What to Look For When Buying a 7 Series | E38 Buyers Guide
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- Опубліковано 26 лют 2017
- As we approach our 18 month anniversary with our 2001 BMW 740iL E38, we've decided to put together a comprehensive guide for buyers looking to pick up BMW's Ultimate Driving Machine. We'll go over the different models and engines available for the North American market, as well as some of the common problems and troubles with the E38 and what you should look out for. We wrap up with some details about the different cars you might be on the look out for.
We want to thank everyone who sent us in videos and photos of their E38s to make this video possible.
For more information about the E38 BMW 7 Series, we trust the following websites:
www.e38.org
www.bimmerforums.com
www.meeknet.co.uk/e38
www.e38registry.org
We're proud to say that all of our videos are uniquely produced in the Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada. - Авто та транспорт
Best 7 series ever
We certainly love ours!
I get a lot of compliments on my 1997 Bmw 740i, they say she's a dime. I say she's is under rated. I sometimes feel like this car is alive and has a personality. It's a real pleasure every time I walk up to the beauty and a total dream to drive. True Classic but in a cool way. Bmw has yet to come out with a better more timeless body.
Agreed! It's a great feeling when people notice your E38 eh, I had a few people on our road trip this past weekend checking it out, felt great.
Well dude you need to come to the Baltics people love e38 in here. :) :D
I think the latest BMW that's almost as stunning would have to be the F06 Gran Coupe
Garret every person that I talk to about my E38 express the very same sentiment that you just did.
Garrett Sheh tru
The ultimate 7-Series, in my opinion. These and big Cadillacs are my favorites.
Can't go wrong with either! We've been looking at some of the 230+ inch Caddy's recently online, would love to own one!
An excellent production Nile. You move right along with the narration, cover the main topics and the video is superb. I love my e38 as it's plain that you do too. Good one!
Thanks, we appreciate that! We really wanted to make sure we got everything we could into this video to make it one of the most comprehensive guides for those looking at buying an E38.
I just picked up a 2001 740iL with 46K original miles. One owner. Garage kept. A serious find. I just got rid of my 2003 540i M Sport, which I owned for the past 6 years. I love both e38's & e39's. I have also owned a 1991 318is, a 1994 525i, & a 1997 740i. I Love Bimmers!!!
Very nice! There are some low mileage examples out there, that’s awesome that you found one. Hope it treats you well!
Finally someone who still appreciates this particular model! Excellent video;)
Thanks! There's a huge E38 community out there, that's for sure. Lots of great people working hard to keep E38s on the road.
your videos are really professional! Keep it up! great vid
Thank you! We put a lot of work and effort into making the best quality content we can. We're glad you like it!
Such a beautiful car. You can really notice the longer wheelbase on your 'iL' compared to the other one. Love the video man, keep up the great content! Impatiently waiting for a W140 review haha
Still trying to find one to review! The only ones I see around here are pretty beaten up. When we do the full tour and review for the 97 740i we featured in this video we'll have a quick segment about the differences the LWB brings.
Great video! I'm on my way to get an Orinoco Metallic 740i Individual Highline. After selling my 750i Individual last year I've missed E38 ownership and this was the perfect buyers guide. Thanks 👌
Very nice! I don't think we've had the pleasure of seeing that colour on the road before, but sounds like you've got something great. Hope you enjoy it!
Great Video as always Nile. We have 14 cars in our collection and 7 of them are BMWs. We have had everything from an e32 to a f02 but my favorite car by far is my 2001 e38 740iL with the Sports Package. I baby that car so much, it hardly leaves the garage except on very warm sunny days. I plan on keeping it the rest of my life!
Glad to hear it! 14 cars, thats awesome! That's always been a dream of mine, to have a fleet of different cars. Right now I don't have the garage or driveway space for even half of that, but maybe one day!
We currently are running out of space for ours. Keep up the good work!
Will do!
bought 750 last year just for the giggles of straight piping it and i fell in love with it, daily driving ever since
Very nice!
I've always loved these cars and dream of having one, but I'd only ever heard bad things about them. Your videos take an honest, real-life look at this model and you make owning one seem a lot more manageable than I had thought. Thank you for the info.
