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Thread: Worth buying a 750iL with a build date before 6/97?

  1. #26
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    So Speak of the devil, the 98 I've inquired about has some DSC issue.

    Ive tried to search but cant seem to find what generation system this car uses, nor am I certain that the system is complete, current owner says there are some lines off of the master cylinder that look capped/crimped, and mentioned he saw some reference to a precharge pump, which doesn't seem to be on the car.

    build date is 4-30-1997. I can't seem to find the right combo of keywords to figure out what generation system it has, and its makeup, so I'd at least know what to look for if I go see it.

    the car has some other issues expexted of a used E38; a bad rear window regulator, leather wear on the driver seat, and some failing clearcoat. Honestly the clearcoat is what bugs me the most, as I wasnt expecting that from the pics and was hoping to avoid bodywork. But, if there is a good chance the DSC issue can be solved without costing an arm and leg I will at least go look at it.

  2. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by 377Z View Post
    So Speak of the devil, the 98 I've inquired about has some DSC issue.

    Ive tried to search but cant seem to find what generation system this car uses, nor am I certain that the system is complete, current owner says there are some lines off of the master cylinder that look capped/crimped, and mentioned he saw some reference to a precharge pump, which doesn't seem to be on the car.

    build date is 4-30-1997. I can't seem to find the right combo of keywords to figure out what generation system it has, and its makeup, so I'd at least know what to look for if I go see it.

    the car has some other issues expexted of a used E38; a bad rear window regulator, leather wear on the driver seat, and some failing clearcoat. Honestly the clearcoat is what bugs me the most, as I wasnt expecting that from the pics and was hoping to avoid bodywork. But, if there is a good chance the DSC issue can be solved without costing an arm and leg I will at least go look at it.
    A missing pre-charge pump would cause the DSC warning light to come on and the traction control & ABS lights should also have been triggered........ Hopefully they capped the lines and didn't cut them as you'll want to replace it if you get the car. BUT if they removed pre-charge pump as a fix I'd be worried about everything else they might have done to the car. So unless it's selling DIRT cheap run away don't walk.

  3. #28
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    Funny, when talking with the guy I stated removal would be a hack, and asked whether he had observed any other hacks on the car as this brings such concern to the forefront.

    The seller doesn't sound familiar with BMW's (not that I'm some expert either), so he may be misinterpreting some things. He said he saw some crimped lines off the side of the master cylinder, and I think that is what he's basing his presumption that the pump is gone on. Subsequent pics he sent show they are plastic extensions of the reservoir itself, on the lower part of the back drivers side which is how I think they all are (I was expecting hard lines crimped).
    like this:
    [img]https://www.autopartsapi.com/eEuropa...828cfd4b44.jpg[/img]

    The Bentley manual shows the precharge pump next to the master cylinder, however in the sent pic of the car in question that space is empty. Again googling underhood shots of pre face lifts it looks like that area is indeed empty(Aitch I think its pics of your underhood I found)? But its hard to tell since none of the pics on line are focusing on that area.
    [img]https://flic.kr/p/NUwzBA[/img]

    Seller states that once the car is turned on, warning lights don't stay lit, says he feels the car pulse the brakes when he starts to move and that then the DSC triangle lights up. Says if you turn it off the car drives normally (albeit w/o DSC). And the cruise control doesn't work. My initial thought was it sounds a wheel speed sensor issue, but I have to imagine the dealer would have found that. Small town, probably only one dealer within 100 miles, and at this point I doubt anyone at the dealer is familiar with E38's anymore.

    On the other hand, seller states no leaks and that the car is very clean, and there is a stack of receipts from prior owners.

    I think the bottom line is I have to get eyes on it, and go over it with a fine tooth comb and just use common sense, and at the end of the day keep in mind buyer beware. Asking is $3800; based on what I have seen go thru CL that might be a decent starting ask based on what the car actually looks like and if its not hacked. There are several with more miles, and/or in visibly worse shape asking $5-6,500, and some nut with one asking $15K. Any cheaper ones are in visibly worse shape with more miles which at the end of the day would cost me as I don't want an eyesore (so how bad the clear coat fail is will also have a bearing on my feeling towards this one). I expect to have ongoing bills with control arms, joints, cooling system parts, and other maintenance items to some degree on any of these at this point. I can't tell if talk of lower prices here are just tongue in cheek or if clean 750iL's really do pop up for less?

    My loose plan is to go see it, and see what my gut says. But interested in any feedback on the above, to help my gut...

