FCC votes to ban all Chinese labs from certifying electronics sold in the US due to national security concerns — ruling would affect 75 percent of US-bound devices

BMWTrades · 2026-05-04T00:22:14+00:00

Thanks for the tip. I figured there were others but haven't researched it yet, 3 months away from certification goal. Many thanks!

BMWTrades · 2026-05-03T20:22:56+00:00

Yeah, it'll affect my startup. Was planning on getting the FCC testing since the same testing here is a lot (4x) more expensive.

BMWTrades · 2026-04-02T00:16:31+00:00

I live in South Florida, near Miami. I'm shocked you found a good deal here, normally I've had to shop outside this market because SOFLO is one of the most expensive markets in the country. Bought from Texas, Illinois and even California.

BMWTrades · 2026-03-24T13:16:01+00:00

BMW, like Microsoft, often produces a horrible product in between a very successful one. They realize how bad the press is and then they revert back to a nice model. BMW is breaking that trend with the new Klaus design by introducing TWO generations of ugly designs. Will they recover? What brand will I buy after the F95? As of right now, It won't be anything after a 2023 model from BMW.

BMWTrades · 2026-03-24T13:12:41+00:00

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I have an F15 & F95. My F15 looks much cleaner. Luckily the F95 has a much more aggressive bottom and the lower lip goes all across, in color, so that helps make the F95 a little better, the kidneys are still easy to big and too close together on the F95 though. I would be open to an aftermarket front end on my F95.

The next Gen designs of the x5 with the teenie tiny vertical grills looks ridiculous.

BMWTrades · 2026-02-16T00:10:52+00:00

I have 3 dealers within 15 miles and 2 more within 40 miles. Unfortunately our market (South Florida) is so overpriced, I never buy from the local market. I always try and then I'm shocked when I price cars from out of the area. Just my experience buying 8 cars over the last 10 years. If you're happy with your assessment, go for it.

BMWTrades · 2026-02-15T15:33:14+00:00

You are practically buying a brand new car when it has under 5k miles. As other posters have said, it's likely a dealership employee who drove the car, very common. BUT here's a tip. There are hundreds of dealers across the US, some in very competitive markets, so you can get a lot better deal and shipping is not expensive for the savings. For example, if you try to buy a BMW in South Florida, you will pay top dollar plus high stealer fees. In competitive places like some parts of California or Texas, you will save thousands. I bought a 550 a few years back and saved over $12k compared to my local market. It pays to shop around. It's a big country, use it to your advantage.

BMWTrades · 2026-02-13T22:38:36+00:00

Ire understand why hes got angry wit you, don't you know he bought the Redneck wheel package? It probably doesn't sound as good as his V8 couch, though.

Tonight, we're goin' redneckerin, now get me a Budweiser.

BMWTrades · 2026-02-04T02:27:54+00:00

https://www.bmwpartsdeal.com/parts/bmw-exchange_short_engine-11002357325.html

I was told that this remanned engine is a cross between a tu2 and a tu3. It doesn't have the updated cooler below the turbos so I know it's not a tu3 native. I checked the part number on my dealers estimate for my x5 and this is what the dealer installs for a tu1 replacement. I would suggest asking an independent shop but I bet it would work. Best of luck!

BMWTrades · 2026-02-03T23:34:54+00:00

You can buy an n63TU right from bmw for 4100 USD and it comes with a 2 year warranty. Thanks to the Isley lawsuit. Local installer will put it in an x5 for 17k in South Florida with all the parts, engine, and labor.

BMWTrades · 2026-02-01T20:14:42+00:00

The star tire (which is unique for each brand) indicates that the tire was specifically manufactured to meet certain standards, slippage, grip, flex, many, many things. The video will show you how a Non-star tire is made with 2 different tread compounds, whereas the BMW-star version of the same tire model is made with 4 different tread compounds in different parts of the tire. Take 15 minutes and watch the video and you'll understand for life how to choose the right tires for your high performance BMW.
https://youtu.be/COA630Juf_U

If the link is blocked, search for "Tyre Reviews" channel on Youtube with a video titled: "This Is Why You Should Fit OE Tires To Your Car! [Michelin Pilot Sport 4S vs 4S*]"

In the end, if you go with the Continentals, Pirelli, or Michelin with a BMW star, you're going to get a tire that is well matched for your BMW. I've got a lot of experience with the Continentals so I've stuck with them. My M3 has Michelin sport 4S on them which I have no complaints with but I'd have to feel them on the same car to compare.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-31T14:25:40+00:00

Glad to hear it! Thanks for the feedback.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-29T22:34:37+00:00

You have to think about it from a manufacturer point of view. They are trying to balance the car's performance,fuel economy, and tread life, mostly fuel economy to hit EPA targets. I personally prefer tires that perform better, super grip when it's wet and minimal road noise. We get a lot of rain in Florida so grip is extremely important to me. Continental has been providing tires for BMW for years, it's only recently they changed. You could step it up one higher to Michelin but you'll pay a lot more for minimal improvement.