Glad that the videos have helped, that's what we've hoped from the get-go. There's certainly work that needs to go into these, and parts will fail no matter what, but we hope by covering the car as best we can it will help others buy and maintain them.
Great cars, when I replaced my E32 7, I was all set to get a used 38, ended up with an E60 5 Series, now that was vey special!
Very nice! We like the face-lifted E60s, couldn't ever get used to the window switches mounted vertically on the door cards.
Love this car it was and still is my dream to own one again I had a 95 740il black with tan interior I was told it had a water pump leak so I told the auto repair shop to fix it I picked it up and was overheating come to find out it was not the water pump but the bottom hose had a pin hold in it well driving it back to the shop blew the head so I gave it away. One of the best cars I've ever had. Great Video too!
Hopefully you can get another one some day! We've heard from a lot of E38 enthusiasts over the years who've picked up cars, still a very healthy market for them.
Appreciate the videos. They're a great source for information.
+gibbssteve01 glad you liked it, thanks! We're really proud of how this one turned out.
A wonderfully put together video and a lovely car. i am jealous already lol!!
Thanks! We really wanted to make sure this video was accurate, informative, and enjoyable for people. It's hard to do videos like this since the best knowledge comes when you own the vehicle, so we wanted to make sure we did the E38 justice.
I have a 98 740i and I love it. It runs well and in my opinion, was built like a tank. Takes a lot for anything to break, although very expensive when things do wear out. I prefer the older body style with the rectangular headlights over the facelift. In my area, if I happen to come across another E38, it's always a 740il, it's very rare around here to find a 740i and even rarer to find a 750il.
You're lucky to even see other E38s! I can't remember the last time I saw another one on the road during my travels.
Very true
Good, comprehensive review. Thank you.
We're glad you think so, thanks!
My 2001 BMW 740iL navy/orient blue crossed 100K miles recently and I had 100K mi service done with engine gasket replaced. The engine is so smooth and quite that first few days when stopped at light I had to look at RPM -- no exaggeration here. My previous was wife's classic 1986 325es that covered over 200K mi in 25+ years.
I remember back when mine felt that way, hope yours continues to serve you well! 100k miles is pretty young for one of these, lots of life left in it.
Thanks for the buyers guide and other info, I picked up an 01' 740iSport last month and have it almost up to par with maintenance items. Another 2 weeks and hopefully I'll just be driving it for a while, replacing bits here and there.
That's great, congrats! In our opinion the 2001 is the best year to get, mostly from a style perspective. Hope it treats you well!
Perpetual Radio Networks Thanks, your videos gave me insight into some of the little quirks and options which was helpful and as you've mentioned in your videos, pretty rare on youtube for E38s.
We want to keep producing relevant videos on the E38, hopefully we’ll be able to as the channel grows and the weather here improves.
bought a 740i 99 facelift just a month ago and it is the best purchase i have ever done
Congrats! We’re always happy to that people are still interested in these cars.
thank you for these videos. you're awesome.
Glad you like them, thanks for watching!
Thanks for the photo credit! Just one point though, in your dialogue you are showing the later model engine with the single timing chain and the Vanoss when you're talking about the earlier engine. I'm sure only diehards will pick up the difference but just for the sake of continuity the picture of the engine with the idler pulley and dual timing chains is the earlier engine. Great production work and thanks again for adding to the E38 body of knowledge!
+Daniel Lovelock I figured there'd be a bit of that happen, I know there were two parts I couldn't necessarily sync the images with the voice over, the two still images of the torn down engine, then right after with the pre-vanos video of the 740i we filmed as I talked about the TU model.
Never mind. Good video and great information thanks again!
Awesome video... a lot of information. Subscribed.
Glad you liked it, thanks for subscribing!
Can’t wait to get this 740i I’ve been looking at
Hopefully it works out for you!
I’ve bought a V12 BMW E38 like a month ago and I love it
Glad to hear it! Can't beat the feel of one.
@@PRNTestDrive it’s a one of a kind ride, best 3k ever spent
Getting one tomorrow!!
Favourite BMW and will always be.👍
Same for us, we absolutely love the E38!
