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E39 European Dash Conversion
(1997-2003 BMW
525i, 528i, 530i, 540i, and M5)
by Dave Zeckhausen
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The Eurodash conversion consists of
swapping the lower dash, glovebox, and assorted parts of the
American BMW E39 5-Series with the sleeker parts used in
Europe and the rest of the world.
Benefits:
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Substantial
increase in knee room for driver and front passenger
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More rear passenger room,
since front seats can be moved further forward
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Trim matches
perfectly at the transition between dash and door panels
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Extra storage bin
to the left of steering wheel
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Smoother operation
of lighter glovebox door
Drawbacks:
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Installation is
tough for the first timer and involves
cutting of metal and disconnecting cleverly
complex electrical connectors. The lock core
needs to be transplanted from old to new glovebox. It is
possible to break things or accidentally cut into wiring
while doing this modification. You'll be
taking lots of things apart that may not be easy to
put back together.
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Step-by-step
instructions are no longer available on the web. A
great set of instructions existed on E39garage.com, so I
never bothered making a set. And then one day, the web
site vanished.
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If you don't wear
your seatbelts, this modification should be avoided. The
purpose of the extra bolstering under the dash on the
American BMWs is to guide an unbelted passenger into the
airbags and prevent submarining under the dash in the event
of a serious crash. If you wear your seatbelts, the extra
padding does not help you in any way. But if you do not
wear your seatbelts, you risk serious injury in an accident.
The United States is the only country in the world that
gets these ugly, bloated dashes because we still have
significantly lower seatbelt usage statistics than Europe.
Buckle up!
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The parts used to
be inexpensive (about $350 for the vinyl dash version), but
after the E39 production ceased in 2003, part prices have
steadily climbed. Check parts list below for the most
recent pricing. (We do not sell these parts!)
Photos:
A 2003 M5 with luxury leather interior is
shown below - before, during, and after the dash conversion.
Click on any thumbnail to view the full-sized photograph:
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Before
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After
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Before
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After
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Door trim lines up!
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Dash apart 1
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Dash Apart 2
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Dash Apart 3
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Installation
Instructions:
The website E39garage.com, with
step-by-step installation instructions, is long gone.
However, due to the magic of the "Wayback Machine" you can click
below to visit an archived version of that site.
http://web.archive.org/web/20030626154658/e39garage.com/eurodash.htm |
Eurodash conversion parts
Total cost of the parts for the vinyl E39
5-Series and E39 M5 Eurodash conversion is about $1,000 when
ordered from
Tischer
BMW.
To perform the Eurodash conversion an M5
with the Luxury Leather interior is about twice as
expensive.
Prices listed below were accurate as of
2/22/2011. Check the Tischer BMW website:
getBMWparts.com for
the latest pricing or to place your parts order. |
Parts to order for
1999-2003 E39 5-Series
and 2000-2003 M5
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Parts to order for the
1997-1998 E39 5-Series
All of the above parts
(from the appropriate table) except substitute BMW part
number 32-31-1-162-228 for the
steering column lower trim and
51-45-8-159-733 for the
driver's footwell trim panel.
Even with this parts substitution, you will need to do some
custom work to mount the OBD connector, since the 1997 and
1998 models use a different connector. And the
footwell trim panel may not fit perfectly.
Some cutting will also be
required on the steering column lower trim in order to
accommodate the power steering wheel tilt and telescope
control.
Glovebox
The European glovebox has the same interior
volume as the American part. You don't gain or lose storage when you
convert. The American glovebox has a grotesquely bloated door 53mm
thick, while the European glovebox door is only 15mm thick. This
translates directly into extra knee room.
The European glovebox may be ordered in vinyl
for the 525i, 528i, 530i, 540i, or M5. It may also be ordered in
leather for the M5 with the Luxury interior.
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This shows the bloated
American glovebox door on the left and the much lighter and sleeker
European glovebox door on the right. There are even greater
differences between American and European lower dash thickness all
the way across to the driver's side.
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Trim Panel w/Storage Bin
This trim panel
replaces the part of the American lower dash to the left of
the steering column. It gives you an extra storage bin and
holds the OBD II connector. A plastic trap door at the top
of the storage bin swings down to allow access to the
connector.
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Large Trim Panel
This piece surrounds the glovebox door and
radio/navigation display screen.
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Driver's Footwell Trim Panel
This trim panel goes above the driver's
pedal cluster and is the same for all models. The BMW parts CD shows
the same part for an automatic transmission as it does for the 5 and
6-speed models. If you look closely at the photo, you can see there is
no cutout for the clutch pedal. If you are installing this modification
on a manual transmission equipped car, you will need to use a Dremel
cutting tool to cut along the score lines, so the the trim panel can fit
in place over the clutch pedal assembly.
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Steering Column Lower Trim
This part is for BMWs with plastic
trim around the steering column. It snaps under the
steering column and replaces the bulky American trim panel
with leather boot resembling the neck of an old tortoise.
If you have an M5 with the
Luxury Leather interior, you will need to order a
leather trim panel.
If you have a plastic steering
column and wish to upgrade to leather, you will need
to order the upper part of the column assembly.
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Heater Duct
After the
conversion, the American heater duct will be too long and
will protrude through the trim panel. This European version
is shorter and fits perfectly. It simply snaps in place of
the old duct.
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Screws & Gaskets
These screws with built-in washers
and the pair of rubber gaskets are used to hold the black
trim panel under the steering column in place. They are
screwed into the underside of the lower steering column trim
panel and protrude through a pair of slots in the underdash
trim panel.
You need two of each of these
parts.
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Before you start, realize
that this is what you will be doing to your
car! But when it looks like this,
you're only about an hour away from
finishing, since assembly is easier than
disassembly.
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