BMW 740i

Last year BMW introduced an all new 7 series. But whilst Mercedes Benz had successfully made its S-class look smaller, sleeker and more elegant the BMW 7 Series looked bigger, heavier and a bit ugly. And it wasn’t just the looks; customers also criticized the new i-drive system. Not for the first time the BMW flag ship model failed to win the coveted title of ‘Best luxury car in the world’.  

So if the new 7 series doesn’t appeal what about saving some money and buying one of the old models?

Two years ago a new 740i would have cost you £51,000. Today with 30,000miles on the clock you can pick one up for just over £20,000. A used 7 series represents a great value used car buy.

You have a broad range of petrol engines to choose from, starting with a 6 cylinder 2.8litre and climbing to a 5.4 litre V12 with 3.5 and 4.4 litre V8’s in between.  

Economy from the 2.8 is good and owners report 28 mpg, but the car is desperately slow and will embarrass you in any sprint away from the lights. The larger engines are more juicy, the V12 struggling to get over 15mpg. So the best blend of performance and economy will be from a V8. The 3.5 sounds the part but is a little feeble, better to hunt down a 4.4 litre with 286bhp on tap.

As you would expect in luxury saloons standard equipment is good with leather upholstery, automatic air conditioning and an onboard computer across the range. Post 1998 cars also have Park Distance Control and Dynamic Stability Control. Further enhancements came in June 2000 with the addition of clear indicator lenses and an electric steering column adjustment.

Used 7 series saloons come in a choice of standard or sport trim. The Sport models are easily distinguished by the attractive parallel spoke alloy wheels. Under the skin the Sport models also sit on stiffer motor sports suspension and the sports seats offer additional support and adjustment. Whilst the ride on the Sport is by no means harsh it is noticeably firmer making the car feel less like a limo like and more like a large sports saloon.

An attractive option to some buyers will be the availability of a long wheel base version, although it’s not available on the smallest engine 728i or Sport derivatives. With an extra 6 inches of rear leg room the car offers true limousine space.

Build quality and reliability are typically BMW, the engines and gearboxes will last forever and trim quality and panel fit is impeccable. Interiors wear very well so it’s important to authenticate the cars mileage and service history, these cars will happily cover 200,000 miles and a car with a scruffy interior should be avoided at all costs.

Buying from an Approved BMW dealer means that you will pay top dollar but the car should be immaculately prepared and have at least 12 months warranty. It’s also worth checking out the classified adverts; private owners tend to look after there 7 Series and some may be happy to sell you the car at £1,000’s less than a main dealer.

Check the following

Kerbed alloys – Can cost mega bucks to replace, but you can get them refurbished for about £70 a wheel using a specialist

Keys – check you have all the originals – replacements are expensive and time consuming to get hold of

Indicator lenses – clear glass from June 2000 onwards

Deadlocks fitted to al doors

Colours affect value dramatically – avoid non metallic colours even if they appear to be really cheap

Gearbox – 5 speed automatic transmissions has been standard since 1996

Headlining – Sport models have anthracite coloured headlining

Service history – must be completed by a BMW main dealer with no gaps

Front – check bonnet and headlamp covers for stone chips

Upholstery – leather on drivers seat prone to wear and can look ‘tired’ on high mileage cars

Options – few cars have standard specification; look at original sales invoice to confirm factory options

Private sales - always carry out an HPI check if buying privately

The one to buy

BMW 740i (standard wheel base)

2001 ‘Y’ plate with 30K miles

Pay £27,250 at a BMW main dealer or £24,000 privately

Values - BMW 740i V8 auto               

Add £1,300 for Sport derivative

LWB version worth about £500 more than standard car

© Jason Dawe Productions Limited February 2003