RE: Shed Of The Week: BMW 728i

RE: Shed Of The Week: BMW 728i

Friday 3rd June 2016

Shed Of The Week: BMW 728i

High miles, temptingly low price - big Beemer possibly the definition of Shed temptation...



Mrs Shed once told her hubby she would like him to see her in leather. Unfortunately, Shed misheard and bought her an off-peak return to Leicester.

Shame he wasted his money on that unappreciated gift, because for about the same amount he could have helped bring Mrs Shed's fantasy to life with this remarkably cheap, leather-lined BMW 728i, a fair contender for the title (if there was one) of Perfect Shed.


"Powerful yet frugal, good to drive, luxurious... lopes along at high speed without much fuss." That's from What Car?'s description of the current 7 Series, but it could just as easily be applied to this third-gen E38 specimen in Greed Green and Caramac moo.

The E38's claim to fame is that it was first European car to offer an integrated sat nav. Well, that and the fact that it put in a better performance than Stubbly Statham in The Transporter. If you're a plutocratic fantasist, don't make the mistake of sneering at the 728i's perceived lack of cubic inchery. This is a fine and indeed refined engine that will more than deliver on your wafting requirements.

Some things to be aware of, or to be wary of if that's the way you roll. These are complicated cars that can complicate your finances. The vendor mentions a new wheel bearing is needed. If it is just that, no worries. But this model is known for 'E38 shimmy', a maddening wobble whose source can be so difficult to trace, many actually believe it to be an inherent trait of the used Seven.

728is built before March 1998 had the dreaded Nikasil linerless bores. This 1998 car will either have been sorted with steel liners, or will be post-change. Either way, we can cross this off our worry sheet.


We can't say the same about the cooling system. Not for the first time in this column, our old friend plastic raises its ugly head. The use of this material is fine in things like carrier bags or children's toys, but in a car radiator? Perhaps not. Definitely not in the case of the E38. Cracks around the top hose connection will show up as white streaks down the rad. Expansion bottles split and viscous fan clutches seize.

For once, regassing an air-con actually (sometimes) works on BMW 7s, but PCV (positive crankshaft ventilation) valves sometimes don't valve, causing oil leaks or sludging. Failing door actuators are repairable, but watch for rocker cover oil leaks that can fill up the spark plug holes. That will generate a misfire.

Bosch ABS systems cut out when the control units get hot. You have to sit and wait for things to cool down if you want the warning lights to go out. Boot supports lose interest after a while, as do the seat motors. Front suspension and brakes take a pounding - but perhaps now it's time to look to our specific SOTW

Two numbers spring to attention. One, the mileage: 234,000. And two, the asking price: £425. Sprinkle a light dusting of 'full service history' into that mix and the mileage issue simply melts away in what passes for the Shedman's brain, to reveal a very presentable example of executive motoring for the price of a dirty weekend in a Midlands town.


There appears to be a fist-sized dent by the driver's doorhandle but the rest of it looks well enough and it seems to sit nicely on the road. You even get a semi-personal reg plate as long as your name is something like Brent Percy Gangrene and you live at No 41.

BMW is relaunching the 7 Series this year in its never-ending (and, so far at least, never successful) battle of the titans with the Mercedes S-Class. Click on this ad and you may well be invited to consider the idea of buying a new one. That will cost you between £64K and £80K, before options. The price gap between that and our Shed is so mentally vast that even Evel Knievel at the height of his rhinestone-spangled powers wouldn't try to bridge it.

If you fancy a spot of German executive action but only have four hundred quid at hand, your choice is between a fortnight's worth of leasing time on a new poverty-spec Seven. Or full ownership of this Shed. You might want to invest a few bob in some leather cleaner, unless your other half is as unsavoury as Mrs Shed, in which case don't bother. After that, it's all gravy. Especially if Mrs Shed is around.

Here's the ad.

Very reliable and comfy car, starts and drives like a much lower mileage car,present owner for 4 years and have done mainly motorway miles.

Usual extras for this type of car. MOT until November. This car is used everyday and now needs a wheel bearing replacing hence price reduction. I am open to offers without the registration Number. Full service history.

 

 

Author
Discussion

daveco

Original Poster:

4,122 posts

206 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
The greatest shed ever.

YellowCar

131 posts

121 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
It's big, it's cheap - nothing else going for it. It WILL mug you big time.

Liquid Tuna

1,398 posts

155 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
£425!!!?

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Fantastic shed, but no mention of the biggest issue with the E38 - the fuel tank.

Check and check again, because they rot quite badly, and a repair is extremely expensive (more than enough to write off this shed 2-3 times).

Obviously not a problem in a super-cheap shed, unless you buy it while it's running on fumes of course.

n3il123

2,602 posts

212 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
425 QUID?? thats bonkers cheap!

SD_1

7,258 posts

157 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Really like that, can't go wrong at that price either.

If the fuel tank isn't rusty that could have gave a lot of life left in it. Good shed!

ebola

13 posts

94 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all

daveco

Original Poster:

4,122 posts

206 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
ebola said:
Send that dreamer a link to this advert for a reality check hehe

Dan_1981

17,352 posts

198 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Will listen offers without the plate???

He prob values that at £200

I reckon you could take this off him for £250.

It must be absolutely knackered.

X5TUU

11,908 posts

186 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Epically cheap ... the skeptic in me says its way too good to be true!

ambuletz

10,690 posts

180 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
daveco said:
ebola said:
Send that dreamer a link to this advert for a reality check hehe
he also has a e39 540i with 84k on it thinking it's worth £8,800. eeesh

SD_1

7,258 posts

157 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
MOT history is quite interesting, was on 100k in 2011 so bulk of the milage has ben done fairly recently. Current advisories are front tyres, front brake pads, and an oil leak.

If it is a rear wheel bearing that will be £200 or so, how bad can it be?

Axionknight

8,505 posts

134 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Too good to be true, surely?

Still, I can think of worse ways to travel for three months before it dies and has to go to the scrappers because fixing it would ruin you.

Blackbird425

1,884 posts

104 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
X5TUU said:
Epically cheap ... the skeptic in me says its way too good to be true!
Can something be "epically cheap"? It can't be too good to be true at that price, because the price says it all. You could probably flog the bits for more than the asking price.

Miles Hardy

24 posts

134 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
I had one for a year (just sold it) paid 800 quid with 91k miles and FSH! It was fantastic, no issues that I couldn't sort within minutes in the garage, with 193bhp on tap and up to 40mpg on a decent run out, she was amazing. Just ignore the shimmy as they all have it to varying degrees. Best daily driver on the planet. Did 12,00i miles. Two full services & sold it a year later for £800.00. Not bad all things considered!

Dion20vt

252 posts

161 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
tick tick... BOOM biggrin

At that price, if it lasts a year that's cheap motoring!

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Bargain! cool

Had a quick check of the MoT history on the .gov website, seems pretty decent. Minor fail points but nothing of major concern. Majority of the miles have been since 2012.


kellyt

158 posts

118 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
735 in Transporter 1. (They'd still be filming it if it was a 728.)

Great shed though. Worryingly cheap, but really, a lot of pleasantry before it goes phut.

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Dion20vt said:
tick tick... BOOM biggrin

....shake..shake...shake the room.

Number 1 Sept 93

_Neal_

2,658 posts

218 months

Friday 3rd June 2016
quotequote all
Good shed.

I particularly like that the "set cruise control" button on the steering wheel is worn down to the white plastic (suggests some chunky motorway miles) biggrin

Leather looks filthy, plus air freshener on dash - possibly used as a dog wagon?