The BMW 7 Series (
e38) is a line of full-size luxury vehicles produced by the German automaker BMW. It replaced the "New Six" models in 1977. It is BMW's flagship car and is only available as a sedan.
The E38 generation (BMW 7 Series 1995-2001) had a five-speed automatic or manual transmission. Features of the
BMW E38 7 Series included high-pressure headlight washers, auto-leveling xenon HID headlamps, power moonroof, a sound system with 14 speakers and four subwoofers as well as 6-disc CD changer, onboard satellite navigation and rain-sensing wipers. Other features included an automatic climate control system with separate controls for the driver and passenger, a three-position memory system for the driver’s seat, safety-belt height, new steering wheel and outside mirrors. Front-seat side airbags and a Head Protection System (HPS) were also standard. The BMW 7 series -
e38 car featured an all-leather interior with burl walnut trim. The continuous-motion Active Comfort Seat technology was introduced in 1998 to improve comfort and reduce fatigue for the driver and front passenger.
BMW 7 series - e38 Model Range:
*
BMW e38 730Li *
BMW e38 735i *
BMW e38 735Li *
BMW e38 740Li *
BMW e38 750LiWhat's Good in Used BMW e38 cars
More 'modern' looking than predecessor. A bit bigger (16' 4" long by 6' 1" wide, but a lot heavier at 1,915kg for 740i. Better ride. Luxurious and capable. 193bhp 728i capable of 28-30 mpg.
V8s re-engined in early 1996. 238bhp M62 3,498cc 735i replaced 218bhp 2,997cc M60 730i and 286bhp M62 4,398cc 740i replaced 286bhp 3,592cc M60 740i (same power output, more torque). 326bhp M73 5,379cc 750 V12.
7-Series (
e38) was 15th from top in 'R' reg J.D. Power Customer Satisfaction Survey (but well below Jaguar XJ8). S and T reg cars came fourth in 2001 Top Gear / JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey. BMW, Toyota and Ford jointly suffered the fewest breakdowns attended by German ADAC during 2001. BMW had sixth lowest average cost in warranty claims for cars up to 10 years old in 2002 Warranty Direct index. Low 3 out of 9 point death rate from accidents in this model. BMWs generally had below average warranty repair costs in 2003 Warranty Direct Reliability index.
What's Bad in Used BMW e38 cars
Not a big improvement on 6 cylinder predecessors.
Premature bore wear can be a problem on the earlier M60 V8 engines and the M52 2.8 six. Ticking noise from hydraulic lifters of M52 2.8 six can denote that the oil pump plastic impeller has failed. Unfortunately it's an engine out job to get at it and replace it.
Heavy tyre wear.
Pre-November 2001 3 year warranty required expensive top up to be comprehensive in 2nd and 3rd years.
1994-2002 7 Series (
e38) 4th least reliable car in 2005 Warranty Direct Reliability Survey with 57 repair claims per 100 cars.
Used BMW cars e38 Model History
1995
• E38 Production begins in 1994 for the 1995 Model Year replacing the E32. Initial production E38s were available with either a 2.5L Turbodiesel 3.0L or 4.0L M60 V8 or the 5.4L M73 V12 engine.
• US Model Range includes the 740i, 740iL and 750iL.
1995 BMW 7 series -
e38 used a block made of Nikasil, which is Aluminium impregnated with Nickel and Silicone. Apparently , sulfur reacts adversely with the Nickel , causing very slight blemishes in the top few millimeters of the cylinder bore. The cylinder bores are crosshatched, which is the name given to a pattern scratched into the surface of the cylinder wall. These scratches help seat and seal the piston rings, allowing good compression. More information on Nikasil engine BMW's can be found here
1996
•
e38 750i included Steptronic automatic transmission with manual shift mode.
•
e38 728i and
e38 735i was launched with traction control, ABS, alloy wheels, dual airbags, air-conditioning, leather upholstery, and electric front seats.
•
e38 740i and
e38 740iL upgraded from the M60 4.0L to the M62 4.4L V8 engine.
• Steptronic and traction control become standard on
e38 730i,
e38 740i, and
e38 740iL. Steptronic is not available in the North American market until 1999 when the
e38 740i ZSP Sport Package was offered.
• An Alpina sports suspension, onboard TV and satellite navigation system were offered as options.
1997
•
e38 730i/730i SE and
e38 735i/735i SE launched. Equipment includes central locking, front fog lamps and electric heated mirrors; 735i has rear head restraints and electric front seats; 730i SE has a sunroof; 735i SE has air-conditioning, cruise control and leather. *Revisions midway through the model year include front head airbags; automatic air-conditioning on 728i/735i; on-board computer on 728i; DSC III (Dynamic Stability Control) offered on 740i/740iL and 750i/750iL.
