Now another UA-camr named 'It's Joel' has this exact car (same license plate and all that). He detailed it, maintained it, and even straight piped it, that's pretty cool :D
When I was in my late teens/early twenties, I worked at the local BMW dealership. We did a lot of 7 Series business and I became very familiar with these, including the 760Li and Alpina B7. They are very nice cars indeed - Quite special in my opinion. I also always really liked the styling of the the 2006-2008 facelift versions and I agree, I believe they've aged quite well. All that being said, I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot poll these days due to maintenance/reliability demands. Scary.
Has it broke since you posted this? I'm picking up a SWB 760i next week and I'm getting a little worried reading about the reliability. Its actually my dads old car and its been well behaved for him, and most others with actual first hand experience seem to say the same. I hoping it's more Internet myth than actually true.
I had a 745i. Was lovely. So smooth so fast. But it's so big to park. And even today cost of parts are still eye watering. And no one wants to work on it given how crampt engine bay is for inexperienced mechanics. I still got lots of compliments up until the day I sold it from true car connoisseurs a year ago.
Hey Jay, loving the content so far! Just wanted to say about the silent misfire, I too have one (E66) with a silent misfire (no code, diagnosed by sitting idle, or reversing as slow as possible 1mph) and it was reduced by replacing injectors, a couple were physically broken and causing leaks and another had just gone. Please keep us updated on the maintenance on yours (whether it is the coil packs or not)!
Time has beeb very kind to this car. It actually looks fresh, modern and timeless. It's actually one of the few BMWs that have aged very well, other than the 3 Series.
I remember my dad having one of these when I was little, it was a beast of a machine for 2 tonnes, all while having one of the best ride comfort of any car I've been in.
I am a euro mechanic by trade and I have to say, these 7ers are the worst cars I work on, hands down. They have the most annoying problems that are incredibly hard to suss out entirely. The S-Class is really a much better car even as a 220, and the 221 is especially good. Anyone thinking about a 7er should absolutely consider a 221 S-Class. edit: Also of note on these cars, the dynamic roll bars leak with alarming regularity and their replacement or refurbishment runs into the thousands per axle.
@@leenevin8451 certainly, though it would be unusual to find a 7 maintained by a conscientious owner. Proper maintenance from new can keep those cars in service for an impressive amount of time, but BMW didn't recommend the services necessary. I would presume they like the old cars becoming too expensive and difficult to own after a certain amount of time.
lee nevin its all fun and games until the disastrous air ride suspension in the Mercedes goes out and your left in debt paying thousands to replace the struts in each wheel lol at that point you’re paying more in repairs than the Bmw
@@andeleputo89 the airmatic suspension is pretty reliable. The hydraulic active body control system is the expensive one and even then it doesn't fail as often or as spectacularly as the dynamic drive
Coolant issue may well be a hairline crack in the expansion tank, it only leaks when the car gets hot because the crack expands. If you only drive it once or twice a month, this might explain why it’s taking a couple of months
I'd get a Phaeton and put a Passat badge on it. 9/10 would not notice. Ultimate RR sleeper. It's a mystery to me why they didn't badge it as an Audi S10. Would have wildly succeeded with such a slight badge change.
I owned a Phaeton. best drive ever and looks amazing but HIGHLY unreliable and expensive to fix cause no one knows how... Found one guy in the UK who works on them and thats it apart from main dealer.
Muricans don't know how to service their cars. How come a BMW there is fked after 160000km, but here in Europe we have some with over 4-500000km for sale used? Murica really is Dumfuckistan.
Hi JayEmm: After watching your and Its Joel's videos about this lovely 760Li I had to have one. I live in Kyiv and after a month or so I picked up one in mid-June that is Black on Black and absolutely love it even though I have done nothing but spend money on it since the day I got it. It revealed the usual "weep hole" coolant leak on the 500 km journey home and then blew the expansion tank apart a couple of days later and then the top hose disintegrated on the way back from fixing that. I then had that fixed (not replaced as 6 week wait for the part here) and did not add antifreeze as I thought it would be a waste as I was waiting for the new hoses - BIG MISTAKE - so next day the repaired top hose blew itself to kingdom come because the water boiled at 100 degrees instead of the antifreeze assisted 113 degrees ... I have now changed all the coolant hoses, water pump, viscous coupling, thermostat and both tensioners, belts and pulley, PCV valves and some other bits and pieces and also installed the BimmerFix thing I had delivered from the USA (I purchased nearly all of the other parts on a recent trip to England). A few days later the bonnet cable snapped but fortunately right at the release handle so could use pliers to get it open and am now waiting for new cables and the mechanism that the cable attaches to in the footwell as it was knackered and had been bodged back in the day, in a way that eventually cut through the inner cable. Pliers are my friend at moment. Currently having all its fluids and filters changed and cant wait to get it back. One thing that I have learned is that owner's of these cars should probably check if their thermostat has been changed from the regular 105 degrees one to a 90 degrees one. I only learnt of the benefits of doing so after I had replaced my thermostat with a new one but have now ordered one to help the engine. The 105 degree one is bad for the engine but reduces emissions in town by a couple of per cent and that is simply too much of a price to pay from the potential harm to the engine by it running at over 105 degrees in town. Out of town it is around 85 to 90 degrees and that is its sweet spot operating temperature. Counting the days until my one arrives here from the USA.. Finally I have also ordered a kit for my HPFPs - the diaphragms and seals - and will install them as preventative maintenance once I get them. Anyway, thanks again for inspiring me to buy one - my wife loves it even though it has only run trouble-free for a few km since I got it. I love the car and also the fact that non-dealer or big garage labour costs are about GBP3.50 (yes three pound's fifty) an hour for great mechanics. My bill for the 9 hours to replace all the parts was just over 32 quid - and he drove to my place with all his gear so I did not even need to get the car towed! PS - the car is a 2005 face lift one.
This is a very accurate review and assessment of the 760Li, it strengths and weaknesses. I had an M5 and intended to drive my wife to the hospital in the m5 and bought the 760 to bring her home. Funnily enough I collected more police letters while driving the 760 because you just waft along and can be going faster than you realise. Seven years on the lacquer is peeling, one of the windows doesn't work and nor does anything sound system related, but it still offers the most comfortable, relaxing way to travel.
