RLX-Sport Hybrid

I had an opening in my schedule today and drove past a local BMW dealership only to stop in and look at the 6 & 7 Series cars. I attempted to sit in the back of the 6 Series Grande Coupe, only to get out immediately as there was zero knee room in the back seat. So on to the 7 Series 750i xDrive. Very impressive! The technology is unbelievable and you have to experience it to believe all of the customization one can do. One of the coolest things is that you can replace the Navi screen with two digital dials that show in real time the hp and tq being generated. That is fantastic! There are too many things to talk about but for $125,000 dare I say it is an immense value? When comparing it to the Tesla P85D or the P90D, it is a hands down winner as an overall package.

The driving dynamics however were a different story. Even though on paper the BMW is faster, it didn’t feel that way to me. The SH has much better off the line acceleration and I think both cars would be just about identical 0-50(mph) but then the BMW would start to creep away in a drag race. Also there is a good amount of turbo lag but no turbo swoosh sounds. The exhaust is variable and tuneable so it sounds great. The suspension is adjustable so it is supple when you want it, and athletic when you want that also. The transmission shifts butter smooth and fast. The brakes are awesome with great feel. The handling was good but not as good as the SH. Steering is great on but not the mechanical feel I remember from BMWs of the past. Did I mention the technology is fantastic? I digress.

Trunk space was good enough, and the back seat roominess is second to only a very scant few cars one can buy. The leather was soft and smelled great. The fit and finish was spot on. The double sun roofs and the retractable sun guards for the back seat and the rear window had a particularly nice design (high quality). The surround cameras and the hand gesture controls (no touch) were particularly cool. I could go on, but I won’t for now.

The Sport Hybrid is a great automobile, but it is not worthy of the BMW 750 flagship status, not that they are competing with each other. Just some random thoughts. Hope you all had a great day today.

Edward'TLS

The 7-series is what a real flagship car should be.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Jakes_tl

I am sorry but I can't see paying $125K for a car that is fully loaded and will give you a long list of problems in no time.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

I'd venture a guess there are not many that are actually purchased.
People who can afford $125K cars are smarter with their money than that.
Lease lease lease.
Warranty up...pick up a new one.

myron

iTrader: (4)

technology is nice and all, but it's no e38

ttribe

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

lol. Buying a 7 series doesn't mean it will have issues. Is it as reliable as an Accord? Not likely, but there's much more involved in a 7 Series. And not for nothing, but people who have that kind of money for a car don't care about that. You think Ferraris and Lambos are reliable?

dallison

And be worth 15k in several years.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

....And you know this how? Please, enlighten us on how your 750i xDrive owner experience is going

Jakes_tl

Sure it does - why i say that because history proves it. Every car will have problems but a car like this will have a laundry list. That is why smart wealthy people won't buy a car like this.

Jakes_tl

People will lease a car like this and then when it's off the lease all the cool wanna be homies will be buying them.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

With 480 ft/lbs of torque available I was really expecting more from the throttle than it produced. I guess coming from the Sport Hybrid and then getting seat time in the 750i that is why. The first hit of torque in the SH is much firmer than in the 750i. I assume they would would be about neck and neck in a drag race to about 50 mph, not that anyone would actually do that in the real world. The 750i felt heavier in normal driving than the SH. The SH is so fleet of foot and effortless how it accelerates that it masks the heft of that car. The 750i felt much more rigid as if it were carved from rock. Not that the SH is flimsy, but the perception of rigidity in the 750i is greater. Just a personal interpretation, not scientific.

juniorbean

iTrader: (5)

Well now you're just splitting hairs. To me (and many on the site), saying "buying" this car is a general term for acquiring. Yes, wealthy people would lease something like this.

But since we're splitting hairs here to try to make arguments work, you used an absolute:Please provide the link with valid sources that shows 100% repair rates on 7 series models and "cars like it"... .

SamDoe1

The best time to buy a 7 series or S class is after the big depreciation hit is done.

This is why you can buy a 2003 S55 AMG with 60k on the clock for ~$12k today. That car was more than 10x the price when new.

Only downside is that the repairs are still in line with a $150k car, not a $12k car.

Sarlacc

racistzine

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

i love BMW saddle interior

00TL-P3.2

Not a bad review.
S550 > 750i, IMO :smug:

Kense

What is a cool wanna be homie? That sounds like something an 80 year old would say while mocking hiphop.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

Technically I am part of the 750i target market for buying new. What would be a target market for someone buying the car used? I would be more likely to get a 2016 CTS-V before getting a 750i.

012TL-GLM

No doubt a nice car. Is it worth the money? Like anything else its in the eye of the beholder. Buying a car in this segment is all about prestige. You could get a shit ton more power for half the price with a Hellcat, but the Dodge tag doesn't tell everyone around you you're doing well financially.

Chief F1 Fan

I'll take my 650i xDrive GC over the 750 every day of the week on looks alone.

ttribe

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

This. The new 7 has a nice interior and tech, but the outside looks like dookie, IMO. Especially compared to the 6GC and S550.

JM2010 SH-AWD

Wow, that dash is just a little bit over the top for my taste.

neuronbob

THIS.

