Well, I bought an E66 760Li, it's EPIC

Well, I bought an E66 760Li, it's EPIC

Author
Discussion

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Monday 15th July 2019
quotequote all
261,544 miles now. Long overdue an oil service and still runs like crap at idle, but otherwise nothing to report, except that a few electronic gremlins which initially appeared seem to have cured themselves... MoT is up on 6th August and I'm hoping to get it in before then for a few jobs, but it's reliant on the 535i getting fixed before then - it still isn't quite finished, although I'm told it should be done this week. It still needs to get bodywork done but at this stage there isn't going to be time to do anything about it before the 7's MoT expires. I did see a very cheap E61 550i Touring up for sale here in Devon a few weeks ago, wonder if that's still available... mustn't do anything silly... I need to get the E39 540i Touring fixed next! E66 will need new tyres and that's going to be very expensive, unless anyone knows a good source?

Prinny

1,669 posts

98 months

Monday 15th July 2019
quotequote all
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-7-Series-E65-2005-2...

They’re not mine, no affiliation, etc... but the ride is even more sublime on 18” compared to the 20”, and when they get low you could maybe consider winter tyres?

You’ll be lucky to get change from £1000 for a set of premium tyres in the 245/275 sizes you’re running now. (I went up to 255/285 for better wheel protection & it makes the speedo more accurate too. I’m running MPS4S’s, they’re phenomenal when you want to hustle it).

Fun fact, if you go full throttle from 3rd to 4th in the wet, on 245’s, the drop back to the torque peak will set the traction control flashing. smile. Good fun at 105mph.

The biggest problem with 18” once you’ve had the 20’s for a while is how pathetically under-wheeled it looks, but ignore that, the trade-off in ride comfort is more than worth it.




RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Monday 15th July 2019
quotequote all
I probably will get a set of 18s at some point, the spare is an 18, but I do quite like the 20s, although all four rims are badly kerbed. Ride is absolutely fine, and even on Nankangs the grip levels are beyond anything I've had before, I have yet to unstick it at all.

One job I've decided to do is get the calipers painted, or maybe go over to a set of Brembos or similar? The standard ones look rubbish, although the braking action is effective enough. The rear calipers look far too small too. I'm thinking a set of big yellow calipers would suit the blue paint.

At the moment the liar box is saying I'm doing mid 17s, although I had it up to high 18s before I reset the trip computer. Is this normal? I mean, I knew it was going to be horrendously thirsty, but I'd hoped I might see low to mid 20s. I guess the misfire and general engine condition isn't helping and that a thorough service should liberate a few MPG (and BHP!).

Prinny

1,669 posts

98 months

Monday 15th July 2019
quotequote all
I’d say 17 is good going. if you do a long run behind the lorries at 56, 30 is just possible, but life is too short for that! My long term average since I’ve owned it is probably (don’t have the spreadsheet to hand, but I do calc. it) around 14mpg. As soon as you hit traffic, it just eats fuel for fun. Bizarrely, runs at a sustained 90+ will see 23-24, which it can’t match at 70 or so. I guess that’s the difference between continental runs where you can maintain that sort of speed and UK runs where you really can’t, you’re forever slowing and accelerating in the UK. (The same seems to be true in the M6 - I did 150 miles to half a tank yesterday, with an average speed > 90, indeed I did most of the last 40 or do of that north of 120, so I’m very impressed). I hasten to add my M6 is currently not in the UK!

dave_s13

13,806 posts

268 months

Monday 15th July 2019
quotequote all
Bloody hell, that mpg is disturbing.

Get it LPG converted!


RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Monday 15th July 2019
quotequote all
There are some roads where, late in the evening, it is possible to maintain high speeds... just come back off a run where I was north of 90 the whole way. It definitely doesn't like slower traffic, and there's a bit of a judder at 70 that goes away 5mph either side, which I shall have to investigate. I suppose better fuel economy at 90-100 is simply a function of at what RPM peak torque falls (in this case, 3950rpm).

Edited by RoverP6B on Tuesday 16th July 02:37

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Tuesday 16th July 2019
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
Bloody hell, that mpg is disturbing.

Get it LPG converted!

