1996 BMW 7 Series 728IA review from Norway
"Nice car with some annoing faults"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Front wheel brake caliper was cracked when I bought the car.
Rear ABS sensors failed, causing speedometer to fail.
Drivers seat heater doesn't work.
Some rust on the car, only minor, but the previous owner abused the cars paint a bit, so I think I'm going to have it resprayed.
Transmission works fine, but I think I'm going to have it serviced. This is not easy to do on these cars, as the transmission isn't made for maintenance at all. It's a "sealed for life" unit.
The usual suspension replacements. Common on all big, heavy cars.
Dashboard display is failing a bit. Very common problem on BMW's.
From what I've read dealer service on these cars can be an issue, as they don't always know how to fix problems. Such advanced cars like these, needs a high level of technical knowhow, and it seems that BMW-dealers just don't have the knowhow at all.
General comments?
Very nice car to drive. Very quick for a 2,8.
Nice, durable interior.
All the electric equipment works fine except the drivers seat heater.
The engine doesn't use oil, and runs like new. Sounds nice, and has the extra power needed for most situations.
Very low on fuel.
A nice car, but it could be better. Mostly minor faults. Still very annoying.
Car seems to have a very strong, reliable mechanical core, however, and it's a beautiful car. Love to drive it.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| Model year | 1996 |
| Year of manufacture | 1996 |
| First year of ownership | 2005 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2006 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 7 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 10 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 238000 kilometres |
| Most recent distance | 241000 kilometres |
| Previous car | Mercedes-Benz S-Class |
| Date of Entry | 1st July, 2006 |