E38 730i

[Theophany]

If you were to buy it and it turns out that it needs lots more work than you expected would you not be able to make back pretty much all of your money (or more) from breaking it?

Well I'm under no illusions that I could quite conceivably spend an enormous amount of money on the car, so I like to think I'm tentatively heading into this with eyes wide open.

But as I said, it would be a labour of unconditional love for a car that I truly adore. In a strange kind of way I'm even looking forward to the eventual heartbreak she'll give me. I've always wanted a Beemer and with the e39 and e46 markets being complete minefields, I'd rather stick with a car I've got firs hand experience and history with.

 

[wingman]

The fact you know the history of this car counts for more than pretty much anything else. At the price, you'd be mad to turn your nose up at it.

There's certainly a lot worse out there to get you into the BMW world. At 20x that price.

 

[Voxination]

For the price its a no brainer in my eyes! If you don't like it I'll have it off you

 

[[TW]Fox]

Are you going to do 4k miles a month in it?

 

[Yaayuh!]

Buy it, post up pics etc and do a project log

 

[Theophany]

Are you going to do 4k miles a month in it?

Even if I wanted to, I doubt it would take the punishment. Over on Bimmer forums there are plenty that have done over 200k, but realistically I reckon it will be closer to 1k per month.

 

[Matt82]

My first question is how many miles a year do you need to do? Whats your criteria for a car?

Aside from the fuel costs youd have to worry about reliability especially if youre doing the spannering yourself and youre only a novice spannerer.

If youre paying someone else to do the spannering, then id abort instantly.

 

[Theophany]

My first question is how many miles a year do you need to do? Whats your criteria for a car?

Aside from the fuel costs youd have to worry about reliability especially if youre doing the spannering yourself and youre only a novice spannerer.

If youre paying someone else to do the spannering, then id abort instantly.

I certainly won't be doing the spannering.

Fuel costs aren't much of an issue tbh as I'd be saving £177 a month on car payments and still getting 40p a mile for business. As to criteria for a car, I can't say I really have any. As previously stated I drive a 2.2 diesel Civic that's currently averaging 45mpg. It's a fantastic car from a practicality perspective as it has loads of room, plenty of torque to make up for its meagre 140bhp, I can chuck it into corners because of the short wheel base plus I love the looks of it. That being said, a RWD V8 (albeit a slow one) has an undeniable appeal and the comfort and waftiness of a 7 are bonuses.

I was toying with the idea of an E60, but frankly the cost of maintaining it and the work involved finding a good one made me glaze over.

 

[BananaDunka]

Where are the pics!

 

[Matt82]

I certainly won't be doing the spannering.

Fuel costs aren't much of an issue tbh as I'd be saving £177 a month on car payments and still getting 40p a mile for business. As to criteria for a car, I can't say I really have any. As previously stated I drive a 2.2 diesel Civic that's currently averaging 45mpg. It's a fantastic car from a practicality perspective as it has loads of room, plenty of torque to make up for its meagre 140bhp, I can chuck it into corners because of the short wheel base plus I love the looks of it. That being said, a RWD V8 (albeit a slow one) has an undeniable appeal and the comfort and waftiness of a 7 are bonuses.

I was toying with the idea of an E60, but frankly the cost of maintaining it and the work involved finding a good one made me glaze over.

I dont want to sound negitive but the 730 and the Civic are very much polar opposites in terms of being easy to live with.

The Civic will barely have a single problem, fuel costs will be cheap, itll be reliable. the 730 will throw big bills are you. I currently run a 1994 M3 that ive been "restoring" for the last year and im still throwing £££s at it at a time. its a lovely car to use but if i was paying the labour costs it would have written off the car many many times over and youd have to be a mad man to justify the costs.

At the end of it i get an M3, its packed full of fun to help justify the expense, as a driving experience its exactly what i wanted, but would the 730 fulfil all that for you? are you even that into cars? a civic diesel to a 20 year old 730 is an intergalactic leap.

 

[DKong]

Run it on a tight budget, no point in fixing anything. Cheap V8 transport.

 

[Skilid]

It'll only be wafty and comfy if the suspension isn't shot. Surely it would be starting to wear on a car of that age.

For £200 I'd do it regardless.

 

[Scania]

I certainly won't be doing the spannering.

Fuel costs aren't much of an issue tbh as I'd be saving £177 a month on car payments and still getting 40p a mile for business. As to criteria for a car, I can't say I really have any. As previously stated I drive a 2.2 diesel Civic that's currently averaging 45mpg. It's a fantastic car from a practicality perspective as it has loads of room, plenty of torque to make up for its meagre 140bhp, I can chuck it into corners because of the short wheel base plus I love the looks of it. That being said, a RWD V8 (albeit a slow one) has an undeniable appeal and the comfort and waftiness of a 7 are bonuses.

