M Sport paddle action

[DrGadget]

My daughter has just taken delivery of her 435i M and it is just magic. I like the fact that as with many cars, pressing the right-hand paddle (+) upshifts, while pressing the left-hand paddle (-) downshifts.

My 123d M Sport only allows pressing the top paddle (either side) for downshifting, and pulling on the paddles for upshifting. I jump off Gran Turismo on my PS3 which is set up like the 435i M, and I get confused in the e82. I am left wondering if the e82 paddles can be re-coded, or if it is a wiring job ... or not worth bothering about and just wait until I get a 225d (an expensive option LOL).

[Prodigy.]

I also found this quite difficult to get used to when i first drove an automatic 135i compared to my DSG VW Golf which had + & - paddles. Thankfully when BMW changed to the DCT transmission in 2011 they also changed the paddles to + & - on either side.

Maybe an option would be to just change your steering wheel to one off a later model 135i, although i'm sure recoding would still be required.

[tharaka]

You can buy just the paddles, and change them

http://www.bmraw.com/bmw-m3-dct-paddles/

[Ganicki]

Originally Posted by tharaka

You can buy just the paddles, and change them

http://www.bmraw.com/bmw-m3-dct-paddles/

So buy the DCT paddles, switch them out, thats it--no recoding no switching wires around?

[pj.rodriguez]

You have the push pull right now. You can buy the M3 paddles from a vendor on the forum and it is simply plug and play and you'll shift up right and down left. It's awesome.

[DrGadget]

Originally Posted by tharaka

You can buy just the paddles, and change them

http://www.bmraw.com/bmw-m3-dct-paddles/

Thank you so much. Great solution.

Does anyone have a photo and/or instructions?

[pj.rodriguez]

Just don't worry about the part of dismantling the actual paddle shifter because that's only if you want to switch out the paddle board for something else. Just watch the steering wheel removal etc. But even still I did NOT remove the steering wheel completely and was still able to install the paddles. I just took off the airbag, took off the trim, then unscrewed the old paddles and put the new ones on. It is really quite simple. Took 20 minutes at most.

[Harlequin]

I would just double check this info... Does the 123D have a Steptronic? Or is it an Auto box. If it's Auto, will the M3 paddles still work?

[THEOS]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

Just don't worry about the part of dismantling the actual paddle shifter because that's only if you want to switch out the paddle board for something else. Just watch the steering wheel removal etc. But even still I did NOT remove the steering wheel completely and was still able to install the paddles. I just took off the airbag, took off the trim, then unscrewed the old paddles and put the new ones on. It is really quite simple. Took 20 minutes at most.

Don't even need to remove the trim, just removing the airbag is enough to get to the Torx screws ( I think they were T-20?)

You can use a pick to pop out the connector for each paddle

All in all a pretty easy job

[DrGadget]

Originally Posted by Harlequin

I would just double check this info... Does the 123D have a Steptronic? Or is it an Auto box. If it's Auto, will the M3 paddles still work?

Mine is Steptronic. Thank you for this info.

[DrGadget]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

Just don't worry about the part of dismantling the actual paddle shifter because that's only if you want to switch out the paddle board for something else. Just watch the steering wheel removal etc. But even still I did NOT remove the steering wheel completely and was still able to install the paddles. I just took off the airbag, took off the trim, then unscrewed the old paddles and put the new ones on. It is really quite simple. Took 20 minutes at most.

If I keep the same M Sport (Steptronic) paddles, isn't it just a wiring job in the steering wheel so that whether pressed up or down, RIGHT would be upshift and LEFT would be downshift?

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by DrGadget

If I keep the same M Sport (Steptronic) paddles, isn't it just a wiring job in the steering wheel so that whether pressed up or down, RIGHT would be upshift and LEFT would be downshift?

I'm entirely sure if you can do that. If you worked hard enough you may be able to, but the feel isn't the same as the M3 paddles. They're way more heavy duty and you feel like you're making a deliberate effort to shift gears with those aluminum paddles. It's only $200 from a vendor on here. Sometimes you can find a set for sale on the 3 series forum or M3 forum.

[DrGadget]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

I'm entirely sure if you can do that. If you worked hard enough you may be able to, but the feel isn't the same as the M3 paddles. They're way more heavy duty and you feel like you're making a deliberate effort to shift gears with those aluminum paddles. It's only $200 from a vendor on here. Sometimes you can find a set for sale on the 3 series forum or M3 forum.

Thank you. I am convinced.

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by DrGadget

Thank you. I am convinced.

No problem! Glad I could help out a fellow forum member. Also, check eBay! That's where I picked my paddle shifters from. It was from The Netherlands.

[DrGadget]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

No problem! Glad I could help out a fellow forum member. Also, check eBay! That's where I picked my paddle shifters from. It was from The Netherlands.

I am ordering these ///M3 DCT paddle shifters from eurospeed.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=838677

Keen price.

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by DrGadget

I am ordering these ///M3 DCT paddle shifters from eurospeed.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=838677

Keen price.

Yep! Those are the ones that I have. A lot of people have gone through that upgrade away from the silly push/pull shifters. Hopefully the shipping to Oz will not be crazy.

[1Pirate]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

You have the push pull right now. You can buy the M3 paddles from a vendor on the forum and it is simply plug and play and you'll shift up right and down left. It's awesome.

M3 paddles are so much nicer than the push/pull paddles. One of the best mods I've done to my car.

[DrGadget]

Originally Posted by pj.rodriguez

Yep! Those are the ones that I have. A lot of people have gone through that upgrade away from the silly push/pull shifters. Hopefully the shipping to Oz will not be crazy.

The freight is quite reasonable this time around as the item is small and doesn't weigh much.

I guess you did the wise thing and disconnected your battery before releasing the airbag module? I know that I am going to make sure I do this. Yes, I can see that I don't have to remove the wheel. Should be a quick job LOL,

[DrGadget]

As mentioned earlier, I disliked the SSG paddle shifters in my 123d M Sport so much that I've just changed them over for ///M3 DCT paddle shifters (SMG). Now I pull the right paddle (+) to upshift and pull the left paddle (-) to downshift. The action is much firmer and crisper, and much more comfortable to use. I went through eurospeed.us.

Disconnecting the negative side of the battery stopped the air bag maiming me (LOL) and I only lost time and date settings. I turned the steering wheel so it was upside down to do the job. Push in on the clips holding the airbag and out it pops. Disconnect the button piece so as to pull the plugs from the shifters. Then all one needs to do is unscrew the SSG shifters and then screw in the new SMG shifters and plug them in. A straightforward job.