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2016.5 Model S P90DL steering wheel reupholstered in Alcantara by T Sportline

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Hey guys,

So I've never exactly loved the leather on my 2016.5 Model S's steering wheel. It's always felt a little sticky/tacky to the touch, not soft & luxurious. I finally did something about it. I had the fine folks at @TSportline reupholster it in black Alcantara, with light gray stitching. It's beautiful and feels wonderful as well! Turnaround time was fast, too - I dropped off my wheel on Friday (they swapped in a spare wheel so I could still drive the car) and it was ready on Monday! Since T Sportline is local to me, I was also able to check out some of their custom interior work (seats, door panels, etc.) and it's all really nice. I'm tempted to have more of my interior done! Anyway, here is their Model S custom interior options page (and this page for 2021+ Model S).

Without further ado, photos!

Before:
01_before.jpg


After:
02_after_full.jpg


03_after_close_01.jpg


04_after_close_02.jpg


Thanks for checking it out!

Brian
 
@jebinc I don't have much experience with Alcantara longevity/maintenance but apparently Sonax Upholstery and Alcantara Cleaner (Amazon link) is great to keep it fresh & like new. It's not supposed to need like constant maintenance or anything - probably when washing the car, give it a spritz with Sonax and give it some wipes, should be good to go. Even if one's Alcantara surfaces were to be left unmaintained, seems like this Sonax stuff can bring it back to like new. Check out the before & after photos on the Sonax product page (to be taken with some grains of salt, as it's from the manufacturer, but still).

@Cal1 yeah, Alcantara is actually a brand name of synthetic suede-like microfiber. (Wikipedia link) It should be very durable and long-lasting, provided it's maintained (see above). It feels much nicer to my hands than the plasticky surface of the factory yoke wheel. While I was up at T Sportline I saw some of their reupholstered "360" yoke replacement wheels and they were very nice. Lots of upholstery options too, from Alcantara to smooth leather to combination, different colors, etc. Pimp My EV also has some customizable steering wheel options (including a fully round replacement wheel for the yoke) that look nice - but I don't have direct experience with those so can't vouch for them.

I hope this is helpful!

Brian
 
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