is cracked) and a redline boot w/ ///m stitching for it . other than that and the nav (possibly 16:9 screen) she'll stay stock. maybe acs lip,01 tails and pedals. it's in amazing shape, like new in and out. even under the hood is clean :D

[patelda]

what is m p g for 2001 bmw 740 i. i am doing 22 m p g. is this ok , danny patel e-mail stlsf@charter.net thank you.

[nixter]

I would highly suggest you edit your post to remove your email. There are automated programs that browse forums like this searching for email addresses in order to add them to spam lists. You can disguise you email by typing it like this.. "john_smith at aol dot com"

n

[Nash740I2000]

As far as the aftermarket warranty question, I purchased on and ended up canceling it. The cost was close to $3,300 with $100 deductable per incidnet.

I had several small ticket repair items and didn't make sense to keep it. Not to mention the hassle of dealing with them.

I would have kept it it I didn't feel very comfortable with the engine and trany. I serviced the trany and the engine is in an excellent condition.

[Rival39]

can anyone tell me about this one? the price looks great, but im wondering why.

I cant post links because of my post rate but ill tell you about it and upload the pic it came with.

134k on the dash, its a '98 740I for $11K CAD, note its the same in USD as well because of high value ( letting you know, so you american members can asses the price for me too)

question, whats a DSC? i know it was added into the 98 model, but unsure of it is. I emailed the guy if he had any problems from the checklist on the first page, waiting for a response. what do you guys think?

hxxp://img142.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=28176_6157566.jpg.fpx_122_1024lo.jpg
change XX to tt
"
DESCRIPTION
v8,4.4L,Black on black leather, fully loaded,CD changer, DSC, mint cond. Alloy Wheels, ready to go. 134,000 km. $10,900"

[matt soots]

ive got a 89 735 with 235,000 on it and its one of the best most reliable cars ive owned. true about the good gas but i get 23,24 mpg on the road atabout 65 mph.ive restored many gm muscle cars over the years but the bmrmrw has turned out to be a relatively basic car to work on although parts can be a bit much compared to the domestics.i own a used lexus ls,a very nice car also but i catch myself always wondering'why doesnt my lexus do this or that?as well as my older bmw. if i could afford it i'd buy 7 or 8 so i could drive a different one each day. each year near where i live a dealer has a cancer charity event where you can drive any! model!745,z3,4 etc. for about 20 miles[with no co-pilot excepy the ol'lady]

[rombavarian69]

thanks.
this add was helpful because im gonna be buying a 96' 740il in a few weeks.

[TriZe]

thanks

[Bl@ckMagic]

I came across a 740iL Sport in Anthracite Gray at the dealership I work at. I fell in love with the car. It has 61k miles and is in excellent shape. My friend has a 2000 740i so he gave me the details on owning the car. He has no problems with the car in winter with snow tires. He lives on a hill and the Bimmer makes it up with no problems whereas rwd trucks cant hack it. I currently have a 2000 Audi S4, but it seems to get me in trouble with johnny law. I think I can cruise the 740 at more appropriate speeds. This is my 1st time back on the forums here after I wrecked an S52 ///M Coupe. I have experience with BMW, but not a full size luxury car. I'm a good driver so I don't mind loosing AWD. I guess I have one question. What is the availability of aftermarket parts (eg. If I wanted to replace the stereo)?

[icheeban17]

Looking to buy a 740il 1999 2000 or 2001. I currently have a 525 daily drive and a G spec 850i . I found a couple on evil bay that were private owners and dealers range in price 13k to 18k seems this model did not hold on to its 70k price tag. aside from all the great info I just read any year a particular best year to buy.
Thanks

[Simann]

Anyone know of engine oil consumption/burning out of the newer 2000+ 740iL's? The doctor I work with possibly has some leaky valve stem oil seals, only puffs smoke on start up but not after driving it for some time.
He has spent over $200 in oil every month for the past couple of months.
Unfortunantly he does not have time to take it to the dealership, so I noted that I had heard of some type of recalls on the V8's in that generation, but did not know the specifics.

Again, any engine oil problems with the 2000+ 740iL E38/39?

-Jonathan

[puffdragon415]

Anyone know of engine oil consumption/burning out of the newer 2000+ 740iL's? The doctor I work with possibly has some leaky valve stem oil seals, only puffs smoke on start up but not after driving it for some time.
He has spent over $200 in oil every month for the past couple of months.
Unfortunantly he does not have time to take it to the dealership, so I noted that I had heard of some type of recalls on the V8's in that generation, but did not know the specifics.

