E90Post
 


 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > Regional Forums > UK > UK Technical Forum > M5 gear knob retrofit



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      07-14-2013, 04:31 AM   #1
parapaul
Colonel
parapaul's Avatar
United Kingdom
123
Rep
2,216
Posts

Drives: E91 330d M Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stoke on Trent

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
M5 gear knob retrofit

Well, I wanted to replace my AT knob anyway as the alu trim over the top is chipped, and I quite liked the look of the F30 version. However, after doing some investigation and a bit of discussion on this thread it turns out it's not really a viable option:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=845062

So after looking (for about the hundredth time) at the M5 retrofit thread:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=232777

I've decided to do that instead. Parts weren't available from BMW Direct on ebay where I usually get my bits, but they suggested my local dealer and surprisingly it was pretty painless. I phoned up last thing on Friday and all the parts will be in by Monday lunchtime.

Looking forward to another gadget
__________________
Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?
Appreciate 0
      07-14-2013, 04:54 AM   #2
Woody80
Second Lieutenant
25
Rep
298
Posts

Drives: 335d Touring
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Nottingham

iTrader: (0)

Ooooooo that does look good! I look forward to your results! How much did it set you back if you don't mind me asking?
Appreciate 0
      07-14-2013, 01:09 PM   #3
parapaul
Colonel
parapaul's Avatar
United Kingdom
123
Rep
2,216
Posts

Drives: E91 330d M Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stoke on Trent

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
I haven't paid yet...

But the M5 knob is £145 and the wiring parts come to around £45 so probably £200 all in. I'll find out tomorrow when I go to pick them up!
__________________
Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?
Appreciate 0
      07-14-2013, 02:52 PM   #4
acerboo
Brigadier General
England
186
Rep
3,923
Posts

Drives: e92 335d lci
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: kent

iTrader: (2)

always good to have a good looking knob
Appreciate 0
      07-14-2013, 04:19 PM   #5
mob17
Major General
mob17's Avatar
United Kingdom
397
Rep
5,613
Posts

Drives: E92 335D
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East Midlands, UK

iTrader: (5)

So you got a smaller knob now
Appreciate 0
      07-14-2013, 06:07 PM   #6
FRRYY
First Lieutenant
FRRYY's Avatar
25
Rep
399
Posts

Drives: 2008 AW e92
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by mob17
So you got a smaller knob now
I don't understand. Are big knobs better?
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-15-2013, 03:25 AM   #7
Josh1a1h
Banned
United Kingdom
178
Rep
3,828
Posts

Drives: AzuriteBlack 335i E92
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Central North to West London

iTrader: (2)

please keep us posted and maybe do another tutorial if you think others would find the existing tutorial daunting? maybe even a video

I like the smaller m5 knob... but what other bimmers have nice knobs in comparison?

Last edited by Josh1a1h; 07-15-2013 at 03:36 AM..
Appreciate 0
      07-15-2013, 07:43 AM   #8
bmwak
Major
bmwak's Avatar
United Kingdom
112
Rep
1,235
Posts

Drives: 440i M-Sport Gran Coupe
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: London

iTrader: (4)

That does look nice. Look forward to seeing the results. There are some aftermarket retrofit versions of the F30 ones but IMO they look a bit wrong.
Appreciate 0
      07-15-2013, 05:46 PM   #9
acerboo
Brigadier General
England
186
Rep
3,923
Posts

Drives: e92 335d lci
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: kent

iTrader: (2)

Quote:
Originally Posted by frryy View Post
I don't understand. Are big knobs better?
my wife reckons mine is too wide
Appreciate 0
      07-16-2013, 06:48 PM   #10
parapaul
Colonel
parapaul's Avatar
United Kingdom
123
Rep
2,216
Posts

Drives: E91 330d M Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stoke on Trent

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
My OH thinks my little knob is 'sexy'.

Picked up the parts today - everything apart from one sodding connector, which is now on back order from Germany. I've done as much as I can to get it all ready, the harness is all made up (apart from the remaining connector) and the teeny weeny leather boot that comes as part of the M5 knob is trimmed off so I can fit it with the E90 gaiter.

Just waiting on a phone call from Wolverhampton BMW now, to say this connector is in stock. Any idea what the lead time is for parts on order from Germany?
__________________
Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?
Appreciate 0
      07-16-2013, 07:07 PM   #11
mob17
Major General
mob17's Avatar
United Kingdom
397
Rep
5,613
Posts

Drives: E92 335D
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East Midlands, UK

iTrader: (5)

From what you're saying there are benefits to having a smaller knob

Very interested in seeing your progress! Not sure on lead time, have you tried BMMINI parts for that connector?
Appreciate 0
      08-04-2013, 04:37 PM   #12
mob17
Major General
mob17's Avatar
United Kingdom
397
Rep
5,613
Posts

Drives: E92 335D
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East Midlands, UK

iTrader: (5)

So did u get around to doing this?
Appreciate 0
      08-04-2013, 05:31 PM   #13
AWBimmer
Major General
AWBimmer's Avatar
United Kingdom
350
Rep
6,174
Posts

Drives: E92 335D Pre-LCI | E63 M6 V10
Join Date: May 2011
Location: UK

iTrader: (4)

Quote:
Originally Posted by parapaul View Post
I haven't paid yet...

