750IL how long do they last, keep their price

OK, it sounds like you're looking to get the older E38 7 Series, i.e., the model before the current E65/66 7 Series. A couple of things:

1. First, no idrive, so don't have to worry about it.
2. If you really, really, really want a V12, then you definitely need to get it inspected by a competent BMW independent shop or someone familar with the V12. Remember, these cars have TWO OF EVERYTHING, so if you get a poorly maintained car, expect to see a very high monthly repair bill, i.e., I've heard of V12 owners who claim it cost anywhere from ,000 up to ,000 per month to keep their poorly maintained V12 running - YIKES!
3. Finally, as for those cars that get 200K miles, take a look, they're usually very well maintained with lots of service records. Thus, any car you buy MUST have good service records. Good Luck!

Yes, I'm thinking that would maybe be the case. Then I'm thinking that even a well-maintained petrol engine generally when it gets old it looses compression (power) and eventually need major engine overhaul (cylinder-rings, sleeves, etc not sure of the correct english words), which I guess would be prohibitively expensive on this kind of car. This could be tested offcourse before I buy but I would like to have an idea before I spend money on tests.

Here's another question, some of them seem to include "facelift to

PS: Yes it's the E38 I'm looking at.

Thanks! Regards, TS

Here in the UK 7 series depreciate rapidly, so that after six to seven years a 735i/740i / 528i / 320i are all about the same price despite huge cost differences when new and higher spec's in the bigger cars. New prices used to be distorted in DK by very high taxes, which effectively doubled the cost of a car.

Yes there was a facelift in ~2000, and most of the range got desirable features like Sat-Nav etc. although glossy features were normally present on

On paper the 750i gives hardly any benefit in performance over a 740i and is a lot more thirsty and expensive to maintain. OTOH it will deliver its performance more gracefully.

IME 7 series can easily be driven to 150k+ miles without major failures, with only the Nikasil problem catching me out on the last one. For example in 1989 I bought a 1983 735iASE as a stop gap. The mileage was indeterminate (clocked), and due to various circumstances (such as working abroad) I kept it until 2000. The dealer who took it in part ex. with 8 days MOT on it said it passed another MOT without preparation as soon as he got it - mileage at the time ~150 - 175k (~250Mm)

My '96 740 came with TV and I simply connected up a sat nav unit and it worked. It's got satnav/TV, heated seats, split air-con (which has a leak), rear electric blind etc etc and I paid just over GBP=A32k for it. Ok, it had been poorly maintained, at least recently, and needed the fuel tank leak fixing, all new brakes, a coil spring, new petrol lines, the bonnet catches fixing, a couple of suspension arms and a new cat, but now it's in good shape and at 130k miles it's still a joy to drive. One of the rear electric windows doesn't work and the driver's door got stuck shut recently.

The facelift is not much more than slighly smaller front indicators and possibly different side skirts.

My 740 is the 4.4 so I don't have to worry about nikasil problems.

Yes, I was looking at 5-series and was surprised to discover the 7- series costing less actually (when comparing year and mileage), so I figured I might as well go V12 and get all those extra features it has as well. (electric sun screen..great!:-) )

Some of these 1995 models have been 'face lifted' to 2000 models. Does anybody know more about this 'conversion' or where I can find out more? is it a kit?

Yes, for me though it's just the magic and cool-factor of owning a 12 cyl. V8's are common, 12 are not. I won't be driving alot, so am not too worried about fuel costs (famous last words :-) )

Ok. I seem to have read alot of bad stuff about the previous version (i.e. pre 1995). I don't know that much about bmws, when you say Nikasil you mean the engine, right? and it's a different version than that in the E38 which will be more stable?

Can the mileage be changed in the E38? do I have to worry about that? or was that only in earlier models there was that problem?

Cheers, TS

In the UK even V8's are comparatively rare, indeed most cars are 4 cylinders.

Do a Google on Nikasil - you will soon get the drift.

Yes, but apparently a little red light comes on if the electronic milage is altered.

"R. Mark Clayton" wrote

And apparently most hackers find a way to get around it and shut that little red light off.

Pete

If you're only interested in the V-12 750iL, you don't need to worry about nikasil, which was a problem only in V8s in the US.

FloydR

IIRC the US V8's had cast iron blocks or sleeves?

"R. Mark Clayton" wrote

No, the early V8's ('93-'95) were aluminum with nikasil, later were alusil. The I6's were iron or aluminum with liners until they went to aluminum (with alusil) in '98.

FloydR

..and the rest of the world. The 4.0 V8s up to 96-ish when they changed to 4.4.

Well, yes, but much less so in the rest of the world. IAC, the OP is in the US.

Denmark, Illinois? ;-)

HA! His email address fooled me: nsa.usa. The 1st post was too long ago.

On the drivers side cylinder bank, I started hearing a rocker arm tapping noise at 230,000 miles, it is louder now at 235,000 miles. Any input as to what may be the cause?

-- Message posted using

Sound as if you have already diagnosed this as a rocker arm tap.

However, it isn't as simple as that. The cam pushes on a single roller drag bar (rocker arm) which in turn opens the valve.

Several faults can occur with this arrangement.

On similar systems the cam is lubricated by a spray bar and when that gets blocked the cam is wiped out in about 3K miles. (See FORD Pinto SOHC )

I am not too sure if the BMW cam is lubed by an internal gallery or by bearing spray leakage. What I do see mentally is the cam lobe wearing through the hardening (parkerizing) or the roller follower getting sized and causing cam damage.

As the engine is running (I mean it is working not do this with the engine running) I would look at the rocker, follower or drag bar as BMW call it first then consider replacing the cam and follower (drag bar). I think it can be done without removing the head as the cam sits on top with split bearings and once removed the followers - lifters - drag bars simply lift out.

Getting the drive chain wheel off and top end ancillaries might be a bind but then what's time................. eons!

Happy play-time.