Again, any engine oil problems with the 2000+ 740iL E38/39?

-Jonathan
OSV. oil separator valve.

[DanBergundy]

What kind of warranty is suggested? The basic powertrain or w/e that covers engine, transmission, etc... or something better? Where is a good place to get the warranty?

[JD8052]

Hi,

I'm looking into buying this 740i I found in a classified ad, has 164k miles but said 70k on a new engine. Could the 'new engine' be the replacement from the old Nikasil block? Just curious, I haven't seen the car but this check list is much appreciated for when I see it today. If the car had any major problems, would it be safe to assume that it wouldn't have lasted up to this 164k mile mark without the catalytic converter, power steering, etc from the list being replaced?


Thank you!
-JD

[ILL740IL]

Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display.
Catalytic converters failing
Power steering hoses leaking
>Cup holders failing
Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8(haven't had to replace, though)
Oil pump bolts backing out
>Radiator failures. Plastic neck breaking, mostly pre 98
A/C stepper motors failing.
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing
>Coolant thermostat failing
Poor quality jack (never had to check)
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer
>Sunroof wind noise
CD player skipping in models older than 97
Older A/C temperature displays failing
Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications
A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound

--
only 4 and i thought i had it badd

[jollyrog]

Hi all,

I found this forum/thread and have really benefited from the info here. I'm ready to pick up a Silver, 2001 740iLS with 94K. I have the service history through 63K from the dealership where the original owner took it, but my local BMW dealer will confirm it was serviced there, but won't turn loose of the service records. I've negotiated the price down to $10,500. Is the market for these cars that soft or should I be concerned that the dealer is that desperate to move this thing? (He's had it for 3 months at least that I know of.)

Beyond what I know in black & white, the car looks like it's been taken care of. I'll still have it inspected by a qualified service provider before I stroke the check.
What I do know is it's had the navigation replaced 3 years ago, has new brakes and rotors, had all of its scheduled maintenance up to 60k, had the cooling fan replaced in a recall, rear sunshade replaced, and a few other interior odds & ends fixed.

It's production date is July, 2001, so I figure it must be one of the last E38 iLS's built.

Any further suggestions?

[franco90]

Hi I found this thead to be very helpful
.. As you guys know I am trying to purchase a 2000 740IL with 49,000 for $11,900 from a local Dealer
this is what comes with the car
Features: A/C: Front, A/C: Rear, Cruise Control, Navigation System, Power Locks, Power Steering, Remote Keyless Entry, Bucket Seats, Leather Interior, Memory Seats, Power Seats, Airbag: Driver, Airbag: Passenger, Airbag: Side, Alarm, Anti-Lock Brakes, Cassette Radio, CD Changer, Premium Sound, Power Windows, Rear Window Defroster, Tinted Glass, Alloy Wheels, Sunroof/Moonroof
Selling Points: Tilting, telecoping, and heated steering wheel, Xenon headlamps, premium sound system, interior walnut trim. Desirable Cosmos black exterior, and black leather interior
Condition: Only 49,000 miles. Original owner, garage kept, in excellent condition.



so is this a good deal I am also wondering if I need to get a warranted of some kind if yes what kind?.
Thanks again Franco

[franco90]

Has any one ever hear of ZURICH vehicle services that's the after market guaranteed I got stuck with . Is this guaranteed any good please let me know ASAP....

[djresvon]

Ok, I did alot of research on the e38 .. I see posts here from 2003 ... so ..
overall, is the e38 worth it ? I keep hearing from people : Don`t buy the e38, go with the e36 ... i absolutely love the e38, it`s on my mind day and night... should i listen to those opinions or should i go buy an e38 ?

[7series98]

Ok, I did alot of research on the e38 .. I see posts here from 2003 ... so ..
overall, is the e38 worth it ? I keep hearing from people : Don`t buy the e38, go with the e36 ... i absolutely love the e38, it`s on my mind day and night... should i listen to those opinions or should i go buy an e38 ?
e36's are to common:nono, be different get an e38:buttrock

[djresvon]

yes it`s less common than e36`s.. but i`m asking about problems with the car. i`m 17, i make 1k/ mo. i`ll probably make more in may when i get the car but i wanna do all the research possible from now so when the time comes, i`ll be ready ... is the 740iL truly a good way to spend money on repairs ? or is it what it looks like, a tank with the BMW sign on it ?