I LOVE the 650. That is such a gorgeous car. The 7, not so much.

honda_nut

Cars of this nature are always going to expensive to maintain, whether it be the S-class, 7-series, or A8. This gen Lexus LS simply does not compete in terms of tech levels, even if it is much more reliable. My uncle owns both an 745Li and X5 and the repair bills on those are in the thousands. But then again he bought those Certified PreOwned and dumps them a few years later for something else. I think CPO is the way to go imo, as the depreciation is highest in the first couple years as with most German cars. Example: Buying a barely used CPO X5 over new saves you a lot of money, whereas buying a CPO MDX over new saves you a couple grand if that.


Also, I'd rather get the S550 over the 7 if I were to buy in this class. The opulence of that interior just trumps all the tech in the 7.

Sarlacc

Its still a $70k car even without markups.

It doesn't say you're hurting either...

honda_nut

Yes, but only us car guys know that. To the rest of the world, it's just a Dodge. Most people are badge whores, to put it nicely.

csmeance

The new G 7-series is pretty awesome sans the overgrown 3-series exterior and the odd hockey stick under the doors. It's using carbon components to reduce 200kg, etc. It's quite a beauty and BMW has done well upgrading the interior into a much more premium feeling one from the F01/02. With it in Sport+ mode, it can def. do 0-60MPH very quickly. The initial lag is very present because the car is heavy and the turbos aren't making any power at idle, I believe they start at 1500RPM. The winner with large engines is that they keep on going. The average engine starts losing steam around 100, but these will be pushing you into your seat until 140MPH easily.

It's not as fast as I expected it to be, but you have to look at the speedometer and will realize how fast you are going. The new G 7-series does 0-60 in 4.3 seconds vs the E 7-Series at 5.6 seconds and the F-7-series at 5.0seconds. The 7-series platform is incredible at masking speed. There is a S shaped road with plenty of potholes on it. In my 760, I can drive easily 25MPH with no care in the world just lumbering though. A 2013 328i I had as a rental was shaking like a kart and I was only going 15MPH. The 7-series is meant to hide that communication which is both good and bad.

7-series is the ultimate long trip hauler. I get 22 MPG and the air ride in the rear is great with any amount of luggage I may bring. Back seats recline and most folks are in love with the Logic 7 including myself.

Cars like these are meant to be leased and then sold used for much less. You lease for 1K a month for 36 months and spend 36K owning the car.

They don't last very long. I've put over 110K on mine now and it's age is going to start nipping when it comes to future repairs. New 2013's with the twin-turbo v8 are consuming oil terribly with less than 40K miles on the car. Some X5 owners have reported 2 quarts in 700 miles on bimmerfest! 2013 750 owners are reporting a lot of repairs that require a whole engine rebuild that still isn't fixing issues! Takes 90+ hours of labor per car!

I wouldn't touch the newer ones used without a warranty. Mine paid out $55K plus rentals in repairs. Worth every dime.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Wait did the RLX have high performance tires?

RLX-Sport Hybrid

I can't speak to the long term reliability for the 750i as I have never owned one and have no experience. My perception of speed in comparison to the Sport Hybrid was "seat of the pants" and not measured with any timing device. I have 13 months of experience of what a 0-60 mph feels like in the SH, and off the line the 750i felt slower initially. Both are very quick cars so we are splitting hairs here. I think that cars in general are a horrible investment in general as they immediately depreciate from the dealership once the documents are signed. Leasing a car like this would likely make sense.

cjTL

iTrader: (2)

I have faith BMWs are perhaps more reliable than the internets say they are, but anecdotal evidence like this strengthens my hesitation of ever buying one without some type of warranty. Good choice on getting that with the car.

Mr. Maker

iTrader: (4)

4th gen body style is so much nicer imo (not because I own one). Thanks for the write up. That interior is gorgeous.

SuperTrooper169

iTrader: (2)

I just had a 328i as a rental and I thought its interior was awesome... until I saw those 750i photos. Then again I drive an '09 Dodge so most interiors make me envious.

SamDoe1

I sold my BMW for a reason...

Great car but good god, stuff is expensive to fix. I was spending damn near every weekend fixing something or the other on it.

Jakes_tl

you can read CSMEANCE's post #30.

To be honest I could care less about these cars and I could care less about proving anything - I do have a lot of close friends that used to be die hard BMW, Audi and MB car owners and they used make fun of me because of my Japanese cars until they got sick and tired of paying repair bills, their cars spending a lot of time in the shop and asking me for rides while they fancy BMW or whatever was in the shop getting worked on.

I also have a friend that was a mechanic technician at a Mercedes Benz dealership and he said after his 10 years working there he would never own or recommend one to anyone he knows.

ttribe

Quick side issue: The proper phrase is "couldn't care less..." By saying "could care less" you've told us all you actually do care to some degree.

Just sayin'.

SamDoe1

To be fair, any dealership tech would tell you the same thing given that all they ever see are broken cars unless they're the low level tech doing oil changes all day.

TylerT

iTrader: (1)

I see where you're coming from and you certainly aren't wrong, buying a second-hand German flagship vehicle without a warranty could be financially risky. Assuming the vehicle has been well cared for w/ preemptive maintenance done, some more-so than others.

My point is, this is a brand new car with unforeseen issues and one you will have no ownership experience what-so-ever. So, saying right off the bat that you'll have a laundry list of issue(s) is a premature assumption ... also, there's no sense in putting all BMWs / Mercedes / Audis under 1 umbrella of unreliability because somebody told you so.

Blanket statements are bad, mkay.