Roy's 740il Thread

[roys740]

Well I feel this is long overdue and figured I need tostart a thread and keep track of all the maintenance and modificationsduring my 2 year ownership. This is my 2nd 740 and I've invested more on this one with various maintenance, mods and DIYS. I'm terrible at taking photos while working on thecar, but I'll post what I have and try to be more picture conscience movingforward. Here's my 1998 740il that was sold so I could purchase this Cosmos SchwarzII 2001 740il n March 2013:

SOLD


When I first bought the BEAST



Current (Amazing the difference in iphone 6 camera versus a Canon XTI Digital Camera)




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Currently I am exploring various options for upgrading my suspension. Something looks off with my car's stance when I next to my buddy's 2001 740i. I know he has sports suspension and all but my car just seems flat. My car is the last one. Any and All advice is welcome.



First mod I did was installing a Strong Strut:

IMG_3614.jpgIMG_3616.jpg

added a while back cross drilled and slotted rotors with Akebono pads

rotors.jpg

replaced the old map lights with porn lights from 750

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[purplecty]

I used Meyle HD kit and Sachs front struts on my 98... If you want to lower just go with coilovers all the way around. For suspension parts I'd shop around for TRW or Lemforder parts...

[roys740]

I've been reading mixed reviews on the Meyle parts but I am lending that way. Will start shopping around like you said. Does FCP, Autohaus and Max honor price matching?

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Last week completed the upgrade from BMWLED Angel Eyes to Umnitza v2.5 Angel Eyes. Many thanks to Ryan Peter from Minnesota for all his help and time. Every time I call this fella he was there to answer my questions.



I want to do this next but need to do more research:

[ryanpeter]

Looks good Roy! Glad you like the Umnitza's.

Man, you are putting in some work!
Feels good I bet.

For me, I did the complete front and rear Meyle kits from fcp. The rear is holding up great, but the front lower control arm ball joints only lasted me 6 months before they failed. It could be a combo of being lowered and/or pressing in polyurethane bushings into those arms when I installed them. Hard to say.

The good thing about ordering from Fcp, is I was able to pay the extra money when they failed for genuineBMW arms. In other words, they honored the lifetime warranty but I paid the difference for genuine control arms. The 2nd time around, i left out the polyurethane bushings.

You really can't go wrong with FCP in my opinion.

[purplecty]

Do you have prefacelift straight slat grilles?

[roys740]

Thanks Ryan. Looks like FCP is the choice. Also as you suggested last week, I finally got around to cleaning my tail lights. Left side done with PlastiX vs Right Side untouched.

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[ryanpeter]

^looks good!

[roys740]

Do you have prefacelift straight slat grilles?

Purp nothing gets by you. Yeah I do. The ones that were on there before broke and I had some from my old 98 laying around and I use those for now. But replacements are on the way.

[purplecty]

Some prefer those. I am not one of them...

[roys740]

^looks good!

Thanks Ryan

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Some prefer those. I am not one of them...

Same here purp, but they were just laying in my garage and I got tired on the orginals flapping in the wind. lol. stay tuned for the replacements.

[Wojtek79]

There is a 2000 750iL at the Blue Island LKQ yard. Just got set out 3 days ago. Not much left though. I got all 5 Mpars, and a buddy grabbed the doublepane glass. That stuff is thick. It also had dual batteries in the trunk, navigation (4:3), 750 wood trim, heated and adjustable rear seats. It also had a 4 spoke sport wheel from an E46 installed with 2 stage airbag. The steering wheel had wood trim at 3 & 9 o'clock positions and was thicker than a standard 4-spoke. There is a full black leather dashboard still left minus the pass airbag cover

It was a complete car that was very clean. Seeing that beauty there was painfull a bit, especially while stripping it. As my friend said though: "the yard put us in that position, so it is their fault.

[roys740]

There is a 2000 750iL at the Blue Island LKQ yard. Just got set out 3 days ago. Not much left though. I got all 5 Mpars, and a buddy grabbed the doublepane glass. That stuff is thick. It also had dual batteries in the trunk, navigation (4:3), 750 wood trim, heated and adjustable rear seats. It also had a 4 spoke sport wheel from an E46 installed with 2 stage airbag. The steering wheel had wood trim at 3 & 9 o'clock positions and was thicker than a standard 4-spoke. There is a full black leather dashboard still left minus the pass airbag cover

It was a complete car that was very clean. Seeing that beauty there was painfull a bit, especially while stripping it. As my friend said though: "the yard put us in that position, so it is their fault.

Wojtek, man if you go back this week, I want that steering wheel. Can you get it for me? I will gladly pay you for your time. I am sure I wont be able to get over there til next weekend. And yes it's always sad to see any BMW in a junk yard. But someone's junk can easily become someone's else's treasure.

Did the steering wheel look like this?



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2015 Summer Time Shot

[Wojtek79]

Yes, that is the wheel.

[daytonatrbo]

I'm not aware of any e46 that ever had that wheel.

[haynes740]

Hey Roy car is looking very nice. You have yourself a keeper.

[roys740]

Hey Roy car is looking very nice. You have yourself a keeper.

Haynes, thank you man. It's a work in progress. Yours looks outstanding as well. Trying to stay on top of maintenance as best as I can.

[roys740]

Finally got rid of the old BMW phone last month:

bmwphone2.jpgbmwphonedelete_1.jpg

[clarkitect]

Car looks good Roy!

I also installed that center arm rest bin recently only my car didn't have a phone, just block of wood cut in the shape of a phone and covered in black vinyl and stuck into the cradle. I like having the little bin better.

Hope you manage to score that steering wheel.

[roys740]

Car looks good Roy!

I also installed that center arm rest bin recently only my car didn't have a phone, just block of wood cut in the shape of a phone and covered in black vinyl and stuck into the cradle. I like having the little bin better.

Hope you manage to score that steering wheel.

Hey thanks for the kind words. And yes I love having that bin now. I finally got somewhere to rest my iphone and sometimes ipod (use a cassette adapter to play music from it).

As for that steering wheel I am hopeful I can get that one or one somewhere but I on a mission for it.

[franco90]

looking NICe

[ryanpeter]

Purp nothing gets by you.

Haha, I was thinking the same thing. Purp noticed I had gloss painted grills, in a video I posted of my hideaway license plate.

[roys740]

looking NICe

Thnx Franco. Trying to keep mine nice like yours.

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Haha, I was thinking the same thing. Purp noticed I had gloss painted grills, in a video I posted of my hideaway license plate.

Wow I never notice they were gloss painted as well. Plus I saw the video too. Attention to detail is important when viewing our cars I see.

[ryanpeter]

It's hard to notice with potato pics, but yea they got painted a few months ago.
I like them a lot, gloss

[purplecty]

Yeah I think the bumper impact strips would look much better in gloss black as well...

[ryanpeter]

Yeah I think the bumper impact strips would look much better in gloss black as well...

What an excellent idea.

Calling body shop in 3, 2, 1....