Available for BMW and Audi cars

Service time: 1 – 3 hours

We specialize in converting vehicles imported from the USA and Japan to meet European standards.

Our service includes:
– Full system language conversion
– Adjusting radio frequencies to European standards
– Reprogramming lighting systems for EU road regulations
– Coding sidemarker lights (no need to replace lamps)
– Activating rear fog lights
– Updating navigation to European maps and database
– Switching the onboard system to metric units

💡 Are US-imported BMWs cheaper – and is it worth it?

Based on the BMW F30 320i xDrive (2014)

Cars imported from the USA are often significantly cheaper than their European counterparts. But what needs to be done after import?

First of all, the navigation and radio system must be recoded, as US vehicles operate on different radio frequencies. Without this, many European stations will not be available.

Next steps include:

  • Changing the region settings (DVD/navigation)
  • Switching the system language (including dashboard and iDrive)

🚗 Lighting differences

US vehicles are equipped with orange sidemarker lights, typically located in the bumper or integrated with the indicators.

In most cases:

  • Front headlights usually do not require replacement – proper coding is sufficient, depending on country-specific regulations.
  • Rear lights usually require replacement, due to red indicators instead of EU-compliant amber ones

🧭 Navigation update

In some cases, it is necessary to activate and update the navigation system to the European version.

(In this particular F30 example, the vehicle was not equipped with factory navigation, so this step was not required.)

🔧 Real example

We recently completed a full conversion in one of our partner workshops — without any mechanical modifications.

The vehicle is now fully adapted to European standards, while still benefiting from its original US purchase price.

The only noticeable difference may be the speedometer displaying both mph and km/h — however, this can also be adjusted if needed.

✅ Summary

In our opinion, importing a car from the USA can be a very good decision — especially considering the price and availability.

The conversion process is straightforward, and US-spec BMWs are nearly identical to European versions once properly adapted.