MT Auto Parts Blog | Expert Tips for BMW enthusiasts on BMW Parts, Accessories, Engines and More

  Photo by El Malandro on Unsplash If you're shopping for a used F30 3 Series, you'll see "LCI" and "pre-LCI" thrown around constantly, and it's one of the more important distinctions to understand before you buy. LCI stands for Life Cycle Impulse, which is BMW's term for a mid-generation facelift. For the F30, that facelift landed in mid-2015, splitting the model's run into two distinct halves: pre-LCI cars built from 2012 to mid-2015, and LCI cars built from mid-2015 to 2019. The changes go well beyond a cosmetic refresh. Here's what actually moved between the two versions. Exterior Styling The LCI brought a subtly sportier front end. Side air intakes were widened for a more aggressive look, and the central intake was reshaped to better house the adaptive cruise control radar sensor on cars fitted with it. At the rear, full LED tail lights became standard across the range, with a redesigned light bar giving BMW's signature "L"...

  Photo by Deniz Demirci on Unsplash Engine cranking longer than usual before it fires. Hesitation under hard acceleration. The occasional misfire at motorway speeds that was not there last month. These are the symptoms that bring BMW owners to search for fuel pump problems, and they are also the symptoms that can mean half a dozen other things, which is why getting the diagnosis right matters before anything else. Modern BMWs actually have two fuel pumps, not one. Understanding which one is causing the problem saves a significant amount of money, because they cost very different amounts to fix. Two Pumps, Not One – Why This Matters Every turbocharged BMW with direct injection, which covers virtually all F- and G-generation petrol models from the N55, B48, and B58 onwards, uses a two-stage fuel system. There is a low-pressure pump inside the fuel tank, and a high-pressure pump mounted on the engine itself. –The low-pressure pump, or LPFP, sits inside the fuel tank under the rear se...