BMW 730i advice

[MickeyBlue]

Hi people

I really need some help and opinions here.. I am based up in Botswana. We are allowed to drive import cars here. I am looking at bringing in a 2003 730i (been facelifted to 2007 model) it has 63 000km's on the clock.

Now a friend brought one in and he has now had a gearbox failure of sorts. He is looking at spending 30k on an overhaul but its still being looked at.

I can land this thing for 150k all in. Thats right.. 150k!! (RANDS!)

Do these steptronic boxes give a lot of trouble? are these cars horrendously expensive to run? He has offered to do a diagnostic test with one of those Launch x 431 diag report

I am so 50/50. I was meant to order it today but now I dont know what to do anymore :dunno:

 

[Hellas]

2002 and 2003 are the 7's to stay away from. Why was the car facelifted? Was it in an accident?

 

[Fordkoppie]

You can get those for the same prices here as well.
Ask Zaleonardz - Go for the 730d

 

[MickeyBlue]

Thanks for the heads up guys I have decided in the last hour not to proceed. :/

 

[zaleonardz]

E65's electrical gremlins were sorted out in 2004, or so the rumour goes.

As for your price, its really not that special, its good, but its not overwhelming.

I would much rather go for a 730d then a 730i, 745's are even better.

These things trade, depending on year and condition from 90 to about 180

I just sold a virtually prestine 730d with 11x on the clock for 180k...

As for the gearbox going, what happens is that the gearbox sump actually takes a smack from the bottom, cracks, and slowly looses fluid, and then it goes poof.

The ZF boxes are far better then the GM boxes, but not flawless. I recon if you are buying one with low km's (sub 150,000) you should be fine, but thats a "how long is a piece of string" statement.