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BMW 7-Series 2006 and earlier

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    merc1merc1 Member Posts: 6,081
    If the dealer won't say that should be answer enough. I couldn't give you exact dollar amounts, but lets just say something major breaks, it will be probably double what you'd pay on your explorer or more. BMW's have a lot of high-tech, high-dollar engineering. I would stay away if I were you.

    M
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    clunker96clunker96 Member Posts: 3
    when i was little my dad had a 1986 or 87 bmw 733i it had a lot of the high tech stuff that the cars of today have like traction controll and a navigation system but when they discontinued the 733i my dad was p. o.ed and he really missed that car when we sold it my mom and my dad still are firm belivers in bmw's mom has a 1999 bmw 328i conv and dad a 200 seven series v12
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    scouser1scouser1 Member Posts: 2
    Love the car - Black with Nav and Sports plus
    sound. 2K miles - 120mph reached and cruising.

    Everyone else loves the car - turns heads everywhere. People come up to me and complement the car as to its beauty. In a line up with BMW,
    MERCEDES, BMW and LEXUS the JAG gets the
    complements. Looks is not everything but it goes a
    long way in the luxury class.
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    kappamankappaman Member Posts: 47
    Owned a 740il, electrical nightmare. Replaced radio,a/c and brake lights every 2months for a year. I don't own a 740 anymore. If they get their electric circuit working they would probably be the best around, but the jag is something special. By the way I own two of them, the XK8 and the Vanden Plas. Customer service is better with Jags, snob appeal is better, and I have less problems. No the Jags are not problem free. Nether was my S-class or lexus es300 and sc300,sc300 is pretty good though. The jag is a much better car with only minor problems. Anyway, they all have some problems. Get what you want and if you don't like it do by that product again. Someone elses experience my be different from mine though.
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    leslee1leslee1 Member Posts: 1
    Need some subject matter expertise on this one. I need to dump the Mini-Van look (not me), however the car lineup for a family of 5 (comfortably) is pretty limited. I have already done the SUV thing and not really impressed with the roominess of those. We've been looking at 1997-8 740il, 2000 volvo s80, and 2000 Audi A6 (would like the A8, but too much $$)and need to know from those families out there, are these cars "really" roomy for 3 kids (all boys 2,5,9). Appreciate any other suggestions for under $40k!
    Thanks!
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    kappamankappaman Member Posts: 47
    I have owned a '95 740il, and yes it is roomy enough for your 3 kids to sit in the back. Especial the il version. One comment though, I had a lot of electrical problems with my 740il. It was a great car minus replace the a/c, radio and tail light bulbs every other month. If you buy it with an extended warranty, no problem. If you plan on keeping it you may want to think about it. For reliabilty you may think about the Lexus LS400 used, but it want look as good as the 740il. A new Lexus GS300 may fit the bill along with the A6 and S80. You may want to look at at 98 Jaguar XJ8(great car I own the '95 Vanden Plas version). I say 98 because it has the new engine and interior styling, plus they come with the best pre-owned warranty in the business. The warranty is basically the same as a new car warranty. If reliability is the question on the Jaguar read the JD Powers survey on the Jags. You will be surprised.
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    mike2567mike2567 Member Posts: 15
    If you are planning to buy a BMW, or even if you're not, you'd be crazy not to join the BMW car club of America first. It's the best $35 you will ever spend, and you'll get a clear idea of what the cars and the ownership experience are like.

    The short answer to the questions here, all BMWs are very fine running cars--maybe the best of all marques. But after the first few years, you will have to spend money on maintenance and repairs. I'd say once the car is 5 years old plan to spend several hundred dollars a year.
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    sbrj8656sbrj8656 Member Posts: 1
    The June 2000 issue of Automobile magazine has a couple pictures of the 2002 BMW 7-Series. Has anyone seen any other pictures of the 2002 7-Series?
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    jad6jad6 Member Posts: 1
    OK you good folks, I need some information
    concerning the reliability of a late model
    (1997-1999) BMW740iL. I have read with great
    interest much of the feedback from the "Sedan"
    segment related to the 740. It seems from what I
    have read the early or mid 1990's tended to have
    significant problems (i.e. engine, electrical,
    transmission). The question is has BMW corrected
    these problems? I love the car in terms of looks,
    comfort and driveability and can purchase one
    (1998) for around $45-48K certified by BMW (not a
    third party). I tend to keep a car for 6-8 years
    and put easily 150K plus miles (mostly highway) on
    it. What I don't need is a problem or a money pit
    that spends more time in the shop than in my
    garage. I realize the car requires maintenance and that the cost of that maintenance will be higher than average and I accept that. I have read through many reports such as Consumer Guide and most have very little data on the BMW 7 series in terms of reliability/customer satisfaction. I have also seen a few posts on this topic but have not seen very much response. Any feedback that can be provided such as your experience as an owner or reports/data you have run across would be much appreciated. Thanks!
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    Ok, I've read just about all the posts here and am now caught up with all the threads that I'm interested in (I "scanned" the Dinan chip threads).

    Like a couple of others who posted about used BMW 7s, I too will be in the market for a used 7 in 2002/3. I'm doing my research early so that I could learn as much as possible about the 7 series.

    I've been a member of the BMW CCA since '96 (I've attended 12+ BMW CCA driving schools in my '93 Rx7 R1:), and am quite knowledeable on E36 3ers/M3s, but have practically no insights on the 7s (BTW what is the E designation for the '95 to '00 7s?)

    Like a couple of other posters out there, my wife and I are looking for a roomy great road trip car as well as daily driver. We'll put 15 to 17K miles on it per year, and we tend to keep our cars for a long time: her car--6 years, mine--8 years. We don't like to buy new because of the terrible depreciation hit for the first few years. The plan is to sell her car and replace it with the bimmer 7.

    BTW, post #116 of 137: rmac88 (gearman) Wed 23 Feb '00 (01:16 PM) was a fantastic post. Unfortunately it was the only one regarding the reliablity of bimmer 7s.

    From what I've gathered from your posts, it appears that the later 7 series are the best to buy used. The '90 to '94 models had problems with the nikasil cylinder liners, as well slushbox problems with the ZF units. The V8s and V12s were not as strong as the inline 6es with regard to mileage reliability and durability.

    This then leaves us with the 1997-2000 models. As a sports car enthusiast driver, I especially like the idea of 740i Sport model.

    (I could probably convince Mrs. Rx7 R1 on the advantages of better handling from an upgraded suspension/wheel/tire package:)

    What year was the first year for the 740i Sport? Is there much of a difference between that first-year 7 sport and a '00 7 Sport?

    What would I expect to pay for 740i Sport in 2002 or 2003?

    Will there be some sort of extended warranty for these used/off-lease BMWS?

    Thanks in advance for your replies. I've let my BMW CCA membership lapse. I've decided to pass up the driving schools fow a couple of years. The new plan is to just enjoy tooling around in a big luxo cruiser (BMW 740i Sport) and seeing the wonderful sights our great big country has to offer!

    Best Regards,
    ML
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    Bad news--SSR SSF wheels in 17 x 9s aren't available for the '97 740i. Good news is that Breyton Magics in 17 x 9.5s are available for my would-be 740i "sport". The extra half-inch wheel width will be needed to shod the big fat 255/50ZR17s! Downside is that the Breytons are probably a lot heavier. I guess the BBS RC in 17 x 8.5s would be a good choice, except that 8.5 inches is not wide enough for 255.
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    I liked the idea of the 7 "sport" model in terms of the upgraded handling. The slight increase in acceleratation from a different rear end doesn't impress me. Puhleeze. I won't even try to pretend that the big 7's "tiptronic" allows me any sort of control during shifts! Lest you forget that my daily driver's is a REAL sports car. The 7 will be for a completely different purpose--long comfortable road trips. Uhh...don't be surprised if BMW 323is run circles around you at your upcoming driving school. 4000 lbs is 4000 lbs. Physics laws still apply.
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    pflaumpflaum Member Posts: 13
    If you think about how one runs hot laps, all shifts during straight line acceleration or braking, you would understand that the tiptronic does allow a LOT more control in competent hands: down shift during braking then trail brake around the corner and accelerate in a straight line out. Sorry, but it would be very difficult to get a standard automatic to do this. The tiptronic handles it easily the only limitation being that it does not permit reving beyond redline (but there is no need to toe heel).

