Any other 7's?

sogood

While my car may not be a classic in the strictest sense of the word, in my little world it is. I drive a 1990 BMW 735i. It's the e32 model with the straight six M30 engine. It is Calypso red with cream/beige leather interior and has 117,000 miles and hums along effortlessly. I know the road tax is a killer at 1,500 euro per annum, but no pain, no gain. I would intend to keep this car forever, as I think it will easily outlast me and maybe someday get to the stage where it qualifies for classic tax, just for spite even! Anyway, I belong to a couple of BMW forums but nobody here in Ireland seems to drive one or is a member of any boards I visit. I recently saw one, same colour on LK plates I think, and wondered does anyone know who this is, as I'd love to get in touch with a fellow owner, or any others out there who might have an interest in these wonderful and much underrated cars.

Thanks.

Johnboy Mac

An excellent mode of transport if I do say. Proper, proper car. Enjoy.

sogood

Thanks johnny, I think I've seen your name surface here and there on the irish BMW owners forum? You were having problems with a fuel pump maybe and I had a spare ? Any bells ringing?

Anan1

Lovely car. There's a good-sounding one on carzone for a long time now, although the colour combination isn't as good as yours, IMO: http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1220290

sogood

Anan1 wrote: »

Lovely car. There's a good-sounding one on carzone for a long time now, although the colour combination isn't as good as yours, IMO: http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1220290

At 3,800 euro it will stay on carzone. These cars, while rare enough here in the Republic, are ridiculously cheap to buy, for some odd reason. They havent acquired the "classic" status (yet!!) and are much underrated in my opinion. They can be bought for 1,000 euro easily in the uk, which will get you a good clean solid car, but the import duty (racket) is a killer. I had checked out the possibility of bringing one in from across the water until I discovered what the tax man would want from me for the pleasure of giving him a further 1,500 per annum in road tax, not to mention all the vat on the petrol I might burn etc. etc.
Anyway, I held fast, kept looking and finally got the one I have now back in 2002. Never looked back!
But get a good one and you can literally have a car for life.

Johnboy Mac

sogood wrote: »

Thanks johnny, I think I've seen your name surface here and there on the irish BMW owners forum? You were having problems with a fuel pump maybe and I had a spare ? Any bells ringing?

No, not guilty!

Changed from BM's to the competition a few years back with the odd other classic thrown in. Abroad, I smoked around in 730iSE man (not common) at one stage for a few weeks and somebody made me an offer I could'nt refuse........... and it's still on the road now with starship mileage. But have run 2002's, E21's, E30's & E34's and don't have a bad word say about any of them. And your right about E32's, totally under rated and great value. Good luck.

Stephen

Unkel here on these forums has a V8 one which is for sale. His is a mid-90s model.

CharlieCroker

Any pics?

I love stories like these. Rather than going out and buying a brand new Eurobox for €20-30k and losing €5k a year in depreciation, go out and buy something a bit older for buttons but a million times more prestige and spec. Only problem could be maintainence being a bit expensive.
Just remember that what your spending in Road tax is being saved by buying something that's not depreciating.

Johnboy Mac

CharlieCroker wrote: »

Any pics?

I love stories like these. Rather than going out and buying a brand new Eurobox for €20-30k and losing €5k a year in depreciation, go out and buy something a bit older for buttons but a million times more prestige and spec. Only problem could be maintainence being a bit expensive.
Just remember that what your spending in Road tax is being saved by buying something that's not depreciating.

Could'nt agree more, it's cheap motoring on a grand scale if annual mileage is reasonable.

sogood

Here here!!

Running repairs and maintanance isn't an issue with me as it's a hobby, and genuinely, so little goes wrong with this class of car, provided you get a good one, that there isnt always that much to do,just the usual wear and tear stuff that you get with any car. Of course, there can be minor gremlins, sometimes minor electrical issues, given the amount of electrics on board, but most are a simple enough fix and belonging to some of the UK owners boards is a great help. I also have the "Bentley" (thats the publisher, not the car!) owners manual, which covers everything. So no big worries there
Nice to see some interest and appreciation, maybe I was right after all!!

Will try to organise some pics soon......

CharlieCroker

I love that model 7. A buddys father had an '88 one. Was the first car I was ever in with a carphone. Was built like a tank.

I remember one time, somebody drove into the side of him, damaging the wing. Other car was written off and only a small dent on the BM. Anyway, he took the car to a panal beater and when he went to collect it a week later, the panel beater said that he never wanted to see the car again as it was so hard to work on due to the thickness of the steel.

They don't make 'em like they used to!!!!!!!!!

carchaeologist

Ha,i thought this thread was about austin 7s!:rolleyes::p

But im also a fan of big beemers,you will have to throw up some pics of your machine.Alot of 7s get scrapped due to the high tax and being worth so little as they get older.Is yours an irish car sogood?

sogood

carchaeologist wrote: »

Ha,i thought this thread was about austin 7s!:rolleyes::p

But im also a fan of big beemers,you will have to throw up some pics of your machine.Alot of 7s get scrapped due to the high tax and being worth so little as they get older.Is yours an irish car sogood?

Yes it's Irish, but as mentioned above, I would have gladly brought one in from the UK except for the rip off import tax. It took a while to find what I wanted but so worth the wait. Pics on the way as soon as I figure out how!!

VolvoMan

The Lord Mayor had a black E32 730i in '88 with the reg 88-D-1000 for the Dublin Millenium.

I doubt very much that it is still around....

sogood

On the subject of pics, can anyone explain, in the simplest, most basic, non technical way, how do you go about posting same? I did a search and couldn't find anything that helped!

Thanks

Johnboy Mac

sogood wrote: »

On the subject of pics, can anyone explain, in the simplest, most basic, non technical way, how do you go about posting same? I did a search and couldn't find anything that helped!

Thanks

Know how you feel, I can assist you on overhauling your M30 lump but ain't got a clue how to post photos. Does'nt help I know but might make you feel better

sogood

Durn, still having problems posting a pic....................now.............lets see..............

sogood

Woo Hoo!!!!

May seem like a small thing to all you techies, but we're talking neanderthal here!!!! At last, I've posted a pic!!!

unkel

Nice 7, sogood and fair play for finding out about attaching the pic

CharlieCroker

That is georgeous! I'm a big fan. Colour is mint too. Where would you go wrong for the money

carchaeologist

^I likes that!:)