RE: SOTW: BMW 750iL (E32)
Discussion
dbdb said:
I like the E32 '7' Series, they're a much better looking car than the E38 which I find bland though luxurious. I'm sure the E38 is a much better car though, just less stylish.
I'd still rather have a Jaguar or Mercedes W126, but the big Seven is a lovely car nonetheless.
Having owned all 3, I would prefer the drive of the E32.I'd still rather have a Jaguar or Mercedes W126, but the big Seven is a lovely car nonetheless.
The Jag wafts along, but they also drink. It has it's own unique style of drive, which is nice, and the cabin is very different.
The W126 is probably better-built out of all of them, and has the most class I reckon. But not all that to drive, and interiors are rather bland.
t, it just shouts "Council Estate Don", as in gangster, not someone called Donald.rtz62 said:
750i do have a history of engine histrionics
They don't really. A few electronic gremlins, the perennial E32 heater system maladies and cooling system that needs keeping on top of at this age. The bigger bugbear is the fiendishly interlinked steering, braking and hydraulic self-levelling suspension that was standard on V12s and the rest of the range does without. Laird said:
This has been for sale since Noah was a boy.
Started off at £2.5k IIRC.
Nors said:
For a mid/late 80's V12 though, 300bhp is not all that much when you consider a much older Jag V12 could muster 295bhp. I doubt too whether the Beemer would be all that much more fuel efficient.
It is, a lot more efficient. I've had two E32 750s since 2009 (the first one for sale here: http://pistonheads.com/sales/3179629.htm) and both have averaged 19-21 mpg. I got 21-23 mpg from a 735i (Shed of the Year a couple of years back and referred to by Laird and LHD here as subsequent owners) and 24-25 from a 730i. For the difference in performance and character between them, the V12 is worth 2-3mpg more every single time. It's worth thinking about how many Jag V12s ever actually made the claimed 300bhp too. When measured they seem to struggle past 200 and the old GM 3 speed slushbox seems to eat about half of what they do chuck out. You're doing well to get one of those into double figures MPG-wise. The 4.0 AJ6 is a stronger and more efficient performer in reality.
My current 750i has had a little trip to Vixpy and it went in unprepared (as in not recently serviced or running 97RON fuel etc) and it managed to put out a consistent 279bhp @ 5,300rpm & 300lb ft @ 2,500-4,500rpm (Officially 295bhp & 330lb ft). Which for 21 years and nearly 130k miles and running with a very slight misfire I was happy with. On one run it peaked at 286bhp, but settled down to 277-280 on subsequent runs.
Luca Brasi said:
morgrp said:
Those wheels are HIDEOUS!
Standard spec on the V12g3org3y said:
Ballpark mpg on these when at 70?
28-30 at a cruise controlled 70, drops to 24-25 at 85 and 20 at 100. Beyond that, it elbows rapidly down to 4.7mpg at a certain higher speed. Apparently. Morningside said:
Oddly, when BMW decided to go for a hydrogen car for some odd reason they chose the 760iL (ie the V12 engine). Most odd !
That was because an engine running on hydrogen produces around 30% less power than it would if it were running on petrol, so the 450PS V12 ended up putting out around 300PS, using the 4.4 V8 as a base would have resulted in pretty lethargic performance, plus owing to the use of selective cylinder shutdown, the standard V12 is barely thirstier than the V8 overall. Morningside said:
One thing I was advised about were the exhausts as they tend to be rusty. Reason being as the "L" version are normally driven by others and left to idle for ages to keep them warm.
That doesn't make sense. An exhaust won't collect water if it's left idling for ages as the system will be warm, it's infrequently used ones that eat their exhausts from the inside out - at around £2k a pop. The problem with the V12 being left to idle for long periods is a gradual loss of compression over time due to "piston wash" as the fuel lubricates the bores in normal use as well as the oil, when idling, that doesn't happen and owing to the lack of airflow cooling the block, the back 2-4 bores can end up slightly oval shaped, BMW mitigated this effect in normal use by the coolant entering the block at the back rather than the usual front as the front end benefits from the airflow. E30M3SE said:
Not unless you are feeling brave. £1500-2000 on a conversion on a car that cost less than £1000.......... when the throttle motors on that engine go, and they will at some point, it will be destined for the breakers.
