Coby Wheel Alcantara shift Knob/Boot Review
Why?
Its been awhile since I had the idea pf getting a new shift knob. My old shift knob was showing serious signs of wear and on top of that i found that the stock shifting experience, although better than my previous Acura Tl, was far from stellar. I was looking for foremost an alcantara covered shift knob, a reduction in notchiness, and a more solid shifter feel. Why alcantara you ask? Well, besides the fact that i may have the sweatiest hands ever put onto a mans body, I just think Alcantara looks incredible.
How?
I did some research on these forums about different shift knobs and the general consensus was that the ZHP Shift Knob was exactly what I was looking for, the only problem being that it was covered in leather and not Alcantara. So my next step was to find an Alcantara covered ZHP Shift knob and with a little searching I came across Coby Wheel. They had exactly what I was looking for and on top of that they had a matching Shift boot so the purchase was prety much a no brainer. There prices wherent that bad at all either, together the Alcantara Shift Boot and Knob Cost me $160 Shipped.
I Dont have any pictures of the install but it is pretty straight forward. The OEM shift knob pops off by pulling on it in an upward fashion. Please by careful though when doing this, you can hit yourself in the face if you are not careful, i found this out the hard way...:/ After youve done that all you have to do is grab the shift boot where it goes into the center console and give it a tug and it should pop right off. Install the new shift boot and Shift Knob from Coby Wheel in reverse order and youre ready to go! They also have a complete diy guide on their website if this doesnt make sense. Ill Post a link below:
http://cobywheel.com/bmw-diy-files/b...t-removal.html
Improvements?
When I got back into the car after Installing the Shift Knob and Boot the Difference from stock was incredible. The Shifts Where much more solid feeling, the notchiness was still present but certianly not as much and the shifter just felt so much better in your hand thanks to the Alcantara. This is one of the best modifications I have made to my car so far because you feel it every single time you drive.
Problems/Dislikes?
The only problem I have with the Coby Wheel Shifter/Knob is the way the boot sits below the Shifter. Im not sure if this is due to a fault of mine during installation or just the way it was designed but it is all bunched up around the bottom of the shifter.
I am going to take it off and reinstall it some time later this week to see if i can get rid of the bunchiness. Ill post an update when I do so
All in All I would recommend the Coby Wheel Shift Knob and Boot to anyone looking to upgrade there shifter as well as the appearance of their interior.