There is a newer version of this car Read the latest BMW 5-Series Saloon review here

BMW 5-Series Saloon (2003-2010) running costs and reliability

Item: BMW 5-Series (2003 - 2010)
Rating: 3.5
Author: David Ross

Looking for a different model? (change model)

Running costs rating: 3.5 out of 53.5

Written by David Ross Published: 6 June 2019

Miles per pound (mpp)

Reliable fuel consumption data for comparison purposes is not available for this model.

What is miles per pound?

Fuel economy

A more stringent standard for fuel economy (WLTP) was introduced from September 2017, and this model was not required to undergo that test. Its fuel economy measured under the previous test system was 25 - 55 mpg. However these figures are less likely to be achievable in real world driving and so should never be compared to another car's mpg which was measured under the newer, more realistic WLTP system.

View mpg & specs for any version

The 5-Series has class-leading resistance to depreciation, but servicing isn’t cheap. When buying new, customers can choose a fixed-price servicing pack to cover the car for five years/60,000 miles. Not only does this guarantee against future rises in servicing prices but means owners don’t have to worry about the cost for a few years. Most of the engines are pretty good for fuel consumption, particularly the diesels, however from May 2007 modifications to the engines have resulted in some very impressive fuel consumption figures.

Thanks to the Efficient Dynamics program the 5-Series is now a fairly green saloon – emitting just 188g/km of CO2 compared to 212g/km beforehand. This is even more impressive given the fact there are two high powered V8 engines in the range. Economy is okay – the range averages 39mpg but the diesels are impressive and the newer version of the 520d returns an excellent 55mpg.

The 5-Series has been quite reliable so far, so well-maintained car shouldn’t be hiding any nasty surprises for future owners.