E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

715 · May 8, 2009

I found this retrofit in the US E60 forums. Couldn't resist the poison and took the plunge and ordered in the parts.

Before:

After:

The Sports Auto Transmission (SAT) is standard in the 525 last year (I don't know if the current 525 still gets this) and was not available in my 523.

Besides changing the gear stick, the ECU or gear selection switch (the whole base of the gear shift) was changed as well. There is also an additional "SPORT" button. If you turn on the SPORT button, the steering is stiffen up, and the gear takes longer or higher rev to change up.

What I like about this mod:
- asthetics and ergonomics of the new gear knob
- heavier steering with more feel when the SPORT button is on
- gear drags longer before changing up (more than DS mode) without the need to floor the pedal
- almost instantaneous gear change when you're in manual. There is a lag effect in the standard auto transmission when you're in manual.

Overall, I love the mod very much, and no regrets on the money and efforts spent.

Also, change my standard steering to the SMG sports steering at the same time:

Standard steering:

SMG Sports Steering:

And finally a picture of the demodded parts:

Also, many thanks to Ah Wee and the BVO boys for fixing up all these for me! Great job!

Do let me know if anyone is interested in this and need any more info or help.

Cheers!

(PS. Apologies for the bad quality pics taken with my phone!)

blackbmw · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

Wow bru, swee swee man. Congras!!!!

JLMC · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

great Mod ,bro! looks good :drool:

whats the damage? u import all by yr self? then pay labour cost to BVO?
SMG steering from local or u buy all items at 1 go from E60.net?

715 · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

SAT parts buy from Eng Soon. You need to know the correct part numbers for our RHD cars. Later I'll find the receipt and post the part numbers here if you want. SAT parts cost about S$XXX

SMG steering bought from ebay at a fraction of the price of what you can get here, I was damn lucky!

You can DIY the SAT mod, but me is hand like leg kindof person. So BVO did all the above for me, only charge me the normal labour charge.

IMHO, it's worth every cent!

****Grinning****

JLMC · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

715;435461 said:
SAT parts buy from Eng Soon. You need to know the correct part numbers for our RHD cars. Later I'll find the receipt and post the part numbers here if you want. SAT parts cost about S$1k

SMG steering bought from ebay at a fraction of the price of what you can get here, I was damn lucky!

You can DIY the SAT mod, but me is hand like leg kindof person. So BVO did all the above for me, only charge me the normal labour charge.

IMHO, it's worth every cent!

****Grinning****

wow!! good deal..n enjoy yr ride..ai-race mai?
calling MBoy..i think this is what u wanted..

desertfox65 · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

There is a mention that you need to get the thing activated at the dealer. Did BVo do that for you?? since without that it wont work.

"For SAT functionality, please have your car coded at the dealer".......

Board Message

Correction: THe display wont show SAT functionality.. but apprently the hardware will work flawlessly.

715 · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

JLMC;435468 said:
wow!! good deal..n enjoy yr ride..ai-race mai?
calling MBoy..i think this is what u wanted..

My car very stock, cannot race la.... just did the mod for aesthetic and smoother gear change and better feel that's all.

I used to have this problem with the standard shifter, ie, sometimes when you shift from P to D or R, the gear just stayed at P. This happens very frequently previously, highlighted to PML but problem still not solved. After I've changed to this new SAT, the problem did not surface at all. Will drive for another week or 2 to monitor and see.

desertfox65;435521 said:
There is a mention that you need to get the thing activated at the dealer. Did BVo do that for you?? since without that it wont work.

"For SAT functionality, please have your car coded at the dealer".......

Board Message

Nope, BVO can't code for me. And PML won't code for you also. The SAT will still work well without coding. With coding, you will able to see SPORT activated on the BC display in front of you, and you will see S1, S2, S3 etc when you go manual with SPORT activated.
Without coding, the SAT will still function fully, but you can't see the SPORT activated on your display cluster, and you will still see D1, D2, D3 etc in manual instead. One good thing is that on the SPORT button itself there is a small indicator light, so that you will be able to see whether it is ON or OFF.

Part numbers for RHD are as follows (what I have ordered):
1. Gear Knob: 6131 9 142 951
2. Gear Selector Cover (Console Trim): 5116 6 960 880
3. Sport Button: 6131 9 142 869
* 4. Gear Selector Switch: 6131 9 204 093 *

The last item is the most crucial part, which is the 'brain' of the SAT functionality. If you go to RealOEM.com Online BMW Parts Catalog and key in your VIN code, you will see 5 part numbers for this part. I took a wild guess and chose the newest part number (no.4 above), and I was lucky that it works well for me. So I am not sure if your car will use the same part number or not. Better to check and discuss with your parts supplier before you confirm. Usually such parts are non-returnable.

Disclaimer: trying to share a good mod with fellow LCI-ers, the mod and part numbers work well for me (I took a risk!) but I will not know if it will work for you perfectly! My car is manufactured in Jan 2008, 523i LCI. Cars built near this date should share the same part numbers. Mod at your own risk!

desertfox65 · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

ES and all other suppliers will key in your VIN, it should be fine as long as you supply your VIN . The ETK catalogue gives the latest compatible part numbers for the VIN indicated.Another way to make sure it works, is to look under Gear shift section on real oem and if you find the SAT option then it is valid and compatible the vehicle.

715 · May 8, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

desertfox65;435536 said:
ES and all other suppliers will key in your VIN, it should be fine as long as you supply your VIN . The ETK catalogue gives the latest compatible part numbers for the VIN indicated.Another way to make sure it works, is to look under Gear shift section on real oem and if you find the SAT option then it is valid and compatible the vehicle.

When I key in my VIN into real oem dot com, they gave me 5 part numbers for the gear selector switch, and that's where I got stucked and didn't dare to proceed initially. Went down to ES and discussed with them, and they told me that the last number 'should' be correct. As i die die also wanna do this mod, told myself to take the risk and the most suay suay order again if it is wrong. Phew! Lucky it went ok.

Oh, there's also 3 different part numbers for the Gear Selector Cover, I think they are of different colour/finish. The part number that I have listed is what you see in the pictures that I have posted.

desertfox65 · May 9, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

if you check bmw etk it clearly says "03/2009" so if it appreaas after you type in the VIN there is no risk of incompatability. the last number is the latest version thats all.

btw did you check if your warranty with BMW is voided since this was done as a retrofit???

715 · May 9, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

desertfox65;435642 said:
if you check bmw etk it clearly says "03/2009" so if it appreaas after you type in the VIN there is no risk of incompatability. the last number is the latest version thats all.

btw did you check if your warranty with BMW is voided since this was done as a retrofit???

er, what's bmw etk? I only know reaoem.
Anyway, just wanna highlight to the bros here to be cautious on the part numbers if they wanna mod this. No harm being more careful mah....

Warranty? I was too poisoned until I couldn't care about it lio la. If something goes seriously wrong, I'll change back to my stock AT shift before going back to pml lor.. the same goes for my steering as well. Anyway, if worry about warranty then everything also cannot mod lio la. AD will tell you change rims also will void warranty, and their stand on warranty is also very fuzzy.....

MBboy · Aug 26, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

JLMC;435468 said:
wow!! good deal..n enjoy yr ride..ai-race mai?
calling MBoy..i think this is what u wanted..

SIBEH SWEE ARRRRRRRRRRRRRR WHEN ORDER??

MBboy · Aug 26, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

"I used to have this problem with the standard shifter, ie, sometimes when you shift from P to D or R, the gear just stayed at P. This happens very frequently previously, highlighted to PML but problem still not solved. After I've changed to this new SAT, the problem did not surface at all. Will drive for another week or 2 to monitor and see."

715,
common issue for e60 LCI standard shifter... for my friend's case, he got it changed without questions asked at pml.

hope your SAT is still serving you well? really nice mod!

pufferfish · Aug 26, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

MBboy;468811 said:
"I used to have this problem with the standard shifter, ie, sometimes when you shift from P to D or R, the gear just stayed at P. This happens very frequently previously, highlighted to PML but problem still not solved. After I've changed to this new SAT, the problem did not surface at all. Will drive for another week or 2 to monitor and see."

715,
common issue for e60 LCI standard shifter... for my friend's case, he got it changed without questions asked at pml.

hope your SAT is still serving you well? really nice mod!

Hi MBboy,

Did you mean that PML changed the standard shifter to the sports shifter for your friend? No questions ask, really? How did he do that?

Regards

715 · Aug 26, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

MBboy;468811 said:
"I used to have this problem with the standard shifter, ie, sometimes when you shift from P to D or R, the gear just stayed at P. This happens very frequently previously, highlighted to PML but problem still not solved. After I've changed to this new SAT, the problem did not surface at all. Will drive for another week or 2 to monitor and see."

715,
common issue for e60 LCI standard shifter... for my friend's case, he got it changed without questions asked at pml.

hope your SAT is still serving you well? really nice mod!

PML did changed the stock gear shift for me once when I complained last year, but the problem was still not solved.

It has been 3-4 months since I've done this retrofit, and this problem did not surface even once after the SAT has been installed. So I think the standard gear shift really is a problem.

Yes, the SAT has been serving me well for the past months. Enjoying myself everyday even by just looking at the gear shift, haha! I really like the heavier steering with the Sports button activated especially on the expressways. Bring back sweet memories of my previous E39.

By the way, a few guys here have pm me about this mod, and I think some of them have done it as well.

shiokS60 · Aug 26, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

Bro,

Can PM me more about this mod like price and where to get it done? Really sweee!

715 · Aug 26, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

shiokS60;468922 said:
Bro,

Can PM me more about this mod like price and where to get it done? Really sweee!

PM sent!!

Silly 5 · Sep 2, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

Hi bro, wow really really swee mod...please PM me the price and where to get it done...thanks

kwekeroo · Sep 2, 2009

Re: E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

v swee. I have a 525 and it does not come with the SAT. But i love the set up.....please pm me the price that you did yours. thanks

hellowsolredlltedlieks · Sep 2, 2009

E60LCI Sports Shifter Retrofit

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