New here - few questions on pre-LCI 740/750

raven314 · 06-01-2023, 12:53 PM

Hello all! I'm probably going to be replacing my car in the next 6-12 months, and I'm considering a 2018-2019 740 or 750. It seems the 740 engine may be a bit more solid, but it also seems much harder to find those with the options I'd like... I have a few questions and thought this might be the best place to ask (apologies if this should have gone in a different sub-forum).

What is the consensus on the best extended warranty for these? I've heard good things about the CarMax warranty, but their current inventory of 7s are mostly a little higher mileage than I'd ideally prefer.
Aesthetically, I prefer the pre-LCI grill. But I do wonder what I'm missing going with the pre-LCI car. Any major features missing for 2019 vs 2020? (I know the 750 motor was uprated in 2020, but I figure ~440 HP is more than sufficient )
It seems that not all the 7s of this generation had CarPlay. Is that right? If so, are there any good options to add it later?
I feel like I've seen conflicting information on whether remote start can be added to a pre-LCI car at the dealer. Anyone have personal experience with this?
Is the base HK stereo bad, or is it just that the B&W is so awesome the HK seems lacking in comparison? Trying to decide whether I should prioritize a car with the B&W stereo.

Thanks in advance for any info you can offer!

dc5525 · 06-02-2023, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by raven314

Hello all! I'm probably going to be replacing my car in the next 6-12 months, and I'm considering a 2018-2019 740 or 750. It seems the 740 engine may be a bit more solid, but it also seems much harder to find those with the options I'd like... I have a few questions and thought this might be the best place to ask (apologies if this should have gone in a different sub-forum).

What is the consensus on the best extended warranty for these? I've heard good things about the CarMax warranty, but their current inventory of 7s are mostly a little higher mileage than I'd ideally prefer.
Aesthetically, I prefer the pre-LCI grill. But I do wonder what I'm missing going with the pre-LCI car. Any major features missing for 2019 vs 2020? (I know the 750 motor was uprated in 2020, but I figure ~440 HP is more than sufficient )
It seems that not all the 7s of this generation had CarPlay. Is that right? If so, are there any good options to add it later?
I feel like I've seen conflicting information on whether remote start can be added to a pre-LCI car at the dealer. Anyone have personal experience with this?
Is the base HK stereo bad, or is it just that the B&W is so awesome the HK seems lacking in comparison? Trying to decide whether I should prioritize a car with the B&W stereo.

Thanks in advance for any info you can offer!

Congrats on your upcoming purchase! Yes, it is much more difficult to find a 740iX than a 750iX when I was in the market 4 years ago. I settled on 2018 740iX...to be honest the pricing of the 740 was not much less than 750 (at the time) due to what is probably supply and demand. That was pre-covid so moot point. I opted for 740 as it is a city-driving car for me only and liked better gas milage and it was loaded with all the options and the V6 is more reliable regarding maintenance than the beast turbo charged V8.

I don't do extended warranties, I self-insure. You either 'pay now' or 'pay later'. Since I bought the car and after the original warranty expired I probably had about $4500 in repairs which would have been covered by extended warranty however the cost of that plan (BMW OEM - same as original with no deductible, less hassle, etc) would have been $6,500 and would have expired in August 2023 so with 3 months left I am still 'ahead' by about $2K. That is why extended warranties are a gold mine to those that sell them.

I don't have CarPlay and to my understanding it can be added. Remote start I am not sure.

The HK sound system is amazing.

Happy Shopping keep us posted on progress!

raven314 · 06-04-2023, 10:16 AM

Thanks so much for the response! Glad to hear the HK stereo sounds good, and great points on the benefits of self-insuring as well. Thanks again!

jokerswld34 · 06-04-2023, 08:24 PM

On pre LCI cars you can add Carplay and it works well. However you cannot add remote start. You only get remote start functionality with ID7 which can only be upgraded to with extensive parts changes on the infotainment system. Someone on this forum did it successfully but it was fairly expensive and involved.

Other than the change of exterior looks of the LCI car and ID7, there isn't too difference. I know the sound deadening was enhanced in the wheel wells and pillars to make the interior quieter. I’m not sure about engine enhancements but I’m sure there are minor updates to certain engines. If you aren’t a fan of the LCI exterior and don’t mind ID6, you’ll be happy with the pre LCI.

