I'm in.
Who's Interested - REPLACEMENT LEATHER for the Steering Wheel - NOT A COVER
- Thread starter bamachem
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- Thread starter
- #22
I did some more research on AGLA and I have decided to steer clear of him and his business practices. It's not the same company that I dealt with back in 2005 as far as service goes.
Thread 1
Google Search of ONE Porsche Forum
I am going to work with a local guy that my family has known for 30 year and has been in the upolstery business for 25+. I will get him to get a sample of the leather to match color and grain preference, then I'll let him use my wheel to cut the pattern.
I still plan on using the pre-stitched covers that you loop a thread through instead of the "baseball stitch" design on the OEM leather for two reasons. First, I think it looks better (this is the way german wheels are stitched, just look at Porsche, Mercedes, or BMW - pic of stitching in Thread 1 above) and second, it makes it MUCH quicker and easier to install.
Since this guy is local to me, I can provide a more accurate timeline, and I hope to have a prototype with pics on my wheel before finalizing price/delivery to make sure everyone would be happy.
I'll post up progress here...
Thread 1
Google Search of ONE Porsche Forum
I am going to work with a local guy that my family has known for 30 year and has been in the upolstery business for 25+. I will get him to get a sample of the leather to match color and grain preference, then I'll let him use my wheel to cut the pattern.
I still plan on using the pre-stitched covers that you loop a thread through instead of the "baseball stitch" design on the OEM leather for two reasons. First, I think it looks better (this is the way german wheels are stitched, just look at Porsche, Mercedes, or BMW - pic of stitching in Thread 1 above) and second, it makes it MUCH quicker and easier to install.
Since this guy is local to me, I can provide a more accurate timeline, and I hope to have a prototype with pics on my wheel before finalizing price/delivery to make sure everyone would be happy.
I'll post up progress here...
- Thread starter
- #25
My local shop can replicate a GOOD QUALITY version of the AGLA kit that I took him without any issues but one - price.
Using UV stable automotive leather, he would have to charge something in the neighborhood of $135 or so to get them done. It's $46 for the leather, $10 to ship it to him (special order, but PERFECT match), $4 in tax (on the leather), and 1-hr labor @ $75. Then you have to add a few bucks for the hook-needle, thread, and shipping.
This is an initial estimate only as it might be higher or lower based on the labor. The materials prices are fixed for one-off covers, unless we ordered a half hide @ $150 for 4-5 covers or a full hyde @ $250 to get 9-10.
Half-hyde would knock somewhere around $10-$12 off the above price. Full hyde would knock around $18-$20 off per cover.
Any way you look at it, the labor is the kicker, and that's what puts it over $100 per cover. I'm going to make up my mind on if I want to go ahead with this by tomorrow. If I do it, which I'm leaning towards, then I'll have it installed with pics in about two weeks.
Using UV stable automotive leather, he would have to charge something in the neighborhood of $135 or so to get them done. It's $46 for the leather, $10 to ship it to him (special order, but PERFECT match), $4 in tax (on the leather), and 1-hr labor @ $75. Then you have to add a few bucks for the hook-needle, thread, and shipping.
This is an initial estimate only as it might be higher or lower based on the labor. The materials prices are fixed for one-off covers, unless we ordered a half hide @ $150 for 4-5 covers or a full hyde @ $250 to get 9-10.
Half-hyde would knock somewhere around $10-$12 off the above price. Full hyde would knock around $18-$20 off per cover.
Any way you look at it, the labor is the kicker, and that's what puts it over $100 per cover. I'm going to make up my mind on if I want to go ahead with this by tomorrow. If I do it, which I'm leaning towards, then I'll have it installed with pics in about two weeks.
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hoser
SILVER Star
If the job is as good as you say it'll be, I think it's a reasonable price.
- Thread starter
- #27
Another option might be Dallas Steering Wheel. I'll get pricing from them tomorrow. This is a LC wheel they recovered with some extra padding for a thicker grip. Damn, that looks GOOOOOOD....
Another option might be Dallas Steering Wheel. I'll get pricing from them tomorrow. This is a LC wheel they recovered with some extra padding for a thicker grip. Damn, that looks GOOOOOOD....
Cost on that?
Another option might be Dallas Steering Wheel. I'll get pricing from them tomorrow. This is a LC wheel they recovered with some extra padding for a thicker grip. Damn, that looks GOOOOOOD....
oOo i like! I wouldn't mind a little extra padding for grip.
- Thread starter
- #30
FINALLY found a good pic of how a pre-stitched wheel looks when installed. This is OEM on a 2008 M3. The run a line of stitching down each side of the seam (the pre-stitch), just like on the kit I'm working on (M3 has a different thread color for each side, red on one and light blue down the other), then you look another thread through every other pre-stitched loop (the dark blue in the pic). I like it better than the baseball stitch, and I have to admit that it looks pretty sick on the M3.
- Thread starter
- #31
I've read where his re-covered Porsche 996 wheels (similar to the LC/LX) run around $300 for him to do it in his shop. This thread on TundraSolutions says that he did a wheel replacement with leather and core return for ~$250. I will be asking him for refinish pricing as well as if he would do a kit with the triple-stitched seams for ours. They obviously already have the pattern and the extra padding...
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Those look like some awesome options. Just for clarity, does anyone know if the steering wheel is the same part number on all 100s, with just the center attachments and wiring being different, or are they different beasts all together?
- Thread starter
- #33
I don't know if it's the same part number or not, but the steel skeleton is a little different. However, the padded spokes and spindle hole (the 5 points of interface w/ the 100, being the mounting point and 4 places where it touches the airbag) appear to be very similar, if not identical on all 100's and LX470's. The LS430 wheels appear to be very similar, but the bottom two spokes look like they're just ever-so-slightly wider on the LS vs the LC/LX.
