[sor]

     Featured on BIMMERPOST.com

I really don’t expect anyone to know this but back in 2017 I was one of the first to get one of the new G01 X3 M40i models, and a lot of people were complaining about a steering wheel shortage that caused these cars to come without an M sport wheel for the first half of the model year. For some reason I took it upon myself to do a whole write up about finding an equivalent wheel from an M5 or whatever else and swapping it. There was a whole spreadsheet and different part numbers based on which features you had. For about $3k you could buy all of the individual components and wiring and assemble one , or find a compatible second hand one.

Well, I’m at it again, but this time I’m not going to go to the trouble of a big “how to”.

After having a loaner for a few days I January I realized that I missed having a round M sport steering wheel. I came across one online that was clearly the same generation as the iX, you could tell from the button configuration. In fact, it looked like an i7 sport wheel but without the flat bottom. I wasn’t sure what it was but I thought I’d give it a try! I have come to believe it is probably an X1 M sport wheel, but who knows for sure.

So I buy it, looks great. Except I overlooked one thing - the iX titanium bronze trim! I can tell just by holding it up in the cockpit that the mismatched silver and titanium is going to drive me crazy. What to do… well obviously I need to wrap or paint the silver so I have to disassemble the wheel.

This generation of wheel is interesting. Engineering wise it seems a lot better than the G series. The vibration motor and everything else is integrated into the button modules and thus the wiring is much cleaner. Additionally the front cover is just friction fit, no screws required on the iX and only two on the middle spoke for the new wheel.

I get it torn down, and initially I think I’m going to carbon fiber wrap it. I spend about 30 minutes but it’s just beyond my pay grade with the nooks and crannies. Oh well, I go to the hardware store and buy a few spray paints that look like they might be a good match for titanium bronze. I got lucky - Rustoleum “satin nickel” is the ticket! I’m not sure it is close enough for touch ups directly on the titanium trim but it is really close, close enough that I don’t think anyone will know the difference with it on the wheel.

I paint the trim, several light coats, and while I am waiting for it to dry I make the snap decision to swap the button modules from my iX wheel. They’re kind of a faux glass rather than plain matte, which matches the car better. So I disassemble my iX wheel as well. The steering wheel bolt that attaches to the steering column requires a Torx T60, by the way. And a large wrench, that thing is torqued on there! I used the breaker bar I have for the lugs when I do my seasonal tire swap.

Anyway, I get it all painted and reassembled. Installed it on the car and took it for a drive. It was actually a bit disorienting at first! I was so used to the hex wheel. It’s great though, I love it. Color came out perfectly and it looks amazing. Tested all of the functions and it all works including heat, vibration, and hand sensing. The M60 should have come with this wheel. I understand they made design choices to make it different and stand out, but the M60 needs more differentiation from the 50.

[VirtualGuitars]

Please share a picture of your service advisor’s face when they see this! Truly awesome! I dig it! What’s going to be even more interesting is what the BMW dealership does when you take it in for the airbag recall…

[Paladin1]

Now if you could just get the Boost shifter to kick on Sport Mode!

[deutsch100]

WOW. I am amazed, shocked, terrified and excited about this. From day 1 with my iX 50 and now our 60s....we are not fans of the look or feel of the steering wheel.

You are RIGHT, the steering wheel you have now is what the M60 should have had. It looks soooo good and I know this wheel, it feels good too!!

Cannot believe all the functions work...heat, buttons, vibration, voice activation, semi self driving, cruise control, radio, volume, etc...

I do agree V.Guitars....how and what will you do with the airbag recall???

[sor]

Probably just change the bag. The airbag is still the one that came with the car too.

Not clear if the stop sale is due to the driver steering airbag, is it?

[sor]

Since I swapped the buttons everything that plugs into the car aside from the heat and touch in the wheel itself is from the original setup. So I guess no surprise it all works. The other buttons probably would too but I didn’t try.

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by sor

Probably just change the bag. The airbag is still the one that came with the car too.

Not clear if the stop sale is due to the driver steering airbag, is it?

I believe it is indeed, the driver side airbag in the steering wheel…. They probably won’t care, but I’m sure it will certainly be noticed…

[NomoTesla]

I love my iX steering wheel! It's super comfortable and the flat bottom makes it so much easier to get into and out of the car. I imagine the screen would be obscured partially with a circular wheel.

[sor]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

I love my iX steering wheel! It's super comfortable and the flat bottom makes it so much easier to get into and out of the car. I imagine the screen would be obscured partially with a circular wheel.

I thought it might be too, but not really. This isn’t the only car with iDrive 8 and they all have round wheels.

I did like resting my hands on the flat bottom during road trips.

