[Rixter]

Hey fellas, maybe some of you are more experienced with these and can comment, but I was considering putting a Dodge steering wheel cover in my GMG.

Now, my thought would be that it would protect the wheel (had one in my Intrepid R/T for years, never took it off), but would that work or would it actually mess up the look and/or durability of the leather?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Phanta5m]

I've always put a steering wheel cover on all my cars. I'd rather get that dirty and be able to change it then have to replace the original material. From my experience, the covers will not harm your original steering wheel material. Just be careful and make sure the inside of the new cover is smooth inside because I ordered one and it had some rough spots that would have effected the leather on my stock wheel. Also, when I had a mustang the steering wheel leather wore down within a year, so ever since then i've put one on. Attached is a pic of a cover i just put on. it's slim not bulky looking and is very well made, plus it has skulls on it!:smoke:

 

[Green_Manalishi]

I've always put a steering wheel cover on all my cars. When I had a mustang the steering wheel leather wore down, so ever since then i've put one on. attached is a pic of a cover i just put on. it's slim not bulky looking and is very well made, plus it has skulls on it!:smoke:

I agree. After allowing the leather wheel on my '96 Ram to wear out, I've always used one.

 

[Rixter]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'll check into some today!

My wheel's 2 years old and while I treat it a lot and it's still in great shape, I'd rather not have it wear out on me. Trying to keep my GMG as original as possible for as long as possible. When I got it (2nd owner) it had 14k miles on it, Flowmaster pipes, tint, overhead DVD system installed and moldings removed. It looks perfect that way in my opinion. I ran into the guy that traded it in (for a SRT8 300) and talked with him a while about it. Much like myself, he took VERY good care of it.

 

[HedleyLamarr]

jebus....what are you guys doing to your steering wheels?

I've never messed one up

my dad has 150K miles on his Suburban and the worst thing about it its it's a little shiny now

 

[Phanta5m]

jebus....what are you guys doing to your steering wheels?

not what were doing, what were preventing. my other car is a nissan maxima heated steering wheel and the material on it seems good, so i havent touched that one, plus it's heated so that wouldn't make since to put a cover on it.:knockout:

 

[moparknighthawk]

The leather covered strering wheel onmy 2000 Dodge Neon ES is still is new condition after over 148,000 miles of driving. I do clean and condition it twice a year with a leather cleaner/conditioner. If you take care of it, it should last a long time. Also, my Neon was garaged so that helps too.

 

[Rixter]

The leather covered strering wheel onmy 2000 Dodge Neon ES is still is new condition after over 148,000 miles of driving. I do clean and condition it twice a year with a leather cleaner/conditioner. If you take care of it, it should last a long time. Also, my Neon was garaged so that helps too.

Wow twice a year? I do mine twice a month (VERY inexperienced with leather interior stuff...my first leather steering wheel ever and I'm 38 years old lol). The guy that owned it before me said that he did it every weekend. Is twice a month overkill? Wouldn't want to over-treat it, if that's possible.

My GMG is carported and since my job/office moved locations and is now 2.3 miles from my house, it REALLY cut down on my driving, and most times I use my wife's Sunfire Vert for the more sunny days. On top of that, I use my windshield/dash blinders religiously when I park it. This is also the first car I've owned that I haven't smoked in.

I think I'll just wait it out and see how long I can keep the original.

 

[wickedchargerrt]

let me interject some here. Two vehicles have been wrecked at our dealer due to steering wheel covers. And i've even had issues on customer cars too. When you go to turn the wheel in cold weather sometimes on some covers the cover will turn on the wheel but not the wheel. Huge safety hazard. Two cars have been run directly into lifts. Even at 5 -10 mph it can do a lot of damage to the car when hitting such an immobile object. I've driven customer cars at highway speeds, and had these things slip on me too. I hate em. And of course if they slip, they tear up the wheel looks wise too

 

[Rixter]

let me interject some here. Two vehicles have been wrecked at our dealer due to steering wheel covers. And i've even had issues on customer cars too. When you go to turn the wheel in cold weather sometimes on some covers the cover will turn on the wheel but not the wheel. Huge safety hazard. Two cars have been run directly into lifts. Even at 5 -10 mph it can do a lot of damage to the car when hitting such an immobile object. I've driven customer cars at highway speeds, and had these things slip on me too. I hate em. And of course if they slip, they tear up the wheel looks wise too

Thanks for the post. Another angle I hadn't considered, the wheel in my previous car, Intrepid R/T, could've been in poor shape, I'll never know since I never took it off and traded it for the GMG.

 

[Phanta5m]

well let me interject too, i drive in ct and pa where it gets really cold and i've never had that problem. it all depends on what type you buy (some are loose fitting and some you really have to stretch to fit on the wheel. my cover is on tight, really tight, "did i just say tight":tongue: it's not moving. to each his own...:ninja:

 

[goMANgo259]

ok i have a question and it might be dumb, but this is the thing i just dont understand...

if the whole purpose of the steering wheel cover is to protect the actual steering wheel leather, then doesn't it defeat its own purpose by not letting you enjoy the leather itself? whats the point of keeping it nice if you're never going to see it?

the way i see it, i'll drive without one till the leather wears out (which has never happened to me), then i might consider putting one on cause i would like the texture of it better

 

[Torred.CDN.Charger]

I actually bought a steering wheel cover last year when i bought my Daytona http://www.amazon.com/Dodge-Motorsports-Style-Premium-Steering/dp/B0002NILPG

But i found it was really hard to put on. Also, when i looked on the inside of the steering wheel cover it had grooves and such in there so i became wary of putting it on. I think i would have done a little damage to the stock steering wheel just trying to put it on and stretching it over the stock steering wheel.

I used to be a courier driver and the steering wheel of my previous vehicle got dirty and you couldn't clean it off. It just got ground in there and the dirt caked on. I work a white collar job now so i don't have those issues anymore. Everytime i'm about to enter my Daytona i generally go and wash my hands, (yeah i'm that anal), and that's just to keep the steering wheel clean.

So, i think it depends what type of a job you do and whether you're hands are really dirty when you drive. EX. i go to the gym. After i'm done i can't even imagine getting in my car without washing my hands first. I go to a bar/club. Before i go back to my car i excuse myself and use bathroom and wash hands.

Steering wheel is pristine.

 

[mannyhernz]

what about one of these not that pricey and its leather!! cliky

 

[Rixter]

ok i have a question and it might be dumb, but this is the thing i just dont understand...

if the whole purpose of the steering wheel cover is to protect the actual steering wheel leather, then doesn't it defeat its own purpose by not letting you enjoy the leather itself? whats the point of keeping it nice if you're never going to see it?

the way i see it, i'll drive without one till the leather wears out (which has never happened to me), then i might consider putting one on cause i would like the texture of it better

I hear ya, and in the end I agree wtih not covering it. I had originally asked because I have absolutely no experience with leather wheels whatsoever and wanted to hear the goods/bads from people who have.

Thanks for the posts all.

And to Mr. Anal Guy who washes his hands before getting into the car...you're not alone!! hahaha