Check out my new SMG steering wheel...
 

This mod was done on my E39, 540i, but it's the same procedure on the X5. It took me about an hour to do this mod. SMG steering wheel with the mulit-colored stitching. The steering wheel, trim, steering column, and center console all need to come off for this conversion.

Got the steering wheel from Crevier, airbag from ebay, and the retrofit kit from mr.paddleshift.com. Total cost was about $1200. I hope to recover some of that cost from selling the old wheel & airbag.;)

Here's some before & after pics. I'll be glad to help if anyone is considering this mod.:thumbup:

Looks great :thumbup:. Reminds me how much more I like the interiors from that BMW era.

Looks great congrats :thumbup:

Man, I miss my E39...

-- Kelly

Wow what a difference..

thats sweeet.....but, can you please tell us....what exactly comes in that kit from paddleshift.com?....anything we can improvise with? when i called to ask them, they refused to tell me, and said only people who buy the kit will find out. is it better to go the route MITE46 did on the DIY post up, or do you reccomend buying that paddle shift kit...do you feel ripped off?...thanks and sorry for the interrogation....i was just interested in doing this mod, but wondering if i could save without going half-a5$ on my x5.

Nice mod.:thumbup: Did'nt I read somewhere that you wanted to sell your 540.

Thanks! Yeah I thought about the idea of selling it, but it's paid for and it's fun to take out once in a while. My wife loves driving it more than I do and she can't understand why I want to sell it. Two letters "M...5..." ;)

Yes I looked at the instructions posted in the DIY section. I knew for a fact it could be done on the E39 since it's similar to the X5. However I was told that there are differences such as the steering wheel column. Also, the wiring diagrams were not very clear in the DIY post.

I was just too lazy to take apart my car and figure out how to retrofit the column, which wire goes where, etc. So I paid a little more and got instructions on how to do it. The "kit" is a joke...it includes nothing more than the steering wheel column and a single cable. It's the saving of time and effort that I paid for!

If you need help with your retrofit, save yourself $$$. Now that I know how to do it, I'll be glad to help out...:thumbup:

so your saying the column ($50 -dealer) and that computer cable is all it comes with eh?...think would it be wrong to post up the "easier" instructions on the diy?

The 'kit' actually comes with a cable that has the original connectors. While the DIY post shows a simple computer cable works on one end, it is really not even required. You can simply swap out the pins on the existing connector. I wonder where he got the original connector which plugs on the other end...into the back of the steering wheel. If you can find this little connector then you can definately make your own cable.