E38 740iL. Good car ?

Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:45 pm

Chaps,

I have been offered a 95' 740iL for what seems to be a very good price. I only have the following information so far on the car :

108k
FBMWSH
Black
T & T one year

The only fault, according to the owner, is that the airbag light needs reset. He's selling to buy a newer 7 series, so he is staying faithful to the brand which makes me think that this car's a good 'un.

Is there anything to look out for with these cars ? I going to send my father for a wee look ( it's his mate that's selling the car in his local village down south ) so I'd like to give him a bit of guidence re known problems etc.

Many thanks

George

Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:47 pm

Electrical problems.

Nice car.

Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:20 am

only downside i can see is the il bit are you looking for a car with a extended bit in the back and of course in this day and age the cost of petrol running a v8 about. other than that i would love one of these but as i have a 50mile daily run to work and back it would work out too much

Wed Jun 25, 2008 11:47 am

Hey George,

I just got rid of my 740i.......the fuel was ridiculous. I was doing £50 a week going to work 5 days a week, 12 mile away.

As pretty and as an amazing drive as she was, with the pending tax hike and the £72.40 a gallon fuel prices, she had to go.

Daryll

Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:18 pm

My dad has still got an E32 and it is still running beautifully - E38 is a beautiful car and runs great.

Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:38 pm

Those Alpinas look stunning on the E38, shame you had to get rid NatDJ

Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:44 pm

AlexBaur325 wrote:Those Alpinas look stunning on the E38, shame you had to get rid NatDJ

It's only down the road fella. Gone back into my dad's collection until I'm next without a car!

7 months ago I needed a car so we pulled the E38 out of my Dad's barn after it went in 18 months before hand. I had to tax it, insure it, MOT it which included complete new rear brake assemblies at £400 only to use it 6 months!

Was great fun though!

Fri Jun 27, 2008 12:33 pm

Be wary of the airbag light thing...dad had a similar issue with his E46 and he commented that 'it was a bit expensive'.....this from a fellow who has run a variety of BMW's over the last 30 years...

Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:03 pm

daimlerman wrote:Be wary of the airbag light thing...dad had a similar issue with his E46 and he commented that 'it was a bit expensive'.....this from a fellow who has run a variety of BMW's over the last 30 years...

+1

I understood this problem is an MoT fail as well - check out what it needs before you commit, could be a small part or an ECU reset or something far more sinister and expensive. Apparently it is often the passenger seat sensor.

Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:18 pm

djk wrote:
daimlerman wrote:Be wary of the airbag light thing...dad had a similar issue with his E46 and he commented that 'it was a bit expensive'.....this from a fellow who has run a variety of BMW's over the last 30 years...
+1

I understood this problem is an MoT fail as well - check out what it needs before you commit, could be a small part or an ECU reset or something far more sinister and expensive. Apparently it is often the passenger seat sensor.

Spot on,just what I was told,but I have no idea of the cost implications...

Fri Jun 27, 2008 6:47 pm

daimlerman wrote:
djk wrote:
daimlerman wrote:Be wary of the airbag light thing...dad had a similar issue with his E46 and he commented that 'it was a bit expensive'.....this from a fellow who has run a variety of BMW's over the last 30 years...
+1

I understood this problem is an MoT fail as well - check out what it needs before you commit, could be a small part or an ECU reset or something far more sinister and expensive. Apparently it is often the passenger seat sensor.
Spot on,just what I was told,but I have no idea of the cost implications...

Airbag slip rings the other culprit.

I was lucky on my e39. The light reset and never came back on. The slip rings can be temperamental.