Used BMW M5 (F10): ReDriven weighs up Australia's cheapest supercar-slaying sedan

A $30,000 M5: what has changed

The F10-generation BMW M5 has fallen to a fraction of its original price on the Australian used market, and ReDriven has published a dedicated used-car review examining whether the car is now worth buying. According to ReDriven, F10 M5s started at as much as $190,000–$240,000 in Australian showrooms when new, but pricing now starts as low as $30,000, with more recent post-LCI models topping out in the $60,000–$65,000 range. The limited-edition '30 Jahre' models command a slight premium over standard cars. ¹

ReDriven's overall verdict is a qualified yes: the publication would buy one, but only the right example. Its pros list includes what it calls incredible performance for an M5 and astounding value for money, while the cons cover high potential for a host of engine issues, confronting depreciation and heavy premiums for maintenance, parts and repairs. ¹

What the F10 M5 is: power, variants and the Australian difference

Produced from 2012 to 2015 in the form ReDriven covers (other guides cite 2011–2016/2017 production spans), the F10 M5 was the first M5 to use forced induction, replacing the E60's naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V10 with a 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 (the S63). ReDriven notes the engine produced 552 hp and made the F10 the most powerful production BMW of its time, with 501 lb-ft of torque. An optional Competition Package lifted output to 567 hp alongside chassis revisions — and, importantly for Australian buyers, all Australian-delivered models received the Competition Package as standard. The LCI update applied from 2014 raised Competition Package output further, from 567 to 591 hp, and the 300-unit '30 Jahre' edition pushed power to 600 hp, making it the fastest production BMW to that point. ¹

Markets including Australia received a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, while six-speed manual cars were exclusive to North America, according to ReDriven. The Alibaba buying guide similarly describes the seven-speed DCT as the standard transmission, with the manual a rare early non-Competition option in the US. ¹⁴

The engine is the risk: S63 weaknesses reported across three independent guides

ReDriven devotes the most attention to the S63 V8, an evolution of the N63 that it says is regarded as one of the least reliable modern-era BMW engines in early form. The publication attributes the engine's well-documented heat-related issues to its 'hot-vee' configuration, affecting gaskets, seals, oil lines and coolant pipes, and details a complex cooling system with charge coolers, heat exchangers, electric pumps and roughly 50 individual coolant hoses. Turbo oil supply lines can become blocked by heat, starving the turbos of oil. ReDriven also lists injector failure — in the worst cases causing oil dilution, hydraulic lock and bent connecting rods — as a common issue, along with well-documented connecting rod bearing failures and VANOS solenoid and actuator problems. ¹

Independent overseas sources echo the same core weaknesses. The Alibaba buying guide names fuel injectors leaking into the oil and potentially leading to spun rod bearings as the most frequent problem, alongside turbo coolant line leaks, water intrusion into the boot, failing VANOS solenoids and a cast-aluminium rear differential brace that can crack under hard launches. The Russian breakdown guide cars-problem.ru reports factory rod bearings could fail between 60,000 and 100,000 km — particularly on pre-2013 cars — with the issue partially resolved after 2013, and also flags timing chain stretch toward 100,000–130,000 km. ⁴³

German outlet auto motor und sport, in its January 2026 comparison of used F10 and F90 M5s, adds its own observations: owners commonly report crankcase ventilation problems that can push oil into the intake tract, leaky turbo intake hoses, failed xenon bulbs, steering gear and iDrive issues, high oil consumption on some cars, and fast brake wear under hard use. It judges the F90 (from 2017, with all-wheel drive) the more reliable choice, while noting it costs far more used. ²

Transmissions, running gear and electronics

On the Getrag-built M-DCT dual-clutch automatic, ReDriven describes low-speed jerkiness and hesitation on hill starts and reversing, and notes paddle shifters can become unresponsive when their connectors loosen — usually a simple fix. It stresses regular maintenance to avoid major transmission repairs. The cars-problem.ru guide is blunter, reporting DCT clutch wear by 80,000–120,000 km under enthusiastic use and mechatronic repairs potentially needed by 100,000–150,000 km, and recommends listening for jerky 1-2 shifts on a cold start as an early warning sign. ¹³

Electronically, ReDriven reports headlight control modules that fail and are often mistaken for blown bulbs, intermittent glitches across powered equipment frequently traced to a low-voltage 12V battery, and boot-area water ingress that can soak the fuel pump controller, sensors and battery — with front-floor drainage grommets another entry point for moisture. The Alibaba guide similarly warns that boot water intrusion can short modules and recommends checking seals and the spare-tyre well for corrosion. ¹⁴

Suspension and brakes add to the running-cost picture. ReDriven quotes OEM replacement brakes from $2,000 for rotors and pads up to $10,000 for carbon-ceramic units, and expects adaptive dampers, front lower control arms and rear subframe bushings to be near the end of their lives given the car's near-two-tonne weight. It suggests researching aftermarket equivalents, which owner communities say often outlast and undercut BMW parts. ¹

Market context and what to check before buying

The F10 M5's depreciation is not unique. ReDriven notes similar trends across European luxury sedans, though it says M5 depreciation has slowed in recent years. Auto motor und sport puts German used prices from about €27,000 for base F10 cars up to €60,000 for well-preserved low-mileage examples, against F90 cars starting near €70,000 and exceeding €100,000. The Alibaba guide, citing late-2024 US market data, reported prices from $22,000 for high-mileage unverified examples to $45,000 for low-mileage Competition or 30 Jahre cars, with values described as plateauing. ¹²⁴

Guidance converges on diligence. ReDriven advises against cheaping out on the cheapest car available, recommending a pre-purchase inspection to shortlist ideally unmodified examples with a faultless service history, and warns that poorly executed tunes chasing higher numbers can cost an entire engine. The Alibaba guide insists on documented maintenance, proactive injector replacements and no signs of boot water intrusion, and suggests budgeting $1,500–$3,000 a year for routine care with $8,000–$15,000 possible for major interventions. Cars-problem.ru recommends cold-start listening checks, oil consumption monitoring, full diagnostics and a service-history review, favouring 2015-onward cars under 80,000 km with bearings, chain and clutches already replaced. ¹⁴³

ReDriven also offers a hedged alternative: for buyers wanting F10 5 Series rewards without the financial headache, an F10 535i may satisfy just as easily, while the Genesis G70 offers similar luxury and performance for less used money, and the Lexus GS-F is described as resilient on both mechanical and depreciation fronts. ¹