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      12-19-2017, 11:17 AM   #1
dcmac
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Alternative gear shift knob choices

G'day guys,

So I'm having trouble with my knob

No, really though.. I'm weeks away from delivery (6MT MG w00t w00t ) but I can't figure out what M Performance gear shifter is available to me for purchase.

Even my DEALER can't find the right information or clarify any detail!!

From exhaustively searching this great forum, here's what I've found:

1. A knob I believe is for the F30 and has a white-stitched boot. @[pup73] ordered this and attached it to the M2's stock blue-stitched boot. I've believe it's this product listed on the BMW USA site listed as "BMW M Performance Carbon Fiber Gear Shift Knob with Alcantara Boot, Part Number 25112222529" but you have to select a normal 2-series in order to view it. So this is clearly not a bespoke M2 M performance shift knob...


2. Another knob I've seen on bmw-m.com but can't find any detail on (it says it's a "kit" but I'm only interested in the knob and boot:


3. The knob and boot kit (which includes handbrake cover) on IND-distribution.com... which says it's for the M2 but I don't know whether it's a knock off / imitation or a genuine OEM M product:
https://ind-distribution.com/product?sku=51952420600


4. "Gearshift lever knob Alcantara w.cover" via RealOEM.com (Part 25117854545). Apparently, this is what it looks like, and looks to have a white boot. I believe forum member @[blackholescion] has this setup. I'm guessing this is basically the same as product as #1.


5. Forum member @[zsoci75] has this setup, which I believe is the OEM M2 boot attached to the F30 knob in #1...?
http://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=17

6. And then, just to make matters more confusing, it looks like IND offers a blue-stitched boot for purchase by itself, even though it's pictured with the shift knob I believe to be the same from point #1.


Here's another thread that discusses this but lead me no closer to an answer:
http://http://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1254332&highlight=shift+knob

Seriously... I blame the woeful BMW USA website in causing this confusion. How hard is it to list out EVERY SINGLE M2 PERFORMANCE PART clearly? So many are missing (not just shift knobs).

So my question is... WTF knob should I buy?

1. F30 knob and have dealer manually attach to M2 OEM boot
2. Order the IND set and have dealer install
3. Dig deeper to try to figure out what the BMW-M.com set in #2 is

I'm dying here. Is it too much to ask for a clear pathway to a shiny performance knob?
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      12-19-2017, 11:23 AM   #2
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FML it looks like my pics didn't upload properly either
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      12-19-2017, 11:24 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dcmac View Post
G'day guys,
So I'm having trouble with my knob
THIS ALL OF THIS has been driving me insane while i wait for my BS f87.
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      12-19-2017, 11:27 AM   #4
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the one that appears to be the f30 one is the nicest but i agree about the stitching
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      12-19-2017, 11:28 AM   #5
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Do the pics work for you guys? Or are you just viewing via the links?
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      12-19-2017, 11:41 AM   #6
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The "boot" from IND:

https://ind-distribution.com/product?sku=IND-F87-CFBoot

comes with the shift knob attached to it:



And yes, it's the same knob from point #1 and 5.

They literally just glue an oem bmw knob to an M2 boot so the stitching is blue instead of white.

It's probably your best bet and it's what i have to compliment my interior:



If that's the knob and boot combo you want, just save yourself a headache and buy it preassembled from IND.

Also, you really don't have to have the dealer install it. It takes 1 min to install it yourself. No tools are needed.

And yes, the part from point #3 is genuine oem.

Hope this helped. Don't stress so much lol.

Last edited by AndrewC1989; 12-19-2017 at 11:57 AM..
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      12-19-2017, 12:01 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewc89 View Post
The "boot" from IND:
If that's the knob and boot combo you want, just save yourself a headache and buy it preassembled from IND.
Also, you really don't have to have the dealer install it. It takes 1 min to install it yourself. No tools are needed.
And yes, the part from point #3 is genuine oem.
Hope this helped. Don't stress so much lol.
Lol, thanks, yes I have been stressing. It's been doing my head in.

It's really quite stupid that BMW don't offer that knob with blue stitching. Really dumb.

Thank you for clarifying. Yours looks great. It sorta looks like white stitching in that pic tho!
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      12-19-2017, 12:06 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dcmac View Post
It sorta looks like white stitching in that pic tho!
Just the bright light coming in through the windshield combined with a bad phone quality photo lol. It's blue, promise.
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      12-19-2017, 12:11 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dcmac View Post
Thank you for clarifying. Yours looks great. It sorta looks like white stitching in that pic tho!
You need to find a hobby!
Check out the seat stitching....
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      12-28-2017, 06:20 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewc89 View Post
The "boot" from IND:
https://ind-distribution.com/product?sku=IND-F87-CFBoot
comes with the shift knob attached to it:
[PICTURE]
And yes, it's the same knob from point #1 and 5.
They literally just glue an oem bmw knob to an M2 boot so the stitching is blue instead of white.
It's probably your best bet and it's what i have to compliment my interior:
[PICTURE]
If that's the knob and boot combo you want, just save yourself a headache and buy it preassembled from IND.
Also, you really don't have to have the dealer install it. It takes 1 min to install it yourself. No tools are needed.
And yes, the part from point #3 is genuine oem.
Hope this helped. Don't stress so much lol.
I like this shifter. Is it the same height and feel as the OEM?
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      12-28-2017, 09:01 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Destroya View Post
I like this shifter. Is it the same height and feel as the OEM?
No, it's noticeably smaller and shorter and takes some getting used to.
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Last edited by AndrewC1989; 12-31-2017 at 04:44 PM..
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      12-28-2017, 11:05 PM   #12
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You listed 6 options for 2 shift knobs haha, no need to stress. I had an m235 with the m performance shifter and just swapped the knobs with the boots. Some people aren't comfortable doing this and just opt for the iND one (it's definitely more expensive than DIY though).