Great video! I started following your channel a few months ago, I'm also a E38 owner (2000 740i) therefore i can relate to most of the points you made in this video. I need a piece of advice, i've been thinking about getting new subwoofers for the car (it has DSP) but i haven't been able to find any that will actually fit and replacing it with another set of originals would be really expensive. I'm from Costa Rica so from whatever price you find online i have to add shipping and taxes, a regular set of 4 subwoofers on ebay cost about $550 but for me the price goes up to almost $1100 just to get them over here, and to those $1100 don't include installation. Any advice on some aftermarket subwoofers that are good, less than $800 and with great audio quality?
Anyway keep up the great work and thanks for taking the time and help others with their concerns!
Best wishes for you and your family.
I am from Germany and I find your videos great. The most e38 in Germany has a bad owner but in your country they all looks great.
I hope to see more videos from you about BMW, but don't speak to fast please we German guys didn't understand your fast English and sorry for my bad English writing skills.
Yours sincerely
Thanks for watching! I do feel like sometimes I talk quick, we're working on making the voice overs better!
As with the E36 and E46, pre-facelift looks just so much better
Lol what
Those cars are so dope, so strong looking
We agree!
Love your videos I got a 2000 740i M sport from my sister the trans went into limp mode and they were going to junk the car for $ 500 so I bought it, I am a sae mechanic the engine and transmission was in mint condition except the oil leaks which I repaired also changed the transmission fluid too. I rebuilt the front and rear suspension along with shocks and struts w/springs and whole lot of other up grades including painting the car , up grading the stereo and speakers and interior with JBL including the rear deck subwospeaker. Now my sister & brotherinlaw envy this car now it's been restored to full mint condition now they want drive it" the answer was NO ! if I put a price tag on my labor and parts it would be at 11000.00 invested in this car its kept I side just a weekend car but others who have this car look at mine and envy. Thanks for all the videos and advice. DANA
Glad to hear it! We hear often about these older BMW's going into limp home mode only to have a really simple problem that can be fixed with a few parts. We're really looking forward to get the chance to fix up ours, it's been something we've been saying for a year and a half now. Definitely hold onto yours now that you've made it mint again!
Definitely gonna check this video back when I have enough money to buy one.
Hopefully it'll help you find the right E38! We still think these are incredible machines.
I have a 2001 740i, with the exact same problem. I thought it was the radio so I purchased an identical unit from eBay that was in very good shape. I received the new radio, installed it and had the exact same issue. I did some additional research on a BMW forum and found out that this a common issue caused by the nav unit in the trunk. You can confirm by swapping out the nav unit with a good one. Apparently several people had this issue and solved it by swapping out the nav.
That's what I originally did with mine too, the unit in the trunk had failed.
Thanks , I recently purchased a 2000-750-IL silver/Black leather, it had been sitting for over 5 yrs so Iv begin trying to make it a daily, TX
Enjoy it!
@@PRNTestDrive ,I replaced the top battery ,but I’m not getting start,just power?
Thank you for that wounderful information. I have a BMW 740i 1993 car . Angel 😇
Glad to hear it! We'd love to feature the E32 one day.
You should think about blacking out your car, things like the wheels, the window trim and the bumper chrome. I bet it would look amazing. Great video as always
the kidney grills aswell
I kinda like the chrome on the long wheelbase. Maybe if my paint was in better condition I'd consider it, but if you see the car up close you see a lot of imperfections that the chrome helps to distract from.
Very detailed video!!! Cool !!
We appreciate that, thanks!
In Europe we had very rare 2.8 liter inline 6 with manual and factory shadow line. Indestructible engine, but producing only around 200 HP. I have one for nearly 6 years already. I agree it's indestructible. Using it as a daily
Very nice, hold onto it if you can! I'd be really interested to try out one of the 6 cyl E38s, especially one of the diesels.
Sure, the engine is indestructible in the 728i, but almost as certainly the tranny is NOT - besides being much less refined than on the 6-gear manual trannies for the V8 engines.
Looking at getting an E38 730i with the M60B30 but assume most of what’s in this video will apply to that as well, unless there are euro specific issues
Anything outside of the specific engine related issues we discussed, yes. I'd check into the 730i engine to see if there's anything, but I'm sure they're either the same or slightly less problematic than the V8/V12. Good luck!
I have a 1997 735il which I bought on my 50th birthday. Always wanted one since 1995, but opted for the more reliable and fuel efficient 3.5l v8 available in Australia. Im only the second owner with 240,000 kms (150,000 miles).
