Auto Shift Knob Replacement
 

Just a quick note to all of those with auto shift knobs that have worn out or look a little "used". I was looking at a BMW performance shifter that was designed for the current generation 1 and 3 series and when I got to feel it I was hooked - the alcantara felt great so I ordered one and set out to figure out how to retrofit - which turned out to be a non-issue - it popped right in.

The silver is a perfect match for the cup-holder and for the steering wheel trim and it looks like it was meant to be there. There is a matching alcantara shift boot but I didn't get that - it would require more - but not too difficult - modding to make it fit. I attached a picture of it and the part number is 25 16 2 153 758. It is sold on ebay for $115.

Now it's on to the real mods - new interior trim (Madeira Walnut from an M6), SS exhaust, and some new tires/rims and springs coming in the spring!

Nice!

Wow. Nice. Do you have a picture of it installed in your 6? I'm close to getting this and I'd like to see it with the 6 boot.

Great looking shifter bmwe39fan! :thumbup: That is a great looking mod and like you said, it blends right in.

awesome find... getbmwparts.com has them for 105...

i bought the wood shifter for mine and it cost more... I wish I knew of this a few months ago....

I must say the boot seems like an integral part... likely worth getting as well..

+1

I will try and take a decent picture tonight - I took one last night with my BB (attached) but it didn't show much boot - but it did show my diet coke quite well...

it really blends in well... even the coke:rofl:

you could always wrap your wheel in alcantara and that would make it all match...

pics from other angles would be nice.... thanks for sharing

Well - I didn't get out of meetings until after dark here so this is the best I can do tonight with poor lighting in the garage - but you get the point. I really thought there was going to be an issue with the alcantara against the leather but I am ok with it - it works for now.,..

I will try and take some good pics this weekend.

Looks sweet man. No worries. BMW might catch on and try to put that shifter in the new 6 with the lighted gears incorporated :D

A quick internet search came up with these pictures...

SWEET find!

Here are some pictures from this morning...

And the replacement was a simple pull of the old one (I've heard it's quite a pull that's necessary) and pushing in of the new one?

it was for me - but I have heard that sometimes you have to swap the stalks that go down into the shift mechanism - I've done that before and it is easy as well...

can we get the new shifters from the 6 series in i would spring for that..Oh boy

Unfortunately no - the new shifters are very different and won't work with our units...

when i went to Driving School those shifters and the HUD sold me.. Couldnt spring for a 09 tho girlfriend would've left me for sure no wedding ring for her

you guys need the alcantara headliner, i just pick up my car and the guy who did it did an amazing job. pics will be up tomorrow i promise. Anybody in the orlando area i def recommend it!!!!!!
and price well you cant beat it!!!!

You can install the new shift knobs in the 6 series. I already did and it is awesome!!!!! It is this stylehttp://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/att...8&d=1259143848, but this is not an actual pic of my car. If anybody wants i can do a write up with actual pics of my shift knob.

One more question on knob
 

Sorry but I'm a mechanical idiot - if you buy this knob you're suggestion, are you saying you just "yank" the old one out??