Rookie BMW (7 series) customer, need help to decide...

Nash73 · 01-29-2025, 10:53 AM

Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

Hi Bimmers,
I decided to venture into the BMW first time. I have owned Lexus and Audi, but new 23-25 7 series really caught my eyes, i test-drived the 760i. Inside-out loved it. But here is my question: I usually buy (finance )my vehicles and keep them up and use them a long time. This worked out clearly very well for my lexus. We also bought our E-tron, and keep using it after the term (with some battery issues thankfully covered by warranty)
Is this a good strategy for BMW? Since we already have an electric, I want a gas engine.
If so, which one do you suggest 740i or 760i. I am not crazy about the horsepower and 0-to-60 numbers, I am more of a comfort seeker. Which one of these engines are more reliable and dependable? Also other than ust the power perspective, are thera other crucial aspects to make one engine more desirable to the other..
Thank you so much in advance..I am excited and eager to get in to this car!

LuvMyE92 · 01-29-2025, 01:00 PM

Generally, with the massive depreciation and maintenance expenses out of warranty, I'll suggest that most new 7-series owners lease their cars.

The 740, with the 6 cylinder engine, is generally less prone to issues and is widely regarded as one of the best engines in the world. The car will also depreciate less (%-wise) than the V8. The V8 engine is sublime, but they tend to be problematic as they age, and because of that bad reputation, resale is worse.

The 6 also gets better gas mileage, if you care about that.

The BMW will be closer to the Audi in repair and maintenance costs than your past Toyo... er, Lexus. But it's also going to be a better driving experience.

Nash73 · 01-29-2025, 01:27 PM

Thank you for confirming the V6 engine to be one of the best engines. It seems like i will be leaning towards the 740i.
I am looking forward for any other opinions.
thanks again LuvMyE92.

007 G07 · 01-29-2025, 01:50 PM

While the fuel economy and predicted reliability of the in-line 6 cylinder in the 740i may be going for it, I think what would drive my decision towards one or the other would be the experience in term of ride quality. It's not at all to say that the 740i rides bad - no, not in the slightest.

But, the 740i does lack the availability of Autobahn package, which has features like Active Comfort Drive with Road Preview which, in my opinion and for what I look for in a 7 series, is a must. The 760i can be optioned with this, and so it would be my pick between the two.

The i7 xDrive60 M Sport would be my ultimate pick, but it seems you are considering the gasoline variants since you own an EV already.

The 7 series is amazing, so either choice would be great and can be justified with your interests and what you want from the car.

solo118 · 01-29-2025, 02:41 PM

I would say if you can get a year old car with minimal miles, you can enjoy the hit the original owner took and enjoy it for many years.

As the others have said, the 6 cylinder should be pretty reliable, that would be the one to get for the long haul. Just get an extended warranty if you can

ChairborneStranger · 01-29-2025, 06:33 PM

I'm on my third 7 series and, for me, the V8 versus V6 choice has always been about the options rather than the engine. The 740i is considered a base model for BMW and generally comes with less options, which are standard on the V8 model.

I haven't compared the 740i to the 760i in a while, but generally you don't get real leather (or it's a cheaper leather), no integral active steering, no front ventilated seats, no xDrive, etc.. Some options are available to add-on, but not all. If you compare the cost of optioning everything similarly, it's not much different to the V8 version.

Long term, the V8 isn't terrible. The early N63 engine on the 7 series was a headache, but they've fixed most of the issues long ago and the G70 uses an evolution of that engine. The worst design flaw on the last N63 revision was the coolant reservoir leaking into the injector/plug chamber causing failed injectors. Not sure if that's still a problem since I own the i7. My experience with BMW V8s has been that they benefit from new injectors/plugs/coils around 60k miles. You'll want to keep up on regular maintenance like filter and oil changes or you're asking for gummed up oil lines. There's a regular coolant and brake fluid interval and I'd probably recommend thinking about a transmission oil change earlier than the 'lifetime' recommendation (which is 100k miles), along with the transfer case and differential fluids.
Depending on gas in your area, you'll likely need a new fuel filter (which is integrated into the pump these days) by 70k or so miles. Otherwise, you may just get a few random things that need attention, but I'd avoid keeping above 100k miles since the V8s need to be dropped to do stuff like cleaning the valves and it can be very pricey. You'll also get random stuff starting to go like oil cooler lines.

