BMW 7 E38 - good idea? | Page 12 | FerrariChat

BMW 7 E38 - good idea?

Discussion in 'Other German' started by Far Out, May 10, 2014.

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  1. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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    Mine's been relatively flawless this summer. By relatively flawless, I mean it hasn't had any problems it needed to go to the mechanic to fix. No warning lights on, either. And I found the source of an annoying rattle the other day! It was a piece of the wood trim on the rear passenger door panel coming loose.
     
  2. Bradwilliams

    Bradwilliams F1 Veteran
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  3. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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    Does anyone know the sales figures, 2002 7-series vs. 2001 7-series?
     
  4. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    Not sure on 2001 only for E38, but total 340k over 7 years. E65 was 343k over 7 years so almost the same. E65 numbers are published by calendar year as that's how it's done in Europe and not "model" year in US so it's hard to break down 2002 figures to account for that since production of the E65 started in 2001.
     
  5. Bradwilliams

    Bradwilliams F1 Veteran
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    Thats a pretty accurate figure. the 1999-2001 m sport 740i is drastically lower in production. About 16,000 units in the US.


    GG83 (M62TU)

    WBAGG8343XDN73000 - 1998-04-15 - 1999 MY (First)
    WBAGG8335XDN75418 - 1999-02-24 - 1999 MY (Last)
    WBAGG8344YDN75419 - 1999-02-25 - 2000 MY (First)
    WBAGG8342YDN81011 - 2000-02-25 - 2000 MY (Last)
    WBAGG83471DN81012 - 2000-02-25 - 2001 MY (First)
    WBAGG83411DN89753 - 2001-07-27 - 2001 MY (Last)

    2414 LHD Facelift 740i (USA) produced in MY 1999
    5593 LHD Facelift 740i (USA) produced in MY 2000
    8740 LHD Facelift 740i (USA) produced in MY 2001

    16747 LHD Facelift 740i (USA) produced in total
     
  6. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    I wasn't a big fan of Doug with his earlier episodes, but more recently I've come to like his channel. His Ford GT purchase was the first video I really liked and this just proved my initial thoughts were right...he's got good taste.

     
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  7. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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    I agree with his first two points. :D

    The car he is showing in the video isn't a true Sport package though - I wonder, does that affect the 0-60 time? Mine seems to get about its business a lot quicker when the tranny is in sport mode.
     
  8. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    I'm not sure the iLs ever actually came with a true sport package. The ones they could get definitely had the shadowline trim (unlike that car) plus the 18" M Parallel. The 740i sport package comes with that, but also the 3.15 rear diff, which I'm not sure the iL sport package came with. That makes a difference. Plus the sport suspension, higher stall speed torque converter, and the steptronic sequential shift system (all 750iLs got the steptronic regardless of sport package).

    Edit: I did some more research. the 740i sport was the only way to get the 3.15 diff, which makes a difference. None of the iLs regardless of "sport" package did. None of them are LSDs including the 3.15...all are open diffs.
     
  9. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    The car in his video is a 750 and I didn't think it had the steptronic. I didn't see the extra shift gate. I know we didn't get the cool differential, but there was nonetheless a "sport" package on the iLs that included the wood trim, M Parallels, etc.
     
  10. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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  11. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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    Huh. Ok. Mine has a 2nd, smaller gate to the left that you push the shift lever over into, and then it's in "sport mode" and you can manually shift it if you wish. How do those ones you pictured work?
     
  12. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    The 740i sport photo and Doug video both have this: http://www.bimmerboard.com/members/q/original/STEPTRONIC%20Gear%20Shift%20E39.jpg

    It works the same way you are describing yours. You put the shifter all the way back into D (drive) then shift it to the left to get into the up and downshift manual mode. The 740iL photo I showed you does not have a side selector.
     
  13. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Ok, thanks.
     
  14. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

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    Yes has to be a short wheel base to get the 3.15 diff I believe.

    3.15 diff SWB with S62 and manual, black with shadow line and aftermarket quaife diff (or M5 diff) would do me well. Oh and updated android based touch screen head unit to bring it back to modern times, so I can have spotify and Waze in my car:D
     
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  15. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

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    Stunning. Black interior?
     
  16. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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  17. Bradwilliams

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    I had to head up to Lebanon indiana for work today so I made a little detour to get this pic. Any of you guys who have seen one of the greatest sports movies of all time hoosiers will recognize it. This is the church used for the town hall meeting where they make the vote on wether Hackman remains the coach or not. Best scene of the movie imo.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  18. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Nice photo!

    It's supposed to snow here on Thursday, and Friday's high is 32 degrees. There will almost certainly be salt applied to the roads. I guess it's time to put the E38 away... but I don't wanna! It's been behaving wonderfully since I got my new car last April. New car has less than 5000 miles on it. :D

    Can any car nerds guess why I took this photo?

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  19. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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  20. Bradwilliams

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    Spent 2 hours last night changing the battery on this key. Had to cut it open with a razor, unsolder the watch battery from the board, reseal it with loctite overnight which was next to impossible without clamping the top and bottom of the key as they were uneven when closed up.

    Better than giving dreyer reinbold 300 for a new key. Every other fob ive done was about 3 minutes. Bmw sucks.

    On a lighter note now that I know how to get these things sealed back up again, I'm going to get a chip for my pulled apart spare key that the previous owner gave me. That key will start the car with chip inside. If you try to bring your own new programmed working key to bmw to code to the ignition, the dealer will refuse to do it and make you order a new key for 300. The whole "charge the battery through the ignition" setup of these is ridiculous. This key only lasted just over 4 years, so unless you can DIY you have to give these clowns 600 dollars for a set of keys every 4 years. Lame.
     
  21. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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    My spare key is in pieces. Did you have to solder the new battery to the key before you closed the case?
     
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  22. Bradwilliams

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    They say that you do but you do not. Just make sure it is bent back into place and is very secure on top of the battery when you re-glue both sides. I wish I could use the square fob on this car then this problem would never have to be addressed again! I wonder if you can use them on the 2001s.

    https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/82224/Ignition-Key-w-Remote-Control-Coded-51218374066/?gclid=CjwKCAiAjNjgBRAgEiwAGLlf2gvYCxjwCRtGL_R6g9J5P5kBFi3wTP6FA01QtI-q7EtVoWYtoDoz5hoC1AgQAvD_BwE
     
  23. Bradwilliams

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    Just had to replace wheel speed sensor number 2 for the year. Have replaced two on the driver side front and back this year. Both went out after long roadtrips. And had to replace the Intake boot w/ resonater due to the vaccum line snapping off of the hose. Anybody have a mint 97 C140 they want to trade me? :)
     
  24. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

    Dec 4, 2004
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    This is probably the nicest collection of cars I've ever seen. It's very well thought out and not a simple halo/supercar get together.

    The 2001 Alpina B12 6.0 is my dream street car and I hope in 2026 I can find one in good condition to import to the US.

     
  25. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Feb 22, 2014
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    Took my 750iL out for the first time this year yesterday. The windshield got hit and cracked by a flying object, a rock, I guess. Safelight's quote was $986, but I don't think that's an OEM windshield. Any thoughts?

    Also, with the hvac system on auto, exterior temp 50 degrees F, interior temp set to 72 degrees F, there's hot air blowing out the defrost vents. Is this normal operation? Anything I can do to make it not do that while on auto? (I know I can set the air control to come out the dash vents and that shuts off the defrost and footwell vents.) Is there any way to get cold air to come out the footwell vents and defrost vents? Just wondering if there's something wrong with my car. It sure seems like it.
     

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