5.46$USD DIY Steering Wheel Cover
 

Hey guys

One huge gripe i have about the Fit is EX models do not come with a leather wrapped wheel. Instead, it's some cheap, hard, and very cold plastic thing in the winter. After seeing Rottboy's expensive steering wheel cover in genuine leather, i decided to head on over to eBay to find some cheap knock off to try out and see if i would like it.

Found the below listing for 5.46$ USD shipped from China:
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Arrived a couple weeks later. Quality is pretty good, but the product is clearly PU leather (not genuine leather as it said in the description). But for less than 6$, i can't really complain:
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8749/...2b753932_c.jpg
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The fit is VERY tight. i used my knees to hold the bottom part in place while i stretched the top part on. Took a little force, but it makes for a perfectly snug fit:
https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8670/...f9b701bb_c.jpg

I watched several videos on youtube for tips, and i found this one most helpful. I also liked this stitching pattern better than the rest:

After about 30 minutes of slowly working, making sure everything was tight, i finished. Pretty pleased with the outcome, except for a couple mistakes i made:
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https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8633/...549b5656_c.jpg

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This was my first time trying this, and i think i did a pretty good job. If i were to do it again, i would suggest to you all to hide your knot on the backside and INSIDE of your steering wheel cover. My knots are exposed on the outside and isn't as clean looking. But besides that, not bad for < 6$.

Ya did a terrific job. For $6, this has to be the way to go!!! It looks great. Your share will now provide GK owners with a good-looking and affordable solution to make that plastic steering wheel "right".:thumbups:

Wow, for $6 that came out pretty nice. :)

want to try it again? :thumbups:

haha, thanks guys. drove this morning and it works great. feels like a grippier stock wheel and it is no longer an ice cube in the mornings

That's a very nice job for under $6 bones!


I went the route of a kmart deal. Saw it in another thread. For me it felt great during the winter, and good grip too!




Attachment 12081

Not bad!
 

I got the exact same cover and followed pretty closely. Not sure how you got it done in half an hour, but it definitely improves the entire driving experience just having something nice to leave your hands on.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...8b7b9a6256.jpg

I did the exact same thing with mock-leather material. Light to medium gray to contrast with the black upholstry and dash. I coudn't find colored thread of the right kind locally so I used the matched gray thread that came the the kit. Warning - don't do this wiht this kind of plastic resin thread while wearing clothing with velcro fasteners - the velcro will grab the thread and shred it. I manged to extricate the thread without too much damage and finish the job without the shredding being too noticeable but it definitely was troublesome to do.

It is about 2.5 years now since I put the steering wheel cover on and I am just beginning to notice the artificial leather starting to have spots where it is deteriorating, where the surface is wearing away. It will probably last another year before I need to replace the cover with a new one. Back 2.5 years ago I saw 2 types of artificial leather covers for sale, one where the material is folded over at the edge and one where it is not. I bought the kind that is folded over but later it occurred to me that once the cover is sewed on you can't see its edge. I seem to remember that the unfolded cover had some kind of advantage but I don't remember what it was. Maybe it was thicker? I don't know.

I find the thought of having the mummified skin of an animal under my hands rather unesthetic, so that's why I chose a plastic resin material. It looks vaguely like leather wrap and at that time it was also much cheaper than any leather cover that I was able to find on Amazon. As far as length of time in service, how long it wears - I don't know. I see the thread starter probably got the identical material to the one I bought, actually I think its the one without the folded over edges which indeed you cannot see after the cover is sewed on, except his was slightly cheaper and incorrectly labeled as real leather. I paid about 8 or 9 dollars US I think.

TofuShop's is described as coming with "needle thread." Rather amusing description. Mine came with thread, and with a needle.

TofuShop - what about your metal aftermarket shift knob?
I bet that thing becomes a real ice cube in the winter and nasty hot in the summer.

I just wear a good pair of gloves in the winter months.
Just avoid any crappy gloves without grip.

PS:
I think you did a great DIY job.

I found the original urethane steering wheel to be slippery, during normal use with the cabin at a comfortable temperature. I thought it would simpler to put a glove on the steering wheel, and leave it there, than to put gloves on my hands each time I got in the car, and take them off each time I got out! When it is very cold, when it is below freezing, I wear gloves on my hands too, until the cabin warms up.