The BMW 520 is the four-cylinder entry to the 5 Series, and in the UAE it is the executive saloon that costs least to run while still looking the part. We have 7 listed, from AED 32,000 to AED 230,000, about 23% below what a new 520 costs.
How much does a used BMW 520 cost in the UAE?
Our closed sales map the curve: a 2018 BMW 520 averaged AED 48,000, a 2020 AED 70,000 and a 2025 AED 213,000. The steep part is the first five years, which is exactly the part a used buyer does not pay for.
Which used BMW 520 year should you buy?
2019 to 2021 is the value window. The G30 5 Series ran from 2017 to 2023 and took a mid-life update around 2020 that brought larger screens and revised lights; before it sits the 2011-to-2016 F10, and from 2024 the current, much bigger car. A late G30 is the most modern 520 that has already taken its big drop.
Is a used BMW 520 reliable?
Unusually solid for a German executive saloon. Only 8% of the BMW 520s we inspect in the UAE show a fault in the engine, gearbox, suspension or steering, against the 17% we would expect for sedans of the same age and mileage here, and electrical faults turn up on 7% against an expected 12%. The four-cylinder car simply carries less hardware to fail: the BMW 740 shows electrical faults on 25% against its own 11% expectation. Median mileage on the 520s we see is about 104,000 km.
BMW 520 or Mercedes C200?
The Mercedes C200 is cheaper and a size down, with interior staining on 38% of inspections against an expected 31%. The BMW 320 is the cheaper BMW and inspects well on bodywork, at 47% against the 61% we would expect for sedans of its age and mileage here. The BMW 530 is the same car with more power for similar money, worth a look if the four feels short of breath.
What should you look over on a used BMW 520?
- Which side of the 2020 update a listing sits on.
- Turbo four service intervals and any oil top-up history.
- Run-flat tyres, matched and in date.
This model inspects better than its class, so use the CarSwitch report to confirm the individual car lives up to that before you agree a price.
