£450 740i what could go wrong?
Discussion
So just bought an E38 740i that hasn't run in 3 years, in the dark, whilst raining for £450.
What do I know about it?
110k miles
LPG kit sadly
Fuel tank didn't look great
Both front springs have snapped
Needs brakes
It's sunk into the floor.
Hopeful plan is to put some brakes on it, springs, and see what it needs for mot.
Going to try winch it from its grave next week
What do I know about it?
110k miles
LPG kit sadly
Fuel tank didn't look great
Both front springs have snapped
Needs brakes
It's sunk into the floor.
Hopeful plan is to put some brakes on it, springs, and see what it needs for mot.
Going to try winch it from its grave next week
i hope you paid by western union and the seller works on an oil rig 
just to complete the set , as it were .
looks good and if it all goes badly wrong , not too much of a disaster financially .
good luck and please keep us updated , so rusty and low , thats stanced i believe . must be worth ten times what you have paid
just to complete the set , as it were . looks good and if it all goes badly wrong , not too much of a disaster financially .
good luck and please keep us updated , so rusty and low , thats stanced i believe . must be worth ten times what you have paid
jas xjr said:
i hope you paid by western union and the seller works on an oil rig just to complete the set , as it were .
looks good and if it all goes badly wrong , not too much of a disaster financially .
good luck and please keep us updated , so rusty and low , thats stanced i believe . must be worth ten times what you have paid
No, I've paid him a £450 deposit and then he is going to send me a cheque for £38,760 from my great uncle in Africa (who I didn't even know I had) and the car is there as a dowry to take care of taxes. just to complete the set , as it were . looks good and if it all goes badly wrong , not too much of a disaster financially .
good luck and please keep us updated , so rusty and low , thats stanced i believe . must be worth ten times what you have paid
I've had a reasonable look over it, yes fuel tank could be costly, yes both front springs have collapsed, I know that the one sill is a bit crispy, and there is a small scab on the arch, and that the rear door card stayed in the car when I opened the door. But lets look at the positives.
It's black
It doesn't smell like a tramps sock inside
there's an engine in it.
It is complete
It has a phone
Navigation as well
A steering wheel
Some pedals that I'm sure used to do things
And if it all goes tits up I have a lovely looking paper weight, but I should be able to get some cash back from it in parts, which I actually don't want to do
pits said:
No, I've paid him a £450 deposit and then he is going to send me a cheque for £38,760 from my great uncle in Africa (who I didn't even know I had) and the car is there as a dowry to take care of taxes.
I've had a reasonable look over it, yes fuel tank could be costly, yes both front springs have collapsed, I know that the one sill is a bit crispy, and there is a small scab on the arch, and that the rear door card stayed in the car when I opened the door. But lets look at the positives.
It's black
It doesn't smell like a tramps sock inside
there's an engine in it.
It is complete
It has a phone
Navigation as well
A steering wheel
Some pedals that I'm sure used to do things
And if it all goes tits up I have a lovely looking paper weight, but I should be able to get some cash back from it in parts, which I actually don't want to do
i just wish i had the skill or energy to take something like this on . how long will you allow to get this sorted ? is there a plan in place or will you just see how it pans out ?I've had a reasonable look over it, yes fuel tank could be costly, yes both front springs have collapsed, I know that the one sill is a bit crispy, and there is a small scab on the arch, and that the rear door card stayed in the car when I opened the door. But lets look at the positives.
It's black
It doesn't smell like a tramps sock inside
there's an engine in it.
It is complete
It has a phone
Navigation as well
A steering wheel
Some pedals that I'm sure used to do things
And if it all goes tits up I have a lovely looking paper weight, but I should be able to get some cash back from it in parts, which I actually don't want to do
My plan is turn up with fuel and a battery, a bit of oil.
See if it will start and drive out.
Then do springs, see if brakes will clean up if not new discs and pads.
