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Comments
For a first time BMW buyer, you may have to read more from this forum before you decide. I am about to get my 3rd beamer this weekend and information from this forum has been invaluable.
Although you are not paying $70K for the car, worn rear ball joints at 52K miles is not the norm. The wear and tear on a car depends on how it was used and/or maintained by previous owners.
My 2 cents...
If you want fewer repairs and less maintenance, statistically speaking, perhaps a Lexus would be a better bet for you, although once a Lexus DOES need a repair, it's not going to be appreciably cheaper than a BMW to fix.
Thanks for your responses- very helpful.
Wahoo21
p.s. wabends, you are correct. hat was a typo on my part. My car is a 2001
Thanks,
KDA
You might try a can or two of dry gas in the tank just in case you picked up some grungy gas somewhere with water in it.
I have driven in a friends 97 7401, which seemed much quieter ... and even the 3 series loaner at the BMW Service center is quieter. The dealership replaced the sunroof "seal", however that does not appear to have helped much.
Is this just normal for a 2001 740i, and/or is there some history of this problem, with common fixes identified. The dealership doesn't appear to "hear" the noise as much as I do, or so they say. All I know is that it is a heck of a lot noisier than any car I have owned before.
Any advise/help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
mjc3
Sunroofs are adjustable by the way. If you notice any un-evenness around the sunroof seal when it is closed, this can be adjusted out.
From all appearances, it does look like the roof is closing tightly and evenly, so that is why I don't quite understand the wind noise. I thought the new seal would correct it. Maybe as you have suggested the Sunroof needs to be adjusted somehow. Is this an issue that has been seen with any frequency that you are aware of, or does it just sound like a one-off problem that I am having. For all I know, it could be normal for 740's to have a bit more wind noise, although I doubt it. My old Mercedes with over 200K miles was whisper quiet whenever the sunroof was closed, and I would expect at least as much from
BMW. Anyways thanks for your response ... I guess I'll take it back to the dealer for another look.
mjc3
The sound is more of a higher pitched whistling noise. I took it back to the dealer today & had the foreman out for a test drive. He confirmed that it did seam a bit louder than normal, although not significantly in his opinion. So he took it back in the shop and did some re-adjusting make sure it was settled in full compliance with the specs. The result -- a bit better, however still not what I would expect for a higher-end car. I'll probably take to another dealer next week to get a second opinion.
Thanks,
mjc3
First off, please turn off your CAPS LOCK. It's hard to read and it sort of violates online courtesy. Many folks will simply not respond to posts done in CAPS LOCK.
But I will, just this once!
I don't think I'd touch the trans unless you can look at the fluid and inspect/smell it. If it looks VERY dirty (like mud instead of pure and clear red) and/or smells like burning cork, you might want to drop it out. I don't see any harm in changing the oil and filter if it is dirty.
I'm thinking about buying a '00/'01 740 sometime this upcoming May/June. I'm comparing this with a same year LS430/LS400 and S430. I'm already leaning towards the 740, but I'd like some of your opinions in the matter since I don't have much 1st-hand knowledge/info (yet) in this class of cars. I know that quality wise each individual car is different.
I have done the basic research on Edmunds, so I know that the S was new for '00, and the LS was new for '01, but I still like the 7. I know the 7 is new for '02, but that's a little out of my price range.
I guess I'm looking for why you would buy the 7 vs the LS or S.
Quality/Reliability? Handling/Performance? Styling/Image?
Thanks everyone!
(This is my 1st actual post, although I have been browsing these forums for some time now.)
I've driven both these cars and again, I personally would put up with an occasional spit up and temper tantrum for the benefits of having a car that is much more exciting to drive and a lot more fun to look at.
But if you willing to trade off these things for the edge in reliability, then the Lexus would work better for you.
What do you think about the 740 vs (MB) S430 comparison?
I agree that reliability wise (overall) Lexus probably edges out both BMW & MB, but loses in styling.
