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

The E60 was a big step forward for BMW, it was a radical change in design and it drove beautifully. But it has a bad reputation amongst buyers now.. how can that be? Today I drive a very handsome 545i and explain what went wrong...
How To Make A Great Car And Still Ruin Your Reputation
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[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@truthhurts6343]

Theres one driving around in my neighbourhood like that too. Makes me doubt if it's even a real M. But if you see who's driving it, you'll understand. Makes me wonder why Jack featured it on his channel

[@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

[@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.

[@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)

[@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...

[@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

[@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 ❤

[@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

[@andywright1634]

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

[@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 😂😂

[@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

[@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 👍

[@user-vp2ig3rf8x]

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 .

[@Nowthennow]

E39 E32 E46 just perfectionism

[@franciscoflores-nunez6767]

You forgot the e34 😊

[@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

[@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.

[@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

[@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

[@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 !!.

[@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 ?" ! 😉

[@TheCounty90]

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

[@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)

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@alaricbragg7843]

Thank you for this video. This is still a very nice looking and well constructed car! 🙂

[@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

[@martinschaefer9581]

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

[@3000FAst]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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. 😂

[@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.

[@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.

[@ChrisHib01]

I have to say I didn't like the e60 looks wise when it came out either, but it has grown on me! Having a few friends that own diesel and petrol models-overall mechanical reliability at least seems excellent if it has been well maintained for a good portion of its life too. As someone also looking to get a New family motor soon- I certainly will be keeping an eye out for right spec/right price ones of these for sure. Thanks for the video, and sharing your thoughts on this car aswell

[@abizzle100]

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

[@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.

[@tommynobaka]

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

[@michaela1655]

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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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.

[@derin111]

I have now owned and driven BMWs for over 42 years with my very first car, in 1982 as a 19 year old, having been a 1974 2002tii ( that I bought for the princely sum of £825). I have since owned over 60 BMWs in my time. I have witnessed EVERY iteration of the 5-Series come and go from new right from E12 days before I could even drive. Each time, I have thought “My God! What have they done? They’ve ruined it! It’s hideous!” And, each time with time, I have come around to thinking differently. That said, the E60 was the biggest shocker (though I even hated the E39 when it first appeared). The 5-Series, in all its prior forms, is the model that I have owned most. As an all round, daily driver the E39 540i Touring (complete with double-glazing!) that I once had was what I considered had been the best that I had owned. HOWEVER, four years ago I bought an E61 535d Touring with only 60k miles on the clock and one previous wealthy owner who only ised it for distance trips to Switzerland, FBMWSH etc. It’s in non-Sport (SE) spec…which is actually very rare…but I like that now that I’m 60. I also appreciate the optional ‘Comfort Seats’ etc 😅 It is also the first Diesel car that I have ever owned! I have to admit the ‘Dame Edna look’ has grown on me a bit. However, it is its every day performance, economy and utility that now make it probably the best daily car I have ever owned! It’s now just touching 90K miles…which is still low for one of these. I regularly drive it from middle England to northern Germany via the Netherlands. It is as fast as the E39 540i Touring was; it is very comfortable and stable on the Autobahn; it can carry a massive load and at the Autobahn returns circa 38mpg. I almost hate to admit it! 😂 Sometimes, I think I’d like to change it (out of sheer boredom for a change)….but I just can’t justify it! 😂

[@chindit9749]

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

[@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...

[@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!

[@ryanmccormick2150]

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

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@stephanbode548]

I had the E61 520D with no issues. 200000km, all was well and the handling and the interior worked well. The Idrive is a great thing! No car without Idrive. Its great.

[@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!

[@nigelbullock9039]

Jack, a great video on a car that had one good thing good about it and that was its rear. It was hard to love that design.

[@rolandcook2556]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@pereldh5741]

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

[@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 👍

[@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.

[@ahuman9864]

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

[@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.

[@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)

[@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.

[@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.

[@2702simmo]

Funny thing is that shape has aged much better in my opinion than the E39 Both look great now but I do like the E60 535 with good wheels on

[@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.

[@thetruth7633]

When it came out I drove the 535D M suspensions, already tuned to over 300bhp. It was fast, very fast. What I really did not like is the fact that the car felt "light built", cheap plastic dash, the windscreen already cracked by tension on the chassis. The E39 was a light year ahead from the E34. So I was disappointing. But.. yeah compared to the "BBQ grill" BMW's of now, it was brilliant!

[@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...

[@odl21]

I had one for 13 years. The M5. I thought it was fantastic and the last BMW I would have bought.

[@josephsu95]

My dad has an 545i m sport and adores it, hes retiring soon and hes considering a 6 series gran coupe. After a long time he still cant make up his mind if he will trade in or sell the e60 because he just thinks its the perfect car for him. I drive a e46 325ci that had been modded, evrytime i get in the e60 im just amazed by hoe planted and torquey it is, perfect car for holidays and autobahn touring. My car on the other hand is more of a drivers car, more fun in the corners and i get more feedback through the cars body and steering.

