Cracked Leather Wheel - Help!

[RDP197]

Just wondering if anyone on here would be able to offer some help in fixing the problem below. My steering wheel has cracked badly and I want to get it sorted as it's doing my head in and getting worse.



I've had discussions with Renault and they want £450 approx to replace it, but they'd make a 30% contribution to the cost. They say it'll be a new wheel and airbag unit. I'm glad they've made such a gesture of good will as a start but the price seems astronomical? I've mentioned to them about previous cases of steering wheel melt on the 182's and also the previous 197 wheel that melted and they replaced under warranty but they say it's trim and the usual comments on wearing rings/hand cream etc, which I don't. The car's just outside warranty which is also frustrating. I don't mind getting it done privately if there is a cheaper way of doing it. Any ideas?

 

[ForceIndia]

You won't need a new airbag unit, so that should save a fair bit. I'd post in here http://www.cliosport.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?143-Wests-Renault and see how much they can do a new wheel for. Is it renault Uk, or the dealer you've been speaking to?

 

[Rob]

I swear the wheel price is on the Renault Sport website and is only £150? I remember when there was all the hype about getting them in the mk2's...

 

[RDP197]

Thanks, I'll take a look :approve: Well it's RUK who've made the good will gesture and is based on the dealer's view of the work needed with photos I've sent them. It's only one item of a list of other things I want sorted which totalled over £1100! :dead: But this is the main issue I want to sort. Several private leather restoration companies have said no as it's too difficult.

 

[N!ck]

Rather shocking as it's just outside the warranty period.

Not thought about getting it retrimmed? I'm looking at this for my wheel roughly £160 iirc

Problem with paying for a brand new wheel from Renault, is that it's inevitable to happen again no?

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?507688-Steering-wheel-re-trim.-Please-Read!!!

 

[RDP197]

Yeah I saw that thread. I've bought a second hand wheel off ebay for £80 which is alright, needs some TLC on the stitching but we'll see how it lasts. In the mean time I may send the original off for a re-trim. Bird I spoke to was quite helpful yet wanted to treat it as an isolated case, which I told her was disgusting given the well publicised history of poor leather on the wheels on a variety of Renault models. Not impressed with the after care at all.

 

[N!ck]

Thats not on really, you shouldn't have to buy another wheel imo. Do you think it would of been different if the car was still under warranty?

I'm still waiting on a reply from the OP in that thread guess he's rather busy with the top job he's doing.

 

[RDP197]

Well the view seems to be that even under warranty they wouldn't replace it with ease. I've got the new wheel ready to go on, which will cost less than half of what Renault wanted, and I agree it is still shockingly poor I've had to do that. Even now tho, the new wheels needs a small area re-threading (I guess you'd call it) where the thread between 2 pieces of leather has undone. Not sure how to go about that now. The trauma goes on.