The BMW 520d is a nice car with lots of exceptional features. It is very comfortable, luxurious, efficient, and safe. What’s more, it’s stylish and very appealing to the eye. However, this car also has several problems that interested buyers should learn about.
One of the notable problems of the BMW 520d is the high cost of maintenance. What’s more, it faces other issues like engine overheating and timing chain issues. But even with these problems, the BMW 520d is still an outstanding car.
History of BMW 520d
The BMW 520d is a car from the sixth-generation 5-Series lineup. It was introduced alongside the BMW 520i, 518d, 530i, and 530d. BMW offers the 520d in a sedan and touring body style. Hence this allows interested buyers to pick a car that best appeals to their needs.
Additionally, this car comes with two engine options; N47D20 turbo inline-4 engine and B47D20 turbo inline-4 engine. The first engine was fitted on the 2010 to 2014 BMW 520d model years, while the second engine was fitted on the 2014 to 2017 model years.
Features of BMW 520d
Appearance
Whether you select the BMW 520d sedan or touring, you will get a stylish and lovely car that many people will ogle at as you cruise down the highway. This midsize luxury car comes with an elegant exterior with seamless lines and finishes that make it look spectacular.
Besides, the interior of the 520d is also top-notch with high-end and expensive materials. Only a few rivals, such as Audi and Mercedes can boast to have a more luxurious interior. Some of the features that make it stand out are leather seats, a user-friendly infotainment system, and a spacious cabin.
The BMW 520d has a wheelbase of 117-inches, a length of 193.2-inches, a width of 73.3-inches, and a height of 57.6-inches.
Performance
Even though BMW is popular for its performance and power, the BMW 520d is lacking in this area. Nonetheless, it still performs exceptionally well and is easy to handle. Some of its rivals like the Mercedes E-Class and Audi A6 offer better-performing cars.
The BMW 520d comes with two engine options, the 2010 to 2014 N47D20 inline-4 engine that delivers a maximum of 181 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, and 2014 to 2017 B47D20. The second engine delivers up to 188 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
The best performing BMW 520d M Sport trim produces a maximum of 188 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It also has a top speed of 146 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 7.1 seconds.
Comfort and cargo area
Both the BMW 520d sedan and touring are comfortable and spacious. However, the touring wagon is more spacious and has more trunk space. This car can seat up to five people and the sedan has four doors, while the touring has five doors.
Furthermore, the 520d sedan has 520 liters of trunk space, while the 520d touring has 560 liters of trunk space, with more than 1,670 liters of space when the rear seats are folded. As a result, the touring model is suitable for people who want a spacious car.
Fuel-efficiency
One of the biggest advantages of acquiring the BMW 520d is that its fuel-efficient. BMW estimates this car to do over 62.8 mpg and emits just 119g/km of CO2, which is exceptional. It also comes with an exceptional range of over 900 miles before a fill-up.
Price
The price of the BMW 520d varies according to model year and make. Nevertheless, the prices range between $20,000 and $50,000. If you’re buying a used model, ensure to do a thorough inspection so that you don’t have many issues to deal with.
FAQ
Is BMW 520d a good car?
Yes. The BMW 520d is an outstanding car with lots of features to offer. First of all, it has a sedan and touring to select from. Secondly, the car is luxuriously built with high-end and expensive features. Moreover, it is comfortable, refined, quiet, and performs exceptionally well.
However, it is not so reliable and comes with several issues. What’s more, the cost of maintenance is somewhat high, making it expensive to maintain.
How fast is the BMW 520d?
The BMW 520d is not a very fast car compared to most of its competitors from Audi and Mercedes. This is because the BMW 520d M Sport trim comes with a top speed of 146 mph and it can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 7.1 seconds. Its petrol counterpart, the BMW 520i is even much slower.
What are some of the common problems of the BMW 520d?
If you plan to invest in the BMW 520d, there are some common issues that you should learn about. Some of these problems include timing chain issues, engine overheating, water leak problems, steering wheel noises, faulty turbo, rear window wiper issues, and faulty fuel pump.
Even though the BMW 520d comes with lots of issues, most of them are easy to fix and can be avoided with proper maintenance.
How long does the BMW 520d engine last?
It depends on how well you maintain the car. If you take good care of the car and adhere to BMW’s maintenance scheduled service, your car may clock over 250k miles. But if you don’t take good care of your car, it may not even cover 150k miles.
What is the difference between 520d and 530d?
The main difference between the BMW 520d and 530d is the engines. The 530d comes with a 50% larger engine than the 520d. Additionally, the 530d is much quicker than the 520d in terms of acceleration, but they have the same top speed. Note that the 520d is cheaper than the 530d.
Conclusion
If you’re in the market for a luxurious, comfortable, quiet, efficient, spacious, and high-performance car, the BMW 520d is a nice option. But like most luxury cars, it is also expensive to maintain and comes with several issues to deal with. Overall, it is a nice car and ideal for daily driving.