[hugo_nz]

The round wheel is going to impact visibility of the displays. This was one of the reasons BMW designed it the way they did. I’ve never had an issue with the IX wheel, but hey, to each their own

[sor]

Originally Posted by hugo_nz

The round wheel is going to impact visibility of the displays. This was one of the reasons BMW designed it the way they did. I’ve never had an issue with the IX wheel, but hey, to each their own

I thought that but I don’t buy it anymore. After driving a new 330i loaner (which prompted me to make the switch) with the exact same display setup I realized there are maybe half a dozen models now with the same display, but round wheels. You’d think if it was intentionally done for the display at least the i7 would have a hexagonal wheel.

[NomoTesla]

Originally Posted by sor

I thought it might be too, but not really. This isn’t the only car with iDrive 8 and they all have round wheels.

I noticed that the screen is positioned at a slightly different height wrt the driver in the i7, which uses a round wheel. I remember reading the iX wheel was elongated up top to allow more of the screen to be seen. That's also the reason why Tesla did away with the top half of its steering wheel entirely

It certainly looks better with the round wheel. Whatever works, I say!

[sor]

True. Well all I can say is it doesn’t make a lick of difference for display visibility in my experience so far!

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

That's also the reason why Tesla did away with the top half of its steering wheel entirely

But now they offer both! In fact, it defaults to the regular steering wheel unless you change it on the configurator tool.

[NomoTesla]

Originally Posted by VirtualGuitars

But now they offer both! In fact, it defaults to the regular steering wheel unless you change it on the configurator tool.

Because nobody would buy the damn car! I tried to drive one with the half-wheel and it was such a terrible experience. What makes sense in Elon Musk's F*'d up tiny penis brain rarely translates to the real world where the rest of us live.

[VirtualGuitars]

Originally Posted by NomoTesla

Because nobody would buy the damn car! I tried to drive one with the half-wheel and it was such a terrible experience. What makes sense in Elon Musk's F*'d up tiny penis brain rarely translates to the real world where the rest of us live.

I have several friends that have them. They all say it was really weird at first but they got used to it in a few days and can’t imagine going back to a regular wheel. Personally, I think it looks goofy as hell.

[NomoTesla]

Originally Posted by VirtualGuitars

I have several friends that have them. They all say it was really weird at first but they got used to it in a few days and can’t imagine going back to a regular wheel. Personally, I think it looks goofy as hell.

Tesla owners have to engage in post-purchase rationalization because they suffer from Buyer's Stockholm Syndrome. Cognitive Dissonance among the Teslarati is a real thing.

https://michaelgearon.medium.com/cog...n-41056287eeb9

[ggalanis]

Originally Posted by VirtualGuitars

I have several friends that have them. They all say it was really weird at first but they got used to it in a few days and can’t imagine going back to a regular wheel. Personally, I think it looks goofy as hell.

Lots of people say they prefer it, have gotten used to it, "never reach for the missing part of the wheel", etc.

The truth comes out when they drive a car with a round one after they got used to the yoke and constantly and instinctively use the top part of the rim without ever having to think about it. If the yoke, and the hand position that you are forced into with it were more natural, they wouldn't touch the top part.

I remember watching a video from the YouTube channel Dirty Tesla where he drove some car after he got used to his aftermarket yoke for his model Y. He did exactly what I mentioned above.

Then there is the whole thing about buttons vs stalks... The stalk might be an antiquated design but it is still a better design than buttons on the wheel or screen. This goes for the turn indicators, the lights, and the wipers. Same thing with using a button on the steering wheel for the horn (which had been done by many companies before) as opposed to pressing the center of the wheel. For the most common situations where you use the horn, smashing the center of the wheel is just more natural to do.

[NomoTesla]

Originally Posted by ggalanis

Then there is the whole thing about buttons vs stalks... The stalk might be an antiquated design but it is still a better design than buttons on the wheel or screen. This goes for the turn indicators, the lights, and the wipers. Same thing with using a button on the steering wheel for the horn (which had been done by many companies before) as opposed to pressing the center of the wheel. For the most common situations where you use the horn, smashing the center of the wheel is just more natural to do.

Don't even get me started on the missing stalks or the awkward, downright stupid idea to put turn signals on buttons that are not even oriented left/right, but up/down. Elon Musk must have assigned the steering wheel design to a poorly paid, dyslexic intern.

[sor]

Ok one last post on this and then I’ll stop beating the dead horse

I’m not going to go all CSI with a transparent overlay, but it is really clear in this comparison photo just how little difference there actually is in the viewport through these wheels. Not just the size, but shape of the viewport is nearly identical. The original iX wheel may have slightly larger thumrest cutouts.

If you go back into my post history, I was one of the ones initially offering up and perpetuating the “it matches iDrive” explanations for the shape. That’s just not the case, there’s no difference.

The biggest difference is in the bottom part, the iX wheel looks squished. If it weren’t for power tilt this may help with entry for some people.

[NomoTesla]

It sure would be nice if that BOOST paddle could be mapped to activate Sport Mode!

Now I feel weird with my potato wheel...

[xueju1121]

God damn, it is beautiful! I always prefer the M steering wheel in the i7 compared to the one in the iX.

Did you buy it from a third-party shop?