BMW 5 Series (2003-2009) review | A flawed but fabulous executive saloon

What is the BMW 5 Series?

After the simple and elegant E39 5 Series, the E60 came as something of a shock. Its arrival in 2003 coincided with an all-new era for BMW, one that would be built upon new technologies and clever new functions, such as the now-ubiquitous iDrive infotainment system, and various active driver assistance systems that have since become commonplace across the automotive industry.

In BMW’s judgement, its mid-sized saloon and estate car (the latter called the 5 Series Touring) needed an up-to-date look with which to hail the arrival of this new era of technology. Whereas most mainstream BMWs that came before the 5 Series E60 were characterised by timeless designs that clearly owed a great deal to the company’s cars of the '70s and '80s, the 5 Series that arrived soon after the turn of century resolutely and intentionally did not.

Its styling was overseen by BMW’s former design director, Chris Bangle, who at the time was busily reimagining the company’s entire design philosophy. No more looking backwards – with sharp creases, angular headlights, complex surfacing across their flanks and minimalist interiors, Bangle-era BMWs would turn to face the future instead, a philosophy that continues to this day.

How practical is it?

You could take your pick of either the four-door saloon or five-door estate body styles when ordering your E60 5 Series.

The saloon is pretty roomy, with space for four adults to sit comfortably. The boot, meanwhile, can swallow 520 litres, which isn’t as much as some of its contemporary rivals, but still plenty enough to mean you can fit two suitcases and two cabin bags – enough for a week-long family holiday, in other words.

While you might expect the estate to be even more spacious, the 5 Series Touring actually offers less in terms of actual capacity with its rear seats in place than the saloon model – strange, but true. Officially, you get just 500 litres.

That said, we can’t find any good reason why. It could be nothing more than the result of a difference in measurements; that volume, for example, may not include the area beneath the Touring’s false boot floor, which is useful additional carrying space. It could, on the other hand, reflect the use of larger wheel arches and extra control modules required for the self-levelling air suspension that’s fitted as standard to the rear of the Touring models.

Either way, what’s beyond doubt is that with the rear seats up, the Touring’s boot isn’t as big as those of rival models such as the Audi A6, Volvo V70 and Mercedes E-Class. The same is true of estate cars without the premium badge, such as the Volkswagen Passat and Skoda Super, which both boast vastly roomier load areas.

You do at least get a wide-opening hatchback door in the Touring, through which to access the boot, which means it’s more versatile, and of course, when the seats are folded down, the yawning space on offer makes it much easier to load the contents of your trolley when you’ve been to the local flat-pack furniture emporium.

What’s more, the higher rear roofline of the estate helps with headroom in the back seats; this isn’t really a huge issue in the saloon, but taller rear passengers will certainly be happier in the Touring.

Up front, both Touring and saloon models share a cockpit that’s well endowed with additional storage space for odds and ends.

Mind you, it’s worth noting that build quality took a dive compared to the previous E39-generation 5 Series, and you might find that the plastics on a well-worn example look a little tattier than those of the equivalent E-Class or V70. For all that, though, the E60 still feels plush enough to qualify as a high-end executive car.

What’s it like to drive?

Many thought the BMW 5 Series E60 was ugly when it was first unveiled. BMW had in fact been very shrewd (and perhaps a little underhand) in deliberately making higher-spec models with their purposeful M Sport bodykits far more desirable. These versions were more profitable after all, and it’d be no bad thing if buyers felt compelled to upgrade to them.

Over time, the shock of the E60’s styling has long since faded away and today the fifth-generation 5 Series looks a handsome machine, particularly with bigger alloy wheels and that M Sport styling kit.

Those variants did have a downside, however. With stiff suspension and minimal tyre sidewalls, they were hardly the last word in ride comfort, a fact not helped by the stiffness of the ‘run-flat’ puncture resistant tyres BMW fitted from the factory.

The trade-off was that these M-Sport models steered and handled very well indeed – though much the same was true of the SE models, which did without the sporty bits, as well. That’s why we’d tend to recommend seeking out one of these instead; an SE with plump tyres and small wheels will ride much better – if you can live with the dumpier styling.

The engine range was similarly geared towards driver enjoyment. At launch, it was fairly simple; the petrol range stretched from a 168bhp 2.2-litre six-cylinder engine in the 520i right up to a 328bhp 4.4-litre V8, badged 545i, with two six-cylinder diesels, the 525d and 530d, kicking out 175 and 215bhp respectively.

As time went on, the range filled out, with a 161bhp four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesel, the 520d, taking up station at the bottom of the line-up, and additional six-cylinder petrol and diesel models filling out the mid-range. The 545i was eventually replaced by two V8s – the 302bhp 540i and 362bhp 550i – while a 268bhp version of the 3.0-litre diesel engine, the 535d, became the pick of the bunch.

And as if that little lot wasn’t enough, the line-up was topped off with the M5, a V10-engined technological tour de force that kicked out 500bhp and allowed you to set it up to be as docile or as lairy as you might like it to be, and one that has since become an iconic drivers’ car. Mind you, all that technology has proven thumpingly expensive to maintain, so buy one now only if you’ve very deep pockets.

Keep in mind that BMW continuously tweaked the E60 5 Series throughout its life, so power outputs (and fuel economy figures) received regular upgrades as engine technology improved. As a rule, then, the later the example you buy, the greater is power output is likely to be.

