BMW 523i (E60) review: the E60 six that actually has enough power
3.6/5motorssouq Editorial Team
The 523i is the E60 to buy over the 520i if the budget allows even a small stretch: the 177 hp M54 six copes with the car's size in a way the 2.2-litre never quite does, and the running-cost realities are identical between the two, so there is little financial reason to accept the slower car. As with any used E60 in Bahrain, buy on documented history for the water pump, valve stem seals and cooling system, not on price alone.
Pros
- 177 hp M54 six copes with the E60's size far better than the base 520i
- Shares the same flagship-era ride and interior quality as pricier E60 trims
- Price premium over the 520i on Bahrain's used market is usually modest
- Independent BMW specialists know this platform's weak points well
Cons
- Valve stem seals and electric water pump are the same known E60 failure points as the 520i
- First-generation iDrive is still fiddly for basic functions
- Plastic cooling-system components need proactive replacement in Gulf heat
- Specialist labour costs more than a comparable Japanese sedan
The 523i sits one rung above the 520i in the E60 range, and the extra 300 cc and 7 hp understate how much better suited the M54B25 feels to a car this size. Where the 520i often has to be worked to keep pace with Bahrain's fast-moving highway traffic, the 523i simply does it without drama, and the difference is noticeable within the first few kilometres of a test drive.
Same platform, same platform problems
Because the 523i shares its bodyshell, electronics and running gear with every other six-cylinder E60, it also shares the same list of age-related issues: valve stem seals that harden and cause oil consumption and blue smoke, an electric water pump on certain model years that can fail suddenly rather than gradually, and cooling system plastics that were never engineered with a Bahraini summer in mind. First-generation iDrive is also present and just as fiddly as it is in the 520i.
The upside of the shared platform is that Bahrain's independent BMW specialists know the E60 inside out by now, and most of these issues are well-documented, moderately priced fixes rather than mysteries. A pre-purchase inspection focused specifically on these known weak points is worth far more than a general once-over.
Where it sits in the used market
Because the performance difference over the 520i is real but the used-price difference in Bahrain is usually modest, the 523i tends to be the better buy for almost any use case, daily driving included. It is not a car people chase for excitement, but it is the E60 six-cylinder that does not leave you wishing you had spent a little more.