• xenon headlamps were included on
e38 750i/750iL.
•
e38 750iL in Tomorrow Never Dies.
1998
• A new ZSP option (Sport Package) includes an Alpina suspension, multi-spoke alloys, sports seats and shadowline exterior trim.
• Revisions midway through the model year include new front and rear lights, a revised grille, black side sills and valances, and a remote locking with memory system
• Parking sensors become available on
e38 728i,
e38 730i,
e38 735i and
e38 740i• DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) now standard on all
e38 7 series models
• Satellite navigation system become standard on
e38 750i and
e38 750iL1999
'Facelift' from 9/98 production featuring 'scalloped' headlamps, new front fenders with shorter turn signal lenses and side fascia improvements (including elimination of the visible jackpoints)
• The
e38 735 and
e38 740 models receive an improved M62TU V8 engine with single VANOS variable valve timing. The 4.4 engine gets a marked increase in torque from 310 to 324 lb•ft (439 N•m) Horsepower remains at 282 hp (210 kW).
• A Sport Package becomes available for the
e38 740i which includes: blacked-out exterior "shadowline" trim, Vavona redwood interior trim, 18-way adjustable sport seats, staggered 18-inch (460 mm) alloy wheels, a stiffer ///M inspired suspension with thicker front and rear anti-sway bars, Steptronic Transmission with higher stall-speed torque converter, and a higher 3.15 final drive ratio (versus 2.92).
• The
e38 750 receives an improved M73N 5.4 liter V12 engine making a slight increase in power and torque.
2000
• A number of previously optional features become standard, including Xenon headlamps, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, headlight washers, GPS navigation, and upgraded audio including DSP and 6-disc CD changer
• The sport package is extended to include the 740iL but without the same performance enhancing features as the 740i receives. The 740iL Sport maintains the same visual cues as the
e38 740i Sport such as vavona redwood trim, shadowline exterior trim and 18" staggered alloy wheels. The iL comes standard with EDC for improved handling.
• Final year of E38 sales with production ending in July 2001.
• Body-colored side skirts and bumper facias, which were previously flat black
• Clear front and rear turn signal lights replace amber-colored lights.
• More previously optional features become standard, including a Motorola StarTAC or Motorola TimePort (depending on date of production) with BMW Assist telemetry system.
• Widescreen Navigation and a faster CD-ROM based navigation computer were phased in from 9/00 production on all models.
• (US BMW 7 series -
e38 models) Power folding exterior mirrors are now standard on the 750iL, and included in the optional convenience package on all other models.
BMW 7 series - e38 models offered in Europe and elsewhere
| Model | Engine | Power/Torque | Years produced |
|---|
| 725tds | 2.5L M51D25 Diesel I6 | 105 kW (143 PS; 141 hp) / 280 N•m (207 lb•ft) | 1995-2001 |
| 728i/728iL | 2.8L M52B28 Petrol I6 | 142 kW (193 PS; 190 hp) / 280 N•m (207 lb•ft) | 1996-2001 |
| 730i/730iL | 3.0L M60B30 Petrol V8 | 160 kW (218 PS; 215 hp) / 290 N•m (214 lb•ft) | 1994-1996 |
| 735i/735iL | 3.5L M62B35 Petrol V8 | 173 kW (235 PS; 232 hp) / 320 N•m (236 lb•ft) | 1994-1997 |
| 735i/735iL | 3.5L M62TUB35 Petrol V8 | 174 kW (237 PS; 233 hp) / 345 N•m (254 lb•ft) | 1998-2001 |
| 730d | 2.9L M57D29 Diesel I6 | 142 kW (193 PS; 190 hp) / 410 N•m (302 lb•ft) | 1998-2001 |
| 740d | 3.9L M67D39 Diesel V8 | 180 kW (245 PS; 241 hp) / 560 N•m (413 lb•ft) | 1998-2001 |
North American specific BMW 7 series - e38 models| Model | Engine | Power/Torque | Years produced |
|---|
| 740i/740iL | 4.0L M60B40 | 210 kW (286 PS; 282 hp) / 400 N•m (295 lb•ft) | 1995 |
| 740i/740iL | 4.4L M62B44 Petrol V8 | 210 kW (286 PS; 282 hp) / 420 N•m (310 lb•ft) | 1996-1998 |
| 740i/740iL | 4.4L M62TUB44 | 210 kW (286 PS; 282 hp) / 440 N•m (325 lb•ft) | 1999-2001 |
| 750iL | 5.4L M73B54 Petrol V12 | 240 kW (326 PS; 322 hp) / 490 N•m (361 lb•ft) | 1995-1997 |
| 750iL | 5.4L M73TUB54 Petrol V12 | 240 kW (326 PS; 322 hp) / 490 N•m (361 lb•ft) | 1998-2001 |
BMW E38
