Test drive BMW 7 series F01-02 Restyling since 2012 sedan

Trump card "seven"

What is the BMW 7th series? This is prestige, power, comfort and very, well, very big money. Only really rich people are able to acquire a new seven. However, the 35-year-old car is not a very large number of Russians. After all, even a used seven is pretty decent financial investments both when buying and when operating the machine.
The first appearance of the BMW 7th series in the E65 body in 2001 caused a real shock in the public. No one expected such a bold design from BMW. A significant part of the motorists was considered and still considered the BMW 7th series E65 the most ugly car in the entire history of the brand. However, now they are already used to her design.
In fact, good times have come for buyers of used BMW 7 series. Many cars presented in the secondary market have already turned 36 years old, and they are relatively inexpensive compared to new ones. Moreover, you can save a decent amount, because such expensive cars are getting cheaper quickly. At the same time, the BMW of the 7th series in the E65 body is still produced (in 2005, the model was modernized, but outwardly restyled cars are not much different from the seven of the old-style). And this only adds prestige to the owner.
The BMW of the 7th series is now coming to our market mainly from the United States. Due to the difference in the dollar and euro, American seven are so profitable that it simply does not make sense to bring them from the Old World. And if the BMW 7th series from Germany is found on the market, one must be especially attentive: for sure it has already visited a serious accident and went through the hands of the Baltic masters (or a criminal trace stretches behind it). According to the masters, the BMW of the 7th series from America mainly come to us in decent condition, because the buyers of such cars were very non-poor people and are unlikely to save on maintenance (though do not forget to demand an auction sheet from the seller and break through to the seller By buying a car on Carfax and Autocheck databases). There are also cars originally sold in Russia in the market. The main plus of such seeds can almost always trace their fate and thereby protect yourself from buying a stolen car.
The BMW of the 7th series, like almost all models of the class F according to the European classification, was produced in two modifications with a short and long wheelbase (E66 body). The difference in the length between them is 140 mm. Considering that even a small seven is a very large car, the extra 140 mm is not so important, especially if you sit behind the wheel. But, on the other hand, the question of prestige elongated cars look more serious. In addition, you can find armored vehicles on sale. It is not recommended to buy such a car in a used state if your life really does not threaten danger. Armor is, of course, cool, but is it worth overpaying for it, especially considering that such cars break more often than ordinary ones?
Masters advise not only to inspect the body for an accident, but also check how the doors work. They are equipped with special hydraulic cylinders, so that the door is fixed in any position. At the same time, for its maximum opening, an additional effort is required.
The seven salon for the eyeballs is saturated with electronics. Naturally, it is necessary to carefully check the Idrive performance, to look at how the controller located next to the central armrest rotates. And you also need to make sure of the performance of the electronic key, parking sensors and heating the seats (often the chairs still have the function of the massager).
At first, two V8 engines were placed under the hood of the BMW 7th series: 3.6 liters (272 hp) and 4.4 liters (333 hp). Accordingly, cars with such motors were called BMW 735i and BMW 745i. But then the BMW 730i became available with a 6-cylinder gasoline unit with a volume of 3.0 liters (231 hp), 730D with a 3-liter diesel engine (218 hp) and 740D with a diesel V8 with a volume of 3.9 l (258 L.S.). Well, the coolest seven was the BMW 760i version with a 6.0 liter V12, which produces 445 hp. At the moment, buyers of used cars will most likely choose among these power units.
If there is money for a relatively fresh restyled seven, the following models will be available: BMW 730i (3.0 liters, 258 hp), 740i (4.0 l, 306 hp), 750i (4.8 liters , 367 hp), 760i (6.0 l, 445 hp), 730d (3.0 l, 231 hp) and 745d (4.4 l, 300 hp, a Recently, 330 hp). You can mention the unique BMW Hydrogen 7 hydrogen seven. However, such machines with a V12 with a volume of 6.0 liters (260 hp) were not opened in open sale, and it is currently impossible to find it on the secondary market.
Which engine to take to decide the buyer. Moreover, the choice should be made on the basis of not on the technical characteristics, volume or maximum speed of the machine all depends on what impression the owner wants to make on others. After all, even the simplest seven has excellent dynamics. In fact, in terms of price/quality ratio, machines with a 3-liter gasoline engine or with a V8 volume of 3.6 liters are optimal.
There are no complaints about the reliability of power units. Masters on the BMW service cannot recall even relatively weaknesses of these engines. Moreover, it is very important, BMW engines with a system of constantly changed phases of operation of the BI-Vanos inlet and exhaust valves and the Valvetronic valve lifting system are relatively calmly consuming Russian fuel. BMW assures that in the car of the car you can pour any unhealthy gasoline with an octane number from 91 to 98 (some masters even advise using the 92nd fuel, which contains less additives).
The seven in the body of the E65/66 has a diagnostic system for monitoring the technical condition of the car, which itself suggests when a visit to the service is required. Experience shows that on average, owners of the 7th series are forced to do that every 15,00020,000 km.
The gearbox in the seven is only one 6-speed automatic with the possibility of manually switching the development of ZF. The main feature of the transmission is the location of the switch selector. It is not between the driver and the passenger, but under the wheel, as in many American cars. The box is very reliable, but to date on some cars it may be killed. And here you have to be careful, because buying a new machine will require about $ 6,000, and it does not always give in to repair.