Danyal.N55 · 06-05-2023, 01:10 AM

When it comes to the Pre-LCI to LCI there’s a Handful of Difference(s):
1. The Harman Kardon Sound System is not Quite Audiophile Quality of Sound but the 9 Band Equalizer means you can fine-tune the song. (Keep in mind it’s a 600w System not a 464w System like LCI Cars)

2. For Apple CarPlay Support you **MUST** Have a 2017+ Model Year 7 Series to be compatible with Apple CarPlay. I bought it off of BMW ConnectedDrive for 300 Bucks and you can use Bimmercode to make it Full Screen.

3. The Extended Warranty in my Opinion is a good Idea as unexpected Repairs will Occur. This does not show the car is Unreliable but it goes to show the Vehicle has Many Electrical Components and what not and also you can Get a free BMW Display Key with a Extended Warranty. (You can get as many as your Heart Desires)

4. The looks between Pre-LCI and LCI Are Controversial I strongly recommend you see both cars in-Person. Paint and the spec make a huge difference when it comes to Looks, Now My personal take is: The Back looks Amazing but the Front big Grille fits the X7 better as there’s more room to the 7 Series.

Now with the Display Key it’s 70 Dollars a Year to have all Functional items Active but to Summon the car you have to have specific options.

I hope this all Helps! Cheers and Congratulations on The Future Flagship!

raven314 · 06-09-2023, 04:40 PM

Thanks so much everyone for the great info! This is very helpful.

edojac · 06-10-2023, 03:42 PM

Hi.

Exciting!
Here my point of view.

1. If taking the 750i I would recommend the upgraded engine post LCI (530 hp) because it is (even) more reliable. The pre-LCI has (e.g.) a quite common coolant system leakage problem which is now solved with the upgraded engine.

2. On Apple Car Play you should be able to retroactively activate it even with a 2016 model (my model and I did it) - but good to check - if it appears in the ConnectedDrive website then you can do it.

3. Lane keep and LIDAR: it may be my car but I think the ID7 version (and all related SW) from 2018 is better. My LIDAR/Lane keep is not as accurate. So if you want to go for a pre-LCI version (and don´t mind the engine risks of point 1.) - I perceived a difference in performance between the LIDAR/lane keep software from 2018/ID7 which was better than the 2016/ID6.

4. HK vs B&W. I do not know how the HK performs on the G11 - I recently tried it on a brand new 850i and it was nowhere near the B&W I have on the 2016 7series. HK is a good system. But if you care about sound and immersive experience, I would go for the B&W.

These opinions are based on my direct experience by driving the following cars:
2016 G11 750i (my car)
2018 G11 740i, 740d, 740e
2021 G11 LCI 750i

Hope it helps.

