Item: Used BMW 5 Series Touring 1996 - 2004
Author: What Car? Team

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Estate

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

5 SERIES

The BMW 5 Series Touring is a cheaper prospect and much better to drive than a Mercedes E-Class Estate.

Used BMW 5 Series Touring 1996 - 2004

When the newer model replaced this one, it pushed values down, but residual values are still strong, so prices can be high. There are plenty about, though, so don't feel pressurised into buying a car with options you don't want and which may push the price up.

There are no alarm bells to sound when it comes to running a 5 Series Touring, as long as you stick with the six-cylinder petrol engines or the diesels. The V8s petrols are expensive to maintain and run.

The 170bhp 520i petrol almost manages 30mpg, which is respectable compared with the E-Class and A6. Our favourite diesel achieves over 40mpg, but is more expensive to insure, although, overall, insurance groups are typical for the class.

Servicing costs are high, but repair bills are cheaper than rivals if something does go wrong, even if <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/bmw">BMW</a> workshops do routinely charge more than £100 for every hour's work. Independents charge half as much, so this can help slash your running costs if you buy one.

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The BMW 5 Series Touring is a cheaper prospect and much better to drive than a Mercedes E-Class Estate.


There's no need to spend masses of money getting a big engine for the BMW 5 Series Touring, but it is worth having the updated 170bhp 520i introduced in late summer 2000. If you're carrying substantial weight in the boot, you'll appreciate the adding pulling power.

The rest of the six-cylinder petrol engines are all fine options if you want extra poke, but we think they're nice, rather than necessary. The V8s are little more than a quick way to get to the next petrol station.

All of the diesel engines are worthy partners for the 5 Series Touring, but the old and outdated 525tds should be at the bottom of your list unless your budget is tight. We'd get the 525d instead.

Some early cars are short of toys, with no air-con, but generally you'll find most are well equipped. SE trim is the best one to look for.

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Huge boot and excellent practicality</li> <li>Plenty of interior space so you can carry passengers as well as luggage </li> <li>Strong engines to pull a heavily laden car</li> <li>Comfortable ride, especially on the motorway</li> <li>Low running costs for company car drivers</li></ul>

If you’re after bags of space but you don’t want to commit to the van-like dimensions and styling of an MPV, there are some great estate cars on offer that should do the job.

Tricks to look out for include an electric tailgate&nbsp;that opens automatically when you wave your foot under the rear bumper; this is&nbsp;particularly handy if you’re trying to load in a heavy or&nbsp;bulky item. You should also look for handles in the side of the boot itself that can drop down the rear seats; these are much more convenient than having to walk around the side of the car to do it.

There are some terrific estates at most price ranges. The humble Skoda Fabia Estate offers cavernous space for not much cash at all, for example.

Further up the price range, another of our perennial favourites is the Skoda Superb Estate;&nbsp;it’s great to drive and as practical as most people should ever need. Meanwhile, for serious mile-munching ability and a premium, well-finished interior, it’s hard to look beyond the BMW 5 Series Touring.

The cooling system should be the first thing you check. Of all the things that go wrong with the BMW 5 Series Touring, this is the most likely. Take the car for an extended test drive and monitor the engine temperature carefully. Check under the bonnet to see if there are any leaks, and quiz the seller.

The next most likely reason for a visit to the workshop is dodgy electrics, so make sure that everything that's meant to work does so.

The axle and suspension systems are the third main area to be aware of, although you're far less likely to have a problem here than if you bought an E-Class or A6. Listen for creaks, groans and thumps, particularly from the rear where a hard-lugging life shows up with saggy shock absorbers.

All in all, though, the 5 Series Touring has proved to be a pretty tough customer.

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The BMW 5 Series Touring is the smallest of the trio of German estates from this era – the gargantuan <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/e-class/saloon/review/n17174">Mercedes E-Class</a> is by far by the biggest, and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a6/estate/review/n17864">Audi A6 Avant</a> is somewhere between. There's still plenty of room in the BMW's boot, however, and it's easy to load thanks to a low sill and a wide opening.

Once you've stuffed all of the garden rubbish in the back, you'll have the best time driving to the dump. This 5 Series Touring is almost as good as the award-winning <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/5-series/saloon/review/n63">saloon</a>, so it's much better than the E-Class or the A6.

If you need to tackle a long journey, you could do far worse than the 5 Series, too. Its quiet, comfortable interior is spacious – up front at least – and reasonably well equipped. All of the controls are well laid out and easy to use, and visibility is very good too.

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Used BMW 5 Series Touring 1996 - 2004 review

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