    You may have a real sports car as a daily driver but I have raced them and until a few months ago had one as my weekend toy (98 'vette). The sport model is a lot of fun and let me get rid of the toy.) In my opinion, the difference in acceleration is very noticable (which I would know since I have had both).

    BTW, it is more than the rear end on the sport that has been upgraded (the torque converter had to be upgraded substantially
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    Yes, I could see how the BMW "tippy" could help during the hotlapping in a 740i Sport. Certainly better than a standard slushbox. Yet the tippy doesn't allow nearly the control you have in a standard manual gearbox. That's the perspective I was coming from.

    My hands (and feet:) are competent operating the controls of a true blue sports car. I've never driven a slushbox drivetrained car around a track so from that perspective, you would be right--I woudn't be competent. I'd be left-foot braking into every turn, trailing off of the brake while blending the gas. I bet it wouldn't take me long before I got the hang of things though:)

    FWIW, I've attended over 50 hours of BMW CCA driving schools since 1997 in my 1993 Mazda Rx7 R1. I've driven many different tracks with all kinds of other cars! I guess you could say that I've "raced" them without really going wheel-to-wheel with them. If you've done schools, then you know it's pretty much "gentlemen's racing" once the instructor signs you off to go have fun:)

    Here's my repertoire of road racing venues:
    Mid Ohio '97 '98 '99
    Road Atlanta '00
    Road America '00
    Summit Point '99
    Gingerman '99 '00
    Putnam Park '97 '98 '99 '00

    Oh yeah, I "raced" against 2 ZR1 Vettes at Road America earlier this month (May 6/7 weekend). I was surprised that they didn't pull away on the three long straights (RA is 4 miles per lap)! Even more surprised when I got passing signals from both!

    Passed the new BMW M5s all day long! Wonderful daily driving cars, but not road racers, IMO. Capable but not sizzling fast! Physics laws again:)

    The only other shifter I'd have in a sports car, other than a classical manual would be Ferrari's F1 paddle shifter mechanism, which blips the throttle during downshifts.

    Mazda's new Rx7 is supposed to have a F1 shifter variant in the upcoming Rx7 model:)

    My point in all this is that I'm not willing to pay the premium (actually can't afford to pay it!) for a '99 Sport 740i over a '97 740i with upgraded suspension, wheels, tires. I'm sure you feel like you got your money's worth and that's great! The 740i will serve the purpose that I intend for it. There will be no track time planned for the the big 7:)
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    jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    since they are changing the body style next year, is BMW offering deals on the 740? if so, are they also doing it for the 740i sport, provided they are around? love the car, but hard to justify buying a model that is 6 yrs old when a new one is just around the corner.
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    Nah, get the Porsche!
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    jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    car is for my wife. u following me around?
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    nah, I think you're following ME around;)

    I'm soooohhhhh envious;)

    A Porsche 996 for you, and and a big honking 740i Sport for Mrs. jesk! Life at the jesk house must be good!

    ML
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    jeskjesk Member Posts: 13
    have not bought either yet so jealousy not an issue. will prob buy 740 first in early fall and then hold off on porsche unless something spectacular falls in my lap. am talking to guy in ohio with a black on black 97 c4s with 25k miles. so maybe that happens
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    rx7r1rx7r1 Member Posts: 17
    well if I were jealous, I wouldn't want you to have any of the stuff you want or have. I'm merely envious, which means, that I wish I had the purchasing power you have:D

