RE: SOTW: BMW 740i (E38)

[J4CKO]

Love these, my father in law bought one new in 95 and I used to drive his drunk self around, was happy to drop him and mil off anywhere and then aged 24 had a brand new seven series to smoke round in for the evening, his was only the 730i but was still a lovely thing.

Totally agree with earlier posters how even a couple of small deviations can take these from classy, understated old money barge to Council Estate "Don"/Polish Gangster/Yardie staff car, any big wheels, lowering, badges, different paint just ruin the illusion, an un-messed with one can just look like some aristo that just likes it and doesnt feel the need to change it/likes it, see a lot driven by older women strangely.

I wouldnt want this one unless the wheel issues were sorted out, it needs the big baloon style tyres to make it look orginal. Also, looked at these recently on one of my many fictional car buying forays and the insurance was dearer than the 540i by some margin.

Top Shedding, do like these but I think as an only car if not doing much mileage its probably short on thrills and if you do higher mileages to appreciate the comfort, waftiness and long distance ability then its probably too heavy on fuel for most.

[T16OLE]

Great shedding, buy it, drive it for a while. And then sell it for spares if anything serious goes wrong. Most people take much bigger hits in depreciation and drive around in actual sheds.

I genuinely think its risk free

Havant read the whole thread so applogies if its been said, but are they not 4.4 rather than 4.0

[ITech]

balls-out said:

I rather think that insuring this particular car with undersized tyres will be difficult.
Indeed I'm not sure I'd want to go autobahn storming on tyres that might not be designed/rated for the non inconsiderable mass of a 7series.

interesting whether a dealer is selling a car unfit for the road

+1

[Frances The Mute]

sir charge said:

What sort of mpg would be expected with one of these? Thinking about having one for my next car. I don't do that much mileage, but the journeys that i do are mainly quite short and sub 10-15 miles of a mixture of A road, B road and town driving.

I got 29-32 on a run (motorways and a roads for commuting) and around 21 for town work. That's driving smoothly.

If you want to cane it everywhere, get used to consumption in the mid-teens.

[Fuelbrother DC]

pSyCoSiS said:

E32s are also lovely machines. Your one has the 750iL alloys fitted?

I had a late ('94) model, one or the last M30 3.0 six cylinder mmodels, and that had the wider grill.

Gives the car a much more purposeful stance.

Yes, they were part of the facelift 1992 for all, introducing the V8, including the wider grill!

[joebongo]

T16OLE said:

Great shedding, buy it, drive it for a while. And then sell it for spares if anything serious goes wrong. Most people take much bigger hits in depreciation and drive around in actual sheds.

I genuinely think its risk free

Havant read the whole thread so applogies if its been said, but are they not 4.4 rather than 4.0

Old ones were an M60 4.0 engine then the 4.4 M62 engine was brought in but was also called a 740. Same HP but more torque in the later ones.

[Fuelbrother DC]

joebongo said:

Old ones were an M60 4.0 engine then the 4.4 M62 engine was brought in but was also called a 740. Same HP but more torque in the later ones.

... and no more oil-pump failures due to loosening screws resulting in terminal engine damage...

-> always check the sump for screws below the pump on purchase!

[esvcg]

ITech said:

balls-out said:

I rather think that insuring this particular car with undersized tyres will be difficult.
Indeed I'm not sure I'd want to go autobahn storming on tyres that might not be designed/rated for the non inconsiderable mass of a 7series.

interesting whether a dealer is selling a car unfit for the road

+1

The car is less than a grand, and the dealer knows its a shed, so the person that buys it will no doubt have to sign as 'sold as scrap' form.

This covers the dealers ass, and leaves getting the car road worthy to you.
As pistonheads article says you would get some form of come back - er Hell no you wouldn't when sold as scrap!

[Fuelbrother DC]

Garlick said:

A manual 7'er? No ta.

...this thinking is the reason for the real gems being underrated - thankfully, for us conaisseurs

[mugwump00]

Fuelbrother DC said:

This is my shed. Cheaper to run (730 V8), manual, nearly same performance, much easier to come by - if something minor goes wrong.

And more style, by the way...

edited for typo

Is this the model that has slightly differently shaped wings, side-to-side? I.e. a pre-CAD/Laser moulded car.

