I once owned a BMW 7 Series E38, and to this day, it still looks elegant. If only BMW had evolved this design, the 7 Series could have remained dramatically stylish. However, with advances in safety and increasing legislative requirements for crash protection, cars have inevitably become bigger and bulkier. That said, the current 7 Series does pay homage to the E38.
Regarding the E38 I once owned—it felt like it was hewn from rock and stone, and the drivetrain was as smooth as silk. But it had one issue: the suspension developed a chiming sound and had to be replaced. Interestingly, BMW still struggles with similar suspension issues in some of its cars today.
Anyway, enough about my experience. YouTuber and mechanic M539 Restorations recently purchased a rare 7 Series E38 Alpina B12—one of only 94 ever built. The V12 powerplant produces 430 bhp, which was impressive in the early 2000s but tame by today’s standards.
However, as with all vintage cars that haven’t been well maintained, condition issues are inevitable. Unfortunately, chassis number 24 has plenty of them.
