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Originally Posted by bmwexecutive
Hmmm. Still not convinced the M-Sport Steering Wheel is worth the $200 over the SP Steering Wheel that came with my 330i. Anyone who has the M-Sport wheel want to convince me? 
So the M-Sport wheel is the one found in the M3, right? I'm thinking I could stop by my local BMW dealership and sit in an M3 and try out the steering wheel. |
As you can see, I had the post Sept. 2005 330i ZSP steering wheel, but decided to upgrade to the M-Sport steering wheel. The M-sport steering wheel has the same "general" dimensions as the post-Sept. ZSP one; however, as I had posted in a previous thread with pics, the M-sport grip is thicker. You can best see this in the photos I took from outside the car pointing to the side of the steering wheel. The M-sport one is also softer and padded better. By comparison, the stock ZSP wheel feels like hard plastic (instead of a cushy grip). I love the minor mod, because it is a subtle touch for a near 50K car that brings just a bit more luxury and sport to driving--which is exactly why I got a BMW 3-series to begin with.
Took me about 45 mins for the install thanks to these great DIY instructions. It would have been easier had I waited for daylight, because of my poorly lit garage.
A few extra pointers: Be careful with the clips. Be patient, don't force anything. Like Bavarian said, to pop the airbag out, insert and push the screwdriver straight in (parallel to the firewall). This retracts wire-like "clips," which release the plastic tabs holding in the airbag. Don't worry, the clips stay on the steering wheel, and won't pop off. Regarding the two clips that go into the airbag unit. To remove these, I gently inserted a small flathead screwdriver on the metal portions of the clip sides (i.e., 90 degrees from where the wire goes into the clips). I then gently lifted the metal portion of the clip and voila--the plastic clip releases on that side; repeat this on the opposite side of the clip and pop it off.