2009 BMW 750i: Introduction

Yessssss!!!! I'm so glad ya'll got this! It'll be interesting to see how the electronics hold up through the year. I think you should've gotten the Li, because that's what most people will get, but the i should fit your purposes just fine.

Wow, this was unexpected. I'm looking forward to the real world comparisons with the LT Genesis sedan.

Yes, yes, yes! I read the introduction and smiled. Awesome addition. Really looking forward to reading about this car.

Fancy... if there's one car that's appropriate for a recession it's a 7 series ;)

It comes just on time for those making buckets of quick money on the volatile stock market.

wow. looks like IL laughs in the face of the recession.

i feel like the people most serious about buying this car are the same ones that aren't all that affected by the recession to begin with. and are also the least likely to read the edmunds inside line long term blog..

I agree with 1speedbike. While the 750i is an extremely cool car, it's something very, very few of us can afford - which makes it a questionable choice from a journalistic perspective, in my opinion.

I agree with him, too. While this is a nice car, none of the blog entries apply to most of us....

Re: youngdriver and zoomzoom22

thanks for your agreement, haha. cars like the R8 and GT-R ard ones we are all a little interested in because even though most of us can never afford it (one day hopefully, though!) they are iconic sports cars that we look up to.

The 7 series, however.. they're expensive but..I agree that some people are truly interested in it, but like a Mercedes S class, the people who are buying it tend to be buying it for the badge and prestige, they're not "enthusiasts" usually looking into awesome high-performance vehicles like the aforementioned, but rather rich people seeking a comfortable and prestigious ride, and those people aren't the types to even visit edmunds.com ever..

Then again, I might be biased.. I do own a 135i and while i love it, i do find faults (trust me, there's more than a few things I would change about it), but there are no more faults than i'd find with most other cars (evo/sti included, both of which i would choose if my girlfrend wasn't the only one riding with me 99% of the time). My first option during buy time was actually a CTS sedan, and I was hooked on it until I actually drove the 128 and then shortly after the 135. And while I'd rather have an M3 (or really a GT-R or R8), I honestly can't afford it and the 135i was the funnest thing I could find without going into 2-seater territory (though like I've said, one day...R8/M3!) But I honestly can't see a potential 7 series owner checking inside line nearly as often as i do (or even once, really)..

ps, edmunds, if you need me to comment on anything you're too lazy to comment about, i'd be happy to share my thoughts, most of which are good but definitely not all by a long shot ;])

wow typos, it's too late (on the east coast). goodnight guys (including you BMW haters out there ;])!

Sort of conflicted on this one.

+ It's a BMW
- How much interest is there really in this car? BMW moved all of 10 7-series last month.

Interesting that you went with this car, but it was provided by BMW, so you can't complain. Hopefully and new M3 is around the corner as well? Or to stick with the same genre, get an S-Class, preferably one with 12 cylinders.

Finally. Now you can stop theorising about Genesis vs. Germans.

I echo a lot of previous posters' comments; Given the current economic situation and your target audience, exactly what is the logic behind testing a car like this?

It's not just an Edmunds problem, however, but mainstream automobile publications in general (Automobile, Car & Driver, Road & Track, etc.) tend to have this proclivity towards producing feature articles about cars the minority of the readership will be able to experience.

Although, I will note that one good thing that might come out of this superfluous long-term test is the potential realization of whether a badge and a few shortcomings are worth saving $50k (comparison to Genesis).

By the way, I for one hope you were being sarcastic about 'right-sizing' from the X5 to the 7-Series...

i love BMW but i just cannot stand their interior look. they just looks so bland and dated everytime i see one.

Well, I'll be honest...for that money, there are probably 4 cars you could have gotten that I would find more interesting - Kia Soul, Cobalt SS, Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Ford Fusion Hybrid. Then again IL could be planning on getting these vehicles anyways, which would be cool. I always enjoy reading about a car that I can afford. Nitpicking on a supremely expensive car, whether it be a 750, a GT-R, a R8, etc, doesn't really interest me ever. But I'm likely in the minority there.

PS tan interior ftl.

