I Test Drove This Today

"commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads)" (warsstar) 08/27/2016 at 22:19 • Filed to: None

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I wants it.

1995 BMW 740iL with like 146,000 miles.

The bad:

Body damage
A/C no worky, can’t remember what’s broke on it.
Power steering needs a bottle a week to keep up with the leak
Driver’s side window goes off track if you roll it down
Digital displays on the climate control are out.
ABS light is on, don’t know why
Check Engine light is on, apparently a vapor leak above the gas tank.
Air Bag light is on.
Little things that need fixed, like the “740" badge fell off, a door card needs some new clips, etc.

The good:

Engine sounds good, new battery, newer tires, all the electronics seem to work, sunroof works, leather is in good shape for the age, interior just needs a good cleaning, transmission seems good.

It’s $500. Tell me why this is a terrible great idea.

(there are some people ahead of me, so I probably won’t get it.)

gmctavish needs more space > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/27/2016 at 22:28

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Is it a normal power steering system, or does it have rear SLS and it’s going through Pentosin at that rate? Display issues are super common, window issues are common and annoying to fix, ABS is usually wheel speed sensors if I remember correctly, vapour leak sounds weird....could it just be a broken fuel cap? That causes a CEL in BMWs. The engine and transmission combo is bulletproof as long as you take care of the cooling system and make sure the timing chain guides have been done. The ZF 5HP30 is really hard to kill, but it is one of those sealed transmissions, the fluid is looking pretty gnarly when they’re higher miles and changing it makes the shifting a lot smoother, but the fluid is expensive. If it shifts smooth, it may have been changed already at some point. Make sure the battery is the right one for the car, if it’s even wrong by a little, it can screw with stuff and cause CELs and other random warnings. Personally, I would go with a 740i over a 740iL because they’re around 500lbs lighter, but at $500 you can’t really complain.

daender > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/27/2016 at 22:29

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You’ll still be paying 60k$-car-like maintenance on it. Yes, the initial purchase price is tempting, but upkeep will be a killer for it to be brought back to its former glory.

MM54 > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/27/2016 at 22:35

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I’d be all over it at that price.

Viggen > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/27/2016 at 22:42

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Stick to the Legacy Outbacks...and the redheads.

On second thought just the Legacy Outbacks. I’ll take the redheads.

atfsgeoff > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/27/2016 at 22:42

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I’m trying to find a good home for a ‘95 530i (M60 V8) that’s in about the same shape, but it’s a 5 speed stick. The driver’s window works! Leaks a quart of engine oil every ~500 miles (timing cover seals are leaking). No airbag light. hvac fan only comes on when it wants to. Door ajar sensor on drivers door only sometimes works (thinks door is ajar when it’s closed). $400 would take it. 220k miles. It’s in the lehigh valley, PA if you’re actually interested in a mid 90s BMW that needs some TLC.

It also has some hesitation issues under heavy throttle, probably vacuum leak caused by intake manifold seals.

Sam > atfsgeoff 08/27/2016 at 22:56

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I’m so tempted to buy this with my next paycheck and swap the transmission into my 530i wagon. Of course, I get emotional about cars, so I’d probably end up just fixing it up. Got any pics?

atfsgeoff > Sam 08/27/2016 at 23:51

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These are mostly pics from when I bought it. Since then some old lady backed into it in a parking lot and put a big dent in the driver side front quarter panel, also breaking the side marker light.

http://shadowflareindustries.com/gallery/index.…

Send me a text at four eight four, eight three eight, five nine nine six if you’re interested. I can send more current pics. OH I forgot, if you want it for parts, I also swapped in in sweet spherical bearings to replace the front upper control arm bushings. Also has an almost-new alternator. Transmission is great, all synchros are strong, shifts smoothly, and I replaced the clutch slave cylinder a couple years ago.

Chasaboo > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/28/2016 at 06:57

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The most expensive car in the world, is a cheap German car.

LOREM IPSUM > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/28/2016 at 11:08

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Don’t do it. Seriously.

My e38 was in far better shape than that when I bought it 3 years ago. I’ve put thousands into it and am not even close to catching up with all of the issues.

When the fuel pump failed a few weeks ago it would have been a couple hundred bucks to get it running again, but even if I did there is so much play in the rear suspension that it is an absolute death trap at highway speeds. Then there are the dozen other issues with the car, all requiring time and money to resolve.

At some point you just have to say enough is enough.

The e38 you posted will cost you more in the long run than buying one with all of the issues resolved at a higher purchase price.

Now, my only issue is finding a replacement vehicle that checks all of the boxes that the e38 does at a price that I don’t mind paying... which is apparently impossible.

I might buy another well sorted e38, but the next one will be a sport or a 750... with service records.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/28/2016 at 13:44

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I bought a $550 bimmer too, and it was awesome for the 2 weeks i had it before i sold it for $1050! Mine was a black 525i

Schaefft > LOREM IPSUM 08/28/2016 at 14:39

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Everything you mentioned are typical old car issues, nothing of that should be surprising, and definitely isn’t E38 related.

Schaefft > daender 08/28/2016 at 14:42

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Used parts are so plentiful and cheap that you can hardly say the car has 60k$-car-like maintenance. Most parts are shared with the E39, so there isn’t even such a thing as a 7-series specific problem.

Schaefft > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/28/2016 at 14:50

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None of the issues mentioned are problematic apart from the airbag light (probably a faulty passenger pressure mat if not just the connector or seat belt sensor, bit of a pain to replace) and maybe the check engine light (read the codes and you’ll know what it is, possibly just O2 or cam/crankshaft sensors/MAF, can be expensive). The abs light could easily be a sensor (again read the codes, fairly easy and cheap to replace) but it’s not too unlikely that it could be the ABS module as well, as they are know to fail in the E39 due to heat, which would be expensive.

Powersteering leak will most likely be a lose hose or leaking reservoir (both easy fixes), window lifters are very easy and cheap to replace, pixels are a common issue, A/C is hard to tell, it might just need a re-charge or there might be a hard to fix leak. Any bodywork related issue are very cheap to fix unless it requires welding and paint.

Personally I would decide against the car for that price since you can buy better ones for a few hundred bucks more, however if 500$ is a good deal in your region than I don’t see a reason why you shouldn’t buy the car if you are willing to do some research and work on the car yourself. The E38 is a fantastic car (especially the 740i) and they are worth preserving.

LOREM IPSUM > Schaefft 08/28/2016 at 16:01

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When nearly everything is damaged or nearly worn out, the ultimate cost to bring it all back is significant. $200 here, $200 there, $2500 somewhere else, another 3g’s. Sending out the cluster and ihka for ribbon replacement at $200 a pop, maybe an abs module off to modulemasters for a couple hundred more... paint on all of the replacement body work. I betcha the cupholders and glove box handle are broken too. That’s another 2 bills plus.

At some point, it’s just not worth bothering anymore.

When everything is said and done you might have 10 grand invested in the thing, when you could have just invested a little more up front, say 5-8 grand, for one that is in good shape with service records.

Or bury yourself in headaches, heartache, and busted knuckles like I did.

LOREM IPSUM > Schaefft 08/28/2016 at 16:22

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Not in Western Canada they aren’t. There are zero 3e8's sitting in scrap yards here, and most used parts for sale that I’ve found are overpriced and well worn.

You can order online, but Canadian retailers sell parts at roughly double the cost of American retailers. Ordering from America is an option, but after the hit on the conversion rate, plus shipping, plus duty, plus waiting 2 weeks for parts to arrive tue shit gets old quickly.

If you have access to plentiful used e38 parts, I consider you lucky to live in your region.

Schaefft > LOREM IPSUM 08/28/2016 at 21:30

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That sounds like you couldn’t own anything non-domestic/japanese in western Canada. Considering that most people don’t live there, I don’t think this should be a general recommendation for E38 buyers.

Schaefft > LOREM IPSUM 08/28/2016 at 21:41

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And yet everything that was mentioned is more or less exactly what you should expect from a car of this age. No matter of its a Cadillac STS, Infiniti Q or BMW 7-series, at 140k miles you can expect to replace most suspension components, deal with ignition coils, faulty automatic transmissions or in many cases, engine specific weaknesses (be it broken chain guides, leaking headgaskets or high oil consumption, depending on what you decide to get). Most of these issues are unavoidable midterm no matter how much you decide to spend on the car when buying it, unless you find an example with seriously low mileage. That’s why you need to do your repairs somewhat smartly, buy decent body panels used in the color you need, order high quality parts from a supplier that undercuts prices of most other shops, do fault diagnosis yourself and do as much of the work as possible. Unlike with most cars on the road, you actually get something desirable in return. And as mentioned before, if you are living in an area where parts availability is an issue, then maybe you just aren’t in the right situation to be able to own a car like that.

LOREM IPSUM > Schaefft 08/28/2016 at 21:44

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There is a huge owner base of german vehicles here, but nothing that old in the scrap yards.

After owning and driving a 7 series for 3 years, jumping to domestic or Japanese isn’t likely to happen. Rwd, v8 or better, all the amenities... very little compares at this price point, imo.

I will likely end up buying another e38, but next time I’ll start with a solid base to begin with. After all, I already have a parts car. Again though, I’d likely opt for a 740i sport or a 750 if I had my druthers. (Upgrading to Mpars or Style 95's alone would cost 1500-2 grand. Plus the sport has the better diff and tcm programming, shadowline trim, etc). I would not however buy another abused and neglected e38. Been there, done that.

Schaefft > LOREM IPSUM 08/28/2016 at 21:49

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As a price reference, here in the UK I managed to find a set of Styling 37 for 130GBP. And while this was a bargain (and I had to buy a 5th wheel for almost the same money again), it shows how cheap parts are around here if you are patient and keep have a look out for them. :)

LOREM IPSUM > Schaefft 08/28/2016 at 22:02

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I envy your access to parts, being in the UK. I wish we had that type of availability.

Latvia, apparently, is the mecca for impossible to find BMW parts.

All depends on where you happen to be, and what you’re starting with, I guess. :)

Yes to e38's in general though! Especially 6mt swapped e38's, imho.

http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/cto/574062…

Schaefft > LOREM IPSUM 08/29/2016 at 06:00

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Yeah, seems like most Latvian parts are coming from cars here in the UK. Prices are so ridiculously low here (because rhd) that nobody really bothers fixing things most of the time and just parts out the car. Since the cars are so cheap, noone really wants to spend too much on them either when it comes to upgrades. Good news for me as I am German and can bring many nice things back on holidays to sell them for a healthy profit. :p

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > LOREM IPSUM 08/29/2016 at 17:46

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Meh. It wouldn’t be a daily, more just a backup car that we can work on as needed/time allows. I mean, I daily drive a $500, 280,000 mile Subaru that I bought missing a transmission and with front end damage. Since I’ve had it, I’ve installed a transmission, fixed the fuel pump, corroded charcoal canister wiring, bad crankshaft sensor, dead alternator, locked up caliper.....

Honestly, I think prefer buying cheap cars with problems, because I always expect more problems to crop up anyway.

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > gmctavish needs more space 08/29/2016 at 17:48

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I think it’s got SLS and the current owner appears to be putting regular ATF in. Which I see can cause leaks.....

It did seem to shift smoothly....

commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) > daender 08/29/2016 at 17:50

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That’s what Pic-a-Part is for.

gmctavish needs more space > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/29/2016 at 19:09

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Ooh, I would check what E38 SLS should be taking....I know E32s needed Pentosin, and anything else would destroy the seals in the system in pretty short order. Smooth shifting is good, either it's been changed at some point, or it just hasn't gotten gnarly and gross yet. You've got another 40k kms I think to go before you get to the mileage that I changed the fluid in the 740 I had

LOREM IPSUM > commander warsstar is smitten with subaru legacy outbacks (and redheads) 08/29/2016 at 23:44

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Well friend, if you have the gumption, then have at her!

At the end of the day, very little compares to an e38 imho. Especially at the current market price point.