johnythefish

Hey, thanks guys for your answers to my questions. While the last reply remedy sounds bazar (I looked at the link) and by trade I am a electronics tech. It doesn't make sense I will give the suggestions a try. As for the tyres I am taking car to a tyre shop in New Plymouth on Friday, he wants to see car and rims before doing anything else for me. Cheers guys. will let you know how I get on

Good afternoon, all you folks. I finally (about 6mths ago) bought a 740i. Super pleased with it, beautiful car to drive. It came with a few minor problems......no surprises there! However after feeling pretty chuffed with myself after fixing the screen washer pump, and leaky sunroof drains. I hadn't used car much since moving down to the North Taranaki. Suddenly I lost drivers side control of passengers window/mirror and it no longer locks/unlock with remote. I'm picking with 3 separate faults on one door, it 'might' be something common, maybe a broken cable between door to body of car. But before I start pulling the car to bits, I wonder if any of you very nice folk have ever heard or experienced something like this on a BMW. One other quick question......the drivers door lock/unlock is temperamental, in so much as sometimes the mechanism works (button pops up) and sometimes it doesn't, any idea's before I pull driver's door panel off? (while I still can!) with the door open. Ok and just one more question; Really needs a set of tyres, the car came with a set of BMW 18" staggered rims (rear wheels wider) now while this looks sexy.......to me anyway, I seems to pose a problem with tyre shops. Presently car has 235/50R18 on all rims. The door information sticker indicates 18" rims to be 255/50R18 (rear I guess) and 235/50R18 (front I guess) I'm no expert, and don't have a load of money to spend on tyres, and it would be nice if front and rear sets could swapped (side to side, not diagonally) for tyre wear, if its a problem then maybe all the same size tyres. But all The tyre shops have had visited so far have given me the crossed arms tut....tut response "I'll have to order those in" stuff. Appreciate any advice, cheers in advance

Hey thanks guys for your sugestions, getting the car scanned is going to be a bit tricky now(especially before I pay the guy the balance). I live in the South Waikato, and the car is in Whitianga, and I plan to pick up this next Friday. At the least a 3.5hr drive, I personally don't know anyone with a scanner (but maybe I should get to!) I'll just try cleaning ICV and check for any air leaks first I suppose. Just as a thought, the guy had just.....like just. fitted a new battery, its not the car "learning some new sh*t" perhaps, or is that just wishfull thinking. Is it advisable to not to leave key in ignition, when I do the cleaning of MAF or ICV etc? I was reading a post on here earlier, and that was an important thing to do, or not to do, however you read it! Cheers

Hello guys and gals, finally did it and bought a early E38 with the M60 motor. I havent picked car up yet, but when car started sounds all good nice and sweet, but noticed the idle speed varying (idle is smooth) Took car for a blast.....whoo! stopped back at sellers house, left engine running, popped bonnet again. Idle still varying, its only speeding up a little, allmost like A/C coming in and out, but had turned A/C off all this time. I did do some googling on the issue, and seems to point to the ICV or the intake hose, but the symptons discribed nearly allways start with "idle rough" whereas this nice and smooth. Any ideas? I have commited to buying this car, it is twenty years old but doesn't look like it. And it comes with the bits I wanted! Thanks in advance for any help/advice

Hi; I'm still looking for my ideal bmw. Haven't written off the 2001 728 with the drivers door that can't be opened. But my sights are now on a 1998 735iL with a transmission fault. Apparantly the car has decided its got a transmission fault, and is in "emegency mode" only 4th gear availiable, I am unable to view car. Just an idea, but is this likely to a real auto transmission fault, or just a sensor/electrical fault. Yes the car is a Singapore import, about 130,000kms. Hasn't been used for nearly 2 years, reg on hold. Any "sensable" advice would be welcome, I will end with one of these E38's soon. Just I really fancy the LWB versions. Cheers in advance

Hey; thanks for the quick replie's. Glen; I'm in Tokoroa, and the car is in Dargaville. Matt S; I like your second suggestion for the "brake sensor problem" Cheers guys

Good morning gents/ladies Last weekend I had a look at a 2001 728i I am thinking about buying, apart from a few silly things the car good looks and sounds good except the drivers door cant be opened from inside or outside, the inside opening lever seems a bit (soft) and not fully returning to its at rest position. The remote central locking hasn't worked for some time (I'm told). So without the door open I cant remove door panel, to check/repair. Anybody else had this problem? Also the guy has had new front rotors and changed all disc pads on vehicle, but can't reset the "check brake linings" on display. Can that only be reset by someone with the bmw stuff? Was about to make a silly offer of about $1250 less than he's asking, but then found my wife the assistant driver (to drive one the vehicles back home) in no fit state (too many bourbons). So just went home moody again.

