I dont know, if you just compare the internet posts between M62TU and N63 engines it's day and night. Yes, we have the TCG issue but after fixing that the engine is quite reliable. I have had zero issues with mine since. The N63 is an absolute disaster, even the N63TU. Not sure what engine Edwin has tho.
I'm curious how the N63TU2 will turn out, that might be a good buy if they managed to fix all the issues.
I know Edwin has contributed a ton to the E38 world, but comparing an E38 to an F01 is kind of a joke. The two cars are night and day. Every new BMW now is much larger than its predecessor. Tech has evolved insanely in 20 years. All this tech, mechanical and electrical, means more headaches, especially when it's a German car.
Looks wise, it is up to the beholder. I see nothing about the F01 that is special. It will end up like the E65.
Drive-wise, the ride will be totally different and more disconnected than the E38. Again, it's all about "to each his own". It means nothing about what one person thinks vs what another person thinks.
Last edited by racer2086; 03-21-2019 at 09:48 PM.
'98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
'04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
'00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
'85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original
mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors
I had a 93k mile M62tu suffer a cracked valve out of the blue. My current car had the guides go at 178k miles, no big deal, replaced guides and everything, now 40k miles later, under acceleration the engine has what sounds like severe lifter tap as well as now a significant low end rap. POS engines.
Had to decide between spending 12k on a decent 93k mile F01 I found, or 1k on acquiring and doing guides on a new engine for the car. Going with the latter, so hoping "third time is the charm" as opposed to "everything happens in threes".
Also thought about an F10 528i, rwd, 103k miles, for cheap, but opted to stick with the E38. Dammit love this car despite its apparent disdain for my wallet.
Like Racer says, the newer cars are night and day in terms of contemporary features, but the ease of working on these older E38s is very appealing.
The newer 7 series have headed more in the true luxury car "tomb of isolation" direction. The E38 was one of the last that was meant to be a comfy luxury car for someone who enjoys driving.
I'm in the same boat, I have my 01 that i'm having to replace the trans and it will need to get the guides done soon as it's ~230k, so selling it will not really get me anything. Plus I haven't found anything besides a F06 650 that even remotely got me excited.
TRPCHGE - '01 740i Black/Black 230k'ish - Power folding mirrors, Mk.IV Nav, 16:9, M-pars, Sport seats, Sport wheel, Steptronic, Euro rear fog switch, 2.50" X-Pipe, Shadowline, E53 4.6is Cluster, Lacewood interior, Chromeline, 3.15, Bilstein B6+H&R Stage II's. - SOLD 06/21
BSKCASE - '98 740il Arctic Silver/Black 175k'ish - Face-lifted, 3" Projectors, Shadowline, 01 Tails, Hydro Trunk, Sunshades, 750il Full interior retrofit, Sport Seats, Steptronic, Face-lift Steering Column, X5 Steering wheel, E53 4.6is Cluster, Euro E66 Piano black/Chrome Grab-handles, Chromeline, Suede Pillars/Headliner, Auto wipers/Lights, Lighted Handles interior/Exterior, Dual battery retrofit.
WIP: Custom Style 42 18x9.5" ET12, 18x10.5" ET8, 3.15 LSD Rear diff.
I have 158K now, other than the guides, the MAF, the VANOS units and solenoids, the valve covers, the hoses, the thermostat, the aux pump, the manifold gaskets and the OSV & CCV this has been a problem-free engine. Oh wait! Maybe you have a pont.
I kind of enjoy working on it, so it doesnt really feel trouble. Like I missing have any issues in the last couple of months, have all those tools unused!
Last edited by georgebest; 03-23-2019 at 03:14 PM.
The problem with the cars is not so much the big stuff. You can fix that. It's the small stuff - and there's very little realistic way to fix it all, especially if you intend to daily the car.
We've been doing so for the past several years ourselves and finding 'good' cars has become much harder. To the point where I finally compromised to get a 750 that I ... mostly like. Though it's in nowhere near as good a condition as the 740 we daily.
The (much better) alternative is a Panamera, but the financial commitment is fairly different. And there are situations in which it's less appropriate.
I was perfectly happy with my 1995, except that the clear coat just (totally) crapped out late last fall. Hard to justify repainting it. Not sure what to do next.
I like the "whale" as well..the newer body style is a big improvement..the price tag for the used models was higher than I anticipated. Never owned a Porsche maybe they are worth it- people seem to give great reviews on the Cayenne...and maybe a better price point depending on year... oil leaks on the BMWs drive me nuts!
The front Panamera buckets seemed too confining for 1-2000 mile trips..same for rear passenger comfort as well-with the bucket configuration. I am blessed with 7 cars (some "antiques") so I guess each has its own special quality/function .
Ajs Dad
What small stuff are you referring to that is hard to keep up? The best part about "small stuff" is that I keep a running list between my and my wifes cars and get to it when I can because the car can still be driven. FCP is a huge part of that also, since door locks, regulators, etc can all be replaced for free.
