Buying an aftermarket BMW touchscreen from Ebay

rover · February 13, 2022

Hi everyone

I am planning to bring down an aftermarket 8.8'' touchscreen for BMW F45 through ebay. Can someone please enlighten me if this is a good idea considering the current import restrictions and will it be subject to customs duty. The price mentioned for the item is around 850 USD.

Thanks

Hyaenidae · February 13, 2022

Hello! I'm in the same boat, although the unit I'm going to bring down is much cheaper, around 250USD.

If you have USD saved in wise/payoneer/paypal or a foreign savings account you'll have no issue; otherwise, $ payments are limited to 75k LKR/week for debit cards and 150k LKR/week for credit cards. You'll have to contact your bank first if you want to pay from your LKR account.

About taxes, if you ship it via EMS you'll be able to lower the tax amount when you clear your parcel from the foreign parcel counter; couriers like dhl/fedex/aramex will handle the tax procedure for you and deliver it to your doorstep but you'll most probably have to pay the full tax amount. I was told tax percentage for car HUs is about 7.5%

Edited February 13, 2022 by Hyaenidae

fiat fan · February 13, 2022

1 hour ago, rover said:

Hi everyone

I am planning to bring down an aftermarket 8.8'' touchscreen for BMW F45 through ebay. Can someone please enlighten me if this is a good idea considering the current import restrictions and will it be subject to customs duty. The price mentioned for the item is around 850 USD.

Thanks

Search “Shi Motors” on Instagram or FB. They do all kinds of these upgrades on modern euros and what nots. Very professional work and very well done. I see so many BMWs with infotainment upgrades done through them. Few Elite forum members here also vow by Shi Motors. I am not paid or sponsored, but I’ve seen their work and it’s brilliant. Probably the best place in Sri Lanka for euro car “Tech” upgrades and what-not. Of course do the due diligence before committing.

1 hour ago, Hyaenidae said:

Hello! I'm in the same boat, although the unit I'm going to bring down is much cheaper, around 250USD.

If you have USD saved in wise/payoneer/paypal or a foreign savings account you'll have no issue; otherwise, $ payments are limited to 75k LKR/week for debit cards and 150k LKR/week for credit cards. You'll have to contact your bank first if you want to pay from your LKR account.

About taxes, if you ship it via EMS you'll be able to lower the tax amount when you clear your parcel from the foreign parcel counter; couriers like dhl/fedex/aramex will handle the tax procedure for you and deliver it to your doorstep but you'll most probably have to pay the full tax amount. I was told tax percentage for car HUs is about 7.5%

I’m sure the guys above can hook you up bro.

Personally though, I don't like the big lcd android screens our guys tack in. Shit quality and the display looks terrible. Also the tech used is ancient. Being a Samsung guy, even the highest end latest android flagships start to lag and go to hell within an year. Also these android sets have very low storage, that means you wont be able to update or get new apps in.

Get a Kenwood or any reputable brands double din with apple car play/android auto. Thats all you ever need. Cheaper, looks much better and lasts longer.

Also the sound quality on these Chinese android sets are terrible. If you never listened to something good you wont feel it. But if you know you know. Also stop blocking the AC vents with these big-ass screens. You’ll hate life on a hot day in traffic.

(There may be high quality android sets, but they are usually too expensive and not worth it.)

Hyaenidae · February 13, 2022

6 minutes ago, fiat fan said:

I’m sure the guys above can hook you up bro.

Personally though, I don't like the big lcd android screens our guys tack in. Shit quality and the display looks terrible. Also the tech used is ancient. Being a Samsung guy, even the highest end latest android flagships start to lag and go to hell within an year. Also these android sets have very low storage, that means you wont be able to update or get new apps in.

Get a Kenwood or any reputable brands double din with apple car play/android auto. Thats all you ever need. Cheaper, looks much better and lasts longer.

Also the sound quality on these Chinese android sets are terrible. If you never listened to something good you wont feel it. But if you know you know. Also stop blocking the AC vents with these big-ass screens. You’ll hate life on a hot day in traffic.

(There may be high quality android sets, but they are usually too expensive and not worth it.)

I was thinking I might try the installation myself - I mean,

I would've considered a Kenwood/Pioneer/Alpine if there was a model which ran on Android instead of their proprietary OS - I'm planning to keep my OBD scanner plugged in, connect it with the HU and run torque. You can't do that with any of the branded HUs without a smartphone afaik

fiat fan · February 13, 2022

4 minutes ago, Hyaenidae said:

I was thinking I might try the installation myself - I mean,

😅

I would've considered a Kenwood/Pioneer/Alpine if there was a model which ran on Android instead of their proprietary OS - I'm planning to keep my OBD scanner plugged in, connect it with the HU and run torque. You can't do that with any of the branded HUs without a smartphone afaik

WBT screen mirroring? Had a Kenwood which did that (still needs a phone yes).

tricky indeed. Try shi motors. They might be able to hook you up.