Have to admit, always been in love with this car. Still remember sitting in one in the showroom when I was about 15 or 16, then testing one (a lowly 730d) with my late stepdad in 2005. Only ever seen one V12 or two at most. The I-Drive came in for criticism but I found it easy to use. Once you had memorised the direction of each colour coded menu (phone, radio, navigation etc) on the home screen you could always click straight to that menu with the controller, as the menus themselves were navigated by turning and pushing the wheel in. It was a system that rewarded inquisitive minds and I was actually annoyed that they added a back button and a favourites button - it diluted the purity of the concept in my view. This car had ambient light strips in the "arches" in the door panels before that was even a thing. I think it was the first with power rear side window blinds. And I couldn't get enough of seeing the satnav info displayed inside the dials themselves. Again, today that's normal, not in 2003 though. The nicest interior is the reddish-brown leather with the full black headliner and dash. Edit: this V12 was also the world's first without a throttle body too; Valvetronic variable valve lift takes care of that.
@@SALTYSPITOONMOTORS that's news to me! I remember reading about the Valvetronic and how it increases efficiency by doing away with a physical throttle. Perhaps they meant it eliminates the individual throttle for each cylinder that the BMW M cars came with. I'm stumped now
I remember some people trying to sell me on the idrive. I always hated it and I still do whenever I use one. Doesn't help how the electronics are totally outdated by now as well.
@@visionist7 No, you are correct. It is supposed to eliminate the throttle body, among other advantages. However, I dont know enough about the engine in this car to say if it has valvetronic or throttle bodies or not. If it does have both for some reason, maybe it is because of redundancy since the valvetronic was fairly new at the time.
I love my 06 760Li .While all the v8 bmws fail around me, my 760 has been fawless . Yeah the e65 e66 shape as a hole was a nightmare to work on.And these high pressure fuel pump new are scary prices My v12 variant has only had very minor issues over 3 years. Where my 06 750li with 30K miles rod bearing failed.
Another great video James, I've always liked these big luxo-barges as well (being 6' 6" I find small cars plain uncomfortable). I actually think that pretty much all the Chris Bangle-era BMW's have aged pretty well really. Like another viewer said, it'd be good if you could get a VW Phaeton to review, either the V10 TDI or the W12. I almost bought a 3.0 V6 TDI one some years ago but baulked at the potential running / maintenance costs.
I like LPG in luxo barges. You get the best of both worlds. At 25 to GALLON petrol. It would work out around 40 to the gallon LPG in terms of price. I love the luxo barges. My type of car. Grey vid. 👍
I had a 2017/2018 M760Li. It was a fantastic car to drive..but the build quality was awful. On long runs, I could get 24 mpg (UK). BMW ended up arrange for the car to be taken back (after a very long process and solicitors). Great video series.
Great car ! I've just bought a 2008 short wheel base E65 760i in Cosmos black with 55,700 miles on it and I'm off to pick it up tomorrow morning ! I can't wait to get behind the wheel and drive it back home the 180 mile trip, I believe that the short wheel base is rare as most of the other E65/E66 760's seem to be the "Li" version and that is something like 204 inches long instead of 198 inches long for the shorter wheel base 760i. I've also got an 1997 E39 535i auto/steptronic which is a great car ....but compared to the E65 760i its a toy ! Thanks for the great video man ! Hope you get your great 760Li fixed up and enjoy it more ! They are really fabulous looking cars ! 👍
Hi, my dads offered me his SWB 760i for £2,000. I cant really say no at that price. But yeah, I'm with you, I do believe the SWB is incredibly rare. If they only sold 200 760s, I wonder how many SWB there actually are. Any idea?
@@OliVer-iy2jq Hi, I am not sure how many Short Wheel Base BMW E65 760i's were made, I don't believe that there were many made as I have only seen about 3 and that was with 6 months of searching the internet and night. I paid £12,000 for my SWB 760i because it was purchased through a dealer via Car & Classic and has verified low mileage of 56,903 miles and is on a 08 plate which is a very late E65 760i before the shape changed to the F11 7 series. For 2 grand, I believe you got a BARGAIN !!!!! as that is an amazing price for a e65 760i !!!!!! so your dad must really love you !!! BTW the "E65" is the SWB model and the "E66" is the LWB model. I've seen dozens of E66 Long Wheel Base 760iL's for sale online but somehow the shorter model looks much more nicer than the longer one as its in better proportion. There are many E65 SWB 750i's with the smaller 4.8 V8 engine but there are definitely not many SWB E65 760i's out there as I don't think that BMW made many. I've had my 760i for almost 2 weeks and it been awesome to drive and is so smooth compared to my R reg 1997 E39 535i ! All the very best of luck with your E65 760i - They are very rare and fantastic cars to own 👍👍👍
@@BITTYBOY121 Cheers for getting back to me mate! Yeah, he's great, I'm very lucky. This one has the full AC Shnitzer body work too, if you're on Instagram have a search for me, its SomeLankyGuy, there's some pictures of it on my story! Haha I know what you mean regarding the e39 also, as I used to have a E39 540i a few years ago, was a lovely thing but its nothing compared to the 760i! I've been looking around and I've seen it mentioned that they did less than 25 E65 760i, but with it being so rare, there's really not much info around! And I agree with the SWB being a better looking car :)
@@OliVer-iy2jq You're welcome mate. AC Schnitzer used to do awesome body kits and wheels for BMW So I can imagine your 760i must look fabulous and very sporty ! Mine doesn't have the body kit but it has 20 inch wheels, 99% of the spec including a sunroof and reversing camera which is cool, I've got DVD Sat nav, Full media package in the back and light sand/beige interior which makes the car seem more airy ! The "iDrive" system takes some getting used to ! but after playing round with the settings and various menus I am starting to get the hang of it lol I had an E39 540i too before the 535i, It was an Automatic and powered by the newer Vanos M62B44 TU V8 engine from the MK1 X5 and that was a complete nightmare ! with something always going wrong with it ! including "Trans failsafe prog" which was the last straw ! before I got shut of the thing and bought the more earlier E39 535i Auto because it had the non Vanos engine and I liked the E39 shape a lot. Now the 760i feels like you're driving on air compared to the E39 ! My mum loves it too when I take her out in it ! but she says that "I've now bought the "fat cat" machine" lol Take care man and all the very best with your 760, They are superb cars :)
I have one of the even more rare swb 760i s. I have owned the car for 9 years (only cost 12k to buy) as my go everywhere car. I have been lucky as it came with a BMW insured warranty that costs me about 150 per month. That means I get full warranty repairs for most things that go wrong. Over the nine years there has only one year that the warranty made a loss for me. Missfires are a problem. My car went back to BMW head office for a missfire problem that could not be resolved. One piece of advice is to try premium fuel before chasing missfires as there is always a little hesitation from idle on 95. My suspension problem was a bad height sensor. The code was for too high. I managed to diagnose it by scanning the EHC live data and it was obvious that a hight sensor was intermittent. I agree with you about how it drives. You look at where you want to go and it does the rest for you.
