BMW 730D 2007

foobar

Hi,
Might be going crazy but think of getting a BMW 730D 2007 for 18k from a non BMW dealer. There 100000 miles on the clock but looks in great condition - does this sound like an ok deal? What type of issues do i need to look out for? I have a 10Y old BMW 323CI, would a 7 series be alot more expensive to service/maintain?

Thanks,
Bob

Bearcat

No deals here me thinks....

Make sure she's properly serviced....all the toys work. Take it for a good test drive on open road, no pulling left/right re braking, no vibrations at speed and smooth gear change.

They are a magnificent car but expect pain re depreciation. Loads of forum around ESP in uk re 7 series and their upkeep.

Best of luck.

sd card

This one I presume:??

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3821070 Nice motor and its the LWB too. I would take a look on Autotrader UK and factor in shipping costs,vrt etc etc and you will know if you are getting a cheap car.

You must remember this car will have big bills even for minor problems unless you are very crafty yourself..

ShadowHearth

Op, it's a lovely car, but not a hope running costs will be even close to an old 3 series.
We are talking about the cream of executive cars ( still with an Irish engine though ) and the repair bills will be high.
If you got 18k and another 10k just in case something goes wrong - go for it. It's a fantastic luxo barge and you live only once.
Of you want to stay a bit more sensible look at the e38 7series. It would be a lot cheaper, less things to go wrong, cheaper to repair and won't be worse in driving experience.

drunkmonkey

Your mad in the head boy, get a 08 LS450h.

mickdw

I wouldn't go for the long version. Imo they are also worth considerably less.
Fantastic car though in general.
Guy I know with a 06 has had no issues in 4 years. His only comment on running costs was that he spends 1k on each set of good tyres. Still if you go to bmw even for basic servicing, running one of these will be expensive.

Bearcat

10k to stash away in case something goes wrong? Op is buying it off a dealer so there will be a warranty attached.

The 10k put aside is a bit over kill. Electronics are the big gotcha on these models but a 07 is nearing towards the end of the production run when most gremlins were sorted.

My biggest concern is the 18k spent in a heart beat will equal a value of 10k if the op trades it next year. That's where we are at re the luxo barge 2nd market.

If the op intends a 5 yr plan well he should get some value out of it. Also I'd avoid the longer version.....unless back seat cosseting around is the plan.....residuals terrible and not as nice to drive as the standard version......I missed a good one in frank Keanes recently but on reflection I'd have been mad to trade an over minded amazon.

Just my 2c

StankyStevie

Overpriced, end of.

sd card

mickdw wrote: »

I wouldn't go for the long version. Imo they are also worth considerably less.
Fantastic car though in general.
Guy I know with a 06 has had no issues in 4 years. His only comment on running costs was that he spends 1k on each set of good tyres. Still if you go to bmw even for basic servicing, running one of these will be expensive.

Why would the LWB be worth less???

Bearcat

They look unsightly and drive like a stage coach

foobar

sd card wrote: »

This one I presume:??

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3821070 Nice motor and its the LWB too. I would take a look on Autotrader UK and factor in shipping costs,vrt etc etc and you will know if you are getting a cheap car.

You must remember this car will have big bills even for minor problems unless you are very crafty yourself..

Its this one - http://hyundai.hoganmotors.ie/used-cars/BMW/7-Series/730D-SE/31113502980560160/

Would plan to hang on to it around 5 years.

sd card

foobar wrote: »

Its this one - http://hyundai.hoganmotors.ie/used-cars/BMW/7-Series/730D-SE/31113502980560160/

Would plan to hang on to it around 5 years.

That interior is a god awful colour.

johndaman66

Bearcat wrote: »

10k to stash away in case something goes wrong? Op is buying it off a dealer so there will be a warranty attached.

The 10k put aside is a bit over kill.

Dealer warranty's generally tend to be 6 months at best on used cars and often only 3 months. Do people think about the future at all? In my experience they often only tend to cover engine, gerabox and back axle also.

I personally think the sort of person buying that type of car should have 10k in the bank, very low water in any case, that they don't have an immedaite use for. Were talking a top end motor here (allbeit with a less than ideal 3.0 litre diesel engine in it). I think whoever is buying it should have the means to justify it.

Voodoomelon

Price is a it much considering the mileage, i'd keep looking, prices are tumbling on these models and there's better options out there.

shabbyalonso

3 owners in a relatively short space of time? I think it's a bit overpriced myself. For that kinda money, you could buy something better, but of course, only my opinion. As previously mentioned, running costs, taxing etc are going to be high however if you have the money and this is what you want, then hey, go nuts! I can't imagine it will be selling any time soon therefore I'd put some time and effort into finding the best model you can find.

unkel

Silly money and a tractor engine (albeit one of the best tractor engines ever made). Get yourself a proper V8 petrol for far less money and spread your saved money over many years when buying fuel

deandean

I don't see it as much more expensive to run than a same year 530D. More expensive tires and a few mpg less, that'd be all.

