OK, here ya go.
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Review of Paddle-Shifting Retrofit
Hello all!
I can finally sit down and write up a short review of my paddle-shifting retrofit. Since I received the M3 wheel with paddles about one and a half weeks ago, I have been working on it and getting through little obstacles along the way. The retrofit is officially completed as of last weekend.
First of all, I would like to thank Alex Baumann, A. Turker Erdogan, Neil Banks & Richard Wearing at Damon Hill BMW UK, James, Kaz & 31st330i for listening, Dan at Cutters BMW, FullTimeHitMan, and the first few reversed pattern retrofit-ters (alee, johnlew, LilEccentricJ). These individuals have one way or another helped or inspired me to complete this project.
This is not a DIY write-up but rather a brief review of the overall process of the retrofit and the driving experiences with paddle shifting. Unfortunately, pictures won't do any good of explaining the joys of paddle-shifting. One has to sit behind the wheel and drive! But I will try my best to review.
How did this project surface?
Well, Alpina first introduced their Switch-Tronic system back in 1993. Then Lexus first mass produced this technology via their E-shift project on the GS (1996)and IS models. In 1998/9 BMW introduced the StepTronic system, which in my observation is really the Alpina Switch-Tronic system without the button shifting.. Remember, a lot of new technological bits that appear in BMW models are joint projects with Alpina. Since I acquired my BMW last June, I have been looking forward to obtain the Alpina steering wheel WITH Switch-tronic buttons and hoping to retrofit button shifting from there. But the search for the Alpina Switch-Tronic wheel lasted a painful 8 months. When BMW released their SMG II system, I saw the opportunity to perform this retrofit. Also some hardcore BMW nuts in Japan have already retrofitted paddle shifting. Therefore it will be a feasible project. Remember, the paddle shifting retrofit is NOT to replace StepTronic but rather as an add-on option.
The fact that the M3 wheel with paddles has been on back-order in most parts of the world makes this retrofit a rather tedious anxiety. During this waiting period, I built a simple circuit board and tested the signals successfully. As of the time I am writing this review, the wheel is still on back-order.
Conceptually, retrofitting paddle shifting is not like proving the existence of anti-matter. It is just transferring the +/- actions from the shift knob to the steering wheel. But when I got down to work on this, I realize there are more to it than just running wiring from here to there, connect the signals and then done. I also have to customize a wiring harness. The number of hours I spent on this retrofit is about 4 to 5 hours. That includes understanding the electrical diagrams, playing around with the switches and the signals, removing trims, getting my way around the dashboard and gathering the right parts etc. So it is not exactly a plug-n-play installation. Now that I am more familiar with the process, the project should take less than 2 hours to complete. Most of my parts are original BMW parts.
So how does it feel like to paddle shift?
In sum, it is nothing but an even more fabulous drive everyday now. Remember my review on the RET system, where looking forward to the exhaust note is like drinking a cup of macchiato every morning? Now, with paddle-shifting, it's two cups of macchiato plus tons of biscottis for dipping. I drove both on the local streets and on the highway everyday. Paddle shifting on the local streets is a lot more challenging, since one could be making a lot of sharp turning radii. Once the wheel makes a 180deg turn, that's when the incovenience of paddle shifting starts to kick in. But this is also when StepTronic will come in handy. However, the perspective on highway driving totally changed. The much anticipated convenience of keeping my hands on the wheel ALL THE TIME and the ability to shift, change radio channels, operate the phone is a dream come through. I find it most rewarding when overtaking vehicles on the highway. But hopefully this does not induce speeding on the highway, which I strongly disapprove. This paddle-shifting retrofit does not make the car go any faster, but one will have the tendency to red-line at every gear for thrill of paddle shifting. The paddles can be reached if you have your hands anywhere from the 8/4, 9/3, 10/2 positions. Last I heard there are larger paddles available, but I have not seen them yet. This retrofit is also fool-proof to prevent accidental shifting while in either P,R,N,D mode. That means if you paddle-shift during any of this mode, nothing will happen. The paddles will ONLY work in S mode. That means once you shift the knob to S, the paddle-shifting system will be activated, much like how the M mode is activated. In addition, even if you press and hold either paddle, only one signal will be transmitted to the transmission control unit. So there is absolutely nothing to worry about. This safety feature already exists on StepTronic.
Perhaps the next driving experience will be on the winding roads of Malibu Canyons, where it is a true test to the benefits of paddle shifting.
Lastly, this retrofit is not truly a SMG II system. But is the first place I never set out to perform a SMG II retrofit anyway. While I have got some sneers from some of the M3 folks, I am just glad that I successfully introduced another new form of life to my car. Afterall, this is what driving a BMW is all about: passion and enthusiasm. Moreover, this is what Alpina introduced in their line of B3, B10 and B12 models back in 1993 anyway. The DIY for this project might or might not be published. Nor do I have the desire to market/license this retrofit to any dealers out there. If you're interested, you can drop by BimmerFest 2002 at Cutters BMW to take a peek of my car (thanks Jon).
Just keep checking back here for the latest information. Thanks for reading!
©Vincent Seah March 27th 2002
Gotta go driving in the NEW wheel...talk soon aye? 
