# Well... I took the M3 steering wheel out of my car...



## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

For some reason, I just wasn't all that satisfied with it. Last weekend, the original steering wheel was swapped back in to allow a comparison. Here's what I've determined:

Pros:
Feels really good to hold, nice soft and padded and easier to grip.
Makes the steering feel a bit heavier.

Cons:
The padding damps out a fair amount of what little feel the E46 steering has left.
The increased heaviness feels more like an increase in damping, which doesn't contribute to better feel. Also, at least on my steering rack, effort at speed is greater than an E36 M3.

All in all, it's a tradeoff. In the end, I decided I was equally happy with either one. The M3 wheel sold for $310.  After $5 for shipping, that's only $10 less than I paid for it new.


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

Interesting stuff! I like the way the M3 wheel looks, but I like the stock sport steering wheel as well, and have no intention of changing it.

Can we start a ten page thread on which has better feel?


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## Zaphod (May 23, 2002)

Can't agree with you on this - I love the ///M wheel.

I happend to be in my dealer's used showroom last week and sat in a 330CiC and remember thinking how thin the wheel was and that I was very happy with my new wheel.

I don't think that the padding mutes out that much feel if any. Does it feel heavier? I *guess*, but nothing worth noting for me. It might be that I take an x-large and sometimes a xx-large glove and the thicker rim just feels so much better for me to the point where I'd dismiss the minute feel loss or heavier damping feel.

Point here is that you have the car the way you like it and I have mine the way I like it


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Zaphod said:


> *Point here is that you have the car the way you like it and I have mine the way I like it  *


Bzzzzzzzt! Wrong answer!  :lmao: 

Make no mistake, I definitely prefer HOLDING the M3 wheel... I just like driving with the old wheel a bit better. When I added it up, I liked both equally, and with that sort of recommendation, not to mention the resale value, I got rid of it.


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## Zaphod (May 23, 2002)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> *Bzzzzzzzt! Wrong answer!  :lmao:
> 
> *


:lmao:

It's good to hear that the resale value is so good considering I received the wheel as a Christmas gift. 

Hmmmm, maybe I don't like it as much as I thought :lmao:


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## ruteger (Dec 31, 2001)

I, too, had considered the M3 wheel but instead went with the lower Matte-Chrome sport steering wheel trim that almost perfectly matches the rest of the aluminum dash trim. I'm glad to hear there are others who have tried the M3 wheel and feel the standard sport steering wheel is still 'okay'.

One of the problems was I didn't think it would be possible to sell (or even give away) the old sport steering wheel after replacing it with the M3 since a very expensive airbag is still needed to use it in a non-sport steering wheel car.

If there was a version of the M3 wheel that had a trim that matched the rest of the aluminum dash trim, it might have been a harder decision.


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## jason330i (Jan 29, 2002)

on a similar note...

buddy of mine just got his sport steering wheel replaced (because old one was peeling) by the dealer.

the new steering wheel had a slightly thicker and softer leather, not as thick as the M3 wheel, but definitely thicker/softer than the original one.

:thumbup:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

jason330i said:


> *on a similar note...
> 
> buddy of mine just got his sport steering wheel replaced (because old one was peeling) by the dealer.
> 
> ...


Hmm... that's an interesting observation as I think I noticed the same thing, but I thought it was just me.... :dunno:

My friend let me drive his '01 and I remember thinking to myself "gee... the steering wheel sure is thin...."

As a result, I was contemplating getting the M Steering wheel when I got my car because I like to have a thicker steering wheel....

When I got my car (an '03), I sat in it, and held the wheel and thought "hmm... this doesn't feel quite like I remember it... it feels thicker than I remember and the leather feels different..."

As it is now, I'm rethinking my plans to get the M steering wheel because the one that's on the car now feels pretty good to me actually.... plus save me a few hundred smackers that I can put towards a CD changer or something like that.... :dunno:


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

PhilH said:


> *Interesting stuff! I like the way the M3 wheel looks, but I like the stock sport steering wheel as well, and have no intention of changing it.
> 
> Can we start a ten page thread on which has better feel?  *


Actually I like the steering wheel better on the E36 . . .

(Note to Phil Only : this should get the page count higher now )


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

doeboy said:


> *Hmm... that's an interesting observation as I think I noticed the same thing, but I thought it was just me.... :dunno:
> 
> My friend let me drive his '01 and I remember thinking to myself "gee... the steering wheel sure is thin...."
> *


I'm guessing that person is me...

Yeah, the wheel in his 03 feels more like the leather on a Japanese car's steering wheel. It's the same leather as on the 99 323 non-SP I drove a while ago or on the M3 wheel. Mine feels more like plastic or something.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Kaz said:


> *I'm guessing that person is me...
> 
> Yeah, the wheel in his 03 feels more like the leather on a Japanese car's steering wheel. It's the same leather as on the 99 323 non-SP I drove a while ago or on the M3 wheel. Mine feels more like plastic or something. *


How'd you figure that out? 