@@OliVer-iy2jq Hi, I think that may be true. I have never seen one other than mine. Good luck with your 760, if sorted it must be one of the best cars ever produced. I can now say that these cars actually age quite well, it's getting through the first 10 years / 100k that's the hard part. You can check out my car search for "hubnut 760i"
@@andrewthompsonuk1 Ah I must have watched that video 15 times already haha! Nice to speak to you. I'm actually buying mine from my dad, and he's had it for around 5 years, and its been very well behaved for him. Currently on 125k so hopefully I'll be okay! The car was actually the MD of BMWs personal car when it was new so its very high specification, I'm excited to get my hands on it! Thanks for the reassurance!
The three stages of BMW: 1) Fabulous driving experience. 2) Horrific ownership experience. 3) I LOVE this thing, but I HATE it, and it must go before I lose my freaking mind! Or my house...
It is amazing how long it took BMW to spot that it was ironic for their "conspicuous consumption" models to be designated by names that spelled "OiL" (as in 750iL). This one is now 760Li. Corporate myopia at its best.
I had a 2004 model for a couple of years and didn't spare the horses on the motorways, or backroads. It smelled so good and opulent inside. Mine was a really basic version and didn't even have heated seats! On backroads in sport mode it can do very well, but on bad roads the suspension is pretty hard so the car slams into pot holes and ruts. The only failures I had was a coolant sensor which crippled the car, but cost pennies for me to replace and my transmission flared on occasion, but a fluid and filter change along with the bridge seal replacement (as it had broken up) fixed that. Only sold it to get my house and still miss it. Pricey concerns would be the 2 direct injection fuel pumps as the membrane goes and BMW only wants to sell you a new pumps; about £5k I think, but some people experiment with alternatives. I prefer the pre-facelift version for looks, as I dislike the rear lights on the facelift. Its a disappointing car to start, it sounds so dull, unlike the sounds of starting a MB S600. I wonder if I was just lucky, or more importantly whether I could be that lucky again?
@@redarp Depends on the year. There are certain years that have bad insulation on all the wiring in the car. I can't remember the years, but Hoovie covered it. Basically, the insulation degrades much faster than typical wiring insulation and the cost to rewire the entire car would be insanely expensive or time-consuming.
Misfire maybe injector, well know, but you can't replace just one and need coded in, INSTA diagnostics is cheap and good, yeah maybe coil pack or plug or even vacuum leak somewhere, loving the BMW vids 👍
Ok I'm not the only one who thought that launch was rough right? It was like an old man being like "oh god, ok here we go. I have the strength but not as athletic as I was in college."
Hello there, just watching the video now and came to the part where you comment on the elevated seating position in the rear. You comment that it might have to do with the fuel tank, however I think I might have the answer for you. I have owned two 7L series (2018 740Ld and 745Le of Jan 2020) and they have the same seating position in the rear. Supposedly it is intentional, and not for sake of a fuel tank :-). It is designed like this so the most important person in the car, who might be driven and thus resides in the back, has a panoramic view, over the head of the driver. Much like sitting in a theatre setting. Ps: love the video btw.
A higher rear seat or "stadium seating" seats in a car have been there for quite some time. Bmw were focusing on the Chinese market around this time and consumers there prefer a higher driving/seating position, and it helps a lot in reducing motion sickness in the rear, with the added bonus of additional thigh support in the back, it's the reason why they were more comfortable than the W220 as well. The drawback? Sitting close to the roof may not be for everyone, and the roof of the car can't slope down so quickly, giving it a bulkier look.
I like this James I have modelled the massive depreciation on yours against a more current G12 variety and am thinking about buying a used one of them. A sleeper Rolls at half the price.... I don't need all the attention...
I don’t know where you had the camera but that white line certainly looked well underneath the car when traffic was heading towards ya! Great video tho.
I must have searched these cars on Autotrader about 3 million times but every time I think - am I really going to enjoy it more than something like a 330i for triple the running costs every year?
@@SpeechTherapyAnswers I know it's nothing like a 3-Series and a very cool car, but I'm not sure I'll actually enjoy it more let alone enough to justify 3x running costs.
Got one of these. Look out for electrical probs including bad gear changes even though gearbox is fine. . Often the problem is electronic VVT and IVM Modules situated under air filters in a box adjacent to the bulkhead. Drain hole blocks up and water will get in 😬😬😬 The fix... Unblock drain holes and change the modules. It will feel like a new car again, without spending thousands. (hopefully 😂😂😂)
What a gorgeous car! I have a black one...but...with half the cylinders...and petrol. Yup, Asian spec 730Li - other than the V12 badges, can't tell the difference :p
Question! Do the stalks on the steering wheel light up at night? Including the gear shifter in your picture. If so that puts this car in a very, very exclusive club. Only other cars I can think of with illuminated stalks are the early 90s Alfa Romeos and the fifth generation Quattroporte/current Granturismo
Guess why they are so cheap? They are not a great value 😂😂. Those cars are the most unreliable pieces of shit in automotive history. Everything fails in these vehicles and the repaircosts are insane. No, you do not want any of those. They are cheap for a reason.
Surprised there's no swiveling headlights... I thought they came standard on these, I've had a few of them over the years, and all had swiveling headlights.
Great review, makes me really want one. Or 5. 1 for driving, 4 for parts! 😊👍 However, I'm kind of in the if you couldn't afford it new you cant afford it used camp. It's like playing Russian roulette with half the chambers loaded, only a matter of time when you dont hear a click; or anything ever again for that matter. Trying to live with one of them would have me like DeNiro and Walken in the dearhunter!!
