730 BMW

mcko

Hi All,
Just looking at carzone and 05/6 cars
seem really cheap, would I be mad to buy one, are they a money pit as one of the lads at work calls them. They seem like a lot of car for the money.

mickman

mcko wrote: »

Hi All,
Just looking at carzone and 05/6 cars
seem really cheap, would I be mad to buy one, are they a money pit as one of the lads at work calls them. They seem like a lot of car for the money.

1000 + euro tax per year!

drink fuel

Marlow

mickman wrote: »

1000 + euro tax per year!

'05/'06 would be under the old tax scheme alright, so around 1300 eur/year.

mickman wrote: »

drink fuel

Not more than any other car. Actually, my M5 doesn't use much more than a 523i Most often it's no so much the engine, but more the driver/driving, that makes all the difference.

No in general, if a 730 is something you'd like, you should be ok. Just keep in mind, that service is a key factor to the condition of the car. It doesn't have to be BMW service, but the car definatly should come with plenty of receipts for service done.

/M

tfitzgerald

I have a neighbour who had a 07 BMW 7 series and he loved the car . But he got rid of it lately could not afford to run it . He said the costs were crippling him . And he is what I would call a wealthy man .

Yawlboy

I ran an 06 730d for 6 months in 2010 - mid 30's MPG and I tend to drive on.

Was under warranty so got a steering issue fixed for free.

dislikes - no toys in the basic model (not even bluetooth), very BIG car - fun when parking.

likes - smooth & quiet, great handling, good looking, very well built

I only changed as I needed a 4X4 for towing. I would definitely recommend one if you can afford the running costs.

Padraig Mor

Yawlboy wrote: »

dislikes - no toys in the basic model (not even bluetooth), very BIG car - fun when parking..

Base model comes with auto, leather, electric seats and sat nav. I was also pretty sure that the 05- model came with Bluetooth as standard (pre-facelift came with a SIM reader).

Marlow

Padraig Mor wrote: »

I was also pretty sure that the 05- model came with Bluetooth as standard (pre-facelift came with a SIM reader).

Aye. Pre-facelift had a non-bluetooth handset and a sim reader.

/M

no1beemerfan

I've promised myself one of these models one day. Do your homework and have a kitty for servicing/problems and keep the oil changed often and buy the best one you can afford and enjoy!

mcko

Thanks for the replies it is one of those heart over head things will look into costs, I have a 18t a6 so would the costs be around the same.

Ardennes1944

Marlow wrote: »

'05/'06 would be under the old tax scheme alright, so around 1300 eur/year.



Not more than any other car. Actually, my M5 doesn't use much more than a 523i Most often it's no so much the engine, but more the driver/driving, that makes all the difference.


/M

im glad you said this cos my friends e46 m5 uses a fair bit less fuel than my other friends 323i

Marlow

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

im glad you said this cos my friends e46 m5 uses a fair bit less fuel than my other friends 323i

E46 M3 ? or E39 M5 ?

/M

Ardennes1944

sorry i was thinking of your m5! e46 m3!

godtabh

I'd love to get something like this for a weekend run about.

As a family we have two cars. We recently got a new car for the day to day stuff (between us we do about 30k km per year) and my Saab 93 will be underused.

As a result I'd love to get a luxo barge once we have the current car loan paid off.

Yawlboy

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Base model comes with auto, leather, electric seats and sat nav. I was also pretty sure that the 05- model came with Bluetooth as standard (pre-facelift came with a SIM reader).

well my one must have been special order as it had no SatNav and no phone kit of any type. - you are correct in that it was an auto with leather and elec seats.

Marlow

Yawlboy wrote: »

well my one must have been special order as it had no SatNav and no phone kit of any type. - you are correct in that it was an auto with leather and elec seats.

Some options can be "de-selected". I've seen E39 M5's with no parking sensors rear (or front), even though parking sensors rear were default pre facelift and front/back were default post-facelift. I've also seen E39 M5's with display and TV-module but without sat-nav. Equally screwed up configuration.

Default is as Padraig Mor describes. Lower spec can be specified by buyer.

/M

Voodoomelon

OP, do you definitely need diesel? Because 735, 740 and 745 models are cheaper than 730d of the same year. You even see equivalently priced 750s pop up. And apart from the central coolant pipe in the V8s, the petrols are a good deal more reliable, higher specced and much better value if fuel consumption isn't a big issue.