Bearcat

unkel wrote: »

Silly money and a tractor engine (albeit one of the best tractor engines ever made). Get yourself a proper V8 petrol for far less money and spread your saved money over many years when buying fuel

On an aside re one of the best tractor engines ever made......it hasn't been a faultless run and I've ran 3 530ds......they were subject to swirl flap failure, caked inlet manifolds, MAF snags and a well known hesitancy issue mid range. Good engine after that.

SRFC

Lovely car not getting a bargain by anymeans but go for it imo you live once.

foobar

shabbyalonso wrote: »

3 owners in a relatively short space of time?

Hmmm pretty sure the dealer told me there was only 1 pervious owner but he could have made a mistake. Be a bit worried about 3 owners alright.

foobar

SRFC wrote: »

Lovely car not getting a bargain by anymeans but go for it imo you live once.

What would be a fair price for that car given its mileage and year?

the culture of deference

foobar wrote: »

What would be a fair price for that car given its mileage and year?

12 grand.

Francie Barrett

Bearcat wrote: »

The 10k put aside is a bit over kill. Electronics are the big gotcha on these models but a 07 is nearing towards the end of the production run when most gremlins were sorted.

Not really. If the timing chain failed and a turbo blew, after normal servicing and tyres, you could easily spend €10k in a year. Not saying such a scenario is likely, but it definitely is possible.

SRFC

Well Ive been looking at the same model 04 reg one I want an the cheap ones have been 7 going up to 10k for highest price so I think for that I would pay 14/15k after all it was probably a 100k car a few years ago the market just isnt there for cars like these tax is mad money get it checked out before you buy it anyways should be all good wouldnt put me off it having 3 previous owners.

Idbatterim

Op I have seen far better buy 7 series over the past few months, I went to look at a 05, 750i in deerpark motors few weeks back, facelift 7 series, about 80k miles and was asking 10,950. The below doesnt look bad. I guarantee you if you buy this car and went to sell it or trade it in the next day, you will lose several thousand overnight!

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4113262

SRFC

heres a few more to think about which are as nice imo for thousands cheaper http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/7-Series/730-D-E6/201228209071931/advert?channel=CARS


http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/7-Series/730D-SE-/30713463453823360/advert?channel=CARS&featuredListingClickThru=true

foobar

SRFC wrote: »

heres a few more to think about which are as nice imo for thousands cheaper http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/7-Series/730-D-E6/201228209071931/advert?channel=CARS


http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/7-Series/730D-SE-/30713463453823360/advert?channel=CARS&featuredListingClickThru=true

They are cheaper but also two years older.

ian87

That car was bought new by a very close family friend. He went mad with the options when he was speccing it. I showed him the ad last night coincidently and he confirmed that it was his. He traded it in in 2010 to that garage for something else. Would have been very well minded when he had it.

Bearcat

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Not really. If the timing chain failed and a turbo blew, after normal servicing and tyres, you could easily spend €10k in a year. Not saying such a scenario is likely, but it definitely is possible.

Feck, I'd never leave my front gate with that mindset. I just take the risk on buying things....give them a full service and off we go. So far so good...horses for courses etc.

dingus12

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Not really. If the timing chain failed and a turbo blew, after normal servicing and tyres, you could easily spend €10k in a year. Not saying such a scenario is likely, but it definitely is possible.

i know of a 530d (same engine) with 205k miles, the only part apart from and oil filters that the engine has got so far is the swirl flap blanking plates which cost 73 stg, probably one of the most reliable engines in the world. Not even an alternator belt, the bearings in the air con pump are just starting to rattle.

Timing chain is in perfect working order and the oil is only changed every 20k miles.

SRFC

On the engine its self its a solid engine according to any mechanic I consulted as someone said any gremlins in the 7 series models would have been ironed out by the 07 model the problems ive been warned about have been electrical faults such as code failures + sensor problems,these have 50 small computers onboard where as a Nissan Micra has one,my advice is just buy the thing asap

repsol

As the saying goes,if you gotta ask the price,you can't afford it

dingus12

SRFC wrote: »

On the engine its self its a solid engine according to any mechanic I consulted as someone said any gremlins in the 7 series models would have been ironed out by the 07 model the problems ive been warned about have been electrical faults such as code failures + sensor problems,these have 50 small computers onboard where as a Nissan Micra has one,my advice is just buy the thing asap

+1 IBS leads and glow plug control module's are 2 common failure's, however the car will still perform normally even with both faults present.

enviro

repsol wrote: »

As the saying goes,if you gotta ask the price,you can't afford it

We ain't in the boom times now and who says that anyway?

Lovely motor OP but look around and don't jump at the first one you see, you could be lucky though and find a really good example straight away. Check out the bmw driver forum as well. There may be past owners of those cars on the site or some members may know the car's history ect...

Good luck with it.