If you buy at fairly low mileage, I wouldn't worry about it and just focus on the options you really want. If you don't work on your own car, it may also be a good idea to opt for extended warranties and pre-paid maintenance packages. I'd still say it's cheaper to own than any of its German competitors.

hufington · 01-30-2025, 12:10 AM

Well, both engines are reliable and powerful. 760i is addictive! (This will be my 4th consecutive BMW V8.)
When buying a luxury car at this level, the higher you can afford the better deals you'll get in terms of price/value. It depends on what features you'd like to get. Some of the things that you pay extra for in the lower trim, you get as standard in the higher trim.
The best way is playing with the configurator online to see both models and then you can get quotes from dealers and see how flexible they are with both models. Mostly, if you buy an existing vehicle from their stock, they are more likely to negotiate a lower price.
Just make a list of all features you'd want in the long run and see what makes sense. You can share the deals you get on this forum to get suggestions as well. When I was looking the last couple of months, the dealers either had bare bone black on black cars with nothing on them or weirdly optioned fully loaded cars (like 12k two-tone ugly custom color car with every available option). That's why I custom ordered my 760i.
For keeping it long term, you should definitely look into extended warranties as any little fix outside the warranty is not that little with these vehicles.

Laguna Beach · 01-30-2025, 03:57 AM

If not leasing and keeping long term I’d buy a used 1 year with 5k on it. Can save you 50k minimum and grab a CPO or put an extended warranty on it. No brainer. Have to have the newest and first on the block?, then buy new but car’s been out for a couple of years now and tons of used to chose from nationwide. Shipping anywhere is about $1000. These drop like a rock so be careful. 5k isn’t even breaking this thing in and it’s not like an M car that chances are some guy has thrashed for 5-10k miles. Demographic is pretty respectable with their cars. Good luck. 6 banger might be a little more reliable than the 8 but I’m biased since I blew up my M6 engine, hence I now have an i7 and love it.

major1 · 01-30-2025, 07:34 AM

another 7 rookie here. i went through the same decision-making process as the op; i decided on the 740. the ~$20k i 'saved' with going with the in-line 6 i put toward ordering an individual programme interiour. the 740 was plenty quick for my needs. besides, i have a p-car to muck around with if i want that sport. i ordered early january, today's it's already in the paint booth. should have it states-side by end of march? by the way - i'm a benzo convert like bimmerpost member streamliner. after 40yrs of driving s-classes, i just couldn't order another one given all their issues and silly arrogant decisions. like streamliner likes to say "i didn't leave the brand; they left me!"

Nash73 · 01-30-2025, 07:48 PM

Thank you guys, very helpful indeed..
though a V8 is tempting with all the perks, due to several factors I am leaning towards an in line V6 740 ixDrive.
I don't like the idea of a used car, but I want to own and take care of the cars i own, and want to keep it as much as I can. I know it is risky, but I probably will spend some money I saved to buy extra coverage, BMW offer upto 7 years and 125K with additional coverage.
I also checked, pretty much all options I want for 760 is also available to 740 (except the Autobahn package, which I might sacrifice.)

Again thank you all very much. Very excited to get in to one..still a long process to get there, and I will probably back here asking more during the process..

Nash73 · 01-30-2025, 07:55 PM

Did you lease or finance?
I wanted to see your deal points if financed..
Thanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by major1

another 7 rookie here. i went through the same decision-making process as the op; i decided on the 740. the ~$20k i 'saved' with going with the in-line 6 i put toward ordering an individual programme interiour. the 740 was plenty quick for my needs. besides, i have a p-car to muck around with if i want that sport. i ordered early january, today's it's already in the paint booth. should have it states-side by end of march? by the way - i'm a benzo convert like bimmerpost member streamliner. after 40yrs of driving s-classes, i just couldn't order another one given all their issues and silly arrogant decisions. like streamliner likes to say "i didn't leave the brand; they left me!"

