BMW 520d 2018 Problems

BMW’s mid-sized sedans and station-wagons have always represented a classy, high-end way to move a family. Competing directly with vehicles such as Audi’s A6-based models and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the BMW 5 Series has won its share of admirers over the years as a quality car albeit at a premium price. But now that they’re second-hand, premium models like the BMW 5 Series tend to drop retained value pretty sharply, making them great used-car buys provided you buy the right one. As with any conventional sedan or wagon, however, the BMW has suffered in popularity terms at the hands of the SUV. In fact, while this generation of 5 Series sedans lasted from 2017 to 2023 as the G30 model, the G31 station-wagon that launched alongside it in 2017, left showrooms in 2020 as demand for SUVs made selling a conventional wagon a very tough job. BMW also made the 5 Series line-up a pretty complex, constantly changing animal, so there are the mainstream models to look for as well as some quite specific variants that are worth investigating. Of the mainstream four-door sedan versions, things kicked off with the 520i with its 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine, 135kW and 290Nm. The 520d was next with a 2.0 diesel, 140kW and 400Nm. The 530i was also a 2.0L four-cylinder, but claimed 185kW and 350Nm due to a different tune. The first of BMW’s famous inline sixes arrived with the 530d with its 3.0 inline six-cylinder diesel and 195kW and 620Nm. The 540i was a 3.0 petrol six-cylinder with 250kW and 450Nm, while the big hitter was the M550i with its twin-turbo 4.4-litre petrol V8, 340kW and 650Nm. In station-wagon variants, there was a 520d (diesel) and a 530i (petrol). The more specialised variants included the 530e PHEV with 185kW and 420Nm and a small EV battery and electric motor. And then there was the really specialised 530d xDrive wagon with the 530d’s engine teamed with an all-wheel drive platform. There was also a sedan called the M550i xDrive which was more or less a 550i sedan with all-wheel drive, 390kW and 750Nm. If that all sounds a bit complicated, that’s because it is. And it also means when you’re shopping for a second-hand G30 or G31 BMW, it’s vital to know exactly what you’re looking at as the used prices vary enormously. The BMW 5 Series has always been portrayed as the driver’s choice in four-door sedans and it remains an entertaining drive in this form. Its interior space has grown over the years to remain relevant in the face of SUVs and the level of standard equipment is good. The best thing about these cars is the way they depreciate heavily in the first few years, making them good value (compared to their new price) as relatively new used cars. BMW’s reputation for building a quality product has been questioned before this model was ever on sale. However, many of the potential issues are the same ones facing other modern cars with their complex drivelines and requirement to meet ever stricter emissions and fuel economy targets. While many owners of this make and model have had great experiences, the BMW 5 Series is not without its problem areas. Like any modern, high-performance engine, the turbocharged engines in the G30 5 Series are fairly highly stressed in their search for maximum performance with minimum fuel consumption. As such, turbochargers have a pretty hard life and can sometimes require complete replacement. Increasingly, the turbo unit is being seen as a consumable item in modern car design. The BMW’s is no different. Plastic fittings in the cooling system of modern BMWs have also caused their share of problems. Thousands of heat cycles can eventually take their toll on these plastic fittings, and relacing them is often the only option. Due to the engine layout, this isn’t always an easy or cheap job. Diesel engines have been known to experience premature crankshaft wear (if you’re unlucky) and crankshaft pulley failures are also not unknown. The turbo-diesel engine also shares a problem seen on many modern diesel designs, of having oil and soot clog the intake system, requiring disassembly and manual cleaning. EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) systems can also fail. V8 engines have a reputation for poor valve stem seals which sees them start to consume oil. Brake wear will be high on performance models and like a lot of European cars, replacement often includes rotors as well as pads, making the job much more expensive. Tyre wear on all-wheel drive versions can also be very high. Beyond that, the LED DRLs can become yellow or fail, and the active flaps in front of the radiator (designed to get the engine to operating temperature quickly) can fail either through an actuator not working, or a simple physical fault in the plastic linkages. It also makes sense in the complex car like this to make sure every electrical function, from the power windows to the sunroof to the central locking, operates correctly. The G30 5 Series has had a relatively trouble-free run in terms of recalls, but there are a few to check if you’re buying this car. The first was for a batch of 2020-built hybrid cars that had the potential for their high-voltage batteries to catch fire. The problem was to do with foreign objects entering the battery, rather than a battery flaw per se. The second recall was to check cars that had been given some software upgrades, In some cases, these upgrades could cause the engine to fail with predictable results if you were on the road at the time. The other recall affected many models across the entire G30 lifespan and was to check starter motors that could allow moisture in and catch fire as a result. For the full details of what cars were affected and what to do if yours is one of them, check out https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/. There’s no particular build date to avoid here, but as is often the case, BMW got better at building the car the longer it did so. That’s why the earlier cars (2017 to 2020) tend to have more problems than later versions. Of course, as with any high-end car, you should always buy on the condition and service history of the car in question, rather than any rule of thumb. It’s not uncommon to see this make and model for sale with better than 200,000km on its odometer, which is impressive for a car so relatively new. That speaks highly for the overall robustness, but also – in an individual car sense – might be pointing to a history as a high-end taxi or city-hotel courtesy car. Most for sale now, however, have covered between 100,000km and 200,00km, and fewer kilometres is always better in a high-end car like this. You should also give any hybrid example a battery-health check to make sure the EV battery is still within specification and can provide a useful electric-only range. BMW’s diesel sedans have always been popular and with good reason. They’re refined, smooth and offer exceptional fuel efficiency. A V8 sedan or wagon with all-wheel drive is also an appealing prospect for skiing weekends and general safety, albeit with higher running costs. But for our money, the sweet spot in the range is the 530i which retains the four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, but in a fairly sharp and entertaining state of tune. It’s also one of the cheaper ways into G30 ownership right now. Plenty of these were sold with the M-Sport option pack, and that makes them even better. For low-kilometre, V8, all-wheel drive examples, you can still easily pay $70,000 to $80,000. But that’s against a brand-new price of about $150,000. At the other end of the price ladder, relatively high-mileage diesels and four-cylinder cars start at about $25,000, while there’s lots of choice across a range of specifications in the $30,000 to $45,000 region. You often hear owners of European cars complain about parts prices. And it’s true. If you want genuine BMW service and replacement parts, you’ll generally be slugged quite hard. But if you can live with non-genuine bits and pieces, then the picture is a bit different. The same goes for service and repairs. Use a BMW dealership and the cost will usually be higher than an independent BMW specialist. And because BMW is a global brand, there are lots of online sellers all over the planet who will have what you need. The BMW 5 Series often played second fiddle to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the sales race. That said, it usually finished second in its category, but BWM still often sold less than 100 units per month. Of those, the station-wagon accounted for less than five per cent which is largely why it didn’t survive the facelift in 2020 and disappeared from showrooms. Right now, you’ll find the bigger online sales sites will be listing a few dozen G30 5 Series cars.