The Car That Ruined BWM's Reputation - The BMW E60 5 Series

[@philcrockford5534]

With the total fuglies BMW are making now, this model and the entire Bangle era look positively handsome

[@michaeljames1468]

You have something there. I was a BMW fan but that died around the time the current 3 series launched. Owned a E34, E60, 2x F30 and a F10

[@Assimilator1]

No way! Even with some of the backward steps in styling lately, the e60 remains the fugliest!😛

[@katocmd]

5 years ago, I'd agree, today the beaver teeth definitely take the fugly crown

[@JohnHughes2002]

Bollocks, it was Bangle that started the whole fugly BMW thing. I think more recently their styling has improved a bit.

[@philcrockford5534]

​@@JohnHughes2002not sure building cars that look like the pigs from Angry Birds is necessarily a step in the right direction

[@luccadukka]

I had @ pre lci 535d e61. I did 85k in just short of 5 years. Took me all over the Uk. Did tours of the highlands in it. Took me from the Midlands to Chichester every week. It let me down twice. Once with a flat battery after being left for a month and once when the air suspension compressor went. Had it remapped to 380bhp by DMS automotive. It was a sad day when it left, I genuinely loved it. It needed looking after. Regular oil changes and ate front suspension arms. Fuel consumption was low 30s day to day, high 30s on a run. It did absolutely everything I asked of it. Surprised an awful lot of more expensive stuff out there.

[@br0432]

My dad has an ‘07 535d touring lci that’s he’s owned since new and it’s now at nearly 400k miles. They’re insanely reliable when treated right

[@Gorbyrev]

Adored this design from the start. A local lad ran an E61 M5 badged as a 520D. Cracked me up every time I saw it.

[@StevenHoman]

Did he dump raw oil onto the exhaust to give the smokey effect?

[@Gorbyrev]

@StevenHoman Only a matter of time if the big end clearances weren't sorted before grenading!

[@leccybadger]

As a purist, the Alpina add ons are laughable. The v8 badge is properly low rent. 😂😂 The M sport kit and 19" Spider alloys did a lot to make this look ok. Wouldn't have one mind, the e39 sport just has so much more about it.

[@3000FAst]

The badges give away how fake it is 😮. No idea why people do that. Mine hardly gets noticed or gets mentioned - Nice Alpina wheels mate😅

[@pmam1968]

A stock E60 545i looks miles better than this. Not sure what the previous owner was trying to achieve! Yes I'd rather have an E39 over this. Unfortunately, it's getting hard to find E39s in decent condition now.

[@andrewbarrett7207]

Thanks very much for confirming it wasn't just me. Alpina, my a**e.

[@JulianMichaelOnLine]

Totally. I can just imagine the tosser that owns it... Boils my piss when a great car is ruined by a bell end.

[@kevint3845]

Totally agree

[@ExUSSailor]

The E39 was understated, classy. The re-style just made it shouty, and, vulgar looking. You could drive an E39, even an M5, without drawing undue attention. The E60 was too "Look at me!"

[@horvathr95]

It wasnt just understated, but downright boring as well. Compare that to the likes of the E34, E28 or E12 and the E39 just looks like if it had no design at all. BMW really needed the Bangle-era. And the sales figures also prove that it was a success.

[@bodders306]

Please tell us what year the cars are

[@yoshi555king]

yeah if competition still designed their sedans like a 80’s bread van that’s what’s the outcome if a brand designs their sedan to MODERN standards

[@datsoon9236]

​@@horvathr95I think you're wrong about the e39, mate. The e39 had the classic BMW design, with a top that flowed into the back. Much better than the ugly e60

[@trut52]

I think it depends heavily when you entered the car market. I grew up when the E60 was the norm, so I grew up with it. For me the E39 looks very dated, almost like a classic car at this point. That said I see why you say that and kind of agree with it.

[@pistonslapuk]

Had my 545i since 2017 and it’s been an absolute pleasure to own. Got it with 100k now it’s just ticked over 150k and use it daily to get to work. Always get 22mpg and sounds amazing. Gearbox is silky smooth but not the best when getting after it. I’d love to try a manual one but these are pretty rare in the UK now.

[@TomHallam-yh1xe]

I’ve owned an e60 550i Sport Manual and now have an e61 550i Sport Manual, they are fantastic cars, and I’ve also owned an Audi RS2, S6 Avant, e36 M3 Evo etc…I honestly think it’s the best family/bike/hifi speaker carrier come sports car there is out there

[@CadyCTSlover]

I think the E60 has aged incredibly well. The headlights were controversial at the time but look fairly tame these days, and the body surfacing is IMO very elegant. The E39 and F10 are more conventionally attractive but the E60 is the one I want.

[@christersundin773]

Yes, the headlights are less controversial now, but only because many more cars have ugly ones now. In my opinion, that's not an excuse

[@MingeShagger]

I have owned my 2008 e60 550i with msport package for 7yrs now, bought it from the 1st owner with 137k and now it sits at 203k. It has all the features that still most new cars today dont have it, the best feature is the Dynamic Drive, it has been my daily driver since day one, sure its a gass guzzler being a v8 but its just so much fun to drive it and most people still don't believe that its from 2008 era.

[@christalacombe2686]

I have the same year and model in black for about 10 years and I love it! I just need to replace the headlights as I believe they are beyond repair!

[@MingeShagger]

@christalacombe2686 I had to replace my as well, they were real bad.