- Thread starter
- #34
Here's a combo-pic of a 2003+ LC wheel w/ thicker padding on top, and a 1998-2002 LX OEM wheel on bottom. Notice that although the "skeleton" is different, the spoke transition points appear to be the same (minus thicker padding). The buttons and back plate are all removable and swappable from wheel to wheel, so you can ignore those.
That thick padding sure does look nice...
That thick padding sure does look nice...
With mine, all of the wear is at the 12 o'clock position and so I was actually thinking of the LX version for my '02 LC, thinking that the wood would last longer, but am not sure about that theory either. I do love the feel of the leather, though. The wood is very nice, but I am not sure if it would match the rest of the appliques. The thicker padding is very nice!
Jonathan
Jonathan
- Thread starter
- #36
Same here. My wear is from about 10:30/11:00 to about 1:00/1:30 positions and very little wear anywhere else. I also thought hard about an LX wheel because you can always refinish the wood yourself. However, I MUCH prefer the feel of the slightly thicker leather to the skinnier wood. An even-thicker, more supple leather would be even better. Looks like a padded re-finish would be cheaper than a used LX wheel anyway, so that's icing on the cake.
- Thread starter
- #37
I just got off the phone w/ Dallas Custom Steering Wheel.
A LandCruiser Wheel in "smooth" leather only is $249 + shipping. Two-day turn-around.
Extra Padding (1/16" like the pics above) is an extra $30, same time to re-cover.
Baseball stitching like OEM is included in the price above for both. If you want triple-stitch (like on the BMW wheel above) then it's "a little extra" because it's non-standard.
If you want Perforated leather like the OEM, then it's a $75 upcharge for up to 3 wheels. Over 3 Wheels, then he can start to offer a discount on it due to volume. He has to get the hides in, send part out for perforation, then get it back, cut the pattern and install, so it adds time and handling.
If grouped together at the same time, then he offers bulk discounts:
The catch would be that they would have to be sent in at the same time, which would also lengthens the turn-around on them, which negates the attractiveness of the discounts.
They will NOT sell a kit because individuals may not install them to their specifications and they could loose some credibility with online bashing. If you want their leather, then they will install it.
Sounds like a VERY viable option... Only problem is that I can't go w/o my truck for a week (2 days shipping there, 2 days in the shop, and 2 days to ship it back). Doing so, total price would be around $350 with extra padding and all the expedited 2-day shipping.
It looks like our options are going to be:
I just got off the phone w/ my local guy and ordered the leather to go thru w/ doing it here. This is mainly due to the logistical nightmare of not having a truck for a week and I don't mind doing the triple-stitch myself. I'm going to plan on adding some extra padding (1/16") at the same time to mine as well. Leather will be in late next week, I'll pull my OEM leather and drop it off. Once cut, I'll install and post up pics of the process. If it works out like I'm hoping, I can pass along the shop's contact info and they will have the leather color and my original leather to pattern it off of.
If you want to go with Dallas Custom Wheel, just give them a call and work directly with them. I haven't found a single bad experience posted anywhere online with their quality or service.
A LandCruiser Wheel in "smooth" leather only is $249 + shipping. Two-day turn-around.
Extra Padding (1/16" like the pics above) is an extra $30, same time to re-cover.
Baseball stitching like OEM is included in the price above for both. If you want triple-stitch (like on the BMW wheel above) then it's "a little extra" because it's non-standard.
If you want Perforated leather like the OEM, then it's a $75 upcharge for up to 3 wheels. Over 3 Wheels, then he can start to offer a discount on it due to volume. He has to get the hides in, send part out for perforation, then get it back, cut the pattern and install, so it adds time and handling.
If grouped together at the same time, then he offers bulk discounts:
- 1-2 Wheels: Pricing Above
- 3-5 Wheels: 10% Discount ($25 off each wheel for base cost)
- 6-9 Wheels: 15% Discount ($37.50 off each wheel for base cost)
- 10+ Wheels: 20% Discount ($50 off each wheel for base cost)
The catch would be that they would have to be sent in at the same time, which would also lengthens the turn-around on them, which negates the attractiveness of the discounts.
They will NOT sell a kit because individuals may not install them to their specifications and they could loose some credibility with online bashing. If you want their leather, then they will install it.
Sounds like a VERY viable option... Only problem is that I can't go w/o my truck for a week (2 days shipping there, 2 days in the shop, and 2 days to ship it back). Doing so, total price would be around $350 with extra padding and all the expedited 2-day shipping.
It looks like our options are going to be:
- Kit: ~$155 for base using triple-stitch, install it yourself w/ no down-time
- Kit: ~$165 for extra padding using triple-stitch, install it yourself w/ no down-time
- Dallas Wheel: ~$320 for a standard recover, 1-week down time
- Dallas Wheel: ~$350 for recover w/ extra padding, 1-week down time
I just got off the phone w/ my local guy and ordered the leather to go thru w/ doing it here. This is mainly due to the logistical nightmare of not having a truck for a week and I don't mind doing the triple-stitch myself. I'm going to plan on adding some extra padding (1/16") at the same time to mine as well. Leather will be in late next week, I'll pull my OEM leather and drop it off. Once cut, I'll install and post up pics of the process. If it works out like I'm hoping, I can pass along the shop's contact info and they will have the leather color and my original leather to pattern it off of.
If you want to go with Dallas Custom Wheel, just give them a call and work directly with them. I haven't found a single bad experience posted anywhere online with their quality or service.
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Thanks for doing the research on this. I'm going to go with the Dallas Wheel option.
Times two!
