I love my two-spoke MFSW! I do NOT like the "Nintendo" styling of the 3-spoke, at all! LMAO!! I must say, though, that I have not seen the "three" in person, so I'll be sure to check 'em out at the Dragon this week! YAY!

 

>>The 2 spoke wheel has 10 button functions and I believe the 3 spoke has 8 (is this indeed true?) -

This is true, but don't forget, the 2 extra buttons are for the horn.

 

>>>>The 2 spoke wheel has 10 button functions and I believe the 3 spoke has 8 (is this indeed true?) -
>>
>>This is true, but don't forget, the 2 extra buttons are for the horn.

I test drove a car w/ the 3 spoke when I was trying to make up my mind. Let me start by saying that I much prefer the look of the 3, it is a VERY nice looking piece up close. I would miss the perforated leather and larger 10 and 2 bolsters, but overall it is much more upscale and clean looking (IMO); BUT...

Don't forget the one (on the back side) for "mode". Someone else mentioned it but I think the importance of this cannot be understated. I LOVE being able to quickly flip from CD-->Radio-->Back Again without looking down; VERY helpful for those times when every single radio station simultaneously plays commercials I don't care about (far too often it seems).

Also lacking on the 3 spoke is the extra "dead" button on the back of the 2 (left hand center button on the back side). While it doesn't do anything out of the box you CAN get kits (mikeythemini comes to mind) to turn it into a "MUTE" button... also, certain CD changers (and the ICE-Link if you have an iPod) make use of this button as well.

In the end I went w/ the 2 spoke entirely because of the extra buttons and the incredible "slickness" that comes with having the radio controls on the back.... VERY intuitive.

 

Originally ordered 3-spoke, changed my mind and dealer assured me it will be 2-spoke. Came with 3-spoke. Dealer gave me the look of "it's your fault". :evil: Pretty sure that the MA and the manager who puts in the orders did not communicate with each other on the change. Bought car anyway. I like the look but I wish it had the extra mode buttons.

 

I like the looks of the 3-spoke better and also like that the horn is the center of the steering wheel hub and not just two tiny buttons.

I like the functionality of the 2-spoke better. It's easier to use the audio control buttons on the back, and also allows you to select the audio mode (radio, CD, etc.)

 

All of these posts about functions and modes got me so confused that I had to go sit in my ‘04 MCS (std. radio, no changer) and count the buttons and check their functions!

To help clarify for those who do not have the 2-spoke MFSW, here is a list of buttons and functions:
Left Front:

Right Front:

Left Rear:

Right Rear:

I prefer the looks of the three spoke wheel, but got the two spoke because it has the same feel as the wheel in my Z3.