E46 / E90 Steptronic gear shifter

davejerome · 07-29-2008, 10:00 AM

Ok, so after 18 months without a BMW I am finally getting my baby this saturday. I noticed when I test drove it that it has the normal gear knob as you would expect. However before buying I test drove an E90 and thought wow that is a nice gear knob! (I know, very sad)

So I looked on ebay and found the following:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-BMW-M-...3286.m14.l1318

On there it says its for an E90. Is that

A)Because it doesn't work on an E46
B)BMW never supplied it for the E46 so they don't put on on the box.

Thanks in advance.

P.S I would rather get a genuine one if possible as I feel it will be better made.

Poon Stick · 07-29-2008, 10:29 AM

I do believe that all of the shifters are interchangeable. (other than manual v. auto)

kpeng · 07-29-2008, 10:32 AM

That looks just like a stock shifter.

davejerome · 07-29-2008, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpeng

That looks just like a stock shifter.

Yeah it is.. ...for an E90. But the seller is saying it is a for an E87/E90 only. But I was wondering if it would not work or if BMW just print the model it is intended for.

kpeng · 07-29-2008, 10:46 AM

Not sure if they're different, but you can probably get one that looks just like that used on here. The silver trim step shifter on the E46 looks JUST like that.

budwab · 07-29-2008, 11:18 AM

I think the difference is in the length of the shaft....the correct E46 part number is

25 16 1 423 863 - for polished finish and black leather £45
25 16 2 229 444 - for matt finish and black leather £50

From your local BMW dealer
Would still be interesting to compare the E90/E46 parts side by side though

davejerome · 07-29-2008, 11:23 AM

Thanks!

So I guess that given I have the brushed aluminum finish the £50 one is what I need?

Can I just ask how you happen to know that part numbers? Thats pretty impressive!

budwab · 07-29-2008, 11:46 AM

I've got the E46 accessories brochure here in front of me

budwab · 08-02-2008, 06:09 AM

OK....I got both shifters here (and after an exchange with crazedcat from this forum)......

You can see the shaft appears to be longer on the original.......

But it DOES fit and functions perfectly.....

I think that the shaft is the same length, but more of it is exposed on the earlier shifter.

davejerome · 08-08-2008, 08:40 AM

Hi again,

Well I got the part and had it fitted. When I asked the dealer they said that the 90 is slighty different but more importantly... ...the design is slighty different.

Just looked at the photo posted above and it is indeed different. Not much but noticable without a side by side comparision.

Thanks budwab for the part number!

Janduin · 08-08-2008, 09:00 AM

ooh, that would look awesome alongside my alu-trim... gonna get me one of those!

davejerome · 08-08-2008, 10:23 AM

I just did that!!!!

I bought the E46 version (E90 in the photo). Do you want me to post a photo of it so you can compare the 2, see which you prefer?

budwab · 08-08-2008, 02:43 PM

The E90 version in my pic. needs to be modified to allow the reverse lock function to work....i.e. the shaft will be too short to engage otherwise.
Here's some pics. of my mod.......I cut the shaft and lengthened it to the same size as the original.....now perfect !
Original on top, E90 on bottom....

And fully modded E90 shifter....

zuckuss00 · 03-03-2010, 11:22 AM

So a E90 shifter trigger wont function on the e46 without mod?

07-29-2008, 10:00 AM	#1
davejerome Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maidenhead - England Posts: 56 My Ride: BMW 325ci View My Garage	E46 / E90 Steptronic gear shifter Ok, so after 18 months without a BMW I am finally getting my baby this saturday. I noticed when I test drove it that it has the normal gear knob as you would expect. However before buying I test drove an E90 and thought wow that is a nice gear knob! (I know, very sad) So I looked on ebay and found the following: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Genuine-BMW-M-...3286.m14.l1318 On there it says its for an E90. Is that A)Because it doesn't work on an E46 B)BMW never supplied it for the E46 so they don't put on on the box. Thanks in advance. P.S I would rather get a genuine one if possible as I feel it will be better made.

07-29-2008, 10:29 AM	#2
Poon Stick Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Ottawa Posts: 464 My Ride: ///M 330xi Sedan View My Garage	I do believe that all of the shifters are interchangeable. (other than manual v. auto) __________________

08-02-2008, 06:09 AM	#9
budwab Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 76 My Ride: 330D View My Garage	OK....I got both shifters here (and after an exchange with crazedcat from this forum)...... You can see the shaft appears to be longer on the original....... But it DOES fit and functions perfectly..... I think that the shaft is the same length, but more of it is exposed on the earlier shifter. Last edited by budwab; 08-02-2008 at 06:14 AM.

03-03-2010, 11:22 AM	#14
zuckuss00 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 893 My Ride: E46 Coupe View My Garage	So a E90 shifter trigger wont function on the e46 without mod? __________________ UUC Motorwerks \| Vörsteiner \| JLeviSW \| VMR \| DTM-Spec \| Euro Dyne \| ModBargains \| EAS

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07-29-2008, 10:32 AM	#3
kpeng Banned User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 25,711 My Ride: E46 330 and E30 325 View My Garage	That looks just like a stock shifter.

07-29-2008, 10:46 AM	#5
kpeng Banned User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 25,711 My Ride: E46 330 and E30 325 View My Garage	Not sure if they're different, but you can probably get one that looks just like that used on here. The silver trim step shifter on the E46 looks JUST like that.

07-29-2008, 11:18 AM	#6
budwab Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 76 My Ride: 330D View My Garage	I think the difference is in the length of the shaft....the correct E46 part number is 25 16 1 423 863 - for polished finish and black leather £45 25 16 2 229 444 - for matt finish and black leather £50 From your local BMW dealer Would still be interesting to compare the E90/E46 parts side by side though

07-29-2008, 11:23 AM	#7
davejerome Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maidenhead - England Posts: 56 My Ride: BMW 325ci View My Garage	Thanks! So I guess that given I have the brushed aluminum finish the £50 one is what I need? Can I just ask how you happen to know that part numbers? Thats pretty impressive!

07-29-2008, 11:46 AM	#8
budwab Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 76 My Ride: 330D View My Garage	I've got the E46 accessories brochure here in front of me

08-08-2008, 08:40 AM	#10
davejerome Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maidenhead - England Posts: 56 My Ride: BMW 325ci View My Garage	Hi again, Well I got the part and had it fitted. When I asked the dealer they said that the 90 is slighty different but more importantly... ...the design is slighty different. Just looked at the photo posted above and it is indeed different. Not much but noticable without a side by side comparision. Thanks budwab for the part number!

08-08-2008, 09:00 AM	#11
Janduin Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Sweden Posts: 86 My Ride: 330xi -01 View My Garage	ooh, that would look awesome alongside my alu-trim... gonna get me one of those!

08-08-2008, 10:23 AM	#12
davejerome Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maidenhead - England Posts: 56 My Ride: BMW 325ci View My Garage	I just did that!!!! I bought the E46 version (E90 in the photo). Do you want me to post a photo of it so you can compare the 2, see which you prefer?

08-08-2008, 02:43 PM	#13
budwab Registered User Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: UK Posts: 76 My Ride: 330D View My Garage	The E90 version in my pic. needs to be modified to allow the reverse lock function to work....i.e. the shaft will be too short to engage otherwise. Here's some pics. of my mod.......I cut the shaft and lengthened it to the same size as the original.....now perfect ! Original on top, E90 on bottom.... And fully modded E90 shifter....