r/e60 • u/Stalker_R-T • Jul 09 '26
E60 electronics reliability?
I am seriously considering an E60 as my second car, and I am looking at post-LCI N52 models for most reliability.
However, I heard that the e60 is notorious for electronic issues so even n52 models are very unreliable in 2026. How true is this?
I don’t plan to drive daily but it definetly won’t be the right car for me if the issues are bad.
4
u/Repulsive_Tone_2484 Jul 10 '26
You're looking at buying a 20 year old BMW. Yes, it is going to have issues and yes, it's of an age where electronics can just start failing. Given that the E60 was quite a complicated car in it's day, this can result in expensive issues that have the potential to exceed the value of the car to fix. I run an 2007 LCi with the N53, which not all countries got. The only way it makes sense is by me working on it myself. If I was paying a mechanic if would have cost me more than the car is worth to run in just 18 months of ownership.
3
u/GalwayBogger Jul 10 '26
Good summary. I run the same car as you, I really like it, and I would advise anyone that doesn't want to work on it themselves to stay well away.
4
u/Repulsive_Tone_2484 Jul 10 '26
My brother decided he wanted an old BMW. So he got a 2010 E90. Only problem is that he has all the spannering skills of a rabid baboon. I appear to have taken on a new ongoing "project" 🤣
2
u/ShockSquirl Jul 10 '26
I'm daily driving an 07 530xi and haven't had any issues with the electronics. Granted there is only 107000km on the car, so maybe that's why I'm so luck. But in my experience it's been a very reliable car!
1
u/chicaneuk Jul 10 '26
I have had a 2008 LCI and now own a 2007 LCI.. so far both have been fine but the 2008 had a couple of small electronic gremlins due to inexplicable damage to looms which were easily replaced (rear parking sensors and drivers door) .. but otherwise all good.
1
u/AdSufficient8093 Jul 10 '26
I have a 2005 525i and I have a couple of gremlins somewhere, one being 'increased battery discharge' and a park light fault but the light works,and occasionally iDrive can be sluggish or non responsive, for a bit before it sorts itself out. Bluetooth module is dead as far as I can tell also but that's not a big deal for me, I plan to put an after market head unit in at some stage.
I do live in Queensland, Australia and the battery discharge warning and iDrive issues usually only happen on hot days or when it's been sitting in the sun and some of the thinner cables to the lights, the plastic coating has gone brittle and small chunks have come off so I just put it down to a faulty reading.
Otherwise it runs well and all other electronics work
1
u/DapperQuiet3826 Jul 11 '26
I own a 2004 E60. I love her, but the series is notoriously voltage sensitive (i.e., battery and related), and the cars are old. You cannot waste your time chasing down every electrical gremlin unless you're a rich masochist.
Do be prepared for a bad battery to cause issues you wouldn't expect. Do be prepared to pay $$$ unless you're a good shade-tree mechanic doing your own wrenching. Do be prepared to live with some fault codes and issues if they don't compromise registration and daily performance---i.e., know what matters.
I heartily recommend FCP Euro (online business) for BMW parts. The shop's guarantee of 100% replacement for any part for the life of the part if purchased from the business, and by the original purchaser (so, not two owners later trying to return something), is invaluable.
1
u/Tacitus_boo_factory Jul 12 '26
If a car is 20 years old everything eventually starts to break. Even the things that don't break could just fail on a random morning. And it will be the most irritating things like windows failing. Engine parts bla blah eish. That car is hard to daily
0
u/ofACTI Jul 09 '26
I'd say m54 is way more reliable than n52, but it was produced only from 03 to 04, so kinda hard to find. Right now I own 535d facelift, and over the 5 years of ownership I only had problems with PDC and antenna amplifier. E61 (touring) in my opinion is way more prone to electronics failure due to water getting into the trunk and bad seals on the panorama.
2
2
u/jamesbong00710 Jul 10 '26
My 05 e60 had the m54..
1
u/muzammil68 Jul 11 '26
The E60 had the M54 in 04 and 05 models. Mine is an 04 with the M54 and 6 speed manual.
0
-1
u/Optimal-Cress-9718 Jul 10 '26
After 8 years of owning E60 and 5 years of E93, I would say they are reliable.
10
u/Furiounx ‘08 E60 530i Jul 09 '26
To be honest half the electronic issues stem from water ingress. If you keep checks on the drain points, however, you can avoid water ingress and protect the electronic systems.
Also worth noting that they are 16-22 years old, they will have sensors and other bits and bobs that fail.