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Is it still true that owners have to take cars to dealer for all the maintanence? like the $100+ oil change. I hope things have changed somewhat. Thanks for your comments.
I never been a big fan of gps systems. Do you need it for idrive to be complete? :
Some options you never visit more than once and the rest are simple to use. There are plenty of 'old-fashioned' knobs and dials for the day-to-day stuff. To this day I just can't understand all the noise over iDrive because anyone with two brain cells touching could figure it out.
The car is amazing in every way.
JR
JR
JR
Or perhaps if I may quote a friend---it is technology to no useful purpose.
I recently had a battery replaced at the dealership. After taking the car back home and out to dinner, the car started acting up. Several check engine lights came on, the radio wouldn't work, and the navigation screen would come on and off intermittently.
After taking the car back to the dealership, the service manager said that the code must not have been punched in correctly. They re did the code, and as I got into the car to go back home, the car had the same problems. lights on in the dash, radio not working all the time as well as the nav. screen.
I left the car at the dealership for a couple of days, and they got all of the check engine lights to stay off.
Now when I start the car, the steering wheel may not come down on it's own as it should, the radio may not come on, or even the screen may not come on.
The steering is also tight sometimes on first start up when these other problems are going on.
Any ideas???
Thanks!
I've now owned 1992 735i (still own with 220kmiles, son drives), 2004 745i with all toys, premium sound, 19" rims, conv pkg, luxury seating pkg, park distance, etc.
No bugs, no complaints, iDrive is simple, scroll-click, scroll-click. And the 2001 740iL.
IMHO, the 745i is the best driving car in the world and I never had a break down nor bug.
The question is, what happens at or after 100k miles?
The car I drove has 19 inch wheels, I like the dual personality so will most likely skip the sports suspension.
It has 19 inch wheels and just about every option on it.
I have heard there are some problems with the early models of this vehical and wonder if anyone has any input.
I must admit I am an american car guy currently drive an escalade and a 2000 chrysler 300M.
I am looking to replace the chrysler but want to know how well the bmw will be in the winter and also about these flaws in the software.
looking from input from anyone good or bad.
I have been driving it for a week and like it.
It has 25,000 miles on it and is very clean.
He wants $43,000 for it.
Thanks
Asking price is about correct retail, no bargain but fair enough for a nice car.
Thanks for any comments.
Anyway, I have found a 1996 740il with 133,000 miles for $9,850. This looks to be a great car. It is with the second owner who is in college and has gone to Germany for a year of school. His Dad is selling it to get him money for a car he has bought over there.
Car looks great and all things seem to work. The displays on the radio do not read correctly and he had replaced it once from an ebay purchase. I plan on taking it to a BMW shop for a detailed inspection. But what I read here makes me want to run away from it and all BMW 740's. Can a car that is really "great" as multiple people have said really cost so much to maintain. Is it really engineered so badly that it takes a specially trained BMW Tech to fix it. There are some really complicated cars out there that excellent mechanics are working on. How can something that is supposed to be so good and so well 'engineered' suck as bad as some of the posts say?
Anyway, I will ask what others have asked. Should I steer clear and forget BMW or not? I am one who maintains my cars. I also understand that this costs money as detailed by others. But if a simple brake job is $500 or more then I have questions?
Thanks in advance.
I think with a high miles used 740 it's like this -- if it's running well and all you are doing is routine maintenance, then all is right with the world. But if something semi-serious goes wrong, EVERYTHING you fix is going to be somewhat expensive compared to a Toyota. You'll never get a 4-wheel brake job on this car for $500. More like $1,000--$1,200 (this presumes rotors)
As for complexity, a competent and well-trained indy shop should be able to handle a 1996 model, no problem, at least most things, but again, if one has to go deep into computer gadgetry, you may have to go to the dealer---which of course is scary ground for the used car newbie.
I have an equally expensive car to maintain and sometimes it hurts---you have to really really love the car to put up with the occasional big fat bill. If the idea of $150/$200 a month just in maintainence and repairs doesn't work for you, then you won't be happy with the car I don't think. But if you can handle that, with good luck that's the worst you'll face, averaged out over a few years. Most basic parts aren't too expensive...figure shocks at $100 apiece, brake pads at $60 per axle, rotors at $100 apiece, mufflers maybe $300, ignition wires $200 a set, 02 sensor $120, water pump $125. As you can see it's not a Honda Civic, but it's not a Ferrari or Porsche either. These are, of course, NOT dealer prices.