Very nice, congrats! Hopefully it runs well for you and you get to enjoy lots of road trips with it!
I own a 2001 740i and I can honestly attest to what a fabulous car this is. It has 148K on it. The power and smooth ride is unbeatable not to mention it’s classic lines. I take good care of it and maintain it so I rarely have major problems.
Glad to hear it, hold onto it if you can!
Me venden el 1998 740i en 13k
@@jamiearellano8903 Hola. I don’t quite understand what you mean.
At 150k , both my 7 (740 and 728) series packed up electronicly , monitor problems led to major issues and no body could fix the bugs . could not rely on the car to stay locked and regulaly opened itself up late at night . Scrapped both and bought a series 3 Jaguar XJ12 from 1991 and if you think the BMW is fabulous , try a series 3 Jag or Daimler different world !!
A similar video for the E39 would be nice.
If we can find a clean example or two to feature we'll make it happen!
There was a 740iL which started production in December of 1994 with the 4ltr engine as mentioned in this video and finished production in April 1996.
Some E38 enthusiasts also feel that that 4.0L V8 is the most reliable motor you can get for this generation.
I am stuck with a hard decision, I have the chance to purchase a 4.0 V8 iL 1996 (40,000 miles), a 4.4 V8 iL 1998 (112,000 miles) and a 5.4 V12 iL 1999 (99,000 miles)
Made my decision, The 4.0 iL 1996, this is the model previous to the ones on this video and only 12,000 were ever produced. I will upload a video of it when I have it.
The biggest disaster with my 1995 730i was the heater matrix plastic pipes which comes through the engine bulkhead from the heater box when two of the pipes fractured
These cars are my absolute favorite. Wanted one since I was a kid. I can afford to buy one, but I am terrified about what it would cost me to maintain in 2018. So sad, because IMO BMW never made a better looking car.
They definitely aren't cheap cars to maintain, especially if you want everything to be running right. We're not sure what we're going to end up doing with ours, it's been sitting for a few months now.
No doubt, this is my exact problem. I am not rich and have a family and need a car that does not take away from my two kids. I love this car, but cannot justify owning this legend today. If I ever become very wealthy I WILL make this vehicle my first purchase.
Good idea! We definitely miss driving ours, but the cost right now is too much for us to be able to get it working.
The best looking 7-series IMO-but waaaaaay too many potential headaches for my taste. I bought a Lexus instead. Not nearly as fun (or cool!) but dead reliable and a low cost of ownership
I wanted an E38 for years but always drove a lot of miles for work so couldn't justify the fuel costs.. recently got a job where I can walk to work, so a couple of months ago I bought a black 750il. Got a good deal at £4000. I've since spent £2500 on tyres, wheel refurb and body work to make it presentable. No issues so far... apart from the fact I'm averaging 13.5 mpg!!!
Oh boy, not great fuel economy that's for sure! But it sounds like you got a really good deal on it. The V12s seem to be going up in price as fewer of them come up for sale now. Enjoy it!
I'm about to buy a 2001 740il with 198k miles. Can't wait!!
Very nice! Let us know when you end up getting it!
Might buy a 750iL as a sunday car when I finish my college. I already own a year 2000 730d as a daily driver, it has over 382 000 km-s on it now.
Nice! Those diesels refuse to die eh. Hopefully you can find a nice V12 to add to your collection!
E38 growing in popularity 2017
It definitely is, a lot more interest in these cars now-a-days.
love the bmw videos :D
Thanks! We love making them too!
I’m about to buy a ‘98 740 iL. It was my dads and my stepmom sold it when he passed, I’m so excited to have a part of him but I’m scared due to the reputation of poor dependability.
They aren’t necessarily unreliable, they just cost more to maintain and repairs can get pricey. If you’re doing the maintenance when required and having the car checked over regularly you shouldn’t have any major surprises.
Man! you're a BMW genius! Do you have videos for the e32 ?
It's on our list! We'd love to find one but we haven't had any luck so far.
PRN
Thanks for the reply! Any video you make is appreciated.
We try our best to make each video compelling and informative!
PRN
Thanks man!