[@andywright1634]

It may not be a great looker, but compared to what BMW turns out now, it's a masterpiece.

[@markwallington1233]

I was a BMW salesman when the E60 came out and wondered how I was going to sell it, the E39 sold so well and then it all stopped,I left soon after.

[@djyems1021]

what was the old name of the dealer that you worked at at the time?

[@rob5944]

​@@mortenegholm-petersen1410🤭 touché lol

[@rvvunm]

@@mortenegholm-petersen1410🙄

[@rvvunm]

@@mortenegholm-petersen1410don’t forget we had other m don’t

[@yoshi555king]

you were a bad salesman as I as 7year old sold one to an old lad in Breeman BMW Netherlands dealership (540I)

[@chrisenright7003]

Making it look like Dame Edna Everage was the kiss of death.

[@skylined5534]

I don't think it looked like DEE to anyone other than partially sighted men on pogo sticks.

[@2manycarsjeff]

Nice legs. Shame about the face.

[@ThatOpelVectraC]

@@skylined5534 lmao

[@ThatOpelVectraC]

@chrisenright7003 you havent seen the facelift of the mk1 saab 9-5

[@syntetiskvag4458]

It did wonders for Saab 😂😂

[@Herman6507]

The biggest mistake has been the owner making it appear as an Alpina. Cannot. This remark is totally independent from you doing great quality uploads ❤

[@Ensignpeak]

I have a 550i 2010 and it is a great car and is much more satisfying to drive and own than a 2011 550i which I also owned. That was fast but otherwise not fun drive at all.

[@markcowell8096]

Stiil driving our 530D Touring which I drove out the BMW showroom in 2008. It is still a proper autobahner and a delight to drive, albeit that the electrics are slowly fading from the planet! We exported the car to SA in 2016 and get approached at every petrol station by people asking us if they can buy it....its looks have aged well, particularly compared to the current BMW visuals

[@cameronlaw9363]

For me the thing that ruined BMWs reputation is when they stuck ridiculously large front grills and I know I'm not the only one who has that opinion, but yeah the build quality was iffy on the E60

[@jegerm6752]

BMW ruined their reputation when they decided to prioritize luxury instead of sportiness with the introduction of the F series cars. Seems like they’re getting back on track with the G series cars though.

[@KarlHamilton]

Haha I thought i was the only one that spotted that 😅

[@cameronlaw9363]

@@KarlHamilton haha 👍

[@toG-i9i]

I agree.just look at the mk1 8 series.its not as if that small kidney grill has disappeared into the background over the years.

[@a.c.4732]

Yes indeed ; something that infected the industry as a whole . Case in point : the 'new' Lexus front grille . Still can't look at it without inwardly grimacing . Can't adjust to it . (And I drive one - granted, an older one ) . But , I suppose there'e a need to be all "Current & Cool"... Give me Ann-Margret over Madonna any day .

[@markcheckley5894]

Nice E39 at 6:11. Well I suppose I would say that as it’s my actual car! How on earth did you come across that pic Jack? Good to meet you at Rustival the other day btw.

[@lewisbrown51]

Lucky man 👍

[@ca9968]

I used to sell used cars at an upmarket, independent dealership in Johannesburg and got to drive just about every model of E60 released onto the SA market... The M5 was brilliant, if you could get your head around that SMG gearbox... The 540i was way too much fun when you switched off the traction control... But the peach of the bunch for me was the car they gave me for a "Company Car"...the 530d M-Sport in automatic...that car was just about perfect...I took it on holiday from Johannesburg to Port Alfred (642 miles), I did not at all behave and stick to the 120kmph speed limit and made it there on 3/4 of a tank of diesel...what a car that was! Not the prettiest BMW ever made but a great driving machine!

[@sebastiend.5335]

Such a delightful review. Made my after work beer taste like Champagne! Greetings from the Netherlands

[@Number27]

Glad you enjoyed it Sebastien! Thanks for watching

[@adamf8335]

I had an E60 530i SE Touring and it was one of the best cars I've ever had. Super smooth, quiet, refined and really well made. I'm gutted I sold it as it was wonderful. I think they have aged really well personally.

[@safiullahqureshi3196]

So thrilled to finally see the E60 BMW 5-series on your channel! It's amazing how fresh it still looks twenty years later. Sure, its reliability isn't as good as older 5-series, but its ride-handling balance is still unmatched among large sedans. And the E60 M5 was just unreal...

[@ftffighter]

Actually, these kind of fell short compared to it's competition at the time handling wise. Even Alpine couldn't get it COMPLETELY sorted out.

[@repairitdontreplaceit]

@@ftffighteralpina !

[@thomasshepard6030]

There was nothing wrong with the reliability it was the clowns 🤡 who bought them and never looked after them regular oil and filter changes were essential the N52 engine was very reliable if serviced properly with the proper BMW oil and filters I own an 18 year old 525i it’s done 85 thousand miles with a full BMW service history and I would not part with it the only thing I’ve had to fix were new brake lines front to back couple of hundred pounds

[@garryfounds]

The major comparison test among all luxury performance sedans in this class (8 entries, including Jaguar, Audi, Cadillac, Lexus, Infiniti, Mercedes, and Acura) by Motor Trend had the E60 535i come out on top praising the engine and chassis as sublime--in 2009. Yes, in 2009, more than 6 years into its life cycle, this car was still handily beating the newest rides from the best makes. In 2010, the last year of its life cycle, Car & Driver still had it second. Go ahead and Google it. This car was way ahead of its time and smoked the competition for years.

