Selling a junk or broken-down BMW 7 Series

A big sedan with a bad transmission or a dead engine is still a whole car someone can use. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, and we offer free pickup anywhere in the US.

The 7 Series by generation

Owners of these sedans filed each complaint with NHTSA, and our count runs through October 10, 2026, so later cars have had a shorter stretch to draw them. Vehicle totals on recalls describe whole campaigns, many of which reach the 5, 6 or 8 Series.

E23 and E32: model years 1984-1994

Wikipedia says the E23 ran from 1977 to 1987 with six-cylinder engines, and the E32 from 1986 to 1994, offered with a straight six or a V12, Germany's first passenger-car V12 since World War II. Model years 1984-1987 hold 6 complaints. Model years 1988-1994 hold 120, with engine and engine cooling leading most years.

This era has a run of small recalls. Recall 86V151 replaced brake light switches that could overheat on 1986-1987 cars. Recall 90V016 swapped front seat belt buckles that the fold-down armrest could damage on 1988-1990 cars. Recall 94V066 replaced feed fuel hoses that could harden and seep fuel on 1989-1993 cars. Recall 96V110 fixed an air bag contact ring tab in the steering wheel on 1991-1992 cars.

E38: model years 1995-2001

The E38 was built from 1994 to 2001 in standard and long-wheelbase "iL" form, per Wikipedia. The car in the photo is a 728iL from this generation. These seven years hold 252 complaints, and engine and engine cooling leads 1995 through 1998. Recall 98V178 put a new radiator cap on 1988-1995 cars to handle overheating, and 01V206 replaced the electronically controlled cooling fan on 2001 cars.

E65: model years 2002-2008

Wikipedia dates this generation to 2001 through 2008, again in standard and long "Li" lengths. It holds 869 complaints. Power train is the top category on the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2008.

The 2006 has 317 complaints, the most of any 7 Series year: 88 power train, 56 air bags and 35 latches, locks and linkages. Door and lock complaints stay in the top three from 2005 to 2008. Recall 10V446 fixed the brake vacuum pump on 2002-2008 cars, where a check valve could let oil seep, in a 198,352-vehicle campaign shared with the 5 and 6 Series. Recall 13V564, for the air bag occupant classification sensor, lists 2006-2007 7 Series cars too.

F01: model years 2009-2015

The fifth generation ran from 2008 to 2015, per Wikipedia. Complaints drop to 238 across these years, and the engine leads every year from 2009 to 2013. The 2015 740Ld diesel is covered by recall 21V907, which replaces the EGR cooler.

G11 and G70: model years 2016 on

The G11 was revealed on June 10, 2015, and the G70 debuted in April 2022 with an electric i7 version, per Wikipedia. Owners have filed few complaints on these cars: 64 across 2016-2022 and 33 across 2023-2025. Recalls outnumber complaints in several years. The 2020 and 2021 each have 9 recall campaigns and 5 complaints, and the 2023 has 11 campaigns.

Several touch the engine and electrics. Recall 24V576 updates engine software on 2020-2021 cars, and 25V644 replaces a starter that may overheat on 2020-2022 740Li cars. Recall 26V441 asks owners of 2017-2019 740Le plug-in hybrids to keep them outdoors pending a new starter. Recall 24V104 replaces the integrated brake system on 2023-2025 cars, and 26V096 replaces an air conditioning wiring harness on 2024-2025 cars.

Complaints and recall campaigns by year

Multi-year campaigns show up in every year they reach.

Repair or sell?

Check the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first, since dealers do recall work free. On an older 7 Series, that may be the only repair that costs nothing.

For the rest, ask the shop for its estimate on paper, then check what a running 7 Series of the same year brings. Transmission and drivetrain work on a 2002-2008 car is where that math most often tips; bad transmission covers the symptoms and the decision. For a car that is simply old and worn, old or high mileage is the better read.

Selling the whole car

1. Note what you know: VIN, mileage, the trouble, and whether it rolls.
2. Get an offer online or by calling (877) 421-6008.
3. Tell us where it's parked and how long it is. A long-wheelbase sedan in a tight garage or a narrow drive affects which truck we send. Pickup is free anywhere in the US.
4. Keep it intact. Wheels, battery and converter should stay put; flag anything that's been taken off.
5. When it's collected, the driver needs the signed title and a look at your ID, plus the keys. After you sell explains plates and insurance by state.

Title lost? See selling with no title. Nearby models: the 5 Series, 6 Series and 8 Series, or every BMW.