May I ask a question, I want to buy a e32 730i but I'm not sure whether to buy the M30b30 (straight 6 cylinder) or the M60b30 (V8). I know the M60 is better in almost every aspect but the M30 looks to be way easier and simpler to maintain and fix (one timing chain, distributor, less electronics..etc). But does it matter that much ? I don't have experience, it'll be my first BMW actually.
I don't know much about those engines unfortunately, but the M30 went on to become the V12 by doubling the physical engines, and the M73 is one of the more reliable engines available in the 90s because of it's simplicity. I think either would be fine as long as you get a car that's been well maintained and hasn't been abused.
I had 728i 2001 which comes with inline 6 with twin valve control , and I would say its the most reliable engine. and mine was LOADED made for Germany
Nice! The Euro-spec'd models are definitely the best.
after I came to the U.S i found a big different in quality and options with the European models, its like they send the cheaper ones to the U.S.
I know we lost out on Active Cruise Control, automatic trunk, picnic tables and table trays for the rear seats, as well as some of the high security models. ACC is the one feature I really wish I had.
After two disasterous affairs with 7 series (immaculate one woner fsh ) both lost the monitor , developed major issues and even unlocked themselves on regular basis even unwinding the windows on its own . I need a car that stays locked as we all do . I lost my valuable guitar because the car unlocked itself on a dark street one night so I did the sensible thing , scrapped both of them and bought a 1992 series 3 Jaguar XJ12 . and no more silly problems . BMW 7 series is ok when running right but Jaguar is in a different world that BMW couldnt even dream of
I just bought a 2000 740i M sport 151k miles! Didnt have the m 3 spoke wheel so I got one on ebay
Very nice, hope it works out well for you! These are becoming harder to find, and prices for them keep going up at least here in Canada.
beautiful classic cars
Yes they are!
One of the biggest reasons these cars dont have a great reputation for reliability is because a lot of the original owners didn't follow the manufacturer recommended service intervals. That is crucial for longevity out of any European car. You either buy one of these knowing you're going to put work into it or from somebody who already put the work into the major failure points. I went with the latter and so far it's paid off. I have a 1999 740i M Sport and I love it. It has over 175k miles on it and has aged very well because the previous owner didn't beat the piss out of it and put some major work into it. It still needs dead pixels fixed but it runs and drives great.
That's a great point, I bought mine more or less sight unseen and it was supposed to have been a 'one owner' car, with no service history.
In east Europe we are lucky, we can buy a 740i with getrag manual gearbox... and I have one
Just the perfect cruiser
I've seen quite a few Euro-spec E38's with manuals! I know some people here go through the conversion process, in fact we're hoping to showcase some E38s and E31s from an Enthusiast here who's got a garage full of 7s.
I had a 750i E32. I now have moved to Ontario and have seen an E38 in a Junkyard but they say its a runner. Most E38s I have seen in Canada have just been abandoned so bad that the tyres go so flat the rims sink into the tarmac. I hope the 750il I called about is worth it. My e32 750i was not too bad a car to maintain and it was a high miler with 256k miles (411,000km) and it ran beautifully. And it passed its MOT (Safety&Emissions) with the replacement of basic parts. I hope the E38 doesn't give me as much trouble.
I'd love to drive an E32, it's been on my list to feature for a while now. I know what you mean about the current crop of available E38s, I was searching AutoTrader.ca last night and was pretty sad with the results. A lot of them are rough, and the ones that aren't are asking way too much.
@@PRNTestDrive Thanks for replying. If I buy an E38, I'll make a video reply to show you the condition of it, and maybe we can exchange tips on how to maintain it. I have a backup plan where basic parts like the ABS sensors on an E38 in Ontario can cost hundreds, but in my Home country of the UK they only cost about $20 bucks. I'm thinking of getting a box full of e38 preventative maintenance parts sent to me in Ontario from my family and friends in the UK so I can save on parts & shipping. I just hope the import taxes and HST dont hit me so hard. I used to deal in international Imports & Exports of commercial goods & vehicles in Europe and Asia, so hopefully I will be ok when shipping my E38 parts from the UK to Canada.
IV got a 740 2001 M sport / 1999 750il This is great
Thanks! We're hoping to be able to feature a 750iL on the Channel shortly, we love the V12s!
Vanos started in late 1999 production I have a 98 540i same motor does not have vanos or timing chain problems until roughly 220 where as the vanos motors timing chains fail even faster
Either way you slice it maintenance is key, and none of these cars are bulletproof.
Actually the non vanos M62 engine still can have the timing chain guides issue just doesn't get the clicking diesel sound from the vanos when the seals start to wear out. I've had a few M62 V8s with and without the vanos, two E32 740iL, two E38 740iL, and a E39 540i.
very nice video !!
Thanks! It's our favourite one so far, really proud of the way it came out.
1:53 Thank you for the video! Could you please give me the link to that engine picture? Just exactly that picture, no others needed. Thank you.
I don't think I have the link for it, but I believe it came from BMW's media website, www.press.bmwgroup.com/
Lucky me 760 and 740i sometimes I don't know which one I should get on it
watching this to see how my car should be
What sort of problems are you having with yours? I'm trying to secure a local E38 to film so I can do an updated video on one of these.
Thanks
Good job
Thanks!
GOD the one thing that annoyed me so much about my e38 were the dang awful cupholders in the front. especially because the cupholders in the back are very nice O.o
+Rockn Rolla the ones in the back are definitely better though I don't trust them anymore than I trust my glove box handle (which broke a week after I replaced it with all new parts). The custom cup holder I bought last year was the best purchase I've made.
yeah, the lacking quality of the plastic is an issue, as you said in the video. interestingly, in my e38, every piece of crappy plastic was intact, but the little springs in the glovebox handle, the cupholder and in the little storage are in the armrest all broke. my plastic held.
was that cupholder in a video? don´t know if i saw that.
The european market got some interesting engine options. We even had a V8 diesel!
I'm sure that had a ton of torque too, it was the 740d correct?
Yes. Guys here are boosting old diesels to 600-700 Nm of torque. Doesnt sound as good as the 735 or 740 V8s but they are surprisingly quick.
I've had several E38s. Last one got hit by a truck and was totaled.. :( Upgraded to a F01.. Then my son bought a E38.. Sold my F01 and now I'm looking for a E38.. ;)
Sorry to hear about your last one, hopefully everyone was ok!
The beautiful car. 😎👌🏻👍🏻
One of the best!
I would love to own a E38. But I'm just too nervous about spending a fortune to keep one running. Especially because I don't know how to work on one myself.
That's the main concern with any of these older luxury cars, they're beautiful when they work but they do require constant care.
Had a 2001 e38 silver long wheel base black interior what a gorgeous car but I like my 2014 alpina better lol
The Alpina is certainly going to have more power and tech, that's for sure. I think that generation Alpina has almost as much power as the new M760Li.
Perpetual Radio Networks yea only issue is the n63 engine is known for its issues like going threw a shit ton of oil. The lawsuit is still going on in the USA because of this.
Très bon véhicule !!! Very very good cars !!!👍👍👍👍
Merci!
Just make sure it is not rusty and has not been hit because they all will need a full suspension refresh and plenty more at this point.
I've got a 740iL 2001 (bought it in Dec of '02 with 41k miles) with now 206k miles on it and have done the timing chain and radiator once or twice (pump) other than that, LOOKS brand new (no one has ever ridden in the back but 'maybe' a total of 300 miles) and runs like a champ! I just bought a 2015 750Li this Labor Day (yep, still have my 740iL after 16yrs and just can't let her go yet) Just wish I didn't have a Company car too - - UGH! LOL......Love 'em both equally - - although my new one certainly has more bells & whistles! WOW, it's a good looking car - - for the longest time I tought.....na......didn't like the body change......I'm certainly NOT saying that now, BUT don't like the body change of the new ones (2016 +) lol
That's great to hear! Keep it if you can!
@@PRNTestDrive Trying to, but....kinda would like part of my garage back - I've got a 3-car, but tandem which was the part of garage I always used for my work bench / storage etc - - now had to move all that to one side and pulled my older 7 into the tandem but now my garage just got smaller - - UGH! LOL.
About how much will it cost to replace ball joints on 99 740i?
Hey my 740i starts then stalls out what could be the problem? It drives like a beauty when it was running but it just starts and stalls out? Reading misfires. battery is fine. recently replaced the camshaft sensor, mass air flow sensor, bank 2 valve cover gasket and the spark plugs for cylinders 5-8. still no luck and still receiving multiple misfire codes. replaced the cps and that code went away. Any suggestions?
