My 'new to me' 2011 F01 730D SE Luxury

[d_a_n1979]

So just before I sold my Jap import E39 touring to Matt; I'd been looking at a number of F01 730Ds (didn't want to entertain the V8 750i with its well known engine issues) and a number of F11 530D tourings

I went to see a local touring and a local F01 730D and for me, the overall build quality of the 730D was so much better; that swung the decision for me easy enough. So it was then to lookout for the right spec of F01 that I wanted

I watched quite a few; a lot very overpriced, more so for their mileage and the ones that I was really interested in were all way down South and the trek was putting me off slightly...

Until this F01 730 SE Luxury was listed on AT in Wolverhampton...! An hour on the the train away

So a few emails sent to Kal who owned it; emails replied to and a few phone calls later, a 1st class ticked to Wolverhampton was booked...

The E39 sold on Monday to Matt and going to see the F01 yesterday (Thursday 16th Sept) was full steam ahead... A nice train ride down, 1st class brekkie and coffee galore

Met by Kal; viewed the car, lovely drive, lovely spec and interior, but bodywork issues and odd tyres on the front let it down. Knew of the bodywork issues, but not detailed as I'd hoped they could have been. The tyres were an oversight and new ones have already been ordered (non-RFTs too)

Overall the car had the spec, history and interior I wanted; so I told Kal there was one price I'd pay and that was it; if it's a no-go then I'll enjoy the hour and 11mins train back home and carry on looking

Kal accused me of being a 'brutal barterer' I'm a Lancashire Lad; want my money in me back pocket

So price agreed; paperwork done there and then all online and I set off home (to sit on the M6 car park; great fun)

So cars been thoroughly cleaned inside this morning; leather all cleaned, just waiting for a leather conditioner to arrive via Amazon

I've been to my pals bodyshop to get it booked in to have both front & rear bumpers resprayed; both wing mirror caps resprayed and a few dents sorted and paintwork sorted, if necessary. It goes in on 18th October for a few weeks. The main issues are stone-chips that have lead to lacquer peel and parking dings etc. I'm not after concourse perfection; just after the car looking as best as it can for an 11 year old executive saloon

I've got Kumho front tyres on their way to sit on the OEM 20" alloys; rears are Uniroyal RainSport 3s which will get replaced at some point; but they've decent tread left so will leave them for now.

Have already looked to sort a set of 18" alloys to put winter tyres on, so they'll get swapped over sometime mid-late October and the 20s will either be sold on for different OEM 20" alloys, or I'll get them fully refurbed with all new tyres ready for Spring 2022

Overall it's a lovely car; it was a lovely, smooth and relaxed drive home and the car pulls like a train!

It's done nearly 83k miles

Spec (off memory):

Full pro sat nav and widescreen
DAB, full Bluetooth connectivity and Pro DSP stereo
Full extended Nappa oyster leather
Full memory comfort seats with lumbar support; driver & passenger
Full heated front & rear seats
Rear climate control
Xenons with high beam assist
20" Style 253 alloys
And more...

Pictures from the seller:
































I'm not going to upload any further pics until it's had the bodywork done

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Monday 20th September 11:33

[keo]

That looks lovely. Good deal then? These are hell of a car for the money anyway.

[d_a_n1979]

keo said:

That looks lovely. Good deal then? These are hell of a car for the money anyway.

Thanks; it is if you don't look too carefully

Yes; paid the right price for it as it's taken into account the bodywork and tyres that need doing ASAP

The seller isn't short of money; the size of his house, with a few Ferrari's parked up outside, a few classic Porsches and his wife's new Jag I-Pace etc

[Court_S]

d_a_n1979 said:

Thanks; it is if you don't look too carefully

Yes; paid the right price for it as it's taken into account the bodywork and tyres that need doing ASAP

The seller isn't short of money; the size of his house, with a few Ferrari's parked up outside, a few classic Porsches and his wife's new Jag I-Pace etc

If that’s his house, looks like he’s got a few quid.

Looking forward to the updates as you work your way through it, especially given how good the E39 looked.

[ahenners]

This looks lovely. Hello from a fellow Lancastrian too, we definitely do drive a hard bargain!

[d_a_n1979]

ahenners said:

This looks lovely. Hello from a fellow Lancastrian too, we definitely do drive a hard bargain!

How'do and yes, too bloody right

I'm not going to pay over the odds for anything, more so a car (albeit a decent one) that needs some TLC to its bodywork

One price and that was it; take it or I travel home 1st class and drink more free coffee

[d_a_n1979]

Court_S said:

d_a_n1979 said:

Thanks; it is if you don't look too carefully

Yes; paid the right price for it as it's taken into account the bodywork and tyres that need doing ASAP

The seller isn't short of money; the size of his house, with a few Ferrari's parked up outside, a few classic Porsches and his wife's new Jag I-Pace etc

If that’s his house, looks like he’s got a few quid.

