740i headlights

Hi all, I have a UK reg 740i RHD that I have taken to France.

Re importing the car I need to change the dip beam of the headlights.

Anyone got any 'cost-effective' ways of doing this?

If it is an E32 (model change E32 >E38 was in 1994), then you just have to loosen 3 screws at the back of the headlights and turn the reflector to the other end in the slot, tighten the 3 screws, voila.. you have the French version or continental version. For the E32 it is even shown in the owners manual.

Have you already checked the owners manual  

Thanks to all who replied, but I think I may, and I do stress may, have found a solution.

With everyone talking about the solutions to this problem on the E32, I thought I would check a bit more thoroughly in the back of the headlamp units.

I THINK I've found a thumbwheel control which appears to alter something within the dip-beam headlight. It's a pale grey thumbwheel in the back of the dipped beam light - but accessed from the side of the main beam.

I will test tonight when it gets dark, to ensure the 'flare' now goes to the right, as opposed to the English driving left.

Will confirm after test.

Thanks again to all,

Hi all, just to confirm - I HAVE solved my headlight dipping problem !!

The little wheel I refered to earlier has the effect of cutting out the left hand flare - so what I now have is a flat, straight dipped-beam.

That should be good enough for the French authorities, so now I'm good to go.

Cheers again to all contributors

Hi Andy, you understand that with regard to costs I can only quote ( with authority) prices in France, but would like to help in any way I can.

Re: Insurance - because you can buy a 740i E38 which is more than 10 yrs old that has a bearing on insurance costs; My car is a 1995 build, it costs approx £450pa fully comp. That doesn't seem too bad to me, but you must decide.

If you go for an earlier model they are 4.4 ltr and as such higher insurance.

I use my car for country road runs so I'm not going too quick usually, re mpg I average 25 but on motorway runs it's nearer 30. Obviously not economical but not atrocious for a 4ltr v8?!

To drive it it's beautiful, my car has the adaptive auto which is good but I suspect the steptronic is even better. Avail from 1996.

Overall I don't think this will be an expensive car (of it's type) to run.

Hope this helps

Dave

As you probably know far better than me Andy, Full service history is of paramount importance, and I don't just mean a stamped up book - you want to be able to see BM dealer invoices for work done.

You're also probably aware about the early v8's and the Nikasil bores problem (apparently sulpher in the fuel caused it!). If the block has been replaced then that is good news, but there were at least 2 replacement strategies: 1. In the early days of the problem dealers merely fitted new, but still Nikasil blocks, so theoretically the problem could return; 2. Later, once BM had identified a solution, they fitted Alusil blocks.

There are ref no's on the casting, hope the following is useful:

"How do you tell which material is in your short block ? That part is fairly easy. But it requires getting under the right front of the car. All M60 and M62 blocks have casting numbers on the right side, directly alongside the 3rd cylinder, slightly above the coolant drain bolt.

These are the casting numbers to look for:

Nikasil M60B30    1 725 970 or 1 741 212
Nikasil M60B40    1 725 963 or 1 742 998
Alusil M60B30     1 745 871
Alusil M60B40     1 745 872
Alusil M62B44     1 745 873

NOTE, all US market M62 engines are Alusil."

Please note I'm not pretending to be an authority on this matter, it's just that I had to do some ferreting around for my own peace of mind and this is just what I came across.

Cheers and good luck

Hi Andy, assuming it's an E38, £2000 doesn't seem that cheap.

I bought mine, a 740i for £3000 but it has a phenominal service history and it's 1 owner from new!

I think the pixel business might be pricey to fix.

The rust on the rear wheel arches is not uncommon. Mine has the start of some, on the offside.

If you get the chance try a 4 or 4.4 ltr, or even a V12 5ltr - then you might percieve a real difference between the E38 & E38