Teach me 750iL???

Get it running and keep us posted!

So you got it?

I helped a friend change his battery in his 735iL and while I wouldn't say 7 hours, it did take the two of us a LONG time. The electric seat is the real issue.

I wouldn't be too scared of it, you could always part it out and make some money if needed.

Also, it just drives nice. As crazy as it sounds, he changed the springs and shocks and it was a big, fat, huge slot car after that!

The E32 750iL can be a headache, even though the car is actually pretty solidly built. The E38 750s are MUCH better and much more reliable (with many owners getting well above 200k miles out of daily drivers).

The E32 needs to be properly maintained, and one that has been sitting for 5 years is not properly maintained.

Me, I'll stick with E38s. They are easy to work on, cheap to buy parts for and better driving cars than the E32s. Here is my last daily driver (for 5 years):

I'm on the lookout for an '01 740i Sport right now to be a daily driver.

Whoaaaa they made a sport version of the 740? I think I know what I will be trolling craigslist for now.

In reply to dean1484:

Yeah, the 740i Sport was made from '99-01 and includes shadowline trim (black around the windows and beltline) shorter rear end ratio, steptronic trans, sport seats, 3 spoke fat steering wheel, stiffer, lower springs and the 18" M Parallel wheels:

There was also a Sport package for the long wheelbase iL version , but it's only an appearance package that includes the wheels and shadowline trim, but none of the other good stuff:

So be sure to check which one you're looking at (and those wheels have been retrofitted to all sorts of other BMWs)

Here's a true Sport for reference: 2001 740i Sport on ebay.

chrisv, i've never seen an iL with shadowline trim. thanks for posting that!

That is REALLY COOL!!! I only knew of the 540i sport

The 740 Sport ticks so may more box's for me than the 540..

Craigs List is evil

http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/cto/3441443691.html

From the looks of it is it s "real" Sport

I do not know BMW's very well but I've seen 7 series that look very much like the car you pictured above (v12 cars) on craigslist with bad motors but beautiful glossy bodywork and imaculate leather interios, priced from $1500-3500.

I've seen many others with little gremlins in the $7000 range. I was shocked by how cheap they were (these were mostly mid to late 90's cars that had retailed for 10 times that) but once I did a bit of poking the interwebs appeared unanimous that they were wonderful cars until the first thing broke, and then once that happened they would cost their MSRP in repairs within a few years.

This was when I lived in Houston and craigslist had a big bigger selection than it does here in WV. But I still see a few on DC craigslist now and then when Im browsing. GRM did a feature on an older i think 5 series with a huge honking domestic v8 a few years ago. Sorta the same idea.

dean1484 wrote: Craigs List is evil http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/cto/3441443691.html From the looks of it is it s "real" Sport

ah, yes, just like that. Like I said, not a bimmer man, so the significance of the "spot" models and etc is a bit lost on me, but I've seen many for around that price. Most of the ones I've seen have been v12's though.

dean1484 wrote: Craigs List is evil http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/cto/3441443691.html From the looks of it is it s "real" Sport

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/cto/3441855494.html

I like the color combo you posted better.

andrave wrote: I've seen many others with little gremlins in the $7000 range. I was shocked by how cheap they were (these were mostly mid to late 90's cars that had retailed for 10 times that) but once I did a bit of poking the interwebs appeared unanimous that they were wonderful cars until the first thing broke, and then once that happened they would cost their MSRP in repairs within a few years.

Only true if you have to have a dealer or expensive Indy do the work. Mine I bought at 143k miles for $7500 and put another $1500 into it over the following 5 years of daily driving(outside of mods, I don't count those), and that included fixing the common trouble spots (front upper control arms, radiator/expansion tank/water pump, OSV, etc). The cars are actually pretty easy to work in if necessary, and the parts prices are quite reasonable (the radiator, for example is $150 new for an OEM part).

So many of them have had deferred maintenance now, so you do have to do a bit of research to make sure of what's been done to the car in question when looking at one, but even a cheap one can be easy to live with if you understand the cheap car tenet of "it doesn't have to be brand new to live with it."

I will just add my vote to the rest. Dump all the electronics and luxury out of that thing (which must weigh a ton) to simplify it as much as possible and turn it into a four seat track car. You could charge for the ride

fanfoy wrote: I will just add my vote to the rest. Dump all the electronics and luxury out of that thing (which must weigh a ton) to simplify it as much as possible and turn it into a four seat track car. You could charge for the ride

LOL

I was thinking one of those rebel flag back window things with a "Redneck" sticker on the windshield... Some Krager ss knockoffs and sidepipes.. a dummy blower popped through the hood..

Ok.. just kidding..

Wasn't 89 the year the Berlin wall came down?

Ok... Picked it up... All I know is it is very very dirty... Fuel pumps in the trunk.. and some stuff taken apart here and there all over the car...

A trip to the carwash on the way home knocked some of it off...

nice wheels

16 x 7.5 Borbet

What a tease.... No after a bath pics.

For $0, you'd be a fool not to take that home. Even if it never runs again, you can sit in the car making vroom noises and still be cool as hell. Good luck!

Nice!

Love Borbets, that car looks pretty nice hopefully it doesn't fight you too bad. I wish Alpina made rims for mercedes, love them spokes.

Good luck with it!

That Craigslist Los Angeles one seems to have a four spoke steering wheel, so is it a real 740i Sport?

I believe all of the E38 Sports came with 3 spoke wheel.