[djresvon]

please ?

[guyg1969]

Contrary to popular opinion I took the plunge and purchased a 2000 740i...Wish me luck

[djresvon]

I`m really thinking about doing the same thing ... good luck =D

keep me up-to-date :p

[djresvon]

nobody ?

[pizdec]

you are 17? with college (read $$$) ahead. keep your money and get something reliable and cheap to maintain (does not have to be civic, but wouldnt be such a bad idea either lol) and have fun in college with all the money you'll save by not getting into e38.


nobody ?

[djresvon]

i hate civics =] thanks for telling me though, its good to find out as many opinions as i can

[BlAst a GoOn]

ahah i just bought a 1997 740 iL and its in like perfect condition but the onlything wrong is the led display is shot

[ade36]

There are several things to watch for. I would avoid anything without a full history and excellent service records. I would also lean towards a CPO or aftermarket warranty.

Some things to check:
Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display.
Catalytic converters failing
Power steering hoses leaking
Cup holders failing
Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8
Oil pump bolts backing out, generally pre 99 years
Radiator failures. Plastic neck breaking, all years
A/C stepper motors failing.
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing
Coolant thermostat failing
Poor quality jack
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer
Sunroof wind noise
CD player skipping in models older than 97
Older A/C temperature displays failing
Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications
A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound


Summary of model years:

1996
New 4.4 liter engine. Horsepower remained the same but torque went up from 295@4500 rpm to 310@3900 rpm. Standard steel sunroof changed, glass moonroof instead.

1997
Side impact airbags standard for front seat passengers. Navigation system became available but fitted into few cars.

1998
DSC became standard. HPS head airbags also standard and rear-seat side airbags optional. Navigation system more available. New AC control panel as well (although this was retrofitted to many pre-98 cars).

1999
Mild face-lift with scalloped headlights, crystalized taillamps, door scoop illumination, and chrome strip on the trunk. The 4.4 liter engine receives VANOS variable valve timing and torque rises from 310 to 324. Updated side skirts without the round hole plugs for the jack. Sport package consisting of 18-inch rims, blackout trim, lower gear ratio, and vavona redwood interior trim became available on the 740i.

2000
Features as standard that were options before. Xenon lights, rain sensing wipers, headlight washer nozzles, Navigation, DSP stereo with cassette in the dash and 6 disk changer in the trunk. Sport package became available on 740iL/750iL models, sans the lower gearing.

2001
For the last year, they added body colored side skirts, and front and rear air dams (all were black until 2001) and crystal clear turn signals. Features as standard that were options before, Star tac phone with mayday system, 16 way comfort seats, side airbags with head protection skirts. Mid year (9/00 production and later) they changed to a wide navigation screen.


Very important, if you are considering a 1995 V8, please see this link for the Nikasil Issue (Koala Motorsport) (http://www.koalamotorsport.com/article-m60v8.asp)
Thanks for the info... Been offered a E38 728 that looks mint but hasn't moved for 3 years, this'll definitely be handy!

[pkwon5]

im 19 and have a 750il a v12 people say it will break down easier. However, with these car preventative maintance is key. So if u want to buy than buy the car u want because i did. It was a 96 with only 55000k and payed 6900 for it with all the records. i thought it was to good of a buy so i pulled the trigger. so far i dont regret it at all no problems and car moves pretty good.

[BobSalawalatski]

This is some really great information.

I'll definitely make good use of soon. This summer, I'm definitely getting either an E34 525i, E38 740iL, or E38 750iL, depending on my luck. If I don't get the 750iL this summer, I'll get it in two or three years.

[TomiJ]

Hi, can someone tell me about what it would cost to fix the pixal problem? Temp, milage display and the radio. Thanks.

[RI xSAINTx]

I'm buying a '98 750IL next month. The owner is asking half of the KBB value of the car. Has 150,000 miles and in excellent condition. Any clues as to why? Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

[anaElBasha]

I would never go with the KBB, they are way over priced in my opinion as the prices of cars has dropped a lot recently.

[Bimmersoul]

Yes.... as stated, KBB is way high. You should always follow NADA. Not the best either nor precise but banks and insurance companies follow NADA numbers.