[@Iceeeen]

The felt quality might have gone down but having a look at the sales market here there are and have always been a lot more high millage e60s than e39. There is a quite a lot of them with over half a million on the odo. There is some e39s but nowhere near as many + it doesn't seam to rust near as much as the e39, a firend has an -05 e60 that is closing in on 500k and don't think it's been washed in over a year but not a sign rust

[@billymania11]

I had a BMW 545 and was silver in color. I never messed with the exterior and left it completely stock. It was a handsome car and everybody liked it. The E60 didn't appreciate people putting dark grills and smoke lenses on the lights. It upset the balance of the car.

[@jw6188]

You can’t find an e60 m5 with the original chrome kidneys anymore. All the fake grilles and black out trim is so low rent.

[@a.c.4732]

and then came the invasion of " black wheels" , closely followed by the expression the expression "wtf ?" ! 😉

[@reginaldbowls7180]

My e60 545i came with black kidneys as stock. Shadowline trim as well.

[@StevieeG]

I got t-boned by a Smart car in my E39, the B pillar got buckled and it spent a couple of months being repaired. I had a brand new E60 as a hire car and did a good few thousand miles in it… lovely having a brand new car but couldn’t wait to get back in my E39, a far more solid feeling vehicle all round.

[@pentagrammotorsport]

We ran an E60 as our family transport for four years and absolutely loved it. It seems like the benchmark for what a modern BMW would look and work like for everything that followed it.

[@paulmoor595]

I had an E60 2003 diesel...M Sport. I.had it chipped. What a fantastic car. Brutal acceleration and 50mpg...the thing defied physics..If you wanted to really get one of these...you should have gone for 3.0d... I used 3 litre diesels in the Police...we absolutely loved them...a 2000s vauxhall senator !!.

[@Jim-hm7fb]

I bought an e60 545i with 70k miles and full service history. I then spent £6k fixing this and that over 18 months and got fed up as it was a dripping tap of expensive maintenance. It was a massive leap on from a e39 528i which I had before. The 4.4l V8 used the same amount of fuel as the 528I on the same route but obviously with much more performance. The engine loved to rev and the handling was great. If it wasn't for sketchy reliability it would be a great car. Relatively speaking they cost nothing to buy in the UK market.

[@TheCounty90]

We have a 525d Lci, family bus. Fast, utterly reliable and economical. Quite easy to work on, parts supply is excellent. Would recommend.

[@3000FAst]

If we only knew what monstrousities were going to come in 2024...this was very handsome.😊

[@kevinwhittingham8384]

I had a 525 D E61 for over 12 years.The ride was very good for a big car. Mine was also.an SE and had lots of extras like Comfort seats and the excellent Logic 7 entertainment upgrade. Sadly my wife wrote it off going up the back of a Focus RS,18 months ago. I still miss it.

[@simonh870]

The problem was that the E39 was just so good. It was always going to be a tough act to follow. The styling has aged very well...

[@Classic_Re-creation]

Owned an E39 525i sport and it floated on the road. Felt so well put together. Engine silky smooth. Done nearly 100k in an E60 520d M sport and all though it doesn't feel as well made and doesn't look as good or make you feel as good it is a way better commuter car. Has done nearly 200k now 100k in my owner ship and the only thing that ever failed was the rubber in the harmonic balancer. Not a single other failure electrical or mechanical. Largely made from aluminium as well so not a spec of rust on it anywhere

[@user-xk7pk7wq1x]

I owned a 530D M sport Auto - lovely car to drive, will never forget it.

[@robertperillo8738]

The E34 was quintessential BMW design language, the E39 was a perfected evolution of that. The E60 threw all that away for some reason. I think from a design standpoint the F10 looks more like the E39s predecessor. However, I do think that the E60 has aged quite well, and looks good, especially compared to the new 2025 5-series. And the N52 versions are extraordinary reliable.

[@thomasshepard6030]

I’ve got a 525i E60 I’m the second owner it’s 18 years old and has never let me down I bought it it in 2017 it’s only done 85 thousand miles on the clock with a full BMW service history N52 engine I change oil and filters every 4 months recently I had to renew brake pipes front to back that’s the first big job that I’ve had to payout on this car pipes plus labour £200 on a run it returns 25.6 to the gallon

[@Jamesburttunofficial]

E39 E32 E46 just perfectionism

[@franciscoflores-nunez6767]

You forgot the e34 😊

[@garryfounds]

Thank you for that evenhanded and unbiased review of one of my favorite BMWs. I've owned a 2006 E60 530xi (straight 6), a 2014 F10 535i xDrive, an X3, and a a 2007 E64 M6 convertible. I still have all of them. Between the E60 and the F10, the E60 is by far the better handling and has the best steering feel, even with the xDrive drivetrain. As you mentioned, the steering on the E60--the feel and weight and precision--is absolutely sublime and far superior to the F10, which is still no slouch. It also corners more flatly and, being lighter, feels much more tossable. The F10 is quicker, with the chip to boost turbo, but that's to be expected. I have also owned several Hondas, three Acuras, and a few GM products. This might surprise some, but the 530xi has been the much more reliable car of the whole lot, including all the Japanese products. The only major repairs were more or less wear items, with springs and shocks at around 160k miles and the radiator and a few hoses at around 120k miles. Other than that, change the oil, filters, fluids, plugs, and brakes, and it has been more reliable than my golden retriever! At least it never chews my boots! The M6 has also given me absolutely zero issues, but, somewhat unfairly, it is also driven only when the temp is above 65 farenheit and never ever in the rain. Finally, the looks have aged surprisingly well and seems to get better with age. Mine is the Alpine White, which seems to be a superior color for this body style. I think that it actually looks fresher than nearly any other car from that era--certainly fresher than any merc from that era. Overall, the E60 (and E64 of that matter) are unfairly and undersevedly maligned. Fantastic cars, the both of them!