  4. #29
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    Sorry for some reason I thought you were looking at a 2001....... ( I should have paid more attention Sorry ) 1995-98 no pre-charge pump so its missing nothing in those regards. For DSC to be lit and no cruise I'd suspect a right rear speed sensor, But if it were a speed sensor the ABS light should be on.... If he not taking it to a good shop that's familiar with these cars and have the software to diagnose properly by reading faults & live *& saved data it could be basic.

  5. #30
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    No prob--and thanks for your help thusfar. I mentioned an 01 which actually turns out to be a 99:

    https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...delCode1=750IL

    and I have to say a 46k 750 for $8,500 is tempting, but I sure wish the car had turned up privately. However I'm not relishing the prospect of a fly n buy, even though I've done it before. Posted it in the 'finds' thread, I guess if its still around if the 98 I'm looking at falls through, I might reconsider.

    Planning at looking at the 98 either Friday or toward the end of next week.

  6. #31
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    Well I went to see the 98, it was a 'run dont walk' car, a Monet, a 20 footer. Maybe a $1,200 dollar car to be generous. In addition to the funky DSC prob, EDC bad, seats very bad, dash leather cracked, snadbeige faded to various shades of artificial limb color, clunks in frontend despite being 'refreshed,' dented sill, motor was replaced with a 'salvage' engine (mileage & provenance unknown). Dirty, smelled like gas, just did not look cared for.

    boggles my mind how some people (don't) look after cars.

    had plans to see a couple facelifts in Chicagoland next weekend, but their ads are gone suddenly. Im a bit more cautious with remote buying when its non late model stuff, as variance of condition is much wider spread.
    Last edited by 377Z; 07-28-2017 at 06:52 PM.

  7. #32
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    Well only facelift that's advertised around Chicago that may be worth looking at is priced about $2000-$2500.00 to high in my opinion
    https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/c...220629654.html

  8. #33
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    "Bulletproof windows" warrants schooling the owner and then lowballing him.

    The original owner of a 151k mi 94 750 in Bloomington wants 8k, I fell off the chair laughing. Deprecation is the greatest thing to ever happen.
    Last edited by XAlt; 07-29-2017 at 09:21 AM.

  9. #34
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    Quote Originally Posted by GMCPaul View Post
    Well only facelift that's advertised around Chicago that may be worth looking at is priced about $2000-$2500.00 to high in my opinion
    https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/c...220629654.html
    Yeah, that seems to be the most plausible one one left.

    There was a black/sandbeige '01 with around 100k and a bunch of recent maint specified in the ad, advertised for $6K. Trees in the pics were still bare, so I imagine it had been advertised for a while, but ad disappeared this week.

    I'll see whats around that way when I'm there next weekend, if the one in the ad you posted is still there I may go check it out.

    Quote Originally Posted by XAlt View Post
    "Bulletproof windows" warrants schooling the owner and then lowballing him.
    Funny, that crossed my mind with the 98, but when I saw it, it was clear that it was in way worse shape than anything I want, and its priced so out of line vs condition that even if I wanted a project in my experience trying to bring dreamy eyed sellers back to reality to offer 1/4-1/3 asking is too heavy a lift.

    This was the car, its basically a running parts car IMO:

    https://peoria.craigslist.org/cto/d/...190597527.html
    Last edited by 377Z; 07-29-2017 at 09:41 AM.

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by XAlt View Post
    "Bulletproof windows" warrants schooling the owner and then lowballing him.

    The original owner of a 151k mi 94 750 in Bloomington wants 8k, I fell off the chair laughing. Deprecation is the greatest thing to ever happen.
    LOL my thinking also when I read his ad....

  11. #36
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    If you need a laugh, check this ad out:

    https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/c...221100964.html

  12. #37
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    The Blue E38 has been on sale for a very long time, since December or so. Started at 9k and worked his way down, for $1500 it's a decent beater, raid junkyard 740s to keep a V12 on the road.
    Last edited by XAlt; 07-29-2017 at 12:39 PM.

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by XAlt View Post
    The Blue E38 has been on sale for a very long time, since December or so. Started at 9k and worked his way down, for $1500 it's a decent beater, raid junkyard 740s to keep a V12 on the road.
    Well, E38's are kind of scarce in junkyards where I am currently (Indy). To move forward with it it'd most likely make best sense to try to find a parts car with a good interior & swap everything, get new shocks, go through the suspension completely, figure out the gas smell, and wrap or paint it. And of course fixing the DSC issue. In addition to a general once over of all maint. Parts including cooling system, etc. that I would give any purchase--Thats a TON of work, and would probably end up costing more than just buying a clean one upfront, even if patiently waiting for deals on necessary parts.