I think we can safely ignore comments alluding to Hoovies Garage as that is clearly a UA-cam money earner where the owner acts like Joey Essex in order to gain subscribers. He decided to auction his 760, incidentally with zero issues, because his mechanic told him it would cost $5k to replace both his HPFP (when in reality you can repair them yourself for < $300). I think that says it all really. I even watched his B7 video where they pretty much decided they hated everything BMW... I'm not saying they aren't troublesome, but ALL cars are (especially if not maintained well). Hopefully, someone that isn't an idiot will purchase them and restore them to the road where they belong. Incidentally, I've owned a 760Li for 11 years and it's required attention at BMW twice. I will admit the 2nd visit was expensive, but not because of parts, it was purely down to labour costs caused by clueless mechanics playing guess the fault. That is where the real issues lie with BMW's. Find a decent mechanic that has both the gear and more importantly the knowledge/experience to service these cars and your opinion will change overnight.
Nice to see somebody who can see that series for what it is. His whole channel is based around buying complete dogs. Ita so weird how many people discard this model because one guy bought a shed. My dads had one for 7/8 years and its been well behaved. I'm having it off him next week hence watching this video!
I can't understand why bmw never put that V12 in a sports car..they had all the motorsport know how from the LM/R with the s70 and never used it From what I've read they were under contract with McLaren not to put the s70/2 into a production car but they ran the s70/3 in the LM wzy past F1 F1 production and never used any of it...they could carried over into the s73 which could easily run a bullet proof 600hp ..
@@JayEmmOnCars the version in they used in F1 the s70/2 only weighed 265kg including exhaust and ancillaries...I think the s65 weighs 200kg without the exhaust..I could be wrong open to correction
Finally! Been looking forward to seeing this since you first took me out for a spin in it. I agree with the way you describe the cars powertrain, and love the big luxo barge theme. Yours is very generously spec'd too. Like you mentioned, the seats were a massive sticking point for me, really plush. Cant help but think if it was me though I might take a look at an Audi instead, just for potentially easier living/maintenance. Or a phaeton w12. Great review as ever, and thanks again for letting me check out the car in person and do some filming on the topic..
I drove a 760Li V12 over a decade ago. I couldn't believe a car of that size could move that fast.
Now another UA-camr named 'It's Joel' has this exact car (same license plate and all that). He detailed it, maintained it, and even straight piped it, that's pretty cool :D
Sounds incredible doesn't it?
@@jismo7 hehehe
Joel bought this one...
10,000 pounds for buying it.
25,000 pounds on the side for maintaining it.
That is love ❤️ ...
🤣
And apparently he has just sold it for £5k.
Not true. I owned this actual car for 4 years and spent minimal money on it.
Become a Qualified mechanic and save substantially. Time and parts cost is the only burden!
Quietest V12 acceleration video on UA-cam
you're right, it could just as well have been a convincing demonstration of how quiet it was when thrashed. :)
I have this car. You never need to rev it pass 2,000 rpm. It will accelerate to 80mph without going pass 2,000 rpm. That’s how quiet it can be.
It's the silencer that makes it quiet, V12 is not a quiet engine trust me 😁😁😁
i also have this car. it’s very nice and quiet.
Exhaust particle filters certainly help that accolade
When I was in my late teens/early twenties, I worked at the local BMW dealership. We did a lot of 7 Series business and I became very familiar with these, including the 760Li and Alpina B7. They are very nice cars indeed - Quite special in my opinion. I also always really liked the styling of the the 2006-2008 facelift versions and I agree, I believe they've aged quite well. All that being said, I wouldn't touch one with a ten foot poll these days due to maintenance/reliability demands. Scary.
I have this exact same car 2008 BMW 760Li, Black on Black , It’s absolutely amazing, gorgeous, and addictive. The drive quality is unreal.
Has it broke since you posted this?
I'm picking up a SWB 760i next week and I'm getting a little worried reading about the reliability.
Its actually my dads old car and its been well behaved for him, and most others with actual first hand experience seem to say the same.
I hoping it's more Internet myth than actually true.
@@OliVer-iy2jq Ive never had any major issues with it other then the regular maintenances.
I had a 745i. Was lovely. So smooth so fast. But it's so big to park. And even today cost of parts are still eye watering. And no one wants to work on it given how crampt engine bay is for inexperienced mechanics. I still got lots of compliments up until the day I sold it from true car connoisseurs a year ago.
watching your reviews is improving my vocabulary! love the way you describe the cars - thanks for the great content
My pleasure
Hey Jay, loving the content so far! Just wanted to say about the silent misfire, I too have one (E66) with a silent misfire (no code, diagnosed by sitting idle, or reversing as slow as possible 1mph) and it was reduced by replacing injectors, a couple were physically broken and causing leaks and another had just gone. Please keep us updated on the maintenance on yours (whether it is the coil packs or not)!
Time has beeb very kind to this car. It actually looks fresh, modern and timeless. It's actually one of the few BMWs that have aged very well, other than the 3 Series.
I agree with you on the styling on the early 2000 3 series , still look good now
I remember my dad having one of these when I was little, it was a beast of a machine for 2 tonnes, all while having one of the best ride comfort of any car I've been in.
@5:39 I don’t think I’ve ever seen a SINGLE shot on your channel that “felt weird” but that one did. That’s a superb record obviously just saying
I am a euro mechanic by trade and I have to say, these 7ers are the worst cars I work on, hands down. They have the most annoying problems that are incredibly hard to suss out entirely. The S-Class is really a much better car even as a 220, and the 221 is especially good. Anyone thinking about a 7er should absolutely consider a 221 S-Class.
edit: Also of note on these cars, the dynamic roll bars leak with alarming regularity and their replacement or refurbishment runs into the thousands per axle.
Maybe a PAS flush could help maintain DD seals?
@@leenevin8451 certainly, though it would be unusual to find a 7 maintained by a conscientious owner. Proper maintenance from new can keep those cars in service for an impressive amount of time, but BMW didn't recommend the services necessary. I would presume they like the old cars becoming too expensive and difficult to own after a certain amount of time.
lee nevin its all fun and games until the disastrous air ride suspension in the Mercedes goes out and your left in debt paying thousands to replace the struts in each wheel lol at that point you’re paying more in repairs than the Bmw
@@andeleputo89 the airmatic suspension is pretty reliable. The hydraulic active body control system is the expensive one and even then it doesn't fail as often or as spectacularly as the dynamic drive
Sam B 😂 i’ve seen a 760 squatting on its rear because its struts collapsed its hilarious.
