Most BMW 1 Series F20 and F21 owners start with the same three jobs: gloss black kidney grilles, a set of mirror caps and an LED lighting tidy-up. At the time of writing, mirror caps start from around €15, grilles from around €56 and interior LED kits from around €9. The bigger spend is wireless CarPlay, which starts from around €243 for a module that works through the factory screen.
Everything we list for this car is in the F20 and F21 parts collection.
Which 1 Series do you have?
The F20 is the five-door hatchback and the F21 is the three-door. Both were built from 2011 to 2019, with the three-door arriving in 2012. Most parts fit both. The main exception is door parts such as window switch panels, because the three-door has fewer window buttons.
The split that matters more is the facelift. The LCI arrived in 2015 with new headlights, new tail lights, a reshaped kidney grille and new bumpers. Pre-LCI and LCI grilles do not swap, and fog lights differ too. If you are not sure which one you have, read our LCI vs pre-LCI explainer or find your chassis code first.
M Sport cars have a different front bumper from SE, Sport and Urban cars. That matters for anything that sits in the bumper, fog lights in particular, so compare the listing photos with your own car.
Exterior styling
Kidney grilles
Swapping chrome grilles for black is the most common change on this car. The gloss black kidney grilles for the LCI fit 2015-2019 cars only. Each grille is held by plastic tabs and comes out with a trim tool and some patience. Keep the originals so you can put them back.
If you would rather keep your grilles, the clip-on grille colour strips add the three-stripe accent to the slats for about €28. Count the slats on your grille and match that number to the listing, because the count changes between versions.
Mirror caps
Mirror caps come in two kinds. Replacement caps unclip the painted original and take its place. Overlays stick on top of it. Replacement caps sit flush, but you have to remove the mirror glass to reach the clips, so work gently. Overlays are easier.
The lowest-cost option is the standard-shape black mirror caps at around €15. For the horned M look there are the M-style caps in carbon look at around €65. Carbon look is a printed finish on plastic, not real carbon fibre.
Roof spoiler
A roof spoiler extends the line of the tailgate. The gloss black roof spoiler for 2011-2019 cars costs around €93, and there is a lower-priced spoiler listed for 2018-2019 cars at around €45. Spoilers of this type are bonded on with automotive tape or adhesive. Degrease the surface, test fit dry and let it cure before washing the car. Once bonded it does not come off easily.
Lighting
- Interior: a CANbus interior LED bulb kit at around €9 replaces the cabin bulbs with white LEDs. Lenses prise off with a plastic tool and the bulbs swap in minutes.
- Number plate: the LED number plate light unit at around €13 replaces the whole lamp, not just the bulb, and plugs into the original connector.
- Fog lights: the complete LED fog light units at around €124 replace the halogen housings. The angel eye fog lights at around €32 add a ring around the lamp and are listed for earlier F20 and F21 cars.
Before ordering fog lights, confirm your car already has fogs fitted, check pre-LCI or LCI, and compare the housing shape with your bumper. Access is usually through the wheel arch liner or from under the bumper. For any exterior lighting change, check local rules on colour and approval markings.
Worn interior fixes
Window switches. The soft coating on the buttons wears through or a switch stops responding. A replacement power window switch costs around €30, and the master switch with mirror fold button around €51. Check three things: left or right-hand drive, how many window buttons your panel has (three-door and five-door cars differ), and if your car has folding mirrors. The panel lifts out of the door card with a trim tool and the switch unplugs.
Gear selector trim. On automatic cars the trim on the selector scratches and dulls. A gear selector cover from around €9 goes over or replaces the worn piece. These do not apply to manual cars, and selector shapes vary, so match the listing photos to your own lever.
CarPlay and screens
There are two routes. A wireless CarPlay and Android Auto module at around €243 keeps your factory screen and iDrive controller and adds phone mirroring on top. A 10.25-inch replacement CarPlay screen at around €369 swaps the display itself for a larger touchscreen.
The key check is which iDrive system your car has: CIC, NBT or EVO. Each listing explains how to tell, usually from the menu layout. Fitting means removing the screen and some dash trim and plugging a harness in behind, which a confident DIY owner or any car audio fitter can do. Our view: if your original screen is the small one, the replacement screen is the better buy. If you already have the wide screen, the module is enough.
Parts compared
| Part | Typical price | Fitting difficulty | Reversible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interior LED kit | From around €9 | Easy | Yes |
| Mirror caps | €15 to €65 | Easy to moderate | Yes |
| Kidney grilles | Around €56 | Easy to moderate | Yes, keep the originals |
| Window switch | €30 to €51 | Easy | Yes |
| LED fog lights | €32 to €124 | Moderate | Yes |
| Roof spoiler | €45 to €93 | Moderate | Not easily, it is bonded |
| CarPlay module or screen | €243 to €369 | Moderate to hard | Yes |
Where to start
For a first-time owner on a budget, this order makes sense:
- Fix what is worn.
- Interior and number plate LEDs. Low cost, quick and fully reversible.
- Grilles and mirror caps. The biggest visual change per euro on the outside.
- A silicone key fob cover at around €9 if your key is scuffed.
- Roof spoiler and fog lights once you are sure of your exact model year and bumper.
- CarPlay last, when the budget allows. It is the one you will use every day.
On delivery: some items ship from our EU warehouse and usually arrive within about 4 to 8 working days in the EU. The rest ship from Asia and take longer. Every order is covered by our fit guarantee.
FAQ
Do F20 parts fit the F21?
Mostly yes. Grilles, mirror caps, lighting and CarPlay parts cover both. Door parts such as window switch panels are the exception, because the three-door has a different button layout.
How do I know if my 1 Series is pre-LCI or LCI?
The facelift arrived in 2015. LCI cars have slimmer headlights and wider tail lights that extend onto the tailgate, while pre-LCI tail lights sit only on the body.
Will LED bulbs cause warning messages on the dash?
They can if the bulbs are not designed for the car's bulb monitoring. The kits we list for this car are CANbus types made to avoid that. If one position still flags a warning or flickers, refit the original bulb there and contact us.
Can I add CarPlay without replacing the factory screen?
Yes. A CarPlay module works through the original display and iDrive controller. Order the version that matches your head unit: CIC, NBT or EVO.