And you noticed the same about the feel of the wheel... but did you think the thickness of the wheel was the same or different?


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## AF (Dec 21, 2001)

doeboy said:


> *How'd you figure that out?
> 
> *


Actually we all knew who you were talking about . . . Kaz doesn't have many friends and he talks about you a lot


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

ruteger said:


> *One of the problems was I didn't think it would be possible to sell (or even give away) the old sport steering wheel after replacing it with the M3 since a very expensive airbag is still needed to use it in a non-sport steering wheel car.*


I auctioned off my SP wheel on Ebay for $183  I guess it's a good thing I am satisfied with the M wheel (and that I am not leasing my car :eeps: )


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## beauport (Jul 2, 2002)

Cliff3 said:


> *I auctioned off my SP wheel on Ebay for $183  I guess it's a good thing I am satisfied with the M wheel (and that I am not leasing my car :eeps: ) *


I thought I did well auctioning my SP wheel on eBay for $72 until I saw your post. What did you say or do? Or was it one of those eBay buyers who just had to have it regardless?


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

beauport said:


> *I thought I did well auctioning my SP wheel on eBay for $72 until I saw your post. What did you say or do? Or was it one of those eBay buyers who just had to have it regardless? *


Dunno. I took very clear pictures of the wheel (link to 4MP image) and answered buyer questions with further pictures or otherwise to the best of my ability. Beyond that, luck? :dunno:


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

Alan F said:


> *Actually we all knew who you were talking about . . . Kaz doesn't have many friends and he talks about you a lot   *


uhhh..... yeah....
:eeps:


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## magbarn (Jan 28, 2003)

Is it still possible to purchase the M3 steering wheel from dealers? I heard that Pacific BMW stopped selling them due to liability issues... Are other dealers still selling them?


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Everyone else is.

I believe Cutter has the best price.


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

magbarn said:


> *Is it still possible to purchase the M3 steering wheel from dealers? I heard that Pacific BMW stopped selling them due to liability issues... Are other dealers still selling them? *


Sure. I ordered mine from Cutter. At the time I ordered it, it was $350 before a 10% BMW CCA discount was applied.


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## magbarn (Jan 28, 2003)

Thanks! I'll probably oder one from cutter in a few weeks. Dang Bimmerfest, I can't believe I'm ordering mods for a car I don't even have yet!


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## GSR13 (Apr 30, 2002)

I got them M Wheel for my '03 and I love it. 

As for the old Sport Wheel, I just kept it. I figure if I ever need it, it will be available. Considering most sell for under a $100.00, it just is not worth it.

In fact, I keep all the things the come off the car when I change something. When I got rid of my '02 325i, I had all the original items and just put them back on.

Not that I plan on getting rid of my 330, but you never know.


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## XKxRome0ox (Mar 3, 2003)

question

when you take out your steering wheel... you must be disconnecting the airbag and stuff like that, right?

also.. when you buy a new steering wheel ... are you guys taking the airbag out of the old one and using it in the new steering wheel?
is this why i see a bunch of airbag-less steering wheels for sale on ebay?


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## Mathew (Feb 8, 2002)

XKxRome0ox said:


> *question
> 
> when you take out your steering wheel... you must be disconnecting the airbag and stuff like that, right?
> 
> ...


1. You disconnect the battery before doing something like this, so you wont set the airbag off

2. If you have a coupe, or sedan with sports steering wheel, you use the same airbag. If you have a regular sedan wheel, you must buy a new airbag for ~$600


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## ak330i (Jul 17, 2002)

magbarn said:


> *Thanks! I'll probably oder one from cutter in a few weeks. Dang Bimmerfest, I can't believe I'm ordering mods for a car I don't even have yet!  *


not at all implausible, i did a lot of that before i picked up mine


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## pmb1010 (Aug 26, 2002)

I pulled the fuse from the glove box fuse panel that powers the airbag, rather than taking off the battery cable when I removed the airbag from the old wheel.

It has the same effect, but with much less hassle.

I prefer the M3 wheel over the sport wheel. Mine is going to stay...

Vic


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## magbarn (Jan 28, 2003)

Is the 530i sport pkg steering wheel the same? It looks the same in last months C&D sedan comparo. It also appears that it doesn't have the M 3 color stitching... Are both of those wheels available? Thanks!


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

I had a 525 SP loaner a few weeks ago and it had the M steering wheel. Kind of freaked me out a little at first - I wasn't expecting it. A check of BMWUSA's web site confirmed it is indeed part of the sport package.


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