[@hanynowsky]

Great review 👍

[@wadehampton4499]

I noted the comment on the harsh ride, largely attributed to the deployment of run flat tyres. No doubt many owners have replaced the original run flats with more conventional tyres but what happens when a tyre punctures and rapidly deflates whilst you're overtaking or cruising along on a "smart" motorway ? With run flat tyres you just slow down and keep going. I've had them for years on my Minis and I've had several such incidents. They're expensive and, in most cases, cannot be repaired but they do bring peace of mind and a slightly harsher ride is a small price to pay for that.

[@orepopovic2443]

I have a 530d M sport LCI 6 years and I am absolutely satisfied with everything, how it drives, consumption, reliability, how it looks (the M package and 19 inch wheels change the look way better)

[@PaarlNuus]

I have owned my silver 2008 E60 523i for a while now, it is absolutely stunning, and the car that convinced me to become a staunch BMW supporter. After having driven big Jaguars and Mercs this E60 is the perfect blend between sexy understated elegance yet beautiful modern contemporary design, more than enough power from that famous silky smooth staight six, all the gadgets and sunroof that you want and amazing fuel consumption, both in the city and on the open road. I tend to find excuses to drive my 523i every chanche I get! Absolutely love it. Well done BMW und Vielen Dank! Umr - Cape Town, South Africa.

[@alangil40]

After 10 glorious years with a 1998 E39 540i sport 6-speed, I bought a 2-year-old 2010 E60 535i M-sport 6-speed in Alpine White. They only made the M-sport in the 535i for the last year of production in 2010. It was LCI so the interior was much better looking, mine was black with dark walnut trim. I got the car with just under 30k miles and it has nearly 150k miles today 12 years later, so I have put 120k miles on it. With the M-sport package it got the M-tech body panels (M5-ish looking), M Steering wheel, M Suspension, M door sills and an M-shifter from the factory. Coming from the E39, its looks did take a bit to get used to, though mostly just the rear end. Up close it still looks modern and fresh especially with the M body work. As you mentioned the car really drives great. It is comfortable, but firm enough and nearly no body roll thanks to the active sway bars and very communicative. I drove and F10 once and it was dead numb by comparison. I put a stage 1 Cobb tune on the N54 and the car is pretty fast with about 360hp. And I also add 19" wheels for a better stance - running 285s in the back. I will also say that my interior today is flawless, it has held up beautifully and every single control, button, vent, etc. still works perfectly with no rattles. So, while the materials were not as nice as the E39, it was still put together well. I did have a number of the well-known N54 issues which mostly got fixed under warranty and then I DIY fixed a few other issues including a second set of injectors, but for the most part it's been very reliable. A great car really, the last of the dynamic handling 5-series with nice road feel but maligned by controversial looks. Although iDrive was criticized when it first came out, really it is very intuitive and way better than Audi's infotainment of the time or Porsche's PCM, Ford's Sync or most anyone else's for that matter.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

I can't understand why anyone would malign the E60, I had a new 530d M sport touring in 2007 with some nice goodies like 'Comfort' seats added and it was a fast and supremely comfortable executive cruiser. I must add that I also ordered the nice dark wood trim as the brushed aluminium looked pretty crummy.

[@frankp.2831]

Thankfully the touring version did away with what remained of the “Bangle Butt” design rear end treatment of the sedan. While I am no fan of the E60 sedan I find the look of the touring version quite elegant, even more so in MSport trim.

[@jerehada]

Maybe the line change versions were better. But surely you had lots of software updates rock hard ride on the run flats? Mine was worse for rear air suspension that would self level mid corner (spooky). Comfort seats looked great.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

It was certainly a firm ride but I had no faults or problems over 30 months of ownership.@@jerehada

[@mediocreman2]

It's mostly the hideous looks that bother people. But I've heard that only people with eyes are offended by them.

[@malcolmlane-ley2044]

Everyone is different. So that we all know what taste you have, what were you driving in 2007?@@mediocreman2

[@moad8794]

Had a '04 535i. It was a costly vehicle to own and I finally sold it because I was tired of shelling out thousands of dollars every year. But when it was running it's still my favorite car I have ever owned. The 6 speed manual was sublime to drive.

[@wayland7150]

I've just bought a 525D M sport manual one of these. It seems pretty nice. The handling on the aftermarket low profile tyres is super sharp, the power is very good and the consumption is 44mpg. It's actually better MPG than a small car. It is a bit bumpy and perhaps not the right car for modern road surfaces. My 1996 Jag XJ6 with it's balloon tyres is better.

[@simonacuthbert1]

It may have had sexy BMW underpinnings, but my God, it looked like it'd been ferociously beaten by the ugly stick. What a monstrosity.

