You’re standing in a used car lot, or maybe scrolling through a private listing late at night, and you see it. The long wheelbase. The massive kidney grilles that, back in 2009, actually looked proportional. It’s the 2009 BMW 750Li. When it was new, this thing cost nearly $85,000 before you even touched the options list. Today? You can find them for the price of a used Honda Civic with 200,000 miles on the clock. It’s tempting. Really tempting. But there is a very specific reason why a car that feels like a private jet on wheels sells for pennies on the dollar, and honestly, you need to know what you’re getting into before you sign that title.
The F01 generation—specifically the long-wheelbase F02—marked a massive shift for BMW. They moved away from the controversial "Bangle Butt" styling of the previous E65 and tried to make the 7 Series elegant again. They succeeded. It’s a gorgeous car. But under that long, dignified hood lies the N63 engine. If you ask any BMW mechanic about the original N63, they’ll probably just sigh and look at the floor. It’s a masterpiece of engineering that is simultaneously a nightmare of complexity.
The N63 Engine: A Love-Hate Relationship
BMW did something wild with the 2009 BMW 750Li. They took two turbochargers and tucked them right in the "V" of the engine. They call it a "Hot V" setup. It’s brilliant for packaging and it virtually eliminates turbo lag. You get 400 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque that hits you like a freight train at just 1,750 RPM. This car doesn't just accelerate; it surges. It feels effortless. You’re doing 90 mph before you even realize you’ve pulled out of your driveway.
But here’s the catch.
Heat.
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Intense, unrelenting heat.
Because those turbos sit right in the middle of the engine block, they cook everything around them. We’re talking about plastic clips that turn to dust, rubber hoses that get brittle enough to snap like crackers, and oil seals that eventually just give up. The 2009 BMW 750Li became famous (or infamous) for the "Customer Care Package" that BMW released years later. It wasn't officially a recall, but it was basically BMW admitting the engine needed a massive overhaul of its fuel injectors, mass airflow sensors, and crankcase ventilation lines. If you're looking at one today, you have to check if that work was done. If it wasn't, you're essentially driving a ticking clock.
Driving the 2009 BMW 750Li Today
Forget the maintenance for a second. Just forget it. Sit inside. The 2009 model year was the first for this generation, and BMW went all out. The "L" in Li stands for long wheelbase, which means you get an extra 5.5 inches of legroom in the back. It’s cavernous. You could host a small board meeting back there. The seats are more like lounge chairs than car seats, especially if the original owner ticked the box for the multi-contour option. They massage you. They ventilate you. They hold you in place with side bolsters that move automatically when you turn the key.
On the highway, the 2009 BMW 750Li is arguably one of the most stable vehicles ever built. It uses a double-wishbone front suspension—a departure from BMW’s usual strut setup—which gives it this incredibly planted feel. Even at triple-digit speeds, it's silent. You can whisper to your passenger. It’s eerie.
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Then there’s the tech. This was the era where BMW finally fixed iDrive. The early versions were a disaster, but by 2009, they added physical shortcut buttons around the controller. It actually works. You get a massive screen, a head-up display that projects your speed onto the windshield, and side-view cameras that help you pull out of blind intersections. In 2009, this was sci-fi stuff. In 2026, it still feels relatively modern, which is a testament to how far ahead of the curve this car was.
The Real Cost of Ownership
Let's talk numbers. Not the "I bought it for $7,000" numbers, but the "It’s Tuesday and my dash looks like a Christmas tree" numbers.
Owning a 2009 BMW 750Li is not like owning a 3 Series. Everything is doubled. Two turbos. Two air filters. Two fuel pumps. Eight fuel injectors that, in the early days, were prone to failure. If an injector stays open, it can wash the oil off the cylinder walls and basically destroy the engine. This is why you see so many of these cars with "Engine Malfunction: Reduced Power" warnings on the screen.
Oil consumption is the other big one. These engines drink oil. It’s not uncommon to add a quart every 1,000 miles. BMW actually stated that this was within "normal" operating specs for a while, but for most owners, it's a constant source of anxiety. You have to be the kind of person who checks their dipstick (or rather, the electronic oil level monitor) every time you get gas.
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- Fuel Economy: It’s a V8. It’s heavy. Expect about 14-15 mpg in the city. If you have a heavy foot, you’ll see single digits.
- Tires: Most came with staggered 19 or 20-inch wheels. You can’t rotate them. You’ll be buying new rear tires often because that 450 lb-ft of torque loves to chew through rubber.
- Electronics: This car has dozens of computer modules. A weak battery can trigger 50 different "fault" codes that aren't actually real. You need a dedicated BMW diagnostic tool like an ENET cable and ISTA software just to know if your car is actually broken or just being moody.
Is It a Smart Buy?
Honestly? No. It’s a terrible financial decision. But sometimes life isn't about smart financial decisions. If you are a DIY mechanic with a set of Torx bits and a lot of patience, the 2009 BMW 750Li offers a level of luxury and performance that nothing else at its price point can touch. You are getting a car that was engineered to be the best in the world.
If you're paying a shop for every repair, stay away. A single major repair bill for a cooling system overhaul or a turbo replacement could easily exceed the value of the entire car. That is the tragedy of the flagship luxury sedan.
But there is a "sweet spot." Look for a car with a documented service history. You want to see that the valve stem seals have been replaced. That is the "big one." When those seals fail, the car starts blowing blue smoke at stoplights like an old bus. It’s an expensive, labor-intensive job because the engine basically has to come out or be significantly dismantled. If that’s been done, and the cooling system is fresh, you might just have a reliable-ish cruiser for a few years.
Critical Next Steps for Buyers
If you’re serious about picking up a 2009 BMW 750Li, don’t just kick the tires and go for a test drive. You need a strategy.
- Get a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI): This is non-negotiable. Take it to an independent BMW specialist, not a general mechanic. They know exactly where the N63 leaks oil and coolant. Ask them specifically to check the "hot V" area for baked plastic and leaking turbo coolant lines.
- Run the VIN for the CCP: Call a BMW dealership with the VIN and ask if the Customer Care Package (CCP) was performed. This was the massive service campaign BMW ran to address the early N63 issues. If the car missed it, you’re looking at a mountain of deferred maintenance.
- Check the Battery: These cars are incredibly sensitive to voltage. A three-year-old battery is an old battery in a 7 Series. If the car starts showing weird transmission errors or "Dynamic Drive" failures, the battery is the first thing to check.
- Budget for the "Big Three": Valve stem seals, cooling system plastics, and fuel injectors. If you don't have $3,000 to $5,000 in a "just in case" fund, you shouldn't buy this car.
The 2009 BMW 750Li is a masterpiece of German engineering that happens to be very high-maintenance. It’s the ultimate expression of "there is no such thing as a cheap luxury car." You either pay the dealer up front for a new one, or you pay the mechanic down the road for a used one. But for those moments when the road opens up, the twin-turbos spool, and you’re cocooned in silent, leather-wrapped speed? For some people, that’s worth every penny and every headache.