[Meeyatch1]

I noticed something about possible engine block problems with the 1995 model year V8 cars. I am going to look at a 1995 740iL tomorrow with approximately 172,500 miles and all dealer serviced from new. What I do not want is to buy a car and then have the engine block fail. It appears the original owners were very detailed in their servicing of this car, but are there any signs I should look for to indicate possible engine block issues?

Thank you!

[nixtfy]

I think with that sort of mileage the problem would have already occurred as it was premature failure of the engine block that some of the nikasil engines had not all of them were bad. Many more things to fail at that mileage than the engine. You will know if the owner took care of it by the rest of the condition and if everything works.

[Meeyatch1]

I think with that sort of mileage the problem would have already occurred as it was premature failure of the engine block that some of the nikasil engines had not all of them were bad. Many more things to fail at that mileage than the engine. You will know if the owner took care of it by the rest of the condition and if everything works.

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing about the engine, but was not sure. I usually would not consider a car with such high mileage, but this is a 1-owner car from new, and they did all of their services at the local BMW dealership (despite the dealer's huge mark-up). So I am feeling a bit better knowing how much they love this car.

[JerseyGiant]

I know it's not the biggest thing, but when the infamous pixels go away, your life is just a wee bit more difficult. Sooner or later, your 740 will not "talk" to you anymore...

[joes95740]

Thank you. I was thinking the same thing about the engine, but was not sure. I usually would not consider a car with such high mileage, but this is a 1-owner car from new, and they did all of their services at the local BMW dealership (despite the dealer's huge mark-up). So I am feeling a bit better knowing how much they love this car.
I have a 95 with 146,xxx original Nikasil engine, The hoses at high mileage had to be changed, Power steering pump, belt, Brake hoses, The engine is fine as long as the previous owners used 89 aki gas, the engine had sulfer issuses
Read about it on e38.org
I love my 95!!

[rabbmw]

finally found an '01 with less miles than mine (37K) been driving 7's since '84, new every 3 years. will remain in my stable a long time. darth, are the wheels on yours M6's? look GREAT! if so, any alterations necessary? thanks for the posts.

rabbmw

[Motocrosser]

FNG here, thrilling to read through the seven pages of hell I've got myself into.
Wife bought me a 2001 750 IL for my 50th birthday - anyway, picked it up in Miami - drove it home here - to Ohio. She's got 65K miles and appears to be well-treated....Anyway...
AC stopped blowing cold air at me through North Cackalackey - when it was 95 outside - that sucked. Couple states later the AC started blowing again - that was refreshing - and sporadic...
Anyway, how do I know if this is a "Protection" model ? Thick glass ?
Pleased that the twelve banger gave me 25.5 mpg (computer said so !) on day two - when I kept her below 75mph...
Thanks for all the info, data, gossip and torture-tales; any advice, warnings,recipes or new wife referrals appreciated. Cheers.

* Love those massaged seats, rear window shade thingey and power-foldey mirrors - very trick indeed.

[ihaveanaudi]

hello gents

im looking to change my user name to i have a 2001 740il

car has been religiously maintained by bmw dealerships and owned by a family friend.

thats the good news

bad news
200,000 miles

as of right now its free,do i want it sitting in my driveway?

[Bimmersoul]

hello gents

im looking to change my user name to i have a 2001 740il

car has been religiously maintained by bmw dealerships and owned by a family friend.

thats the good news

bad news
200,000 miles

as of right now its free,do i want it sitting in my driveway?

What??
Are you selling it?

[ihaveanaudi]

nooo im buying it...can you buy something for free?

[Jwatts740i]

Make sure to look under where the car was parked to make sure there are no pudles or drops of oil or anyother kind of fluid that might cause you problems later on. oil pan gaskets are easy fixes but if its comming from somewhere else you might have a can of worms in your hands.

[ihaveanaudi]

^^^^thanks...

[raybro35]

I wenty to get in my car and the seat and steering wheele do jnot move checked fuses and found none blown what else can i check before bringing it to be serviced

[anaElBasha]

I wenty to get in my car and the seat and steering wheele do jnot move checked fuses and found none blown what else can i check before bringing it to be serviced

Search the forum, I read the same problem here and someone said a solution which had to do with the seat switch but not sure what exactly it was

[bhonest72]

Thanks for this valuable info! I wish I knew of this site before I bought my '01 Sport.

[mmm635]

I wenty to get in my car and the seat and steering wheele do jnot move checked fuses and found none blown what else can i check before bringing it to be serviced

That is a common problem in the E39, and would imagine in the E38 as well. The switch/control on the driver's seat is loose where it attaches behind the panel. You just need to remove the screw on the front of the seat panel to release it, giving you some room to access the harness. Re-seat the harness and that should take care of your problem.

[jepweb]

i love my 740i but since i have owned it the upkeep and maintenance charges are way over 10k.... ive owned the car a little over two years! Make sure you condider this if your planning on buying one...

[Cashmere740IL]

i love my 740i but since i have owned it the upkeep and maintenance charges are way over 10k.... ive owned the car a little over two years! Make sure you condider this if your planning on buying one...

Well with over 10k it should be as good as new now. :rolleyes

[Aindriu]

I got a good bit of advice. Check the dipstick to see if there is any burnt oil set on it. With over-heating issues comming on all V8 models of this era across the BMW range, it's something you want to know.

It looks like someone had burnt the oil up previously in the car I just bought but luckily everything seems to run strong anyway.

[Spitfire007]

Well with over 10k it should be as good as new now. :rolleyes

I'm there as well....and nope. Not new. :bluecryin Aarrgggghhhh!:mad

[Kriza]

Just got a pre purchase inspection at a BMW dealer for a '97 740IL with 121K miles. They said it was in a very good shape but the report indicated the following:

Valve cover gaskets leaking
Tranny lines and pan leaking
Flex disc cracked for driveshaft

Can anyone help me figure out how serious are these issues? I'm especially worried about the tranny lines and pan leaking. Any advise would be warmly welcome as I don't know sh... about this - but really hoping to learn something from you guys.

Thanks
Kriza

[HITMAN 149]

hey guys....
im new to the forum & BMW's all together lol
but i'm realllllly considering a 2001 740I or IL....
i happened to stop by a big fancy foreign car repair/dealer place by me today who happened to have what appeared to be a realllly nice 01 740il. he said he was going to take it to the auction & told me to stay away from the 7 series & bmw V8 cars!!!! WTF??? lol
im looking for a silver 01 740I (as i really don't need the extra space of the IL... but if the right car is an IL hey you gotttttta do it!!! lol) i found a reallly nice looking 01 740I w @64K mi on it, near me from a dealer for @$15K
i drive a lil over 80 miles a day to work, as it'll be my main commuting car. i live in NJ. i have a 99 eldorado (pocket rocket lol) right now. but always loved the 7 series look.
thanks for any insight & opinions!!!
-john

[Bimmersoul]

Just got a pre purchase inspection at a BMW dealer for a '97 740IL with 121K miles. They said it was in a very good shape but the report indicated the following:

Valve cover gaskets leaking
Tranny lines and pan leaking
Flex disc cracked for driveshaft

Can anyone help me figure out how serious are these issues? I'm especially worried about the tranny lines and pan leaking. Any advise would be warmly welcome as I don't know sh... about this - but really hoping to learn something from you guys.

Thanks
Kriza


Before anything, I don't own a 7 series. I own 3 series (1991, 1995 and 2001) and on BMW world since 2003. I have search over the years on pre-2002 7 series... I am planning on buying one when then right one comes arround (the right one for me.)

Ok... Non of those problems will stop me from buying that car granted the engine is sound, non-Nikasil on hand, strong tranny and no electrical gremlins. But... if you have not done your homework searching, learning and if you don't work on your cars, DON'T BUY IT-not yet!

Kriza, the leaking tranny lines and leaking pan are not a concern... If you trust the dealer than did inspected the car. However, paying less than $100 to a tranny shop that you trust can reassurred you if the leaking tranny is not a concern

Good luck and post pics

[pizzaman09]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cashmere740IL http://images.bimmerforums.com/vb3images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=16987621#post16987621)
Well with over 10k it should be as good as new now. :rolleyes

I'm there as well....and nope. Not new. :bluecryin Aarrgggghhhh!:mad

__________________

For my 98', I was at 17k over 9 years, that does not include oil, tires, and regular stuff. She was going to need a 5k paint and body job, so it was time to get a newer one.