[@eric-wb7gj]

TY J 🙏🙏

[@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’)

[@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.

[@pagjake]

I’ve got an E61 535d msport lci and an E63 650. There’s something about this generation! Maybe it was the mean look of those headlights in my rear view when a copper would start following back in my younger days….

[@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

[@berwhaletheavenger]

The E60 sold very well after the initial shock. As a car they are much better than the E39 in some areas - they don't rust to bits and BMW pretty much eradicated the old bogeys of cooling system dramas, ABS module failure, disappearing dash pixels etc. The E39 is not as robust as many say - they're needy and rot prone. A 200,000 mile 530d will still resemble a car rather than a scrapper. The E60 is pretty good but a hard car to love. Like the 1 Series and E90 they are just a bit characterless. I ran a 525d 3.0 for a while. It was reliable enough but the ride was atrocious and the iDrive a pain in the arse.

[@jaymum23]

I agree I actually like my E60 530i more than I did my E39, but both are great. The E39 is more beautiful and has slightly nicer interior materials. E39 has heavier steering that is more rich in feel, but the E60’s feels quicker and more modern, while still giving you far more road feel than today’s electric assist racks. You’re dead on accurate about the increased reliability overall and vastly improved rust proofing. With an N52 engine, an E60 will be as bulletproof as anything Japanese, less rust prone, and far better driving. Build quality is solid too and the interior has very few plasticky bits. Love this car. And my E90.😊

[@TheSuperchargedM5Dog]

Spot on. I had 2 E39s (both M5's) and wouldn't have another. Lots of rose tinted glasses being worn.

[@mediocreman2]

You were almost onto something until you said the 1 series is characterless. You must be insane. An E82/E87 1 series with an N52 engine and a manual transmission is an absolute riot.

[@berwhaletheavenger]

@@mediocreman2 😂

[@josephdavis4360]

The e60 m5 is one the most stunning 5 series. Ever. The 745li was different, but it’s a look that grows on you. I have an e60 550i msport that I absolutely love. It has its problems. But the engine is strong and reliable. I blew the rear differential last week but I’ll have him back on the road by Wednesday. E60 all day

[@mediocreman2]

Things can be stunning and ugly and that's what it is. There is nothing beautiful about it. But it is shocking to the system and can even cause convulsions on the spot.

[@variovent]

Yeah, LPG Alpina, ah? It has all the marks of a prick ex-owner: fake badges, K&N stickers (this alone will add 15 bhp). And, of course, it's terribly ugly.

[@paulie-Gualtieri.]

Haha true 😂

[@chriso8485]

Bit harsh calling him a name but yeah his mods are tacky

[@user-bf1gd6pl6j]

My 545i almost bankrupt me. The transmission cost me $25000 in repairs only and BMW corporate couldn't troubleshoot (or concede) the issues.

[@joeseeking3572]

I have held on to my E60 as a spare (fun) car. It's a final year, so LC1, better interior and massaged iDrive (which I like). The ride is very much not a Lexus or even a Benz (mine has the M Sport package which did stiffen things up), but the car feels like an extension of me and even though it's not small, I can hustle it through bends more quickly than I have a right to. 'Decent' power (twin turbo 6, but also a 6 speed manual to help out, though truth be told it isn't the best shift action I've ever used - never was). Still, anything stick is a joy to drive today as they vanish, and here you can fling the car around too. I've had newer and faster 5's but this comes out for Sunday afternoons, and sometimes I'll find myself spending a week with it, just because. Nearing 130k miles now, and the interior is still well screwed together with almost no wear (!) Pretty? No, but we're grown accustomed to each other. Worst problem beyond maintenance? The entire entertainment/nav system packed it up around 80k - unforgivable.

[@alangil40]

Sounds like we have the same car. I bought a then two-year-old 2010 535i M-sport with a 6-speed manual in Alpine White to replace my aging E39 540i sport 6-speed.. I bought the E60 with 30k miles and now it has nearly 150k miles. Put a stage 1 tune on the N54 engine and some 19" wheels. My interior is also pretty much still flawless. Every button, function, vent, etc. works and there are no rattles.

[@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

[@trustgtr33]

took me by suprise when it first came out sometime in 2003, however it slowly grew on me and left wanting for one..got a 07 525i m sport and for the first few years was good except for one meccatronic failure covered by warranty. Sold it in 2014 as the bits and pieces started to fail, not really happy with its reliability after 5 years..

[@wakakaforever007]

Jack, please try the V10 version and it would blow your mind!😊

[@johngregg401]

Everyone slagged off the E60 when it was new but it has stood the test of time far better than what followed it. Maybe I'm biased cos I got two 😊