Start with the shift boot. To remove it, pull up by pinching the leather along the 2 longest sides. The boot is snapped into the console and it will come up when you pull.
Once the boot is unsnapped, reach in and disconnect the wire harness that powers the lighted shift knob.
Pull the shift knob straight up. Use 2 hands. Be careful not to hit yourself in the face when you do this, or hit your knuckles on the rear view mirror. Remember: do not twist the knob as you pull. It will unsnap from the selector rod.
If you are re-using your stock shift knob, you will need to cut it off of the stock boot and glue the exposed leather onto the rim of the shift knob. Use a good contact cement for this like 3M Wedgewood that you can buy at Lowes stores. Turn your aftermarket or replacement boot inside out. Feed the wire harness for your lighted knob (if you are using one) through the neck opening of your new boot. Slide your new boot onto the selector rod. Line up your knob and snap it onto the selector rod.
Connect the wire harness. Turn your boot right side out and snap the new boot onto the center console.
Then move on to the e-brake boot. To remove the stock boot, pull up at the back of the boot by pinching the leather with your fingers. No tools.
Turn the boot inside out over the e-brake handle.
Cut the factory tie wrap off at the neck of the boot and slide the boot off of the e-brake assembly. Turn your aftermarket boot inside out and slide it back onto the e-brake assembly. Re-install a new tie wrap and make sure you line it up to the groove in the brake handle. Take care to make sure you secure the entire neck of the new boot, all the way around the handle.
Turn the boot right side out. Snap it back into the console.
Good job. Remember to use genuine Alcantara and not Ultrasuede or a lower grade product. BMW always uses real Alcantara which is actually a very dark gray.