[Route 66]

Hitman I asked the same question and got some very timely advice http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1195164

[Prenny207]

Ok Folks,

New to the forum. Looks great!!!
I'm a current owner of a 95, 525i and i love the car.

i may have the opportunity to pick up a 97 740iL.
Car is in great cosmetic condition, and from what i can tell its in pretty solid mechanical condition. I am aware that it may need the radiator replaced do to the typical hose neck issue. As well, and my main concern, it has the in dash navigation system. the screen does not work, and from what i was told, the control chip was stolen when owned by the previous owner.

it's got 150000 miles on her, but she seems to be pretty solid.

I may be able to get this beauty for around $4000.

Questions:

1. What kind of cost am i looking at to repair the nav screen? any ideas what this control chip costs?

2. Based on the cost of the repairs, is this purchase price worth it?

3. Any other ideas/thoughts/warnings/heads up you guys can pass along i would greatly appreciate it.

thanks,
prenny

[Meeyatch1]

For anyone interested in an E38....there is no such thing as a cheap E38.

There are only two types of E38s out there:

1.) E38s that will bleed you dry.

...and....

2.) E38s that will straight bankrupt you.

Those are really all there are. The first ones are cars that were well maintained, kept up by an owner that actually cared about the car, and were driven responsibly, but still (by the nature of the beast) will drain your wallet faster than a gold digger hooker on a Vegas coke bender.

Now, the second type (and most common type) are cars that were either marginally maintained, or straight neglected. These cars are usually being sold by people that thought they were getting a 'good deal' or a cheap way to pimp around a be a 'big baller' by telling friends, family, and the afformentioned gold digging hookers that they had a 'BMW 7-Series' with hopes of impressing them. Then when the first thing broke (usually within the first month of ownership) and they realized you can drop $2,000 on a repair in the blink of an eye, they either let the problem get worse and compound with the other items that are slowly eating away at the car that they do not know about since they never got the car inspected anyway because that would have cost them $100, or they spent their student loan on the repair, maxxed out one (or more) credit cards to fix the car, sold their personal belongings to hold on to the albatross that is parked in their driveway sucking away money like that promiscusous high school girlfriend that you had that you should have broken up with after the first week but didn't,.....or they put it up for sale with marginal details on the cars history.

These, my friends, are the only E38s out there. I had one, it had documentation from Day 1, and was a beautiful car. The original owners that I bought it from spent THOUSANDS of dollars maintaining it. I loved it, and spent thousands myself on maintaining it during the time I had it. I sold it to buy another car that I had wanted for a long time, and still will occasionally miss the 'Big 7'. I DO NOT, however, miss the almost monthly beating when something else would act up or straight fail on the car. These cars are for dedicated fans of the car who either will rarely drive them, or do not mind spending their children's college money to maintain a car that is over a decade old in most cases. FYI....know what you are getting into. If you want to pour thousands down the drain, get twin Italian hookers and let them rob you at gunpoint after having your way with them. You will be happier.

[IcemanBHE]

bah

[Jamesbond740il]

Just get what you want. More miles doesn't mean more trouble, these things that go wrong on these cars go wrong on nearly all of them so chances are it's been fixed before as opposed to a low milage car. If you have some mechanical ability you will be fine, if not just keep 1k around and if the repairs are more than that sell it.

Just buy a cheap one, you won't lose too much money even if things go tragically wrong.

[Meeyatch1]

Just get what you want. More miles doesn't mean more trouble, these things that go wrong on these cars go wrong on nearly all of them so chances are it's been fixed before as opposed to a low milage car. If you have some mechanical ability you will be fine, if not just keep 1k around and if the repairs are more than that sell it.

Just buy a cheap one, you won't lose too much money even if things go tragically wrong.

Wait a minute. Buying a cheap one will almost always have at least $1,000 worth of either deferred maintenance or repairs that are due. That is usually why they are cheap, and the ones that are mostly problem free cost more as a general rule. Paying for condition. Also, just because the car has higher mileage does not in any way mean that the car will be problem free because 'it's been fixed before'. That is poor advice, and a costly gamble. These cars should have a paid inspection done before you buy to make sure you know what you are getting. Just repairing a car to keep it running can be done on the cheap, but proper maintenance is a totally different thing.