ChairborneStranger · 01-30-2025, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laguna Beach

If not leasing and keeping long term I’d buy a used 1 year with 5k on it.

I was comparing a lease (on a 2024 760i loaner) and 1.5yr old outright purchase on an i7 x60 with ~10k miles and ended up buying outright as it was cheaper than the total cost of the lease AND I get to keep the car. I ended up paying less than half MSRP even before the Illinois $4k EV rebate.

What's funny is the lease 'deal' was through a dealer that's spoken of highly on here and they were unwilling to negotiate. Their 2024 loaner was also in an accident. No thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nash73

I don't like the idea of a used car, but I want to own and take care of the cars i own, and want to keep it as much as I can. I know it is risky, but I probably will spend some money I saved to buy extra coverage, BMW offer upto 7 years and 125K with additional coverage.

My pro-tip is to get the VIN, open an account through BMW's TIS account (BMW - Technical Information System) and run the VIN through AOS. You can run as many VINs as you want, but you pay for timed access. They list the full detailed repair history. It's a great tool to see red flags that definitely will not show up on CarFax.

I don't think any other car manufacturer does that.

2001S15 · 01-30-2025, 11:00 PM

I have had three BMW V8s - a F10 550, a F90 M5 and a G07 X7 M60i. The first and third were bought back as lemons due to engine problems.

I'm not doing BMW V8s anymore.

jha96 · 01-31-2025, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nash73

Hi Bimmers,
I decided to venture into the BMW first time. I have owned Lexus and Audi, but new 23-25 7 series really caught my eyes, i test-drived the 760i. Inside-out loved it. But here is my question: I usually buy (finance )my vehicles and keep them up and use them a long time. This worked out clearly very well for my lexus. We also bought our E-tron, and keep using it after the term (with some battery issues thankfully covered by warranty)
Is this a good strategy for BMW? Since we already have an electric, I want a gas engine.
If so, which one do you suggest 740i or 760i. I am not crazy about the horsepower and 0-to-60 numbers, I am more of a comfort seeker. Which one of these engines are more reliable and dependable? Also other than ust the power perspective, are thera other crucial aspects to make one engine more desirable to the other..
Thank you so much in advance..I am excited and eager to get in to this car!

I chose the inline 6 over the V8, much smoother and plenty of power for a comfort oriented daily and mine is fully loaded outside of TV in rear which I did not want. I love it. Ride quality is good without autobahn.

ChairborneStranger · 01-31-2025, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001S15

I have had three BMW V8s - a F10 550, a F90 M5 and a G07 X7 M60i. The first and third were bought back as lemons due to engine problems.

I'm not doing BMW V8s anymore.

Did they state what the potential issues may be? Most of BMW's V8 problems revolve around injectors. The early N63s had a lot of other issues ranging from valve seals to plastic CCVs that'd disintegrate every ~20k miles. Those were genuinely terrible engines, but the design flaws have been mostly fixed.
The newer engines have their own design flaws. By the time I traded my G12, it had extended warranties on its suspension, injectors, grill and a few other things (likely from lawsuits).

I can also confidently state that there are a LOT of bad mechanics working at BMW dealerships, as I've fixed their mistakes. My G12 had a coolant leak after visiting a dealership in California for a routine coolant flush. ...the idiot tucked the parts tag under the coolant hose's gasket, which caused a slow leak. That was on top of spilling coolant into the injector ports, which resulted in injector failures. My current car (i7) had a new windshield installed and had a constant wiper error. ...looks like the mechanic installed the silicon pad the wrong way and didn't properly clean the sensor. I can go on and on, but that's why I prefer to work on my own cars now. That said, the issues are all preventable/fixable.

major1 · 01-31-2025, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nash73

Did you lease or finance?
I wanted to see your deal points if financed..
Thanks

cash. typically.

lease. never. limited flexibility to trade out before term expiration. and i'm retired so no write off.

finance. very occasionally. and only when a finance transaction make sense that there is enough incentive money available through the captive financial service company that covers the interest expense.

the 740 x-drive deal i wrote includes $8,000 incentives before the dealer discount: $2,000 conquest incentive (coming from benzo) and $6,000 bmwfs incentive to finance. 5% rate. everything locked for 90d from the date of order. if the incentives sweeten before delivery, i get the benny; if they sour, i'm protected.

i didn't push for a lower rate because it's an immaterial factor in the overall deal as i'll pay off the loan after the brief waiting period so the dealer doesn't get bent over, and i'll be ahead of the game if i had just paid cash as i usually do due to the generous bmwfs incentive.