[@3000FAst]

Welcome to 2024 then

[@simonacuthbert1]

I hear that.

[@rahulmandala4930]

If you think the E60 is a monstrosity, then you shouldn’t dare even check out the latest G60 chassis 5 series as that looks so disproportionate, odd, and generic all at the same time.

[@Readb2001]

I had a 525i lci 3.0i SE, but well specced blue over tan comfort interior. It was one of my favourite BMW's - drove surprisingly well. Beautiful straight 6, great steering feel, great ride. The f30 I had after (330i) felt like such a departure from the BMWness of the E60.. electric steering and 4 pot really pulling it down.

[@jegerm6752]

I still have an E60, and I can confirm everything you said here is true. It’s kinda eerie how accurate your assessment is 😅 The quality of interior is subpar for a BMW. Even my E46 (which I still own btw) has better quality, and that’s not saying much because the quality is not great on e46 too. The biggest issue though, is the electrical gremlins. I didnt drive the car for about 2 months during lockdown, and the battery lost charge. I was able to charge the battery, but it did damage the CAS module. The car started acting weird. The exterior lights would turn on by itself and wouldnt turn off until I disconnected the battery. Then there was an issue with the adaptive headlight module. It was fried because of water ingress. It’s just bad design by BMW. I also had an issue with the intelligent battery sensor. I must have knocked it a bit when I was replacing the battery, but it shouldnt have been that fragile. The headlights had some issues with crumbling wires inside. Taillights have some dead LEDs (it’s an lci). Mechanically it’s flawless. Mine is 530i, and in the 14 years I’ve owned it, I only had to replace the spark plugs, ignition coils, and some suspension parts, but it was more of a preventive maintenance. I still love the car though. It still drives brilliantly to this day. I actually test drove both the f10 and g30 but decided to keep the e60 because I still think it drives better.

[@hanynowsky]

Same experience here 🎉

[@abizzle100]

The e60 msport with the facelift wheels is a lovely looking thing

[@ghostinthemachine76]

Lovely car, apart from the black wheels. They look awful with silver centre caps. I love Alpina wheels, but in silver.

[@martinschaefer9581]

Wasn´t impressed by the look of E60 when it came out, but: today I find they have aged very well.

[@deemack3719]

I own a 08 528i, & it's my first BMW, the previous owner didn't deserve this car, ( maybe a Corolla) . No major problems, just recorrecting proper things like PREMIUM GAS( it ran erratic on first start up). Overall interior is in great shape. I'm happy with it. 💯

[@soundseeker63]

To say it has "bad" reputation I think is a bit unfair. Admittedly it never won people's admiration like the E39 did. But it's probably still better than anything else in its class from 20+ years ago. The E39 is now a modern classic, the E60 is (currently) just an old used car. But I do believe given time people will start to appreciate E60s more. They were/are excellent drivers cars and, despite the electronics issues, probably no worse than any of their direct rivals of the day. I also think the styling has aged very well! - it doesn't look like a 21 year old car, and compared to some modern BMWs, it is positively tasteful and pretty!

[@glenbetton3146]

At the design approval stage, the Group management board should have given Bangle a one-way flight back to America. Nothing from the E60 onwards in the 00s was an improvement. That and the decline in quality, parts sourcing and engineering reliability were the start of BMW's downward spiral.

[@StevenHoman]

I do like anti-lock brakes and automatic stability control for the day-to-day practicality it offers, and ESC can be disabled for a bit of hooning, if needs must.

[@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars]

Apart from any mechanical issues, after the designs of the 2023 BMW iX M60 and M3 & M4......people were asking can we PLEASE have Chris Bangle BACK!!. 🤨😐🙂

[@grantsnell6782]

I think that over the years the E60 has aged quite well despite what was thought about them when they first arrived . The M Sport versions look a bit better and as long as you get a good one , as you say, they are a lot of car for the money. In my opinion BMW in recent years has gone down the path of over complicating their cars.

[@robertjones7695]

I bought a new BMW 3 series in the mid 90s. It was a terrible car, breaking down more than all the other cars I've ever owned, put together! So for me, no other car is needed to ruin BMW's reputation, I swore then to never own another BMW and never have. I don't think this E60 looks bad, it certainly isn't a timid evolution, and it is a gem in comparison to tasteless misshapes they are selling today!

[@minorityofone1510]

I owned an E39 which was a good looking car but had quality plastic parts that broke easily and some design issues - like oil level higher than valve cover gaskets on the v8 causing leaks. I think the corporate rot had already set in and just got worse

[@peterwhitehead2453]

Quite a few mods vs the original E60 being it’s an Alpina - brakes, suspension + significant uplift in torque. It was designed to be an autobahn torque monster. But I also believe quite unreliable if not taken very good care of & very expensive to repair. There’s a fascinating E60 Alpina B7 resto series on M39 Restorations’ KZbin channel (‘Project Chicago’)

[@thomasshepard6030]

I’ve owned a BMW E60 525i since 2017 I the second owner the first owner bought it new when I bought it it had only done 65 thousand miles since 2006 it’s now 18 years old and only done 85 thousand miles I change oil and filters every 4 months the only major thing I’ve had to do was change the brake pipes front to back it had a stainless steel exhaust fitted when I bought it and it still sounds great and when you put the automatic box into sport mode it can really move along the road the colour is mystic blue and when the sun hits it it sparkles my son keeps telling me to get rid of it and get the new model no chance

[@Dutch-vj2eg]

The later MYs E60/61 looked quite nice, briefly owned an E61 diesel while posted in Frankfurt. It effortlessly cruised at 200kph. Took some getting used too the styling initially but I think it has aged well and beats any of the last 5 years' designs. Technologically it was way ahead and was the source of the E70 tech design which I had for about 8 years and 100k miles.