    I half heartedly Consider offering the seller ~$1,200 if it gets to that point as it would be a blank canvas, but to me a big part of the draw is the prospect of getting a complete clean car for around $4-7k. Not sure I want to undertake a project of this scope at the moment.

  14. #39
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    Quote Originally Posted by GMCPaul View Post
    Sorry for some reason I thought you were looking at a 2001....... ( I should have paid more attention Sorry ) 1995-98 no pre-charge pump so its missing nothing in those regards. For DSC to be lit and no cruise I'd suspect a right rear speed sensor, But if it were a speed sensor the ABS light should be on.... If he not taking it to a good shop that's familiar with these cars and have the software to diagnose properly by reading faults & live *& saved data it could be basic.
    There was a pre-charge pump from 9/97 to 3/98...
    Own an E38? Add it to the E38 Registry!

    http://www.e38registry.org/

  15. #40
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    The most expensive BMW is a cheap used one.

  16. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by 377Z View Post
    Well, E38's are kind of scarce in junkyards where I am currently (Indy).
    Boy, ain't that the truth! Hard to find parts cars around here.

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by clivesay View Post
    Boy, ain't that the truth! Hard to find parts cars around here.
    Drive here.

    There was a mint black interior in the Pick N Pull, Summit.

  18. #43
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    Oh good, summit is still around. Used to go there ALL the time when I lived (survived?) in Brighton Park. Then moved SW, used to be several JY's in Lemont but they've all been shut down.

    Im actually working on moving back to the Chicagoland burbs. It *should* happen eventually, but trying to make it sooner than later.

  19. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sansouci View Post
    The most expensive BMW is a cheap used one.
    I would say that depends on what someone considers cheap. It seems E38's are all $6-8k cars, no matter the asking, pay now, or pay later. Thats a pretty cheap all in for what you get, IMO.

  20. #45
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    Quote Originally Posted by GMCPaul View Post
    Well only facelift that's advertised around Chicago that may be worth looking at is priced about $2000-$2500.00 to high in my opinion
    https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/c...220629654.html
    Looked at this car this afternoon, thumbs down.

    Ends up being a gas station mechanic who is evidently a dealer on the side (strike one). It is not 'super clean' and 'mint' as the ad claims; paint is okay except dull on the roof, clear failing on the hood, rear passenger door dented, trunk dented. Mostly shiny, M pars look good. Then I open the door, and am immediately PUNCHED in the face by the stench of some nuclear air freshener (strike two). Good lord, who would do that. Door sill trim missing, dirty carpet, entire DS seat cracked up. Various areas of door tops and dash cracked.

    Seems to run well, pixels work, no dash lights, radio plays, air works, didnt try heat, nor nav. Figure what the hey, might as well drive it. Steering is heavier than it should be, somethings not right there. Smooth and good power, but when you let up after gunning it, it had a strange whine from under the center of the car. S-EDC button does not have any effect, and the car rides firmer than I remember my short sport, so guessing the shocks are dead. He said it got new brakes and a thrust arm, Almost guarantee it needs most of the rest of the front end parts still, and like the steering, the brakes needed more effort than I expected, as if theres a leak in the vacuum line to the booster or something.

    At this point all that is strike three and I'm completely not interested, so I didnt look under it to check for leaks and such, nor scanning codes.

    I couldnt see paying more than $1,500-2,000 for it, it would need PDR and some paint touch up on the outside, but a full interior extraction (maybe several), replace at least the drivers seat, & repair or rreplace several door panels, dashtop, find a missing DS quarter window shade, in addition to whatever mechanical stuff I found above.

    Whenever I shop for cars I always encounter puffery, Seldom has it ever been this bad. Its amazing how poorly the two cars Ive looked at so far were kept, not just worn, but neglected. One more localish prospect I plan to see in the next week or two, seller insists its mint (dont they all). If it doesnt pan out I will consider either moving on the 46k 99 750il in SF, or expanding the search to include lower mile V8 E38's, or even (gulp) E65/66's.

  21. #46
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    Just fly

  22. #47
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    It may come to that--not excited about the prospect of changing all door glass.... but will depend on what the last local-ish car looks like

  23. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by 377Z View Post
    Looked at this car this afternoon, thumbs down.