[Jamesbond740il]

If it's not burning anything or leaking anything and it shifts fine with no noises then what's the problem? Depending on how long you keep the car and how maticulous you are, why buy a fairly low milage car that will most likely need the same maintanence if not more than a higher milage one, yes keeping a car running can be done cheap and can be done right, a radiator and a water pump is a radiator and a water pump. If you know how to work on cars these cars are not that expensive. I've seen bmws on the don't fix them till they break maintanence plans that runs for well over 200k. Now obviously practicing preventative maintanence is a good idea, but if you are short on money just drive the damn car, some of these cars are 15 years old or more, just make sure nothing is broken when you buy it. Transmissions perfectly maintained to the T can just go bad. All I'm saying is don't pay too much for one of these because you will end up spending the same Amount on maintanence, if you like preventative maintanence then why pay the premium for a car that's already had it if you plan on doing it yourself. Not only that but if you do the maintanence you wanna do then you have the piece of mind of knowing that it's been done and you're probably set for 50 or 60k.

[kingdavid]

I purchased a '99 740i w/93K miles about 3 & 1/2 years ago for $12,500. The following is the list of repairs, including parts and labor costs that I have incurred:
radiator- $175
front rotors and pads- $300
idler arm- $75
power steering pump- $275
power steering hoses- $200
PCV/gasket- $250
valve cover gaskets- $225
upper control arms (shimmy)- $225
pixel display- $300 (per regional service mgr.)
belts- $300
filters- $100
spark plugs- $40
two sets of wipers- $50
coolant flush- $80
11 oil changes- $700
set of Contis- $470
set of Yokohamas- $430
two grill assemblys- $100
additives- $100
I could have the front-left strut/shock assembly replaced. I did none of the repairs myself. Instead, I hired an INDY (independent mechanic) for all of the work, except for the pixel replacement (dealer). He did much of the work on his own time, which reduced my labor costs. None of the parts were OEM, nor were they used (except idler arm). All in, I have spent about $4400 for maintenance and repairs the previous 42 months. The car now has 150,000 miles.

[philmaz]

I bought my 99 740il about a year and a half ago. Needed brakes all around but that's normal maintenance for any car, plus an alignment. Otherwise:

8 months ago one of the tensioners for the timing chain gave out and caused the chain to rub against the back plate which put metal though the engine. Advice was that in such cases 99% of the time the engine is toast so I replaced it. But I kinda consider this a fluke/bad luck as the mechanics who looked at it said they had hardly ever seen this sort of thing.

So, things that I have had to fix aside from that..

Regulator/motor for rr window - $400 and change

Power steering hose is leaking, not sure which one or how much it will cost as I have not had it fixed yet.

Got the dreaded 50-60 mph shimmy so I ordered upper control arms which are sitting on my dinning room table right now, $250 or so. Will put in this weekend.

Struts for the trunklid - I forget how much they cost though.

That's it. Aside from the crap luck on the engine really not too bad for a car with 104k miles on it IMO.

[anncam]

There are several things to watch for. I would avoid anything without a full history and excellent service records. I would also lean towards a CPO or aftermarket warranty.

Some things to check:
Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display.
Catalytic converters failing
Power steering hoses leaking
Cup holders failing
Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8
Oil pump bolts backing out, generally pre 99 years
Radiator failures. Plastic neck breaking, all years
A/C stepper motors failing.
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing
Coolant thermostat failing
Poor quality jack
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer
Sunroof wind noise
CD player skipping in models older than 97
Older A/C temperature displays failing
Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications
A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound


1995 740il
Just got the car from my brother last week.

Loosing pixel display in temperature, mileage display. <just replaced mid display. bad pixels, also replace radio - completely shot. replaced CD changer as well>
Catalytic converters failing <don't know yet>
Power steering hoses leaking <don't know yet>
Cup holders failing <replaced both front and rear>
Nikasil engine block problems in 95 V8 <I have this one.... cross my fingers and hope no problems>
Oil pump bolts backing out, generally pre 99 years <don't know yet>
Radiator failures. Plastic neck breaking, all years <don't know yet>
A/C stepper motors failing. <blower motor and resistor need replacing... no heat or A/C right now>
Original Water pumps with plastic impellers failing <don't know yet>
Coolant thermostat failing <don't know yet>
Poor quality jack <yep>
Electric cooling fan failing in year 98 and newer <n/a>
Sunroof wind noise <pretty good so far>
CD player skipping in models older than 97 <replaced>
Older A/C temperature displays failing <OK so far>
Phones not being upgradeable without major cost or modifications <no phone... just a big hole in the armrest where it should be>
A/C drain lines need re-routing to stop gurgling sound <don't have a blower motor, so no A/C. Can't tell yet>

In addition, suspension is shot. shocks with SLS is $1100 each for the rear. Probably need front suspension worked on as well. PDC sensors failed, cruise control button on steering wheel doesn't work, memory seats don't work, universal garage door opener (homelink) doesn't work. Numerous oil leaks.

weirdest thing.... my right tail light has water in it. it's like a fish bowl. I feel like drilling holes in them to let the water drain out.

