Looking to purchase a mint condition 85K BMW 730i V8 on an M plate (1994) with full service history. What pitfalls should I look out for and are there any known issues with this model of vehicle? Does anybody own one and can tell me what its like on fuel?
Thanks Dan
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tinyurl.com/22wh4t
Would you believe it - a full test on one....
CBC Breakdown will give you HJ's views.
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Dan
Most important - don't spend too much on it; £500-700 tops. There are a lot of very tidy one's around - and very few people that want one.
Hideously expensive if something major breaks or you get an electronic gremlin. Expect 15-20 mpg - if you can keep your foot off!
A good service record is nice - avoid one that hasn't been owned by someone with the means to keep it in top nick. A neglected one is a no-no.
Find an independent BMW specialist; [the BMW Driver's Club used to have a good mag] and get them to give it the once-over before you buy it.
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The garage is asking £2500 and its the new shape. I have yet to visit the place and check the car out.
Having owned another 3 litre V6 vehicle in the past (not a BMW) I would have thought you could get more than 20 MPH? LPG conversion maybe? Dan
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That garage clearly has a good sense of humour! Ring around as a potential seller and see what you get offered.... Don't buy the shine!
LPG! No, no and thrice no!
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Screwloose, I think you are a tad confused. The car you've posted is an old shape E32. I agree that £600 is about tops for these.
The car in this thread, however, is not an E32. It is a newer E38, the 1994-2002 shape of car. You'd be very lucky to get a running one of these for £500-700!
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I very much doubt if an E38 would fetch £700 at auction an absolute money pit even if its mint renewing the suspensions bushes alone will run to many hundreds one of the main reasons for selling ,if you feel you can stand the expense buy it but not at £2.5k.The dealer will have £500 in it and is prepared to let it stand till a punter comes along whereas if he has a car that stands him over £10k he wants shut of it quick.
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Car Mechanics had a buyers guide 2-3 years ago.
To summarise:
lots to go wrong.
Air con controls: digital display.
Air con itself
Front suspension balljoints
Rear suspension bushes
Engine: MUST have FSH.
RUST: springs.. and body.
Brake disks
and so on.
Basically for £2500 you are paying a premium of about £1500 .. Are you getting a full 12 month warranty and FULL coverage? In the price?
Ie. covers all the above no quibble. etc.
Allow £2k for repairs... that's a VERY expensive 15 year old money pit. (15 years OLD!!!!!)
Plague and avoid is my advice...
madf
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I thought about an old 7 series once a few years ago and posted on here asking advice and Aprilia gave some very good reasons why not. If you do a forum search you should find it.
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If you are a good DIY man and prepared to run the car as your 'hobby' (i.e. you won't be relying on it) then go ahead - albeit this one is rather overpriced. If the above conditions don't hold true then avoid it like the plague.
An early V8 will have the 'troublesome' engine - it may well have been replaced under warranty in fact.
I have a fair bit of experience with these cars (buying, selling, and owning a 728i) and IMHO they are overrated - they are not really that great to drive and the electronics are vastly over-complex. The suspension components are man enough for the heavy chassis and tend to wear at quite a rate - not a big deal if you can replace bushes and balljoints yourself, but very expensive if you have to pay someone else.
An LPG installation will cost about the same as the price being asked for the car.
If you want an older large German car then look at a Mercedes of the same vintage - a late W124 would be a much more 'useable' car and lots cheaper to run. The older Mercs tend to be simpler, easier to work on and IME parts are easier to get and cheaper.
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This is the car (well the 728) that I always quote when people ask about buying an old luxury barge. Ex-colleague of mine bought one that wasn't all that old and paid £3K for it - not long after the climate was stuck on max heat and the repair estimate (dash out etc) was £3k. Last I heard he was driving around with all the windows wide open!
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Crikey! Are these cars as bad as this? Think I'll avoid..
Dan
Blasphemous expression removed
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I agree that its a money pit you shouldnt buy but where are all these £1k E38's you all seem so convinced exist?
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There not many around because they break for much more than they can retail as a whole car.
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