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Thread: FAQ-> What To Look For When Buying An E38/Buyers Guide

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    Question FAQ-> What To Look For When Buying An E38/Buyers Guide

    If you feel you aren’t competent to inspect these yourself or any of this confuses you, I recommend you have a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) done by a local independent mechanic who specializes in BMW repair or a BMW dealership. These typically go anywhere from $100 to $300, shop around for the best price.


    What to look for under the hood:

    •Leaky power steering hoses and reservoir
    •Oil Pump Bolts (check that they are tight and none are missing, especially on model years prior to 1999)
    •Radiator condition, specifically the radiator neck (where the upper hose connects)
    •Radiator fan “wobble” and water pump condition - If the fan shaft has any play, then the water pump is failing
    •Thermostat harness, check for corrosion or burns on the wires and on the connector
    •Air filter condition
    •All coolant hoses, including the heater hoses behind the engine leading into the heater core and heater valve
    •Coolant level (only check if the engine is stone cold!). The top of the red float should come to the top of the neck, no higher!
    •Look under oil filler cap (located on passenger’s side valve cover) for “milky” substance. If it is milky, then there is coolant in the oil which could mean a blown head gasket or cracked/warped head.
    •Cracks in any intake tubing, especially the “accordion” section. Listen for “whistling” while the engine is running. If there is excessive whistling, then there is a hole or crack somewhere in the tubing.
    •Oil around the valve covers and in the spark plug wells.
    •Make sure there are no fuses blown, the electrical box (referred to as the “E-box”) is located right in front of the firewall on the passenger’s side.



    What to look for in the interior:

    •Glove box, make sure it opens and closes without problems. Ask the owner to lock and unlock it to make sure the lock still works
    •Hood release lever. Pull it straight up and the hood should pop up a tiny bit. If it doesn’t, the bump stops need to be adjusted
    •Pixels in the instrument cluster and all stereo components
    •Radio, CD Changer, tape deck, navigation (if applicable) etc. Make sure they all work. Bring some CDs to test the CD changer to make certain it will read them. Play with the faders to ensure all speakers work correctly.
    •All rear sunshades, make sure they extend and retract fully.
    •All windows. Put them down, and up. Test all the switches in the driver’s door as well as each passenger door.
    •Sunroof. Make sure it tilts, slides back, and slides closed.
    •Check each door handle to make sure the doors will open from the inside.
    •Central locking button behind gear selector. When you press it the first time, all doors should lock. When you press it the second time, all doors should unlock
    •Hazard lights, just to the left of the central locking button. Make sure they light up in the instrument cluster and walk around the car to make sure both the front and rear corners all flash.
    •Turn signals, right and left. Again, walk around the car to make sure they work in both directions.
    •Back up lights. Have the owner put it in reverse (with the brakes on) and check to make sure the backup lights illuminate.
    •Brake lights. Same procedure as reverse lights.
    •Check low beam, high beam, and fog light operation.
    •Check all leather on the seats for cracks and tears.
    •Make sure all seat belts will click in to their harnesses and will retract on their own.
    •Play with all the adjustments on the front seats to make sure they all work correctly.
    •Check that the front seats heat up when the heated seats are engages (if applicable).
    •The cup holder. Make sure it doesn’t slide all the way out.
    •Check that the headliner doesn’t sag at all, sniff the A pillars to know if it has been smoked in.
    •Test the cigarette lighter sockets for power.
    •Make sure there is no Check Engine Light, Brake warning light, etc. illuminated on the instrument cluster.
    •Hit the right button on the instrument cluster, it should say “CHECK CONTROL OK”
    •Press the trunk button near the hood release lever. The trunk should pop up.


    What to look for on the exterior:

    •Rust, specifically on the bottoms of the doors.
    •Dents, dings, and peeling paint or clear coat.
    •Tire tread depth and condition.
    •Jack stand pads underneath all 4 doors (circular rubber pads, about the size and shape of a hockey puck)
    •Factory jack access holes. These are located on the rocker panels right above where the jack stand pads should be. Make sure all the covers are there and that they come out (use a flat head screwdriver).
    •Windshield wiper condition. Make sure they aren’t cracked or damaged.
    •Exhaust. In normal weather, it should be a greyish black color. It shouldn’t be blue, dark black, or white. If it is colder outside or the engine was just started, then it may be white for a few minutes.
    •Headlight and fog light lenses, they shouldn’t be cracked or extremely pitted.
    •Open the trunk and lightly press it shut. You should hear the electronic assist kick in.


    What to look for in the trunk:

    •Tool kit, look for missing tools.
    •Battery, located on the right side behind a carpeted panel. 750 models will have 2, every other model has one. Make sure the terminals are free from corrosion and are tight. Make sure the vent tube is correctly fitted to the battery and isn’t pinched or kinked anywhere.
    •Check that there is a factory jack, it should be right next to the battery.
    •Pull up the carpet floor, make sure there is a spare wheel/tire and there should also be a wheel chock in there to keep the wheels from moving while the car is jacked up.
    • Make sure the CD changer is present and the CD magazine pops out and back in without issue, this is behind the carpet panel on the left side of the trunk.


    Other things to look for:

    •Keys, there should be at least one master key with a remote, one spare key without a remote, and one valet key in the glove box. Make sure the first two will start the engine and will manually lock and unlock the doors.
    •Make sure the remote works. Press the big button once to lock all doors (you should hear a chirp or beep). Make sure the gas lid locks too. Press the unlock button once (you should hear a chirp or beep again) and the drivers door and the gas lid should unlock. Press it again (you won’t hear any chirp or beep this time) and all doors and the trunk should unlock. Press the trunk button and make sure the trunk pops up.
    Last edited by IcemanBHE; 02-08-2010 at 02:56 AM.


  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
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    15 650ix GC & 14 X5 50i

    INFO-> Buyers Guide (downloadable PDF)

    Here are two E38 Buyers Guides in PDF format that you can download and save if in the market for a used E38...as well as if you've already purchased one and would like a write up of the usual MALADIES and things to be on the look out for.

    The only thing that doesn't remain relative in the articles is the "market prices"...which are only relevant to the time that the articles were written:
    1. E38 Buyers Guide 12/2005 PDF 4.5 MB PDF e38 Buyers Guide...from the 12/2005 issue of BIMMER magazine.

    2. E38 Market Update Buyers Guide PDF (6/2007) (this article contains info for the e23/e32/e38 7 series + the e24 & e31 {6 & 8} series)
    Last edited by IcemanBHE; 08-30-2011 at 09:33 PM.
    Become a BMW CCA member! Click HERE to join and feel free to use my BMW CCA member #191509 as a referral.

    2015 650ix GC (Moonstone/Cohiba Brown) <<~>> 2014 X5 50i (Space Gray/Mocha)

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    99 840ci Sport Indv

    INFO-> E38 Buying Guide - UK Models

    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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