But the M5 knob is £145 and the wiring parts come to around £45 so probably £200 all in. I'll find out tomorrow when I go to pick them up!
Paul, Definitely interested. I got so busy getting my car ready for the shows that I didn't get the time for this but since I'll always be tinkering around, I think this will be next on my list! Definitely a lot more sportier than the 1st option I had in mine as per my thread..

Keep us posted!

Re: wiring, what exactly is needed?
__________________
BMW E92 335D | Lower Klasse
IG: @that.m6
Appreciate 0
      08-07-2013, 12:40 PM   #14
parapaul
Colonel
parapaul's Avatar
United Kingdom
123
Rep
2,216
Posts

Drives: E91 330d M Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stoke on Trent

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by mob17 View Post
So did u get around to doing this?
Yes, all done - I love it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by AWBimmer View Post
Paul, Definitely interested. I got so busy getting my car ready for the shows that I didn't get the time for this but since I'll always be tinkering around, I think this will be next on my list! Definitely a lot more sportier than the 1st option I had in mine as per my thread..

Keep us posted!

Re: wiring, what exactly is needed?
The DIY thread linked in the OP gives the order list - comes to about £45 IIRC - I'll check my invoice. It's a dead straightforward loom to make up, no soldering or anything required and the pins all push straight into the plugs.

Mine looked a bit of an abortion to be honest, I was more concerned with getting the connections right than making it look good. However, it's all tucked out of sight under the centre console now so that's irrelevant. If I was doing it again I could make it much tidier and prettier.



Time for the loom was about an hour, doing it again would probably be 45 minutes or so. Actually fitting the shifter took around 30 minutes, but I was very cautious about removing the centre console and getting it right - probably 15 minutes max to do it again.

I haven't actually taken any pics of the new shifter in situ - I'll try to in a bit. The only gripe (and really, it's trivial) is while it all works exactly as it's supposed to, nothing lights up when it's in D - which is the majority of the time.
__________________
Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?

Last edited by parapaul; 08-07-2013 at 12:45 PM..
Appreciate 0
      08-08-2013, 05:48 AM   #15
parapaul
Colonel
parapaul's Avatar
United Kingdom
123
Rep
2,216
Posts

Drives: E91 330d M Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stoke on Trent

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
Right, as promised. What you can't see on these pics is the low-level ilumination of all the markings on the shifter when the ignition is on. And I'm still working on getting that new boot to sit right, I think I may have to take it off and sew them together...







__________________
Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?
Appreciate 0
      08-08-2013, 05:37 PM   #16
yeti racing
Second Lieutenant
yeti racing's Avatar
United Kingdom
3
Rep
229
Posts

Drives: 2008 E90 330d M Sport
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Herts

iTrader: (0)

Well done :-)
Appreciate 0
      08-08-2013, 05:51 PM   #17
Squintstream
Captain
Squintstream's Avatar
United Kingdom
141
Rep
734
Posts

Drives: F32 435i M Sport
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Derby

iTrader: (14)

Top job Paul! That looks great
Appreciate 0
      08-08-2013, 06:01 PM   #18
Josh1a1h
Banned
United Kingdom
178
Rep
3,828
Posts

Drives: AzuriteBlack 335i E92
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Central North to West London

iTrader: (2)

This will definitely be my first interior job!!!

very nice job mate!

Do you think you will be able to get anything to light up whilst in D?
Appreciate 0
      08-10-2013, 09:07 AM   #19
E90325iM-SPORT
Captain
E90325iM-SPORT's Avatar
England
21
Rep
784
Posts

Drives: E90 325i m-sport
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: EAST MIDLANDS

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Perfect
Appreciate 0
      08-10-2013, 10:59 AM   #20
mob17
Major General
mob17's Avatar
United Kingdom
397
Rep
5,613
Posts

Drives: E92 335D
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East Midlands, UK

iTrader: (5)

Looks nice. any side on pics showing a bit of the interior?
Appreciate 0
      08-10-2013, 11:57 AM   #21
parapaul
Colonel
parapaul's Avatar
United Kingdom
123
Rep
2,216
Posts

Drives: E91 330d M Sport
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Stoke on Trent

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by yeti racing View Post
Well done :-)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Squintstream View Post
Top job Paul! That looks great
Quote:
Originally Posted by romanbmws View Post
Perfect
Quote:
Originally Posted by Josh1a1h View Post
This will definitely be my first interior job!!!

very nice job mate!

Do you think you will be able to get anything to light up whilst in D?
Thanks everyone No, I don't think anything will light up in D, that's just how the shifter is wired. I've never been in an M5 but it's quite possible that D isn't an option, that the gearbox goes P-R-N-M/S.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mob17 View Post
Looks nice. any side on pics showing a bit of the interior?
I can do - what were you thinking? What sort of angle did you you want to see?
__________________
Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?
Appreciate 0
      08-10-2013, 12:49 PM   #22
mob17
Major General
mob17's Avatar
United Kingdom
397
Rep
5,613
Posts

Drives: E92 335D
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: East Midlands, UK

iTrader: (5)

Maybe sort of pointing in from the drivers door showing your dash, wheel, knob and seat? Just to get a picture of the size compared to the rest of the interior. Thanks
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:54 AM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST