My wife had a 2001 330 Ci sport with 5-spd manual. We sold it to her parents to get something bigger for the growing family. Well, we're growing again and the current car won't cut it (and we miss that unique BMW driving experience). So now I'm hunting around for an E38 (preferably a '00-'01 750iL black on black or a 740iL sport bk/bk under 130k miles, stick would be great but oh so rare in the states). Look forward to learning a lot from the rest of you here on boards and in person. We're in SoCal, but I've got my eye on a new-to-me ride in San Francisco. If anyone in the San Fran area knows of a reputable shop or friendly expert that could look at the car in person and tell me whether it's worth making the trip up we would greatly appreciate it. Thanks! Brian
Last 7 series with a manual was the 1990 735i if I remember correctly. So an E38 with a factory manual transmission in the US isn't going to happen. Sorry!
A stick?! Not likely! Brother Mendez is correct. And the problem with the automatics is that they enevr, ever get their fluid changed, so any high-mileage Seven is a rolling countdown to a very expensive rebuild. That said, Carl Nelson keeps quite a few of them running out of his La Jolla shop. In the Bay Area, there's Dinan's Mountain View shop plus quite a few other independents who could check out this ride for you---me 'n' Kelly like Tom Raimi in Portola Valley. Of course, there are a few 740i's in this great land that have been converted to the six-speed manual. . .
