Howdy.

Thinking about changing to a big old 740i. the seller has it down as a Sport. There was a Sport model in the US, and it had a slippy diff as standard, as well as a lower final drive.

Does anyone know was there a 740i Sport model in the UK, and did it have a diff?

And of course, if anyone is interested in my motor, see my signature

TJ

There was a Sport model of the e38 available in the last few years of the model, from around '98 I think.  The main differences were the sport suspension, 18" Parallels (as per late e34 M5) and sports seats.  Don't think it had a slippy diff though.

http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14141-1113609,00.html - http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14141-1113609,00 .html

HAS marrige etc..made you change to a good sport saloonLOL LOL

ONLY MESSIN TJ

Tis a 98 "Sport" that tickles my fancy, Derg. The US Sport had a limmo ( http://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/roadtests/pdf/2001_11_five_star_sedans.pdf - http://www.roadandtrack.com/reviews/roadtests/pdf/2001_11_fi ve_star_sedans.pdf ), but dunno did the UK one.

Do ya think the seller would mind if I jacked up both sides and turned the back wheels?  (And would this work with an Auto box?)

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=526168 - http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car& carID=526168  tasty bus

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=505205hand - http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car& carID=505205hand money

Dont know the answer to your question, but it's gonna be juicy on the fuel and tax!  But I guess you know that.

Must be a silky smooth drive though.

Sure jack it up on the diff, spin a wheel and find out, damn thing might have being spec'ed with an LSD or if the owner allows do a donut on tarmac and count your rings !!! ( more fun with the latter....)  

TJ - is it the one in Clare on Carzone?  If so, then its an original Irish car and is doubtfully a Sport.  It has the right wheels but the seats don't look like the Sport variety.

@ dergside - yup the one on Carzone. Rang him. He thinks it's a sport cos of the M steering wheel, the Parallels, & the M badge on the back. When I asked about the diff he didn't know what I was on about. He says tis an ex-demo irish car & he's 3rd owner. Just NCT'd. Looks savage inside & out.

I'm kinda tempted, but would miss a diff & manual. And i'd spend more time in the petrol forecourt (though with a near 100L tank, maybe not so much time as money)

TJ, how much fun is a 740 going to be at Mondello? That must be two tonnes and its a cruiser. Even with an lsd it would be a pig. Also I'd be sure the brakes would melt after two laps. If you're doing a lot of commuting buy a cheap car or van. I'm changing job soon and will have a company car. If I wasn't I'd be buying another '98/'99 Ford Fiesta. Great little car. Simple, cheap and fun to drive.

I've always been tempted by a 7 series or audi A8 but I'm too young. It would just look like I was driving my dads car. Keep a look out for a 540i manual sport spec if you want to go bigger.

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=510351 - http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car& carID=510351

same colour,half the price! just buy alloys.....728

@ Alex: I'd be the opposite to you. The fact I'm doing miles means I WANT (well, am 25% considering..) a big cruiser, not something cheap / van etc.. whats the point in suffering more in something that's noisy, unsafe, and unpleasant to drive for the sake of a few quid? I want something big, refined, very safe, that'll allow me to drive for 3hrs, do a days work, and then drive 3hrs home with as little stress as possible.

The 740i ticks those boxes. I've had the use of my brothers 735i before and it was nice to punt along the back roads too. It wouldn't be much use around Mondello though. SO I'd have to chuck a towbar onto it for the car trailer & do up a trackcar. The thing is I dunno do I have time & funds for that. So I'm in a bit of turmoil, as I've been for a while about the trade-offs that my motoring entails. I'd miss working a manual box too when the going got twisty. E39 M5 seems the answer, but tis out of budget @ the mo. Ditto E46 M3.

And my M3 isn't bad for what i'm doing now either! Tis just after Wednesdays repeat commute up to Wexford in rank conditions, then sitting in Waterford Quay traffic for 40 mins with a tired left leg, and a winter of similar driving and 3 projects in Gorey/Enniscorthy on the go that'll occupy the next 2-3yrs, you begin to ponder these things.

Sometimes I wish i had a 9-5 office-based job. Until I look @ the expenses claims

Why dont you just keep the e36?? I was going to buy one purely for the fact that they are an all rounder as well as a sports car, but having not had one on a long journey are they not suitable??

I presume its for comfort you want to change yeah because the 740 will probably be doing the same or less mpg to the m and similar if not more expensive to run,

As alex suggested how about a late 535i/540i sport??

Done the E34 thing for over 50k

There's already an Alfa in the family (my wife has a 156 Sportwagon) and one is enough. We had 2 for a while & it was a disaster!

QX? Good God, Brendan....

Omega.. not a bad motor.

The M3 is a great alrounder Ben. But a 740i would be potentially alot sweeter for the majority of my motoring.

I'm only thinking out loud here too, lads. I'm always debating, regardless of how much I love the car I have!! I know come next april when the trackdays kick off, I'll be hankering after an M3 again.

Essentially, I need a Lotto win (Euro preferably) and a stable of cars.

And on a great note, my motor just sailed through the NCT. On a less great note, a bird shat on my head as I was crossing the road. But it hasn't dented my good form. (my B/H weekend started this morning)

I was wonderin' how long it'd take ya!

Not so much go, but alot cheaper to run. Window tint is a bit OTT, and I'm not too gone on the black interior. It'd posibly give me more wedge to get a track car though... hmmm

I was discussing with the missus, and she told me i was mad, that I should just buy an M-coupe next year when I can afford it, and then use hers for all the big miles stuff.

And was out in bros 735i there and was left a bit sad that that being refreshed and comfy might be the only thrill I'd get out of my main car.

So many ideas, so little money! Cheers for the input lads!

Leave it @ the 'Ring, eh Beemerfan?! Did ya see the gaff that's for sale on Ben Lovejoys Ring site? Tis for nothing, relatively speaking and considering the size of the garage. You'd make a decent few quid renting to Ringers...

Hi TJ,

Having one for the past 6 months - the big 7 is not a "fun" car as it is just under 2 ton - but it "eats up" motorway miles in a very comfortable and quiet cabin - the standard 740i poodles along at 75 to 80 mph doing about 2300 rpm so it good to listen to the radio in a relaxed atmosphere, yet when you want the power drop a gear or so, press the right foor and lsiten the v8 growl

ASAIK the sport model had a higher ratio diff so would be doing a few more revs at that speed - but I dont know if it was a lsd.

I get 22 mph average (26 on motorways and about 18 in town) without being too heavy on right foot.

The auto box while good is not half as engaging as a manual so I woudl deffinately want to have another car "for fun"

reliable,size of a bus and a legend! at affordable price

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=526825 - http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car& carID=526825

Thanks for those figures, Woody.

@ Bimmer - not a bad notion but I want something newer & less exposure to large catastrophic failure than a 14yr old Legend.

Saw a super tasty '00 728i Sport with 82k on a UK site, for stg£7,500: that's €15,467 in & cleared. Not bad at all.

Problem is, I saw a 99 Westfield for the same money & that got me thinking in another 2 car direction!

I best stop posting before ye think I'm skitzo.