Padraig Mor

Voodoomelon wrote: »

And apart from the central coolant pipe in the V8s, the petrols are a good deal more reliable, higher specced and much better value if fuel consumption isn't a big issue.

That's a pretty big 'apart' Voodoo!!

166man

Is the OP looking at a 730i or 730d? I can't see where it says petrol or diesel.

Voodoomelon

Padraig Mor wrote: »

That's a pretty big 'apart' Voodoo!!

From my reading on the matter, the problem is not very common at all. Wouldn't put me off one.

166man wrote: »

Is the OP looking at a 730i or 730d? I can't see where it says petrol or diesel.

Good point. With the proliferation of d's though, it has to be a diesel.

E39MSport

I've got no PDC on mine. Little bit annoyed about it but get over it ...

Marlow

E39MSport wrote: »

I've got no PDC on mine. Little bit annoyed about it but get over it ...

Pre facelift ? Wouldn't have had it. Only M5's had it then as standard in the rear. Facelift all had it as standard unless de-selected.

/M

E39MSport

Looks like a facelift model to me but I wonder whether it was a retro fit. Front Bumper looks different to the 2002 530d we had.
(anyway, for a different thread, sorry OP )

swhyte027

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

Voodoomelon

swhyte027 wrote: »

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

Have they all up to date software upgrades?

mcko

I was looking at the 730 diesel

Vertakill

swhyte027 wrote: »

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

I find that very hard to believe. 7's are not exactly common on our roads so I really doubt you have them in 'everyday'...

I'd find it hard to believe you would have even 1 a week in fact..

mickdw

swhyte027 wrote: »

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

Thats a pretty bull**** comment. Which version are you talking about early version or facelifted version. The later cars are much better by all accounts.
To have an E65 in your garage everyday would be quite odd.
You always appear to comment that you work on whatever car happens to be mentioned in any thread 'everyday'

-Corkie-

mcko wrote: »

I was looking at the 730 diesel

Have you considered a A8???

-Corkie-

mickdw wrote: »

You always appear to comment that you work on whatever car happens to be mentioned in any thread 'everyday'

I wonder how many Veyrons has he worked on???:)

mickdw

-Corkie- wrote: »

I wonder how many Veyrons has he worked on???:)

Once a week for sure.

fmul9798

mickdw wrote: »

Once a week for sure.

Cue another "work on them every day" response with various Googled issues and general wear and tear comments for any marque.

That has to be the biggest garage in the country...

swhyte027

mickdw wrote: »

swhyte027 wrote: »

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

Thats a pretty bull**** comment. Which version are you talking about early version or facelifted version. The later cars are much better by all accounts.
To have an E65 in your garage everyday would be quite odd.
You always appear to comment that you work on whatever car happens to be mentioned in any thread 'everyday'

Well considering we are a bm and merc specialist that's how we c do many of them we have a Hugh customer base. I think u took the everyweek comment to heat but I'm on about the earlier model about 03 04 and we had Afew customers who kept haven trouble with them so we seen quite a lot of them.anybody that knows them knows the early ones were bad.also about your valryon comment, as I said just merc and bm in our place.have enough customers with that brand not for a need to do any others.thank you very much now back in your box

Big Nasty

swhyte027 wrote: »

Well considering we are a bm and merc specialist that's how we c do many of them we have a Hugh customer base. I think u took the everyweek comment to heat but I'm on about the earlier model about 03 04 and we had Afew customers who kept haven trouble with them so we seen quite a lot of them.anybody that knows them knows the early ones were bad.also about your valryon comment, as I said just merc and bm in our place.have enough customers with that brand not for a need to do any others.thank you very much now back in your box

'First class'

EPM

swhyte027 wrote: »

Well considering we are a bm and merc specialist that's how we c do many of them we have a Hugh customer base. I think u took the everyweek comment to heat but I'm on about the earlier model about 03 04 and we had Afew customers who kept haven trouble with them so we seen quite a lot of them.anybody that knows them knows the early ones were bad.also about your valryon comment, as I said just merc and bm in our place.have enough customers with that brand not for a need to do any others.thank you very much now back in your box

Another barely legibly post. I'm sick sh1t of saying it to you at this stage. I'm just going to start deleting posts like this in future.

Big Nasty

EPM wrote: »

Another barely legibly post. I'm sick sh1t of saying it to you at this stage. I'm just going to start deleting posts like this in future.

