Aftermarket steering wheel covers - educate me (1 Viewer)

[Tick]

I'd like a heated steering wheel cover, but I don't understand how they work.

Here's a description of one:

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Default.aspx?sku=87921

The unit provides heat for 35 minutes and its three-hour battery recharges via a car’s own 12-volt adapter. The battery pack tucks safely out of the way on the steering column while in use, and the rubber wheel cover can be used year-round without heat for protection and a firm grip. Includes AC adapter for recharging the battery indoors.

The wording is strange - is that saying I have to charge for 3 hours to get 35 minutes worth of heat?

The battery sounds good - it wouldn't be safe to have a cord hanging off your steering wheel while driving. The AC adapter makes sense - charge it at home or work, then plug it in when you get in the car. But what if I'm leaving a restaurant/arena/theater where I can't really plug it in?

The part I don't really get is this: "battery recharges via a car’s own 12-volt adapter" - when is that happening? While the car is off? Wouldn't it drain the battery?

 

[Joe Summer]

All you need now are seatcovers, fuzzy dice, and a couple subwoofers and you will have the coolest Cutlass in the high school parking lot.

 

[eoMMan]

I'd give some advice here but I wouldn't want to steer you in the wrong direction.

 

[Tick]

If the "12v adapter" is the cigarette lighter, that turns off when the car is off. At least on most cars.

Yeah, but some have always-on ports. I just don't know how much current a steering wheel heater draws, or what it would take to drain a car's battery.

 

[Bucky86]

Why do you need a heated steering wheel?

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Why do you need a heated steering wheel?

No ####. My brother bought a car last year (Lexus maybe?) that was supposed to come with a heated steering wheel. It didn't work. Long story but he went round and round with the dealer to get installed/fixed.

I get it that when you spend $$$ for a car you should get what you pay for but...

...he lives in Sacramento

 

[fantasycurse42]

First of all

2) I didn't even know they made these aftermarket

3) Heated steering wheel is a pretty cool feature - hot almost instantly and a nice touch on a cold day or day you had to remove ice/snow from your car.

Personally, if it didn't come with my car, I prob wouldn't be going out of my way to put it in though. Nice to have, but prob near the very bottom of important features that would make me add a package to a car.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

All you need now are seatcovers, fuzzy dice, and a couple subwoofers and you will have the coolest Cutlass in the high school parking lot.

Yeah I came here to suggest glass packs. Or maybe go retro with a nice 8-track.

 

[Ted Stickles]

Zebra print is the choice here.

 

[Binky The Doormat]

I forgot about deep dish cragars.

 

[SHIZNITTTT]

How about a remote start for your vehicle. You can warm the whole car up and not just the steering wheel.

 

[Tick]

Why do you need a heated steering wheel?

I don't need one, but I'm sick of cold hands.Why wouldn't someone in Michigan want this for $50?

Looking at other descriptions, I think it's a battery that holds 3 hours of charge, but shuts off after 30 minutes. Makes sense.

I'll report back once I install it.

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

Do you really want to be That Guy?

 

[Tick]

Just realized I left the word "heated" out of the thread title.

I'm already that guy, just making it more obvious.

 

[Foosball God]

Why do you need a heated steering wheel?

I don't need one, but I'm sick of cold hands.Why wouldn't someone in Michigan want this for $50?

Looking at other descriptions, I think it's a battery that holds 3 hours of charge, but shuts off after 30 minutes. Makes sense.

I'll report back once I install it.

Because it is going to be a PITA as an aftermarket.

 

[Apple Jack]

dont forget some shag carpet for the dash.

 

[Nugget]

I had a factory heated steering wheel in my Lincoln. I never used it. I also lived in Orange County at the time. I just use the remote start in KS.

 

[Apple Jack]

Keep gloves on another five minutes while car warms up. Buy bourbon with $50.

 

[playin4beer]

Why do you need a heated steering wheel?

I don't need one, but I'm sick of cold hands.Why wouldn't someone in Michigan want this for $50?

Looking at other descriptions, I think it's a battery that holds 3 hours of charge, but shuts off after 30 minutes. Makes sense.

I'll report back once I install it.

It hasn't even been a cold Winter yet!

Remote start.. Car is heated when you get in.. no need to heat the steering wheel ...

Now, heated windshield wipers??? THOSE would be in the Winter.

 

[=Smackdown=]

Waste of $$$

Plus not as cool as my leather driving gloves with the fingers cut off.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Why would I care if my chauffeur's hands are cold?

 

[belljr]

Do they sell gloves in michigan?

 

[E Street Brat]

Is there an air-conditioned version of this? GDB blisters on your hands grabbing the steering wheel on a Florida July afternoon.

 

[Osaurus]

Keep gloves on another five minutes while car warms up. Buy bourbon with $50.

This. Gloves down?

 

[Osaurus]

Is there an air-conditioned version of this? GDB blisters on your hands grabbing the steering wheel on a Florida July afternoon.

Pulling the cookie sheet off the dashboard with my white chocolate macadamias can be a ##### without gloves.

 

[Tick]

Keep gloves on another five minutes while car warms up. Buy bourbon with $50.

This. Gloves down?

Gloves suck for driving. They keep your palm warm, but even good gloves won't keep your fingers warm when you grab a freezing steering wheel.I've been limping along on gloves for 40 ####### years... Time to solve this problem.

 

[Tick]

Huh - new board undid the censor on my last post.

I installed the heated cover.

• Good: it keeps my hands from freezing until the heater takes over.
  
• Good: it doesn't get in the way while driving in any way.
  
• Bad: on a charge, it only gets a little over two 20-minute heating cycles.  Gets me to work and back, but I have to remember to charge it every night.
  
• Bad: really difficult to mount the battery on the steering wheel.  It comes with velcro and double-sided sticky foam, but that crap falls off when it gets cold.  My wife ended up sewing a pouch with some straps so I could mount it to the backside of the steering wheel out of my way.
  
• Bad: It's not very hot.  It's been useful down to 10 degrees, but it's not anywhere near as nice as a factory heated steering wheel.