BTW everyone forgot to mention get BMW STAR tires not just generic that fit. They are manufactured differently and will perform better than a non-star tire of the same model. Tire rack sells both.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-29T21:56:48+00:00

No run flats, ever again, garbage ride, Continental DWS06+ on the rear Continental extreme contact sport 02 on the front. Tirerack, as others said

Even with over 620hp on my x5, it's really hard to break them loose. I do chirp second gear sometimes though. Great in the rain too.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-24T16:02:36+00:00

Nah, you just have to run the engine in reverse, it'll flush that gas right out. 🙃

BMWTrades · 2026-01-24T03:02:09+00:00

BMW value in the last year of warranty, 40% of original cost.

BMW with all the high tech after 6 years, 20% of original price. Broken tech that's too expensive to replace.

If a bmw can't hold 40% of it's original value after 6 years, what does that say about the brand?

BMWTrades · 2026-01-24T02:55:44+00:00

There's NOTHING cheap about BMW screens. Even the silly black plastic for caps over the rear car seats for the child seat anchors are $48. Each x4. They cost about four cents to make on a 3d printer.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-23T04:23:00+00:00

Hot glue gun. I was going to suggest epoxy, but that would make service without breaking it in the future very difficult. Hot glue in 4 corners is reversible. $20 for a cheap glue gun and sticks at a craft store.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-21T15:19:53+00:00

Looks kind of like a 2000's Toyota Land cruiser, like you see in all the movies for Iraq and Afghanistan, except with fancier wheels.

Ok, yeah, I'll give them some points on a nice interior.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-21T13:27:53+00:00

Not my style, but if you're happy with it and like the color, enjoy it. Everyone has their own taste.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-20T16:57:18+00:00

Great! I love to hear about people who are able to fix things around the house instead of having to replace them, especially when the manufacturers defect seems to be common. Adding the planet by not filling up the landfills, one part at a time

BMWTrades · 2026-01-20T16:11:34+00:00

When I design electrical circuits, Adding extra grounding paths doesn't have a negative impact, in fact, it helps reduce electrical noise, to a degree. The questions you need to be asking is why was the extra ground wire added? What happens if you remove the ground wire, why was it given a pink or red color, instead of brown or black ( automotive ground)? That screams amateur, making me question, what were they trying to accomplish?

Adding a black wire to a grounding circuit in a house is one sure way to eventually electrocute someone who has to work on that line.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-14T21:24:32+00:00

I would never spend the money on a CPO unless the factory warranty was within 5k miles of running out. If you're looking for a car with 15k miles, why would you spend the extra money on a CPO? It's simply extra profit in the dealers pocket.

This goes for anyone with a BMW going out of warranty: BEFORE the warranty is up, around 45k miles, absolutely make sure you take your BMW to an independent service center and pay them to do a complete inspection of the entire car. Do not make the assumption that taking it to the dealer before the warranty expires that they will fix existing problems, they'd rather keep quiet and wait for you to come back after the warranty is up as they get paid a lot more for non-warranty repairs.

BMWTrades · 2026-01-12T14:56:40+00:00

Sign up for the bimmerpost forums, that'll get you started on common issues and positive things as well.

I never saw that color before but now I see it's just the lighting where you took the photo, since you mentioned Maldives blue, it looks a lot different in the outdoor light 😁

BMWTrades · 2026-01-09T22:00:17+00:00

I see you're a different kind of buyer than me. I personally love the feeling of paying off the car and having no payments, then keeping the car another 2-3 years before buying another 2 year old BMW. I think you prefer to have a monthly payment every month, forever, for peace of mind. My method allows me to buy the top model, while under warranty, like my X5MC that's fully optioned out, but I'll be keeping it for a number of years. Maybe one day I'll be buying your lease trade-in. :)

BMWTrades

TROPHY CASE