Legible?

galwaytt

mickdw wrote: »

swhyte027 wrote: »

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

Thats a pretty bull**** comment. Which version are you talking about early version or facelifted version. The later cars are much better by all accounts.
To have an E65 in your garage everyday would be quite odd.
You always appear to comment that you work on whatever car happens to be mentioned in any thread 'everyday'

I don't know an e65 from the e number in the blue skittles, but I know 2 people who had no end of trouble with circa 04/05 ones. None mechanical, mind, all electrical issues......

...to whit, OP, there are loads of Lexii out there......

Bearcat

If anything the thread has turned into a good old handbags session.

I too have heard 03/04s are tricky with electrics

deandean

Well, for the record I wanna thank swhyte027 for your input into this and many other posts. It is great to hear from a guy who is working daily on the types of cars bring discussed.

What I know of the 7-series is that it's a 'big 5-series' in terms of installed technology and I wouldn't be afraid of one.

If you are gonna get one, get acquainted with a good indy such as Scullys (or swhyte:D) and you can keep the on-the-road cost reasonable.

Dean.

Voodoomelon

Everything filters down from the 7, so the E60 5 is a small 7 more like.

mickdw

swhyte027 wrote: »

Well considering we are a bm and merc specialist that's how we c do many of them we have a Hugh customer base. I think u took the everyweek comment to heat but I'm on about the earlier model about 03 04 and we had Afew customers who kept haven trouble with them so we seen quite a lot of them.anybody that knows them knows the early ones were bad.also about your valryon comment, as I said just merc and bm in our place.have enough customers with that brand not for a need to do any others.thank you very much now back in your box

Ah a specialist. I see.

From BMW swirl flap thread re blank sizes -

swhyte027 wrote: »

And my guess is about the two sizes one is for say the 320d engine which is 4cylinder and the other is for the 530d engine which will be bigger and 530 and x5 share the same engine

Hardly the knowledge of a specialist. Half the bmw owners in the country would know that was not right. In fact Ive never even owned a bmw and I know that the flap sizes dont follow engine size as simply as that.

swhyte027

galwaytt wrote: »

mickdw wrote: »

swhyte027 wrote: »

Don't buy one they are really troublesum we have them in our garage everyday. I hate doing anything on them it's always electrical trouble

Thats a pretty bull**** comment. Which version are you talking about early version or facelifted version. The later cars are much better by all accounts.
To have an E65 in your garage everyday would be quite odd.
You always appear to comment that you work on whatever car happens to be mentioned in any thread 'everyday'

I don't know an e65 from the e number in the blue skittles, but I know 2 people who had no end of trouble with circa 04/05 ones. None mechanical, mind, all electrical issues......

...to whit, OP, there are loads of Lexii out there......

As I have already stated. The earlier 7 series is giving lots of electrical problems. Thank you at least you know where I am coming from.

I think the lad is an apprentice folks and he's only trying help I'm sure

unkel

Looks like he is sitebanned now anyway...

unkel

unkel wrote: »

Looks like he is sitebanned now anyway...

... indeed

Re-reg to evade site ban (muckeyw/bmwkildare2011/muckeybmwmerc/stephenwhyte27)

johnos1984

unkel wrote: »

Looks like he is sitebanned now anyway...

Any idea what for?

dharn

swhyte seems to have a very negative attitude towards bmws in general no matter whats mentioned ,he says i work on them every day and they all break so in the end he is not very helpul

deandean

So he is banned for criticising BMW cars?

Shot the messenger?

Now I have often read there is is very pro-BMW bias on this forum, but the POINT of this thread is that the OP was asking for opinions on buying an older 7-Series.

From reading over the threads (and from my own experience) I would buy the car if I like it and if it suited my needs, as long as I can also afford a 2K Euro 'insurance policy' pot to cover scary stuff. Such as the electrical faults mentioned in several posts here.

E39MSport

deandean wrote: »

So he is banned for criticising BMW cars?

Hardly.

More likely for jumping to silly conclusions and losing the plot :rolleyes:

deandean

deandean wrote: »

So he is banned for criticising BMW cars?

Shot the messenger?.......................

No, he wasn't banned for criticising BMWs.........

RoverJames wrote: »

... indeed

Re-reg to evade site ban (muckeyw/bmwkildare2011/muckeybmwmerc/stephenwhyte27)

EPM

Can we leave discussion out as to why he's been banned? It's obvious and serves no purpose here.