BMW 740i

I bought a 1995 BMW 740i less than a year ago for £2,690 in a private sale. Very little service history but looked in good nick and price was lower than the official valuation of these cars of this age.
Since purchase I have had to visit a mechanics at least a half-dozen times, for amongst other things:
1. Steering wheel tremor (due to buckled alloys).
2. Power-steering fluid leak.
3. Air-con not working.
During one visit the key no longer started the car so I had to order a new one from BMW - £81 plus some terrible customer service (from BMW Nine Elms in Battersea, London).
Now recently it overheated as there was mysteriously no fluid left in the radiator hence yet another visit to the mechanics is due.

There's no doubting that these cars are fantastic when they run OK - lots of power under-foot, smooth and easy handling and a luxurious interior but the over-complicated nature of all the electrics make it a mine-field for problems.
Components are very expensive as is the amount of time a mechanic has to spend getting to the problem areas.

These cars were around £60k when new and have lost so much value now it's ridiculous, so can be picked up for a bargain basement price. But if you get one, expect to pay the same you did for the car in mechanics fees.
Burns petrol like it's going out of fashion but it's a 4-litre car so that is to be expected, deliveres some great acceleration for a big car though, doens't get outmuscled very often...