E38 or E39 more comfort and spacious for family?

[nerdjack]

Have to consider the perangai of e38 oso. If too manja, wa mati lo. My e34 buruk but i drove like rally car and not much problem. i love that buruk car. If anyone got e38 and willing to share me your story pls email me desacart@yahoo.com or sms 0122391449. I will call back.

ty

 

[ssmann]

Bro Nerdjack,

The E38 is a magical car. I love it!!!! Mine handles so well, that sometimes when I seat in my company chairman's brand new S350, I can't tell the diff!!! That's comparing a 14 year old car against a brand new RM1 mil car!!!!

Having said that, I agree with Andrew that 3 - 5k a month is crazy. I would say RM1k a month a side would cover road tax, insurance and all the necessary maintenance you need for a year. This off course does not include the "oh oh!!!", "damn" and "what the f***" moments la

Man, don't think so much la...you will go mad. If you have the passion to buy one, then just go for it. The rest will all find its way. Just like anything, the start is hard....once you are into it, it becomes easy. The E38 is as cheap as its gonna get now man.....most of the cars I have seen around are quite bad in condition, so choose wisely.

All the best bro!!!

 

[haywire]

I'm driving a 730i,daily drive actually,about 50km daily for almost 4years,and its a 97 model.
-no major problem so far(engine)
-change a few things such as steering rack and something i cant recall now but it is regarding the power steering(wake up in d morning floor full with power steering fluid)
-other than that normal things,brake disc,pad,brake oil,some sensors,brake sensors,speed sensors n etc.
that's all..driving it is a pleasure..

go for it bro..
if u r looking for comfort+stylish+speedy car=E38

1997 got 730i ah? I thought it was supposed to be 728i? upgrade already ke?

UPDATE: OK i was wrong...forgot about the V8s..hehe

 

[nerdjack]

Comparing old folk with teen is not the rite idea. memang lah kereta baru lagi banyak kelebihan. Tapi saya pernah naik e32 and i love the way its glide. the 735 e32 have much more feeling than my s320 kereta kebal now.

Ini kereta kebal mahu jual pun susah. Kalau pasang meriam pun belum tentu military mau beli. Im quite impress with vincent explanation about 728. I hope i got chance to try 728 e38. If i can feel e32, i believe e38 will giv more passion but i dunno 2800 cc will satisfy me or not. So far my 525 e34 can make me smile but comparing the size, i dunno 728 is strong enuff or not.

I fikir pun mau beli kereta kuat, kuat mana boleh lari? Jalan malaysia semua cantik-cantik. Lubang sana lubang sini. kejap kejap kena brek. I tinggal kampung maa. Jalan kampung sini semua quality supermodel. Ity lubang jalan, kalau isi air boleh ternak ikan dalam. Ini macam laju mana boleh pegi?

Anyone got idea how much will it cost for 7 series skirting and spoiler?

Suspension is important to me, coz my parents got back problem, so using big wheel will maintain the smoothness of 7's suspension? my e34 pakai replica 17". Langgar lubang rasa macam naik kereta lembu. so hard. My parents tak boleh naik. nasib baik citroen ada .

Anyone got idea who are reliable mech in melaka for BMW and 7's? my e34 pun dari beli sampai skrg kalau demam hantar bengkel citroen. Takut nanti sakit kuat, tak tahu mahu hantar doktor mana.

 

[dannybaba13]

BUY 7 IF YOU got the budget on maintainance regards tq dan

 

[unstopables_7]

1997 got 730i ah? I thought it was supposed to be 728i? upgrade already ke?

UPDATE: OK i was wrong...forgot about the V8s..hehe

nop..but that's what my "geran" said.

 

[andrewk]

Nerdjack,

E38 on stock 16" tires is like riding on magic carpet.... I believe it is the same for the E32. If u want grunt, then the 728 may not be sufficient if you compare it with your E34 525i. I used to drive a E34 525i manual and its more responsive than my current E38 728i. But, comfort wise, can't beat the 7 series. Having said that, for me, the 2.8 is sufficient, especially once you get it going. I drove a friend's E32 735i and there is not much difference. It pulls slightly better from standstill, but once its on the go, can't feel any different from the E38 728i. E38 being newer is slightly more refined compared to E32 but coming from an E34 base, you should enjoy both cars. Want more power? go for 740i... but road tax.....

 

[EuJax]

Hi AndrewK....i dont have solid grounds to the 4k-5k maintenence quote i mentioned, it was my estimate after having a few 3 series (e30, e36, e46) to experience, problems seems endless and not exactly cheap to fix. Perhaps i didnt go to the right place and didnt fix it right. Thanks for sharing your experience with me though, helps me to gauge a bit. The thing is, i do not have time to research and survey when the car break down, so its either M1 or AB or Ingress that i send to, i understand it could be alot cheaper at some place but i just dont know where is reliable and where is not. Not knowing where to source for used parts can be severe on pocket as well, brand new parts of BMW does cost quite a bit.

I love the e38 but just too terrified to imagine how its gonna burn my pocket...but well, its a luxury car, suppose to burn i guess.

Hi AAM, i prefer the styling of the e38 sleeker...




Regards

 

[andrewk]

(warning - long post)

Hi EuJax... no worries bro... wasn't really asking u to justify la...

I too was initially worried about maintaining the E38. But, having poured through this forum and other BMW related sites (one good site is www.e38.org), you get a general idea of what will break down and how much it will cost. 2 articles you should read are the Mar08 edition of BMWCars and Dec 05 edition of Bimmer magazine. They both contain buyer guide for E38.

Basically, there are 3 areas that can potentially give you the biggest headache (and most costly); engine, transmission and electrical/electronics.

Engine:-

Roadtax was a big decider of what engine I can afford. It was basically down to either the 728i (inline 6 M52B28) or the 730i (V8 M60B30). So that ruled out the 735i and 740i.

From a maintenance perspective, the inline 6 was cheaper to maintain compared to a V8. Also, an issue with both the M52 and M60 was the nikasil problems - infact, my biggest worry. But after understanding the problem (it was due to high sulfur content in the fuel used), avoiding UK recon models should do it.

Also, after talking to several BMW mech, they said the M52 is a more reliable engine and a cheaper fix should anything go wrong. Since it shared the same engine as the E36 328i and E39 528i (plenty in M'sia), parts were also generally easier to get and cheaper.


Transmission:

The transmission used in the E38 is generally trouble free. The older models do not have the steptronic gearbox. Just note that tho factory said its "sealed for life", it has been advised to change the oil regularly. Look for one that has oil change in its service history.


Electronics:

From what I have read, no major electronic problems that requires loads of $$$. Common problems include pixel display error and ABS sensor errors. Basic advise, make sure all the electronics are working when looking for a car.


Others:-
Other things to look out for is the suspension. Models that come with the self leveling suspension can be expensive to replace. Fortunately, it can also be replaced by std suspension system. Trims can be very expensive to replace and difficult to find. So, get one with the best condition trim available.

Once you got the above sorted, its just a matter of finding the best maintained / spec'ed model within your budget.

Last but not least, I'm still learning things about this car, so don't rely on my info exclusively. Do your own research then decide yourself.

Last note, sending to official dealer service centre (AB, Ingress, Sapura) will usually cost more. If your car is not under warranty, then going to a reputable mech is almost always cheaper. Search forum for recommendations. One name that always pops up for E38 is Albert. I personally have not used him tho, but because his shop is quite far from my place. Ask Sifu Vincent Hor for details....

 

[Vincent Hor]

EuJax, now I understand exactly why you think 4k-5K is needed for maintenance.
M1 is never cheap and I have personally witness one good friend who got a bill of RM30K from them just to solve a vibration problem on an E38 728i double vanos which they never solved.

I help him tow the car out from the workshop while the entire engine was completely dismantled and Albert resolved the issue for a fraction of what these guys have already charged him.

This friend has been enjoying his ride for the last 9 months without much cost other that engine oil & oil filters.

I heard 200-240kmh is pretty common for him now.

Hi AndrewK....i dont have solid grounds to the 4k-5k maintenence quote i mentioned, it was my estimate after having a few 3 series (e30, e36, e46) to experience, problems seems endless and not exactly cheap to fix. Perhaps i didnt go to the right place and didnt fix it right. Thanks for sharing your experience with me though, helps me to gauge a bit. The thing is, i do not have time to research and survey when the car break down, so its either M1 or AB or Ingress that i send to, i understand it could be alot cheaper at some place but i just dont know where is reliable and where is not. Not knowing where to source for used parts can be severe on pocket as well, brand new parts of BMW does cost quite a bit.

I love the e38 but just too terrified to imagine how its gonna burn my pocket...but well, its a luxury car, suppose to burn i guess.

Hi AAM, i prefer the styling of the e38 sleeker...




Regards

 

[EuJax]

Hi AndrewK, i totally understand not offended or anything Just wanna share more detail of my previous statement for better picture to fellow readers. Anyway, thanks a lot for your info regarding the e38. At least some checklist for me to run through. If anything i'll be looking at the 728i only...not ready to go for anything higher yet.

Hi VincentH, perhaps you are right but i am quite satisfy with M1 so far and i really dont have time to survey and send the car to different places for different problems thus stick to them, plus they are near to my residence.

By the way guys, does Original BMW parts and OEM parts have any difference in quality?






Regards

 

[nerdjack]

well, 728 sounds nice.

I think, to maintain the magic things in the car is to maintain the originality.
I will go for 728 standard gaban car. My 525 probably will be my kereta berhias.

Got any idea about current market price? share pls ....

 

[kevster30]

My 25 sen,

Get an e39 if is to be your only car as it offers the best combination of sports sedan and luxury sedan characteristics. An e38 is a luxo barge and is a GT(grand tourer).

The e39 is more dynamic whereas the e38 is more spacious and comfortable.

For me personally, it's the e38 for me as I find that it is one of the best designed BMW ever. It is the pinnacle of the 3 box design and offers the best mix of classic and modern BMW characteristics.

My research also shows that the e38s are easier to maintain due to 2 main reasons:

1) Larger engine compartment reduces heatsoak in the engine bay. Which is a great thing in our tropical climate. The seals, gaskets, sensors, rubber and plastic parts are less prone to heat damage.

2) The 7er leads a gentler life(less fast n furious antics) and is usually very well maintained as compared to the 5er. The 7er also generally has less owners.

Also worth noting, many parts are shared or similar between the e39 and e38 mechanically, hence there is very little difference in the running costs between the two.

 

[nerdjack]

I got 5 cars and all in standard looking except my 525 coz i bought it equipped with skirting and sporty looking things. So if im going to get the 728, i will have no problem if the car got no sporty look coz it will replace my s320 thats also standard gaban car.

I start to look to this car when i tried my uncles e32 735. The car is not moving but gliding. Oh man it was smooth but peoples said 7 series is this and that, susah mau repair bla bla bla mahal itu ini selalu rosak, and thats why i bought the s320 last time.

one thing I learned after i used s320,an old car is an old car. Mesti ada rosak mesti ada repair. nama pun kereta lama. So i think i wanna try 7 series now coz i know its far more comfort than s320 but i hope i will get a good machine from good handler. Tengok luck juga.

appreciate info from u guys. thanks..