1989 BMW 7 Series 730i review from UK and Ireland

When I bought the car, there was a weird intermittent misfiring problem. The first thing I did was take it to a Main dealer for a check. They were totally useless. Possibly due to the age of the car they were off-hand and the only contact I had with the mechanics was a few remarks passed on by a receptionist who was reading from notes, and a bill for essentially nothing. I then took it to a non official BMW specialist locally, and they gave it a full service, totally curing the misfiring, and reporting that although the discs and pads could do with replacing, it was a sound car. Since it had only cost a touch over £2000, cheap for a great car, but fair for a gas guzzler, I did not mind.

After that first thorough service the only thing that did not work was the external temperature sensor, which I was not bothered about.

In the last two years I have had to have the water pump and the petrol tank replaced. Both were reasonably priced, although why the petrol tank leaked form somewhere near the top was a mystery. Also replaced were brake discs, pads and tyres, because they were due for it.

The last routine service was about 100 pounds, and found no notable problems, MOT examinations have needed nothing except a light bulb replacing, and the car had already told me it was needed.

For an old used car, the expense for the inevitable minor replacements has been modest, and the general experience has been akin to driving a new one at vastly less cost.

It does use a fair amount of gas, the on board computer reckons a long term average of 17.5 miles per gallon. I am heavy footed, there is no point having a a quick car and hanging about, a more economical driver could easily manage 20 MPG or better.

Excellent for comfort and general facilities, I was still discovering new things it could do after a couple of months. Unlike my previous car, an Audi, 100CC, I enjoy all the time I spend in this one, even traffic jams (almost)

It takes off like a rabbit if needed, and stops like it hit a wall of pillows. (Very quickly and smoothly) On the few occasions when it has kicked in the ABS has proved effective.

It has never let me down.

The drivers seat is so comfortable that I am thinking of installing one in my office, with a transformer, to drive all the little motors that make it possible to adjust the position so exactly you cannot feel the seat at all.

Passenger comfort back and front are also great.

Despite the size it is reasonably parkable in small spaces needing little fore and aft room if you know what you are doing. However, multi story car parks designed for Ford Fiesta size cars can feel tight, although it aways gets in and out undented.

As the car is white, it has the effect of causing 'police car panic' on motorways, I see a lot of drives brake and pull over when they see it coming, something I do myself, when I see a white car. Some police forces used this model as an unmarked car or a motorway patrol car.

If you want a very good car and do not really care if it has lost most of it's 'Status Symbol' value due to age, then this is one for you. Cheapest of the used BMWs, if you can afford the petrol and reasonable mainteinance costs, but hate depreciation, it would be hard to find better, and at 140000 miles the engine still pulls like a train and has no funny noises or smoky exhaust. The body seems to be immune to rust so far. There is little point car companies spending money on corrosion proofing the cars as only end of life tightwads like myself have the benefit of it in a sound vehicle that will probably last me a few years yet..