Good morning folks; thanks for words and advice, and will take them on board. Hope to view a couple more this weekend, (even her indoors is warming to the idea now) they do represent a lot a car for your money I know. There is a lot of information on these cars out there, this is a good site http://www.meeknet.co.uk/E38/Index.htm All of the ones I have been keeping close eye on I get the last 7 charactors of the vin# (from carjam)and search the car on the bmw archive website (ok its in german) but mostly translated to english, here I get all the factory options it came with etc. And most importantly the date of manufacture (Its surpising how many people think there car is newer than it really is) I'm not to fearful of the electrics/electronics, and most mechanical jobs. But I have no exprience with the complicated vanos stuff (might have soon though.... aye!) Cooling system, that is a good one to watch out for yes, with all the plastic bits going brittle. I am however very experienced with the cooling system on the toymotor 3ltr (1kzte) diesel vans. I will let you know how I get on, thanks again; John (see thats me being nice!)

Thats better all my new BMW mates!....There is nothing I ike more than a bit of sarcasum (piss taking for the other ones) Ha Ha, Hey "the juggernaunt" Yeah I did!....Jezz I loved the interior, what a combination of interior colours. But what a banger of a motor, was going to offer $5k after test drive (no warrant) and a strange whine when car in motion (I'm picking from transmission) or do they just do that? And then heard that motor, walked away at that moment (and that was hard!) and yes it did have an electric rear blind! later that night offered $4K via email, that was accepted, but.....still too far away to diagnose properly, if needs cam guides etc + tyres wern't that flash for a warrant. Car could end up costing more than its worth $6k-$8K So let the seller know, and gave up on that one. Anyway you knobs, I havn't as yet parted with my cash. Now have a 2001 728i about half the k's for about $1k more as well in my sights, but its like in alaska/dargaville or somewhere like that. However I also have a "slighty biased mate" who lives up there and will take it for a spin and listen for any cold start up and "nasty warmed up" noises, and just make sure its all the same colour. Nothing pisses me of more than a slightly different shade of paint on one panel (this car may have that on the passenger front door) And its the same silver as the missuses 318, so that has to be sign, since I have some touch-up and a aerosol made up of that colour. Anyway thanks for the "POSITIVE" advice. Me and that blind.....well thats anouther story. Ok now time for a nana nap, I think they were about $165k new...ok ok I'm going

Well....I was hopeing for some nice things to be said about my new car. However, these are the twin vanos motors (which in grandad terms) can get you upto 37mpg. So can afford to drive it everywhere/everyday, not just....how do you put it? "the Sunday cruiser". I have owned 4 seven series (there the ones I love) The E23 735i I owned in the uk, was a little scarry at 160MPH on the M6 near Coventry once, the E32 730i I have owned here in NZ i got me more speeding tickets than I care to remember, that was a few years back mind. Have also had a 1978 728 and a 1979 733i (re-built the motor in that one) both in the uk. So I tend to think that ALL of the seven series are THE ultilmate driving machines.Ok I know the 2000/2001 728i even with its pussy little motor may need a little more squirt up the hills etc.....but who cares! its still a BMW, And at the end of the production run, they all came with all of the bells & whistles. And yes its from singapore (show me one that isn't!) The 735iL I drove last week sounded like a bag of nails! I reckon she might still just give me that car, just get rid of it!.........Anyway this car has an electric rear blind! I might just have to go and have a wank over that! But hey guys, I do value your thoughts and suggestions. Cheers John

attention to? It has just over 200k's clocked. According to seller "has been meticualasy maintained" I have decided not to go with the 735iL I was looking at. Just asking of anything I should be looking out for. Thanks in advance for any help