[@lukemallory7832]

A lot of the styling work was done by Davide Arcangeli, under Bangle. He was the shining light - the next bright young thing - and had styled the 406 Coupe while at Pininfarina. However he got cancer not long into this project and died soon after. He was only 30. BMW were against Davide's more controversial styling themes, however, in dedication to Davide, Chris Bangle fought tooth and nail to make sure they were included in the final product. I was never a fan of the E60 or Bangle.. until I heard that story. Now it all makes sense. Davide would come up with off-the-wall solutions to solve problems, using negative surfacing etc, to meet BMW's design brief.

[@1maico1]

Yesterday the scrap man turned up for my Peugeot 406 V6 coupe which was a sad day after 16 years ownership. The body shells were made in the Pininfarina factory. Rust protection was better than my E39 touring which was scrapped years ago.

[@lukemallory7832]

​@@1maico1 Sorry to hear that. They are quite a special car, made in Italy as you pointed out. Sadly very few cars can beat the tin-worm..

[@tommynobaka]

I still like the way these look especially in the M guise or M Sport. Biased of course as an E60 M owner

[@ruk2023--]

Ironically that nailed on V8 badge couldn't scream "520i" any more louder if it tried. I've had a 530i and 530d of these. Both great. The petrol is much smoother but the diesel gets out of the hole better. I couldn't cope with the stress of owning a BMW V8.

[@skylined5534]

I did. Had an E39 535i. Brilliant engine in an excellent car. Terrible mpg though compared to what I was used to - 22mpg. R702HNE gone but not forgotten.

[@dlevi67]

@@skylined5534 R163JPM too

[@dan3092]

Yes the badge is in very poor taste and the silver centre caps need to be black to match alloys murder it out properly it would transform the look in no time.

[@dinan545bmw]

I still own and enjoy my Dinan tuned BMW E60 545 today, after more than 20 years now. Still only 22K original miles on the clock and continues to drive very MotorSports like in all categories. This includes acceleration, top end, handling, braking and general cruising on the opened road. My many Dinan upgrades included new ultralight, ultra strong forged aluminum racing wheelset, Dinan /Brembo Big Brake System, cold air intake system, high flow throttle and, sports tuned exhaust,carbon fiber strut bars (front and back), stage 3 performance engineering software and new, front caster plates, and highly regarded Bridgestone Potenza non run flat performance tires. Very pleased with the overall package of road performance goodies. Even today, I continue get compliments and stares galore, in spite of my best efforts to keep my ride understated and below the radar. Yes. Long live the BMW E60 5 series saloon car. It's still way more performance car than I can ever use or need. Best regards.

[@stevie750iL]

The E60/E61 has grown old with grace. I think it looks fantastic. I ran a 535d Touring for 7 years up to 197k. It never let me down. I came out of an E39 M5 (Y96 AKJ) And the E61 never disappointed. Just as quick in the real world as the M5. Miss that car. 😢

[@fatkev1983]

I had an E39 M5 then later on had an E91 335d with some tuning. As you say, the 35d engine was just as fast as the E39 M5 in real world driving. But, the M5 was more exciting when you wanted to drive fast, but everything else, my E91 was better, especially on fuel! Got an F30 330e now... with tuning its quite a fast platform but nothing like the 35d for relentless pulling power.

[@christersundin773]

Re. battery problems: The V8 models would quickly wear out their starter batteries because of the start-stop feature, where the engine needed frequent starts. You'd need to either disable the stop-start feature, or visit your dealer for battery replacements...

[@chindit9749]

I have the 525 Msports 2006 had it from 12 months old....Best car I have ever had!

[@bluerineimb1148]

I have a e60 530i msport n52 engine with a stage 1 tune it running at around 288 bhp and is near bullet proof that heavy V8 would not keep with it point in question is 530i msport is by far best of the bunch especially with the m sport body kit

[@1maico1]

Bangle is a design genius, many of the design cues on this car were copied by other makers and continue to this day. The wrap around headlights, strong body crease line running to the rear and the bangle butt. The dashboard which curved away and had triangulation and idrive circular controller was influential too although I don't like it on the E60. Weak points: the rear arches make the car look under tyred. The boot-lid bottom shut line gap is to large. Both these points were modified in the updated version. For me the design looks best in the touring version particularly the rear three quarter view. I remember back in the day there was an international petition started by the visually illiterate to get Chris Bangle fired from BMW!

[@christersundin773]

The change in interior styling that you mention, I first encountered that in the E87 1 series and the E90 3 series. I found it quite disappointing. I can agree that the design is quite stylish but it's also a bit sterile. "Cold" might be a better word for it. Also, the choice of materials didn't help. I feel much more comfortable and at home in an E38, E39 or an E46! (Which is why I own one of each of those)

[@markjennings2728]

I think the E60 in Estate guise looks really good!

[@TomHallam-yh1xe]

That will be an e61, lovely looking indeed, I have an e61 550i manual in Moonstone, I absolutely ❤ it

[@doffii]

I always liked this design, and it holds up very well today. And the driving experience and handling is great!

