You fitted a custom steering wheel, and the car is about to change hands. You have two options: sell it with its new steering wheel, or refit the original one you kept. Here is how to choose, then how to prepare the job.
Should you refit the original steering wheel before selling?
The choice is yours. The new steering wheel is made to order for your vehicle, and your original steering wheel stays with you the whole time. When you sell, you therefore have both.
- Sell with the new steering wheel: the buyer gets a carefully chosen finish, in the material you picked. It is the easiest option when the buyer likes your build.
- Refit the original steering wheel: the car returns to its factory look, and you keep your custom steering wheel for another car in the same steering wheel family, once compatibility has been checked.
To see the sale from the other side, the article on the steering wheel of a used car shows what a buyer notices when they take the driver's seat.
What should you prepare first?
- the original steering wheel, stored somewhere dry and out of direct light;
- the buttons and controls that belong to it, depending on your choice at order;
- the original airbag cover, if you chose the cosmetic cover in the configurator;
- the fitting tutorial supplied with your order and basic tools.
What happens to the buttons and the airbag?
It depends on the option chosen at order, explained in the article original buttons or new OEM buttons:
- Transferred buttons: your original buttons moved to the new steering wheel. They go back onto the original steering wheel when you refit it.
- New OEM buttons: the new steering wheel received its own buttons, and the original steering wheel kept its own. Each steering wheel stays complete.
The airbag follows the same logic. You kept your original airbag and fitted it to the new steering wheel: it goes back onto the original one. If you chose the cosmetic cover offered in the configurator, put the original cover back on. The role of the airbag during a swap is explained in the article on what happens to the airbag when you change your steering wheel.
How long does refitting take?
Refitting the original steering wheel follows the fitting steps, in the order of the tutorial. Allow about the same time as the fitting, which takes 30 to 45 minutes when you do it yourself. The article on steering wheel fitting time breaks down how those minutes are spent.
Before you start, reread the safety points in the tutorial, especially for the airbag. The installation page covers the tools and fitting instructions.
Do it yourself or leave it to a garage?
If you fitted the new steering wheel yourself, refitting uses the same tutorial and the same tools. If you would rather hand it over, a professional garage can do the job, including handling the airbag.
For the whole process, from choosing the steering wheel to fitting it, read the guide to changing your car's steering wheel.