I was toying with the idea of an E60, but frankly the cost of maintaining it and the work involved finding a good one made me glaze over.

Seems to me you have the right attitude toward the 7, it'll do waftiness beautifully, and with iirc 215bhp (give or take) it should have a fair turn of speed when required in dual carriageways, it'll feel a world apart from the Civic, but overall be a nice place to be.

My old 728i was no ball of fire but very enjoyable to waft or indeed press on in, one of the few cars I've owned that felt special, something my subsequent 528i didn't quite, to my mind,match upto, despite being mechanically very similar (sorry fox!!)
You know it's history, which us a big plus, it should have life left in it IMO

Post pics ASAP!! & keep us updated please.

 

[Bromhead]

Where are the pics!

I recently did something fairly similar. Purchased a 316i N reg from my family for £250, it has a few minor issues but I really enjoy driving it.

With mine being a 1.6 and I'm only a second year driver, insurance was affordable and it's miles ahead of my Corsa B which I used for my first year of driving.

 

[Theophany]

I dont want to sound negitive but the 730 and the Civic are very much polar opposites in terms of being easy to live with.

The Civic will barely have a single problem, fuel costs will be cheap, itll be reliable. the 730 will throw big bills are you. I currently run a 1994 M3 that ive been "restoring" for the last year and im still throwing £££s at it at a time. its a lovely car to use but if i was paying the labour costs it would have written off the car many many times over and youd have to be a mad man to justify the costs.

At the end of it i get an M3, its packed full of fun to help justify the expense, as a driving experience its exactly what i wanted, but would the 730 fulfil all that for you? are you even that into cars? a civic diesel to a 20 year old 730 is an intergalactic leap.

You've got to either love cars a bit much or be a total numpty to buy a £200, 20 year-old 730i

I'll get some pics up tomorrow morning when I go to see it, but be forewarned that the car is a total state cosmetically. The engine is fine, but replacement bushes and dampers are a given. As previously stated, it will be a labour of love and it has to be approached as such.

Anything I can do, I will do. But for engine work, suspension work, body panels etc I'd rather have a local pro do it.

 

[wingman]

I recently did something fairly similar. Purchased a 316i N reg from my family for £250, it has a few minor issues but I really enjoy driving it.

With mine being a 1.6 and I'm only a second year driver, insurance was affordable and it's miles ahead of my Corsa B which I used for my first year of driving.

Even so, a 318i would be such a more interesting place to be in rather than a Corsa B.

You've got to either love cars a bit much or be a total numpty to buy a £200, 20 year-old 730i

Anything I can do, I will do. But for engine work, suspension work, body panels etc I'd rather have a local pro do it.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head there.

I'm the same, there's certain things I'll tackle on a car but a lot of the next level up work I simply won't touch.

 

[Skidder]

Everyone needs and old bimmer in their life, go for it.

 

[ianh]

I had a 'M' Reg 740i for about 4 years and only sold it after a new job meant a 30 mile commute everyday but I loved it. A heavy car which sometimes required brute force to get the best out of it on A-B roads but could also waft effortlessly down those same roads if you didn't feel like scaring yourself with the 0.5 second wait after turning the wheel for the weight transfer to mean the car actually turned

It cost quite a bit in it's first year after the previous owner did absolutely no maintenance for about 10 years other than oil changes so I had to replace (due to failure) the water pump (seized), fuel tank (metal one split), front suspension arms on both sides (common problem with heavy engine), all brake pads/discs (less than 1mm of pad left), battery (wouldn't hold charge), heater fan (8hr job with full dash out) and finally the fuel pump (failed 10miles after buying it).

After changing that lot (and thinking I'd bought a real lemon) I didn't have anything fail until I finally sold it 3 years later leaving me a sad smile watching the new owner drive away. If my commute ever changed I'd definitely consider another or maybe a 300c for a giggle!

 

[rare]

I would love an E38, great cars, the best 7 series by far.

 

[Matt82]

You've got to either love cars a bit much or be a total numpty to buy a £200, 20 year-old 730i

I'll get some pics up tomorrow morning when I go to see it, but be forewarned that the car is a total state cosmetically. The engine is fine, but replacement bushes and dampers are a given. As previously stated, it will be a labour of love and it has to be approached as such.

Anything I can do, I will do. But for engine work, suspension work, body panels etc I'd rather have a local pro do it.

I wouldnt envy being at the mercy of local monkeys. I paid for three jobs on my 19 year old BMW, welding, geometry and mot. the mot place curbed my wheels badly and the welding was a total shambles that i had to fix in december.

Your car is going to be cheap to buy.... why not use it as a learning project?

The suspension rebuild on mine was eye opening. If i bought new front wishbones it would have cost £600 lol the rear end was 13 bushes alone