First successful M3 M-drive (including MDM) retrofit

[rhouck]

Originally Posted by Mr Friese

This is good stuff. I'm not sure that many will be enthused about taking apart their whole steering wheel / column to get the job done though, might not be worth that much trouble in the end.

It really is incredibly easy. I have not done any other work on the car besides this and did it quickly in a parking garage. It requires very basic tools and no specialized knowledge. I have seen tons of people with performance steering wheels and this is really the same install (minus the wiring, so it's actually easier).

If someone felt uncomfortable for some reason, they should not feel shy about taking it to a shop and having them do it. I bet it would be less than an hour of labor.

I understand that the pictures might look intimidating and anything that involves an airbag can be anxiety-inducing, but this really is quite easy. I'd hate to see someone scared away by the hardware-install side since it really IS worth the very limited trouble

[ChrisK]

Holy crap! I'm impressed!

[JulieDriving]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

Great news isn't it JulieD? Now you can order your car the way YOU want it with no MDrive anxiety.

Yes! My order went in without the double hump and I wasn't really expecting anything but.... this means our sleek, smooth single humps can now be perfectly complete!

Originally Posted by rhouck

It really is incredibly easy. I have not done any other work on the car besides this and did it quickly in a parking garage. It requires very basic tools and no specialized knowledge. I have seen tons of people with performance steering wheels and this is really the same install (minus the wiring, so it's actually easier).

If someone felt uncomfortable for some reason, they should not feel shy about taking it to a shop and having them do it. I bet it would be less than an hour of labor.

I understand that the pictures might look intimidating and anything that involves an airbag can be anxiety-inducing, but this really is quite easy. I'd hate to see someone scared away by the hardware-install side since it really IS worth the very limited trouble

Thanks for the info rhouck.

I've never don't anything like this, but I would if I had to. You just have to be patient and careful, right?

Worst thing, I'll just take it to a shop. Maybe a board sponsor.. and visit the States and have a tiny bit of esthetic work done on my car at the same time. Mike is too far from me, so I'd purchase the remote coding option. Maybe the shop could help me with that too.

[rhouck]

Originally Posted by JulieDriving

Thanks for the info rhouck.

I've never don't anything like this, but I would if I had to. You just have to be patient and careful, right?

Worst thing, I'll just take it to a shop. Maybe a board sponsor.. and visit the States and have a tiny bit of esthetic work done on my car at the same time. Mike is too far from me, so I'd purchase the remote coding option. Maybe the shop could help me with that too.

Yup! Really the part you need to most careful about is just taking the plastic trim on/off and not to force any of the little plastic clips. The only "hard" part is getting the airbag off, and that just requires getting a feel for where the internal releases that you have to hit with a screwdriver are (FYI: I suggest doing the one on the right first, as I found it easier to find, and it helped to know what it felt like when tackling the left). If you can find someone who has taken their wheel off before, they can show you the trick to it.

[JulieDriving]

Originally Posted by rhouck

Yup! Really the part you need to most careful about is just taking the plastic trim on/off and not to force any of the little plastic clips. The only "hard" part is getting the airbag off, and that just requires getting a feel for where the internal releases that you have to hit with a screwdriver are (FYI: I suggest doing the one on the right first, as I found it easier to find, and it helped to know what it felt like when tackling the left). If you can find someone who has taken their wheel off before, they can show you the trick to it.

Great tips! And I may have forgotten to say it, but I definitely meant to - as mkoesel said, thanks so much for being the pioneer!

[TVMA Doc]

Originally Posted by JulieDriving

It only became standard on (US) cars, as of MY 2011.5.

(BMW Canada chose to keep it as an option, and keep electric seats and that right rear view mirror that tilts down when you park as standard, which the US lost as standard equipment in getting the MDrive standard.)

I HATED the tilt down right rear view mirrors in my wife's old 325i. It always tilted down too far, so that I was looking almost directly below my passenger side front door. It also ended up eventually "forgetting" where the original mirror position was, so that every time it tilted down it would tilt back up to the wrong position.

I never wanted electric seats due to the weight and the fact that once I position my seat I typically don't need to change them again-I'm not growing that fast!

I'd say that the US won in this exchange. Poor Canada...

[JulieDriving]

Originally Posted by TVMA Doc

I HATED the tilt down right rear view mirrors in my wife's old 325i. It always tilted down too far, so that I was looking almost directly below my passenger side front door. It also ended up eventually "forgetting" where the original mirror position was, so that every time it tilted down it would tilt back up to the wrong position.

