[Tallest]

A while ago I asked if anyone fitted the grey-beige gauges from F3x Modern Line into an all black interior.

Modern line had that beige dash and everything, and never quite looked good to me, but I really liked the gauges that came on it. Not to everyone's taste, but that's ok.

I sourced the cluster used, and had it test fitted. Here is how it looks. Probably a first for F30 in this kind of configuration I suppose. All work, except that the temperature reading is off which I will investigate tomorrow as it impacts the air climate control. If not fixed, Ill revert back to original.

Reason for this mod also was that I got tired of everything stock on my daily driver, just bad for morale.

Anyway, here is a pic for those wondering what it might look like. In person very nicely legible and in evening looks nice with warm orange on grey, and at night - the cluster is black and numbers are orange, so also very legible (this was a concern).

My better half drives the car a lot, and she likes the beige/grey gauges very much. Sort of faux patina if you squint very hard.

Inspiration was some vintage BMW gauges for me. It is not the same but I was thinking of warm color of faded dials. I like the look now.

[AndrewC1989]

Have you considered doing a 6WB retrofit? I think that would help the interior of the car feel much more modern.

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by AndrewC1989

Have you considered doing a 6WB retrofit? I think that would help the interior of the car feel much more modern.

You know, I considered it briefly. But went against. My reasons were like this:

1) I don't like digital gauges trying to be analogue, so not a fan of design solution BMW went with. Also this is like 6-7 year old screen, not the sharpest.

2) It doesn't do the Audi-style virtual-cockpit trick where you have giant navi map... I think that's one of the main attractions for me in a digital dash, if it doesn't have it - no go.

3) It is still not cheap but it should be based on 1) and 2) and I think it should be cheap, like iphones get cheaper. But this is cars, and prices are weird sometimes. I believe they will age poorly, these early digital dashes.

So wasn't really a choice for me just aesthetically speaking, sorry for long winded reply but I had my reasons at least. Some may disagree.

PS: And yeah, the 6WA offset rectangle extended screen is also super dumb design. Im not excusing that.

[saga boy]

If you ever decide to go oyster interior, I have the front seats I may sell ya if you are close by.

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by saga boy

If you ever decide to go oyster interior, I have the front seats I may sell ya if you are close by.

Need the whole interior. Coral, oyster, black or saddle as long as memory and heat. Thanks for the offer

[alpinweiss340]

This turned out really good. Nice job!

[Tallest]

Originally Posted by alpinweiss340

This turned out really good. Nice job!

Thanks. The test fit - everything worked - but the temperature wont read well, so the cheapo cluster I sourced probably had some fault with it. I will have someone try to test if all things are working properly next. For now, back to black.

May be I could also have them opened up and gauge faces swapped if all fails, but till then want to fix this donor one. Want to have an option of reverting if need be.

To be continued!

[Tallest]

So to update the thread, I asked my independent BMW mechanic to make the grey gauges fit. THey just swapped them into my own cluster, making it an easy process without all the coding. Faster too. Cheap and easy to reverse.

Now in an all black interior they are cherry. Good for morale!

After this little mod Im starting to look at Msport steering wheel to complete the "whats infront of me" mod of the daily driver.