W202 C43 Steering wheel recover / monoblocks

[VIP_Room]

Checking around the local auto upholstery shops they want $550 to recover my steering wheel with all new leather. I am on a budget with this car plus only the top needs replacing and I would like to keep the bottom - it is original .. Anyone have any ideas? I do want real leather. I was also hoping not to have to take the wheel off but may have to. The car is high mileage but runs great and is a southern car so rust free

Also I checked around and to have my monoblocks refinished they want $270 per wheel with machined lip.. also more than I wanted to spend. Any options? I am in the NoVA area of Virginia.

One more item I have a unused wheel from a W124 wagon (spare) I no longer need.. so if you need one and are local..

thanks to all...

 

[alabbasi]

No idea about the steering wheel cover but the refinishing is about $150 / wheel here or less. @$550 for the steering wheel, I'd hunt around ebay for a perfect one.

 

[2phast]

Steering wheel will have to come off for sure. There really isn't any other option unless you just replace the wheel with one that has good leather, they are hard to find though. You can also use the wheel from a 99 E55 as well.

 

[ccrelan]

Don't have the wheel lips machined and have them redone solid color- saves time/effort/money. The clear goes bad by getting under the machined lips anyhow. I don't understand the hang up with the polished lip myself.

 

[VIP_Room]

Thanks all for the suggestions... I found the AMG mono block wheels from finish line wheels for $175.. I may go with the ECS wheels though.. I like the bigger lip. Not sure what to do about the steering wheel - all the shops will only replace the entire leather but the bottom leather is real nice and I want to keep it..

 

[744Brillantsilber]

It will be a problem to keep the old bottom leather:
Your bottom leather was already stitched once from factory. Stitching it again at the same spots will make the leather weak there.
The risk is that the leather could become too weak and the stitches would not hold your pieces together then.

 

[VIP_Room]

I got my wheels refinished for a more reasonable price.. I had ordered knock off wheels but they kept getting delayed and I cancelled the order. The guy who did my Monoblock's said the wheels I was going to buy were junk as the 'alloy' was terrible. He said the Monoblock alloy was much better. So now I need to get my steering wheel done. I got new tires also - I went with a '+1' as I wanted a better ride..

 

[Duh_Vinci]

I got my wheels refinished for a more reasonable price.. I had ordered knock off wheels but they kept getting delayed and I cancelled the order. The guy who did my Monoblock's said the wheels I was going to buy were junk as the 'alloy' was terrible. He said the Monoblock alloy was much better. So now I need to get my steering wheel done. I got new tires also - I went with a '+1' as I wanted a better ride..

Where did you get your wheels redone? I'm also in VA, and prices locally on refinishing is about $220-250, a bit stiff for my comfort zone...

Regards,
D

 

[VIP_Room]

A+ Alloy Wheel Repair in Fairfax. It was about $200 per wheel.. extra if a rim was bent. I was mostly satisfied.. Not sure if the insides should have been painted but were not. Also paint had a few imperfections but I am happy with the work.

 

[Duh_Vinci]

A+ Alloy Wheel Repair in Fairfax. It was about $200 per wheel.. extra if a rim was bent. I was mostly satisfied.. Not sure if the insides should have been painted but were not. Also paint had a few imperfections but I am happy with the work.

Did they pain yours or powdercoat?

 

[VIP_Room]

hi... looks like paint to me.. I imagine powdercoat would have been a lot more $$.. I think they are painted from the factory? Anyway it looks like there is clearcoat on the machined lip.. he did mention if there was not enough on material on the lip he would have to paint it so yeah probably paint..

 

[VIP_Room]

This car is now for sale on Washington DC Craigslist, $7500.