'00 steering wheel for '01 steering wheel?? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

steveB · 21st June 2001, 17:39

Has anybody replaced their '00 steering wheel for the '01 steering wheel? any idea as to the cost? after driving '01 beast at the driving exp., i like the feel and greater view of the speedometer,etc with the '01 wheel

kenneth · 22nd June 2001, 17:46

I too agree the '01 steering wheel gives a better view of the speedometer and the MID. I spent a great deal of time in setting my seat and steering wheel adjustments so I can have a good driving position and be able to see all the gauges and the MID in my '00.

Later,
Kenneth

Quote:

Originally posted by steveB:
Has anybody replaced their '00 steering wheel for the '01 steering wheel? any idea as to the cost? after driving '01 beast at the driving exp., i like the feel and greater view of the speedometer,etc with the '01 wheel

[This message has been edited by kenneth (edited 22 June 2001).]

Stallion M5 · 22nd June 2001, 18:35

For something like this, I highly recommend not to do it yourself, let the authorized BMW service department do it. They will make sure that the airbag is hooked up properly which can mean your life.

In other words, if you do this yourself, in case there is any accident and the airbag fails to deploy then BMW will not be liable at all. They can find out that they didn't do it through the service record and vice versa.

------------------
Adrian
01 M5 LeMans Blue/Silverstone - Titanium Trim

[This message has been edited by Stallion M5 (edited 22 June 2001).]

bobafett · 16th April 2002, 09:38

Sorry to revisit the topic, but I have an elementary question: does this mean it's possible to retrofit a '00 wheel onto a '02 / '03 car?

Am I the only one who loves the old wheel?

--Dan

tfung · 16th April 2002, 09:44

it's probably possible, but I noticed that some of the buttons on the 00 and 01 wheel are different.... I think there's an extra button on the 01 wheel...

AndyMenard · 16th April 2002, 15:08

I looked into it some time back while I still had my M5, and it ain't cheap!!

I seem to remember it would be about $1500.00+ installed. Problem is you cannot re-use the airbag.... which means you have to also purchase a brand new one along with the steering wheel....and the airbag alone is about $500.00 or so. I decided it was a bit much to spend just to get a thicker steering wheel.

-MVI- · 16th April 2002, 15:32

Quote:

Originally posted by AndyMenard
Problem is you cannot re-use the airbag.... which means you have to also purchase a brand new one along with the steering wheel....

If I remember correctly the airbag is the same in both older and newer steering wheel and can be transferred to the new steering wheel.

I was watching some german channel about a month ago and it had a big report on stolen airbags. They had stolen driver and passenger airbags from over 800

cars (Audi, MB, VW etc.)!

Jimmy Hill · 16th April 2002, 17:05

Intresting question

I too noticed a difference in the wheel when i was at a DE in 2001 cars as aposed to my 2000 beast.

I seem to rember that the 2001 + wheel is slightly smaller - perhaps by an inch or so in diameter - am i right??

The only rason i noticed was that at 6'5 , even with the little seat trick i learnt from the board

My legs are not in the correct driving position since my knees cant fint under the wheel when it is fully extended and elevated... I prefer my wheel asthetically but i would prefer a better driving positon since i will keep my beast for a while

Does any one actually have the measurments of the two wheels - I know it is a stupid question - but i would just like to know if i am right in thinking the new wheel is slightly smaller - or that my meds didnt kick in that day and i was halucinating

Thanks lads!!!!

M5Mark

chunpng · 16th April 2002, 18:28

I posted a similar thread sometimes back, and here's what my local dealer told me.

The 01 and newer steering wheels do not fit the 00 as the connections and fittings are different.

They, as a dealer, will not do the work as there's liability involved. There's no way to test the airbag. If they switched the wheel and the airbag does not deploy correctly in a future accident and I sue, the dealer will be left 'holding the bag'.

The difference between the 2 wheels is in the thickness of the grip, the 01 and newer ones being more beefy. Since I have relatively small hands, it does not feel any better to me. I think Dan and I are of similar built, (but I weight twice as much

) so we both like the smaller grip in the 00. I can see drivers with larger hands liking the new, beefy wheels.

As such, I gave up my search for a new wheel. Your local dealers or BMW shops might have different view on the subject.

CP

bobafett · 17th April 2002, 09:24

Well what I was thinking of is actually the opposite. I *MUCH* prefer the '00 wheel to the newer one, and was wondering if it was possible to go the other way around.

Chun/Andy: interesting points about the airbags. It hadn't even crossed my mind that you couldn't reuse it. (I would imagine you can).

--Dan

Marcelo · 17th April 2002, 11:05

Chunpng: I'm waiting for my '01 steering wheel to arrive at my local dealer to swap it out for my '99 one (maybe already today!). It is pòssible, and there is no conflict in between both to change it. It was double checked with BMW tech dept. before ordering the new wheel & air bag.

Probably US spec cars are different than the Euro version? Don't know, but sure I like better the grip (I've big hands) and the better feel (the wheel works as smaller due its thickness to me) so I went for it. Expensive, yes (about 1,157$ incl. airbag and labour) but worth for me.

Marcelo