Then bung through mot
I don't plan to spend loads, going to be a stop gap whilst I manual convert my 5 series.
Hopefully financial ruin does not await, but it is a 740
See if it will start and drive out.
Then do springs, see if brakes will clean up if not new discs and pads.
Then bung through mot
I don't plan to spend loads, going to be a stop gap whilst I manual convert my 5 series.
Hopefully financial ruin does not await, but it is a 740
Have you seen my thread on my £200 e38 730i?
The damn things just work, mine has done something like 6k miles without doing anything (gearbox is shagged but was in the same state when purchased). If you don't mind the small niggles you shouldn't have to spend a lot to make it work.
Fuel tank is the biggest problem, causes me 8mpg between leaking and a duff gearbox. Don't want to buy a old used tank which may leak after not a long time so it's a tricky situation. My plan may end up being a fuel cell in the boot because they are big enough to hide 10 dead body's if your in that sort of business.
The damn things just work, mine has done something like 6k miles without doing anything (gearbox is shagged but was in the same state when purchased). If you don't mind the small niggles you shouldn't have to spend a lot to make it work.
Fuel tank is the biggest problem, causes me 8mpg between leaking and a duff gearbox. Don't want to buy a old used tank which may leak after not a long time so it's a tricky situation. My plan may end up being a fuel cell in the boot because they are big enough to hide 10 dead body's if your in that sort of business.
Well I don't see any issue why it won't work, the M62 is a good engine, if I can get it up and running I think first job will be remove LPG kit, and possibly sell it.
It will need servicing
It takes up boot space
I've seen LPG take out an M62 engine before
Just a lot more hassle than it's worth to me, but will see how it goes, my biggest issue is the fuel filler is in the quarter panel
It will need servicing
It takes up boot space
I've seen LPG take out an M62 engine before
Just a lot more hassle than it's worth to me, but will see how it goes, my biggest issue is the fuel filler is in the quarter panel
Great cars. I've only driven a 728i, but I loved it.
Wouldn't spend that money on a non-running snotter, though - not when a grand would buy a good runner with 12 month ticket.
Was it these, or the earlier shape, which had an issue with the headlamp switch? - doesn't sound bad, but I recall the price of a new one was enough to write a car off!
Wouldn't spend that money on a non-running snotter, though - not when a grand would buy a good runner with 12 month ticket.
Was it these, or the earlier shape, which had an issue with the headlamp switch? - doesn't sound bad, but I recall the price of a new one was enough to write a car off!
Balls of steel
Personally I'd keep the gas, then you don't need to worry about the petrol tank. Servicing is a piece of piss, it's only a couple of very cheap filters. As for it damaging the engine that will only happen if it's running lean or misfiring which is easy to check for. As long as it's not completely shagged getting it running properly on gas should be a lot cheaper than getting the tank sorted and then you've got the ongoing fuel savings.
Each to their own though, I think you've taken enough brave pills just buying the thing so if you're not comfortable with LPG then fair enough.
Personally I'd keep the gas, then you don't need to worry about the petrol tank. Servicing is a piece of piss, it's only a couple of very cheap filters. As for it damaging the engine that will only happen if it's running lean or misfiring which is easy to check for. As long as it's not completely shagged getting it running properly on gas should be a lot cheaper than getting the tank sorted and then you've got the ongoing fuel savings.
Each to their own though, I think you've taken enough brave pills just buying the thing so if you're not comfortable with LPG then fair enough.
The hope is, it costs me £600 all in to get on road, if it will cost more than that then it's time to weigh it up and let it save other cars, prefer to get it running though, probably worth nearer £2k running, if it's not completely shagged, I do have concerns over the fuel tank from what I could see.
Gas, honestly it does nothing for me, it's not worth the hassle of paying to service it,getting it all checked over, when I could spend £40 on a new inlet manifold, remove it all and sell it, it's going to have enough teething problems as it is, and not only that I like the boot space and/or spare wheel.
