S85 vs M50

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
M50 BEST 88/100
+48 points over S85
0 / 100
AVOID S85 BMW
0 / 100
BEST M50 BMW

Specifications

S85
M50
Brand
BMW
BMW
Verdict
AVOID
BEST
Reliability
40
88
Years
2005--2010
1990--1996
Displacement
4999 cc
2494 cc
Layout
V10
I6
Type
Petrol Na
Petrol Na
Power
507 hp
150--192 hp
Known Issues
3
2
Total Risk Cost
€6,000--€18,000
€400--€1,100

Character

S85

"E60 M5 V10. Derived from F1 tech — 8,250rpm redline. Rod bearing failure endemic. Throttle actuator failure (10 of them). VANOS bolt recall. SMG gearbox issues. Incredible engine, terrible reliability."

M50

"Cast iron block legend. One of BMW's most reliable ever. M50TU added single VANOS. Strong internals handle 300k+ km. Cooling plastics only weakness."

Issues Comparison

S85 3

◆ CRITICAL
VANOS bolt failure (recall) €1,000--€3,000 40,000 km--80,000 km
◆ CRITICAL
Rod bearing failure €3,000--€10,000 50,000 km--100,000 km
▲ HIGH
Throttle actuator failure (10 butterflies) €2,000--€5,000 50,000 km--100,000 km

M50 2

▲ HIGH
Water pump plastic impeller failure €200--€500 60,000 km--120,000 km
● MODERATE
VANOS unit wear (M50TU) €200--€600 100,000 km--200,000 km

Models

S85 1

M5 E60 2005--2010

M50 0

No models listed.

Full S85 Report Full M50 Report