Looking forward to the updates as you work your way through it, especially given how good the E39 looked.

Erm yes pal; not short of a bob or twelfty...!

Numerous very expensive cars on their dirt-drive (*so much building work going on too). The kitchen, literally, was longer than our house! No word of a lie, you could have housed a full 4 bedroom house in the kitchen area

Lovely guy and family though... They had great fun watching me trying to squeeze into the Ferrari

[stevep944]

Didn't take long replacing the e39 then Dan!
What happened to scratching the V8 itch?

[d_a_n1979]

stevep944 said:

Didn't take long replacing the e39 then Dan!
What happened to scratching the V8 itch?

Too many issues with BMW V8s that put me right off; plus the spec of this is what won it in the end... There are very few 750i's out there and when they do crop up; they were way over the budget I wanted to stick to...

But no; I'd looked at a few other cars, but as soon as I saw this crop up, I knew I had to go and see it

[cerb4.5lee]

I've always really liked the idea of one of these and I bet that it is just so nice to waft around in. I really like the colour combo on yours too.

Enjoy it.

[d_a_n1979]

cerb4.5lee said:

I've always really liked the idea of one of these and I bet that it is just so nice to waft around in. I really like the colour combo on yours too.

Enjoy it.

Exactly what I was after pal; a full blown luxo-barge waftbus

And it's just that; but with plenty of poke too!

[Macron]

Looks lovely!

Whatvwas the specific spec you were after? I'm always intrigued as to what people want, it usually teaches me more about what's available than any review ever did!

[d_a_n1979]

Basically what I've written in the initial post

Must haves were pro nav, comfort & front heated seats minimum, xenons and high beam assist, powered tailgate etc

I also wanted to stick with an SE and not go for a Sport unless it had a superb spec, wanted to go with a more compliant ride this time around

Edited by d_a_n1979 on Monday 20th September 11:35

[alec.e]

Looks great, nice interior colours

I am also from Lancashire and love to bargain with sellers

Was the V8 the 4.8 that you discounted? Actually quite a reliable unit on the whole, despite the naysayers! Or was it the 4.4 twin turbo?

[d_a_n1979]

alec.e said:

Looks great, nice interior colours

I am also from Lancashire and love to bargain with sellers

Was the V8 the 4.8 that you discounted? Actually quite a reliable unit on the whole, despite the naysayers! Or was it the 4.4 twin turbo?

There was a 4.8l 750i E65 that I was considering in Clitheroe (still available too); but it was only 4 years younger than my touring and still old tech inside (basic spec too); lovely looking car though and it's had all the major engine work done to it, which is a huge plus point

But yes, the 4.4l V8 twin turbo F01s and their issues put me off; there's plenty of info out there and if they go wrong, which they look like they can do readily, can be a very costly affair and I didn't want to go for that risk

[d_a_n1979]

So, so far...

- Style 234 18" alloys ordered via a reseller on eBay and Nexen Wingaurd 2 winter tyres ordered in 245/50/18 flavour via MyTyres
- x2 new Kumho front tyres ordered and will be fitted next week
- Will decide over winter whether to keep the Style 253 20" alloys & have them fully refurbed; or look to drop to 18/19" alloys for overall comfort and better tyre selection

[V6Nelo]

Looks good and super comfy interior.

How are you enjoying the drive, I’m a convert to big barge like cars, although yours has the bonus of big engine.

How does the ride compare to your older barge?

[alec.e]

d_a_n1979 said:

But yes, the 4.4l V8 twin turbo F01s and their issues put me off; there's plenty of info out there and if they go wrong, which they look like they can do readily, can be a very costly affair and I didn't want to go for that risk

Not familiar with the 4.4 issues, fair enough. Will be following

[acme]

That is lovely, is it blue or black? In one pic it looks blue (I think), the rest black?

The cream & wood is fantastic!

It’s got me looking at them, anyone know what engine the 740’s had, same as the M135? Presume not as came out earlier, but more powerful than the N52?

Cheers

[d_a_n1979]

V6Nelo said:

Looks good and super comfy interior.

How are you enjoying the drive, I’m a convert to big barge like cars, although yours has the bonus of big engine.

How does the ride compare to your older barge?

It is thank you; a very nice place to sit

TBH I've not driven it enough yet to compare it to my previous E39 touring or previous 7'ers, but so far it's a good ride, but new tyres are needed (as is an alignment) as well as a suspension look-over as it's not as tight as it could be IMO