2001S15 · 02-01-2025, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChairborneStranger

Did they state what the potential issues may be?

F10 was a fuel system issue "Fuel system malfunction" error randomly appearing.
G07 was a quality issue with the turbochargers, among other issues. I don't have the exact detail.

I am willing to concede these are complex machines and some are duds (I work in software), but 2/3 is too risky for me. I have had various other I6/I4 BMWs and they have been flawless. I have an i7 on order.

ChairborneStranger · 02-01-2025, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001S15

F10 was a fuel system issue "Fuel system malfunction" error randomly appearing.
G07 was a quality issue with the turbochargers, among other issues. I don't have the exact detail.

I am willing to concede these are complex machines and some are duds (I work in software), but 2/3 is too risky for me. I have had various other I6/I4 BMWs and they have been flawless. I have an i7 on order.

Congrats on your i7 order! I ended up going that route just because I'm tired of spending time under the hood. I think they've worked through all the major bugs, so hoping your experience is stress-free.

To your point, the V8s are crammed under the hood with very little space. Stuff that should be easily accessible for routine maintenance...is not. I think a lot of the mechanic screw-ups I've fixed are due to BMW's engineering team not making smart choices to anticipate ease of maintenance, which mechanics are financially motivated to do in a little time as possible. Like, why isn't there a coolant drain valve if a flush is required every 2 years? Why does the coolant reservoir need to be drained and removed to change the spark plugs? In contract, these aren't problems for the I6/I4.

007 G07 · 02-01-2025, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2001S15

F10 was a fuel system issue "Fuel system malfunction" error randomly appearing.
G07 was a quality issue with the turbochargers, among other issues. I don't have the exact detail.

I am willing to concede these are complex machines and some are duds (I work in software), but 2/3 is too risky for me. I have had various other I6/I4 BMWs and they have been flawless. I have an i7 on order.

Just curious, what mileage was your G07 when it had those issues and what mileage did you keep it until?

Driver630 · 02-04-2025, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChairborneStranger

I was comparing a lease (on a 2024 760i loaner) and 1.5yr old outright purchase on an i7 x60 with ~10k miles and ended up buying outright as it was cheaper than the total cost of the lease AND I get to keep the car. I ended up paying less than half MSRP even before the Illinois $4k EV rebate.

What's funny is the lease 'deal' was through a dealer that's spoken of highly on here and they were unwilling to negotiate. Their 2024 loaner was also in an accident. No thanks!

My pro-tip is to get the VIN, open an account through BMW's TIS account (BMW - Technical Information System) and run the VIN through AOS. You can run as many VINs as you want, but you pay for timed access. They list the full detailed repair history. It's a great tool to see red flags that definitely will not show up on CarFax.

I don't think any other car manufacturer does that.

Any chance you can share the 2024 loaner you were looking at? I am in the process of exploring a 2024 loaner - I'd hate to find out I'm looking at one that was in an accident!

ChairborneStranger · 02-04-2025, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Driver630

Any chance you can share the 2024 loaner you were looking at? I am in the process of exploring a 2024 loaner - I'd hate to find out I'm looking at one that was in an accident!

It was at Knauz BMW in IL and I believe they've sold it. Very distinct Dravit Gray with the two tone caramel/gray full merino leather interior. Last I checked, the accident didn't show up on CarFax yet, but they shared a body shop quote with me and it had required a new bumper and tail light. Hopefully nobody here purchased it!

