2001 BMW 735i

Built in late 2000 and first supplied by BMW Tokyo, Japan in March 2001, this 3.5-litre (3498cc) 7 Series was imported into the UK by GMS Cars of Gomshall near Guildford and re-registered in August 2017.

The current owner bought the car in 2018 having previously owned a similar one and having liked it a lot. On visiting GMS Cars, he had three to choose from and this for him was by far the best of the bunch. Being from Japan, the spec is almost identical to a UK car but has the hot climate package which is believed to include an additional oil cooler.

As well as being a serial BMW owner/collector (currently around seven including another 7 Series which is his daily drive), he is also very active within the BMW Car Club of Great Britain. He is their 7 Series Register Captain, so you’d be sure he knows what he’s talking about and what to look for in such a car. Changing family circumstances and a consequent lack of time to drive the car mean that the 735i is now looking for its next owner to continue to care for and enjoy.

The exterior condition of this 735i, finished in Titan Silver metallic paint, is rather fabulous. Obviously not perfect, we’d never say that about a car, but pretty close and one of the best looking 7s that we’ve seen. The only blemishes we could find were a few small chips on the nose and chin spoiler and a couple of scratches on the bonnet caused by a wind-blown section of wooden trellis one stormy night.

The panel alignment is as you would expect from BMWs of that era, with tight and even shutlines, and the various external trims are well aligned.

The glazing appears unblemished, as are the light lenses and badges. It’s only the black rubbing strip, bumper trims and yellow-lens indicators that give away the car’s age - and that’s in styling terms rather than by its condition.

The car sits on very well presented 18-inch M-Sport Parallel alloy wheels. All are shod in matching Goodyear Eagle tyres dated 2015. Regular readers of our listings will know we have a thing for good quality matching rubber on a car. Whilst it’s not infallible, it is a good indicator that a car has had a mechanically sympathetic owner who doesn’t take short cuts where it matters most.

Whilst the majority of the interior trim surfaces are black vinyl, the seats are upholstered in black Nappa leather with anthracite alcantara panels and there are also alcantara inserts in the door cards. The dash, centre console and doors are inlaid with what looks like anthracite birch wood finish. The M-Sport multifunction steering wheel rim is also trimmed in leather.

The dark grey carpets present in a good condition with the further protection of fitted floor mats. The headlining is clean and intact and has been given a temporary repair where it has sagged at the rear. This is a job that the vendor would be tackling soon if he were keeping the car.

The rest of the upholstery and trim looks in magnificent condition with only light creasing on the seat bolsters and no undue wear or damage. This car has also clearly been valeted and detailed to the highest standard, with barely a speck of dirt anywhere in the car, including around all the door shuts and hinges.

We understand that all equipment works as it should, including air conditioning, windows, power-fold mirrors, rear-screen electric blind, front and rear heated seats, stereo, sat nav and the tilt and slide sunroof. The centre armrest contains preparation and cabling for an unknown model of mobile phone, neatly concealed under a rare-to-find fitted blanking cover.

With modern materials, corrosion protection and paint coatings, cars that are nearly 20 years old can easily still look like new on the outside and the interior, but often the less visible parts of the car will tell a different story. With this example, however, the good news continues.

Under the bonnet, the engine bay is incredibly clean and tidy - looking very well looked after. Nothing is out of place or standing out as needing to be renewed or replaced and there are no signs of corrosion anywhere.

Usually the undersides of such a car are covered in road dirt and grime, but here they appear rather clean. There are no obvious signs of corrosion or significant damage to the wheel arches or underbody, nor vulnerable parts like the exhaust or suspension. Of note are the new front suspension control arms and drop links fitted last year to address the earlier MOT advisories.

In the boot, the carpets and linings appear in immaculate condition with no obvious damage or staining. The complete original toolkit and warning triangle are still present in a tray fitted to the underside of the bootlid. A flap to the side reveals the 6 cd changer unit and navigation DVD drive and under the floorboard is the full size M-Sport spare alloy wheel in great condition, fitted with Michelin Pilot rubber.

Hopefully you can see from the photo gallery that this handsome 735i is in super condition - but you don’t have to take our word for how amazing it is - we’re looking after this car at our HQ near Abingdon in Oxfordshire - why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the page to arrange a personal inspection or a video call to get a closer look.

A recent successful test gives the car a valid MOT certificate until July 2021. The online record shows three other first time passes since being imported to the UK.

The car comes with a history file which includes a number of invoices and test reports from the last few years in the UK as well as the original service booklet and inspection paperwork from Japan. Before looking through the photos of the Japanese service history, it is worth noting that some dates are given in the traditional Japanese calendar format which enumerates the year by the era of each Emperor. For example 2001, when the car was first supplied, is H13 (Heisei era) which is the 13th year of Emperor Akihito’s reign - or perhaps E49 if the UK did the same kind of thing?!

The service record and other paperwork from Japan shows that it received almost annual attention from BMW main dealers up until H26 (sorry, 2014) at 59,475km, then there is a gap until the export paperwork from 2016. This certificate, to those who know, apparently suggests that the car only had one owner in Japan. In the UK, importing-dealer aside, it has had only one further owner.

It is a pleasure to find the Japanese service history as, although a high proportion of Japanese cars are well serviced, the paperwork trail is often not as comprehensive. Since being in the UK in the vendor’s ownership, it’s had two further services at Vines of Guildford - also a BMW Main Dealer at 43,781 miles (Apr 2018) and 47,707 miles (Jul 2020).

As you will have surmised, the original speedo/odometer has been recalibrated and adapted from kilometers to miles, setting the equivalent mileage, to better suit this old-fashioned island. Additionally, both the stereo and the sat nav have been adapted to European frequencies and GPS mapping to make sure you end up in Oxford and not Osaka.

Additional maintenance work has been carried out on the car over the last few years mostly by BMS of Leatherhead - who see more of this period of BMW than the main dealers - which includes:

2018 - new battery, water pump, alternator, various engine gaskets, gearbox overhaul/reseal

2019 - new gear lever, new keys, new front suspension parts

As well as the history file, this 735i comes with the BMW wallet with owners manuals and two sets of keys.

Many E38s now have intergalactic mileage (although still going strong) or have suffered the indignity of having their suspension lowered, windows blacked out, inappropriate wheels fitted and the interior ‘improved’ by installing wildly indiscreet sound systems. This is not one of those cars, it is in all but original spec (European adaptations aside) and in top of the line condition, with almost nothing further to be done and it runs and drives without fault. There is no sign of the characteristic front-end shimmy that many E38s are known to suffer at medium speeds.

The E38 is still relatively unappreciated, so even this immaculate looking example will probably only sell for something like £7,000 - £11,000. That’s by no means an indication of its condition or appeal, just recognition of the fact we think they’ve yet to reach their full potential. Everyone loves a big, well looked after Beemer so we know it’s going to attract an awful lot of interest.

Cliché it might be, but the phrase “a lot of car for the money” is rarely more appropriately used than for these ultra-reliable Teutonic cruisers and you could do a lot worse than bid on the 7 Series that was chosen by the guy that runs the club register!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.