New steering wheel with paddle shifters - COOL!
 

I just got my 2003 4.6is back from the installer, where I had the M3 steering wheel with paddle shifters installed. You can read about the steering wheel and see photos at:
http://www.xoutpost.com/x5-e53-forum/...ghlight=paddle

I won't rehash that information -- I just wanted to report that this is a GREAT mod! I'd swear that it is FAR easier and smoother to shift manually than with the regular shift-knob in S mode, and I'll be shifting manually a LOT more often as a result.

The steering wheel itself is a bit smaller (in diameter) and more heavily padded than the stock (non-heated) steering wheel. It's a different feel, but I actually like it better than the original! I can highly recommend this mod! :thumbup: :thumbup:

sweet congrats, do you have info on who can instal in your area, i'm same area atm, or pm me install cost
thank you much

I had it done by AFX Auto on Bel-Red Road. They charged me for 3 hours labor to do the installation.

sweet, if i ever do that i'll take it there
you tend to drive a lot sportier now? hehe

Congrats!!! So you took the plunge. It is a great mod and as I said before it gives driving the X a new feel, and I'm actually seeing better MPG now as I drive in manual mode all the time, so I pick the gears, and also I dont relay on just the brakes for slowing down anymore. The wheel is quite a bit smaller and alot thicker with better leather, plus its a sports wheel so you have the thump grips also.

BMW M wheels are some of the best OEM wheels made. The padddle shifters are addictive in the X. Happy Motoring. BTW Seattle did you take the Dinan S3 plunge yet?

Congrats on the new mod. I wonder if their is a shop down here in South Florida that is capable of performing the mod for me.... hmm..

Sounds like a winner.

I am a little concerned about the smaller diameter wheel and how it fits into the cabin of the 4.8is

The wheel of the 4.6 and the 4.8 are different right?

Also if I do the 4.8is will I need a new airbag or can i reuse my old airbag?

Curtis

Cool. I am trying to get a SMG wheel back off of a race car customer who is now using a Sparco just for this reason!

Cool mod, I cannot wait!

She goes in Monday morning for the S3 conversion. :) I'm supposed to have her back before Thanksgiving (THAT will be something to be thankful for!?) ;) Hopefully, the roads will be pretty clear on Thanksgiving day, and while everybody else is watching football, I can go out and try some "end runs" of my own! :D

The shop that did it for me had never done one before, but I bought the kit (see other thread referenced in my first post in this thread) and it comes with full instructions. The installer said it was pretty straightforward, and he only had one minor question, and he called the fellow who puts the kits together and got that cleared up right away!

As you can read in the other thread, Sudesh did the mod without buying the whole kit (and saved quite a bit of money), but if you're a mechanical klutz like me and don't attempt any of these kinds of mods yourself, you might decide (like I did) it was worth the extra $$ to 1. buy the kit with full instructions, and 2. pay an installer (any good mechanic/electrical person should be able to follow the instructions) to put it in for me.