How to Buy a Steering Wheel Cover

For people who want to enhance the interior of their vehicle and, at the same time, protect the steering wheel, there are a variety of steering wheel covers available. The price and quality of these covers run the gambit but something is available at the price range you can afford.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Steering Wheel Covers

1. Watch the price. It is possible to find steering wheel covers that cost as little as $2 and as much as $35. The price of the item assists you in determining the quality of the goods.

2. Measure the diameter of the wheel and the circumference around the grip, then tell the sales representative. The alternative is to simply provide the year and model of the vehicle; the manufacturer may have a chart that supplies the proper dimension.

3. Choose the material. Covers come in cloth, vinyl, terrycloth, sheepskin, wool and leather. If you want leather, you need to be aware of the quality. Top-grain leather, that is the top of the hide where the hair grows, is smooth and subtle. Below is what the trade calls splits or suedes. The finish of these grains is rough but manufacturers often buff and apply plasticides on the grain to make them look top quality. Still, it doesn't have the feel of top-grain leather. The lower-grain leather covers sell at a range of $12 to $14. Top grain costs about $35.

4. Consider ease of installation and how the cover fits on the wheel. You want a nice snug fit. Many covers are designed to slip or stretch over the rim of the steering wheel. Some are designed to be sewn onto the wheel. Lacing cord and needle are supplied in leather covers with prepunched holes. You simply stitch the cover to the wheel, which assures a snug fit.

5. Decide on the color. Although most people who buy steering wheel covers choose neutral black, many manufacturers offer a range of colors to match the car's interior.

6. Feel the grip. Some companies, such as Grant Products, offer different thickness of grips. For example, a cushion grip wheel cover is supposed to help reduce driving fatigue. The molded design features ergonomic thumb pads and finger grips to increase driver comfort. Grant's vinyl covers come in a number of grips from regular to ultra-thick: Sure grip is regular thickness; Power Grip is extra thick and deeply textured; and Ultra-Grip is ultrathick.

7. Buy covers from auto boutique shops, new car dealerships, upholstery shops, mail order catalogs and via the Internet.

Tips & Warnings

• Ask about how to care for your cover. Manufacturers of the top-grain leather covers, for example, suggest that you use the mildest soaps for cleaning. The leather has a coating and finishes that protect it from ultraviolet sunlight as well as acidic perspiration and hand oil. So it is recommended that you clean very gently so the finishes are not disturbed.

[Rinstolio]

on 6/19/2008 Wheelskins in Berkeley, CA sent me material samples and they were some kind of rubber coated suede that might as well have been rubber coated felt. There was a leather odor from the suede, but driving a car with that stuff on the steering wheel would have made me feel like I had some kind of economy car with vinyl seats.