    Good luck shopping. It's fun, and all the sports car salesfolks get to know you real well:D
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    bwhbwh Member Posts: 76
    Okay I have read enough posts so that I am ready to dive in. My wife drives a 740iL, spectacular machine, great power, great sound , great handling , great ride ultimate luxury. We have taken it on two 5000 mile 10 day trips and this car has never dissappointed. The room in back is great, I have 3 yr old twins in bulky car seats, plenty of room even with the seats back for my 6'3" frame. I also did the SUV thing, Mercedes Benz Gelandewagen, really cool for a truck. Couldn't stand driving a truck everyday, couldn't pry the 740 from my wife, bought an older 944 Turbo. Fast little car, I joined PCA and plan to run it on the track. Thats my fix, you need them ALL! Really though the 740 has been a great car for us, it is one of the finest cars I have ever driven. The new S500 Mercedes trumps it but at a hefty premium in price. My 95 740iL now has 85k miles on it, we have put on 30k in a year. I had a couple problems, ruptured heater hose(stranded), lower control arms(ball joints) but no electrical problems. As a matter of fact make it a point to get the stereo with the DSP and 14 speakers, it is the best I have ever heard.
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    carman_00carman_00 Member Posts: 2
    My parents have a 97 740iL. They have every option on there car except NAV System. They Love it. It is responsive, comfortable, sleek and of course the ultimate driving machine. If I had to buy any vehicle I would buy another 740 or 750iL. To add to my pack of X5 and M5
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    steve740steve740 Member Posts: 1
    I've owned my 95' for about 2 years now. It was under warranty up until recently (thankfully). Although I love the car I am disappointed by the quality. Under warranty I've had all 4 control units replaced, stereo, power steering hoses, multiple rear and brake lights. Not under warranty I've had to replace the fuel pump and water pump. Currently I have 60K miles on it. My latest problems is a rattling somewhere on the driver's front side. The interesting thing about the rattle is I've only notice it on hot days (and it's not because the window is down). Does anyone have an idea on what the problem is?

    One more thing, how can they get away with not publishing manuals? This should be against the law!!!! I can't even attempt to trouble shot the problem or educate myself on a diagnosed problem.

    All help is appreciated.
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    wahoo69wahoo69 Member Posts: 2
    Car is loaded, dealer I know taking on trade, can get car for 45K.

    Is this in the ballpark? Haven't been in market!

    Thanks.
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    wahoo69wahoo69 Member Posts: 2
    Car is loaded, dealer I know taking on trade, can get car for 45K.

    Is this in the ballpark? Haven't been in market!

    Thanks.
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    darthpeckerdarthpecker Member Posts: 8
    Just had a PA inspection at the dealer on a '98 740iL. New brakes all around(pads, rotors turned, bled fluid) came to $1000 alone. Total bill was $1900 including oil change, radiator flush and spark plugs. Car has 38K miles. I know they are expensive cars but that is pretty hard maintenance costs for 38,000 miles.
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    beelinesbeelines Member Posts: 1
    I am looking at a 750iL with 170K miles for $10,500. Any advice?
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    wonderwickwonderwick Member Posts: 6
    Yeah,run,don't walk...and scream at the top of your lungs..."I used my head instead of my hormones"!
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    wonderwickwonderwick Member Posts: 6
    Ouch is right. Find another place for your service...the pricing you report is beyond obscene. The same exact work you reported was just under a $1000 on my Benz and the work included replaced front rotors(not turned old ones).
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    ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    I dont know the exact condition of the car, but if I were in the market for a 10000 car, i would run away from any expensive exotic import, esp a BMW- the engine is built with silicone injected walls, used in all V configured BMWs and will wear prematurely. i dont know if yours was already replaced, but as you can imagine, it is expensive. also, BMW electrical units in the old cars are prone to problems. even if a mechanic says it is ok to buy, still be weary. if i were you, i'd consider a late model mediums sized car. only if you were buying a new 750il or a 2 year old car would i consider it. they are great cars until they need to be fixed, then they become a cash cow.
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    ulmerulmer Member Posts: 2
    Considering purchasing 1997 BMW 740iL, with 110,000 miles from corporate lease (salesman) Most highway miles. Asking price via company is $26,000 to 27,500. Need help in determining whether this car is worth the above price, without any manufactures warrenties. Miles seem to be high for 1997 and wondering what expenses I should expect if I purchase it.
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    jrm25ttjrm25tt Member Posts: 2
    the bmw 7-series is a pretty good car. i am glad they did a little makeover. however, you would have to be out of your mind to purchase either a bmw 740iL or 750iL over the new mercedes-benz s500. even when you compare the v8 s500 with the v12 750iL, the benz shines. It is considerably quicker. Also, the s500's exterior and interior design is outrageously better than the 750iL's. In fact, the bmw's interior is pretty darn ugly, and the exterior design can't compare with the benzes. Not to mention the benz has a lot more gizmos and seat comfort (i've sat in both) and it is a little cheaper as well. overall, the bmw 7-series is a good car only overshadowed by the phenomenal benz S500.
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    bunky3bunky3 Member Posts: 8
    I shouldn't be here, I don't have a 7 series, but I'am a big fan. For those of you who feel MB's are better(post 164) you better take a 2nd look, and maybe a drive.I can say this with a degree of confidence because I've had both.