I believe this was the link: Knauz BMW - 2024 760i Loaner

SW17LS · 02-06-2025, 01:49 PM

I wound up going with the S580, but I drove all the 7s, 740, 760 and i7. To me like with the S Class the car needs the V8 to feel as grand as it should feel, or the full EV powertrain. Every time I have driven a 740 or an S500 I come away just feeling like something is missing with the whole package.

The other issue with BMW is that there are things you can't get with the 740. For instance no rear dual pane glass on the 740 or the i7 50. No availability of the autobahn package...with Mercedes an S500 or S580 can be optioned identically.

To me the most compelling 7 was the i7 but I wouldn't consider the 740 personally.

01-29-2025, 10:53 AM	#1
Nash73 Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: Lexus GS, Audi E-Tron Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Nj iTrader: (0)	Rookie BMW (7 series) customer, need help to decide... Featured on BIMMERPOST.com Hi Bimmers, I decided to venture into the BMW first time. I have owned Lexus and Audi, but new 23-25 7 series really caught my eyes, i test-drived the 760i. Inside-out loved it. But here is my question: I usually buy (finance )my vehicles and keep them up and use them a long time. This worked out clearly very well for my lexus. We also bought our E-tron, and keep using it after the term (with some battery issues thankfully covered by warranty) Is this a good strategy for BMW? Since we already have an electric, I want a gas engine. If so, which one do you suggest 740i or 760i. I am not crazy about the horsepower and 0-to-60 numbers, I am more of a comfort seeker. Which one of these engines are more reliable and dependable? Also other than ust the power perspective, are thera other crucial aspects to make one engine more desirable to the other.. Thank you so much in advance..I am excited and eager to get in to this car!
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01-29-2025, 01:00 PM	#2
LuvMyE92 Occasionally frequent poster 3307 Rep 2,860 Posts Drives: G12 740i Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: RTP NC, USA iTrader: (0)	Generally, with the massive depreciation and maintenance expenses out of warranty, I'll suggest that most new 7-series owners lease their cars. The 740, with the 6 cylinder engine, is generally less prone to issues and is widely regarded as one of the best engines in the world. The car will also depreciate less (%-wise) than the V8. The V8 engine is sublime, but they tend to be problematic as they age, and because of that bad reputation, resale is worse. The 6 also gets better gas mileage, if you care about that. The BMW will be closer to the Audi in repair and maintenance costs than your past Toyo... er, Lexus. But it's also going to be a better driving experience. __________________ Current inventory: G12 740i G80 M3 on order Past: E24,E28(3),E34,E36,E37,E38(2),E39(4),E46,E89,E92 (obviously),F01,F06,F10,F30,F87,G12,G30(2),G82(2), G29 Zupra
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01-29-2025, 01:27 PM	#3
Nash73 Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: Lexus GS, Audi E-Tron Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Nj iTrader: (0)	thx LuvMyE92 Thank you for confirming the V6 engine to be one of the best engines. It seems like i will be leaning towards the 740i. I am looking forward for any other opinions. thanks again LuvMyE92.
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01-29-2025, 01:50 PM	#4
007 G07 Private First Class 218 Rep 186 Posts Drives: '20 X7 M50i, '05 Odyssey EX-L Join Date: Oct 2022 Location: Bentonville, AR iTrader: (0) Garage List 2017 Acura TLX Adva ... [10.00] 2024 BMW Alpina XB7 [10.00] 2024 BMW iX M60 [10.00] 2020 BMW X7 M50i [10.00] 2005 Honda Odyssey ... [9.75] 2019 Mercedes-Benz ... [10.00]	While the fuel economy and predicted reliability of the in-line 6 cylinder in the 740i may be going for it, I think what would drive my decision towards one or the other would be the experience in term of ride quality. It's not at all to say that the 740i rides bad - no, not in the slightest. But, the 740i does lack the availability of Autobahn package, which has features like Active Comfort Drive with Road Preview which, in my opinion and for what I look for in a 7 series, is a must. The 760i can be optioned with this, and so it would be my pick between the two. The i7 xDrive60 M Sport would be my ultimate pick, but it seems you are considering the gasoline variants since you own an EV already. The 7 series is amazing, so either choice would be great and can be justified with your interests and what you want from the car. __________________ Retired: 2000 Daewoo Matiz RIP: 2001 Pontiac Grand Am SE GT New Recruits: ALWAYS under embargo