[@R-Tap]

The 60 with M sport still looks modern on the outside today. Great design takes time to understand, Bangle nailed it. The 1st regular Beemer that I actually wanted.

[@Salubrious101]

I had an e60 530i smg and I loved it, I bought it with 20k on the clock and sold it 5 yrs later with 110k on it, the only issue I had was a water pump failure changed under warranty. Yes the e39 was superior in its design and quality but the e60 was still a great car.

[@leolopezvalido1892]

Another great review Jack! After reading your viewers comments, it appears there's a 50/50 love hate opinion on the E60. Chris Bangle's design was a shock to all of us, especially after the E39. But, despite the looks, it's probably a better car. As a "second hand" proposition I agree with you: it's a lot of car for the money! All those toys and that fabulous and powerful V8 are certainly enticing. Having said that, as with your ex Continental GT, running costs - especially reliability - would be worrysome. A Mercedes E500 of this era would, to me, be an alternative "Q" car. Personally, time hasn't aged the E60 design badly; compared to more modern BMW's it's quite... modest on the eye. Thank's to Paul for letting you review his car for us all. I'm sure whoever buy's his 545i will be smiling with the purchase!

[@williamgson4055]

They are absolutely amazing cars when you know what to look out for. Anyone saying otherwise just has no idea. I'm tempted to buy another one again, a really clean well specced example as an enthusiast car to park beside my E30.

[@ryanmccormick2150]

Ive got to say ive always liked the E60, id love a E60 M5 estate 😀... cracking stuff as always Jack buddy 👍

[@docjohn5986]

I think that I probably disagree with most of your criticisms. I did 80000 miles in my 550i MSport Touring E61 with the 6 speed manual box and thought that it was a fabulous machine. I do think that the E61 was slightly better looking than the saloon. The build quality was good and stood up to a lot of serious use. The ride and handling were better when I swapped to Michelin Super Sports from the run flats. The engine was a peach, the box was great and the chassis was brilliant. The only shortcoming was that it would have benefited from a limited slip diff. I did a sprint at the MIRA test track and beat half of the TVR sprint championship regulars, and would have done even better with an LSD.

[@garycartwright4860]

One of the best cars I’ve ever owned. 530d M sport, metallic grey with the spiders. It’s an absolutely gorgeous car to look at in my opinion. It turned heads everywhere it went. It’s one of those styles that doesn’t make sense till further down the line. The wrap around headlights got copied loads afterwards. Mine had 330bhp and 550lbft. It absolutely flew. Auto box was a bit naff. But apart from that, it was absolutely bulletproof. I bought a 635d after that with 400bhp. And again, an absolutely fantastic car. Not many of them around which is what attracted me to it. The gearbox in that one is absolutely sublime it’s an LCI. It’s in perfect harmony with the engine. It absolutely smokes just about everything on the road. 😂

[@michaela1655]

I had one of the last E34 5 series cars. It was a gem.

[@jerehada]

I’d had BMWs 2 before E61 530d. I’ve never owned a BMW since. Worst car I’ve ever owned. To drive reliability economy handling ride steering. I test drive an old XFS with no intention of buying but was so blown away by how much better it was to drive that I bought it there and then no sold this.

[@michaeljames1468]

I've had an E60 and a pre-facelift X250 XF and presently a XF R-Soirt. Compared to the Jags you'd expect the BMW was a Honda.

[@mabs503]

I had a 520i -06 for some years. Bought at 130000km and sold at 210000km. I had no issues at all, except that it was a bit slow. It was one of the best cars I have had. I sold it to get an Audi A5 convertible. The perceived quality was markably better in the BMW. The design grew on me. I really liked it when I sold it. Regarding the I-Drive i didn't mind it. I have had a MB CLK 500 -05, and that user interface and menus was horrific in comparison.

[@rolandcook2556]

I had the 535d Msport. Brilliant car but the looks were a bit lacking. The ambidextrous flappy paddle gear select was fantastic.

[@geppiemockingbird1489]

I have driven two 525D's in the past and I still have fond memories to them. Particularly the last one, with the 3 liter diesel was a charm to drive.

[@gregmarking6716]

Needs a few more Alpina badges just to be sure. Some on the door handles, the wiper arms, some on the seat headrests, the seatbelts and one on the sunroof in case it falls on it's side...

[@leehodgetts2277]

Having owned e36's and e39' the problems with my e61 put me off BMW for life. Timing chain failure, rear control module, dpf electrical issues, you name it and my e61 had it. When it was working it was a wonderful car, I travelled all around Europe in it and it proved to be an effortless mile muncher. I just wish it had the reliability of the older BMW's, however, with the continuous added complexity of modern cars it is no real surprise that these issues arise.

[@saif1002]

It's funny how these guys think they could have built a better car in their back shed. The car was fine.

[@fabioribeiro5071]

Even bmw could build a better car in their shed. This car just drives well the rest is a mess.

[@paulnewton737]

I had two E39s, firstly a 540 then one of the last 530 Msport and loved them both. Very handsome and satisfying cars but I couldn't have lived with the E60 variant (the styling just didn't work for me) so I went for 6-series 640 petrol E63 (great performer but prone to valve oil seal issues at higher mileages,) then a F13 640d, my first ever diesel. Really surprising performance with great economy and had it for 7 years. Not taken with any BMW now, stylistically they seem to have lost their way, so swapped to a Jaguar F-type. Woo-hoo what a noise!

