In fall 2008, just as I was starting high school, my father stumbled across what would become my first car: a 1988 BMW 75ia, which he had never heard of. After a little googling, he figured out that it was actually a 735i, and an automatic. It was listed for $1,500, and it needed a lot of work. “Perfect” for a 14 year-old who would not start driving for six more months.
No part of the 735i was in good order when we looked at it. The engine was running on five cylinders; it felt like the shocks were worn out, the fuel gauge and instrument cluster were in semi-functional condition, and the onboard trip computer was not working. The seats were worn out, the headliner was sagging, and frankly, the car had no redeeming qualities. However, I liked it. I cannot tell you why I did, but I did. My father paid the man, and he delivered the car to the Smiths’ parking lot in Los Alamos. We picked it up later that day, and not long after (maybe even that day), we set about making the 735i work again.
The 735i cleaned up easily enough, with the biggest problems being caused by deferred maintenance. New spark plugs brought back the dead cylinder, and new rubber intake boots made it run about as smoothly as it ever could. Airing up the tires made the ride smooth out, such that it was at least a functional car. However, the electrical gremlins were far harder to deal with. A new cluster fixed the fuel gauge but took away the gear and transmission mode indicator. Weeks of trial and error brought some systems online intermittently, but these systems never worked completely correctly.
The biggest problem, however, was the transmission. The 735i was equipped with the 4HP22 automatic transmission. It was in a number of rear-wheel drive European sedans, and it was known for a particular quirk; if the engine was revved in park or neutral, and the transmission seals were just old enough, it would engage both clutch pack A (the drive gears) and clutch pack B (reverse) at the same time, destroying clutch pack A. The first time my brother drove the 735i, he nearly immediately killed the transmission–probably the only part of the car that worked well. This would also be the last time my dad ever let him drive any of his cars. After a few months, my father and I (mostly him) rebuilt the transmission and the 735i returned to the road, just in time for the Thanksgiving vacation.
While the front bumper was still off due to some repairs we were doing, my brother felt like it was a good time to “borrow” it. I came back to find it had acquired 70 miles on the odometer, and there were some branches sticking out of the auxiliary fan. Thereafter, we fixed the On Board Computer, as one of the built-in functions of the OBC was an electronic lock that would prevent the car from starting without the correct code being entered. My brother would not be able to take it again.
In June of 2009, my entire life began to fall into place. I had been signed up for a summer driving class. There, I met my first girlfriend, L. She had just moved from Texas, and did not know that I was a pariah just yet. We hit it off, and for about a month we dated. That’s when I learned that, having been a pariah since the fourth grade, I liked my solitude. L, however, liked to talk. After we broke up, I would stay single for a very long time, this time by choice. Almost as importantly, with driver’s ed came a learner’s permit. I was finally able to drive the 735i, albeit with supervision. The 735i became the biggest part of my life, and I finally became familiar with it and its eccentricities.
The 735i was equipped with the BMW M30B35 inline six, a single overhead cam engine that first appeared in 1968. The B35 was the final variant of the M30, making 208 horsepower and 215 ib-ft of torque. The M30 was old when it was new. The valve clearances required manual adjustment, and if this were ignored for too long, the engine would develop a distinct valve clatter that would never quite go away. The engine was smooth and fairly powerful, although it struggled against the 3800+ pounds of the E32 chassis. It was not terribly fuel efficient, managing about 18 mpg, although I never drove it carefully. Had I driven it with caution, it might have gotten as high as 19 mpg.
Performance-wise, it was on the slow side around town. 60 came in about 10 to 11 seconds. However, on the highway, it would charge past 100 with ease. The chassis was built for it, too. While a bit softly sprung, it handled similarly to the E30. The steering, a recirculating ball system, was made a little more sporty by way of Servotronic steering, a neat little system that reduced power steering assist as speed increased.
The 735i was mine for about four years. In 2012, my father retired and I was accepted into New Mexico State University. While the 735i was in the best shape it had been during our ownership, it was then 22 years old, still suffering from electrical gremlins, and it was not clear how much longer it could last. As I would be moving 320+ miles down to Las Cruces, where it was quite hot, my father did not want me in the 735i anymore. He found a much newer car in much better condition at an incredible price, and I was given the choice between it and his old 1998 BMW 540i 6MT. While I know I made the wrong choice in the end, I don’t think I’d make the right choice if given the opportunity to do it again.
Related CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1989 BMW 735i (E32) – Bavaria Builds A True Flagship
Wow, quite a bit to bite off for a first car! Los Alamos is a cool town! Our friends moved there for jobs and we attended their wedding there. Would love to live there but man it’s expensive!
It’s a good place to raise children. Good schools. It’s safe. It’s pretty. But definitely expensive, and definitely strange.
One of the stories that ended up getting cut (in an entry I ended up cutting) had to do with how strange things are. My sixth grade musical was about the development of the atomic bomb. Nobody seemed to think it weird at the time, and I didn’t think it was weird until I got down to NMSU and told a friend about it.
Yikes! Thanks for your perspective. Hoping things are somehow better now!
I had a 1988 325i convertible stick shift from 1989 to 2005. Bought it lightly used as it was traded in for the then new 5 series. Did our cars have comparable engines? Those cars didn’t have as many heavy technological nannies as new cars, but that’s a lot more car to move around compared to a 4 series. Looking forward to the next installment to see what you chose instead of Dad’s 5 series.
Nice story. Was offered an immaculate version of one of these after my sister’s father-in-law died around the same time you bought yours. But I declined, for the very reasons this article lays out. Solitude is way better than putting up with fools.
What a beautiful gem!
I love BMWs and Mercedes from the 70s through the 2000s.
Besides being beautiful, they are extremely reliable.
“Extremely Reliable”??????
That statement is absolutely moronic.
Awesome first car! And you and your dad even rebuilt the transmission. I am impressed. Yes, these and other German sixes of the times were not exactly red light drag race terrors but they were in their element at 100+ mph on the open road.
Mostly him, and he still tells me what a pain in the butt that was.
Ooooo – I’ve always wanted one of these…with a 5 speed.
Great story! I’m about 20 years older than you, but I remember, as a 15-year-old, looking for my first car, and coming across some old BMWs that were “in my price range.” Two that stick out in my mind were a Bavaria and a 2002. In both cases, Dad came to look at them with me, and then started running down everything that was wrong with them, and how expensive they were to fix. (My dad was a DIY-er, but not quite a rebuild-your-own-transmission DIY-er.)
I was frustrated with Dad at the time, but of course he was right. My first car ended up being a well-used, but still usable 1981 Audi – served me well for a few years. But honestly, I always loved big BMWs.
I hope your brother eventually became a better driver.
Oh, and as an introvert, I never dated an extrovert like L, but if I had, I bet I too would be single for a long time afterwards. Just too exhausting!
“However, I liked it. I cannot tell you why I did, but I did.”
Just look at the thing; BMW nailed the styling of the e32. It doesn’t seem odd at all that one might like it!
I mean, for a 14 year old, it’s a strange car to attach to. A 20 year-old beater Bimmer, however attractive it may have been, wasn’t a cool car in 2008. However, I agree with you. It’s a beautiful car. I truly miss my old car.
Sorry, singing the praises of complete nightmares of 90s-2010s German cars is really hilarious. Yes, when they are new and perfectly maintained and IN WARRANTY, they could be quite nice. In reality, they were suicide inducing when approaching 100K miles. There is nothing more expensive than a cheap German car.
GM cars especially are made fun of here but there is a saying about them that I have known to be true: “GM cars run BAD longer than most cars run.”
Ah man, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Both for better and for worse.
And as you’ll see, I did pick up on that old adage once or twice. It is true, more or less.
Expensive cars new will continue to be expensive cars as long as they’re around. You’re just lucky it wasn’t a 750i. Those were the real money pits. Nothing like a V12 though.
And I’m looking forward to the tales of the 540i/6.
I’m sorry to say that I am not writing about it. You’ll note that I said I made the wrong choice. But don’t worry, I’ve got far more interesting cars than the 540i coming up next.
I don’t like your brother.
These are good looking cars but what a big, complex beast for a first car. Your Dad is a brave man but I get the sense he might have had some BMW bias and knowledge.
Besides the transmission rebuild it sounds like it mostly worked out ok.
The X5 made a great impression on him, and he’s been loyal to BMW ever since. He’s owned at least ten, not including the 735i.
He might be brave, but he’s also a genius. He has a master’s in electrical engineering. The right degree to have when tracing gremlins, although he never felt confident enough in his soldering ability to fix the root cause of the problems. We had a parts car that he’d pull electronics out of.
These big old fancy imported cars like BMW and Mercedes are quite attractive, but they are quite complex. Hard to work on and parts are expensive. I learned my lesson messing around with old Jaguars, and I was certainly old enough to have known better at the time!