Machined aluminum 12V socket cover

The first thing I noticed when I first started looking at all the details of the interior of the MK7 was the cheap looking $0.10 12V socket VW installed right in plain view. The stock plastic cover doesn't mask the cheap metal socket flange. I know the Audi/VW psuedo-machined and knurled cap is available for under $20 but it still doesn't hide that ugly flange.

I fabricate custom bicycle parts as a small side business and one of the parts I make is a rotating light switch for integrated dynamo lights, made from CNC-machined parts (velolumino.com). The switch cap makes a nice alternative to the OEM 12V socket cover and is roughly the same diameter as the socket flange.

I cut off the knob section from the stock plastic cover and epoxied a CNC-machined switch cap in its place. This is how it came out:











It mostly hides the socket flange but I'd like it to seat a little lower.

The machined cap has an integrated keyed spindle that inserts into the hollow plastic plug, so the epoxy mechanically bonds them together. This thing will never break.

If there is any interest in this, I could make a batch run of modified caps with a recess on the underside so that the OEM cover lip seats flush or near flush with the bottom of the CNC'd cover. I could probably make these in a small quantity for as little as $15.

VERY nice.

I RICEd up with these on the infotainment knobs:

https://www.shopdap.com/make-model-year/volkswagen/gti/mk7-gti-2015-present/l080s.html

and used the Audi (I think) 12v socket cover to match:

https://c1552172.ssl.cf0.rackcdn.com/634357_x800.jpg

You could tempt me...

Looks good, what’s the knob run? $$

Gti jake said:

Looks good, what’s the knob run? $$

Click to expand...

Depends on demand. To make one would cost about $200 with the tooling setup for the CNC, but the material cost is minimal. So 10 of these would cost about $20 each. To make 20, cost would be about $13 each. For 30, about $9 each, and so on.

If I re-design one for a socket plug group buy, it will be nicer than this one which was an early prototype.

If enough people want one, I'll setup a group buy and will require pre-payment. It would take about a month once the order is made. The finished parts would be mailed to everyone in the group buy and they'd have to do the modding to the plastic plug and epoxying.

I've managed group-buys on various bike forums so this is nothing new to me. Just new to VWs

For under ten bucks? Count me in.

adam1991 said:

For under ten bucks? Count me in.

Click to expand...

Well, that's one down, 29 to go.

I can definitely appreciate the cost/quantity figures having grown up working in machine shops, if you have a source to anodize them black, red, or blue I think you’d sell a ton of them at $15 each.

I’d be in either way, could always paint it if you didn’t want the extra hassle/cost dealing with colors

Gti jake said:

I can definitely appreciate the cost/quantity figures having grown up working in machine shops, if you have a source to anodize them black, red, or blue I think you’d sell a ton of them at $15 each.

I’d be in either way, could always paint it if you didn’t want the extra hassle/cost dealing with colors

Click to expand...

Yeah, I've got an anodizer and I agree black ano would be nice. Even nicer would be having the top black ano and the knurled section silver ano. But then optioning ano colors would make this type of group buy impossible.

I kept the cigar lighter from my MK4. It's still brand new.

I’d suggest doing a pole to see which color would sell best then take orders of the winner for the group buy based on that

Count me in

I read that some would like them to be black ano, however, there’s already to much black, at least in mine since I opted for the leather, if color anodizing was posssible, I’d opt for red anodized. But either way, black, red or plain old SS I’m in either way. Oh and also, this is my first reply, I’m brand new to the group.

So you lose the lighted ring?

Diggs24 said:

So you lose the lighted ring?

Click to expand...

I don't know which models come with a lighted ring. The US-spec S certainly doesn't. It has an ugly metal flange that the cap doesn't hide, as per my first photo.

southpawboston said:

I don't know which models come with a lighted ring. The US-spec S certainly doesn't. It has an ugly metal flange that the cap doesn't hide, as per my first photo.

Click to expand...

Ahh, interesting. Your metal ring looks just like my lighted ring. Nice piece. If I had the metal ring I'd be in for one too.

I'm in for one at $20 or under. I just got my new to me 2016 SE and one of the first things I wanted to change was that outlet cover!