Leather steering wheel retrofit

[MattS]

Hi,
Please forgive me if this has been asked already, but the only other posts I could find were about retrofitting a MFSW.
I have a 12 plate 1.4 Match and would really like a leather steering wheel, I couldn't spec one when I ordered due to needing it fast and there not being one in the country.
I also didn't want the MFSW, just a plain leather one, so if I was to order this:

http://orientalparts.com/Steering-Wheel ... 92734.aspx

would I be able to fit it myself without risk of messing up the airbag / voiding the warranty? Or do you think my local VW dealer would fit it for me (obviously for a fee) or would they not touch it due to it being (I presume) a Chinese knockoff and not OEM?

Thanks so much in advance for any advice,
Matt

[aaronon]

Doubt Volkswagen will fit it if it's not their own part? You could get a mechanic to do it. . .I'm sure VW won't spot that it's unofficial hence voiding any warranty - unless of course something faulty develops with the steering wheel in which case they'll be 'This isn't a VW part'. You're taking a risk.

My Polo has one of these wheels lol. I fluked it though as I didn't realise until I looked at this thread that there were different wheels. Mine has chrome at the bottom and leather. You can buy the chrome inserts on eBay that stick into your current official wheel and they'll make it look a bit cooler and that way you won't have to mess with the steering

[Gewoonjan]

Orientalparts sells, as their name suggests, OEM Asia parts. So yes they are VW, but only for the Asia market.

Anyway a plain leather steering wheel will fit directly without any hassle.
Good luck with installing it!

[KieranLeighton]

I have a leather MF steering wheel needs new buttons and a air bag and maybe a bit of tlc but I'd sell it cheap

[vwpolo16v]

A cheaper (£52) option is to buy a custom fit leather XUJI cover: http://gb.dinodirect.com/steering-wheel ... ather.html
Requires about an hour of patient stitching.
Actually, you don't stitch the leather but you thread-the-thread that's already stitched to the leather.
Should be no warranty issues.

[MattS]

Thanks so much for your replies

aaronon, thanks for the advice, I actually have that silver insert already, just really want the leather too now

Gewoonjan, ah I see, thanks for clarifying so as its a VW part, do you think a dealer would fit it? Guess there's no harm in asking my dealer. If not do you reckon a complete novice (me) could fit it?

KieranLeighton, thanks for the offer but I'm only after a plain leather wheel without buttons, thanks though

vwpolo16v, I'm really tempted by that leather cover! My Polo is red so that red stitching would go really nicely, have you ordered from that site yourself? If so how long did delivery take?

Thanks everyone
Matt

[Eddie-gt]

For the price you might as well fit a mfsw

[vc-10]

Try finding a Bluemotion or SEL being broken for spares, as they had the leather wheel as standard. Your VW dealer should be happy fitting one off one of them as it's a VW part.

[Mart!n-GTI-DK]

Why not one like this?

Your airbag will fit and everything.

[vwpolo16v]

Thanks so much for your replies
vwpolo16v, I'm really tempted by that leather cover! My Polo is red so that red stitching would go really nicely, have you ordered from that site yourself? If so how long did delivery take?

Thanks everyone
Matt

No I have not ordered one so have no idea how long it take. China normally takes weeks.
Just read somewhere else about that product.
£52 may seem cheaper than a new wheel but for it was way too much.

[Gewoonjan]

Why not one like this?

Your airbag will fit and everything.

No it won't
The plain leather and the plastic steering wheel share the same type of airbag, but the mfsw and gt(i) variants have a different type of airbag.

[Mart!n-GTI-DK]

No it won't
The plain leather and the plastic steering wheel share the same type of airbag, but the mfsw and gt(i) variants have a different type of airbag.

Ah yes... Your right. My bad. I was just told that they were the same.

[AvatarX]

Thanks so much for your replies
vwpolo16v, I'm really tempted by that leather cover! My Polo is red so that red stitching would go really nicely, have you ordered from that site yourself? If so how long did delivery take?

Thanks everyone
Matt

No I have not ordered one so have no idea how long it take. China normally takes weeks.
Just read somewhere else about that product.
£52 may seem cheaper than a new wheel but for it was way too much.

Hi.

I have ordered and placed both the trim and the leather cover from Dinodirect. It took 10 days with DHL to get here (Greece). Obviously there are no issues with warranty as it is just a cover.

It took me about 2 hours of patiently stitching. Here's 2 photos of the result:





http://www.uk-polos.net/view ... 15#p461163

[aaronon]

Very good! Well done.

[MattS]

Cheers for the replies everyone,

I'll keep an eye and ear out for any SEL or Bluemotions being broken up for spares, thanks for the tip

That cover does look pretty good, Avatar X do you find that it slips at all?

If the GTI and MFSW have different airbags its probably not worth it, but I'm still tempted by ordering the oriental parts one to see if VW will fit it, have to book my service soon so I'll ask then.

Cheers guys!
Matt