LPG?! This V12 runs hot enough as it is!

eliot

11,349 posts

253 months

Tuesday 16th July 2019
quotequote all
Main reason i chose a 750 over a 760 - the mpg is significantly better. Motorway at a steady 80 will return about 28mpg or higher if you drive slower. Even around town it’s in the low 20’s.
And I’m no petrol tight arse, my other two cars a big v8’s

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Tuesday 16th July 2019
quotequote all
Can't help but feel a 750 would be a bit underpowered. Also, I don't think the V8 was available as a LWB? The only non-V12 E66s I've seen have been 730Lds, and few enough of those. Having had the use of the LWB I wouldn't want to lose that extra legroom...

Prinny

1,669 posts

98 months

Tuesday 16th July 2019
quotequote all
You could get the L version in all engine flavours, but the 750iL is rare. Two principal reasons.

1 - you’re doing a taxi service. 730dL
2 - you are being chauffeured. 760iL. (go big or go home mode!).

There’s more 745iL about than 750iL, and most 745iL are 02/52 plated, before the 760 was launched. i.e. it was the biggest petrol version at the time.

I didn’t look at 745/750 when buying mine, the want was for the v12, because I could. smile

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Tuesday 16th July 2019
quotequote all
Was there a smaller petrol engine available than the 4.6/4.8? I've an idea I've seen 730i, 735i or 740i badges (I think all on E65s rather than E66s).

B'stard Child

28,284 posts

245 months

Tuesday 16th July 2019
quotequote all
RoverP6B said:
Having had the use of the LWB I wouldn't want to lose that extra legroom...
You drive the car from the back seats yikes

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Wednesday 17th July 2019
quotequote all
No, but in the E39 I was having to drive with the steering wheel in my admittedly well-padded stomach in order to avoid my son behind me having his knees in the back of my seat. Likewise, with one son in the front passenger seat and the other behind him, it was a choice between knees in the back of the front seat or knees against the dash. I love the E39 very much but it's more a 2+2 than a four-adult-seater.

Higgs boson

1,090 posts

152 months

Wednesday 17th July 2019
quotequote all
You must have a tall family, or your e39 has shrunk in the wash.

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

127 months

Wednesday 17th July 2019
quotequote all
Younger son is a bit over 6ft, elder a bit under, but both lads are long-legged for their size... E39 was getting cramped for them.

BlownImp

Original Poster:

91 posts

124 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
YO!

Time for an update biggrin

So I have done almost exactly 30k miles in this now.

Things I have done:

Four tyres. Went for nexen Nfera SU1. They are quiet and ride well, decent grip, and seem to be wearing well. The previous tyres had 40k miles on them :O

Water pump. Viscous fan was falling off by the time I found this, there is so much sound deadening that I could not hear it! Slight rattle, pop the bonnet to check it, find the fan wking around all over the place. Pump took a day to replace on the driveway, did a cooling flush at the same time.

60L of oil! I change the oil very regularly on cars, it is cheap insurance.

Power steering / ARC fluid change. Always missed out on servicing, made a noticable difference to steering feel and pump noise.

2x gearbox oil changes, 1x filter change. ZF 6HP26, needs to be done to keep it working.

Heater valve swap. Basically said engine out for this, I did it in about an hour but got lots of scratches in the process biggrin

Air con. Leak fixed and regassed, working well a year down the line.

Front suspension rebuild. All new arms, steering links inner and outer, ARB drop links.

Rear suspension rebuild. Top arms, ball joints and links.

New discs and pads all round. The discs are bloody huge!

Numerous diagnostic runs, for all sorts of electrical ailments, all bar one were phantom. The one exception was the driver side DME deciding to forget the immobiliser code on a battery change. This was terrifying, as the first sign was a crank without compression, just weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Plugged in, found the error code, re-synced the keys to the ECUs, job done.

However, it has never let me down otherwise. All of the jobs have been preventative.

Things on the list of currently broken but not critical:

PDC is tempramental, looks like the rear loom needs replacing. About £50 and a day to fit.
Logic7 amp has gone pop, really common. I am attempting a fix as it is just the power chips, if that doesn't work then I will get a replacement unit.
CD changer is non functional.
Knock from the front over low speed bumps? Might be a premature failure of one of the front arms, we are two years in with those, so possible?