Could be the catalytic converters. We had issues with ours, where they got clogged up on both sides, but one was worse than the other. It would run fine under low load, but if we revved past 5,500rpm we'd get multiple misfires and huge problems. We had them cleaned out and replaced 1 of the 4 and it worked great after, no misfire issues since!
thx
I always told myself the best BMW's were made in the late 90's or early 2000's. The E31, E36, E38, E39 and E46 are without a doubt the pinnacle of BMW modeling and engineering. The most reliable, fun and naturally aspirated I6's and V8's were made for these cars and is also home to some of the rare V12's in BMW's roster. Not saying that BMW's modern cars aren't cool of course, I really like the F82 M4 and even the normal F32 4-series. However, no BMW cars have been better than the ones I've listed.
The classic stuff is always going to be the best for us too. Sure it'll never be as fast as the latest BMWs, not have the same level of luxury or tech, but these vehicles are still some of the best ever made.
it's old video but i have to ask about the automatic gearboxes, are those good?
I never had any issue with mine, some people swear by them, others recommend replacing the fluids often.
Beautiful car .
Thanks! Maybe you'll be able to find one for your garage!
Another common problem on our 7 is a malfunctioning gas tank venting system, which warps and punctures the tank. I had the problem a month ago on my 1997 740i and the repair does not seem to be enough, probably because of a degassing problem. I disassembled and cleaned the canister (behind the rear fender), should I change the ventilation valve of the tank (under the hood)?
The gas tank is ultimately what killed my 7 Series.
My dream car
It's still our dream car too!
I have a 735i 2001 model. When the engine gets warmer, the car does some jolts or hesitations from 2nd to 1st gear (when I am coming to a stop). This jolting can be avoided if i engage sport mode or switch on aircon. I rebuilt the gearbox but the problem did not go away. I wonder what the problem could be.
Definitely sounds like a transmission issue, however if it only happens once the car's warmed up I wonder if it's an engine issue. Unfortunately I don't have as much mechanical experience with these cars, but my suggestion would be to check out a forum like bimmerforums.com or bimmerfest.com and ask there. Those sites have a wealth of knowledge and a community that's very helpful when someone's got an issue. Hopefully they can help!
I am about to buy a 740iL 1999 , what I have specially to look first? It seems in good condition but I wanna know even though the owner told me he updated the engine , breaks but the millage doesnt show. Do I have to go or not?
We went over all the important things to look for in this video. I’d be cautious of an engine replacement.
I would recommend the 750 because the v12 is a really good engine. It sounds alot better than 740:s v8, it's also more powerful than the v8. The v12 engine is really REALLY reliable and it's actually pretty cheap to run. On highway you can reach 7.5l/100km (37mpg (US mpg)) pretty easily.
That's what I'm always telling people when they ask about the E38! The V12s seem to be pretty bullet proof engine wise, and aren't any more complicated than the V8s in terms of electronics. We're hoping to get behind the wheel of an E38 V12 this weekend, if so we'll be able to get a lot of good content filmed for the show.
PRN My dad had 750 last year and he sold it. He says every week that he shouldn't sold it because it was so great.
Can't sell em! Gotta hold on to those cars if you can. I think we're going to start seeing price increases for thee older V12s.
My 97 e38 v8 has 200k miles and it has been sitting in Florida for 1-6 months in the Tampa area hurricane Irma never touched it
Glad to hear it wasn't damaged by the hurricane!
Soon I am going to buy a 728i (6 cylinder 193HP 5AT) But here in Europe it costs a alot of money to keep it running.
Road tax: 100euro's (122$)
Insurance for 20 year old: 101euro's (123$)
Cost for 1 liter of petrol 1,50 ($1,80) so thats 7$ for a gallon.
But it is a 1 of a lifetime car ant I am going for it.
I already stopped smoking to pay the bills for the car.
Is that road tax and insurance monthly or yearly? In Ontario our yearly vehicle registration is around $145/yr I believe, and my insurance is around $1,400/yr with basic coverage, no coverage if my car is damaged or stolen.
It is montly here in the Netherlands.
Here in the Netherlands we have one of the highest car taxes in Europe.
And the insurance that I am talking about is the same as yours also basic coverage. so thats pretty mutch the same in Canada. But vehicle registration and gas prices are alot more exprensive over here.
