NavarroOne

I wonder if anyone else have tried this? I have my modified SAT working and still considering adding the paddles. I have a beautiful M-sport steering wheel and hate to change it over just to add the paddles but if that is what is required then...

Also, I saw the reference to the kit from motivemods at http://www.motivemods.com/BMW-Paddle...p/bmw-pa-r.htm My current steering wheel looks identical to the one on their homepage, except alas for the flappy paddles! Given that I already have the SAT installed and I have a dealer who is willing to do the coding. (He has done it before but we had to revert it back since it didn't work well without the paddles), what else if anything would I need than their kit? Moreover, is there really anything special about their kit or are they just packaging together original BMW parts?

Wpg550

Even with their kit you need to have a wheel with the paddles... either an M5 wheel with the SMG paddles, or one with the SSG (push/pull) paddles. No matter which way you go you would end up having to replace the wheel.

Given that you have a dealer willing to do the coding (and presumably the modification of the VO to add/remove options?) and the SAT shifter already installed, then all you need is the wheel/paddles (expensive, unless you can find used) and a new wiring harness between the wheel buttons and the SZL unit (cheap). From my earlier post, you MAY also need to run a couple of wires from the SZL to the trans control unit -- but that may depend on the build date (remember, my 3/07 build date was before the SAT option was even available).

I haven't regretted this retrofit since the day I finished it. The biggest bonus was the remapped throttle response and steering when using the "sport" button, but I also use the paddles regularly. Now that it's winter I will likely use the paddles (and sport button) less, but I also added the heated wheel from 2009+ -- which is an absolute blessing when the freezing temps arrive!

Good luck with your decision!

NavarroOne

I am eternally thankful to RSYED and WPG550 for the posts here. I'm in the process of doing the "2nd stage" now, i.e. adding paddles to the steering wheel. I've run that discussion with WPG550 in a seperate thread but aim to continue it from here, once I get the parts from Germany and have completed the install, hopefully in a week or two.

Meantime for those of you in Scandinavia, I've added a consolidated post on http://bmwforum.dk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=69 which summarizes my experience with the mod and adds the Danish costs to the equation. I've shamefully copied the pdf from RSYED as it is excellent but I want to be upfront with that and advise it here and I hope I haven't broken any forum rule; if I have please let me know, it is certainly not the intention.

rolly888

question:
Do you need to be in DS mode to have the SAT functional ?


note: After doing the SAT DIY , I did not have to put in DS mode to have the increase in RPM while being in sport mode.
nOw if i go in sport mode without being in DS mode I do not have the increase in RPM but still have the steering wheel getting tighter. This did happen after bringing the car for service.

Any advise?

Thanks

Wpg550

No, you do not need to be in DS for SAT to be functional. The sport-button mode increases throttle response and shift points in normal D mode as well, the only difference being that you don't see the gear you're in on the display and that even if you use the paddles to shift, the transmission will go back to auto mode after a few seconds afterwards (unless you use the paddles again).

If something changed when you were in at the dealer, you may need to check what they did -- any programming done would be a likely candidate as (if I recall correctly) you only installed the shifter, but didn't do the entire retrofit with changing the vehicle order, etc. If so, the dealer's computer still thinks you have the normal auto trans ECU and possibly reprogrammed the module?

Good luck getting it sorted out -- let us know how you make out.

rolly888

YEP my fear.
But the steering gets tighter ...hmmmm .. i will reinstall it and see what is happening.

NavarroOne

OK I'm done with the full install now, thanks to WPG550

I changed my msport wheel to one that can mount the shifter buttons and there is no question that you need a new wheel - as can be clearly seen here where 1 button is mounted and the hole is open for the other. Check your regular wheel; there are no openings whatsoever:



Luckily airbag, switches and trim move over from the old wheel. Since I don't have steering wheel heater or lane departure warning, I ordered this wheel 32-34-2-283-947.

My build is late Sep 07 and there was speculation whether I'd need to also run extra wires from the SZL (Steering Column Switch/Control Unit) to a control box under the hood, as well as running a ground wire? Well, I had to so that cost a little extra time but the dealer could do it thanks to below deceptively simple description listed in item 3 below, and the SIB uploaded earlier in this thread by WPG550:

I'd say it would be straightforward for anyone else to do a full install going forward. Here's assuming you have an LCI car with an m-sport (round airbag) steering wheel without ldw/heater:

1. Get dealer to fully update software while all your old hardware is still in place - very important!
2. Order and install the following parts:
? 51166960879 ? Cover/leathersock
? 61319142869 ? Sports button
? 61319208271 ? Gearlever
? 61319165671 ? ECU
? 32342283947 ? M sports wheel with holes for sat buttons
? 61319115638 ? Left steering wheel button
? 61319116317 ? Right steering wheel button
? 61316976397 ? Wiring harness
3. Run the 2 wires from SZL as follows:
- Install 1 wire into pin 12 on SZL connector (x1880) and run to ground (this was the final step missing in the SI
- Install 1 wire into pin 13 on SZL connector (x1880) and run to connector x6031 in ebox to pin 11 red/white wire
4. Get dealer to code new Vehicle Order with SAT, and importantly, without regular auto tranny.

In the Copenhagen area, Terminalen Amager (Peter & Frank) now has experience with this.

It isn't a cheap install, even if you can do much yourself, as the parts are dear and there's a good bit of coding involved but if you can do all the hardware yourself and get the updates done timely then coding should be manageable.

I can definetely again feel the inproved throttle response when in sport mode. Steering is also nice and firm and gears are held longer. Rev matching on downshifts is cool and useful and you can downshift for engine braking without being in manual mode; a few seconds after a shift it reverts to full auto. When in ds mode, which becomes s1-s5, it won't shift to 6th even at highway speeds. I don't see the word "sport" in the instrument cluster, which I believe ought to be there, but that's the only gripe and of course the sport light is on in the sport button so it's kind of redundant anyway!

It's doubly sweet to engage sport, and s1-s5 mode, while the sprintbooster is in aggressive red-mode it doesn't hurt that it's chipped either...

For a guy who never wanted a slushbox tranny, but had to accept it to get the sweet twin turbo 535d, a full out SAT is a must-have and I look very much forward to be playing with it

mfaraldi

can this be done to a 2007 530xi (US model) I have the older style shifter sport package, that you have to bring to the left for steptronic.

Wpg550

Unfortunately no, this can only be done on the LCI models with the electronic gearshift (looks like a remote control).

mfaraldi

CRAP! im pre-lci