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01-29-2025, 02:41 PM	#5
solo118 First Lieutenant 132 Rep 369 Posts Drives: '11 335i Coupe Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: NYC iTrader: (1)	I would say if you can get a year old car with minimal miles, you can enjoy the hit the original owner took and enjoy it for many years. As the others have said, the 6 cylinder should be pretty reliable, that would be the one to get for the long haul. Just get an extended warranty if you can
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01-29-2025, 06:33 PM	#6
ChairborneStranger Private 41 Rep 90 Posts Drives: BMW i7 xDrive60, MB EQE SUV Join Date: Dec 2024 Location: IL, USA iTrader: (0)	I'm on my third 7 series and, for me, the V8 versus V6 choice has always been about the options rather than the engine. The 740i is considered a base model for BMW and generally comes with less options, which are standard on the V8 model. I haven't compared the 740i to the 760i in a while, but generally you don't get real leather (or it's a cheaper leather), no integral active steering, no front ventilated seats, no xDrive, etc.. Some options are available to add-on, but not all. If you compare the cost of optioning everything similarly, it's not much different to the V8 version. Long term, the V8 isn't terrible. The early N63 engine on the 7 series was a headache, but they've fixed most of the issues long ago and the G70 uses an evolution of that engine. The worst design flaw on the last N63 revision was the coolant reservoir leaking into the injector/plug chamber causing failed injectors. Not sure if that's still a problem since I own the i7. My experience with BMW V8s has been that they benefit from new injectors/plugs/coils around 60k miles. You'll want to keep up on regular maintenance like filter and oil changes or you're asking for gummed up oil lines. There's a regular coolant and brake fluid interval and I'd probably recommend thinking about a transmission oil change earlier than the 'lifetime' recommendation (which is 100k miles), along with the transfer case and differential fluids. Depending on gas in your area, you'll likely need a new fuel filter (which is integrated into the pump these days) by 70k or so miles. Otherwise, you may just get a few random things that need attention, but I'd avoid keeping above 100k miles since the V8s need to be dropped to do stuff like cleaning the valves and it can be very pricey. You'll also get random stuff starting to go like oil cooler lines. If you buy at fairly low mileage, I wouldn't worry about it and just focus on the options you really want. If you don't work on your own car, it may also be a good idea to opt for extended warranties and pre-paid maintenance packages. I'd still say it's cheaper to own than any of its German competitors.
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01-30-2025, 12:10 AM	#7
hufington Colonel 5208 Rep 2,025 Posts Drives: 2025 760ix Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East iTrader: (0) Garage List 2025 BMW 760i [10.00] 2024 Mercedes S580 AMG [8.00]	Well, both engines are reliable and powerful. 760i is addictive! (This will be my 4th consecutive BMW V8.) When buying a luxury car at this level, the higher you can afford the better deals you'll get in terms of price/value. It depends on what features you'd like to get. Some of the things that you pay extra for in the lower trim, you get as standard in the higher trim. The best way is playing with the configurator online to see both models and then you can get quotes from dealers and see how flexible they are with both models. Mostly, if you buy an existing vehicle from their stock, they are more likely to negotiate a lower price. Just make a list of all features you'd want in the long run and see what makes sense. You can share the deals you get on this forum to get suggestions as well. When I was looking the last couple of months, the dealers either had bare bone black on black cars with nothing on them or weirdly optioned fully loaded cars (like 12k two-tone ugly custom color car with every available option). That's why I custom ordered my 760i. For keeping it long term, you should definitely look into extended warranties as any little fix outside the warranty is not that little with these vehicles. __________________ 25 G70 760i Msport 25 RR SV E2 RETIRED BMWs: '23 F92 M8 Comp / '22 G05 X5 m50i / '18 F15 X5 50i / '16 F10 550xi / '13 BMW F10 535i / '07 E64 630i / '03 E65 745i / '95 E34 540i / '89 E30 M3 Last edited by hufington; 01-30-2025 at 12:20 AM..