I actually liked the Bangle era 7 series when it came out, they do have a reputation for having alot of issues though.
Coolant issue may well be a hairline crack in the expansion tank, it only leaks when the car gets hot because the crack expands. If you only drive it once or twice a month, this might explain why it’s taking a couple of months
I'll tell the next owner to replace the expansion tank. I'm surprised it has lasted this long.
I’d like see you to include the phaeton lwd, such an underdog,
John Mitchell yes
I'd get a Phaeton and put a Passat badge on it. 9/10 would not notice. Ultimate RR sleeper. It's a mystery to me why they didn't badge it as an Audi S10. Would have wildly succeeded with such a slight badge change.
@@ArjunaKrishnaDas Mostly because at the time you could already get the phaeton's engines in the A8 with the same V6 TDI and V6, V8 & W12 petrols
LWD? Is that left wheel drive?
I owned a Phaeton. best drive ever and looks amazing but HIGHLY unreliable and expensive to fix cause no one knows how... Found one guy in the UK who works on them and thats it apart from main dealer.
I’ve watched enough Hoovies Garage to know to stay away from these
Yeah at least the S class will likely work well without requiring you to spend the value of the car getting it to work.
Owned one E65. I agree...
Muricans don't know how to service their cars.
How come a BMW there is fked after 160000km, but here in Europe we have some with over 4-500000km for sale used?
Murica really is Dumfuckistan.
Just buy an imported toyota crown. Just as luxurious if not more so and definitely more reliable
I was just about to say that haha!! Love his B7 tho
Hi JayEmm: After watching your and Its Joel's videos about this lovely 760Li I had to have one. I live in Kyiv and after a month or so I picked up one in mid-June that is Black on Black and absolutely love it even though I have done nothing but spend money on it since the day I got it. It revealed the usual "weep hole" coolant leak on the 500 km journey home and then blew the expansion tank apart a couple of days later and then the top hose disintegrated on the way back from fixing that. I then had that fixed (not replaced as 6 week wait for the part here) and did not add antifreeze as I thought it would be a waste as I was waiting for the new hoses - BIG MISTAKE - so next day the repaired top hose blew itself to kingdom come because the water boiled at 100 degrees instead of the antifreeze assisted 113 degrees ... I have now changed all the coolant hoses, water pump, viscous coupling, thermostat and both tensioners, belts and pulley, PCV valves and some other bits and pieces and also installed the BimmerFix thing I had delivered from the USA (I purchased nearly all of the other parts on a recent trip to England). A few days later the bonnet cable snapped but fortunately right at the release handle so could use pliers to get it open and am now waiting for new cables and the mechanism that the cable attaches to in the footwell as it was knackered and had been bodged back in the day, in a way that eventually cut through the inner cable. Pliers are my friend at moment. Currently having all its fluids and filters changed and cant wait to get it back. One thing that I have learned is that owner's of these cars should probably check if their thermostat has been changed from the regular 105 degrees one to a 90 degrees one. I only learnt of the benefits of doing so after I had replaced my thermostat with a new one but have now ordered one to help the engine. The 105 degree one is bad for the engine but reduces emissions in town by a couple of per cent and that is simply too much of a price to pay from the potential harm to the engine by it running at over 105 degrees in town. Out of town it is around 85 to 90 degrees and that is its sweet spot operating temperature. Counting the days until my one arrives here from the USA.. Finally I have also ordered a kit for my HPFPs - the diaphragms and seals - and will install them as preventative maintenance once I get them. Anyway, thanks again for inspiring me to buy one - my wife loves it even though it has only run trouble-free for a few km since I got it. I love the car and also the fact that non-dealer or big garage labour costs are about GBP3.50 (yes three pound's fifty) an hour for great mechanics. My bill for the 9 hours to replace all the parts was just over 32 quid - and he drove to my place with all his gear so I did not even need to get the car towed! PS - the car is a 2005 face lift one.
I am a bit slow, just realising that the UA-camr 'it's joel' bought this off you for 5K. What a bargain :)
This is a very accurate review and assessment of the 760Li, it strengths and weaknesses. I had an M5 and intended to drive my wife to the hospital in the m5 and bought the 760 to bring her home. Funnily enough I collected more police letters while driving the 760 because you just waft along and can be going faster than you realise.
Seven years on the lacquer is peeling, one of the windows doesn't work and nor does anything sound system related, but it still offers the most comfortable, relaxing way to travel.
17:47, an emotion only a car can bring.
Have to admit, always been in love with this car. Still remember sitting in one in the showroom when I was about 15 or 16, then testing one (a lowly 730d) with my late stepdad in 2005. Only ever seen one V12 or two at most.
The I-Drive came in for criticism but I found it easy to use. Once you had memorised the direction of each colour coded menu (phone, radio, navigation etc) on the home screen you could always click straight to that menu with the controller, as the menus themselves were navigated by turning and pushing the wheel in. It was a system that rewarded inquisitive minds and I was actually annoyed that they added a back button and a favourites button - it diluted the purity of the concept in my view.
This car had ambient light strips in the "arches" in the door panels before that was even a thing. I think it was the first with power rear side window blinds. And I couldn't get enough of seeing the satnav info displayed inside the dials themselves. Again, today that's normal, not in 2003 though.
The nicest interior is the reddish-brown leather with the full black headliner and dash.
Edit: this V12 was also the world's first without a throttle body too; Valvetronic variable valve lift takes care of that.
Not sure what you mean about the variable valve lift. These cars have two throttle bodies, in fact. One for each bank. The N74 still has two as well.
@@SALTYSPITOONMOTORS that's news to me! I remember reading about the Valvetronic and how it increases efficiency by doing away with a physical throttle. Perhaps they meant it eliminates the individual throttle for each cylinder that the BMW M cars came with. I'm stumped now
I remember some people trying to sell me on the idrive. I always hated it and I still do whenever I use one. Doesn't help how the electronics are totally outdated by now as well.
@@visionist7 No, you are correct. It is supposed to eliminate the throttle body, among other advantages. However, I dont know enough about the engine in this car to say if it has valvetronic or throttle bodies or not. If it does have both for some reason, maybe it is because of redundancy since the valvetronic was fairly new at the time.
if you want a 7 series buy a E38, so much less hassle and cheaper and arguably better looking
@@shadowchrome_ had both I agree E38 a easier car to manage
I love my 06 760Li .While all the v8 bmws fail around me, my 760 has been fawless . Yeah the e65 e66 shape as a hole was a nightmare to work on.And these high pressure fuel pump new are scary prices My v12 variant has only had very minor issues over 3 years. Where my 06 750li with 30K miles rod bearing failed.
