Do I sell the 7 series or keep it - help me decide!
Discussion
I have had my 728i (1997) for around 3 years. its been the best car I have ever owned... Superb waftmobile and a bargain barge. Thing is I am no longer doing long journeys due to a change in job and we already have 2 other cars... Its in superb condition, there is NO rust on it, the paint work is shiny gloss black and it had a new engine fitted by BMW at 50k miles due to the nikasil problem. It has a superb service history and has now done 145k miles. All of the things that go on these has been done. It drives perfectly and just glides along! I even did the head gasket a couple of weeks ago, click here for my thread on this.
In some ways it would be silly to sell it as its probably going to do another 50k miles with few problems, on the other hand I will be running a big car doing shortish journeys. I guess the question is do I sell... or keep in and run it another couple of years? I have looked on here and Autotrader and they seem to go for £1000 to £1500 but its a bit difficult to value this one as the majority of & series are money pits at this age... this one is a very tidy car! For what I will get for it, its throw away money these days in car terms... But, its going to be expensive to run on the multiple short journeys I will be doing...
Help me make a decision!
Below is the service history and repairs and a couple of photos of the car while in my possession...
01/06/07 95295 Purchased
02/06/07 95295 Oil and filter change, repair heater valve, change air filter. Change plugs, change antifreeze, change automatic oil and filter. Clean cabin filters, replace front and rear brake pads, rebuild front and rear calipers, replace rear tyres, repair top hose coolant bleed, free off bonnet an boot release.. clean and treat leather seats. fit diode to dash, change brake fluid. Adjust rear parking brake, lubricate gear shift linkage
11/06/07 95350 change hose clips on power steering tank, change power steering fluid., replace strip on door.
26/06/07 96023 recover some costs from the sale of the number plate!
26/06/07 96023 new front tyres, fit parking sensors, repair heater control, fit new mats
10/07/07 96610 Change the gear change around, new rear disks and brake shoes, free off handbrake cable
31/07/07 98380 Oil and filter change, turn around joint on coolant cap
16/09/07 100002 Adjust track to parallel
06/10/07 101112 Replace thermostat, change alternator belt, change antifreeze
14/12/07 104001 replace oil and filter, replace lower track control arms
11/01/08 105000 HID headlight kit
08/02/08 106982 MOT
09/02/08 106983 O/S rear lower ball joint replaced, set rear camber and track (OSR camber was out 1.5 degrees, resetting this also corrected the track)
13/04/08 108630 repair drivers door lock cable
05/05/08 109000 rear wheel arch paint, adjust hand brake, check brakes, bleed brakes, hand brake cable rubber replace
26/05/08 110325 air con top up, OSR top link replaced, oil and filter, inspection light replaced, 2nd hand air con fan, air con resistors replaced.
20/09/08 115900 Plugs replaced, remove mud flaps
28/09/08 116400 replacer thermostat housing, new antifreeze, oil and filter changed checked water pump (looked new, steel impeller)
01/10/08 bought 4 second hand wheels n tyres, refurbish, sold on EBay, price reflects difference.
30/09/09 121036 Mot fail on broken rear spring. 2 springs shockers replaced
03/03/09 123019 Oil and filter changed, lower traction arm bushes replaced
30/04/09 125000 changed the number plates to P7 LOY
17/05/09 125569 changes the rear axle oil and the automatic transition oil
12/06/09 127002 replace OSF traction strut
15/08/09 128768 replace oil and filter, drivers wiper blade, or stop light bulb
01/09/09 129500 free off front brake calipers, rectify rattle on OSR brake pad
19/09/09 130052 replace both track rod ends, and centre tie rod, set tract to 20' toe in
18/10/09 131012 replace 2 rear tyres with Nexen 6000
07/11/09 132210 replace spark plugs
12/12/09 133000 reset track to parallel
03/01/10 134000 replace 2 front tyres with Nexen 6000
01/01/10 134500 oil and filter changed, replaced OSF door handle with a second hand one off EBay
18/05/10 140123 oil and filter change, swap wheels front to back. Replace Starter Motor
13/06/10 141235 paint rear wheel archs and sills, new door strip. New front badge, change fuel filter
30/08/10 145400 oil and filter change, replace head gasket, head bolts and valve stem oil seals, skim head (4 thou) change antifreeze, change bulb in the heater controls, replace NS parking light bulb
In some ways it would be silly to sell it as its probably going to do another 50k miles with few problems, on the other hand I will be running a big car doing shortish journeys. I guess the question is do I sell... or keep in and run it another couple of years? I have looked on here and Autotrader and they seem to go for £1000 to £1500 but its a bit difficult to value this one as the majority of & series are money pits at this age... this one is a very tidy car! For what I will get for it, its throw away money these days in car terms... But, its going to be expensive to run on the multiple short journeys I will be doing...
Help me make a decision!
Below is the service history and repairs and a couple of photos of the car while in my possession...
01/06/07 95295 Purchased
02/06/07 95295 Oil and filter change, repair heater valve, change air filter. Change plugs, change antifreeze, change automatic oil and filter. Clean cabin filters, replace front and rear brake pads, rebuild front and rear calipers, replace rear tyres, repair top hose coolant bleed, free off bonnet an boot release.. clean and treat leather seats. fit diode to dash, change brake fluid. Adjust rear parking brake, lubricate gear shift linkage
11/06/07 95350 change hose clips on power steering tank, change power steering fluid., replace strip on door.