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01-30-2025, 03:57 AM	#8
Laguna Beach First Lieutenant 262 Rep 339 Posts Drives: i7 M60 Sport Pro Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	If not leasing and keeping long term I’d buy a used 1 year with 5k on it. Can save you 50k minimum and grab a CPO or put an extended warranty on it. No brainer. Have to have the newest and first on the block?, then buy new but car’s been out for a couple of years now and tons of used to chose from nationwide. Shipping anywhere is about $1000. These drop like a rock so be careful. 5k isn’t even breaking this thing in and it’s not like an M car that chances are some guy has thrashed for 5-10k miles. Demographic is pretty respectable with their cars. Good luck. 6 banger might be a little more reliable than the 8 but I’m biased since I blew up my M6 engine, hence I now have an i7 and love it.
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01-30-2025, 07:34 AM	#9
major1 Enlisted Member 11 Rep 31 Posts Drives: 15 targa 4s,23 cayenne,25 740 Join Date: Apr 2024 Location: pittsburgh iTrader: (0)	another 7 rookie here. i went through the same decision-making process as the op; i decided on the 740. the ~$20k i 'saved' with going with the in-line 6 i put toward ordering an individual programme interiour. the 740 was plenty quick for my needs. besides, i have a p-car to muck around with if i want that sport. i ordered early january, today's it's already in the paint booth. should have it states-side by end of march? by the way - i'm a benzo convert like bimmerpost member streamliner. after 40yrs of driving s-classes, i just couldn't order another one given all their issues and silly arrogant decisions. like streamliner likes to say "i didn't leave the brand; they left me!"
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01-30-2025, 07:48 PM	#10
Nash73 Registered 3 Rep 4 Posts Drives: Lexus GS, Audi E-Tron Join Date: Jan 2025 Location: Nj iTrader: (0)	Thank you guys, very helpful indeed.. though a V8 is tempting with all the perks, due to several factors I am leaning towards an in line V6 740 ixDrive. I don't like the idea of a used car, but I want to own and take care of the cars i own, and want to keep it as much as I can. I know it is risky, but I probably will spend some money I saved to buy extra coverage, BMW offer upto 7 years and 125K with additional coverage. I also checked, pretty much all options I want for 760 is also available to 740 (except the Autobahn package, which I might sacrifice.) Again thank you all very much. Very excited to get in to one..still a long process to get there, and I will probably back here asking more during the process..
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01-30-2025, 11:00 PM	#13
2001S15 Private First Class 344 Rep 193 Posts Drives: 17 911 Targa / 08 S2K Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: West Coast iTrader: (0)	I have had three BMW V8s - a F10 550, a F90 M5 and a G07 X7 M60i. The first and third were bought back as lemons due to engine problems. I'm not doing BMW V8s anymore. __________________ CURRENT: 2025 i7 xDrive60 / 2024 IONIQ5 / 2017 911 Targa 4 GTS / 2008 Honda S2000 RETIRED: 2024 X7 M60i / 2019 M5 Competition, 2018 X3, 2014 Audi S6, 2011 550i, 2006 Infiniti M45, 2004 Infiniti G35C, 1993 Nissan Altima, 2001 Nissan S15 Silvia
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02-06-2025, 01:49 PM	#22
SW17LS Banned 350 Rep 442 Posts Drives: 2024 Mercedes S580 Join Date: Aug 2020 Location: Gaithersburg, MD iTrader: (0)	I wound up going with the S580, but I drove all the 7s, 740, 760 and i7. To me like with the S Class the car needs the V8 to feel as grand as it should feel, or the full EV powertrain. Every time I have driven a 740 or an S500 I come away just feeling like something is missing with the whole package. The other issue with BMW is that there are things you can't get with the 740. For instance no rear dual pane glass on the 740 or the i7 50. No availability of the autobahn package...with Mercedes an S500 or S580 can be optioned identically. To me the most compelling 7 was the i7 but I wouldn't consider the 740 personally.
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