    Ends up being a gas station mechanic who is evidently a dealer on the side (strike one). It is not 'super clean' and 'mint' as the ad claims; paint is okay except dull on the roof, clear failing on the hood, rear passenger door dented, trunk dented. Mostly shiny, M pars look good. Then I open the door, and am immediately PUNCHED in the face by the stench of some nuclear air freshener (strike two). Good lord, who would do that. Door sill trim missing, dirty carpet, entire DS seat cracked up. Various areas of door tops and dash cracked.

    Seems to run well, pixels work, no dash lights, radio plays, air works, didnt try heat, nor nav. Figure what the hey, might as well drive it. Steering is heavier than it should be, somethings not right there. Smooth and good power, but when you let up after gunning it, it had a strange whine from under the center of the car. S-EDC button does not have any effect, and the car rides firmer than I remember my short sport, so guessing the shocks are dead. He said it got new brakes and a thrust arm, Almost guarantee it needs most of the rest of the front end parts still, and like the steering, the brakes needed more effort than I expected, as if theres a leak in the vacuum line to the booster or something.

    At this point all that is strike three and I'm completely not interested, so I didnt look under it to check for leaks and such, nor scanning codes.

    I couldnt see paying more than $1,500-2,000 for it, it would need PDR and some paint touch up on the outside, but a full interior extraction (maybe several), replace at least the drivers seat, & repair or rreplace several door panels, dashtop, find a missing DS quarter window shade, in addition to whatever mechanical stuff I found above.

    Whenever I shop for cars I always encounter puffery, Seldom has it ever been this bad. Its amazing how poorly the two cars Ive looked at so far were kept, not just worn, but neglected. One more localish prospect I plan to see in the next week or two, seller insists its mint (dont they all). If it doesnt pan out I will consider either moving on the 46k 99 750il in SF, or expanding the search to include lower mile V8 E38's, or even (gulp) E65/66's.
    The whining after acceleration was the transmission. Happens when you don't use an OEM/Filtran filter, as aftermarket ones collapse and starve the transmission of fluid. Could also just be low fluid.
    10/12 E89 Z4 sDrive35i: Alpine White/Coral Red, 6MT, ZMP
    12/01 E39 M5: TiAg/full black leather, Supersprint mufflers + x-pipe, SSK
    04/95 E38 750iL: Jet Black/black, M Parallels, Shadowline, x-pipe and muffler delete

  24. #49
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    So there was a 2001 750iL in Chicagoland that looked promising on CL I wanted to see, that disappeared from CL a week before my trip. Bummed, it looked promising. Halfheartedly checked ebay, lo and behold it comes up there, so I spoke to the owner yesterday, and it sounded promising so I grabbed a car hauler and went to see it this afternoon:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/112519371797?ul_noapp=true


    Lesson learned, until you see it with your own eyes, wait to get the car hauler. Ended up dragging a trailer to IL and back. Oh well.

    I have yet to find a 750iL without a TRASHED interior, this is 0 for 3. Really discouraging any further trips over two hours, or anything I can't personally inspect.

    This particular car the body was 6-7 out of 10 and could be brought back pretty easily, but tires bad, suspension clunks, EDC inop, weird jerky shifting trans, neglected leather, cracks on dash, console, door panels, rear windows inop, dirty, pixels busted, stuff broken under the hood, sludge under the oil cap, seat foam flattened, carpet and leather faded like it was in death valley, DIRTY... I mean, you're selling a car, F-in CLEAN IT.

    I didn't even make an offer. Another where I'd have to change the ENTIRE interior, frontend rebuild, who knows whats up with the trans, etc. Stay away, unless you just want the body or are ambitious and can get him to take $1500.

  25. #50
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    So I bought a 750, but an Li, not an iL. In my quest I ran across a CL ad for an '06 with 117k, in trans failsafe, for $2,500 asking. Went to see it today and struck a deal for $2300, pulled it home on a trailer. White with tan, 19's from a 2008, fairly loaded.

    Pretty sure it will need valvestem seals, an ABS sensor, and a CSB too, but it was in decent shape and seemed like a deal.

    will be interesting to see if the failsafe is an electronic fault or if the trans needs a rebuild. If it needs a rebuild I may just pulloff the nose, pull the engine/trans as a unit, & do the valvestem seals at the same time.

    I have pics but have not started a imgur acct since photobucket dropped the hammer.

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