BMW 5 Series buyers guide E60/E61 (2003-2010) Reliability and problems (520/525/530/535/550)

The Miles Driven
The Miles Driven
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Published 2023-07-06
BMW 5 Series (E60/E61) Buyers guide for 520i, 520d, 523i, 525i, 525d, 528i, 530i, 530d, 535i, 535d, 540i, 545i, 550i. Avoid buying a cheap broken BMW 5 series sedan or touring estate and find the BMW 5 series that you want without breaking the bank. Used BMW 5 series can vary in price and reliability with common problems or using them as company cars for high mileage. With our guide you'll be able to avoid the ones with problems. Avoid the mistakes of buying the cheapest broken BMW 5 Series as a project and attempting to fix the BMW E60 E61 5 series due to valve stem failure, Vanos unit failure, broken timing chains, or oil leaks with our review. This buyer's guide covers the E60 and E61 BMW 5 series from years 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 in all trims from SE to Sport. If you are deciding between the BMW 5series or are an owner looking for a guide, but considering other vehicles, like the Audi A6 or Mercedes E-Class then why not check out this video and others from our channel.

The issues discussed in our buyer's guide to the E60 BMW 5 Series include timing chain stretch, faulty fuel door, and high pressure fuel pumps, which we review.


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Legal and disclaimer - Any content not originally created by The Miles Driven remains the property of the original owner and is editorialised for media reporting. All content is used within the confines of media reporting/editorial use and is transformative in nature to inform others with new information and content about cars and vehicles. We use no more of the original content than necessary in alignment with U.S copyright law for fair use and U.K fair dealing. We accept no liability for the purchase of vehicles using our guide and suggest thorough due diligence by individual professional inspections before making a buying decision.
All Comments (17)
  • @themilesdriven
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  • @mik3952
    Nice video. Appreciate the exact bulletin numbers and parts' codes. After owning a 3 Series E90 model 330i N52 engine I moved to E60 530i same engine 258hp 300Nm of torque RWD manual. This car is refined, powerful and smooth. Everything to look for! A true BMW!
  • @FredrikEastling
    12:28 lists the 535D engine as an M47 where it should be M57. Some more noteworthy common issues: The wiring from the body to the rear hatch on the E61 is prone to fail on all E61's. It's a matter of when, not if. Relatively easily repaired, tons of videos on it. Problems include light bulb errors, trunk boot not opening, or opening when braking, shopping hatch not opening and the remote not working. The diversity antenna on the E61's fitted in the trunk spoiler is also prone to failure as it's very exposed to the elements. This will not only stop the remote from working, but can also reset the iDrive and reduce the FM radio antennas capacity. The pre LCI automatic gearbox torque converters are much weaker than their LCI counterparts. If your revs start going up/down when driving on the highway at a stable speed, this is most likely the culprit. There are tons of sellers online which sell refurbished LCI converters and will take your pre-LCI converters as a trade in. The E61's are especially prone to getting water in the spare wheel compartment. It's not just the MPM which is located there, but tons of other modules and relays. It's adviced to move all these modules and relays to a higher point in the car. Even if you have an E60, it's worth taking a couple of extra minutes to move these. E61's rear suspension is an air suspension, which can be a huge pain in the butt. It's not uncommon for the compressor relay to get flooded in the trunks spare wheel compartment and either not working at all, or running as soon as the car gets power. The iDrive units, especially the most common variant (CCC) tends to go bad resulting in the unit failing to boot and the screen not turning on, or just flashing. There are companies which you can send your CCC units to refurbish them. Or you can troubleshoot them yourself and follow online guides. This is especially annoying since you adjust your automatic climate controls with the iDrive screen. That's all I can think of from the top of my head. I've got some M57 content on my profile for whoever is interested. Can definitely recommend a later model E60 (2006:ish and above) with the newer key and some updated modules paired with an M57 engine of some sort. I'd say E60 over E61 for reliability as the E61's come with more common issues.
  • @AW8UK
    Some years since E60/61 were new this is a useful video. Even back in the day it was a struggle to keel track of engine changes. A bit more info on E61 rear suspension would have been nice. Overall a decent vid & absent of waffle.....Thanks
  • @mehmedabi4106
    I recently bought a 2008 530i and it randomly said the car was at high vehicle temperature and it went after after I turned the car off and on and it went, running at 100Β°C on idle heard thermostats open at 97Β°C is there any solution?
  • @e28forever30
    Correction: petrol engines were Euro4 at minimum. No Euro 3 here…!
  • @Leo70780
    The 5 series E60 is my personal favourite 525i / 530i
  • @greenfrosty1200
    I turned 18 half a year ago and i am looking for a car. My cousin suggested getting a e60 with a 525d engine. Is this a car i should look after?
  • @k5rick
    Used to be popular on the road, now they are all in the Junk Yard