marque.com.au
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS SERVICE
USED CAR REVIEW

BMW 7-SERIES
 1994-2004

By EWAN KENNEDY
23 May 2005

The BMW 7 Series is a large, prestigious German car that’s aimed at travelling vast distances while pampering its passengers with a smooth ride and near silent interior. It’s at its very best on motorways, though slightly out of place in Australia where our speed limits are set at low levels not always suited to these big, powerful machines. 

Despite their size, these are real drivers’ cars, though, naturally, their greater mass makes them less nimble than their smaller brothers. Road grip is very high for such a big car. Steering is very responsive and almost seems to talk to the driver.

Styling was simple and elegant in the older models being looked at here, but the E65/ E66 series, launched in 2002, took a radical new approach in styling. This has created a lot of controversy, but hasn’t really slowed sales, though resale values appear to have suffered. It’s known that a facelift of the big ‘7 is due midway through 2005 and this tones down the extravagant lines somewhat.

Also receiving a fair bit of criticism is the iDrive system for operating minor in-cab functions. Very complex in its makeup it really does seem to make life difficult at times. BMW is somewhat sensitive about the criticism it has received and now suggest drivers use the inbuilt voice-command system. This lets you tell the car what to do and generally works pretty well. Though you may find yourself swearing at it from time to time until you get to grips with what it’s all about.

Boot space is fair for a car of this size but the low, semi-sporty styling of this big sedan means the luggage area is relatively shallow. Part of the reason for the shallow boot is the use of rear-wheel drive. That makes for excellent overall balance on the road, but puts the differential under the rear floor.

By the start of the E38 series of the ‘7 the straight-six engines that were once such a big feature of these BMWs had been replaced by V8s of varying capacities. Some drivers may find the 3.5-litre V8 barely adequate for performance, others are happy with it. It depends very much on your attitude to driving. A 3.6-litre V8, introduced in 2002 is noticeably better than the old 3.5-litre. The 4.0, 4.4 and 4.5-litre V8s are a better bet for those who like to pedal along reasonably hard.

At the top of the engine tree are the V12s. These come with capacities of either 5.4 litres, or, believe it or not, 6.0 litres, the latter turning the car into a real rocketship. The big V12s are oriented to 200-plus km/h autobahn touring and in their older variants the torque characteristics aren’t all that suited to Australian use. The result is an engine that’s expensive to feed and maintain and which doesn’t give a lot more acceleration at normal speeds than the bigger V8s. But if you’re the sort of guy that demands nothing but the biggest and best, there's nothing quite like a V12 under that long, elegant bonnet.

The later the 7 Series the better, particularly as far as engines are concerned. The electronics guys have been able to build systems capable of making the engines feel good even at very low revs, without any loss of feel at the top of the rev range.

The BMW 7-Series is one of the most complicated cars ever built, with numerous computer controlled electric items. The later the model the more driver aids it has. Traction control is backed up by systems that actually help the car around corners rather than simply cutting engine power to regain grip on the road. The anti-lock brake setup became more sophisticated in each model and also incorporates brake assist in the later variants. 

The 7-Series was the first car in Australia to receive satellite navigation, covering Melbourne from late 1997. It was close to two years before other makers got into the act so if you want satellite navigation in an older car, the big ‘7 is the one.

Servicing and repairs are, naturally, expensive and the complex nature of this car virtually demands that all the work be done at a BMW dealership. If you can't afford to run a car like this is makes a lot of sense to keep away from it altogether. Similarly, insurance costs are high.

Repairs are, again, best left to experts. A good amateur mechanic will be able to do some work, but shouldn’t attempt it without a workshop manual. As always, safety items should only be touched by those who know what they are doing.

Insurance isn’t cheap, hardly a surprise considering the complexity of these cars and the cost of spare parts. 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Quite a few BMW 7-series are used as hire cars, especially in the last three to four years. These are generally looked after well and driven immaculately, but will have done a lot of work.

Look at the condition of the seats, dashboard top and rear parcel shelf as well as the carpets. Also check inside the boot. 

Look over the body for repaired crash damage. If you suspect anything, no matter how apparently trivial, have it checked by an expert. If the crash turns out to be a bad one, it’s smart to follow up with a chassis alignment tested.

The engine should start within about a second of the key being turned and, even on the coldest morning, settle immediately into a steady idle. Once the engine has warmed up try some hard acceleration from a standing start and look for smoke from the exhaust.

Listen for untoward noises and be wary of anything that seems the least bit out of the ordinary in the engine during your test drive.

Look under the car for oil seepage or leaks from the engine, automatic, power steering or differential.

An automatic transmission should engage gears from Neutral or Park within a second of the selector being moved. When on the move, shifts should be all but impossible to feel and hear. 

If the transmission remains in third gear at all times when Drive is selected it is running in its limp-home mode and needs attention.

Always have a BMW dealer do the final inspection.

CAR BUYING TIP
Avoid the trap of scraping together enough money to afford a big, prestigious, but old, car. Then discovering that the first major repair puts you close to bankruptcy.

© Copyright Marque Publishing Company