BMW 730i (E65/E66) review: the affordable route into the Bangle 7 Series
3.4/5motorssouq Editorial Team
A 730i with a documented cooling-system overhaul is the most sensible way into an E65-generation 7 Series in Bahrain: no SMG gearbox to nurse, no V12 running costs, and a straight-six that is fundamentally honest. Walk away from any example whose coolant reservoir cap and hoses still look original after fifteen-plus years in this heat.
Pros
- Fundamentally sound naturally aspirated straight-six
- Avoids the V12 and SMG running costs of pricier E65 siblings
- Same comfortable cabin and ride as the range-topping models
- Cheapest, simplest entry into E65-generation ownership
Cons
- Plastic cooling system components crack after years of Gulf heat, on every E65 regardless of engine
- VANOS solenoid wear causes hesitant idle if unaddressed
- 231 hp feels modest for the car's size and weight
- Parts and specialist labour are no longer cheap as the platform ages
The 730i was never the 7 Series BMW wanted you to notice, sitting under a range topped by the 745i, 750i and 760i, but the 3.0-litre naturally aspirated six it carries is the same fundamentally sound unit found across the 3 and 5 Series of the era. In Bahrain it is the entry ticket to E65-generation ownership without the V8 range's insurance and fuel bills.
The cooling system is not optional maintenance
Every E65/E66, regardless of engine, shares the same weakness: a cooling system built from plastic components that were never designed for two decades of 45 °C summers. The radiator, expansion tank, thermostat housing and hose fittings all become brittle and eventually crack or split, usually with no more warning than a slowly dropping coolant level. Buying a 730i without evidence this has already been done — ideally with upgraded aftermarket parts — is buying a future overheat.
The VANOS solenoids are the other recurring item; a hesitant idle or a flat spot off the line is the usual symptom, and it is a known, affordable fix at an independent BMW specialist here.
What you get for the compromise
In exchange, the 730i sidesteps everything expensive about its stablemates: no SMG clutch to replace, no V12 servicing bills, no air suspension compressor to eventually fail. The cabin, ride and E65's genuinely comfortable rear seats are identical to the pricier models. It is the 7 Series to buy if you want the badge and the comfort without gambling on the range's more complex engines.