2002 BMW 735 3.6L Petrol · M22 GAH

The 2002 BMW 735 remains roadworthy, with the most recent test on 14 July 2025 at 113,162 miles returning a pass. The maintenance trend is broadly stable, though minor wear items persist. The tester flagged slight play in the nearside front rear track control arm ball joint and rear inner tyre edge wear, both consistent with an ageing executive saloon used lightly. Recorded mileage sits at 113,162 against 24 years of age, an average of roughly 4,715 miles per year. The car covered only 3,215 miles between the July 2024 test at 109,947 miles and July 2025, and 5,937 miles across the 2023 to 2024 period. Such low annual use suggests long standing periods, which typically accelerate rubber perishing and fluid degradation rather than mechanical fatigue. The MOT history shows no major gaps, with tests spaced roughly annually since 2021. Recurring oil leakage appears at every examination from 2021 through 2024, indicating the previous owner tolerated weeping seals rather than commissioning a repair. The 2022 test recorded blue smoke under acceleration, pointing to worn valve stem seals or piston rings, a fault absent from later records but worth confirming on a cold start. Rear brake pipe corrosion noted in 2022 and the 2022 exhaust smoke imply deferred underside care. A buyer should inspect the front suspension track control arm bushes and ball joints for play, verify rear tyre shoulder wear is not masking alignment faults, and check for structural corrosion beneath the fitted covers and shields. The headlamp lens defect from 2023 and frayed offside front seat belt webbing require physical confirmation. Given the low mileage and oil leak history, a borescope check of cylinder walls and a leak-down test would establish true engine condition before purchase.