Totally agree. I have the same and it's a dream car. Yes it has faults and I've spent money on it but the sheer pleasure it returns is phenomenal
Thanks for the video. Love these older BMW's. Keep safe. Cheers.
Now I want a wafty barge that I can't afford to run 😂
Another great video James, I've always liked these big luxo-barges as well (being 6' 6" I find small cars plain uncomfortable). I actually think that pretty much all the Chris Bangle-era BMW's have aged pretty well really. Like another viewer said, it'd be good if you could get a VW Phaeton to review, either the V10 TDI or the W12. I almost bought a 3.0 V6 TDI one some years ago but baulked at the potential running / maintenance costs.
I have the same seats in my e60 550i, so comfortable and you can set them to 3 stages to automatically bolster
I always thought I've seen you somewhere. Then it me. Jason Dawe, the man James May replaced on Top Gear.
I like LPG in luxo barges. You get the best of both worlds. At 25 to GALLON petrol. It would work out around 40 to the gallon LPG in terms of price.
I love the luxo barges. My type of car.
Grey vid. 👍
I had a 2017/2018 M760Li. It was a fantastic car to drive..but the build quality was awful. On long runs, I could get 24 mpg (UK). BMW ended up arrange for the car to be taken back (after a very long process and solicitors). Great video series.
The coolant loss on mine was from the EGR cooler. It was the slowest leak ever and took 6 months before the water needed topping up again.
Had same issue in mine
Great car ! I've just bought a 2008 short wheel base E65 760i in Cosmos black with 55,700 miles on it and I'm off to pick it up tomorrow morning ! I can't wait to get behind the wheel and drive it back home the 180 mile trip, I believe that the short wheel base is rare as most of the other E65/E66 760's seem to be the "Li" version and that is something like 204 inches long instead of 198 inches long for the shorter wheel base 760i.
I've also got an 1997 E39 535i auto/steptronic which is a great car ....but compared to the E65 760i its a toy !
Thanks for the great video man ! Hope you get your great 760Li fixed up and enjoy it more ! They are really fabulous looking cars ! 👍
Hi, my dads offered me his SWB 760i for £2,000. I cant really say no at that price. But yeah, I'm with you, I do believe the SWB is incredibly rare. If they only sold 200 760s, I wonder how many SWB there actually are.
Any idea?
@@OliVer-iy2jq Hi, I am not sure how many Short Wheel Base BMW E65 760i's were made, I don't believe that there were many made as I have only seen about 3 and that was with 6 months of searching the internet and night.
I paid £12,000 for my SWB 760i because it was purchased through a dealer via Car & Classic and has verified low mileage of 56,903 miles and is on a 08 plate which is a very late E65 760i before the shape changed to the F11 7 series.
For 2 grand, I believe you got a BARGAIN !!!!! as that is an amazing price for a e65 760i !!!!!! so your dad must really love you !!! BTW the "E65" is the SWB model and the "E66" is the LWB model.
I've seen dozens of E66 Long Wheel Base 760iL's for sale online but somehow the shorter model looks much more nicer than the longer one as its in better proportion.
There are many E65 SWB 750i's with the smaller 4.8 V8 engine but there are definitely not many SWB E65 760i's out there as I don't think that BMW made many.
I've had my 760i for almost 2 weeks and it been awesome to drive and is so smooth compared to my R reg 1997 E39 535i !
All the very best of luck with your E65 760i - They are very rare and fantastic cars to own 👍👍👍
@@BITTYBOY121 Cheers for getting back to me mate! Yeah, he's great, I'm very lucky.
This one has the full AC Shnitzer body work too, if you're on Instagram have a search for me, its SomeLankyGuy, there's some pictures of it on my story!
Haha I know what you mean regarding the e39 also, as I used to have a E39 540i a few years ago, was a lovely thing but its nothing compared to the 760i!
I've been looking around and I've seen it mentioned that they did less than 25 E65 760i, but with it being so rare, there's really not much info around!
And I agree with the SWB being a better looking car :)
@@OliVer-iy2jq You're welcome mate.
AC Schnitzer used to do awesome body kits and wheels for BMW So I can imagine your 760i must look fabulous and very sporty !
Mine doesn't have the body kit but it has 20 inch wheels, 99% of the spec including a sunroof and reversing camera which is cool, I've got DVD Sat nav, Full media package in the back and light sand/beige interior which makes the car seem more airy !
The "iDrive" system takes some getting used to ! but after playing round with the settings and various menus I am starting to get the hang of it lol
I had an E39 540i too before the 535i, It was an Automatic and powered by the newer Vanos M62B44 TU V8 engine from the MK1 X5 and that was a complete nightmare ! with something always going wrong with it ! including "Trans failsafe prog" which was the last straw ! before I got shut of the thing and bought the more earlier E39 535i Auto because it had the non Vanos engine and I liked the E39 shape a lot.
Now the 760i feels like you're driving on air compared to the E39 !
My mum loves it too when I take her out in it ! but she says that "I've now bought the "fat cat" machine" lol
Take care man and all the very best with your 760, They are superb cars :)
Excellent narration , voice is perfect and well balanced
Very interesting! Thanks for the video, Jay
I have one of the even more rare swb 760i s.
I have owned the car for 9 years (only cost 12k to buy) as my go everywhere car. I have been lucky as it came with a BMW insured warranty that costs me about 150 per month. That means I get full warranty repairs for most things that go wrong. Over the nine years there has only one year that the warranty made a loss for me.
Missfires are a problem. My car went back to BMW head office for a missfire problem that could not be resolved. One piece of advice is to try premium fuel before chasing missfires as there is always a little hesitation from idle on 95.
My suspension problem was a bad height sensor. The code was for too high. I managed to diagnose it by scanning the EHC live data and it was obvious that a hight sensor was intermittent.
I agree with you about how it drives. You look at where you want to go and it does the rest for you.
I'm picking up a SWB 760i next weekend! Is it true that there were only 20 brought into the UK?
@@OliVer-iy2jq Hi, I think that may be true. I have never seen one other than mine.
Good luck with your 760, if sorted it must be one of the best cars ever produced. I can now say that these cars actually age quite well, it's getting through the first 10 years / 100k that's the hard part.
