Graphite steering wheel trim on M Roadster

[antennahead]

My "soft touch" rubbery steering wheel trim was coming off and looked tacky. I debated ordering the same replacement part, but even as meticulous as I am with my cars, the heat and humidity here would most likely in time cause the replacements to begin looking bad as well. So I decided to replace the spokes and controls with the trim for a standard sport wheel. I found the graphite version at a very good price as a "retrofit" kit................. much cheaper than the chrome line version. I also think the graphite looks better in the M, but looks/styling are very subjective. The fit on the side spokes is exact, with the bottom spoke wraping more of the wheel than the original, but I am happy with it. The pics were taken in my garage at night, so the flash tends to make them look more shiny and "chrome" looking than they really are. I'll update this thread tomorrow with some daylight pics as well.

John

[prodigal_m]

Looks really good…Is it the same color/finish as the instrument pod surround? (it looks like it is in the pics)

[HaiDef]

Do you mind me asking where you got it from and how much it cost? Mine is doing the same thing and its annoying me and i think the contrasting colours make the wheel really stand out. Also, do those things just pop out with a flat head screwdriver?

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by prodigal_m

Looks really good…Is it the same color/finish as the instrument pod surround? (it looks like it is in the pics)

It's not the exact same color but they do compliment each other well. The aluminum trim has that brushed look and slight variations to it and the graphite goes well with it. I'll take some pics tomorrow in natural sunlight also.

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by Hdoan86

Do you mind me asking where you got it from and how much it cost? Mine is doing the same thing and its annoying me and i think the contrasting colours make the wheel really stand out. Also, do those things just pop out with a flat head screwdriver?

This is who I ordered it from:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...?siteid=214760

There is a star screw (one of those funky six sided things you need a special driver for) holding each side spoke together, and two holding the bottom spoke together. The switch pods have plugs in the back where the wiring plugs in. It is not too hard to do, assuming you are a little proficient with this type of stuff. On the bottom spoke, on the backside of the front piece there are two "fins", for lack of a better description, sticking out ....... I trimmed them off as it is longer than the "M" one I removed, and I didn't want them digging into nor messing up a tight fit against the wheel.......... very easy to do as they are rather thin. The removal and re-install took about 30 minutes. The backside of the bottom spoke is a bear to get into position, takes a little while. Helps if you kinda start one side of it and then push it up under the backside of the wheel trim.

[chickdr]

Very cool looking! I was following the other thread where you asked about the trim. What part number did you buy? I have not seen a "graphite" version before. I think I may follow your lead.

[mfanatic325]

Seems to go well with brushed aluminum trim!
I might do this in the near future as well since my steering wheel trim is a tad bit worn from previous owner of the car

[prodigal_m]

I am looking forward to the daylight pics... I was able to have my steering wheel tabs replaced under warranty (previous owner's sticky fingers) but I am paranoid about scratching them with my nails/ring. So much so that I go out of my way to not use the radio controls. If it matches the instrument cluster cover as well as it appears to, I'm all in!

[antennahead]

Here are some daytime pics, taken in the garage, both doors open and the top down. The last pic is with the garage doors closed, a little blurry ( I moved ) , but you can see the "very little sunlight" look. When light is shining on it, it looks very much like a match for the aluminum trim, when no light is shining on it, the graphite quality (sliver-grey) stands out a little more, but then the aluminum trim isn't reflecting light either. All I can tell you is I am very happy with this swap................. no more flaking soft touch coating and a classy look that matches the interior now as well. YMMV, as I said, styling and looks are very subjective You could always go for the "chromeline" version, but in my opinion that color is TOO much chrome for our interiors................. but to each his own

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by chickdr

Very cool looking! I was following the other thread where you asked about the trim. What part number did you buy? I have not seen a "graphite" version before. I think I may follow your lead.

I think this is the part #:

65710304942

[antennahead]

From the realoem site:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...=66&fg=95&hl=1

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by antennahead

From the realoem site:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...=66&fg=95&hl=1

That is strange. I have searched for the spoke covers before and came up with the part number 32346785706 which is for the chrome line covers. They are quite a bit cheaper than what you bought - $167 from getbmwparts.com where yours runs $214. Did your kit come with anything other than the spoke covers?

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by chickdr

That is strange. I have searched for the spoke covers before and came up with the part number 32346785706 which is for the chrome line covers. They are quite a bit cheaper than what you bought - $167 from getbmwparts.com where yours runs $214. Did your kit come with anything other than the spoke covers?

Yes, my kit also came with new steering wheel radio/nav control pods, the multifunction ones. I also wanted to swap those out for a clean look, and not use the old "soft touch" ones. It also had wiring to "retrofit" it to cars with no "multifunction", but I obviously had the wiring in place. I priced out the chrome spokes plus the multifunction control pods, and bought seperatly, the cost exceeded the $214 for the retro kit. If you can find all of it cheaper cool, I looked and didn't. Or................. keep your soft touch controls. I wanted all silver

[chickdr]

I see, so yours kit came with the control buttons with a different finish as well - literally replacing everything the wheel had attached to it besides the airbag.

[antennahead]

Originally Posted by chickdr

I see, so yours kit came with the control buttons with a different finish as well - literally replacing everything the wheel had attached to it besides the airbag.

Exactly When I added your $167 for the spokes only to the price of the individual multifunction pods, the total came to about $320, way too much. The "retro-fit kit" was a nice find at $214.

[Fritz1946]

antennahead
I love the idea of chromeline spokes in an M Roadster steering wheel. I'm concerned about the lower spoke as it's not a match fit. Can you PLEASE send me a side view photo of the bottom spoke (at the 3 o'clock position). I want to see how the fit blends with the OD of the steering wheel.
Direct email is wtfritzler@yahoo.com
Thank You

[Huz-Z]

I think that it looks very good indeed. Its got the classic Z4 look combined with the nicer M wheel, and it goes with the existing trim of your car, so how can that be anything other than a good combination?

Do you know if you have to order all three spoke covers? A couple of years ago I ordered a "gently used" multi-function wheel for my 3.0si from a guy who hasn't been on this forum in years. When I got it, it was in pretty good shape, but the center spoke cover was broken where it screws into the metal spoke. So, that spoke cover can't be screwed in place.

[Fritz1946]

antennahead
I'm concerned about installing the chrome line lower spoke on my M ropadster steering wheel as it's not a match fit. Can you PLEASE send me a side view photo of the bottom spoke (at the 3 o'clock position). I want to see how the fit blends with the OD of the steering wheel.
Direct email is wtfritzler@yahoo.com
Thank You

[Fritz1946]

antennahead
I'm concerned about installing the chrome line lower spoke on my M ropadster steering wheel as it's not a match fit. Can you PLEASE send me a side view photo of the bottom spoke (at the 3 o'clock position). I want to see how the fit blends with the OD of the steering wheel.
Direct email is wtfritzler@yahoo.com
Thank You

[antennahead]

I'm assuming you mean a side view of the "6 o'clock" spoke, yes? The top pic in this thread in my first post is the best side shot I have. I'll take a better one for you but it may be a day or two. I was concerned about that fit as well, but there is no gap and it is so close that no one would ever notice that it wasn't made this way.

John

[Fritz1946]

Antennahead, Thanks. If you Turn the steering wheel so the bottom spoke is at the 3 o'clock position and then take a picture of the bottom spoke as it intersects the steering wheel (looking at the side edge of the wheel. I would greatly appreciate this.

[Walkurie]

Made this modification over the weekend. Thanks to the O.P. for bringing out details that made it easy. Yes, it does go well with the brushed aluminum and brightens up a black interior.