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      02-05-2013, 01:29 PM   #1
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Review of the 2013 740i (loaner)

My 750Li has been in the shop for about 14 days now - one problem after another. My dealership is very busy and often does not have BMW's to loan, so I started off in a Rav4, 'upgraded' to a Subaru Outback (not a bad car!) - they felt bad for me so I eventually got a E92 328, the days kept adding up so they gave me a Active Hybrid 5 - and yesterday they finally broke down and gave me a 2013 740i.

I absolutely love this car. Having once owned a 2012 F10 535i and getting bored with it after a month I was unsure about the power plant in the 740's. I always assumed they would be woefully under powered. I was totally wrong, this car has more than adequate power, a good balance in the handling and the 8 speed transmission feel leagues better (somehow) than the one in my old F10. This car also has the LED headlamps which I am in love with - I will miss them when my car is out of the shop. The light output is sensational, you can really tell a dramatic difference in light distribution and beam dimension.

There's no real point to this post except to share with other N63 owners that the 740i should not be seen as a compromise. Instead I feel it's a very practical way to package a 7 series for someone that just wants to drive and doesn't necessarily need to always be first across the intersection.
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      02-05-2013, 07:34 PM   #2
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I personally love the thrill of destroying most cars off the line driving such a big car, so I don't think I could ever have the smaller engine. I bought the activehybrid 7 not for the better fuel efficiency but for the fact that it's just a split second slower than a b7 with the added "hybrid" hp to each his own though
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      03-11-2013, 10:11 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itschase View Post
There's no real point to this post except to share with other N63 owners that the 740i should not be seen as a compromise. Instead I feel it's a very practical way to package a 7 series for someone that just wants to drive and doesn't necessarily need to always be first across the intersection.
The 740i is only 242lbs heavier than the 535i, so most drivers shouldn't feel the difference (it's like hauling a fat girlfriend around). BMW does do a great job at making you feel like you're driving a ligther car. The 740Li xDrive on the hand, is 450lbs heavier compared to the 535i. It feels like a yatch, but it's still fun to drive.

I've been trying to justify the purchase of a 7 for over 6mos. I test drove every model (no B7 yet), even took a couple home for the weekend. I really love the 7, but for some odd reason, I can't let me F10 535i go. I never had issues with short term relationships with my cars (keeping them for 6mos or less), but I had my F10 for 2yrs now.

What cause you to pull the trigger to make the switch?
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      03-11-2013, 10:24 PM   #4
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Doesn't the N55 engine in the 7 produce more power than it does in the 5 series? I wonder if that extra 10% more power makes it feel similar to the 5 series. As JNoSol says, if the 740 is only 242 pounds heavier, I bet the power to weight is almost exactly the same.

I bet thats part of the reason BMW has upgraded the v8's power so that the 750 can keep up with the 550.
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      03-12-2013, 08:25 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frieseke View Post
Doesn't the N55 engine in the 7 produce more power than it does in the 5 series? I wonder if that extra 10% more power makes it feel similar to the 5 series. As JNoSol says, if the 740 is only 242 pounds heavier, I bet the power to weight is almost exactly the same.

I bet thats part of the reason BMW has upgraded the v8's power so that the 750 can keep up with the 550.
315hp, so 15hp more. However, same tq of 300lb. You can always get a 740 with Tuning, which can give a stock V8 a run for its money.
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