I never wanted electric seats due to the weight and the fact that once I position my seat I typically don't need to change them again-I'm not growing that fast!

I'd say that the US won in this exchange. Poor Canada...

I agree.

[piloto]

So what exactly is the difference between the Euro MDM and the MDM that's part of ZCP, which was already supposedly more aggressive than the "standard" MDM?

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by piloto

So what exactly is the difference between the Euro MDM and the MDM that's part of ZCP, which was already supposedly more aggressive than the "standard" MDM?

That's the burning question isn't it? Mike Benvo is going to figure it out for us.

[Erie Von Otto]

Originally Posted by piloto

So what exactly is the difference between the Euro MDM and the MDM that's part of ZCP, which was already supposedly more aggressive than the "standard" MDM?

In for this answer... Great install/retrofit btw!

[ShadeD1]

Just finished having my coding done by M-World. Pretty cool but I'm really looking forward to checking out the Euro MDM at MSR Houston tomorrow

[alefcole]

Originally Posted by ShadeD1

Just finished having my coding done by M-World. Pretty cool but I'm really looking forward to checking out the Euro MDM at MSR Houston tomorrow

Who is m-world?? Link??. Anyways if benevolent got this working he deserves my business. I'm just waiting on confirmation of this working for non I drives to pull the trigger. We should organize a group buy for the steering wheel module and other for coding.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Just a quick update:

1. I will be able to retrofit this to cars without iDrive. This will take further development, and I will need a car here locally to work on for a couple hours. I am 100% confident that I will get it to work like factory, even without iDrive.

2. I will be able to offer this remotely so you do not have to be local

3. There are a few differences between Competition package DSC and non competition package DSC. I am investigating this further when I have time.

4. Euro MDM is another change on top of what is listed above. Euro MDM is really incredible. A world of difference over the US version.

I will be working on this over the next few weeks. Right now I am nearing almost 500 unreplied emails. I thought it was closer to 300, but my junk mail folder in outlook seems a bit agressive. I promise to get to all of your inquiries, and thank you for your interest. Please accept my apologies for the slow replies. Those that need immediate answers, please feel free to call me.

Thank you,
Mike

You really spiked my interest with this one Mike.

Very curious to understand which is the best MDM mode: Euro or ZCP.

Will it retrofittable to cars with standard MDM?

What about ZCP EDC, can it also be retrofitted to a "civic" M3 like mine ?

Congrats in cracking the code !!

[Mike van D]

Definitely very impressive work to figure this out. Great for those who want it. Congrats!

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by mohmeister

Here's something the genius OP couldn't figure out -

TRADE THE DAMN '08 FOR ONE WITH TECH PACKAGE/iDRIVE!

Unnecessarily condescending, don't you think. This is a retrofit that many of us have been pining for for a long time. And also, trading cars will typically end in a lot of lost funds.

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by mohmeister

Here's something the genius OP couldn't figure out -

TRADE THE DAMN '08 FOR ONE WITH TECH PACKAGE/iDRIVE!

Groundbreaking out of box thinking. Make sure you get some rest; you just burnt a lot of calories.

[ShadeD1]

Just got back from a track day. The Euro MDM Rocks. It no longer seems to cut power just uses the brakes a bit. I did not feel it happen, I just saw the traction control light flicker after I had just screwed up a corner. I'm pretty happy with it as it only seems to cut in when I make a BIG mistake.

[ShadeD1]

It is owned by one of the moderators here in Houston.
www.m-world.us

Originally Posted by alefcole

Who is m-world?? Link??. Anyways if benevolent got this working he deserves my business. I'm just waiting on confirmation of this working for non I drives to pull the trigger. We should organize a group buy for the steering wheel module and other for coding.

[Voltigeur]

-

Totally amazed. Props to you and the tech.

As an aside, our ///Ms have done about the same miles

[Voltigeur]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

also, trading cars will typically end in a lot of lost funds.

Indeed.

I'm glad I got Tech but if I did not it's great to see an option available.

[Dave07997S]

Originally Posted by mdosu

if it's all software related to activate MDM and Servo, then shame on you BMW for making us pay for this upgrade, when all cars should have all this as a standard feature.
I recongize after 2008 or 2009, it was standard.

No its not...my 2011 doesn't have MDM and I have ZCP. It wasn't until 2011.5 models that is what standard.

Dave

[quads]

if the euro mdm allows more slip angle then I need it