06-01-2023, 12:53 PM	#1
raven314 Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: Lincoln Continental Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: St. Louis metro iTrader: (0)	New here - few questions on pre-LCI 740/750 Hello all! I'm probably going to be replacing my car in the next 6-12 months, and I'm considering a 2018-2019 740 or 750. It seems the 740 engine may be a bit more solid, but it also seems much harder to find those with the options I'd like... I have a few questions and thought this might be the best place to ask (apologies if this should have gone in a different sub-forum). What is the consensus on the best extended warranty for these? I've heard good things about the CarMax warranty, but their current inventory of 7s are mostly a little higher mileage than I'd ideally prefer. Aesthetically, I prefer the pre-LCI grill. But I do wonder what I'm missing going with the pre-LCI car. Any major features missing for 2019 vs 2020? (I know the 750 motor was uprated in 2020, but I figure ~440 HP is more than sufficient ) It seems that not all the 7s of this generation had CarPlay. Is that right? If so, are there any good options to add it later? I feel like I've seen conflicting information on whether remote start can be added to a pre-LCI car at the dealer. Anyone have personal experience with this? Is the base HK stereo bad, or is it just that the B&W is so awesome the HK seems lacking in comparison? Trying to decide whether I should prioritize a car with the B&W stereo. Thanks in advance for any info you can offer!
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06-04-2023, 10:16 AM	#3
raven314 Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: Lincoln Continental Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: St. Louis metro iTrader: (0)	Thanks so much for the response! Glad to hear the HK stereo sounds good, and great points on the benefits of self-insuring as well. Thanks again!
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06-04-2023, 08:24 PM	#4
jokerswld34 First Lieutenant 161 Rep 342 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW M760li Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: MA iTrader: (1) Garage List 2019 BMW M760i [0.00]	On pre LCI cars you can add Carplay and it works well. However you cannot add remote start. You only get remote start functionality with ID7 which can only be upgraded to with extensive parts changes on the infotainment system. Someone on this forum did it successfully but it was fairly expensive and involved. Other than the change of exterior looks of the LCI car and ID7, there isn't too difference. I know the sound deadening was enhanced in the wheel wells and pillars to make the interior quieter. I’m not sure about engine enhancements but I’m sure there are minor updates to certain engines. If you aren’t a fan of the LCI exterior and don’t mind ID6, you’ll be happy with the pre LCI.
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06-05-2023, 01:10 AM	#5
Danyal.N55 Private First Class 69 Rep 186 Posts Drives: BMW X5 and BMW 7 Series Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: Houston Texas iTrader: (0) Garage List 2017 BMW 740i [10.00]	When it comes to the Pre-LCI to LCI there’s a Handful of Difference(s): 1. The Harman Kardon Sound System is not Quite Audiophile Quality of Sound but the 9 Band Equalizer means you can fine-tune the song. (Keep in mind it’s a 600w System not a 464w System like LCI Cars) 2. For Apple CarPlay Support you MUST Have a 2017+ Model Year 7 Series to be compatible with Apple CarPlay. I bought it off of BMW ConnectedDrive for 300 Bucks and you can use Bimmercode to make it Full Screen. 3. The Extended Warranty in my Opinion is a good Idea as unexpected Repairs will Occur. This does not show the car is Unreliable but it goes to show the Vehicle has Many Electrical Components and what not and also you can Get a free BMW Display Key with a Extended Warranty. (You can get as many as your Heart Desires) 4. The looks between Pre-LCI and LCI Are Controversial I strongly recommend you see both cars in-Person. Paint and the spec make a huge difference when it comes to Looks, Now My personal take is: The Back looks Amazing but the Front big Grille fits the X7 better as there’s more room to the 7 Series. Now with the Display Key it’s 70 Dollars a Year to have all Functional items Active but to Summon the car you have to have specific options. I hope this all Helps! Cheers and Congratulations on The Future Flagship! __________________ Danyal.N55
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06-09-2023, 04:40 PM	#6
raven314 Registered 0 Rep 3 Posts Drives: Lincoln Continental Join Date: Jun 2023 Location: St. Louis metro iTrader: (0)	Thanks so much everyone for the great info! This is very helpful.
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06-10-2023, 03:42 PM	#7
edojac New Member 11 Rep 18 Posts Drives: BMW 2016 750i & 2018 M760i Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0) Garage List 2018 BMW M760Li xDrive [0.00] 2016 BMW 750i xDrive [0.00]	Hi. Exciting! Here my point of view. 1. If taking the 750i I would recommend the upgraded engine post LCI (530 hp) because it is (even) more reliable. The pre-LCI has (e.g.) a quite common coolant system leakage problem which is now solved with the upgraded engine. 2. On Apple Car Play you should be able to retroactively activate it even with a 2016 model (my model and I did it) - but good to check - if it appears in the ConnectedDrive website then you can do it. 3. Lane keep and LIDAR: it may be my car but I think the ID7 version (and all related SW) from 2018 is better. My LIDAR/Lane keep is not as accurate. So if you want to go for a pre-LCI version (and don´t mind the engine risks of point 1.) - I perceived a difference in performance between the LIDAR/lane keep software from 2018/ID7 which was better than the 2016/ID6. 4. HK vs B&W. I do not know how the HK performs on the G11 - I recently tried it on a brand new 850i and it was nowhere near the B&W I have on the 2016 7series. HK is a good system. But if you care about sound and immersive experience, I would go for the B&W. These opinions are based on my direct experience by driving the following cars: 2016 G11 750i (my car) 2018 G11 740i, 740d, 740e 2021 G11 LCI 750i Hope it helps.
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