I love this car, it is so capable, quiet, comfortable, and rapid. But the time is nigh, I think it will be up for sale soon!

J

BlownImp

Original Poster:

91 posts

124 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all

B'stard Child

28,284 posts

245 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
There was me thinking you'd forgotten about this thread biggrin

d_a_n1979

8,008 posts

71 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
BlownImp said:
YO!

Time for an update biggrin

So I have done almost exactly 30k miles in this now.

Things I have done:

Four tyres. Went for nexen Nfera SU1. They are quiet and ride well, decent grip, and seem to be wearing well. The previous tyres had 40k miles on them :O

Water pump. Viscous fan was falling off by the time I found this, there is so much sound deadening that I could not hear it! Slight rattle, pop the bonnet to check it, find the fan wking around all over the place. Pump took a day to replace on the driveway, did a cooling flush at the same time.

60L of oil! I change the oil very regularly on cars, it is cheap insurance.

Power steering / ARC fluid change. Always missed out on servicing, made a noticable difference to steering feel and pump noise.

2x gearbox oil changes, 1x filter change. ZF 6HP26, needs to be done to keep it working.

Heater valve swap. Basically said engine out for this, I did it in about an hour but got lots of scratches in the process biggrin

Air con. Leak fixed and regassed, working well a year down the line.

Front suspension rebuild. All new arms, steering links inner and outer, ARB drop links.

Rear suspension rebuild. Top arms, ball joints and links.

New discs and pads all round. The discs are bloody huge!

Numerous diagnostic runs, for all sorts of electrical ailments, all bar one were phantom. The one exception was the driver side DME deciding to forget the immobiliser code on a battery change. This was terrifying, as the first sign was a crank without compression, just weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Plugged in, found the error code, re-synced the keys to the ECUs, job done.

However, it has never let me down otherwise. All of the jobs have been preventative.

Things on the list of currently broken but not critical:

PDC is tempramental, looks like the rear loom needs replacing. About £50 and a day to fit.
Logic7 amp has gone pop, really common. I am attempting a fix as it is just the power chips, if that doesn't work then I will get a replacement unit.
CD changer is non functional.
Knock from the front over low speed bumps? Might be a premature failure of one of the front arms, we are two years in with those, so possible?

I love this car, it is so capable, quiet, comfortable, and rapid. But the time is nigh, I think it will be up for sale soon!

J
Brilliant project smile

I had a 730D in Le Mans for a while; it was a love/hate relationship unfortunately. Overall a great car, but I never fell in love, more so as it was an oil burner wink

I had the 20" Style 149s in Nexen NFera SU1 tyres and they were superb; had them on a previous E39 too. They are a bit soft, but that's where you get the ride quality from, great grip too in wet and dry. About the best 'budget' tyre you can get IMO; they're more midrange I feel personally. I also had the Style 93s for my winter tyres and the ride on them was superb; but as already said, they looked lost on a huge landbarge. It's all down to what you want though as I felt my 730D rode very well on the 20s; very comfy indeed. That was with all new front suspension though etc

I'd highly recommend getting some Style 93s though; dirt cheap and I bought all 4 separately, it was cheaper that way than buying a set of 4 in one go! Decent winter tyres via Camskill and away you go wink

As for brakes; the OEM ones will already do a great job; but some aggressive discs on them (Mtec C Hook, or the ATE versions) with decent pads (ATE Ceramic, EBC Yellowstuff); HEL braided brake hoses and a decent brake fluid flush and refill and you'll have a great braking set up that won't break the bank. This is exactly what I did on my 730D (Mtec C hook discs, EBC Yellowstuff pads, HEL braided lines, Motul DOT5.1 fluid)

BlownImp

Original Poster:

91 posts

124 months

Monday 22nd July 2019
quotequote all
Seriously, the 760li brakes are VERY different to all the others in the range. They are the same spec fitted to the armored version, so good for stopping around 5 tons. No fancy pads or noisy discs here, just plenty of cast steel and thermal mass.