2004 BMW 520 SE

First registered in 2004 - making it one of the earlier six-cylinder cars, with the engine being carried over from the previous-generation E39 5-Series - this 520 SE is finished in the timeless colour combination of grey over a black leather interior, and boasts the desirable sunroof and iDrive infotainment system as factory options.

Purchased by the current family owners in 2007 from BMWs approved used program, the car has remained within the same family since, passing through the hands of numerous family members as-and-when insurance policyholders changed, along with a move from London to leafy West Berkshire in recent years.

Having covered only just shy of 30,000 miles in its life and used in recent years as a ‘weekend car’ by the current owners, this 520 SE remains in impressive condition throughout, and the private registration is also included in the sale of the vehicle.

Externally, it is clear to see that this 520 SE has had a far easier life than many of its brethren, thanks to its low mileage and careful ownership, being treated as a weekend cruiser rather than a company car or motorway ‘hack’ as many executive sedans would’ve been.

Looking along the flanks of the car, the bodywork and panels appear to be lovely and straight throughout, save for one or two tiny car park ‘pin’ dents, most notably below the mirror on the nearside front door, though this has not broken the paintwork and would likely be no trouble for an experienced PDR technician to rectify.

The paintwork is in an equally great condition, showing only some minor marks typical of an 18-year-old car, along with a couple of more prominent marks on the offside front edge of the lower bumper splitter, and a scratch mark - likely from rings or a set of keys - on the nearside of the car, just aft of the front door handle.

At the rear, the rubber seal around the rear windscreen looks to be a little on the perished side, though there were no signs of any water ingress issues that we could see, and no reported problems.

Up above, the sunroof is in full working order, tilting and sliding without hesitation or noise.

All four wheels wear matching Bridgestone Potenza tyres, and have varying degrees of marks / light kerb rash noted to the faces.

Evidently, BMW knew what they were doing when they put together the E60, as the cabin of this 520 SE has stood the test of time fantastically well, and still feels remarkably fresh to this day, no doubt helped by its gentle usage over the years.

The seats, for example, show only some light creasing and minor wear commensurate with the mileage of the car, and exhibit no signs of any damage or heavy markings that we could see.

Similarly, the carpets are in great shape, whilst up above the headliner is free from any sagging or major wear, though there are a couple of very small stains noted by the nearside front grab handle.

The various wooden trims and inlays throughout the cabin are in fantastic shape, retaining an impressive shine and are free of any lacquer peel or damage as far as we could see.

During our short drive and photo shoot, all systems appear to be in full working order, including the iDrive controller, sunroof and stereo system.

Starting with ease despite having been stood for a few days, the inline-six in the front of this 520 SE quickly settled into a silky-smooth idle, with no untoward behaviours noted when cold or warm.

The transmission showed no signs of harbouring any issues, and the engine was silky-smooth and quiet throughout our photo shoot, happily dealing with multiple re-stars, both hot and cold. We did notice a very faint sound emanating from the offside rear suspension area when going over speed bumps, though this is minor and we were unable to narrow it down to one specific component.

Opening the bonnet, the M54 engine looks to be in fine fettle from a visual standpoint, and there were no signs of any oil or fluid leaks that we could see, nor anything that looks to be out-of-place.

Underneath, the chassis is largely obscured by various ‘slam panels’ and plastic under trays, but again, we saw nothing that would give us any cause for concern.

The most recent MoT exam - dated 08 January 2022 - shows a clean first-time pass, with the only ‘advisory’ item relating to the fitment of under trays obscuring the testers view.

Included with the sale of the vehicle is the V5 showing two former keepers, a well-stamped BMW service history book, the full complement of BMW manuals and handbooks contained in the OE book pack, and numerous MoT certificates.

In addition to this, there are also several invoices from both BMW dealerships and specialists, covering servicing and other miscellaneous works to the car.

With its low mileage, classic executive BMW specification and silky-smooth inline-six engine, this is a fantastic example of the E60-generation 5-Series, that has evidently been cherished and used sparingly throughout its lifetime. An excellent motorway cruiser or family car, we estimate this example to fetch in the region of £5000 - £8000.

Viewing is always encouraged. This particular car is located with the vendor in Newbury, West Berkshire; To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.