    I've not had a S500, or a 750, but, I swapped a 99 c class for a 2k 3 series. The Mercedes wasn't even in the same league as the bimmer. Now I can't attest to the larger siblings, but I bet it runs in the family.

    If you want a car to just say you own something, buy a Benz, if you want to "drive" a car, buy a BMW!

    Thanks for letting me post on your(7series) topic.

    bunky3
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    ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    yeah, i suppose a 98 design is going to perform better than a 94 design. why dont you test drive a new C class against your 3 and see which is better then. it wont be so obvious.
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    ulmerulmer Member Posts: 2
    BMW 540i , interested in purchasing a 1998 or 99 540i. Question what a decent price would be for either yr. model with 15,000 to 20,000 miles. All options included. Please respond.
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    bunky3bunky3 Member Posts: 8
    I had a "99" C class, thats pretty new, when comparing it to a 2k. version, isn't it, at least I think it is. Mercedes did make alot of changes on the new C, one was ridding the car of the atrocious reciprocating ball steering system.I'd like to drive a new on, it would be interesting.
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    jrm25ttjrm25tt Member Posts: 2
    So we meet again. I know you've had a C-Class benz and a 3-Series BMW. Regarding those two cars, I think the BMW absolutely murders the Benz. It's better in just about every single area. I love the BMW 3-Series, and i do not even like the mercedes-benz c-class. In fact the 3-series is better than all the competition. However, you cannot really compare the S-Class mercedes and the BMW 7-Series with the benz C-Class and BMW 3-Series. They are completely different cars. So, if you think only BMW cars are "Drivers Cars" just because you owned a sorry c-class, think again. The S500 has phenemonal performance that "Car and Driver" said had a cloud-nine ride, yet fleet of foot; V-12 performance with a V8 price. It also said that the S500 strikes them as the best luxury car that smart money can justifiably buy. It said it was smoother than the ultra-luxurious $200,000+ Rolls-Royce Silver Seraph. Not to mention it's quicker than a Porsche Boxster, and is the leader in gizmo technology. The BMW 7-Series cannot compare with those amazing accolades. It's a good car in major need of a redesign. As for the Benz C-Class, that is a sorry car, not anything like the Benz S500.The phenomenal 3-Series bimmer is a phenemonal car, the leader of its class, arguably the best sedan south of $40,000. The bmw 7-series, however, is not the leader of the pack, is not the best sedan under $100,00, and is not a phenemonal car. You see not all bmw cars are the same and not all mercedes are the same. You were right: the bmw 3's are better than the benz c's. Yet, the bmw 7's are not better than the benz s, not in luxury, value, performance, nor looks.
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    ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    yeah, is believe your brand new 1998 redesigned 3 is better than the 1994 designed C.. 4 years is a long time...but wait in a few months and test the new C. most car magazines say that the driving and handling are at least on par with the 3 if not better! FYI why did you buy the C if you hated it? the new 3 series were already released in 1998.
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    ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    learn to read. i know your car is a 99 but it was designed and is essentially the same as the 1994 models but with more equipment. the fundamental elements of the car are the same as the 94. it seems frivolous to compare brand new designs to ones that are about to be replaced.
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    bunky3bunky3 Member Posts: 8
    I didn't hate my C class, as a matter of fact I loved it until I lived with it for a while, I couldn't get used to the recip. ball steering, they now have rack and pinion, it's a matter of fact that mercedes likes to stay with tried and true designs, no matter what it does for the car, positively or negatively. Show me in my posts where I said I hated it. As far as my reading skills, I do pretty well, however, I'am not that great at reading between the lines, so keep it simple, I'am only an artist, and you know our intellegience quotient.
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    ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    are you going to test drive the new C class? it looks like promising competition to the 3 series, and most Euro reviews state that the car is actually more sportier than the 3 series!!!
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    bunky3bunky3 Member Posts: 8
    Now, come on. How do you expect me to do someting like that, without wanting one! A miniature "S", I knew the minute I traded for the bimmer, they'd (mb)do something like this.

