Passenger Seat Airbag Sensor - $500
Faulty Front Calipers - $800
Cracked Tail Lights - $200
Fan Clutch - $1000
MAF - $1000
Radiator - $300
Catalytic Converters - $400 (Replaced with After-market)
Oxygen Sensors - $400 (all 4)
Squeaky Moon-roof - not fixed
Missing dash pixels - not fixed
Seats starting to wear out - not fixed
Cracked shifter knob - not fixed
Rear suspension creak - not fixed
Carbon buildup on cylinder heads - quote $8000.
The 1998 BMW 740iL is certainly a sexy head-turning car, it handles amazingly well for a 2.5 ton car and is plush and very comfortable on long trips. VERY SAFE, got rear ended on the highway and it only left a small dent on the bumper while the other car was almost totalled! Incredible rear leg room. Gas mileage for highway is decent, 25mpg on a recent 200 mile trip. City mileage is not so great at 11mpg.
If you're thinking of buying it used, Don't! I've learned not to buy German cars used, if you don't have too much money, lease new! Overall, the repair costs for 2 years is over $12600 and the depreciation is about $5000. Overall running costs: $17600, should have leased a new 5 series or A6 and save the headaches.
However, if you are determined to buy a used 7 series, do your due diligence before buying. Also know that the after-market "extended warranties" are useless because everything is "wear and tear."
If the 7 series had ls400 like reliability, I would recommend it without hesitation. However, it's far from the case, consumer reports rates the 7 series one of the worst used car buys due to reliability. The ls400 or acura RL may not be as sexy, but it sure saves you time/money/and headaches. If you REALLY want sexy, go lease a new Bentley Continental GT for $2500 a month.
Oh, and I still have the car, anybody want it for $7000? NO? Well I don't blame ya.
The reviewer buys a vehicle with high mileage. I would have wanted all maintenance records or would not have bought it. Most of what has gone wrong appears to be normal maintenance and wear items so don't blame the car.
If you pay more than 2-3K for ANY car - have it checked out by professionals, especially when you buy luxury car with high miles and, god forbid, no service history. Yes it will cost you $100-150 but you will feel better knowing that you are making a right decision. There are plenty of BMW mechanics around, you don't need to go to the dealership. By 2007 all common problems in 95-2001 740i's have already been discovered.
Buy 740i if you already have a second car that you use daily. Drive 740i when you are in the mood for some spirited driving or just weekend driving. This is not the car for people on the budget.
I owned a 740il in Germany and I drove it like I stole it. Now that I have logged over 190.000 kms the car still runs great! I am now in the U.S. and bought a 98 740il with 1005.000 miles. Just don't run as good as my German model. Thought id run her full out for a few hundred miles, Forget it! Too many cops. Developing rear main leak now and ruff idle. The Euro model runs a lot better. Why I don't know. Emissions? Slugging around at speed limits? Fuel we use? Theres too many questions. Can I pour auto transmission fluid down the intake to burn the carbon out like the good ol days?
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