Only if you decide to buy new DK motors from BMW - however they can be stripped down and rebuilt by a reasonably competent DIYer or mechanic. A lot of the times people think they've gone when actually they've just gone out of sync so the banks are running out of time with each other. If you pop one MAF sensor off, the engine runs on one bank and you can measure the idle and vice versa and sometimes find out that left to their own devices, one bank is trying to run 50 rpm or so faster/slower than the other, obviously they share a crank so that's impossible in practice when both banks are running, so you get slightly uneven running instead. Pop the gearbox into first gear, find a long and deserted stretch of road, run the engine gradually up from idle to the limiter and then just close the throttle and let it coast back down to idle again, do that 3 times and the DK motors are resynchronised, which you can feel immediately. The issue being that due to the lanky gearing, it gets to around 60 in first gear...In short, they're a great car when they're in good condition. But they do take some keeping there and even more if they go wrong or are bought in poor condition in the first place. On a per mile basis, fuel is around equal to to other upkeep so shouldn't be the single cause for concern of the health of your wallet. Conversely, the more you use them, the fewer gremlins appear, then you're only paying for fuel and at 20mpg is no worse than running any other large V8/V12 elderly German or British barge. They're lighter on fuel than V8 XJRs for instance and I've run a brace of those too.
That in itself is enough reason not to touch one that's been "LPG'd". If an owner couldn't afford the fuel at 20mpg, then they couldn't afford the rest of the upkeep. As said though, the V12 tends to recognise when someone is trying to do that and throws a fit accordingly
Edited by Zwoelf on Friday 4th November 13:45
HDM said:
I see you have had a number of BMWs in your ownership, are you a BMW mtech?
No, just an old BMW addict and anorak with a particular fetish for Sevens generally and a more specific one for ones of a V12 flavour. I've been in the trade for most of my working life though, but on the shiny-suited side rather than spanners. Both of my E32s came out of an initial buying mission that set out to get myself an E38. Throughout that process and since owning them, I've educated myself through making some helpful and very knowledgeable contacts both online and out there in the world.
I'm now throughly addicted and would prefer to take a mint E38 750i Sport or ALPINA B12 over an E39 M5 should I be in position to do so again.
Riggers said:
Krikkit said:
Back to German barges again, proper SOTW territory! 7 weeks since our last barge I thought you guys had got over the addiction.
Never! 
thomablue said:
Sold already ?
Don't think so - think the classified listing has just expired (though it was fully live yesterday 
)
)gavzdc5445 said:
Riggers said:
Krikkit said:
Back to German barges again, proper SOTW territory! 7 weeks since our last barge I thought you guys had got over the addiction.
Never! thomablue said:
Sold already ?
Don't think so - think the classified listing has just expired (though it was fully live yesterday )
vit4 said:
We have one. It's mostly excellent.Morningside said:
Shaw Tarse said:
E30M3SE said:
JohnGoodridge said:
LPG conversion surely?
Not unless you are feeling brave. £1500-2000 on a conversion on a car that cost less than £1000.......... when the throttle motors on that engine go, and they will at some point, it will be destined for the breakers.Companies have tried in the past to LPG them but the EMS just keeps shutting down.
I was getting 24mpg on a long run on my 750iL E38 or 19.8 on everyday driving. The engine shuts down cylinders to save fuel.
Oddly, when BMW decided to go for a hydrogen car for some odd reason they chose the 760iL (ie the V12 engine). Most odd !
As for mine I loved it and would have another V12 model without hesitation. I regret parting with my E38 as it was going up the road.
For this one I am not that sure. It seems a bit long in the tooth and I think for an extra £1000 you can pick up an early E38.
One thing I was advised about were the exhausts as they tend to be rusty. Reason being as the "L" version are normally driven by others and left to idle for ages to keep them warm.
xxplod said:
Just doing a spot of arithmetic. For the asking price of £995, achieving an average 18 mpg, a further £995 will take you barely 3000 miles!
My Saab does about 23 on my shortish journeys, 2468 miles was about £650, so, another £350 plus another 532 miles doesnt seem so bad to drive a V12 BMW, it isnt the 18 mpg, its the difference between what you drive now, how far you drive it and 18 mpg, not good for a Golf TDi driver doing 20k a year but for me it would actually cost me another what £150 on what I spent in the last 12 months.dbdb said:
I like the E32 '7' Series, they're a much better looking car than the E38 which I find bland though luxurious. I'm sure the E38 is a much better car though, just less stylish.
I'd still rather have a Jaguar or Mercedes W126, but the big Seven is a lovely car nonetheless.
I keep a 500 sel (1985) although only a 4 speed auto V8 is does not have the limp home issue as electonics are basic and a long life auto box that even went into next series.I'd still rather have a Jaguar or Mercedes W126, but the big Seven is a lovely car nonetheless.
The later S500 I had was sold due to its incredible complexity and future problems. Also have a V12 XJS and that can be another can of worms, but if you know somebody who understands them and they (like BMW, have not been overheated) are very reliable and good driving fun - especially when a five speed gearbox change done.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff