Bottom of the Depreciation Curve

"Schaefft" (Schaefft) 04/10/2016 at 12:32 • Filed to: BMW, E65, /-series, bimmer, depreciation, cheap, luxury, barge, Schaefft

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Well, you can now buy a clean, top of the line V8 E65 7-Series with 100k miles and a few minor issues for the price of a 10 year old Fiesta.

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And I bet you can get that price down even further.

And another one, apparently with the same issues, for 2500 obo!

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gmctavish needs more space > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 12:38

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From what I understand, the turbo V8 in the 745i is a total time bomb. But holy crap that’s cheap

LOREM IPSUM > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 12:40

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When it comes to the e65/66, a few minor issues usually ends up in multiple quadruple-digit repair bills... repeatedly.

In a word: Run.

(E38 or bust, baby.)

djmt1 > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 12:41

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I get that the car might be stuck in limp mode but even by our stupid used car prices that is ludicrously cheap.

Schaefft > gmctavish needs more space 04/10/2016 at 12:47

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The E65 745i V8 is n/a. Its still a time bomb though.

Schaefft > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 12:49

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Anything is fixable. If the car is cheap enough and you do the repairs smartly, you can still consider buying something like this. Personally, I would only get the facelift in the hopes that a good chunk of the common E65 issues were solved by then.

LOREM IPSUM > djmt1 04/10/2016 at 12:49

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Fwiw, what he’s experiencing is a classic symptom of a bmw with low voltage.

Charging the battery and ensuring that the alternator is functional should sort that series of issues right out.

But...

Land_Yacht_225 > gmctavish needs more space 04/10/2016 at 12:50

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What? The 745 wasn’t tubocharged. The only turbocharged 745 was the E23, and that was a turbo 6.

It’s a 4.4 N/A V8 prone to premature piston ring wear, causing a penchant for burning oil. But that’s a result of poor maintenance by owners who bought them because of how cheap they are to buy, but not maintain. Anything but a ticking time bomb. The electrics on the other hand...

LOREM IPSUM > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 12:52

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Of course it’s fixable. Is it worth the repeated headache, hassle, and expense though? Especially on a Bengal era bimmer?

JoshinGA > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 13:11

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“It’s so cheap” are famous last words when considering BMW ownership. This one seems to be at a good price point if you have the time to run down what the issue is...could be as simple as a $40 part and an hour in the garage, or $4000 and 12 hours of cursing before you angrily give up. I'm a sucker so I would probably still buy it.

Frenchlicker > JoshinGA 04/10/2016 at 14:07

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Or a $40 part, 12 hours cursing, 5 minutes considering life choices after breaking something simple but essential, 1 week lead time on that stupid little part, 15 minutes reconsidering life choices, 1 hour putting it on and buttoning everything back up. All to find out that something else needs replaced too.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 14:44

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I was just thinking the other day that the best car to get is a used M class Infinity. They are way less popular than a Lexus, reliable, super comfortable and has a nice Nissan engine. I bet one a few years old is a hell of a deal. I sat in one a few years ago that was new and it was very cushy.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 14:47

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My very rich uncle has a pre Bangel BMW 7 series and he’s keeping it forever, it’s a grey over black E38 750.

LOREM IPSUM > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 04/10/2016 at 14:49

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Smart man. I’d never sell an e38 750 either.

I really want to import an e38 750i. V12 and short wheelbase. Yes please.

I’ll probably just find a 750iL though, although I love my prefacelift 740 shorty.

LOREM IPSUM > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 04/10/2016 at 14:50

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I also really want an 03 M45. Gangsta.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 14:51

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He hates the long ones, Ls. His is super nice because he drives it about 4 miles to the ferry terminal and parks it to go to work.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 14:52

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It’s a damn good looking car. So understated but when you check it out it’s a beautiful design. Rare here, lots more as a Nissan in Japan.

LOREM IPSUM > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 04/10/2016 at 14:53

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What country is he in? North America never got the short wheelbase 750i, just the iL, unfortunately.

Got any pics, by chance?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 14:55

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Oh maybe it’s not a 750, it’s obviously a 7 series, I am not a BMW guy if can’t tell, I know the general stuff haha. No I don’t have pics of his car, it’s a totally stock grey sedan.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 14:59

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It’s funny though, he wasn’t a BMW guy in the 80's and 90's, they had a Porsche 911 and Volvo wagons. But then he had back surgery and for whatever reason couldn’t drive the 911SC, my dad has an SC too, and then my cousin got it when he got married. Now my aunt has a new X5 and he has that so they look like BMW people.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 15:20

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I have a soft spot in my heart for the E65, as it was the first BMW I ever drove.

I’m thinking it would be a great car for my son to learn how to wrench on. Once you learn to fix an early 00s German car, everything else is butter.

JoshinGA > Frenchlicker 04/10/2016 at 15:28

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It’s a mid 2000's 7 series being sold for 2 grand; something else needing replaced is a given.

MrDakka > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 16:00

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Bangle butt

Frenchlicker > JoshinGA 04/10/2016 at 16:19

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True

LOREM IPSUM > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) 04/10/2016 at 16:25

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I cannot disapprove of any of their automotive choices. They have good taste imo. :)

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > LOREM IPSUM 04/10/2016 at 16:30

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Well, I would have a Land Cruiser if I was in his position and I bought a new vehicle. Personally I think they are very boring people, I would build a first gen Range Rover two door with an Isuzu diesel swap.

gmctavish needs more space > Land_Yacht_225 04/10/2016 at 17:09

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Oh I must be thinking of the more current turbo V8s....my BMW knowledge is really only good until the Bangle era started. The oil burning is probably what I was thinking of with that generation of 7

gmctavish needs more space > Schaefft 04/10/2016 at 17:10

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Thanks, I guess I was mixing up the later turbo v8s having issues, and the E65s also having non-turbo related issues

Schaefft > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 04/10/2016 at 22:26

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Haha, I believe I got a pretty similar line of thought. I keep telling myself that after owning my 20 year old Lincoln here in the UK, things can’t get much more expensive/complicated. How bad could an E65 be?

Schaefft > MrDakka 04/10/2016 at 22:27

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I have absolutely no problem at all with how the rear end was designed. And the more I look at it, the more the front end grows on me as well.

QueenCityBimmer > Schaefft 04/11/2016 at 00:46

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as someone with multiple BMW’s in the garage and driveway currently, I’d love to have an E65. Unfortunately the N62 V8's are generally a victim of BMW’s 15k mile “Ultimate Service” service intervals, which destroy valve guide seals on these and make them smoke like an old diesel locomotive by 80k miles, or the ZF 6 Speed Transmission slipping due to Mechatronics failures or lack of fluid/filter service.

If you can find a low mileage one, the E65 would be a fantastic car to have. I’ve got an E39 540i, and it can be a frustrating vehicle to own, but I absolutely adore it.

Schaefft > QueenCityBimmer 04/11/2016 at 15:46

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I’m an E39 owner myself (528i manual) and dumped stupid amounts of money into it so far. It is a fantastic car though, and as long as you don’t plan to get rid of it, worth the money invested. I believe an E65 can provide a very pleasant ownership experience as well, at least as long as you stay clear of the early models and find a well cared for example.