What would you pay for it?

[tpluth]

2001 750iL Sport, Comfort Seats, WS/MKIII Nav, 18" MPar, new tires, 40K miles, silver with gray interior. Excellent condition. Seller is asking $16,500.00 I offered him $13,500, but he said no.

[BigBimmer]

I am a sucker for these cars, so I would probably have spent a little more.

Prices are falling, but good examples are hard to find. There are not many 750iL true Sport packages out there (does it have the inlay wood trim?). And, there are not many low mileage excellent condition cars out there.

About 18 months ago, I bought a 2000 750iL Highline Edition with almost $90K miles for around $19K. To me, that was bargain. I had been looking for a Highline for more than a year, and I found one of the few. Mine was a one-owner car that was perfectly maintained.

If you are looking at a car in great condition that is the color combination you want, then it is worth the extra money. The seller's $16,500 asking price is not out of line, and $13,500 is a lowball. If you really love the car, I would continue negotiating and be happy with whatever you settle on. I would be surprised if you could get the seller below $16,000. I did an AutoTrader search, and there are only 4 cars 750iL cars in the country with fewer than 65K miles. The asking prices on all of those are above $20K. Asking is not getting, but the seller of this car has no reason to go much lower.
2000 E38 750iL Highline Edition with 18" Style 118 Wheels and Runflats
MKIV and 16:9 Navigation, TV, and Backup Camera
New Gen Radio, Sirius, Aux Input for my iPod, Bluetooth, and E39 M5 Tire Pressure Monitor System

[newmexicomatt]

less than a year ago I paid $31k for my '01 750il Highline. It only had 20k miles on it and the car was practically brand new. If the seller has all maintenance receipts, original owner and it has the wide screen nav, then his asking price is very reasonable. That being said, most people selling a car usually price it at least $1000 above what they're willing to accept. I'd offer $15900 and see if he bites. If he doesn't I'd give the asking price. These cars are worth it if in great condition! Good luck.Matt
'94 850CSi #37 Individual tobago blue
'01 750il Midnight Blue Highline Edition
'03 Z4 3.0ia Sterling Silver/Dream Red
'08 X5 4.8i Space Grey/Tobacco
'56 Continental Mark II

[Jerry]

Where is it? I need one to stash and move to when my 98 gets too far past the hill.

[tpluth]

I've decided to pass on this one. It's listed on craigslist in the SF Bay area. I found one locally that about 1/2 the price (and more than twice the miles) that's a better fit for my needs. Same colors, plus widescreen and MKIII (the 40K on is small screen/MKII). As a matter of fact, the one I'm buying is the very first one to get the widescreen, according to the VIN.

[BigBimmer]

There the reason car #2 looks so cheap. The ad for the first car is not very descriptive. However, the price is right for a great condition one-owner vehicle with only 40K miles. I would not be surprised at all if the second car looks like a dog in person.

You never know-- the cheap car could be a gem. After all, the V12 is a rock solid platform that is hard to ruin. Though, there are a lot of wear items that go in the 80K to 100K mile rage. Be prepared to spend up to $2K for stuff like the main belt, front suspension parts, radiator, mass airflow meters, heater control valve, EGR valve, etc. I proactively spent about $2K on mine with almost 90K miles, but I knew that it was generally perfect. The car with 40K miles could need a lot of above, but it could also give you another year or two of grace.

My big concern with a car priced that cheaply is what is the seller not disclosing. I would look for prior accident damange history. Or, look for the delaminating security glass. (It is a somewhat uncommon option, but very undesirable and worth avoiding.) Have the engine thoroughly examined and all codes read by a good BMW technician. I would recommend that for any car, but a cheap one especially.

[tpluth]

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/961580571.html

Let me know if you buy it. The guy promised me a finders fee if I referred a buyer to him.

Tom