What do you pay for 1 liter of petrol in Ontario if I may ask?
I had no idea that you had a monthly road tax, but I suppose we have the same thing, they just bundle it with the price of fuel, so every time we fill up theres like $0.15/L that goes to some bogus tax along with the regular taxes on purchases.
In the Netherlands we have 21% on every product that you buy. So If you spent 1euro. 21 cents is tax.
And we have taxes on what the goverment calls harmfull products like tobacco alcohol and fuel.
So if you pay 1,50 euro for 1 liter of petrol 1,10 is pure tax. And also brand new cars are way more expensive here than in others european country's. I just looked up and compared with other European country's a brand new BMW 330i manuel costs 40.350 in Germany and here we pay 49.250 for the exact same car. A brand new Cadillac Escalade costs 188.000 euros in Holland. and in Germany 98.000. Thats why American made cars dont sell here in the Netherlands and people will just buy a Mercedes or Audi because its about 50k cheaper and more luxurious. And is the reason that you wont see a 15 to 20 year old Mercedes S class or 7 series. They are dirt cheap over here because nobody wants them because they are to expensive to keep running with all the crazy taxes. Almost everybody drives small cars with small engines. the best sold cars here are small vehicles like the VW Polo/Golf. a 2.0 liter 4 cylinder is considerd a big engine over here.
Just to put MPG in to perspective the US gallon is smaller than the UK gallon. The US = 3.7Ltrs but a UK gallon is 4.55 Ltrs
awsome
Glad you think so, thanks! We really love this video.
Looking at a 85,000 sport pkg 2001 all black for 10k. It’s located in ORANGE COUNTY, CA. Pretty good service record I just don’t know what to do!!!!! How does that sound?
Sounds like a nice low mileage example! Always have these cars inspected by a trusted mechanic, though it's not a guarantee that nothing will go wrong. Low mileage cars might not have gotten all the service required so you might have some big ticket items to do in the near-future. If you can get the service history that's a big plus!
Hi I live in Hamilton and have 1997 BMW 740i , my heating stopped working how to fix it
Hey there, it's possible the heater core might have failed. We haven't had to do any work like that on ours, but I recommend checking out e38.org/ for info about doing the heater core repair on your own, or one of the BMW forums like bimmerforums.com or the E38 Empire Facebook group. Lots of great resources out there with helpful DIYs! Hope it helps!
Best. Car. Ever
We agree!
Facelift models also boast a chrome trim on the trunk lid.
are the 725 and 728 models good? theyre the only ones i could upkeep
Unfortunately we don't have any experience with those to be able to say either way, but there are some great resources online like bimmerforums which have a lot of European members with those engines!
The 750i has the most reliable engine, plus it is the top of the line V12.
We think so too, the V12 seems to be less problematic, though will cost more in regular service.
Good video, but these are just all maintenance costs that you should anticipate to keep the car 'on the road' every year. my 540i has been the absolute most pain in the ass vehicle to own along with any bmw in terms of cost of ownership - and from 55k to 80k has cost nearly 7 grand in maintenance
What did you have to do that cost $7k in maintenance?
How do you think importing a RHD e38 low mileage example will kill the resale value?
I don't see a huge market for RHD cars in general, I've never been the type of person to want one so I don't understand the decision to buy one especially when LHD versions of the car exist.
I feel that the part about the M62 timing chain is a bit wrong. First of, the "diesel sound" is most often the Vanos. And second, while yes, they are worse than the M60 timing chain, the whole thing is kind of blown out of proportion. Most BMW mechanics say that they should last 150k miles or so, maybe more, maybe less. These, and many other engines are a little picky on oil. So you will be doing yourself and your car a favour of buying quality oil with the correct specs. Also replacing the chain tensioner might be a good idea too.
Agreed that the TCG is overblown for the most part, it's something I discuss with people on a regular basis. I hope I didn't come off making it sound like its a bigger problem in the video, just wanted to point out that it is one of the things to look out for!
Well.. You did kinda make it sound like a huge deal haha, but atleast I know that it's not THAT bad, even though the internet experts claim otherwise.
It's probably best I didn't go with my 'German executive voice' roleplay I had originally recorded then :P That edit was much worse.