Technology, equipment & infotainment

BMW introduced its iDrive infotainment interface two years before the arrival of the 5 Series, with the E65 7 Series. It found its way into the E60 with all its quirks and foibles very much intact.

While iDrive – which uses a scroll wheel on the transmission tunnel to control a digital display in the dashboard – has evolved over the years to be one of the most intuitive systems of its type, those earlier iterations could be somewhat bewildering.

Take a little time to learn how to navigate the menus and switch between the various functions, and it becomes easier to use – but the fact remains that this is a very early iteration of the sort of central infotainment screen that’s now become a familiar sight in modern cars, and its idiosyncrasies mean it can be distracting to use.

The 5 Series model range was incredibly simple. There were just two models, the SE and M Sport – but both were fairly sparsely equipped, with the M Sport’s only notable additional items of equipment being its leather upholstery, larger wheels and sportier looks.

The idea was that you would choose the base car, which would come with air conditioning, a CD player, and satellite navigation, but not much else – and then add specification to it by way of the extensive options list, which included such safety and convenience technologies as adaptive headlights, heated seats, cruise control, variable ratio steering, Bluetooth, voice control and even a head-up display, which projected key information onto the windscreen.

All of which means that if you’re searching for a 5 Series with particular items of equipment fitted today, you’re faced with the task of poring through the classified ads to try and identify an example that’s so-equipped, rather than settling on a version with all the toys as standard. That can make finding an example with the specification you want quite tricky.

BMW 5 Series running costs

With such a wide selection of engines on offer, fuel efficiency ranges from positively parsimonious to utterly horrendous. The 520d should return an average of around 40mpg in mixed driving and more than that on the motorway, while the 5.0-litre V10 in the BMW M5 might not manage much more than 15mpg if used to its full potential. As a rule of thumb, diesel engines will be more fuel efficient than petrols, and that applies even to the more powerful diesels like the 535d with its twin turbochargers.

You shouldn’t expect any more than 25mpg from the petrol V8s, while petrol straight-sixes should achieve closer to 30mpg. BMW introduced its Efficient Dynamics technologies along with the 2007 facelift. These included functions like stop-start and regenerative braking, meaning later cars will be slightly more fuel efficient than earlier ones. Efficient Dynamics models will also be cleaner in terms of CO2 emissions as well.

As these cars grow older and older, there is increasingly less reason to have them serviced at main dealers. In fact, if you find a good local specialist your car will be maintained to the same high standards, but you’ll fork out a good deal less money. Accordingly, you shouldn’t be put off by a car that doesn’t have a full BMW service history, as long as it's been looked after by a reputable specialist. Do make sure there’s plenty of evidence of careful maintenance, though.

Insurance costs can vary significantly between models – lower-powered variants sit in group 31 while the exotic M5 is in group 50, the highest there is. The same goes for tyres, because while a 520d won’t need especially expensive rubber, the M5 absolutely will. Expect to pay £300 for a full set on the former model and at least double that on the M5.

The 5 Series comes from an era when a car’s tax rate was determined by its CO2 emissions output. That means the more fuel the car burns, the more CO2 it emits, and the more it’s taxed. In other words, diesel versions will actually be quite reasonable to tax, especially the later EfficientDynamics models.

By contrast, most of the higher-end models are now getting quite pricey as far as VED is concerned; the V8 and V10 versions especially will fall into the highest car tax brackets, and require you to pay upwards of £700 to the Exchequer each year to keep them on the road.

BMW 5 Series reliability

With so many electrical systems that were right at the vanguard of automotive technology when the E60 was new, there is unfortunately plenty that can go wrong. iDrive systems are known to be temperamental and can sometimes freeze altogether, leaving you unable to access the car’s entertainment and satnav functions. It’s therefore worth having a really good play with the system to make sure it operates the way it should. Early cars are more commonly affected by iDrive problems.

Otherwise, you’ll want to know that the driver assistance systems, where fitted, all work properly, that the air conditioning blows cold air, the remote central locking works, the seat heaters function as they should and the Bluetooth system connects with your phone. Over the years there have been various recalls for the E60, ranging from airbags faults to fuel pump issues, as well as clutch, stability control system and engine troubles. It’s worth checking that all of these recalls have been carried out.

Many owners choose to fit conventional rather than run-flat tyres to their cars, in part to save money but also to improve the ride quality. BMW doesn’t recommend this (and you should always carry an air compressor and a can of expanding foam in case you pick up a puncture), but countless owners have favoured conventional tyres for many years without reporting any issues.

During your test-drive, listen out for unusual knocks and creaks from the suspension, which can indicate worn bushes that’ll want to be replaced. Also check that the steering is straight and true – if not, the wheel alignment will need to be corrected.

There are common faults that relate to particular engines and you’ll want to be mindful of those. For instance, 525i and 530i petrol engines can suffer excessive fuel consumption and damaged cylinder linings as a result of faulty fuel injectors. This issue can ultimately prove terminal, the only fix being a replacement engine.

Meanwhile, diesel motors can suffer issues with their swirl flaps. These were fitted to improve emissions on start-up, but over time they can degrade and sometimes fail completely, often leading to engine failure. Many owners simply choose to remove the swirl flaps altogether.

Perhaps the most infamous of all E60 faults relates to the four-cylinder 2.0-litre diesels, which are prone to snapping their timing chains or shattering the tensioners, both faults that can crop up with relatively little warning and require an expensive engine rebuild – or more likely, given current values, write off the car completely.