BMW E38 - is it worth getting involved with the "older" premium?

In the mid-1990s this car was unavailable to 99% of drivers. It was driven by businessmen and their antipodes - "brothers". Yes, this is the famous "Beamer" or BMW seventh series in the E38 body.


When the cars were produced, buyers were not interested in the reliability and maintainability of the dream. Such people had enough money, they drove for 3-5 years and changed the car to a new one.

But when the cost of a BMW E38 starts at 200 rubles, the average driver is able to purchase a Boomer. Buy - yes, but can it contain? Let's figure it out!

Features of the model

BMW of the seventh series in the back of the E38 is familiar to everyone. Those who want to buy a Behu are aware of the appearance of a dream.
Body made of thick steel, high-quality paintwork. But the years take their toll, and finding a car without rust is not so easy.

BMW E38 was produced in three body types:

• ? Standard
  
• ? Extended by 140 mm iL
  
• ? L7 - longer than the base modification by 390 mm
  

The drive for all cars, regardless of the configuration and engine size, is only rear. Steering - Servotronic. Front suspension - "MacPherson", rear multi-link.



The interior of the BMW E38 is luxurious even in velor trim, but these are rare. The standard for this model is leather and precious woods. You won’t find “empty” versions, there are enough bells and whistles, starting from the phone, ending with a TV and standard navigation.



And now let's go through the nuances when choosing an old, but premium, in the face of the BMW E38.

Body

Cars are old, so all attention is on the condition of the body. If rotten, further inspection does not make sense - let the engine and gearbox even be ideal.

You can take a car that is sick with the “red plague” only if it is possible to completely disassemble it. A full range of body work, overcooking, processing, painting, assembly ... If you order it at a service station, it will cost more than the cost of a BMW.

And now it remains to calculate, maybe it makes sense to immediately take the more expensive option with a normal external state?



Places to watch out for:

• ? Bottoms of doors
  
• ? wheel arches
  
• ? trunk lid
  
• ? thresholds
  
• ? glasses
  
• ? Subframe Mounts
  

The bodywork for this car is in demand, moldings and plastic will hit the budget.



It is difficult to find parts in good condition during dismantling, if you need something, it is easier to order from England or Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun is generally a storehouse of bodywork ideally. It is better to wait a month or two, but to purchase normal parts.

Salon

If the body of the BMW E38 is in good condition, you need to inspect the interior and check the performance of the electrics. Someone will say that this does not affect driving, but experienced people know that if everything is perfect inside, there is a chance that technically the car will be in order.

The fact is that the BMW E38 has a huge amount of electronics. As in any old car, it periodically breaks down. Understanding kilometers of wires is either a professional level or a serious investment. A person without funds will not repair options, respectively, and the technical condition of the car will be in question.



Despite all the nuances, the electrics here are reliable, there are no specific problems, but age does its “dirty” deed.

Engines and gearboxes

Choosing a motor for a BMW E38 is a difficult and thankless task. I want economy and dynamics, but this does not happen.
Diesel engines for BMWs are not an option, especially since they are low-powered. But economical, but you should not expect dynamics from such motors. M51 is weak, options with M57 are more interesting, but they are far from V8 gasoline. Well, in general, diesel sevens in the back of the E38 are rare.

The weakest gasoline engine is the M52 inline six with a displacement of 2,8 liters. For the BMW triple from the 90s, this engine was considered the best, but it is not very suitable for the E38. But reliability is at a level higher than that of the V8.

The most common engines for the BMW E38 are the M60 and M62. Dorestyling motors are more reliable, as they are simpler in design.
All gasoline engines do not like overheating, so you need to monitor the temperature. If the radiator is clogged or sealed, the viscous coupling does not work, and the driver wants to go crazy - overheating in the summer is almost inevitable in urban operation.



The reliability of the M73 lies in the absence of "vanos" and other bells and whistles. Oddly enough, but after the restyling of 1998, when the engine was finalized and equipped with “extra” electronics, reliability almost did not suffer.



As for the gearboxes, they are of high quality and trouble-free with proper maintenance. Rare mechanics are considered the best option, but they are rare, on weak engines, as a rule. Plus, on the executive sedan, the “stirrer stick” is bad manners.

It is advisable to change the oil in the automatic transmission, otherwise the box will fail. No need to believe that the unit is maintenance-free, it was only relevant for the first 10 years after the release of the car.

It is better to take cars with ZF automatic transmission, GM boxes, which are sometimes found on the BMW 728, should be discarded.

Suspension

The hodovka of the BMW E38 is strong, but you need to understand that this is an executive sedan, and it was not created for rural roads. If you operate the car carelessly, then the suspension will require constant attention. Not to say that the hodovka is "golden", but you will have to invest in repairs.

The most expensive suspension element will be active suspension shock absorbers. But they painlessly change to ordinary ones, which are many times cheaper.



The steering gear of the BMW E38 is reliable, but when it fails, the cost of repairs will unpleasantly hit. It’s easier to replace the unit with a contract one - that’s what everyone does.

There are no complaints about the brakes, but only until the age-related corrosion affects them. After this, the calipers may begin to wedge, the tubes to rot, the hoses to crack. Be sure to check the brake system after purchase. If necessary, the calipers are moved, hoses and tubes are replaced with new ones.

Which modification should you choose?

Something to advise when choosing a BMW E38 is a thankless task. You need to be aware that the car is old, and the main thing is the condition of the body and power units. Modifications of 740 and 750 before restyling are considered ideal options. There will definitely be fewer problems with them on the technical side, but they are rare, especially with a whole body.



Maintaining a BMW E38 is expensive, it can easily cost from 75 rubles a year, not counting fuel costs. And this is in the event that initially the car is in perfect condition, and it will be serviced and repaired independently.

"Boomer" is a dream, unrealizable for many in the first decade of the 2000s. If you are determined to buy such a car - go for it, it is the best of the classmates of those years!