[spielnicht]

Finally got around to installing the new 343m wheels I got from a fellow forum member and the aftermarket M5-style bumper. While I like it (I don't love it), I'm going back to the stock bumper. I'm having it professionally refinished at the moment and will consider a genuine 3D Design front lip. I'm 101% done with any non genuine part. You get what you pay for. The M5-style bumper is "nice" but fitment isn't 100%, and being the an@l person that I am, it's not sitting well with me. I also like the "fat" face of the 5 series when it's paired with the 3D lip. I'll still do the fog lights delete with the original bumper - definitely prefer the car without the fogs.

I also got a new set of kidney grilles with the chrome surrounds and black double slots to change things up (previous was all black double slots). It definitely looks better on darker colored cars. First saw it on my neighbors Monaco Blue M5 - looks better on his.

I'll be putting the M5-style bumper up for local sale in the coming weeks. If anyone is interested in reserving it, PM me. It was professionally painted by BMW certified body shop - so color and finish are perfect.

[Sylverlee]

Originally Posted by spielnicht

Finally got around to installing the new 343m wheels I got from a fellow forum member and the aftermarket M5-style bumper. While I like it (I don't love it), I'm going back to the stock bumper. I'm having it professionally refinished at the moment and will consider a genuine 3D Design front lip. I'm 101% done with any non genuine part. You get what you pay for. The M5-style bumper is "nice" but fitment isn't 100%, and being the an@l person that I am, it's not sitting well with me. I also like the "fat" face of the 5 series when it's paired with the 3D lip. I'll still do the fog lights delete with the original bumper - definitely prefer the car without the fogs.

I also got a new set of kidney grilles with the chrome surrounds and black double slots to change things up (previous was all black double slots). It definitely looks better on darker colored cars. First saw it on my neighbors Monaco Blue M5 - looks better on his.

I'll be putting the M5-style bumper up for local sale in the coming weeks. If anyone is interested in reserving it, PM me. It was professionally painted by BMW certified body shop - so color and finish are perfect.

Will be my car twin.

[ChampagneQrtzPapi]

Originally Posted by spielnicht

Finally got around to installing the new 343m wheels I got from a fellow forum member and the aftermarket M5-style bumper. While I like it (I don't love it), I'm going back to the stock bumper. I'm having it professionally refinished at the moment and will consider a genuine 3D Design front lip. I'm 101% done with any non genuine part. You get what you pay for. The M5-style bumper is "nice" but fitment isn't 100%, and being the an@l person that I am, it's not sitting well with me. I also like the "fat" face of the 5 series when it's paired with the 3D lip. I'll still do the fog lights delete with the original bumper - definitely prefer the car without the fogs.

I also got a new set of kidney grilles with the chrome surrounds and black double slots to change things up (previous was all black double slots). It definitely looks better on darker colored cars. First saw it on my neighbors Monaco Blue M5 - looks better on his.

I'll be putting the M5-style bumper up for local sale in the coming weeks. If anyone is interested in reserving it, PM me. It was professionally painted by BMW certified body shop - so color and finish are perfect.

Would you be willing to take pics of where you're not completely satisfied with the fitment?

[spielnicht]

Ohhhh, that looks beautiful! Exactly what I'm going after :-)

Originally Posted by Sylverlee

Will be my car twin.

[spielnicht]

For the most part, everything aligns, but is currently under immense stress. I literally had to pull and tug at it to get it to fit from wheel well to wheel well, using the bolts to pull it toward the fenders. From below, the engine undercover attaches only in the middle, the rest is just flapping around. Also, the lowest bumper clip to attach to the wheel liner doesn't exist, so it's just wide open. I'll try to take some more pics today before the rain makes it's way here. Update: attached.

The biggest issue for me is that for some reason the passenger side headlight washer opening doesn't align well and so if you activate the washer, the door pops open but doesn't close - I have to manually force it back down (it's rubbing against the nozzle). For now, I just disabled it completely in Bimmerlink.

Looks wise, you can't tell it apart from a genuine M5 bumper (sans the width). The quality of the plastic (PP) also appears to be inline with OEM. So it just comes down to fitment and how contempt you'd be with it being close, but not perfect.

Originally Posted by ChampagneQrtzPapi

Would you be willing to take pics of where you're not completely satisfied with the fitment?

[Spc Rax]

Just installed carbon fiber rear diffuser and front lip.

[GrabacrOne]

Retrofitted heated steering wheel with an alcantara wheel wrapped by Coby Wheel. I was thinking about getting the M Performance steering wheel but wanted to add heating as well, so decided to go this route. I also added M shift paddles and the M leather center trim.

Took a few tries to find a working heated steering wheel, but really happy with how it turned out. Special thanks to M_Bimmer for help troubleshooting the retrofit. Heating is a bit less intense due to the alcantara but still pretty warm. Alcantara also feels warmer in the cold and cooler in the sun than leather anyways so that's a plus.

