After just 11,000 miles this thing needed a new transmission because the old transmission lost oil and seized. At 21k miles one of 8 fuel injectors stopped working and needed to be replaced. At about 25,000 miles I had to pay for a new mail fuel pump because the old one just plain stopped working.
Good thing this was just a lease. I wouldn't be caught dead owning this money-eating monster.
This car handles no better than Acura, or Audi. I don't know why BMW calls it "the ultimate driving machine."
My ex-wife wanted a status symbol so we leased this monster, but I'd never pay to own it. This car always needed some extra money, be it for a new fuel pump or other small parts under the hood.
Just try to park this thing downtown. It's thirsty and not as innovative as most of Japanese cars or the new Audi models.
I think your missing the point.
You don't buy a 7 series BMW and worry about the extra costs. There superb expensive eye catching monsters that guzzle money. Genuine owners know this but its not a worry to them.
If you can't afford it don't buy it! Stick to your acura.
I've had my 1997 740i from new and it hasn't missed a beat. I'm waiting for a new M5 which should be here the beginning of 2002. Can't wait!!
Well. When you buy an expensive "eye catching" car, you expect certain level of reliability and not a bottomless money hole. A car costing over $50k should not need $70 here, $100 there every other week. As for your comments about Acuras, I own a TL and no BMW with a noisy muffler can come close to my Japanese rocket.
Your TL with NO muffler, let alone a noisy one, would be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner by any BMW M5, new or old.
Nothing beats German engineering! Even for the Japanese. No offence but German cars are the best!
You are unlucky that the BMW did not satisfy you because not BMW's are born equal. We are not born equal!
Everyone has a point here!
Indeed, a properly performing beemer is an "Ultimate Driving Experience". A lemon, is an "Ultimate Driving Nightmare"!
I have experience with both! Thirty years behind a beemer wheel, I 've tasted the joy and the disappointment, the perfect car for the job and the bottomless pit called "fix this too".
BMW is a funny company. They produce machines that raise the bar and the expectation of the driver to zeniths. Next thing they allow some of their cars to reach the same driver and condemn him to an endless costly road. It is not the factory as much as it is their dealer system and the overall design to milk the driver after the warranty is over. They are a money grabbing machine that allow monopolies to dealers and tight controls and high prices for parts.
That is why the conflicts of opinions out there. BMW Germany, take notice. Rein in your dealers and heed the commnets of the drivers. Some day the goodwill of your enthousiasts will run out. It is no coincidence that in Calgary, Alberta, 9 out of 10 BMW owners, as soon as the warranty expires, never cross the doorstep of your dealer there. Same in Vancouver.
I am sure you've heard it before.
You have an overall great product line. People pay good money to enjoy it. Reward them by supporting them, not by gouging them.
Alexis.
"German Buick?!" I don't think so!
BMW are truly the "Ultimate Driving Machine".
Buicks are just, Chromed, Expensive, Gas Guzzler, Poor Built and Unreliable BIG American Heap of Junk!
Nothing beats the German Engineering!
Sorry, Japanese fellas, but your cars are just cheap and poor imitations from the Germans. Take a look at the Lexus for example: It's a cheap, overrated and unreliable Japanese Mercedes-Benz.
I think the author of this review is just, another stupid American guy that, does not liked the fact, that it's Caddies are crap or probably is a jealous Lexus driver!
BMW ROCKS, BABY!
Ultimate driving machine, yes or no? Well the 740il is the ultimate cruising machine and still has a respectable .80g skid pad with all of it's huge massive self on a VERY comfortable ride (old killed suspensions I have noticed are not as smooth at all). Now, if ya gotta have the big one AND the handling U can get a 1999 or later 740is (2001 for the sport in the il, eg. ils), this will give U about 92% of the comfort, with all the power, a higher stall speed, a steptronic transmission (5 speed), a higher rear end ratio and will cost U about 2 mpg. The sport version of the 7 series is faster off the line, faster in passing shifts (already has pretty good power, but now it can use it more easily), and a stunning .89g skid pad. That's just unheard of in a luxury vehicle this size. It's also pretty impressive for a compact ;)
1999 BMW 740is: .88 skid pad 4255 lbs
1999 Ford Taurus SHO: .80 skid pad 3353 lbs
1999 Chevrolet Z28 SS: .87 skid pad 3242 lbs
1999 Chevrolet Cavalier Z24 version .79 skid pad 2617 lbs
1999 Chevrolet Corvette convertible: .87 skid pad 3246 lbs
1999 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe: .93 skid pad 3153 lbs
1999 Cadillac Seville sls: .76 skid pad 3970 lbs
1999 Cadillac Seville sts: .81 skid pad 4001 lbs
Just to compare the full sized BMW to some other vehicles, some large like the BMW some not.
"Sorry, Japanese fellas, but your cars are just cheap and poor imitations from the Germans. Take a look at the Lexus for example: It's a cheap, overrated and unreliable Japanese Mercedes-Benz."
Are you from planet Earth? Lexus being unreliable? The fact that they are the most reliable cars ever.
Stop thinking that German = the best and do some research. Imitations maybe true, but reliability wise, Germans have something to learn from the Japanese or particularly Lexus.
With German cars, especially something like the BMW 740iL, you have to view how much you want to put into the car. If you always want everything to be working, it'll be like with any other car. It'll always be expensive. BMW parts will cost more too. Then there's inherent reliability, with variation between cars of the same model.
Basically, quality does not equal reliability. You can have the nicest interior in the world, doesn't mean that the parts will be reliable.
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