William's 330Ci ZHP Maintenance and Project Thread

[330i Lover]

Curves, what is the part # of the steering wheel you got from http://www.dctms.com/product_ST_BMW_E46.html? Also I see the Prices start off at $850 before any custom work. Am I misunderstanding their prices after the $200 core refund?

[Vas]

Curves, what is the part # of the steering wheel you got from http://www.dctms.com/product_ST_BMW_E46.html? Also I see the Prices start off at $850 before any custom work. Am I misunderstanding their prices after the $200 core refund?

At that price pint I would go with Coby Wheel or an M3 leather wheel.

I'm partial to Alcantara

[BMWCurves]

Curves, what is the part # of the steering wheel you got from http://www.dctms.com/product_ST_BMW_E46.html? Also I see the Prices start off at $850 before any custom work. Am I misunderstanding their prices after the $200 core refund?

So I didn't order through their website because there seemed to be some conflicting information. Instead I emailed them directly at sales@dctms.com and described what I wanted. My original email to them was like this:

Hello,

I am looking to see if you will do a custom leather wrap of an 2005 BMW 330Ci steering wheel. A previous customer of yours was very satisfied with your work suggested your services. My current steering wheel is alcantara (like this: http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/6636/p1020834y.jpg). I am wanting it to be rewrapped in a mixture of leather and perforated leather like the 2006 BMW 330Ci ZHPs (looks like this: http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachm...6&d=1359381490). Would this be possible? What would it cost if I sent you the core of the steering wheel? Please let me know, thank you!

Best,
William

Ivan, one of DCTMS' employees responded with the following email:

William
we can make the steering wheel like picture attached
extra thick padding, smooth NAPA top and bottom, Perforated sides with M stitching
$349 + shipping

Ivan

From there we discussed details. Ivan was very responsive, responding to several emails on the same day. I ended up having them wrap one of the cores they had on hand so I could still drive my car with my old alcantara wheel while I waited ($199 added core deposit). Shipping to Portland was $15 but may be more to where you live. Total turn around time was about 3.5 weeks. I mailed them back my old alcantara wheel and received the deposit back within a matter of days. Hope that helps!

[BMWCurves]

At that price pint I would go with Coby Wheel or an M3 leather wheel.

I'm partial to Alcantara

Definitely good alternative options.

[330i Lover]

So I didn't order through their website because there seemed to be some conflicting information. Instead I emailed them directly at sales@dctms.com and described what I wanted. My original email to them was like this:



Ivan, one of DCTMS' employees responded with the following email:



From there we discussed details. Ivan was very responsive, responding to several emails on the same day. I ended up having them wrap one of the cores they had on hand so I could still drive my car with my old alcantara wheel while I waited ($199 added core deposit). Shipping to Portland was $15 but may be more to where you live. Total turn around time was about 3.5 weeks. I mailed them back my old alcantara wheel and received the deposit back within a matter of days. Hope that helps!

Nice. I'll be sure to revisit this post after my headlights are fixed. One project at a time.

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[BMWCurves]

Yesterday I received my Bimmian cell phone mount. I installed the Bimmian mount after a bit of a fight with the radio trip getting to seat correctly. I had to readjust the mount a couple of times using my hands to get the mount to sit flush with the leather (?) trim. Even then I had to push the radio trim down and against the Bimmian mount for it to seat correctly. I really like how it looks and where it sits in the car.

Total time: 15-20 mins.
Total curse count: Under 10.

Now I am just waiting on getting my Proclip so I can mount it to the Bimmian mount. Once it's all together I imagine I will be very satisfied with the setup.