To collect it I will be taking.
1x breaker bar
1x jack
1x hammer
1x handy friend
1x handy friends winch
Going to get it on trailer and rolling first, then get it back to workshop and have a look at firing it up.
Gas, honestly it does nothing for me, it's not worth the hassle of paying to service it,getting it all checked over, when I could spend £40 on a new inlet manifold, remove it all and sell it, it's going to have enough teething problems as it is, and not only that I like the boot space and/or spare wheel.
To collect it I will be taking.
1x breaker bar
1x jack
1x hammer
1x handy friend
1x handy friends winch
Going to get it on trailer and rolling first, then get it back to workshop and have a look at firing it up.
pits said:
The hope is, it costs me £600 all in to get on road, if it will cost more than that then it's time to weigh it up and let it save other cars, prefer to get it running though, probably worth nearer £2k running, if it's not completely shagged, I do have concerns over the fuel tank from what I could see.
Gas, honestly it does nothing for me, it's not worth the hassle of paying to service it,getting it all checked over, when I could spend £40 on a new inlet manifold, remove it all and sell it, it's going to have enough teething problems as it is, and not only that I like the boot space and/or spare wheel.
To collect it I will be taking.
1x breaker bar
1x jack
1x hammer
1x handy friend
1x handy friends winch
Going to get it on trailer and rolling first, then get it back to workshop and have a look at firing it up.
Have a rethink on the gas front. Won't be worth much to sell it, and anyways, you can just switch the system off whilst you get it running on petrol. Just press the button on the control box and it's off. Gas, honestly it does nothing for me, it's not worth the hassle of paying to service it,getting it all checked over, when I could spend £40 on a new inlet manifold, remove it all and sell it, it's going to have enough teething problems as it is, and not only that I like the boot space and/or spare wheel.
To collect it I will be taking.
1x breaker bar
1x jack
1x hammer
1x handy friend
1x handy friends winch
Going to get it on trailer and rolling first, then get it back to workshop and have a look at firing it up.
Get it running as you want, then when your 5 series is getting close, fire up the gas and see how it behaves. If it's shot, rip it out, if it's good then you've just increased your chances of selling it over a non Lpg one.
As another poster said, no drama servicing these things. Two very cheap filters is all it really is.
I've had LPG once before, Ford factory fitted on a Connect, and it was nothing but problems even when it was off it would cause issues, and I know as mentioned above they can destroy the engine with lean burn.
Rather just get rid and fix the hole in the side of the body, yes it has advantages when selling, but second hand hand the kit is worth £300-500 and I don't think it is going to add that value to the car or lose that value from the car.
The seals on injectors have probably dried out where it has been sat, the controller may have got damp in it, the tank may have old LPG in it, lines could be cracked and split.
For £45 I think I would rather buy a new inlet manifold and just get rid, if I can get it bought, running and mot'd for less than £800 I'm not overly concerned about the LPG losses, if I can sell that for £300 or so, then the car owes me £500 so anything above that would be profit if I sell it.
I know it seems belligerent but I really am against LPG, it has too many cons for me, once it is running it will more than likely go, if there's a chance I keep it, then I would at least move the fuel filler from the body.
Rather just get rid and fix the hole in the side of the body, yes it has advantages when selling, but second hand hand the kit is worth £300-500 and I don't think it is going to add that value to the car or lose that value from the car.
The seals on injectors have probably dried out where it has been sat, the controller may have got damp in it, the tank may have old LPG in it, lines could be cracked and split.
For £45 I think I would rather buy a new inlet manifold and just get rid, if I can get it bought, running and mot'd for less than £800 I'm not overly concerned about the LPG losses, if I can sell that for £300 or so, then the car owes me £500 so anything above that would be profit if I sell it.
I know it seems belligerent but I really am against LPG, it has too many cons for me, once it is running it will more than likely go, if there's a chance I keep it, then I would at least move the fuel filler from the body.
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