[SWFLf10]

Originally Posted by GrabacrOne

Retrofitted heated steering wheel with an alcantara wheel wrapped by Coby Wheel. I was thinking about getting the M Performance steering wheel but wanted to add heating as well, so decided to go this route. I also added M shift paddles and the M leather center trim.

Took a few tries to find a working heated steering wheel, but really happy with how it turned out. Special thanks to M_Bimmer for help troubleshooting the retrofit. Heating is a bit less intense due to the alcantara but still pretty warm. Alcantara also feels warmer in the cold and cooler in the sun than leather anyways so that's a plus.

Do you have a write up on this project? I love the look of the trim and the paddles. Would love to know what had to be changed/modified, and what parts you used.

[SWFLf10]

Finally got around to swapping out my drivers side door armrest/handle. The original one was getting pretty nasty and sticky feeling inside. I found a replacement on eBay and it looks and fits perfect.

I don't know why it's taken me so long to finally do this.

[ramman434]

Originally Posted by SWFLf10

Finally got around to swapping out my drivers side door armrest/handle. The original one was getting pretty nasty and sticky feeling inside. I found a replacement on eBay and it looks and fits perfect.

I don't know why it's taken me so long to finally do this.

I literally did this last month. All of sudden my pull handle disintegrated and was coming off on my finger tip in chunks. Was really annoying

[Bmwfan55]

Originally Posted by SWFLf10

Finally got around to swapping out my drivers side door armrest/handle. The original one was getting pretty nasty and sticky feeling inside. I found a replacement on eBay and it looks and fits perfect.

I don't know why it's taken me so long to finally do this.

Did you have to pull the entire door panel out?

[GrabacrOne]

Originally Posted by SWFLf10

Do you have a write up on this project? I love the look of the trim and the paddles. Would love to know what had to be changed/modified, and what parts you used.

I appreciate it! I just updated a thread I made while troubleshooting the heated steering wheel install with details of the retrofit and upgrades along with part numbers. Let me know if you have any questions.

[GrabacrOne]

Originally Posted by Bmwfan55

Did you have to pull the entire door panel out?

I also replaced the door pull/handle so I thought I would answer. Yeah, the door panel has to be removed, because there are a few screws that hold the handle in from the back. But you don't need to remove the wiring completely, just pop the panel off and support it with a bungee cord/have someone hold it while still connected to swap over the handle and the window/mirror switch panel. There are few good videos on YouTube on how to do this. The trim piece and the cup around door opener needs to be removed and 2 screws hold the door panel to the door. After that, plastic grommets all around the door panel need to be popped out and the panel can be lifted out.

[SWFLf10]

Originally Posted by Bmwfan55

Did you have to pull the entire door panel out?

Yes, the door panel has to come out. Really not that difficult if you take your time, watch YouTube videos beforehand and have some plastic trim removal tools on hand. Just don't get in a rush and it's not that bad.

[SWFLf10]

Originally Posted by GrabacrOne

I appreciate it! I just updated a thread I made while troubleshooting the heated steering wheel install with details of the retrofit and upgrades along with part numbers. Let me know if you have any questions.

That's a great write up. It's greatly appreciated!

[asian]

Originally Posted by GrabacrOne

Retrofitted heated steering wheel with an alcantara wheel wrapped by Coby Wheel. I was thinking about getting the M Performance steering wheel but wanted to add heating as well, so decided to go this route. I also added M shift paddles and the M leather center trim.

Took a few tries to find a working heated steering wheel, but really happy with how it turned out. Special thanks to M_Bimmer for help troubleshooting the retrofit. Heating is a bit less intense due to the alcantara but still pretty warm. Alcantara also feels warmer in the cold and cooler in the sun than leather anyways so that's a plus.

Yewww this looks sick! Like mine

[SWFLf10]

I've had some time on my hands finally, so I was also able to retrofit the ceramic control radio knob and AC control knobs. I plan on posting some instructions at some point to detail how I did it.

I ended up using a donor panel that had ceramic controls from a 7 series I got off eBay cheap. I needed to disassemble the unit and then also disassemble the knobs themselves to change out the round plastic piece on the back of the AC knobs. The radio knob was a direct swap.

[Spc Rax]

Installed M Performance exhaust

[marek555]

Installed M Performance stile pedal covers

[Gjohnson7]

Nice! I've been thinking about picking up a set with the dead pedal.

[asian]

Originally Posted by SWFLf10

I've had some time on my hands finally, so I was also able to retrofit the ceramic control radio knob and AC control knobs. I plan on posting some instructions at some point to detail how I did it.

I ended up using a donor panel that had ceramic controls from a 7 series I got off eBay cheap. I needed to disassemble the unit and then also disassemble the knobs themselves to change out the round plastic piece on the back of the AC knobs. The radio knob was a direct swap.

Cool subtle mods! Did you get a ceramic media knob to suit too? Send more pics of your knob

[asian]

Originally Posted by Spc Rax

Installed M Performance exhaust

Sorry but the tip looks too long and singular. Looks funny. Get another pair and weld on some quad tips? Haha