Sewn on Steering Wheel Leather cover

TheGreekFreak said:

I agree. If it was more in the $500 range all in then I'd consider it. Still, to me, the steering wheel is one of the most important parts of the car. Its what you touch most of the time. A nice steering wheel can enhance the DD experience sooo much. I'd take it over other expensive cosmetic mods people do all day (body kits, spoilers, carbon fiber bits, etc).

Good thing is the stock gti steering wheel is pretty nice as it. Bad thing is imo the leather isn't really durable compared to others. Mine already has a few nicks on it despite me being really careful. I'm gonna try and see if VW will replace it before the bumper to bumper expires but if not then I will be eyeing this mod more.

Click to expand...

For $650 you can get the OEM "Clubsport" steering wheel from ECS. The only thing I'm not sure on is how the Alcantara would age relative to leather. And also I think it is the same thickness as regular GTI wheel. But none the less a solid option

that's a good point sir. alcantara is nice but you definitely are right that it ages real bad. 650 clubsport wheel is a better idea. wrap for the win, and replace with an upgraded oem one if you're buying a new one...noted

just checked ecs site and it says only for use with vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise. is that true? or would it just have extra buttons or somethinf

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Npdogg said:

For $650 you can get the OEM "Clubsport" steering wheel from ECS. The only thing I'm not sure on is how the Alcantara would age relative to leather. And also I think it is the same thickness as regular GTI wheel. But none the less a solid option

Click to expand...

Ya just not a big fan of alcantara. Can't imagine it lasting with the winters we get here in the northeast. Even small amounts of snow + salt = bad news for alcantara.

I also love the feeling of leather. Not to get weird but that leather on those wheels looks sooo nice to touch lol

Funny how sometimes after reading a thread, it makes me feel like I have an issue when I previously didn't. After reading this, I am now constantly aware of all the scuffs on my steering wheel and it's beginning to become a tactile issue that's bugging me. The biggest problem is on the 7 o'clock area of the wheel. I've been scuffing it with my thigh as I enter the car. I might have to get one of these wheel covers.

Npdogg said:

For $650 you can get the OEM "Clubsport" steering wheel from ECS. The only thing I'm not sure on is how the Alcantara would age relative to leather. And also I think it is the same thickness as regular GTI wheel. But none the less a solid option

Click to expand...

Paid $500 for side skirts... what’s $650 for a fancy steering wheel lol

TheGreekFreak said:

Ya just not a big fan of alcantara. Can't imagine it lasting with the winters we get here in the northeast. Even small amounts of snow + salt = bad news for alcantara.

I also love the feeling of leather. Not to get weird but that leather on those wheels looks sooo nice to touch lol

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's why i went with a nice microsuede cover. Water isn't the end all killer for alcantara. Get some good cleaner and it lasts a while. I seem to recall alcantara (the synthetic microsuede) was rated at 20,000 double rubs on the standardized wear cycle. Japanese microsuede (non-name brand alcantara) is rated at 10k double rubs on the same cycle. Thing about alcantara surfaces that get touched often is you have to consider them wear items that have to be reconditioned/replaced eventually.
And if i get bored i switch it out to another cover.

dequardo said:

Click to expand...

Looks like you did a much nicer job sewing it on this time around. I know I would certainly have botched this up even on round 2 lol

Still, just my honest opinion, I think it looks really cheap and more a negative than a positive. Looking at the OEM steering wheel, the segments separating where the leather is tucked break up the wheel into a few nice sections. Slapping a perforated leather cover that goes over everything just doesn't look right to my eye.

Also, the OEM wheel's stitching is super tight and the leather is contoured nicely to the wheel, which is to be expected from the factory. Your leather looks super cheap, the stitching is frayed, and the full perforation is something you'd see on one of those 80s station wagons. It really cheapens the look imo.

On a $30K+ car, imo, you should either get a higher quality cover stitched on tight, grab one of those expensive pro wrapped fancy ones, or leave it OEM. There's a reason the cover was so cheap don't mean to hate, just being honest.