[MNTim]

Okay so if you've ever tried to pull off the original factory-installed shift knob, you know it's not easy. On my E46 I damn near got a hernia doing it, and almost a black eye. I think the factory does more than just jam it on the post -- they probably use adhesive as well to make sure they stay on for many years. So when my new M shift knob arrived for my E90, I thought I'd try using a lever to pry off the original knob. See pics. Worked great! No damage (to me or the car), and I barely had to push on the pipe before it popped off.

Note: If you don't have large crescent wrenches and pipes and hunks of scrap wood laying around in your garage, you'll need to devise your own leverage system