£4,500 Budget.....BM or Roller?

Let's say this may be possible.....(For me)

Pondering with my missus, that if we should divert funds, we were torn between an old BMW 7 or an old Rolls Royce.  One get get a reasonable Roller for that money.

Much mpg difference?

Much insurance difference?

Each lump is probably as reliable as the other, non-lump repairs I can do myself.  And of course non-complicated lump repairs (I won't take a head off)....which is a shameful admittance for an apprenticed toolmaker!!!)  But I have been off-the-tools since 1981.  It must be a bottle thing

I don't want an 8 because the parts are rare, and expensive.

What does the team think? 728/30/35 or a RR from about 1979. 

I agree with all that's been said.  The E32 sevens were pretty reliable - I had a 1990 730i and covered 150,000 miles with only servicing costs!!

[EDITED]

Good luck

STEPHEN B

Sorry to have to moderate you Stephen, I realise your new, please read the forum guidelines regarding selling things on the forum.

Welcome to the forum, and hopefully the club

I've  been seriously looking at RR silver shadow 1 & 2s, accompanied by the friend who sprayed my 5 series, and restores old classic Saabs for a living.

From what we have seen, you need to spend about £9,000 to get a very decent one.

£6,000 - £9,000 seems to get good ones.

Below £6,000 , and the ones we have looked at are going to cost a lot to make them good.

Compared to BMWs the parts are very expensive, for what its worth I'd advise you to stick to BM if £6,000 is your budget, there are some absolute crackers out there, but try to stick to the straight 6 engines, the V8s, and V12s can be very costly if/when they go wrong, and second hand bits are more plentiful for the 6's

Ta for the reps so far guys.

Points.  The possible budget is a NTE £4,500.  Considering I've increased my car purchase budget from the Few hundred to this, it is a milestone!

Of the 20 cars I've owned, the current BMW 520i SE at £900 is the most expensive purchase.  Tell a lie, with one of my ex-wifes we bought a Brand new VW Golf Ryder at J reg.  But that was her windfall, so I don't count it.  New car.....or "How to lose £1500 in 10 minutes, then £2,000 per year for 3 years!"

Old Rollers.  Does the engine really get that knacked?  Surely by default these cars havn't been ragged by racers.  Bodywork......rust a lot?  I've looked at some very old RR in forecourts, seen no rust bubbling thru the paintwork...is it all hidden in the sills etc.

£9,000 to "Make them good".  Meaning what?  Serious engine faults?  If I were to get one, I would live with all the nigglers, I certainly wouldn't be able or desire to restore it to glory or concourse condition.

Parts...yes expensive, but how often needed.  This is a roller, the lump should outlive me!

What year / model did RR start having the BMW engine in it?  Mid to late 80's wasn't it? Which BMW engine was used.  IIRC RR didn't have one developed, just adapted an existing BM lump and dropped it in.

Jags or Mercs.  It could only be a Jag Mark 2 (The villains car!) or a similar aged Merc.

Gas converted Roller?  That's surely breaking some religion or other!  There are old Roller Engineers spinning in their grave at the very thought!

Anyway, I think you've put me off.  Unless I win lotto or summat.  In which case I would seek my dream car....The Bristol V8, the one with the Spare wheel within the front wing.  Tool box and battery in the other front wing.  Designed with looks in mind, not like modern rubbish!  Fab car!  If anyone knows the full title / spec of the car I'm talking about, lemme know, so I can addit to the dream file!