[joebongo]

mugwump00 said:

Fuelbrother DC said:

This is my shed. Cheaper to run (730 V8), manual, nearly same performance, much easier to come by - if something minor goes wrong.

And more style, by the way...

edited for typo

Is this the model that has slightly differently shaped wings, side-to-side? I.e. a pre-CAD/Laser moulded car.

Looks like an E32 to me.

[pete5570]

I would take a Jaguar X300 over one of these all day long. Much better looking and far less to go wrong.

[ITech]

pete5570 said:

I would take a Jaguar X300 over one of these all day long. Much better looking and far less to go wrong.

I would say the 740i feels a fair bit quicker and more eager than the x300 (i've had the 3.2 and 4.0 Jag), the BMW is also more sporty to drive and handles better. The 740 also feels more luxurious inside, more solidly built and more expensive. The quality of the leather is better, little things like that, make it feel like a more costly car. However, I loved my x300's and they are very reliable as you say, there is not much that goes wrong. Both are truly great cars, I think the 740i just has the edge for me, the looks are of course personal taste, I think both look great, in the right colour.

ETA. Although, there is less to go wrong with the Jag, as you rightly said. The Jag parts can be a lot more expensive. This is because you can get most parts for the BM from places like GSF or ECP, which you cannot for the Jag. You can often source 2nd hand bits off Ebay though, it's just a bit more work.

Edited by ITech on Friday 29th July 14:35

[paulmon]

ITech said:

On those sorts of journeys mine used to do around 21-24mpg, driven enthusiastically.

So, lets say you did 5000 miles per year and averaged 23mpg over that period. With petrol at £1.35 per litre that equates to £1334.18, say the car cost £3k for a very good one, total = £4334.

Now, if you had spent £5k on a newer Fiesta type car that averaged, for example, 45mpg over the same distance. You would have spent £681.91 on petrol + the cost of car = £5681. Compared to £4334 for the BMW + petrol, I know which I would rather drive, it's not even a contest..

And before anyone bleats about parts/servicing/insurance. Parts are no more than any other car if you know where to get them from. Servicing is easily done yourself with basic tools, or by a cheap local mechanic and insurance is very cheap on a Classic car policy.

I have no idea why more people don't do this, but I am so glad they don't, as it really keeps the prices for these wonderful cars down!

Man maths at its very best. I doth my cap to thee.

[Fuelbrother DC]

joebongo said:

Looks like an E32 to me.

That's right, sir.

[Fuelbrother DC]

pete5570 said:

....and far less to go wrong.

edited to say: the x300 looks better, though! That's right.

[Nickellarse]

louismchuge said:

Garlick said:

m0gsi said:

This would be mine.


Best shed ever imo. Swapped for a rotten e30. put 27k on it still running fine.

Are you on the brakes there? Was it about to go wrong

Looks like a one way ticket to the curb!

It's what every out of town business park is really meant for once the suits go home!!!!

[ITech]

Fuelbrother DC said:

pete5570 said:

....and far less to go wrong.

He's right imo, x300's don't go wrong. I had 3 and they were all totally reliable, the 6 cyl engine and autobox is considered to be bullet proof (I'm in the Jag club and never heard of any problems with them at all). There are loads around with over 200k on them, still going strong. It's a very reliable car, interested as to why you think otherwise?

Only problem with x300's is slight tendency to rust on rear arches, can't think of anything else really.

ETA: Perhaps your thinking of the x308 ? Early examples of which are certainly best avoided..

Edited by ITech on Friday 29th July 14:45

[monthefish]

I hate it when people continue to roll out the "Jaguar - old man's car" stereotype when talking about the current Jaguar range (it just demonstartes their ignorance IMO), but in the case of the X300 I think it is very much applicable, and I prefer the looks of the 7 series, and it is definitely the more spacious of the two (for luggage and passengers).

I think the only way I'd have the X300 over the e38 would be if it were a black XJR with the black wood interior.

[SuperHangOn]

pete5570 said:

I would take a Jaguar X300 over one of these all day long. Much better looking and far less to go wrong.

With my own money, I would chicken out and buy an LS over either.

There's something about the E38 though, they're just effortlessly cool and a little bit sinister. I've probably just watched the Transporter too many times


J4CKO is right, HAS to be original with amber indictors or it becomes a back street pimpmobile.