Hi; noisey idle when hot. Unable to check oil filler cap etc as were about 3hrs away, thanks for you help

Ah Ah; I'm very new to this website, and have just found the right section to ask my first question, I took the above mentioned car for a test drive last Sunday. The car hasn't had a lot of use lately, it was parked in a yard, I was standing buy the drivers door when the seller started the motor....it did sound a bit "harsh" on start up, but wasn't to worried about that, it certinally didn't sound as bad as when I returned back after a 20min or so drive. I was about to make an offer, when I heard this hell of a noise from the motor, the best description I think would be it sounded like a diesel. I'm pretty sure I would have heard it, if it was that noisey when I backed it out (of a reasonably tight area) when the motor was cold. I have been looking at getting anouther seven series, so have done a lot of on line research, and looked/driven a few of them lately. At that point, I lost all intrest and came back home After doing a bit more reseach, from what I gather it could be cam chain guides/vanos or both....or if I'm dead lucky maybe a oil change and a good trashing. I normally do all repairs/maintenance on all the vehicles I've ever owned (+ the families) These one is a bit spooky though, if I need any special tools etc. So after a few stiff ones sent the seller an email, with what I thought was a silly offer, and she has accecpted it. I have been advised by a independant bmw agent, NOT to drive it all the way back from Auckland to Tokoroa, so have had a quote to get it transported down here (which is very reasonable) I would then plan to remove sump first, and hopefully find no plastic bits in the pan. The weird thing is (as I remember) is it didn't sound too bad when it was cold, has anybody got any suggestions/ideas. Anybody had the same problem? I really do like the car, and its interior colour scheme, but also don't want to loose too much $$$. Am prepared to do a vanos or cam chain guides job maybe. Just as note the present owner has looked after the car, and spent quite a bit on maitenance over the years I hope that kiind of makes sense, I know its a bit of a gamble.....but I just love this particular car, and her indoors is slowly getting the hump over this. Cheers in advance, John

Hey guys thanks for that advice. I have offered 4k and its pretty much a done deal........but you know when you see something, and you know; I have to have it, well this is the car. Blue mettalic, with pearlbeige leather. Ok no sunroof, I can live with that......but when the boot opens and closes at a touch of a button......thats just horny. Might sound like a bag of nails, but that boot in just so sexy. Anyway I will give it anouther sleepless night, or is that just my throbing fingers.... a word advise to you all....never never put your hand where the blades of a ride on lawnmower are, even when youv'e dis-engaged the blade drive, and the horrible noise stops. lifes full of surprises I suppose.

Ok you guys, I'll make a small confession, this is a copy/paste of a disscusion I started on the community forum on Trade Me, earlier today. I am stalling the seller of this vehicle at the moment, we have almost sorted a price out. I have a price for getting car from Auckland to Tokoroa I am happy with. I need to go and clean up right now for a Lions club meeting tonight. But would like maybe some of your ideas on this, hopefully meeting won't go on for too long. and I can elaborate a bit more later. But either need to pay for car, or be fair and let them know...anyway here goes:...... "Hi; I have a passion for the seven series bmw's. Yesterday I test drove a car with the above motor. After the drive, and just before making an offer I noticed how noisy the motor was (sounds like a deisel). Noise is coming mainly from front of motor. I have done loads of searching on this problem, the worst case would be the cam chain guides are stuffed. I normally would undertake most repairs on all of the vehicles I have owned (and the rest of the families cars!) But this one needs some special tools, I have had a "over the phone verbal" guesstimate of up to $2500 from a bmw independant service agent, and told DONT drive it back from Auckland to Tokoroa! Now, when the car was first started from cold, I was outside the car, but not at the front, and it was in an enclosed yard area, and as I recall I didn't hear the noise it was making after a 20min or so drive, so I am wondering maybe its not the cam chain guides. As anyone had a simaler problem like this. I am considering making a silly offer, and getting transported to home, where I can drop the sump and hopefully I don't find any bits of plastic guide. It might be something else (change of oil/flush maybe) Car hasn't had hardly any use lately. Thanks in advance," I hope that kiind of makes sense, I know its a bit of a gamble.....but I just love this particular car and its interior colour scheme, maybe a bit "blingy" but classie to, and her indoors is slowly getting the hump over this. Cheers in advance, John