If you drive an old BMW like I do (15 years old to be exact), it’s likely that your factory BMW BBS wheels are in poor shape. Rarely do the original wheels survive a decade or more of daily driving and curb abuse. If you’re lucky, you may have a perfect condition unused spare in the trunk- which is where my idea came from.
Auto detailing has been a hobby of mine for the last 13 years, since purchasing my first car in 2003. That car was a Zinnoberrot E30 sedan, which was a true diamond in the rough. My dad convinced me that the dry, faded looking paint was nothing to be concerned about. “It will come right back with polish”, he said. After discovering how paint polish applied by hand brought the paint back to a rich glossy shine, I was hooked on that process of transformation.
One of the most common problems with vintage BMW’s is that the plastic gears inside the gauge cluster degrade over time. The delicate plastic gears turn into a soft cheese like material and stop tracking mileage in the odometer. This makes it difficult to tell the true mileage of an old BMW, because often the owner will continue driving the car for years before making a repair.
Removing the instrument or gauge cluster in an E30 is a relatively simple task. It’s not as easy as removing the cluster in later models that followed such as the E39 or E53, but still not too bad. Since we’ll be removing electronic parts, it’s recommended that you disconnect the battery before beginning work.
One of the most frequently asked questions I hear among new E30 enthusiasts is, “How do I remove my steering wheel?” The removal of non-airbag steering wheels is very easy, and I’ll cover how to remove this version in this post. The airbag wheels are slightly more involved to remove, and I’ll cover that version the next time an airbag model E30 is available to me.
Nothing connects us to the car we drive as much as the steering wheel and shift knob. Over time, the leather on these parts will become worn down and unpleasant to touch. One of the easiest and most enjoyable upgrades for your BMW is to install a new shift knob. Here’s how to remove and install a new factory shift knob:
BIMMERZEIT 