Hi all!! I'm a newbie lookie for some information and even more some good advice. Just this past weekend I looked at a 2001 740i with 81K miles looks to be in pretty good condition. The asking price is $15k. What should I be looking for? Dont have any service records available. Tried emailing the BMW dealer in eastern PA, but got no reply. I just dont want any surprises. Best I can tell it may need rear brakes, has trim piece below passenger door missing, couple in interior items mechanically not working. Some other exterior trim has dry rotted. It sits in a 1/8" channel above door line and below roof. Looking forward to hearing from anybody - good or bad. Thanks, JDW
That doesn't sound horrible, yet it is hard to tell without seeing the car. Is it a sport or regular i? A friend recently paid $17.5K for an 01 740i Sport w/premium, luxury.. great looking car and only had 50K miles. Every week something breaks on it. Radiator, drive belt idler pulley, windshield. It isn't a cheap car to own, the fuel alone should kill you, and yes you will have surprises but none too bad. The price is decent for a sport, high for a non-sport (depending on condition). The rotting seals above the door trim could mean leaking starting soon in the rear cabin.
740i Thanks for reply! Its just a regular 740i, not a sport. I can send the link to dealer website if thats ok. We also looked at a 2001 540i with sport and cold weather package. It has M emblems on the steering wheel and on the wheels I believe, but i dont think its a real M5 though.
01 740i I just bought a 740i with the sport package. 40k miles, all options, I paid $20,500. I had the car checked out by a BMW master mechanic. His words "Cherry" He has never seen a nicer one since they were new. As a precaution, I did some routine maintence (changed oil (BMW synthetic 5w30, replaced all filters) The previous owner also provided me with a new OEM radiator. Installed it yesterday for under $200. Today, I drove it from Va to Charlotte. I averaged 25mpg at 72mph. This car is really a dream. He mentioned to bring the car in at 50k to inspect the front and rear seals. I will also consider a timing belt change. Other than that, this car should run as long I I want it to. I would definately have a certified mechanic inspect the car first. This will save you later.
That's a 540i M-sport, if the bumpers resemble the M5 bumpers, and it has M-pars. A real M5 is only available with a 6-speed manual, quad exhaust, has many specific parts. In my opinion the 540i Sport (or M-Sport that it may be) is a far better choice in value and enjoyment than the E38 will be. It will save you on repairs most likely. Good luck, can't wait to see the pics of the new car when you get it.
First off, timing belts last at least 80K miles in most vehicles. Second, BMW engines use timing chains which almost never break. Sounds like you have a good car that will bring you a lot of enjoyment.
JDW, I own a beautiful 2001 740i. Orient blue with grey leather. 56,000 miles. I just put in a new radiator, expansion tank, 4 rotors, brakes and battery. It also has the large Nav. screen. Everything works perfectly. This is my third car and it is not getting much use. If you are interested I would think about selling for $18,500. Tony
