Why is the M5 so fast?

The 2020 BMW M5 is powered by a mighty 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that puts down 600 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels through its xDrive AWD drivetrain. The suspension is tuned at the Nurburgring and has been an epitome of a track-car for BMW for decades now.

Which is faster M5 or M8?

While the BMW M5 can do the 0-60 MPH sprint in 3.2 seconds in its standard guise the M8 coupe is marginally quicker off the mark. That said, the M8 Gran Coupe comes in at a close second behind the M5.

How much does a 2020 BMW M5 cost?

The 2020 BMW M5 price starts at $102,700 before the $1,995 destination fee for the base model while the M5 Competition retails at $110,000. A used 2020 M5 in good condition starts at just $83,999.

Is BMW M5 a daily driver?

Apart from the astounding performance on the track, the M5 also offers great levels of luxury and practicality inside its spacious cabin. That said, the track focuses sedan can get a bit uncomfortable on broken patches of the road due to its stiff suspension. Apart from that, the 2020 M5 can very well be driven as a daily.

2020 BMW M5 Problems and Complaints

Nathan Dyer

Senior Editor,

Updated on August 7, 2024

The reputation of BMW for manufacturing some of the best midsize sports sedans in the automobile market is one of the turn-key factors behind the brand’s global popularity. Available with a base price of $103,500, the BMW M5’s reliability enabled the brand to hit a sales volume of 144,218 units in 2020, increasing the sales volume by 5.9% from the previous year.

The car would be much more popular for its resale value too unless it faced certain reliability issues like a faulty spark plug, steering wheel often turning numb, etc. for which a recall rate of 3 was issued by BMW against the car on the NHTSA website. This was a matter of sufficient discomfort for the buyers initially. Apart from that, some users had also reported the vehicle’s battery draining problems that often stop powering up the major electronic units in the vehicle, causing malfunction to the main electrical units. Apart from that, corrosion in the wastegate actuator linkage pin of M5 was another significant reason behind its faulty car engine. Some users have also found issues with the rearview camera which often stops displaying the image of the rear back portion while reversing the car. Such issues may compel the driver to overlook any obstacle or object behind the car and ram it over. Such problems can be a serious threat to M5, and probably compel the buyers to find a good reason for shifting their reliance on some of its immediate rivals like the Cadillac CTS-V and the Mercedes Benz E-Class.

Though there are no complaints registered on the NHTSA website against the M5, there are some common issues that users have faced with the car.

Electrical Problems

Issue with the spark plug

Maximum M4 owners have found issues with their spark plug affecting the ignition system to function properly. A faulty spark plug may prevent the natural process of triggering in the combustion chamber stopping the vehicle completely to function normally. These issues are needed to be reconciled by replacing the faulty spark plug with a newer one if possible.

Engine and Mechanical Problems

Engine problems

Majority of the BMW M5 had issues with their turbocharged engines in which maximum owners noted corrosion in the wastegate actuator linkage pin. These things usually show up when the wastegate actuator gets completely covered with rust making it difficult to understand whether the wastegate is open or not for the driver. These issues should be inspected and repaired soon to avoid the engine getting stalled all of a sudden while driving the vehicle.

Leakage in the fuel injector

On multiple occasions, leakage in the fuel injector can be a reason for the engine to stop in the middle of the road. The leaking fuel may not be able to provide sufficient gas/oil flow to the engine, thereby stoning the engine in the middle of the road. The dealers should be finding the reason behind the leakage and repair them soon.

2020 BMW M5 Recall

S.No	Date	NHTSA ID	Issues Noticed	Additional Remarks	Remedy
1	September 30, 2020,	20V598000	Malfunctioning rearview camera due to software problem causing inconvenience to the driver to while reversing the vehicle	Obscured image in the rearview camera due to a software issue may stop the driver from viewing the rear portion of the vehicle properly while reversing the vehicle	The owners will be notified by the BMW and the dealers will be replacing the faulty parts for free. The recall for the issue began on November 18, 2020,
2	December 11 2019	19V883000	Faulty transmission wiring harness may lead to a short circuit. Such an electric shot might lead to a neutral resulting shift, furthermore leading to loss of propulsion	Damaged electrical wiring harness may lead to an electrical short circuit stopping the electricity supply in the main electric unit	The owners will be notified about the issues, and the dealers will be replacing these parts with newer ones by rerouting and securing the harnesses for completely free. The recall for this particular problem started on February 3 2020
3	September 27 2019	19V684000	Issue with the image display in the rearview backup camera of the car	The backup camera and display settings often gets changed in a way that getting a proper rear view of the vehicle itself becomes a challenge, especially when the car is in reversing mode.	BMW will be notifying the owners and the dealers will be informed about updating the backup camera software in the vehicle for free. The recall for the issue began on November 8 2019

Should You Prefer Buying a 2020 BMW M5?

The 2020 BMW M5 seems to be an irreplaceable choice for those sedan lovers who have a fascination for BMW. But, according to some automobile experts, the car’s sales would have increased, had its faulty wiring transmission warning, rearview camera malfunction, engine problems, and fuel line injector leakage wouldn't have bothered its users as much as they did. However, BMW instantly organized a recall and got the software updated that was preventing the rearview camera to visualize the image of the rear back portion to the driver while reversing the vehicle. At the same time, the manufacturer also fixed the faulty transmission wiring harness issue bothering the car’s transmission system by replacing it with newer ones. That has made the vehicle free from all those problems and complaints the vehicle met earlier.

If someone is willing to buy a used BMW M5, we would recommend them to verify whether the vehicle has undergone the recall repairs if affected. Once those issues are resolved, we would always suggest buying an M5 at a competitive resale price tag available in the market.