New news:

• The rear driver's side sunshade clip (part no. 54138246027) decided to hop its rail and the sunshade can only move maybe 1-2" from the closed position. Unfortunately this means I can't access the screws/bolts that hold in the sunroof glass so that I could fix it. The sunroof would function normally, just not the sunshade. However, in my fiddling with trying to get the sunshade to slide rearward so I could access those sunroof glass bolts, I popped more of the clips off the sliding rail so it's now even worse. I'm not really sure what to do, I might leave it for the mechanic before I do more damage.
• The passenger's door is rattling a bunch. I'm guessing I'll have to open up the door and put some foam around the speaker grille.
• I also received Bimmian's M-Sport grille stickers. I'm not sure if I'm going to install them but for $5 I think it's worth the gamble to see how they'll look.
• I still have to install the BMW Performance brake rotors, Hawk HP-S pads, and paint the calipers yellow. Hopefully I can get to that next weekend.
• I'm in the hunt for black manual transmission leather shift boot and a black leather parking brake boot.
• The car needs a good wash, but haven't had a break in the rain long enough to manage it.

Pictures from the Bimmian cell phone mount install:
The mount in its box. It comes with the mount, install instructions, and two mounting bolts


Trim off. No broken orange trim clip things! It really helps to have some trim removal tools


First mounting attempt, front view


First mounting attempt, side view. Note how the bends in the mount don't quite sit flush with the car. I would readjust this, putting significant weight on the mount while tightening down the nut.


Mount installed and the trim reinstalled

[NoVAphotog]

Yesterday I received my Bimmian cell phone mount. I installed the Bimmian mount after a bit of a fight with the radio trip getting to seat correctly. I had to readjust the mount a couple of times using my hands to get the mount to sit flush with the leather (?) trim. Even then I had to push the radio trim down and against the Bimmian mount for it to seat correctly. I really like how it looks and where it sits in the car.

Total time: 15-20 mins.
Total curse count: Under 10.

Now I am just waiting on getting my Proclip so I can mount it to the Bimmian mount. Once it's all together I imagine I will be very satisfied with the setup.

New news:

• The rear driver's side sunshade clip (part no. 54138246027) decided to hop its rail and the sunshade can only move maybe 1-2" from the closed position. Unfortunately this means I can't access the screws/bolts that hold in the sunroof glass so that I could fix it. The sunroof would function normally, just not the sunshade. However, in my fiddling with trying to get the sunshade to slide rearward so I could access those sunroof glass bolts, I popped more of the clips off the sliding rail so it's now even worse. I'm not really sure what to do, I might leave it for the mechanic before I do more damage.
• The passenger's door is rattling a bunch. I'm guessing I'll have to open up the door and put some foam around the speaker grille.
• I also received Bimmian's M-Sport grille stickers. I'm not sure if I'm going to install them but for $5 I think it's worth the gamble to see how they'll look.
• I still have to install the BMW Performance brake rotors, Hawk HP-S pads, and paint the calipers yellow. Hopefully I can get to that next weekend.
• I'm in the hunt for black manual transmission leather shift boot and a black leather parking brake boot.
• The car needs a good wash, but haven't had a break in the rain long enough to manage it.

Pictures from the Bimmian cell phone mount install:
The mount in its box. It comes with the mount, install instructions, and two mounting bolts


Trim off. No broken orange trim clip things! It really helps to have some trim removal tools


First mounting attempt, front view


First mounting attempt, side view. Note how the bends in the mount don't quite sit flush with the car. I would readjust this, putting significant weight on the mount while tightening down the nut.


Mount installed and the trim reinstalled

Well played. So just push down hard while tightening to fix the dreaded "Bimmian trim bump?"

[BMWCurves]

Well played. So just push down hard while tightening to fix the dreaded "Bimmian trim bump?"

That's what worked for me. I just pushed down hard so that the mount's bends were flush with the car, then tightened down the nut. I still had to push down on the mount with the radio trim to get the trim piece to slide back into place, but it doesn't feel too stressed or anything.

[WOLFN8TR]

Looks great! Love the Bimmian cell phone mount. FYI you don't have to remove the radio trim to install the mount. Just move it back slightly to install it.

[danewilson77]

Great tip.

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