'98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
'04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
'00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
'85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original
mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors
racer, I could go on for hours: from HVAC actuators to contacts, seals, chrome finishers, trunk panel cleanliness... there are a number of things that are, very simply, aging in these cars and they're now close to 20 years old, best case. If you want to keep the car in 'actual showroom condition', not 'great for its age', which I will grant you is effectively almost unheard of especially judging by what I have seen for sale in the past six years and counting, it becomes a long, time consuming and expensive battle which gets worse with time. Speakers rattling? Take the door panels off and fix them. Oops, no more speakers from BMW. Well, fix that by reconing by hand, oops, now the door panels make noise even if you change all the clips, unless you're lucky. I could keep going, as I said.
Note that I did not mention, again, mechanicals. Most of those are comparatively easy (though the AC system whine is one of the good ones, so is the fact that none of these cars drives the same way once suspension parts have been replaced no matter what you do, I could keep going... but these are minor things).
if you want to upgrade and don't want to worry about TCG or VANOS issues, look at getting a 750.
Ok, now I understand where you're coming from. My car is not showroom and never will be, as no car with over 30k miles will look like that. I keep it in "great shape," which for me allows me to enjoy it, use it for what it is, and not worry about every cosmetic thing. Because, honestly, any car with use and mileage on it is going to have those cosmetic issues.
Regarding parts, for things that are mostly not wear items or things that are ridiculously expensive or impossible to get from BMW, I visit junkyards. I've had pretty great luck getting what I need, but that's not for everyone, which I understand.
I haven't had any HVAC stepper issues or chrome issues (we did have one years ago while still under CPO warranty). And for the A/C, I do my own work. I preventatively evac my cars and recharge them every few years, since every single car loses some refrigerant over time even if perfectly sealed. BMW even specifies 10-30 grams per year of loss as normal. The whine you have is likely because you're a little low on charge. Evac, add 1 oz oil, and recharge the system to spec. No more whine.
Best of luck in your decision!
'98 740il | 9/97 build | schwarz 2 | sandbeige | 5AT | 270k
'04 330i ZHP sedan | Mystic blue | Alcantara | 6MT | 120k
'00 540i sport | Titanium silver | Black | 5AT | 152k
'85 Mustang GT convertible | Medium charcoal metallic | Gray | 5MT | 216k | one owner, all original
mods: m-pars | Bilsteins & B&G springs | ValentineOne | StealthOne
retrofits: full nav | MKIV | bluetooth TCU | BM53 w/ AUX input | video module w/ AV input & backup cam | oem sirius xm | xenon | shades | PDC | rain sensor | BMW DWS TPMS | lighted door handles | front seat heaters | heated steering wheel | euro rear fog lights | ski pass | folding mirrors
I need to put up pictures of my other BMWs. My M3 doesn't look appreciably different now than it did when I bought it - and that was 11/1996 and 186k km ago. The M5 is starting to show a little leather wear - it has a little over 260k km now and was bought 9/2000 - and it's going into the upholsterer's when I get back to Europe. These are 'daily' drivers, mind you. The daily 740 just came back from the detailer's, it's actually now going up for sale because I finally found a 750 replacement. That one kept a few scratches to keep its original paint... but I've only had it (as the second owner) for 2.5 years. And it does need shocks.. instead of buying those, I bought another car.
That's where I run into trouble: when the monthly cost of 'wouldn't it be nice if this were better' runs more than the lease of a new Turbo S
There is no replacement. Never will be. I've been in one since 2005 with only a 90 day gap. It's cheaper to invest in what you have to get it to where you want it and be done. I too wrangled with this which launched me into the S62 swap and NBT upgrade. Now Im back to cosmetics and it'll be finished. Worth every dime.
2001 | DINAN 7 Sport | S62 Swapped 6-Speed
DINAN Springs & Exhaust | 750 Brakes | M-Pars | Monsoons | NBT Nav/Radio
Dual Pane Glass | Black & Sand Int.
2001 | 750iL | AlpineWeiss III
@scotthduke on Instagram
It’s hard to find a car that drives like the E38 and any old BMW for that matter. At 158k, my 01 is in the shop getting the trans fully rebuilt for $3k. Didn’t hesitate for a second. The one thing to consider if you DD it is to have another car to spilt duties when one is down. I alternate between the 01 and a 03 CL55 AMG, a 94 840ci as back up and soon a 02 X5 4.6is. Just pick this one up as a project due to a chain failure. Once the heads are pulled, sent for a rebuild and it’s fully gone through, this should be good driver as well.
The ultimate question is how much of your time/money do you have to invest in maintaining yourself vs paying someone vs buying newer. For me, it comes down to the driving experience, which both justifies the time and my own wrenching. If I had to pay someone for the majority of the work, (transmission not withstanding), I still wouldn’t consider newer, as it does ultimately come back to seat time and the feel of the road.
First world problems!
Last edited by Gregsgroup; 04-07-2019 at 06:56 AM.