[@godspeed6315]

Iv owned both e39 & e46 eta of cars but must tell you e39 had a solid chassis that was unmatched with anything in its class or dare I say other class of cars and im not a bmw fan boy either 😅. The e60 in its time was controversial and didn’t go with the “ultimate driving machine”narrative as with its predecessor so therefore bmw began the process of its undoing of the original concept reputation however fast forward 20 yrs the e60 has changed the perception of some critics making it the BMWs most elaborate car most notably for its legendary S85 motor v10 , it was BMWs F1 style motor to ever leave the factory

[@ahuman9864]

3:34 … I thought the next bit would be … ”annnnd there you have it, your engine light comes on”

[@jasonhall4734]

I had an e60 520d se. Stupidly got rid of it on a mere 130k miles. Lovely car, plain basic but superbly engineered. Nothing wrong with that so called n47 engine as it was looked after properly. Now have an f10 but hankering for another gorgeous e60

[@mrgee007]

I remember when the bangle 7 series came out and thought WTF! then the E60 came out and I thought it was a bit meh....This was back in 05/06? In 2012 I bought a 5 year old E60 LCI 535D M Sport 2007 in Carbon black with cream leather and I thought it was a beauty, it was fast, you could get 40+ MPG on a motorway drive easy. This car was so way advanced in styling, remember this was in 2007, it had LED indicators, Daytime running lights, cool rear red heater element tube style lights, front orange eyebrow LED lights, the LCI aluminium gearstick still looks much like the current one, way advanced Idrive which I found so easy to use and intuitive, there was no other manufacture doing this back then. I bought it on 56000, I still own it and it's now on 118,000 and hasn't missed a beat apart from one rear bearing, the CIC or CCC unit failing and a thermostat that needed replacing, and oil changes every 8,000. Had it remapped and on the rolling road upped it to 350BHP and 680NM of torque. I think as it was so modern when it came out it's aged very well.

[@FangPaw]

I had an 530D MSport E61 and kept it for over 5 years because I liked it so much. Being a Touring, it didn't have the awful "Bangle Butt." Firm, but not fidgety ride, precise steering, excellent handling (self-levelling rear suspension), comfy and spacious. The F11 successor was dull as ditchwater and inert to drive. And, despite being bigger, didn't have as much driver legroom. I quickly replaced it with an F31 335D Touring. A great car, albeit with less steering feel (electric). I've now gone over to the Dark Side with a BMW i4.

[@Atomicpasi]

The E60 M5 in Sepang Bronze with a saddle brown interior...a visual poem. It ages well, very well in fact. With dignity, so to speak. In contrast to today's design. Didn't Chris Bangle already do some work on the E46? It really wasn't that bad.

[@jakubtomaszewski5137]

I think E60/E61 aged well. If you ignore the disputable front end the side and rear looks well balanced and more acceptable now days, much more planted especially with those body kits than later cars like F10/F11's. R6 would be my preferred engine option though.

[@bigjohnfury5662]

Sold a e34 m5 and bought a e39 530i manual and a 530d e60 manual . Both drivers cars and m sports . Both usable legends and the 530d is so fast yet does 53mpg onna run which I use it for

[@paulkerr9128]

I had a 2004 545i 6 speed manual here in Canada. Other than an extensive list of options, there was only one "trim level" available here (and in the US). I purchased mine used with about 80K KMs on the odometer and enjoyed 5 years of largely trouble free driving before trading it in on a new car. Mine was relatively well spec'd with all the adaptive features, comfort seats (best seats I've ever sat in with more adjustments than you could shake a stick at) bluetooth handsfree phone system and HK Logic 7 sound system. It drove splendidly and got pretty decent MPG on the highway - 30mpg - pretty poor around town through. That said, I was never a fan of the active steering as I thought that it made the car feel a little jittery at high speed. My previous E39 540 always felt more stable at higher speeds than the 545i did. On the styling front, I think the E60 has aged well and still looks pretty contemporary given it is now a 20 year old design. It was also quite influential, lots of other marques in that time period copied many of the E60's styling cues.

[@ngonzalez919]

I cursed Bangle to the high heavens whenever I would seen an E60. And his 7-Series was just revolting. But then what he did was nothing compared to how horrid BMW's have become since.

[@1171karl]

I think the problem with the styling of the E60 was that it was so different from the E39. It has however aged really well, looking at them now I believe they are good looking cars. I guess the world just wasn't quite ready for it!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

I like these, immensely- especially the wagon. I think they are distinctive and have a great deal of character. I briefly had its successor, the F10, and I found it a bit dull!

[@freaknoutful]

I had one of the earlier 545i's, a 2003 model. All in all it was a very very good car. Looked fabulous on the right wheels and in the right colour (I'm not liking this one sorry). Did have its reliability issues. Battery. Yup. Seat sensor. Yup. A bit of a gearbox issue at one stage but the engine was fine (up to 82k miles). What I hated however was the ride! Urgghhh. I had an SE but it'd been spec'd on sport suspension and with run flats around Camden it was absolutely diabolical. Outside on the M and A roads, absolutely fantastic. Poise and grip a plenty.

[@pereldh5741]

The M-kitted cars STILL look fresh & cool, wouldn’t mind one myself. Great aero as always from Bangle.