Used tow car: BMW 5-Series Touring
When it introduced the 5-Series, BMW hit the perfect middle ground, with a roomy car that’s good to drive, says Euan Doig
This powerful and luxurious vehicle is great to drive and stable when towing
AH, THE BMW 5-Series Touring, that icon of business motoring, designed to take high-flying executives from their home in the suburbs to their chrome and glass office block in the city. But what about the weekend, when you want to head in the other direction, from suburbia to rural idyll – preferably with a caravan attached? The good news is, the 5-Series estate has you covered there, too. Executive estates sell well, despite the SUV onslaught of the past few years. Jaguar hoped to cater for driving enthusiasts with its XF Sportbrake, while Mercedes plays the comfort and space cards with its E-class Estate. BMW, however, hits the perfect middle ground, with a car that’s good to drive, comfortable and roomy. When launched in 2010, there were only four engines available: two diesels and two petrols. The two 3.0-litre petrol engines were both six-cylinder units, one turbocharged and one naturally aspirated. The diesels were both turbocharged, but one was a 2.0-litre fourcylinder unit, while the other was a 3.0-litre straight six. Throughout the car’s life the engine range expanded, with further diesels and fourcylinder petrols, and even four-wheel drive. However, the version tow car aficionados would do well to head for is the 520d, which has more than enough muscle to get any towing job done, while showing an admirable distaste for filling stations.
Model history
Each vintage of BMW 5-Series has been pretty much excellent, which means the launch of a new one is treated with equal anticipation and trepidation. Can it match the one just gone? Well, with the version we look at here, BMW once again hit the bullseye. For a start, the 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine is a real peach: not only is it strong at low- and mid-range revs, but it also likes to rev out, and keeps producing power while doing so.
As standard, the 520d comes with a manual gearbox, but we would urge anyone to seek out an example with the eightspeed automatic gearbox fitted. It’s smooth, quick to shift ratios and does a good job of knowing exactly which gear you want at any moment. In addition, the auto car is more efficient, managing an average of 54.3mpg and emitting just 137g/km of CO2. Efficiency increased over the car’s life, with these figures improving to 62.8mpg and 123g/km. As a tow car, the Five is just superb – it was a class winner in the 2011 Tow Car Awards. It was praised for being so stable that the testers almost forgot they were towing, and was strong enough to go from 30-60mph in just 12.6 seconds, with a caravan attached. The auto hold function on the electric handbrake made hill starts a doddle, and heading up steep slopes was easy. There’s plenty of space up front, and loads of adjustment, but those behind aren’t quite so well catered for, with kneeroom the main concern. The boot is big, although others, such as in the Mercedes E-class, are bigger. However, being able to access the space by opening the tailgate glass instead of the whole tailgate is a real boon. As you would expect, the interior feels designed and built to impress you every time you sit in it. Everything you touch, press, twist or pull is of the highest quality, and there’s plenty of standard kit, including climate control, Bluetooth, front and rear parking sensors, leather upholstery and selflevelling rear suspension.
Trouble spots
This generation of 5-Series Touring has been subject to five recalls in its life. Crucially for readers of Practical Caravan, the first concerned the optional electrically retractable towball. The automatic adjuster could fail, setting off a chain of events that would eventually cause the towball to become detached from the car. It is vital to make sure any car you look at has had the required modification done by a BMW dealer. Some 2.5-litre and 3.0-litre petrol models were recalled because screws in the variable valve timing system could fail, causing oil to leak internally. The next recall concerned airbags that might not deploy correctly in an accident, so ensure they’ve been changed. The model was again recalled for possible universal joint failure. The joint should be replaced by a dealer. Finally, a faulty mechanism could cause the brake lights to be permanently lit, so again, make sure the necessary work has been carried out. Apart from official recalls, there have been a few reports of the self-levelling rear suspension suffering failures, sometimes after the car has done very few miles. You would be extremely wise to get the system checked by a mechanic.
Verdict
The 520d Touring SE may reside at the bottom end of the range, but in reality, it is more than enough for most tow car fans’ needs. The engine is more than strong enough to cope with a heavy trailer, and the car remains stable in all conditions. Better still, it’s roomy, well put together and frugal. Get the rear suspension checked out and ensure the recall work has been done, and it’ll be a great business car on weekdays, and leisure vehicle at weekends.