Converting KM/H to MPH

[nirvana19]

I found a nice 89 535 which I plan to buy. There are a few little issues, but one that could potentially be a big problem is that the car was originally in the Canadian market. The current owner has had the car registered in VA for the past seven years (have to follow-up with him to see how exactly he imported it), however the speedometer is still in only km/h (and the fuel gauges and consumption are all metric too, of course). I know there are other differences in the cars just by the options installed, several that were not available in the US such as the headlamp washers and power antenna (as opposed to in the rear window). Also some different radio functions.

Anyway, does anyone know how to switch out the km/h gauge cluster into a mph one? I have to find the build date of the car to determine which type of gauges it has, but I still don't know if the km/h speedometer and mph are interchangeable without conflict and how this would interact with the OBC. And correct me if I'm mistaken but, I'd also have to change the LKM to the corresponding one to that (the low beams are intermittent now so that might now be such a bad thing). Also, would parts from an 89 with white backed gauges be interchangeable with those from a 95 525?

Sorry this post is so long... just a lot of things I don't know (and I couldn't find searching).

[Incantation]

i don't think it would make a difference.. they are the same gauges just marked opposite (switch mph with km/h) ..

or u could just learn to look at the inside dial.. that's what i do in canada with both my american bmws

[nirvana19]

i don't think it would make a difference.. they are the same gauges just marked opposite (switch mph with km/h) ..

or u could just learn to look at the inside dial.. that's what i do in canada with both my american bmws

Actually, the problem is that the gauges don't have mph marked inside the dial; only km/h. Personally, Its not a big deal for me, I'm just wondering how that will work with the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration... And how to state mileage.

[632 Regal]

convert the mileage from K to M to state mileage, I am pretty sure you could swap out the cluster without a problem but not sure that you can restore the miles on a different cluster to be accurate.

[shogun]

The easiest will be to install a complete US cluster with the code plug.
Maybe a BMW service can give you in writing a confirmation that you changed the cluster including the code plug at xxxx km and the date.

[whiskychaser]

Anyway, does anyone know how to switch out the km/h gauge cluster into a mph one?

Had the same problem. Bought a used 'mph' cluster on ebay for £30. Put the front end onto the back end of my old cluster which contains the mileage/km chip. I now have standard mph reading and guages but distance run is still in km and correct. Dont know if this is legal or desirable for you but it works for me :-)

[Montreal525]

Bah... Just learn to convert in your head... I do it when I drive in the U.S. It's not that hard... You get used to it pretty quick... Besides, the OBC can run in MPH so you'll have a point of reference... Plus, you'll be ahead of the game... The metric system is coming....Oh yeah....

Jeff

[Black 535i]

...when I moved to Chicago from Toronto, I just left the gauges as they were in Canada. Mileage was just read in miles even though they were kilometres. Never a problem until my car got written off in and accident and the I took the mileage penalty. Just leave it, get used to it. May be more trouble than it's worth trying to swap everything. Don't tell Maryland anything if the car has been there that long.

[Elekta]

the speedo can trade out swap. then you'll have mph for driving, but the odo will stay the same. not a bad compromise. I have the same problem with my km speedo, luckily the mph dial is inside, but you can't read it at night.

multiply by .62 if you have a calculator..... or take ten percent of your speed and add it to half (divide by 2, add 10%)

100kph = 10 + 50 = 60mph

[SharkmanBMW]

I would live with it...
1 mile is 1.6 klm

simple, I would not bother to swap it, but I am used to doing the conversion (my brother always had OLD Chevy pickups from the early 70's... they were always in miles - not to mention major lift kits!)
His wife had a mint, lifted Blazer convertible from 1975 too... sweet in the summer.
simple math...
50mph = 80k
100mph = 160.................