    I missed your point when you compared the two designs. However, even though the 230 design was a few years old, you couldn't compare a 99 with say a 97, they even made updates to the car right up to the 2k model,(esp)then became standard.Now with the 01 model, I think they are gonna give bmw a race. I loved the mb feel, a truely solid car, the doors closed with a thud, and not some tinny sound. Geez I realized what topic we are in, I'll see you over in the 3 series topic, the people here have been gracious in letting us post.

    bunky3
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    ferarri11ferarri11 Member Posts: 91
    the extra equipment MB adds doesnt really help the car be better , just more palatable pricewise. the 94 is the same as the 99 but with different features, more in the 99 hopefully. the overall driving dynamics, room are the same.
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    pflaumpflaum Member Posts: 13
    I took my 740i Sport to Heartland Park in Topeka for the KC BMW Club Driver's School. I was a little apprehensive bringing such a large car to the track and my misgivings rose when I noticed that the parking lot was full of m3s, porsches and other fast, little hot rods.

    The beast did well, however. Yes, the M3s and Porsches were far too nimble and fast for the big 7 but the 323s weren't nor did most 328s fare better. When the chief instructor took it out for a spin during an instructor's slot, nothing short of an M3 kept up with the beast.

    The most interesting aspect of the weekend was the reaction of other drivers to seeing a big, 4300 pound sport-luxury sedan move around the track with surprising speed and agility. Every instructor who drove with me commented on how suprisingly agile and competent the car was as did many of the drivers of the little hot rods.

    RX7 guy, you are wrong! The 740 Sport is a very competent automobile and can prove itself on the track. Of course, now I am wondering what it would be like in an M5.

    Chris
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    pflaumpflaum Member Posts: 13
    I leased mine in March. The price point on the lease was about $1000 over invoice.

    Chris
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    dphamdpham Member Posts: 3
    I got 63,375 from a dealer for a Titanium Silver 740i Sport with Convience Package and heated front seats. From my calculation it's about $600 over invoice. That's for a purchase and not lease.

    David
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    jellis3520jellis3520 Member Posts: 2
    Well, Tedf2, you will be glad to know you thoroughly discouraged me from any consideration of a 740. I have been enamored of this car for a long time, as the 500 series (except the wagon) has so little back seat room. Cars this expensive are hard to justify anyway, and I am just prefer to watch my hard earned money grow a little in mutual funds--John Ellis, MD (Richmond, VA)
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    fasttidefasttide Member Posts: 2
    Any one has experience on dead battery after over 10 days not driving the car?

    Any battery problem of any kind?
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    fasttidefasttide Member Posts: 2
    Any one knows what would be changed in the 2002 model?
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    is4b2rdis4b2rd Member Posts: 66
    The 2002 will be completely new, and will be one fantastic vehicle. It will out-(high-tech) the MB S-Class for sure.
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