This was one of the main reasons why I bought my 750. Didn't want to have to mess with the big stuff like that. I've got to many cars to maintain. It would be nice to have one I can simply drive.
- - - Updated - - -
Did not know this about refrigerant loss. And thank you for this bit of advice regarding the Whine!!! It has recently started driving me nuts. I will be sure to get the system recharged.
- - - Updated - - -
At least we can use this excuse to have additional cars. It is a valid excuse in my house.
2005 X5 4.8is (DD winter) * 2001 750iL (DD summer) * 2001 Ford Excursion 7.3 L <> 2005 X5 3.0 * 2003 X5 4.4i * 2009 X3 3.0 * 2009 X5 3.0 * 2007 Toyota Avalon Limited
I made the jump from my beloved 2001 BMW 740iL to an Audi in 2016.
I got a 2006 A8L
My E38 Project...................DSP Rear Deck Subwoofer box with Monsoon Speakers and Metal pulleyed window regulators NO longer for sale (click link to see how to make your own)....................................
Here are my Audi posts. Most are mods and minor maintenance.
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sea...&starteronly=1
My E38 Project...................DSP Rear Deck Subwoofer box with Monsoon Speakers and Metal pulleyed window regulators NO longer for sale (click link to see how to make your own)....................................
I bought my first 2001 740iL last year. I was not in a hurry, so I searched for about 3 months and I finally found one that suited me. There are a lot of variables that go into what should suit you. Low mileage, TCGs done, other major work? How about exterior color and interior color and condition? Warm weather car or one from the cooler states that throw salt on the winter roads? Willing to deal with a salvage titled car or not?
I made a spreadsheet. I tracked cars I saw advertised online at different sites (and from around the country) and rated them as best as I could (I didn't care about physically inspecting at the beginning, I just wanted to create a pricing model to get started). After a while I started to get a sense of what the cars were perceived to be worth, and I kept in mind the fact that I would likely have to kick in more money once purchased to deal with the unexpected/undisclosed issues.
I ended up spending $6,000. The car had 164,xxx miles, TCG work was done and a new transmission had been installed 25,000 miles before. Seller was able to provide detailed paperwork to prove the work was completed on car. Paint is near mint (Biarritz-Blue) and leather interior is excellent. SLS and EDC work well. Did I overpay? At the time maybe, but now that I am past dealing with the unexpected issues I would say yes. Am I happy with the car? Oh yes! The car looks great, drives nice. It is a real head turner. My E36 already has over 232,xxx miles on it, so driving a car with 164,xxx miles feels like a new car to me! :-) This car will be kept and driven for a long time!
From my search experience, it seemed like jet black, titanium silver, and alpine white where the predominant colors. I saw a 740i with the sport package in Arizona that was Imola Red and looked amazing. It was priced at $7,000 and had a salvage title which was a deal breaker for me.
If you go for another E38 or something else, make a spreadsheet. Identify and track what is important to you, and start looking!
Good luck!
I got this
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but its not much of a DD.
The World is ruled by Kings and Queens that blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
When answering my questions please use a qualifier if you are not sure.
The more I work on this car the less I respect German engineering.
When you speak in Absolutes you are always wrong!
Semper Fi
You can daily that, easy.
My 98 740iL broke the engine block and its still sitting in the driveway broke.
Replaced it with an 01' DINAN 7. Now my commute (about once a week) is 74 miles one way in LA traffic. The old girl won't last long like that. May get an older VW Rabbit or Golf as a go-kart runaround for commuting to LAX.
The DINAN is a fun car, but still want more power, so maybe an e39 M5 next. I got my son an e39 540i Sport, nice kick in the pants, so the M5 is even better.
The newer BMWs are more plastic, but I can attest to the N55 engine (Inline 6 twin-turbo) is a great motor (in my X5). The predecessor, the N54 twin turbo is also a great motor, but the turbos tend to explode at about 120k miles, and cost about $1.5k in parts to replace (the N54 version of guides). I just bought my daughter a 2010 328i with an inline 6, no turbos, last of the great engines (M54 I think).
I hear the newer cars with the 4 cyl turbos are not doing well. Too much pressure for the little engine to handle long term.
As far as getting something else or continue to fix the old cars, that depends on your emotional attachment to the machine. My e34 was a POS, and worth less than $1k, if that. Paint was gone, HG blown, seats were torn. But it was my first BMW, and in the family for over 20 yrs. I was going to get rid of it, but my wife, who is not at all a car person said no, she said it was a part of our family and she wanted me to save it. So I rebuilt the engine, replaced the trans, got newer seats, lowered and replaced all the suspension and got a cheap paint job, all for about $7k, but the car looks great now, and all my four kids have learned to drive in it. Its part of the family and 24 yrs old. If it ever gets destroyed, I will cry.
02 e39 540i Sport (Son), 01 DINAN 7 (Me), 12 e70 X5 x35i (Mrs), 95 e34 525i (Daughter 2), 01 e46 325Ci vert (Daughter 1)
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