You can check out my car search for "hubnut 760i"
@@andrewthompsonuk1 Ah I must have watched that video 15 times already haha!
Nice to speak to you.
I'm actually buying mine from my dad, and he's had it for around 5 years, and its been very well behaved for him. Currently on 125k so hopefully I'll be okay!
The car was actually the MD of BMWs personal car when it was new so its very high specification, I'm excited to get my hands on it!
Thanks for the reassurance!
The three stages of BMW:
1) Fabulous driving experience.
2) Horrific ownership experience.
3) I LOVE this thing, but I HATE it, and it must go before I lose my freaking mind! Or my house...
There is a good reason why everyone used to lease these.
Lovely! Cant beat a big V12!
...until you gotta maintain it
That V12 is an absolute beast! ItsJoel had that 7 series
It is amazing how long it took BMW to spot that it was ironic for their "conspicuous consumption" models to be designated by names that spelled "OiL" (as in 750iL). This one is now 760Li. Corporate myopia at its best.
Is it fair to call this a rough draft for their first rolls Royce?
Honestly just watch this because the one Oracle XS which is the inspiration to this car is such a sleeper in that gane
Love your review. I owned one but smaller engine a 730Li. Loving it still. Perhaps I'm lucky few its behaving very well so far. No error ha!
I had a 2004 model for a couple of years and didn't spare the horses on the motorways, or backroads. It smelled so good and opulent inside. Mine was a really basic version and didn't even have heated seats! On backroads in sport mode it can do very well, but on bad roads the suspension is pretty hard so the car slams into pot holes and ruts. The only failures I had was a coolant sensor which crippled the car, but cost pennies for me to replace and my transmission flared on occasion, but a fluid and filter change along with the bridge seal replacement (as it had broken up) fixed that. Only sold it to get my house and still miss it. Pricey concerns would be the 2 direct injection fuel pumps as the membrane goes and BMW only wants to sell you a new pumps; about £5k I think, but some people experiment with alternatives. I prefer the pre-facelift version for looks, as I dislike the rear lights on the facelift. Its a disappointing car to start, it sounds so dull, unlike the sounds of starting a MB S600. I wonder if I was just lucky, or more importantly whether I could be that lucky again?
well, now you've done it!.... you succeeded in making me want one of these.
Thanks so much for all the content. You're playing a blinder.
Maybe a black 3-spoke wheel would help with the dash?
This '07 7-Series has the watered-down "oh shit, everyone slated the original" Bangle styling.
Missing clip near the end of the video!
I'm working on it. My bad- left a gap in the edit
17:45 absolutely pricess laugh! well worth £10000
Nearly punted for one of these but ended up with a V8 Cayenne instead. Don’t know which is worse for reliability but they both can waft...
Used Cayenne's are pretty good on reliability according to most. Can't say the same for the reputation of used BMWs...
redarp lol I hope you’re kidding. Used cayennes especially 1st gens are an absolute nightmare
@@redarp Depends on the year. There are certain years that have bad insulation on all the wiring in the car. I can't remember the years, but Hoovie covered it. Basically, the insulation degrades much faster than typical wiring insulation and the cost to rewire the entire car would be insanely expensive or time-consuming.
Joel tracked this car - crazy.
Misfire maybe injector, well know, but you can't replace just one and need coded in, INSTA diagnostics is cheap and good, yeah maybe coil pack or plug or even vacuum leak somewhere, loving the BMW vids 👍
I gotta get a JayEmm logo decal for my Tsi! I GOTTA!!!
My S-Type was asking for coolant. New cap for £10 fixed it. Worth a try.
When you in love with a Gorgeous it doesn't matter what comes next.
Would love to see you pitch that up against a Jag XJ supersport sometime in the future. Feel that would make an ideal video.
Ok I'm not the only one who thought that launch was rough right? It was like an old man being like "oh god, ok here we go. I have the strength but not as athletic as I was in college."
Do a vid on a w221 s600 vs 760li
Yes please !!!
Yes
Almost a decade between this and Mercedes you reviewed!
Had it to give it a like for that reserve fuel comment at the end.
Thanks for watching the whole video!
Hello there, just watching the video now and came to the part where you comment on the elevated seating position in the rear. You comment that it might have to do with the fuel tank, however I think I might have the answer for you. I have owned two 7L series (2018 740Ld and 745Le of Jan 2020) and they have the same seating position in the rear. Supposedly it is intentional, and not for sake of a fuel tank :-). It is designed like this so the most important person in the car, who might be driven and thus resides in the back, has a panoramic view, over the head of the driver. Much like sitting in a theatre setting. Ps: love the video btw.
Taking quarantine seriously then lol. Jokes aside, thank you for giving us some form of normality at this time fella, keep it coming, but stay safe :)
Filmed this one about three weeks ago! Luckily got a big stockpile of content to keep me going for a while
@@JayEmmOnCars great channel mate, bought an st fiesta off the back of your review, certainly not strapping no shit to it though 😂
A higher rear seat or "stadium seating" seats in a car have been there for quite some time. Bmw were focusing on the Chinese market around this time and consumers there prefer a higher driving/seating position, and it helps a lot in reducing motion sickness in the rear, with the added bonus of additional thigh support in the back, it's the reason why they were more comfortable than the W220 as well.
The drawback? Sitting close to the roof may not be for everyone, and the roof of the car can't slope down so quickly, giving it a bulkier look.
I like this James I have modelled the massive depreciation on yours against a more current G12 variety and am thinking about buying a used one of them. A sleeper Rolls at half the price.... I don't need all the attention...
This is great review.
I don’t know where you had the camera but that white line certainly looked well underneath the car when traffic was heading towards ya! Great video tho.
The camera hangs just off the right side of the car
@@JayEmmOnCars ha. I whinced every time a car come with that camera angle. Great video. I see Joel purchased the car.
A rare and fine beast indeed.
That was beautiful
your narration is great ..
Thankyou
Have you got any wet inside the foot wells at the front? I've known heater matrixes to go in different cars before. That could be coolant if so
I must have searched these cars on Autotrader about 3 million times but every time I think - am I really going to enjoy it more than something like a 330i for triple the running costs every year?
Yes. Yes you will.
The e65 is nothing like a 3 series. I have a 750li. No issues in 3 years owning it.
