1997 BMW 7 Series 740il review from North America
"Immortal drive-train, wonderful car, annoying little things break"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Head and tail lights last only a few months.
Cupholder breaks with US size cans.
Radiator upper hose mount tends to break at full acceleration, making for spectacular clouds of steam as you seemingly disappear ahead.
General comments?
Engine and transmission seem immortal, running as good as new at 140,000 miles with only routine maintenance.
This car is a lot quicker than the specs suggest, puts away some cars with better 0-60 times such as Lexus gs450.
Unbelievably comfortable and good handling car (actually handles better than the 5-series) means you can put away prodigious distances effortlessly.
Drives like a small sport sedan, but is actually sneaky large. Rear seat legroom and the heated steering wheel will spoil you forever.
Recommended Reviews:
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![]() ![]() | Expensive to maintain, but SOOO worth it! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 1999 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2007 |
| Engine and transmission | 4.0 V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9/10 |
| Reliability marks | 7/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 8/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 5/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 35000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 140000 miles |
| Previous car | BMW 3 Series |
| Date of Entry | 27th February, 2007 |