The other knob is an OEM option but I don't know too many people that have opted for it as it looks really dated and out of place aesthetically. But believe people who have driven with it like the feel, but I personally still couldn't live with looking at that knob every day.
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      01-04-2018, 04:49 PM   #13
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I don't like that knob, simply because our car is not an "M Performance" model, it's a real M car.

Think the difference between Audi S and RS - the S is the baby brother wannabe racecar, the RS is the actual one.

An "M240i" or "M235i" should get "M Performance" stuff on it, but putting any of that on an actual ///M2 seems out of place to me.

Just my $0.25
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      01-05-2018, 10:49 AM   #14
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we definitely need more choices...
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      01-05-2018, 11:01 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZPrime View Post
I don't like that knob, simply because our car is not an "M Performance" model, it's a real M car.

Think the difference between Audi S and RS - the S is the baby brother wannabe racecar, the RS is the actual one.

An "M240i" or "M235i" should get "M Performance" stuff on it, but putting any of that on an actual ///M2 seems out of place to me.

Just my $0.25
The standard knob on m235/m240 is the same zcp knob on the m2. If anything the m2 should've gotten the m performance knob as standard by that logic...

To each their own, I like the shorter shift and matching cf trim. There is another m shift knob available but it's pretty funky
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      01-06-2018, 09:28 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewc89 View Post
No, it's noticeably smaller and shorter and takes some getting used to.
+1 I have had it for 2 weeks, upshifting is kind of lacking grip, but downshifting is a blast.
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      01-07-2018, 06:52 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by andrewc89 View Post
The "boot" from IND:

https://ind-distribution.com/product?sku=IND-F87-CFBoot

comes with the shift knob attached to it:



And yes, it's the same knob from point #1 and 5.

They literally just glue an oem bmw knob to an M2 boot so the stitching is blue instead of white.

It's probably your best bet and it's what i have to compliment my interior:



If that's the knob and boot combo you want, just save yourself a headache and buy it preassembled from IND.

Also, you really don't have to have the dealer install it. It takes 1 min to install it yourself. No tools are needed.

And yes, the part from point #3 is genuine oem.

Hope this helped. Don't stress so much lol.
Where do I get that black and white BMW steering wheel emblem?!
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      01-07-2018, 07:10 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jessetaylor1 View Post
Where do I get that black and white BMW steering wheel emblem?!
https://bimmian.com/Accessories-for-...lored-Roundel/
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      08-15-2020, 02:49 AM   #19
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Black Forest Industries makes great shift knobs and also super high quality leather and alcantara boots with lots of color choices. This is their GS2 shift knob with yellow perforated leather and one of their boots.
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      09-10-2020, 05:02 PM   #20
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E30 M3 gearknob is what you want ,what I fitted to mine last year
A bit of E30 M3 lives on again! I made a short gear lever , I've always hated the oem M2 gearknob so i used my ol' E30 gearknob, It's been a family heirloom for centuries now and has been carefully passed down through generation to generation of M3!

So after owning three E30 M3's in the past i sort of miss them and I've always liked the gearknob , think its much better than the current ones BMW offer, so I set about a challenge of fitting one (and finding one , they are obsolete from bmw now), so i managed to find one after trawling ebay and came accross and bought this (six years ago now mind for the E46)



Its a bit scabby but after an email before i bought it , jack at royal steering wheels said he could recover it for £25, and recover it he did!

Next thing up now was the lack of a 6 speed emblem to go on top and my ocd wont allow the std 5 speed to remain! so the options are.. buy a 6 speed and make it fit or fit the storm 6 speed one ! not so sure on the font on the storm one and also the colours dont look right either so i took the standard round one and double sided taped it back to back on the oval 6 speed and set about filing the shape to match the original round one!



when it was all filed to size I then made it smoother with 400 then 200 grit paper then polished it up with some plastic polish.

That was about 6 years ago I made that , fast forward to today and this is how it all unfolded, I couldnt straight swap the E30 M3 knob like for like as it sat about 10-15mm taller and looked silly ,so the only option was to shorten the shaft!

measured the height of the whole shaft



the outer aluminium shaft is bonded or vulcanised onto the steel inner shaft, the only way to remove or break the seal was to twist it to break the seal using mole grips! This is not for the faint hearted!



once that was removed you're left with this




after removing the console to gain access and to stop it getting damaged I set about cutting the inner shaft, I removed 1" or 25mm




left with this



I also cut 1" off the bottom of the outer shaft and removed all the old rubber , not pictured though

I couldnt really bond it back on yet as it is very hard to keep it all level and dead centre without an intermediate inner bush to keep everything concentric and on the same plane so I just happened to find two nuts that will act as a guide with an inner diameter of around 12mm that fitted lovely over the inner shaft without too much play/wobble and then push fitted them with some gentle persuasion inside the outer shaft, before fitting the shaft I filled it full of Tiger seal for a permanent bond!
Its now around 35-40mm shorter now ,so accounting for the extra 10-15mm taller height of the E30 knob all in all the overall height is around 25mm shorter than the oem gearknob !

I carefully removed the alcantara gaiter from the gearknob turned it inside out and cable tied it to the E30 gearknob, here it is all fitted ,I havnt driven it yet as its still curing (vulcanising), I always found the oem gearknob to be far to long and looked like something out of an allegro!

heres the new one all fitted








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      09-10-2020, 05:06 PM   #21
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Now its settled down , it looks so much better than the oem long clowns lever!











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      09-10-2020, 05:17 PM   #22
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After 10 months it still feels as good as ever, you can actually feel the mechanical engagement of every gear shift, not like the isolated vague rubberiness of before!
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