Love the tan interior but why does BMW stick with black steering wheels regardless of interior color. Strange. My car has a tan interior of a similar color to the 7 series and I can't imagine it without a tan wheel.

Nice, but you guys are really looking like big time BMW fan-boys. I mean is there ever a time when Edmunds does not have at least one BMW in it's long term test fleet? I think there's FOUR BMWs in the fleet now: (135, M3, X5, and now the 7)

How about giving other brands a try?

I would like to agree with posters about this car being inappropriate for the economic times, but...

As many of us have noticed, the high end segment haven't been hit as hard as the meat & potato segments. It's not the way it should work, but seems to be how it is working.

Also, part of me thinks the market really has reached bottom this time. Prepare for a nice gradual climb back.

I'm torn over this one. The 750i is probably the only BMW worth its weight in (de-valued) dollars so it's the only BMW that makes sense in my book. That said, as many others have stated, it's competely irresponsible for a supposedly consumer targeted e-zine to acquire a $90k vehicle during the current economic climate. Ofcourse since it was a BMW freebie, who cares???

I would've rather seen a higher end Audi, MB or Lexus added as opposed to this. Or how about a Jaguar XF? GS350? S5? How about a Volvo or Saab? Corvette C6? I bet we frequent posters can pretty much predict every single post for the next year and that means you guys are becoming too complacent. Yeah, we get some variety on the low end of the scale such as the Smart and SX4 but how about the same treatment in the high end?

PS- I think I'm the only person who likes the previous exterior better than this current version. I saw one the other day and the proportions are all wrong. The front axle is placed much too far forward (think MB SLR) which makes the car too long. The update previous gen 750 has perfect road presence. Once they changed the tail lights, the bangle butt was entirely acceptible.

Great, now we'll have to read all the 7 series vs Genesis remarks.
You could almost buy THREE base Genesis sedans for the price of the 7 series! People buying a 7 series are NOT cross shopping with a Genesis. The 7 series didn't even cross my middle-class mind when I bought the Genesis.
Then again, I guess it does say something about how far Hyundai has come.

Go ahead, IL, try to convince us that this isn't just one gigantic staff perk. I dare ya.

I seriously hate you guys... unless you hire me of course. :)

By the way, I predict one of the first nitpicks will be about the light-colored interior and how quickly and easily it shows dirt.

"PS- I think I'm the only person who likes the previous exterior better than this current version."

Chavis, I'm definitely with you on this one. So far, the new one doesn't do it for me at all. I actually liked the previous one.

I think most of you guys are missing the point here. Although I agree that in this time of depression, even those who could afford a car of this caliber would do better not being seen driving around in one (a GT-R is probably rarely a daily driver and can be hidden from the laid-off masses that are dealing with foreclosures), the LT test of the 7 transcends all of this. That doesn't mean IL should ignore the Zeitgeist and get an H2 Hummer next. I'm sure a Honda Insight is joining the fleet soon.

Picking a 7 allows us common people to see what we are missing out on by driving civics, camrys, accords or minivans (hey, I remember reading that Honda benchmarked the old 7 for my current generation Odyssey). The hope is to find out that we're in fact not missing out on too much by driving a 3 series vs a 7.

Besides that, it's the same thing that we get to see on all those celebrity reality TV shows (that I tend to NOT watch!). Or like watching an action hero movie....who doesn't enjoy a 007 movie, even though we're not *really* looking for a job at the MI6 ourselves. So think of the LT 7 that way!

I for one would be pretty bored reading the blog for SX4, smart, Honda FIT and Lancers.....

Strap in boys and girls. They've just saddled a horse of a very different breed.

Should be interesting.

This car represents a major redesign from an industry trendsetter. How could IL NOT get one for their long-term fleet?

Testing a high-end vehicle is not all about whether or not you can afford one. Aside from the obvious fact that people who can afford them ARE interested in reading in-depth reviews, the technology and styling cues often trickle down through the rest of the industry. I'd argue it's IL's duty to test the new 7-series.

Put me down on the list of people really surprised by this addition, but also extremely interested. By the end of this summer I will be looking to replace my 3-year old S550 because it will have at least 70,000 miles on it by then. Up until the last month I just figured I would get another S (the Lexus LS is too bland, I swore I would never buy another Audi so the A8 is automatically off my list, and I can't afford a Bentley), but the new 7-Series really intrigues me. I will be interested to see how it holds up over the next year.

And for the haters, no I am not just about prestige, I honestly love the feel of these automobiles. I would be lying to you if I said a little piece of me didn't enjoy the recognition that comes from owning one of these sedans, but that doesn't dictate my decision.

A few of my thoughts:

No 7 series will ever look as good as an 01 740iL with the sport package. I still drool over those. And why don't they bring back the "iL" designation? Sounds better IMO.

I don't understand why people question or even care which cars IL chooses to test. The more cars on there I can't afford, the more I read it. It's an enthusiast site, remember? If you want regular reviews, read consumer reports.

If all my magazines and edmunds tested were boring "cars I could afford" I would cancel them all.

Now, all we need is a comparo of the new 7 and the S550. I'll be foaming at the mouth when someone eventually gets to that. ***HINT HINT***

Way cool. Talk about your perfect cross country cruise missile. I predict this will dethrone the Flex. To my recollection, none of y'all have more than two kids. This is plenty big enough. That one dude with only one kid found the A4 Avant too small, but you'll learn to manage. Can't tell from the photos, but no rear seat DVD screens? That could be an issue if your kids are spoiled, but in our family, mom and dad's comfort and driving pleasure wins every time. Pack lighter, and enjoy the scenery instead of watching movies while the world passes you by.

PS, I think it's gorgeous. Almost as attractive as the XJ, but obviously a more advanced machine. I'm looking forward to the inevitable A8 vs S-class vs 750i comparison test.

mercedesfan- that's a lot of miles in 3 years, sheesh. How about you step up to the S63? That is one BAD vehicle and I love the sound of the engine. Seems it would have more character than the 750.

I think everyone would agree that the new interior looks much better than the old car though. Even though the A8 is old, I still think it has the nicest looking cockpit in the segment.

OPh yeah, and the LS460L or LS600h too. No I'll never buy one, but it sure is fun to read about them.

For everyone complaining about IL having this car during these economic times, look at it this way:

When the economy rebounds, you'll have enough money to buy a used one of these. And because of IL, you'll know if you want one or not.

And as far as looks, that bottom picture makes it look like a grown-ups M3. It looks menacing. I like it.
I'd never buy one, but I sure as hell would love to drive one.

Where's the S600???

I don't have a problem with this - how else will I get good first hand info on how a 7er drives? I'm also interested in how the new(er) iDrive works, I might reconsider a BMW with the new system (maybe the 2010 5er) if it's no longer such a pain.

I can already predict how this will end. The IL drivers will love the Genesis because it is such a great value for the price, with pretty good performance, interior refinement, and a quality feel. But compare the $40k Hyundai with the $90k BMW and they will comment that it falls short and the BMW is worth the extra $50k because it performs better and has more gadgets. Well yeah, it should - its twice as expensive!

So I ask, what is the point of the long term 7-series?

How about we get a long term review of a vehicle more significant for its brand, such as the new Volvo XC60, or the Jag supercharged XF? I for one would like to know whether JD Power's reliability survey dropped the ball when it ranked Jaguar near the top.

Also, how about a vehicle like the new Honda Insight, 2010 Prius, Kia Soul, or Mazda 3? These are far more significant than a 7-series, which we *know* will be a good (but expensive) vehicle. Or heck, how about a Ford Fusion hybrid or a 4-cyl Malibu?

As soon as I saw it was free I was no longer surprised. I would have been surprised if they purchased a $90k car with their own money. Who isnt going to accept a free 7 series? No one. The recession doesn't really matter when you can get access to a free car for a year. At least they admitted that when a BMW leaves the fleet it needs to be replaced by another BMW. I don't think that rule applies to other manufacturers though. To be honest, how many complaints can their be about a 400hp car that costs $90k? if the point of these long term reviews is to inform consumers about the flaws of certain models there will be no point to this review. If they cant come up with any complaints about a 2002 M3 or a 135i with a tiny backseat, odd styling and Cobalt level plastics what possible issues could they have with the 750i?

Let's see... So now you have 4 Bimmers, 1 Audi, 0 MB and 0 Lexus in your LT fleet...

Edmunds, YOU SUCK!

I can think of 90,000 reasons not to buy this car.

Oh wait, you paid how much for it? Nevermind.

Isn't that color outlawed in CA?

new M3??? please?? pretty please??

I can tell, this will be very interesting.

I am still waiting for you guys to get a Volvo XC60.

I'm actually happy about this choice. The largest German cars have huge depreciation over the first 3-4 years. So this car will actually be affordable in a few years and might make for a great used value if the long term test proves it to be a good car.

I love my current E-class Mercedes which I bought for $13k and originally listed for $46k.

I've been thinking of moving up a size class for a little more room, to an S-class. A 2006 S430 4Matic can be had for around $31k, a significat savings off the list price when new.

I sat in one today at a BMW dealership. Just beautiful inside. I know it should be for $90K (this particular car was $96K), but I was still impressed. On another note, they had a 335d in the showroom in a beautiful dark red. Now THAT'S a car that Edmunds should have in their long-term fleet. (; I agree that I'm still waiting for the Volvo XC60, though.

wouldn't it be more effective to blog about cars everyday people actually drive?

anyways, is it just me or does the new BMW 7 series look extremely similar to the Lexus LS?

Louiswei, you wanna rethink that? The X5 is gone, and the M3 and 135 are almost gone.

Well I for one am excited as heck to see this car enter the arena. I'm looking forward to all of the posts. I saw it on the front page of my office computer and smiled very BIG!

Ok so what the X5 is gone, They are replacing the E46 M3 with ANOTHER M3. Also I don't think the 135i is going anywhere soon since it was originally purchased instead of provided by the manufacture like the X5 and this 7er. They normally keep the purchased LTers a bit longer than the manufacture-provided ones.

So even with the X5 gone they still have 3 Bimmers but only 1 Audi, 0 MB and 0 Lexus (the RX400h doesn't really count). So the bottom line is that Edmunds still SUCK.

It'll be interesting to learn how the new I-drive software and controller work for you.

Meanwhile, anyone else betting that the rear tires will go bye bye before 10K miles?

The only thing that disappoints me is that you guys didn't get this car in the colour that you tested not so long ago. The gold, bronze stuff. That said, this is one of the few BMWs that I like, yeah, I loved the old one everyone else hated. Burnouts in big luxury sedans always excite me.

Congrats on the new 7. I look forward to reading about it.

I suggest adding an X6, M3 and 335d and Z4 (or whatever it's called now) to the fleet next. I say this because there are a lot of unanswered questions about BMWs such as a) will IL like the car for a year b) can the car handle? c) does BMW know how to design a great steering rack?

How can we get answers unless we add more BMWs to the fleet?

Wow. So you swapped a really expensive gas-guzzling SUV for an even more expensive gas-guzzling sedan. Well done.

Love it. The new tech inevitably trickles down to the lower models. I would not be upset if there was always a bimmer in the fleet. I'm sure several disagree, but there is a reason bmw's get so much pub on sites like this, and it has nothing to do with getting paid off.

337:

The reasons are well covered. Cars that aren't fun to drive aren't worth writing about and since all BMWs are fun to drive they should get more coverage than other vehicles from lesser brands. Not everyone agrees that a car that can't tackle the Ring is not worth reading about. We do live in America after all, the most popular models here are designed to meet Americans' taste, not European sensibilities.

"I suggest adding an X6, M3 and 335d and Z4 (or whatever it's called now) to the fleet next. I say this because there are a lot of unanswered questions about BMWs such as a) will IL like the car for a year b) can the car handle? c) does BMW know how to design a great steering rack?

How can we get answers unless we add more BMWs to the fleet?"

Exactly. But I think you need two new M3s...
How about a manual coupe and a DCG sedan?

@1487: Sure we live in America. Pop quiz: what's BMW's largest market? Extra credit: how many BMW models are built in the US?

"Not everyone agrees that a car that can't tackle the Ring is not worth reading about."

And for those people, there is always Consumer Reports.

"@1487: Sure we live in America. Pop quiz: what's BMW's largest market? Extra credit: how many BMW models are built in the US?"

Pop quiz: How much of the US market does BMW have? How does that compare to the marketshare of "dull" automakers like GM, Toyota, Ford, etc.? Let me know. Toyota sells more camrys in the US than BMW sells total vehicles so don't tell me that the average American is in love with the European concept of what a car should be. Even the Euro branded cars we get here are somewhat Americanized in many cases.

roadburner:

Reading about an exciting car is no more thrilling than reading about a camry to be honest. Since I am not driving the BMWs they test I can't say that I break into a sweat reading a blog entry about BMW. This stupid idea that "enthusiasts" only want to read about sports sedans is not some universal law. Just because the folks that read and post on these blogs like cars doesn't mean they don't care about any car that isn't an expensive RWD sports sedan from Germany. Many of us (you excluded I suppose) still need vehicles for practical reasons or may want to recommend vehicles to friends and family who are not enthusiasts.

"Reading about an exciting car is no more thrilling than reading about a camry to be honest."

Really? You have my heartfelt sympathy.

"Since I am not driving the BMWs they test I can't say that I break into a sweat reading a blog entry about BMW."

But it sure beats the heck out of reading about some bland family transportation module(and I know whereof I speak; I had to drive a Odyssey for @10 minutes yesterday. It felt like 10 hours).

"This stupid idea that "enthusiasts" only want to read about sports sedans is not some universal law."

Not me. I also like reading about the Challenger, the CTS, the G8 GT, the GT-R, the Evos, and the STi. Cars that were developed by Car Guys.

'Just because the folks that read and post on these blogs like cars doesn't mean they don't care about any car that isn't an expensive RWD sports sedan from Germany."

See above.

"Many of us (you excluded I suppose) still need vehicles for practical reasons or may want to recommend vehicles to friends and family who are not enthusiasts."

Practical doesn't necessarily mean boring. My four cylinder cars can average over 23 mpg but they are all a blast to drive- even the MS3(usually). My two trucks are also enjoyable drives in their own way.

And you are right in one respect; I DON'T enjoy reading entries about mainstream family sedans, minivans, SUVs, or trucks. But guess what? I simply skip over them. I'd suggest that you do the same when you come to a BMW blog entry- but It's obvious that some strange compulsion keeps you from doing so.

roady:

Its very simple, if you are a BMW fanboy IL's choices in LT vehicles are likely thrilling. If you are not, its not quite so satisfying. Unlike you, I dont insult people who don't drive luxury sports sedans nor do I feel that any vehicle that is not designed to be sporty is worthy of dismissal. This is why I like to see a broad range of vehicles in the fleet and I am not alone.

"I'd suggest that you do the same when you come to a BMW blog entry- but It's obvious that some strange compulsion keeps you from doing so."

Actually you are wrong (shocking!) because I skip most of the M3 posts and many of those applying to the 135i and X5. What you fail to understand is that having a constant flood of BMWs becomes annoying because a)there are numerous BMWs in the fleet simultaneously and b)they post about BMWs more than other vehciles. Sure I can skip over but when 40% of the posts in a week relate to a BMW product it gets annoying. I am a fan of NEW information about vehicles that represent something new for their manufacturers. The Genesis is a good choice. A new BMW is not.

"Its[sic] very simple, if you are a BMW fanboy IL's choices in LT vehicles are likely thrilling. If you are not, its not quite so satisfying."

Let's see, I also said: "I also like reading about the Challenger, the CTS, the G8 GT, the GT-R, the Evos, and the STi. Cars that were developed by Car Guys."

"Unlike you, I dont[sic] insult people who don't drive luxury sports sedans nor do I feel that any vehicle that is not designed to be sporty is worthy of dismissal."

I'll freely admit I don't like reading about boring cars, but where did I insult people who drive them?

"What you fail to understand is that having a constant flood of BMWs becomes annoying"

I understand all right- it annoys YOU.

"Sure I can skip over but when 40% of the posts in a week relate to a BMW product it gets annoying."

Then I suggest spending more time at GM's Fastlane Blog...