[casanova68]

I am loosing it--cabn barely read the mileage---how do I fix

[cdk348]

Just purchased my first BMW a 98 740il with 53k on it. Owned it two days and had to take it back to the dealer for repairs. Brake sensor failed and I replaced it on day one. Started missing (i think) on day two. Service engine light came on for one trip during the missing. A/C not working too!

Waiting for the bill.

[IcemanBHE]

Both of you...welcome to the forum.

(and the madness)

Ask your technical questions out on the main board.

[cdk348]

My repairs were free of charge. Thank God! Two bad coils/plugs and just a recharge on the A/C..:stickoutt

[onerepublic]

To be honest to you ppl , the most important thing to me when i buy any 4.4 Liter BMW engine car is the ENGINE, always check if the timing chain makes any noises , you can check that by putting your ear close to the right side of the engine , most likely where you add the oil.

[noodlesandsam]

There are good and bad cars out there for any and all brands. I've looked for the 'right' car for my criteria, and it has been a long search. The 750il I just got has 128K, and within the last 2 years has had: 02 sensors, Valley pan, Ft suspension, Fuel pump. Battery in Late 07, Radiator in 05. It does have cosmetic issues - door rust from being a Mass. car, stone chips on the front, and it needs a pair of fogs. Interior in really nice shape, good tires, shifts fine, no error messages. Price in the current economic environment $6800. We'll see over the next year what falls under normal wear and tear, and what falls under 'weird and unusual'

RY

[EtherHunt]

At 90,000 miles, this very clean car that I had just purchased, broke the sproket of one of the overhead camshafts. The camshaft sproket drive, instead of being all metal, has a rubber insert riveted onto the camshaft, then a metal chain sproket riveted onto the rubber. The rubber failed. The camshaft chain broke, several valves were bent on both heads. The engine was removed, the camshafts and valves replaced. Cost: $8,000.00. This is a potential failure on all these cars with the rubber camshaft sproket insert.

WTF? I know this was 5 years ago but how do you end up paying 8,000 for valves??????????????

1. Check the power steering system for leaks, and smell the power steering fluid in the reservoir.

If the car you are looking at is an iL and has the self-leveling suspension, then the car is supposed to have CHF11S mineral oil/synthetic hydraulic oil in the PS system. On these cars, if ATF is added to the PS system (normal for most other bimmers) it will eat the seals and you'll be rebuilding just about everything in the power steering/power brake boost/self levelling suspension system. If you have an iL, the color of the PS fluid should be yellow-green. If it's red or smells like ATF, be veeeery careful about buying the car, you may be spending big $$ to fix it.

2. If the power seatbacks are "broken" and don't move correctly, it's probably just a stretched seat cable. They cost around $10, and are a bit of a pain to replace, but are really no big deal. You're not looking at $1000 for a new seat or anything horrible like that.

Well as far as the PS fluid system I was about to crap my pants because I remember specifically seeing ATF fluid under the cap. But I just realized that the car I recently got does not have sls even tho the owner claimed it did. I prayed he was lying. And he was. Which is good because that just means all I have to do is replace the shocks. :alright

Question tho. Since these cars are old as fuel, changing that old CD changer is a must. But the question I keep asking is, will the steering wheel controls work with aftermarket stereos? And are there any conversion kits or anything available for steering wheel controls? Steering wheel controls are as important to me as anti lock brakes.

Also not sure if this has already been mentioned but always ask the previous owner what fuel exactly he used.
The brand and the octane.
The one I got shook like it had Parkinsons. After running 91 chevron for the past few days has completely eliminated that problem. Now during red lights I'm not if the car i on or not. The difference is night and day.


looks like the 740 is the better pick. Worried about that crash in 2004 though...fender bender or major?? Maybe the seller can flex a bit on price because of it.

Never been to Palo Alto...however, I know only RICH people live there.

You are wrong. Go to the eastside. Check the stats on the crime rate. Damn near oakland/richmond status.

[lpgautogas]

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