Fitting M3 instruments into a 325CI - BMW Forum

boby1 · 08-05-2003, 01:58 PM

Hi I am the proud owner of a e46 325 cabrio 2001.

Does any one know if it is possible to mount M3 instruments into my car.

It is cool with the oil temp led's around the dial.

m3 rear mirror. The oval design is fantastic and on my list.

Has anyone fitted one in their car

regards

Boby

AZ325Ci · 08-05-2003, 02:02 PM

hey boby1, welcome aboard B)

i do know that you can fit the m3 mirrors as i will be doing that soon. as far as the instrument, i know they will fit, but i think you may need to re-program the computer in order to be accurate with your car. i could be wrong about this tho.

MrM3 · 08-05-2003, 02:59 PM

the M3 cluster will deffiantely fit, and the needles would most likely be accurate. but the wiring and diagnostics on e46's is pretty complex and there's a good chance it wouldnt work at all, plus it would probably void your warranty cause the odometer reading would be innacurate. and even if you did get the cluster to work those lights around the tach wouldnt work, unless you wanted to shell out some serious $$$. you can still dress up the cluster tho with titanium rings around the gauges and red needles, and a inverted color scheme with out it costing an arm and a leg. heres a pic of a normal e46 cluster, i know yours probably has italicized numbers, but you get the idea...

boby1 · 08-05-2003, 03:29 PM

Thanks for your help.

In regard to the e46 m3 rear mirror with can this be fitted into my car.

Boby

MrM3 · 08-05-2003, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by boby1@Aug 5 2003, 04:09 PM
Thanks for your help.

In regard to the e46 m3 rear mirror with can this be fitted into my car.

Boby

yes, easily. though they arent cheap

EXtech · 08-05-2003, 10:02 PM

The instrument cluster swap would never work (electronically)

. If you even knew half of the roles the instrument cluster played in the elctronics (besides the gauges) you'd understand. I don't mean that ugly, I'm just saying that the electronics are diffrent inside and it would never align with the other control modules nor code properly. It would certainly be cool though!!

L337E46 · 08-06-2003, 02:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by EXtech@Aug 5 2003, 09:42 PM
The instrument cluster swap would never work (electronically) . If you even knew half of the roles the instrument cluster played in the elctronics (besides the gauges) you'd understand. I don't mean that ugly, I'm just saying that the electronics are diffrent inside and it would never align with the other control modules nor code properly. It would certainly be cool though!!

To Correct you it works, not totally correct but it works...

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.ph...er&pagenumber=3

Quote:

doofoo
E46Fanatic

My Ride:
Location:

Just wanted to give you guys an update on the m3 clusters in non-m cars.

I put a m3 cluster from a 2001 m3 in my 2001 325Ci steptronic.

Everything works fine. INCLUDING the oil temp gauge. It does NOT operate as a mpg gauge like other say. It works as a oil temp gauge.

The only problems I have, as it being a steptronic is that I can not see what gear I am in. But who cares, I also have the traction control light always on, don't know why that is.

I can still turn traction control on and off, it just doesn't display that it's on or off.

Mph is dead on, as is the tach. It just shifts at 6800rpms as opposed to up higher as in a m3. (my car is ess supercharged as side note to the higher redline)

That's basically it, if anyone wants any info feel free to either aim or email me.

-Mike Dye
AIM: doofoo
mike@dtmpower.net
www.dtmpower.net

EXtech · 08-06-2003, 01:19 PM

I don't doubt that the gauges and instruments may work accurately but just like MrM3 said, it's the correlation between the other control modules. I can almost GUARANTEE you that if this guy you quoted hooked his car to the DIS machine at a dealer, it would blow up with codes. Has this guy commented on whether or not anything else is non-working? keyless entry/alarm, seat/mirror/steering column memory (if equipped), not to mention the diagnostics-- the inst. cluster is on the d-bus? DSC is on the D-bus with the instrument cluster which means the diagnostics of the DSC may no longer be available. How about the mileage?. PLUS, who wants a half-ass working instrument cluster in their German luxury car? To each his own though, I'm not knocking anyone's personal opinion.
I bet this guys runs into major problems later on.