1997 BMW 7 Series 728i review from UK and Ireland

Windscreen washer pump failed.

Some of the interior lights have failed.

Some digits fail to light up on the instrument panel.

Brake lights and tail lights are constantly in need of fiddling with to keep them all working.

Knob on switch for drivers seat adjustment broke - works fine without it!

Plastic handle for releasing handbrake broke off - replacement from BMW was surprisingly cheap.

I bought the car for a tenth of the price paid by it's first owner.

It's a fantastic car even just to sit in. It is as luxurious as I will ever need and it's much nicer to look at than the new one.

The boot is cavernous, even for this class of car.

It's smooth, comfortable and very fast on the motorway, but the acceleration from a standstill is nothing sensational - the 2.8 engine simply doesn't have enough horses for rocketing away from traffic lights.

When I bought it I was wondering how expensive it would be to run. I've been getting about 24mpg, mostly in urban use. I once achieved 28 mpg on a long trip.

Tyres (if you buy Pirellis) are about £400 a set.

A set of front discs and pads cost about £85 pounds (not from BMW).

I find that the wheels need balanced every 3 months or so. Other than an oil change that's all I've had to do so far.

It's been incredibly reliable, especially considering the high mileage on the car.