2001 BMW 728i

Built on the 30th January 2001, this example was first registered on the 1st March 2001. The current owner purchased it in September 2014 from the well-known BMW specialist, GMS Cars when the odometer read just 73,362 miles.

Built to SE specification, this is a beautifully built cruiser that is ideally suited to someone looking for a cheap, reliable and refined modern classic to waft around in. The owner, who previously ran a Bentley Turbo R, has been ruthless in maintaining it in original condition and it’s a testament to him that it’s had at least one of us doing Man Maths on the back of an envelope see if we can afford to place a bid …

The stunning extra-cost metallic Avus Blue coachwork, only available through BMW’s ‘Individual’ programme at the time, is in fabulous overall condition. 

However, the offside front wheelarch and the rear bumper both have some minor scuff marks and there are the sort of light scratches that are consistent with a sixteen-year-old car that has spent a lot of its life in London. The former will certainly need professional attention, while the latter has been looked at by our in-house detailer and who believes they will respond to a decent polish with a polishing compound. 

Similarly, the rare, ‘Style 32’ alloy wheels could so with refinishing if they’re to look their best.

The underside of the floorpan and the sills have some light surface rust on them. The owner assures us that this is minor and could be easily rectified by wire brushing and the application of something like Waxoyl and the MOT tester, BMW main dealer and the owner are in agreement that the problem is not serious.

The cream leather interior and wooden veneer are both in fabulous condition, showing only light signs of use and need to be seen to be believed. The Montana leather seats are trimmed with dark-blue nappa leather piping, an option from the Individual programme, as were the blue rear parcel shelf, dashboard and carpets. 

Enthusiasts will be delighted to hear that the satellite navigation system is the 3rd generation, 16:9 version rather than the earlier 4:3 one. The E38 BMW 7 Series was the first production car to have a sat-nav fitted as standard, and while it works perfectly, it is worth nothing that it can be easily upgraded to the 4th generation version for just a couple of hundred pounds, which might not be original but it does make it rather more usable…

The fold-down sat-nav screen hides a factory cassette deck and radio, while the boot hides the CD mulit-changer. The car also comes with a full BAV Sound speaker upgrade kit, imported at huge expense from the United States. The kit, which looks standard, comprises four new door speakers along with front and rear tweeters, an iPhone adaptor, and all the tools necessary to fit them. The owner tells us that about half-a-day’s work should see the whole lot fitted.

Interestingly, the car is fitted with a period mobile phone cradle, which might not be desperately useful nowadays but is a lovely touch and a real conversation starter!

The engine, gearbox, brakes and suspension function exactly as BMW intended, which is a credit to both the quality of German engineering and the dedication of its previous owners in keeping on top of the servicing and repair schedule.

Work to do is limited to a new rocker cover gasket and cyclone filter, the latter of which is due for a change at 80,000 miles according to the BMW service schedule. In addition, the rear differential fluid is weeping slightly although both BMW Battersea and more importantly Highams Park recommend the diff fluid is simply topped up vs. changing the seals.

The MOT advisory schedule shows that the offside and nearside front brake pipes will need replacing at some point, as will the offside rear control arm, which is slightly bent. One ball joint is also showing some play, which is a common fault with the model.

The vehicle comes with a full service history (both main dealer and independent BMW specialists), including the following services which were done while in the current owner’s care:

• October 2016: an oil service by BMW Battersea/Park Lane at 77,867 miles. 
  
• October 2015: inspection II by BMW Battersea/Park Lane at 76,166 miles
  

The following work has also been carried out by the current owner: 

• July 2016: Highams Park Motor Co. fitted a new radiator, along with new rear dampers and top mounts. 
  
• February 2016: two new rear Dunlop Sport tyres were fitted. 
  
• October 2015: two new rear brake discs, pads and parking brake shoes were fitted by BMW Battersea/Park Lane. 
  
• June 2015: both fuel level sensors were replaced and the gearbox oil and filter were changed at the same time. This is a job that the BMW main dealer network will refuse to do but Highams Park Motor Co. was happy to do it to help ensure the gearbox will last the life of the car instead of failing at 150-200,000 miles, which can be the case otherwise. 
  
• May 2015: Highams Park Motor Co. replaced the engine breather pipes, along with a new fuel tank carbon canister, new front upper and lower wishbones, front anti-roll bar bushes, and a new fuel filler cap. 
  
• March 2015: GMS Cars fitted a new air mass meter, along with new front dampers, exhaust brackets, a new elbow coolant hose and a fresh fuel filter. 
  
• February 2015: BMW Battersea/Park Lane carried out a full air conditioning service and fitted a new alternator drive belt. 
  

• February 2015: a new steering idler, anti-roll bar link and a large capacity fuel tank were fitted by GMS Cars (the old tank was leaking / had rusted through - a common and expensive problem on e38s as they are made of metal and not plastic ).

  All receipts are available to confirm the work undertaken.

Many E38s now have intergalactic mileage or have suffered the indignity of having their suspension lowered, inappropriate wheels fitted and the interior ‘improved’ by fitting wildly indiscreet sound systems. This is not one of those cars, it is something far more interesting.

It’s still completely standard for a start, and has been religiously maintained as such. As an SE specification car, rather than a Sport, this is the 7 Series you actually need rather than the one you think you want; such a large, front-heavy car was never intended to be a track day weapon, so you want the bias to be towards comfort rather than rattling your dentures in a misplaced show of virility.

We know you think can pick them up for a lot less, but not like this you can’t. Whilst the car is not perfect, we think this is the most transparent listing of an e38 on the market today and a small amount of work could make it perfect.

As ever, we would welcome potential buyers to come and view the car at our premises in Abingdon. Please feel free to ask any questions.