Advice for buyers
What should I look for in a used BMW 5 Series saloon?
Bodywork
The 5 Series is a big car, and while you get parking sensors as standard, you should still check the alloy wheels for kerb grazes. Smaller ones are OK, but anything that looks sizeable or has caused a chunk to be taken out of the wheel might suggest a high-speed impact which could have affected the suspension behind it.
Electrics
You’ll also find a great deal of electronic toys inside the 5 Series, so spend some time familiarising yourself with all the buttons’ functions and check that they all do what they’re supposed to.
What are the most common problems with a used BMW 5 Series saloon?
Is a used BMW 5 Series saloon reliable?
The 5 Series did well in our most recent reliability survey, finishing in third place in the luxury car class with an impressive overall score of 92.6%. Non-engine electrics were the most common problem, followed by engine electrics. Some cars took up to a week to be fixed, however.
BMW as a whole, meanwhile, came ninth out of the 31 car manufacturers in the survey.
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