Or just be like us poor blokes who has-

1. no idea what the torque app is.

2. Hangs the phone to the dash via a mount. 😅

Hyaenidae · February 13, 2022

Just now, fiat fan said:

WBT screen mirroring? Had a Kenwood which did that (still needs a phone yes).

Needing a phone is a dealbreaker - I was thinking, how convenient it would be if all you have to do once you're inside your car is opening the torque app and voila! there it is!

3 minutes ago, fiat fan said:

Or just be like us poor blokes who has-

1. no idea what the torque app is.

2. Hangs the phone to the dash via a mount. 😅

1. Yeah yeah, I'm sure you have no idea what the torque app is! [eyeroll]

2. Any mount I use keeps falling off how hard I try - I've even tried 3M VHB tape and it still fell off! Maybe it would work in a BMW or MB you poor blokes drive - but they haven't invented a mount that can withstand the Lancer with its suspension as soft as Johnny Sins' wang coupled with my driving as refined as 92 octane petrol they pump at Sri Lankan petrol sheds these days

fiat fan · February 13, 2022

2 minutes ago, Hyaenidae said:

Needing a phone is a dealbreaker - I was thinking, how convenient it would be if all you have to do once you're inside your car is opening the torque app and voila! there it is!

1. Yeah yeah, I'm sure you have no idea what the torque app is! [eyeroll]

2. Any mount I use keeps falling off how hard I try - I've even tried 3M VHB tape and it still fell off! Maybe it would work in a BMW or MB you poor blokes drive - but they haven't invented a mount that can withstand the Lancer with its suspension as soft as Johnny Sins' wang coupled with my driving as refined as 92 octane petrol they pump at Sri Lankan petrol sheds these days

Wbt something like this? I have it in my car and it’s been good so far.

My phone is large and very heavy with a leather cover (magnet placed inside the cover), but so far no issues. Plus I also drive in nasty kandy pothole roads and the pug isnt the softest in them roads.

I seriously have no idea what that app does. (ok nvm its like the MB/BM car performance thingy as per google).

You can do how I get my stats. If the wife’s yelling, its performing good!

Hyaenidae · February 13, 2022

1 minute ago, fiat fan said:

Wbt something like this? I have it in my car and it’s been good so far.

That shite brings out memories-dark ones. Fell off the first day I tried it on my dash and then I replaced the shitty double sided tape it came with with some 3M VHB, lasted about a month, fell off while I was cruising on the frigging highway! I have no idea how that happened, it's not like there were potholes or sharp curves but it still managed to fall off.

Obviously couldn't pick the phone back up while driving so had to exit from the next exit point because without GPS I had no idea which exit I should take to my destination

Maybe my dashboard is too plasticky so normal sticky doesn't work. IDK.

Hyaenidae · February 13, 2022

Mounts I've tried over time:

Edited February 13, 2022 by Hyaenidae

rover · February 14, 2022

13 hours ago, Hyaenidae said:

Hello! I'm in the same boat, although the unit I'm going to bring down is much cheaper, around 250USD.

If you have USD saved in wise/payoneer/paypal or a foreign savings account you'll have no issue; otherwise, $ payments are limited to 75k LKR/week for debit cards and 150k LKR/week for credit cards. You'll have to contact your bank first if you want to pay from your LKR account.

About taxes, if you ship it via EMS you'll be able to lower the tax amount when you clear your parcel from the foreign parcel counter; couriers like dhl/fedex/aramex will handle the tax procedure for you and deliver it to your doorstep but you'll most probably have to pay the full tax amount. I was told tax percentage for car HUs is about 7.5%

Yes I have a USD account. Anyways will check with the bank first before proceeding.

Thanks for the info.

11 hours ago, fiat fan said:

Search “Shi Motors” on Instagram or FB. They do all kinds of these upgrades on modern euros and what nots. Very professional work and very well done. I see so many BMWs with infotainment upgrades done through them. Few Elite forum members here also vow by Shi Motors. I am not paid or sponsored, but I’ve seen their work and it’s brilliant. Probably the best place in Sri Lanka for euro car “Tech” upgrades and what-not. Of course do the due diligence before committing.

I’m sure the guys above can hook you up bro.
.

I did contact Shiran (Shimotor) few days back. According to him Probably this part will be available soon but can't be sure.

Also Bimmercoding quoted 450k+ for the upgrade. Hence the decision to bring it down personally.