V1 M3 Cab installation : FULL DIRECTIONS (long) - BMW M3 (E46 M3) Message Board & Forum

A) Go to radio shack and purchase the following:
a) Multimeter (anyone will do)
b) 18-22 gauge tap splice clips (email me for part number)
(they are red, not the blue ones the blue ones are two large!)
c) wire stripper

1) Remove lighting console
this is done by prying it loose with a small flat head. note the tab configuration: 2 tabs on right hand side and three tabs or so in the front. you have to push the tabs in slightly to pop it out. don’t forget about the right hand side. and don't use to much force.

2) Unplug lighting console
again do this carefully, so as not to put to much tension on the wires. put the lighting console away, it is not needed in the installation.

3) note batch of wires going down to mirror. within there is the switched 12v wire. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO GAIN ACCESS TO IT FROM HERE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE, instead you need to remove the two plastic pieces from around the stem going to the mirror. BE VERY CAREFUL. I BROKE A TAB OF MY PEICES BY ACCIDENT.

4) Take the blue clip provided by V1 and throw it out the window
because
a) the clip is useless because it is made for thicker wires
b) even if you strip the wires and then use it, it creates a huge t- shape that does not fit well where we need to stick it (in the mirror column)

5) Find the Green / White wire in the batch of wires in the mirror column. Locate an area .25 inches (approx) from the base of the black plug and use the stripper or a scalpel or something to expose a decent amount of the green / white wire. do not rely on the clip to expose this for you. they do not pierce the housing of the wires well and will cause you 10 hours of frustration.

6) locate the brown wire going to the light console plug that is hanging in the hole above your head. find a spot away from the plug and expose a decent amount of that wire (that is the ground wire)

6a) use your new multi-meter to validate the connection is hot (don't forget to turn on your car, after all it is switched). this is done by putting the red pin (yah obviously) into the power line (green/white) and putting the black pin into the ground line (brown wire) you should get a reading of 13 V or so.

7) clip off BOTH of the ends of the V1 connecter thing.

8) stick the black one into one of your rat shack connectors (red connectors) (the end that is blocked on one side and then force your exposed brown wire into the gutter side of the connector. THIS IS THE TRICKY PART. push down the metal piece so that the u shape comes down and pierces the V1 wire (the v1 wiring is thick enough) the other side should also come down. it is critical to force the exposed brown wire into the U shaped metal structure to make contact.
VALIDATE THE CONNECTER WORKED by touching the little metal thing on top of the connector (before closing the connector housing) with the mutlimeter to see if it still works.

9) do the same thing with the red end. be very careful where the clip is placed. this can be very tight. you will need to squeeze all of this stuff into the mirror mounting (red clip)

10) put v1 fuse housing / excess v1 wire up by the window into the gutter. be careful not to crowd the area or you will not get your lighting console back in easily.

11) take the sticky paper off the back of the v1 connector and make sure the words are facing down and the outlets are facing against the glass and stick it next to the mirror mount. facing outwards. this is the most elegant mounting i could think of and it looks sweet.

12) hook up v1 and make sure it works, then close everything up. be careful in squeezing the stuff into the mirror stem and getting the lighting console back in. (that thing goes in on the right first then push in the front.

hope this helps
Raavi