2012-16 BMW M5 used car review
With a new BMW M5 set to hit Australian showrooms in the second quarter of next year, the stage is set for a trade-in stampede.
Buyers of the high-performance executive express have always been considered (by themselves as much as anybody else) as early adopters, for whom the latest is barely new enough. So when a new M5 is announced, suddenly, the current model is all but yesterday’s hero. And that means trading in for the latest and greatest version.
In the case of the BMW M5, that means a bunch of the current-model F10 cars could be set free from their current novated leases to hit the second-hand market, and that means they’re fodder for the used-car market in a big way.
While the all-new M5 model remains a bit of an unknown quantity right now, the soon-to-be superseded model is much less of a mystery. And the truth is that the F10 M5 wasn’t without its challenges. Mind you, that’s not too surprising when you consider the level of technology involved in one of these things, but it remains there are things to watch out for.
The F10 M5 was one of the first of the big hitters to go with a smaller-capacity turbocharged V8 in place of a larger, normally-aspirated unit. Of course, this was an emerging trend and it’s typical of BMW to be ahead of the curve.
But it also meant that the car was a bit of a culture shock in some ways. The first of those was the way the 4.4-litre V8 felt. With a pair of turbochargers to provide the boost, the engine was super efficient and made a rousing 412kW of power at a still-high 7000rpm. Torque was huge too, at 680Nm and it was available from as low as 1500rpm.
Like we said, this was a trend-setting engine and one that other manufacturers would have to work hard to match. But what those numbers don’t tell you is just how wooden the engine and, in fact, the whole car felt to drive. Yes, it went like a crazed dervish and it was definitely a mile-eater of the highest order. But overall, it was just a bit too robotic in its responses and never really felt like it was as entertaining or involving as it should have been.
The other trend that the M5 was an early subscriber to was that of the synthetic exhaust note. Because the turbochargers chopped up the exhaust note, BMW used the computer to synthesise what it thought owners would like to hear and then piped that through the stereo’s speakers.
It’s an increasingly common practice now which should, on paper, vindicate BMW’s decision to do so. But for many enthusiasts – the very people likely to buy an M5 – the move seems then, and still seems, highly cynical.
Beyond that, the M5 also seemed to be pretty non-communicative in its steering responses and while it was certainly fast, it didn’t seem encouraging. Can it be criticised for that? Possibly, but for the used-car buyer who has decided a second-hand M5 is on their short-list, there’s plenty of other checks to make, too.
Start with the level of equipment fitted. While flag-bearer cars like the M5 get new tech long before the more prosaic stuff in the range, the F10 M5 still arrived when lane-keeping and night-vision tech was still in its infancy. So, while some M5s do have these systems fitted, they were extra-cost options when the M5 first arrived. So make sure you know what a particular car is fitted with and what’s missing.
Mechanically, we’d definitely want to see an absolutely full service history. Skipped services in a car like this are just asking for trouble as the intricate oilways in the V8 won’t tolerate dirty or thick oil.
BMW’s variable valve-timing system, VANOS, has not been without its problems in previous-gen models, and the M5 wasn’t really able to break away from that reputation. When starting the car from cold, make sure there are no rattling noises from the front of the engine.
If there are, you could be looking at a VANOS system that is leaking, and forcing the oil-powered adjustment mechanism to run without the required amount of oil. A visual check of the area around the VANOS actuators may also reveal an oil leak or traces of oil. Other symptoms can include the check-engine light illuminating and the car going into a limp-home mode.
In some cases, you may find the car exhibits those same two symptoms, but there’s nothing actually wrong with the VANOS. If that’s the case, you could be looking at a car that’s getting a dud signal form the camshaft-angle sensor and these sensors seems a bit susceptible to false alarms in this model. A re-flash of the car’s engine-management computer will sometimes purge the M5 of these problems, but there’s no guarantee.
The other big one to watch out for is an engine that has been overheated thanks to a failed or faulty electric coolant pump. The move to an electric pump was a move towards greater efficiency, but in the M5’s case, the pump itself could sometimes fail or the connections between it and the electronic control-module could fail.
Either way, you were looking at a big opportunity to cook the engine with disastrous results.
And that’s kind of a metaphor for what’s going on here; the M5 is an imposing vehicle when it’s working properly, but if anything – even something relatively minor – goes wrong, you could be looking at big repair bills. The M5 is not alone in this, but it remains a fact of life with car like it.
The F10 M5 built between the end of 2012 and mid-2013 was also recalled to check the operation of the vacuum booster for the braking system. In extreme cases, the booster could fail, leaving the car with no brake-pedal assistance.
Nuts and bolts
Engine: 4.4-litre turbocharged V8
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel economy (combined): 9.9 litres per 100km
Safety rating (courtesy of www.howsafeisyourcar.com.au): Not listed
Our rating: 3 stars
Likes:
- Very, very fast.
- Imposing…has real on-road presence.
- The right badge with an `M’ to boot.
- Relaxed interstater.
Dislikes:
- Lacked driver involvement.
- Wooden controls.
- Synthetic exhaust note.
- Still pricey.
Competitors:
- Mercedes-AMG E63 – Another convert to the small-capacity, turbo V8 school of thought, the E63 is a firm favourite among those who value their upmarket hot-rods. Enormous performance in a conservative package. Harsh ride. 4.5 stars
- Audi RS7 – Seems like all the Germans were copying each other’s homework, because the RS7 also went turbo V8 with a smaller capacity at this time. Quattro all-wheel-drive grip was the big difference. 4 stars
- Jaguar XJ Supersport – Bucked the trend a little by staying with five full litres and using supercharging as its method of boost. Big and good looking, the XJ helped no end with Jaguar’s image rejuvenation. 4 stars
What to pay (courtesy of Glass’s Guide):
Model Year New Now
M5 2012 $230,000 $76,000
M5 2013 $229,900 $94,000
M5 2014 $229,900 $110,000
M5 2015 $229,900 $126,000
M5 2016 $229,900 $146,000