@@SpeechTherapyAnswers I know it's nothing like a 3-Series and a very cool car, but I'm not sure I'll actually enjoy it more let alone enough to justify 3x running costs.
Big fan from INDIA!!
My kind of car love the old 850
Got one of these. Look out for electrical probs including bad gear changes even though gearbox is fine. . Often the problem is electronic VVT and IVM Modules situated under air filters in a box adjacent to the bulkhead. Drain hole blocks up and water will get in 😬😬😬
The fix... Unblock drain holes and change the modules. It will feel like a new car again, without spending thousands. (hopefully 😂😂😂)
Nice video.
Don't wanna look like the help driving the master with a LWB fancy car.
I was hoping you’d show the engine and perhaps an engine startup clip :(
Fun fact, the bonnet latch failed the day I filmed - hence no engine shot!
JayEmm on Cars Ah the joys of old beemers :)
What a gorgeous car! I have a black one...but...with half the cylinders...and petrol. Yup, Asian spec 730Li - other than the V12 badges, can't tell the difference :p
Question! Do the stalks on the steering wheel light up at night? Including the gear shifter in your picture. If so that puts this car in a very, very exclusive club. Only other cars I can think of with illuminated stalks are the early 90s Alfa Romeos and the fifth generation Quattroporte/current Granturismo
@@visionist7 Only the gear shifter lights up on mine - a 730 petrol. Maybe 760s are different - probably not.
The most luxurious 7 series before 2014
Funny how I found this.
I have a 2008 one for sale in the UK. Dm if interested!
At 4000rpm.....it makes the Tesla's ludicrous mode look slow..........awesome machine, if you have the money to keep to going.
17:46 *this feeling* 😅
I lust after one of these as my weekend long distance barge, can not find a good one for the life of me
This one will be up for sale once it is sorted to my satisfaction if you are interested?
@@JayEmmOnCars how much would you be listing it for approximately and what is the mileage? Awesome review by the way. Very informative
How to go absolutely bankrupt in 2 years
The relatively small purchase cost limits how much damage it can do to your wallet
@@freddiejones4598
Haha! No it doesn't!
@@freddiejones4598 Yup - even if it costs how much it's worth to fix...it's still only 20K for a lot of luxury
A w12 Pheaton would be interesting
Got to love a V12. That is so much car for the money. They really look like great value now. Enjoy it!
Guess why they are so cheap? They are not a great value 😂😂. Those cars are the most unreliable pieces of shit in automotive history. Everything fails in these vehicles and the repaircosts are insane. No, you do not want any of those. They are cheap for a reason.
Run shell v-power and see if it helps
Surprised there's no swiveling headlights... I thought they came standard on these, I've had a few of them over the years, and all had swiveling headlights.
As an ex-750 owner, it’s a nightmare
Test the infotainment of the pre-facelift model, please.
Great review, makes me really want one. Or 5. 1 for driving, 4 for parts! 😊👍
However, I'm kind of in the if you couldn't afford it new you cant afford it used camp. It's like playing Russian roulette with half the chambers loaded, only a matter of time when you dont hear a click; or anything ever again for that matter. Trying to live with one of them would have me like DeNiro and Walken in the dearhunter!!
I think we can safely ignore comments alluding to Hoovies Garage as that is clearly a UA-cam money earner where the owner acts like Joey Essex in order to gain subscribers.
He decided to auction his 760, incidentally with zero issues, because his mechanic told him it would cost $5k to replace both his HPFP (when in reality you can repair them yourself for < $300). I think that says it all really. I even watched his B7 video where they pretty much decided they hated everything BMW... I'm not saying they aren't troublesome, but ALL cars are (especially if not maintained well).
Hopefully, someone that isn't an idiot will purchase them and restore them to the road where they belong.
Incidentally, I've owned a 760Li for 11 years and it's required attention at BMW twice. I will admit the 2nd visit was expensive, but not because of parts, it was purely down to labour costs caused by clueless mechanics playing guess the fault. That is where the real issues lie with BMW's. Find a decent mechanic that has both the gear and more importantly the knowledge/experience to service these cars and your opinion will change overnight.
Nice to see somebody who can see that series for what it is.
His whole channel is based around buying complete dogs.
Ita so weird how many people discard this model because one guy bought a shed.
My dads had one for 7/8 years and its been well behaved.
I'm having it off him next week hence watching this video!
I can't understand why bmw never put that V12 in a sports car..they had all the motorsport know how from the LM/R with the s70 and never used it
From what I've read they were under contract with McLaren not to put the s70/2 into a production car but they ran the s70/3 in the LM wzy past F1 F1 production and never used any of it...they could carried over into the s73 which could easily run a bullet proof 600hp ..
They did use the V12 in a sports car. They used it in the 8 series.
Morgan should have used this engine in their top models
It's a very big engine for a sports car
@@JayEmmOnCars the version in they used in F1 the s70/2 only weighed 265kg including exhaust and ancillaries...I think the s65 weighs 200kg without the exhaust..I could be wrong open to correction
@@neurodiverse4414 yeah but that was still in a lazier torque biased tune
Loosing coolant..... Can be cooler in a V, intake job out with injectors etc common on thes
That's our suspicion - the car is with my mechanic and we're going to investigate it when possible
Finally! Been looking forward to seeing this since you first took me out for a spin in it. I agree with the way you describe the cars powertrain, and love the big luxo barge theme. Yours is very generously spec'd too. Like you mentioned, the seats were a massive sticking point for me, really plush. Cant help but think if it was me though I might take a look at an Audi instead, just for potentially easier living/maintenance. Or a phaeton w12. Great review as ever, and thanks again for letting me check out the car in person and do some filming on the topic..
Facelift or non-facelift? What’s do we prefer?
I prefer the pre facelift as I actually like the weird lights. I'm probably one in a thousand with my preference lol
facelift for sure. Personally I think the pre facelift look terrible. But more power to those who might think otherwise.
facelift is a night and day difference. non-facelift is atrocious.
@@visionist7 prefacelift looks more mean. This one looks to gentle.
Jay. Have you tried the coolant pump?
My e39 had a leak from it. It never dropped anywhere tho just crystallised around the shaft.
I own a 760li in the US with only 4,800 miles probably the only one with the least mile in the world… 2007.
You should dunk this before and after a carbon clean
After watching its Joel with his one of these it’s so weird to me to not hear it scream like a lambo when it pulls away