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Manufactured by: UUC Motorwerks
Website: www.uucmotorwerks.com
Application: E46 M3 and most other BMW's - Direct Replacement
Feeling a little racy? Don't like the stock black rubber goulashes like looking pedals your baby came with? Well there is a solution! Replace your stock pedal pads with "racing style" aluminum pedal covers.
There are quite a few different versions on the market. BWM makes a version of its own, which is butt ugly but fairly cheap. AC Schnitzer makes a very nice set which also carries a very nice ACS price tag. UUC Motorwerks pedals fall around half way between the price of BMW's and ACS. The quality and finish is, at least to my eye, identical to that of the 50% more expensive ACS product. The big difference between the two is that the UUC logo is stenciled on and the ACS version is etched (if you have a set of "ACS" pedals with a sticker for a logo - you own a knock off - sorry).
UUC aluminum pedal sets are available for manual, SMG and automatic cars. The price is the same for all versions. This seems to be a rip off for SMG owners who get the same set as manual car owners sans the clutch cover AT THE SAME PRICE…. UUC also makes a replacement for the stock dead pedal (not covered in this review).
The Install: The pedals require you to remove the stock covers from the clutch and brake pedals and then drill 4 holes in all three pedals. The UUC pedals fit over the pedals and are attached via a set of 4 bolts each. The installation is easy but requires a little patience. The biggest pain is the brake pedal because it is steel and ridged. If you misalign the new pedal cover and try to drill in such a way that the holes do not end up at the bottom of the ridges you will quickly learn to hate yourself. Luckily the UUC pedals covers are drilled in such a way that when properly aligned the holes will go into the bottom of the pedal ridges. The clutch and gas pedals are made of plastic and are very easy to mark and drill.
Aesthetic impressions: The pedals look great and add to the "race car" like feel of the M3. They match up very well with the stock dead pedal and look even better when matched to a car with aluminum trim and/or aluminum shift knob and e-brake handle (see my Rob Knob III and Al e-Brake reviews). The bolts provided recess nicely into the pedal covers and provide a classic industrial look.
Driving impressions: When the world is dry, the pedals are great. When the world is web they get a bit more slippery than the stock rubber pads. I think that the rubber insert pattern was derived for looks and not usability. I've slipped off the clutch with wet shoes, which made me very unhappy. Also, because the "abrasive" surface is reduced, these do not add anything to heel-toe shifting but they also do not seem to make it any more difficult. I think that if the pedals were about an 1/8" wider on each side and had rubber inserts closer to the edges they would provide far better control in heel-toe operations.
Should you buy these? If looks are your main concern, then most certainly YES! They simply look great. If you think that these pedals will make heel-toe shifting easier or faster you will be disappointed. In the end, these add looks without sacrificing performance - just be careful if your shoes are wet.
Hope this has been at least somewhat helpful…
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UUC Pedals Installed
All UUC AL Look - Not Bad! |
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