Comparing BMW vs MB though would seem to be a little more difficult.
i am a new member.
i just bought a 740 il sport and i am considering to buy the extended (platinum) service warranty. the coverage is for 36mos/36k miles for $3,300 with a $150 deductible. what do you think of it.
since the car did not come with the owner's manual, i am having difficulty learning to operate its options/equipments. any idea where i can obtain a manual.
comments and advise are highly appreciated.
mahalo
As for the warranty---how many miles are on this car already? Also, I would strongly suggest you read this warranty cover to cover so that you know exactly what is included and excluded.
You can run up a $3,300 repair bill pretty easily on a 740, especially if you drive a lot.
If you are out of factory warranty already, it might be a good idea if the exclusions are not too many or too severe.
the extended warranty by Driver Edge VSC, Inc, excludes any tune-up item (spark plugs and wires, distributor cap and carburator), electronic equipments (alarm system, telphone, clock and inverter), normal maintenance items (tires, wheels, wheel covers, shock absorbers, alignment, brake shoes or pads, rotors or drums, belts, thermostats, houses, filters, exhaust or emission parts, clutch, pressure plates or clutch release bearing and CV boots).
You need to keep shopping. THere MUST be a better warranty out there. (Actually, these aren't warranties, these are insurance policies you are buying---they are betting you DON'T need the repairs and you are betting you do).
Also the discrepancy between CARFAX and your odometer is troubling.
Regards,
There isn't a "recall" on items not related to safety. Re-designs of less than perfect components goes on all the time in the auto industry and they are rarely publicized.
If the inlet tube to the heater core snapped off or cracked, that is SO typically BMW.
One reason they might win is the exclusions in the Maxcare warranty. You have to read it very carefully for exclusions and decide if it's still worth it. Obviously, by putting in exclusions, the warranty (insurance) company is improving their odds, and it would be interesting to know what they aren't betting on.
But if it's a decent policy, I'd consider it. You can run up $1,800 at a BMW dealer real easy.
I have a 01 740iL Sport equipped with Michelen Pilot. The left showed a slight uneven wear on the outside thread, which I thought to be the source of the howling/wobbling sound. The right front shows a normal wear pattern.
I replaced all four tires with Hankook Ventace K104 that match OEM tire size. The sound level decreased but was not completely eliminated. Although not quite as loud as the sound generated by the old tires, the sound level becomes more pronounced at speeds greater than 55MPH.
Is the sound generated by the thread design (both tires are similar in design) or is there mechanical fault with the car (i.e. defective front wheel bearing).
Also, I am now looking to replace the engine, but I need to know how to identify the "bad" engines so that I don't get stuck again. Is it a rage of serial numbers, does anyone know?
thanks in advance.
inferred that If I did they would look favorably.
The 2000 740 Il : Navigation is poor. The Air Mass Sensor failed twice. Car dropped dead on the road, once on I 95. Dash read "Emergency Engine Failsafe shutdown". Not something I Wanted to see after the debacle with the first.
The cars has been towed to the dealer the last 4 of 5 visits. The Power steering hoses failed, Radiator failed, window regulator and motor failed, Fan Clutch assembly failed.
Anyone want to buy a car for parts. Thank god I only have 6 months on the lease. Unfortunately
the warranty expires in July. I will probably give it back early rather than risk owning it out of warranty. Good Luck
Bob
If you just gotta have a high end car and yet can't pay the price for a new one with the factory warranty, IMO the best deal is a very late model XJ Series Jaguar. They are relatively cheap to buy because the initial MSPR is a good 15K less than a 7 Series, the reputation they had for poor QC hasn't washed out yet, and, frankly, they don't have the buzz of BMW or MB. They do though have more reliability at a lower price. So, less money, less flash, more reliability. Seems simple to me.
What is your stock tire size now and what is the brand/type?
The 19s on that car ride hard and you're stuck with it...but the car also came with 18s I believe. Maybe your dealer will swap them out for you if you bought the car new from him?
If you can't get 18s or don't want them, you have two other choices:
1. deflate the 19s to 32-34 lbs---this will improve the ride BUT CAUSE EDGEWEAR on those tires.
2. You can switch to Michelin Pilot Sport AS tires, which will ride better in the 19" size than the Dunlaps.
Your 745 is designed for high speed sport driving. It isn't a mall cruiser so that's why it rides like a race car---it sort of is built to perform like one and the ride is not to everyone's taste.
So there you go, hope that helps.
Mick