With 108k they are asking 4800.
What do I look for on these things?
It looks well cared for. Don't know about maintenance history.
I am really tempted.
With 108k they are asking 4800.
What do I look for on these things?
It looks well cared for. Don't know about maintenance history.
I am really tempted.
That's the first of the rounded E65 cars, IIRC. From everything I know about them, they're rolling dumpster fires compared to the earlier E38 7 series...
Yeah, the E38 was classy, the E65 is a Bangle-butt.
It's funny, as the years have gone by my opinion of them has softened - I just saw one today and thought it looked pretty good. Of course, they'll never look as good as the e38.
rslifkin wrote: That's the first of the rounded E65 cars, IIRC. From everything I know about them, they're rolling dumpster fires compared to the earlier E38 7 series...
So is that a yes, or is it two yeses?
In reply to dean1484:
Run like hell, all those cars have the plague and the first year especially.
Yep rounded car. I did not like them when they first came out but they have grown on me over the years.
They've grown on me too, but I know nothing about reliability.
I agree, never liked them when they first came out but now they look much better compared to most of the cars on the road.
I worked at a BMW dealer a few years ago. Wrote an estimate on one for $10k of relatively minor repairs. Parts were still on backorder 3 months later when I left the dealer.
My personal opinion is kill it with fire.
How the bangle butt has aged is irrelevant. Would rather try to daily a biturbo than a e65.
There is a reason you can buy a 745i for less than a similar e38.
If you have to ask......run.
Sounds like a challenge that you must accept, Dean.
No, no, no, no, no.
I know someone who has an oldish 7 series (don't know the exact year) that he maintains himself.... the stories, they haunt me....
No, no, no, no, no,
There is a VERY good reason why they are so cheap. Although I do wonder what becomes of the old ones. Junked I would guess.
Save the 4800 for a 2001 iL sport. THAT is my unicorn and I will own it someday.
An E60 550i popped up locally to me. 2007, 120K, clean for $5,900.
I'm not in the market but does the hive have higher approval for that than the bigger/older car?
an 80k car 14 years ago. That is one hell of a depreciation.
Do it for our amusement 
I have a friend that had TWO Of them lemon lawed. That's not bad luck, that's a bad car.
the E65 is not a DIY friendly car and the support for it online is nowhere near as extensive as for it's older brother, the E38. The early E65s are also a bit more trouble prone than the newer ones, and both make the E38 look like a Camry for reliability and cost to maintain.
I'm on my second E38 and won't go any newer on a 7 series. Time to whore mine out again... lol:
'01 740 M Sport. 162k miles and reliable daily driver.
Ever wonder why an $80K+ vehicle is being offered for 5% of original price?
Guarantee the V/C gaskets and upper timing chain covers are leaking or will be soon. That's just a 12 hour repair. Might as well replace the $600 valve covers with the updated PCV setup while doing the job too. Then you'll need to do the alternator bracket seal, another 8 hour job.
There's a water pipe that runs under the valley pan that leaks. Replacing it with an OEM piece requires engine removal. Luckily the aftermarket has come up with a two piece replacement that just requires cutting the old one out and replacing it with a sliding two piece sleeve. Still a crappy job to do.
It also requires a $200-$300 AGM battery that also needs the software updated/retrofitted with a factory scantool.
Need to replace the brakes? Yep, that requires a scantool too.
Pray that any one of the 30-70 modules doesn't need to be replaced. Not only are they big money, they also require a factory scantool to program and update all modules to be able to communicate with the newer version of the replacement module.
Ignition coils. Just buy them by the berkeleying case.
Or...Kill it with fire and run away.
Biggest problem is the timing chain. Just look into the expense. I've know people to just do an engine swap instead.
Timing chain guides (which are the problem, not the chain) is a $1500 repair on the 4.4 liter if you have a shop do it. The parts themselves are only $185 per side plus $15 for the gaskets. Can be done in a lazy weekend. At least that part hasn't changed from the E38s. And you generally won't need them until the car hits about 150k miles.
You guys are making me want an E38. My Dad had one and I loved it.
I am in the "viking funeral" camp. It seemed like every single one I appraised at the 'Max would come back to haunt me with some phantom transmission problem or some doo-dad E36 M3'ing the bed just because I looked at it sideways.
I seriously have a Jones for the 2001 sport. In fact I was surfing looking at them and I stumbled on this.. . . ah. .. thing.. . 
and since I know nothing about them figured I would ask up here.
I think I should go back to plan "A" and keep searching for a STR.
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