BMW Imports

[anonymous-user]

Hi,
I've discovered it's possible to buy an imported used BMW from Japan here in the UK. I'm aware of the advantages, but wanted to ask a question about the potential pitfalls.

If I were to buy a used BMW imported from Japan, would a BMW Indy be prepared to work on it? Would their plug-in gizmos still work? Would they still be able to read (and correctly interpret) fault codes?

Also, what about parts? I've heard, for example, that on the BMW E87, UK cars had hydraulic PAS before the facelift and electic after. Japan models apparently had hydraulic both before and after. Chances are, the hydraulic PAS on the post facelift Japan models probably uses the same parts as the pre facelift UK cars. But that's just one example where UK and Japan models are different.

Would it be a nightmare trying to maintain a car with Japan specific parts (that we may not even know about), and would a BMW Indy be prepared to work with something like that?
Thanks

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 11th February 22:14

Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 11th February 22:14

[d_a_n1979]

Johnny5hoods said:

Hi,
I've discovered it's possible to buy an imported used BMW from Japan here in the UK. I'm aware of the advantages, but wanted to ask a question about the potential pitfalls.

If I were to buy a used BMW imported from Japan, would a BMW Indy be prepared to work on it? Would their plug-in gizmos still work? Would they still be able to read (and correctly interpret) fault codes?

Also, what about parts? I've heard, for example, that on the BMW E87, UK cars had hydraulic PAS before the facelift and electic after. Japan models apparently had hydraulic both before and after. Chances are, the hydraulic PAS on the post facelift Japan models probably uses the same parts as the pre facelift UK cars. But that's just one example where UK and Japan models are different.

Would it be a nightmare trying to maintain a car with Japan specific parts (that we may not even know about), and would a BMW Indy be prepared to work with something like that?
Thanks

Edited by Johnny5hoods on Sunday 11th February 22:14

Edited by Johnny5hoods on Sunday 11th February 22:14

The main difference with BMWs from Japan is that some of their equipment (like nav etc) won't work in the UK; the rest is the same (still made in Germany still right hand drive, still the same parts that you'd get on a UK car etc)

It's all down the age of the car etc as the more modern BMWs can have most of the stuff changed simply by being coded; some parts need to have the UK parts bought, fitted and coded to the car (cluster etc)

As an example both my Japanese import E39s were the same as a UK car mechanically wise; but the clusters were in KPH (so sent off to Keith at AK Speedo kin Stirling to have the facias changed to MPH and the electrical parts coded to MPH)... The stereo's worked to an extent; but a lot of stations missing due to the different frequencies and the old fashioned nav was useless; so got ripped out

With the more modern BMWs you'll need to do more research as I only really know re the E39s; but having seen recently a Japanese import F11 535i touring that someone I know has bought off the back of my recommendation via Seymour Pope; it's hard to tell that it's not a UK car bar the various stickers in the engine bay

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the advice.

I’ve bought my very first Japanese import BMW. It’s a 58 plate 130i M sport auto. Only 10,000 miles! Seriously, it’s still got the original run flats date stamped 2008!

Pick it up Saturday. Can’t wait

[d_a_n1979]

Johnny5hoods said:

Thanks for the advice.

I’ve bought my very first Japanese import BMW. It’s a 58 plate 130i M sport auto. Only 10,000 miles! Seriously, it’s still got the original run flats date stamped 2008!

Pick it up Saturday. Can’t wait

Superb!

Via Seymopur Pope by any chance or similar; or one of the importers in Yorkshire?

I've been looking at them again myself as we're to sell the wife's Racing Jazz come late Spring; so she'll take on the F31 as her daily and I'm looking to get myself a 'project' but a later BMW rather than another E39...

Seriously considering another Honda EK9 TBH but their prices are putting me off (should never have sold mine in the late 2000s haha)

[anonymous-user]

Swan Motors, nr Bristol. They only sell Japanese import German cars

[d_a_n1979]

Johnny5hoods said:

Swan Motors, nr Bristol. They only sell Japanese import German cars

Ah yes... I was interested in an E61 550i they had for sale a good year or so back but decided against it as it was pre LCI and I wanted LCI etc and they rarely crop up...!

Get a readers cars thread going when you can

Can highly recommend Keith at AK Speedo if it needs the cluster converting to UK/MPH etc and Boyd at Pixels Fixed for any keys or mobile coding work as he travels across the country etc

[BenEK9]

ive a jdm 335i, cluster is still in km, idrive had not been changed, changed the language to english. obviously radio can only pick up radio 2 for FM. everything works except the sat nav, japs have a different system i think so not a software update but an i drive swap out.

im happier leaving it all as is, can work in km just fine. you will not need any under body protection as they were made on the same line as UK / European cars.

all UK dealers will be able to communicate with the onboard systems just fine, as will you just like a UK supplied car via the obd

[d_a_n1979]

BenEK9 said:

ive a jdm 335i, cluster is still in km, idrive had not been changed, changed the language to english. obviously radio can only pick up radio 2 for FM. everything works except the sat nav, japs have a different system i think so not a software update but an i drive swap out.

im happier leaving it all as is, can work in km just fine. you will not need any under body protection as they were made on the same line as UK / European cars.

all UK dealers will be able to communicate with the onboard systems just fine, as will you just like a UK supplied car via the obd

Wonder if you can go into the hidden menu on the cluster and change the region to Canada?

That's what I did on the E39s I had and that opened up a lot more frequencies so more radio stations could be selected; manually as well as auto etc

[anonymous-user]

d_a_n1979 said:

Can highly recommend Keith at AK Speedo if it needs the cluster converting to UK/MPH etc and Boyd at Pixels Fixed for any keys or mobile coding work as he travels across the country etc

Good to know. Thanks

d_a_n1979 said:

Get a readers cars thread going when you can

Yeah cool idea. I'll have a mull on that