26/06/07 96023 recover some costs from the sale of the number plate!
26/06/07 96023 new front tyres, fit parking sensors, repair heater control, fit new mats
10/07/07 96610 Change the gear change around, new rear disks and brake shoes, free off handbrake cable
31/07/07 98380 Oil and filter change, turn around joint on coolant cap
16/09/07 100002 Adjust track to parallel
06/10/07 101112 Replace thermostat, change alternator belt, change antifreeze
14/12/07 104001 replace oil and filter, replace lower track control arms
11/01/08 105000 HID headlight kit
08/02/08 106982 MOT
09/02/08 106983 O/S rear lower ball joint replaced, set rear camber and track (OSR camber was out 1.5 degrees, resetting this also corrected the track)
13/04/08 108630 repair drivers door lock cable
05/05/08 109000 rear wheel arch paint, adjust hand brake, check brakes, bleed brakes, hand brake cable rubber replace
26/05/08 110325 air con top up, OSR top link replaced, oil and filter, inspection light replaced, 2nd hand air con fan, air con resistors replaced.
20/09/08 115900 Plugs replaced, remove mud flaps
28/09/08 116400 replacer thermostat housing, new antifreeze, oil and filter changed checked water pump (looked new, steel impeller)
01/10/08 bought 4 second hand wheels n tyres, refurbish, sold on EBay, price reflects difference.
30/09/09 121036 Mot fail on broken rear spring. 2 springs shockers replaced
03/03/09 123019 Oil and filter changed, lower traction arm bushes replaced
30/04/09 125000 changed the number plates to P7 LOY
17/05/09 125569 changes the rear axle oil and the automatic transition oil
12/06/09 127002 replace OSF traction strut
15/08/09 128768 replace oil and filter, drivers wiper blade, or stop light bulb
01/09/09 129500 free off front brake calipers, rectify rattle on OSR brake pad
19/09/09 130052 replace both track rod ends, and centre tie rod, set tract to 20' toe in
18/10/09 131012 replace 2 rear tyres with Nexen 6000
07/11/09 132210 replace spark plugs
12/12/09 133000 reset track to parallel
03/01/10 134000 replace 2 front tyres with Nexen 6000
01/01/10 134500 oil and filter changed, replaced OSF door handle with a second hand one off EBay
18/05/10 140123 oil and filter change, swap wheels front to back. Replace Starter Motor
13/06/10 141235 paint rear wheel archs and sills, new door strip. New front badge, change fuel filter
30/08/10 145400 oil and filter change, replace head gasket, head bolts and valve stem oil seals, skim head (4 thou) change antifreeze, change bulb in the heater controls, replace NS parking light bulb
Edited by buzzer on Saturday 18th September 09:30
TonyRPH said:
What are your other 2 cars?
Knowing that may help to decide?
Indeed; do you need to replace it, or is it surplus to requirments?Knowing that may help to decide?
It's a classic PH 'bargain-barge' (no depreciation left, quality ride - drive it 'til it breaks).
Do you want to continue to enjoy it yourself, or let someone else have the pleasure/take the risk?
forsure said:
TonyRPH said:
What are your other 2 cars?
Knowing that may help to decide?
Indeed; do you need to replace it, or is it surplus to requirments?Knowing that may help to decide?
It's a classic PH 'bargain-barge' (no depreciation left, quality ride - drive it 'til it breaks).
Do you want to continue to enjoy it yourself, or let someone else have the pleasure/take the risk?
Been thinking some more about it....
I spent a few hours yesterday with the polishing mop and I have used some finishing compound to give it an all over machine polish followed by a coat of wax. It has come up unbelievability shiny and there really is no rust on it...
decisions decisions.... I guess there is no rush to sell so I will ponder on for a few more weeks, maybe even try an advert on here to see what people put on it in value terms
thanks guys
I spent a few hours yesterday with the polishing mop and I have used some finishing compound to give it an all over machine polish followed by a coat of wax. It has come up unbelievability shiny and there really is no rust on it...
decisions decisions.... I guess there is no rush to sell so I will ponder on for a few more weeks, maybe even try an advert on here to see what people put on it in value terms
thanks guys
I was in a similar position last year - felt I was pushing my luck with a car that had been totally reliable so sold it - its still going strong and continuing to be totally bombproof, the car I replaced it with has cost me a lot of money - I should have kept what I knew was a good 'un
MarkwG said:
BriC175 said:
If I were you, I'd keep it. Unless you have a desire for something a bit quicker / nippier?
likewise: also, touch off topic, but I like the look of the lift/ramp gadget in picture 2 - any chance of a link to the site you got it from?http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MOBILE-SCISSOR-CAR-LIFT-VEHI...
Or search Ebay with "MOBILE SCISSOR CAR"
Best bit of kit I have bought in years... Its mobile if you need it to be although mine is bolted down. due to its low height, when down I can drive a car over it and so can still get 2 cars in the garage. they also do double height ones but I didn't have the height in the garage. I can still get it high enough to comfortably sit to work on the underside through and it goes up enough to comfortably work on suspension / brakes when needed. here is a bit better picture with a car on it a bit higher...
Edited by buzzer on Tuesday 21st September 12:03
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