Also I think the asking price is too high.... $8,200 - $8,500 should be more than enough for this car, if it looks great and checks out needing nothing of any consequence. Personally, I'd be more comfortable nearer $7,000, just in case.
Bought it because my wife fell in luv with the interior, the leg room is amazing, it's almost like sitting in a Limo!
Now she does not want to drive it because of the cars' size! She thinks it's way to big and powerful to handle.
a) if $150-$200 a month is a burden to you, don't buy the car and try to "play the odds" that you will be the person who spends the least per month.
b) have the car checked out top to bottom very very carefully. You can never come out right with an abused and neglected 7 series car.
Think of the 740 as a big checking account. If the previous owner wrote checks (that is, drove the car) and didn't make deposits (did all the maintenance), YOU are going to be the one going bankrupt, not him.
I don't know too much about cars, but I know that something is wrong when the clicking sound and now rattling sound, is disturbing the once quiet ride. It has been getting worse over the past few months and I am wondering if that is a common problem (one of the components in my car is wearing out) or my car is loose on the bottom?
The sound seems as if it coming from under the driver's side door and I am wondering if that is a common problem for aging 98 740s.
Thank You
Pass. Too high a price, too many miles, bad history. You can buy a nice one for that without all the miles and all the history of disasters. Run, don't walk from this car.
Here's my question: How many miles should I expect to get out of this car? Also, I have been getting it serviced at a BMW shop but am wondering if I should look for an alternative maintenance shop to save money?
Last thing .... how much would you expect to pay for a Level II Inspection?
If you can find an independent who really knows these cars, sure, you can save maybe 30% on maintenance. But just because they speak with an accent and work on Mercedes doesn't mean they know beans about a 740i. But I bet a good Indy shop can cut your Level II costs by 1/3.
Since this car seems to have had a good history ($200 a month is about right on target) I think you should push it as far as it will go.
I know we all hear stories of cars with amazing mileages but I find it interesting that in all my years messing with cars I have never seen one on the road or at the wreckers that clocked over 300K. I'm sure it happens but then sometimes a man will live to be 105. Not something to bet on, though.
Also, you have to consider safety factors with a car with 300K on it---things like metal fatigue come into play and I'd certainly have a car with that many miles gone over very carefully, especially in the suspension and steering department, and examine the frame as well.
Usually,, statistically speaking I mean, an accident or act of nature takes out a car before it can get to 300K anyway. That's a long time on the road, and sooner or later....
We have never owned a BMW we are also considering the A8. The snow is the deciding factor here.
A lot of folks get a 'winter setup' from ebay or tirerack and leave the summer/touring tires for the nice weather. I have been following this approach for years and I find it is the best way to deal with Northeast winters. Even on the current SUV (Porsche Cayenne) I have a set of 17's for winter and 19's for summer.
JR
At what point are you supposed to get Inspection 2 done? I know the manual says to wait for
indicator to light up but I usually get an oil change before the indicator lights up and
I am wondering if, when they reset the oil indicator they also reset the Inspection indicator by mistake.
Also, Service Engine Soon light went up and some of the crystal squares on the digital clock got burned out. Are these common problems? I hope they are covered by the
certified warranty.
Thank you for your replies.
But if there are other issues, like rust, or AC not working, or it's burning lots of oil, or it needs four new tires and brakes and rotors on all four wheels, well then it might be time to bail.
So the short answer is...it really depends on what else is going on.
What you might do is take the car in for a thorough inspection and see what other items are coming up for this car related to tires, brakes, exhaust, oil leaks, shocks and overall reliability issues.
I like the old 735s, they're probably the last really durable, you-can't-kill-'em car BMW ever built.
These cars, as well as 528's and older 3 series typically go for 250k-400k miles. I have personally seen many of these cars. The question isn't "how many miles does the car have on it?" but "how many miles does this car have left?" Answer that and you'll probably make the right decision.
I am keeping my 735, probably give it to my college age son and will look for a 2001 740iL w sport package.
I think I can get one for $26k-$28k with around 50k miles and all the toys.
Mr Shiftright do you have any thoughts?
Thanks
So yeah, call the dealer's service department or drop in there and ask, or any competent independent shop would know. I don't think it's any big deal. I know some shops have a little "helper" battery device that keeps a small current flow into the cables as they remove them.
Good idea to swap out the battery. Five years is long enough.
19" Wheels: