BMW 7 Series E38Saloon1994–2001

BMW 7 Series E38 Engines -The Complete UK Guide

Every engine fitted to the E38 7 Series -from the 2.8-litre M52 six-cylinder to the 5.4-litre M73 V12, including the M60 and M62 V8s and the M57 diesel. Real UK costs, honest failure data, and BMW's first V8-powered luxury saloon. Backed by genuine UK specialist data for 2025.

Explore E38 Engines
E38Enquiries (2025) -pattern data
Saloon
12+Engine Codes
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BMW 7 Series E38 Engine Codes -The Complete Database

Every engine fitted to the E38 7 Series specifically -from the entry-level 728i to the flagship 750i, including BMW's first V8 diesel in the 740d.

Engine CodeFuelPowerYearsReliabilityEnquiriesAvg. Recon Cost
M52B28M52Petrol193 PS (142 kW)1995–1998★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,000–£3,500 [BMW-QUOTE]
M52TÜB28M52TUPetrol193 PS (142 kW)1998–2001★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,000–£3,500 [BMW-QUOTE]
M60B30M60Petrol V8218 PS (160 kW)1994–1996★★★☆☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,500–£4,500 [BMW-QUOTE]
M62B35M62Petrol V8235 PS (173 kW)1996–1998★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,800–£5,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M62TÜB35M62TUPetrol V8238 PS (175 kW)1998–2001★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,800–£5,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M60B40M60Petrol V8286 PS (210 kW)1994–1996★★★☆☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£3,000–£5,500 [BMW-QUOTE]
M62B44M62Petrol V8286 PS (210 kW)1996–1998★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£3,200–£6,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M62TÜB44M62TUPetrol V8286 PS (210 kW)1998–2001★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£3,200–£6,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M73B54M73Petrol V12326 PS (240 kW)1995–1998★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£4,000–£7,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M73TÜB54M73TUPetrol V12326 PS (240 kW)1998–2001★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£4,000–£7,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M51D25M51Diesel143 PS (105 kW)1996–2001★★★☆☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,200–£4,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M57D30M57Diesel193 PS (142 kW)1998–2001★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£2,800–£5,000 [BMW-QUOTE]
M67D40M67Diesel V8245 PS (180 kW)1999–2001★★★★☆ [PROVISIONAL -pending dedicated Engine Page]-(pattern data)£3,500–£6,500 [BMW-QUOTE]
BMW 3 Series E90

Overview

BMW 7 Series E38 -Overview

The third-generation BMW 7 Series (E38) was produced from April 1994 to July 2001, replacing the E32 and later succeeded by the E65.

Designed by Boyke Boyer, it was the first 7 Series to offer a diesel engine and the last to offer a manual transmission. Three wheelbase lengths were available -short (i), long (iL) and the exclusive Limousine (L7). The E38 was the first car available with curtain airbags and the first European car to offer satellite navigation. The engine range included straight-six petrols, V8s, a V12 flagship, and turbo-diesel six-cylinder and V8 engines.

Key Facts

Platform

BMW E38

Predecessor

BMW 7 Series E32

Successor

BMW 7 Series E65

Sibling body styles in this generation

N/A -E38 is the sole body code (i, iL and L7 wheelbases)

Market Intelligence

The E38 7 Series generates steady UK specialist enquiries, concentrated on the 728i, 740i and 750i as these classic luxury saloons enter collector-car territory.

Best & Worst Engines

 engine

Thin-Data Summary

Thin-Data Fallback mode -one paragraph: The E38 7 Series offers a wide range of engines, but the M52B28 (728i) is the most economical and reliable six-cylinder choice -193 PS, smooth and well-supported, though the M52's plastic water pump impeller and VANOS system require attention. For V8 buyers, the M62TÜB44 (post-1998 740i) is the pick -286 PS with VANOS, improved over the earlier M60 which suffered Nikasil bore wear issues on high-sulphur fuel. The M73B54 V12 (750i) delivers 326 PS of effortless power and is considered one of the most reliable engines in the range, though it's expensive to maintain and thirsty. The M67D40 (740d) is BMW's first V8 diesel -245 PS and rare, but complex. The M51D25 (725tds) is the entry-level diesel with 143 PS, but is underpowered for the E38's weight. For most buyers, the 728i (M52) or post-1998 740i (M62TU) represent the best balance of reliability, performance and running costs.

Who it's for:

BMW 7 Series E38 -Ownership Economics

EngineTypical MileageCommon Major FailureRepair Cost (Specialist)Replacement Cost (Recon)Ownership Verdict
M52B28/TU (2.8 728i)100k–150k+Cooling system, VANOS, oil leaks£400–£900£2,000–£3,500
Solid Choice -most economical E38
M60B30/B40 (3.0/4.0 V8)80k–120kNikasil bore wear, cooling system£600–£1,500£2,500–£5,500
Watch Closely -Nikasil risk on early cars
M62B35/B44 (3.5/4.4 V8)80k–150kTiming chain guides, cooling system£800–£2,000£2,800–£6,000
Best V8 -post-1996 M62 improved
M62TÜB35/B44 (TU V8)80k–150kTiming chain guides, VANOS£800–£2,000£2,800–£6,000
Best V8 -TU version with VANOS
M73B54/TU (5.4 V12)80k–150k+Oil leaks, cooling system, DME issues£1,000–£2,500£4,000–£7,000
Flagship -smooth but expensive
M51D25 (2.5 diesel)100k–150k+Injectors, turbo, glow plugs£500–£1,200£2,200–£4,000
Underpowered -reliable but slow
M57D30 (2.9 diesel)100k–150k+Injectors, EGR, DPF£500–£1,200£2,800–£5,000
Solid Choice -improved diesel
M67D40 (3.9 V8 diesel)80k–120kInjectors, turbo, cooling system£800–£1,800£3,500–£6,500
Rare Choice -BMW's first V8 diesel

The E38 rule

A £2,000–£3,500 M52 recon against a £1,500–£5,000 E38 sits at 40–233% of the car's value. On a sub-£2,500 high-mileage example, that brushes our 70% BMW threshold -we'll honestly tell you to walk away. Against a well-kept £4,000+ example, the same recon drops to 50–88% -assess carefully. For V12s and rare V8 diesels, the calculus is different: these are future classics where maintenance costs are part of the ownership experience. Value the car first.

Common Problems

E38 Engine Replacement Costs -By Engine and Condition

No Generation variance from the Engine Page baseline -no dedicated Engine Pages exist for these families yet, so baseline figures are drawn from the EM_Proprietary_Data Table A. Labour hours estimated at 10–14 hours for six-cylinder engines, 12–16 hours for V8s, and 14–18 hours for the V12 and V8 diesel due to additional complexity.

Core Variants

Diesel & Petrol Lineup

Diesel Variants

725tds730d740d

Petrol Variants

728i730i735i740i750i

Scope note: All variants listed are E38 7 Series only. The 730i was produced 1994–1996 and replaced by the 735i. The 740i received a 4.4-litre M62 in 1996, replacing the 4.0-litre M60. The 750i V12 was produced throughout. The 740d (M67 V8 diesel) was introduced in 1999 and is the rarest E38 variant. Long-wheelbase (iL) and Limousine (L7) variants share the same engine range.

Market Intelligence

Most Requested E90 Engines (2025)

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      Most Common E90 Failures

        FAQ

        BMW 3 Series E90 rear three-quarter view

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