Gearing up

My 2016 VW Tiguan’s gear knob’s leather was getting worn and felt rough, it’s not a big deal but it’s irritating me enough to do something about it. A friend offered to retrim it, providing the option to customise it, but I’m still playing with the idea. However, I would have to buy another anyway whilst it’s being re-trimmed, and that would set me back the cost of a gear knob anyway… Enter the world of cheap electronics from Ali-Express. I found a replacement VW gear knob that has the illuminated gear indicator at a fraction of the cost of what the standard one would cost from VW. Had to buy it, didn’t I?

As per usual, the Ali-Express product came with no instructions or retail packaging. Just in bubble wrap. The wiring loom fits perfectly, and the clips to hold the gaiter and wiring were all different but does the job, giving a factory look once re-assembled together. In the end, this replacement ended up being a cheap upgrade. Let’s hope the build quality is as good as the OEM and lasts 7 years!