The suspension is of two types. With simple engines, traditional chassis often goes, but cars with V12 are mandatory have not only a system of continuous change in the rigidity of shock absorbers, but also the Dynamic Drive system. The latter is the so -called active stabilizers of the transverse stability, which are equipped with a hydraulic motor. Thanks to these smart stabilizers, the chips of the body in the bend are significantly reduced. A car with all these suspension bells and whistles are more comfortable in the basic configuration. Therefore, if you take the BMW 7th series with such an option, you will probably not be disappointed (all this went to cars with 6- and 8-cylinder engines and cost about $ 5500). However, there is also the flip side of the medal: after a run of 60,000100,000 km on our roads, these same stabilizers may become unusable, the replacement of which will cost at least a couple of thousand dollars. Plus, one should not forget about complex pneumatic resistance with rigidity adjustment, which also cost a lot. As for the levers, their resource in Russia is about 70,000 km (a set per wheel costs about $ 350).
The steering on the BMW 7th series in the E65/66 body has become more reliable than before. Although if the car has already passed more than 120,000 km, problems may appear here. True, the case usually does not reach the replacement of the rail. As for the steering rods, often wearing on our roads, there is nothing wrong with this, because their replacement costs only about $ 150. For such a car as the BMW 7th series, this is pennies.
FITTING
This elongated BMW 7th series was originally bought in Russia. It was used for its needs by a large businessman. Moreover, he emphasizes that he bought a car exclusively because of the design. Yes, and the comfort of the car, as well as a huge number of all kinds of bells and whistles also made the most favorable impression.
Now the car is three years old. Age for the seven is simply childish. Therefore, it is not surprising that the car has never broken. Although once at the service during the inspection, the masters had to change something in the electronic filling, but this procedure was carried out completely free. The BMW check for a service station confirmed the words of the owner of the seven is in perfect condition and does not require any investments. And there were no major accidents. Now the car is sold for $ 70,000.
EXCURSION
The first BMW of the 7th series appeared back in 1977. This model with the E23 body was equipped with a 2.8 liter and 3.5 liter carburetor engines, outstanding 170 hp. and 184 hp respectively. In 1978, the machine received an injection engine with a volume of 3.5 liters (197 hp), and in 1979 a version of 750i Turbo with a turbocharged 3.2-liter engine (252 hp) appeared.
The second generation of the BMW 7th series saw light in 1986 (E32 body). This car was already made not only in standard form, but also with an elongated wheelbase. Under the hood E32, they put engines with a volume of 3.0 liters (188 hp), 3.4 liters (211 hp or 220 hp) and 5.0 l (300 hp).
The third generation of the seven was represented in 1994. The model received the intra -factory designation E38. It was this car that has become a truly real competitor to Mercedes-Benz S-class. The machine was equipped with the following gasoline units: 2.8 liters (193 hp), 3.5 l (238 hp), 4.4 l (286 hp) and 5.4 l (326 l. With.). The diesel engines had a volume of 2.5 liters, 2.9 liters and 4.0 liters (143 hp, 193 hp and 245 hp, respectively).
Well, the premiere of the fourth generation of the BMW 7th series took place in 2001 (the elongated version was shown in 2002).
The body received the designation E65 (E66 for a model with an enlarged wheelbase). In 2005, the car underwent modernization. Currently, BMW sells sevens in the following modifications: 730i (3.0 l, 258 hp), 740i (4.0 l, 306 hp), 750i (4.8 l, 367 hp ), 760i (6.0 l, 445 hp), diesel 730d (3.0 l, 231 hp) and 745D (4.4 l, 330 hp).
It is assumed that at the end of this or early 2009, BMW will present a completely new seven.
BMW 7th series in the E65/66 body is one of the most prestigious cars in our secondary market. The price of more or less decent seeds starts at $ 40,000. Everything that is cheaper is probably not worth taking: it is easy to run into broken, stolen or frankly rolled cars. If you speak in general, the seven showed itself as a very reliable car. She has only two relatively weak places: an electrician (more precisely, a huge number of all kinds of bells and whistles that sometimes bug) and a suspension. The latter, however, quickly wear out solely due to the quality of our asphalt.
Experts
Dmitry Erokhin, General Director of the Center for Car loans, Ph.D.:
One acquaintance of the company once said that he was traveling to the BMW 7th series for only $ 3000 per month. In these words, then a different meaning of the car loan that he saw for himself sounded. A friend bought a car on credit not in order to pay money for several years and become its owner, but to afford to drive a car he likes. For him, the main criterion for choosing a car loan was the monthly payment. In fact, with the help of car loans, he took an expensive car for long -term rental.
Often, the buyer of an expensive car does not look at interest on a loan, but at monthly payments, comparing them with his income. Of course, interest on the loan plays an important role when choosing a loan, but if they are at a market level that determines the size of a monthly payment, which determines. The choice of loan period is the main factor affecting this indicator. The longer the term, the less you need to pay for the car.
The back of a long loan is the ratio between the market price of the car and the outstanding loan residue. This is especially relevant for the owner of the BMW 7th series if desired to sell the car before the expiration of the loan. Moreover, the remaining the deadline before repayment of the loan, the more the amount from the sale of the car will be given to the bank. A situation may even arise when the proceeds are not enough to pay off the amount of debt.
So, when selling a BMW of the 7th series bought from a dealer for $ 170,000 on credit for 5 years, the price of a car in three years will be $ 80,000. As a result, the debt in the amount of the loan will be $ 71,000, which is noticeably less than the price of the car. If the car was bought on credit for 7 years, the balance of the loan would be $ 102,000, and the owner of the car would have to pay $ 22,000 to the bank missing from the sale.
Therefore, when choosing a loan term, you need to focus not only on a monthly payment, but also evaluate the prospects for selling a car after a certain period. Finding the optimal balance between the monthly payment and the planned cost of selling a car corresponding to the balance of the debt is the most rational choice of loan term.
 
Denis Smolyanov
Photo author: Alexander Polunin
 
 

Source: MKOMBILA magazine [June/2008]