Second Hand BMW M5 CV Joints

The M5 was rear-wheel drive only until the F90 generation (2018-onwards), which introduced BMW's M xDrive four-wheel-drive system; that generation does have front CV joints as part of its front driveshaft arrangement. Earlier M5 generations – E34, E39, E60/E61, and F10 – are rear-wheel drive and do not have front CV joints, though they do have rear CV joints (sometimes called CV joints on the rear driveshafts or half-shafts). Make sure you know which end and which generation you need before approaching a breaker.

The F10 and E60 are distinct generations with different rear subframe and driveshaft designs, so these are very unlikely to be interchangeable. You should not assume a part from the F10 will cross to the E60 – confirm the exact part against your registration with the breaker. Never guarantee fitment across a generation boundary.

Yes, side matters for CV joints on the M5: nearside (NS, left) and offside (OS, right) driveshafts can differ in length and geometry, particularly on the rear axle where the differential offset means the two shafts are often different lengths. Always specify NS or OS when getting a quote from the breaker, and confirm against your registration.

The F90 M5 has been in production from 2018 and has seen updates including the Competition and CS variants, and a facelift; whether driveshaft or CV joint specifications changed at any of these points is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration rather than assume. The core M xDrive all-wheel-drive architecture is shared across the F90 range, so there is a reasonable chance of compatibility, but mid-generation engineering changes cannot be ruled out without checking.

Trim level does not affect CV joint fitment on the M5 – the Competition, CS, and standard M5 variants share the same drivetrain and driveshaft architecture within a generation, so the CV joints are the same regardless of trim. Differences between these variants are primarily engine tune, suspension settings, and cosmetic details, none of which change the driveshaft specification. Focus on matching generation, year, and side (NS or OS) rather than trim.

The F90 M5 is built on the same G30 platform as the standard 5 Series, so there may be some shared driveshaft components, but the M5's uprated drivetrain and xDrive system mean the parts are not necessarily identical to a standard 530d or similar. Whether a specific G30 5 Series CV joint crosses to the F90 M5 is something you must confirm with the breaker against both registrations – do not assume platform sharing guarantees part interchangeability.