DIY: deAutoKey leather red stitch shift boot

Here is the link to the item I am reviewing.
http://www.deautokey.com/product/red-stitch-shift-boot-cover-matches-interior-leather
The leather looked great. The red stitching stands out and matches the oem red stitching on the steering wheel etc.

Push on the 8 tabs underneath to release the shift boot from the trim.


Remove the plastic ring surrounding the bottom of the shift boot to release the shift knob from the boot.

Remove the staples on the bottom on the boot to remove it from the interior trim ring.


The shift boots side by side prior to install.

Insert the trim ring into the new boot until you get it where you want it.

Begin by putting new staples into the new shift boot to hold it in place.

Cut the corners into slits to ensure the boot fits tightly.



Click the plastic ring back on to the bottom of the shift knob once you insert it into the new boot to hold it in place.

Snap the shift boot assembly back into the exterior trim ring with the 8 tabs.



Finished product. It was night when I got it done so I will have to take and post better pictures during the day here in the next day or so. My opinion is it looks great. It is a lot better than the syn leather that the car comes with. A great option to go with if you want real leather. It is also quite a bit thicker than the stock shift boot so it feels better and looks cleaner.

Sorry I posted in wrong section. Mods can you please move to DIY section. Thanks

Thanks, it looks amazing!
I added it here:
http://www.deAutoKey.com/Red-Stitch-Leather-Boot-Cover-Installation-Guide

With this installation guide, it should be much easier for everyone to install.

Great DIY!

Here are some daytime pictures that are better than the ones I took last night.

Doesn't the GTI come with red stitching on the shift boot already?

Yes it does. I traded out with a TDI awhile back and decided I wanted something with red stitching again but not the garbage oem synthetic crap they put in. I also didn't want anything suede. This one worked out perfect because the leather is really nice, thick, and soft. So it bends easily for my shifter being so much shorter than stock. Perfect match if someone is looking for something with better quality as well as it looks a lot better. They also have a matching e brake handle I just purchased so I have the quality leather on both pieces.

What kind of staples/ stapler did you use to attach the leather? Just a regular ole swingline or like a heavy duty job?

Ma bell said:

What kind of staples/ stapler did you use to attach the leather? Just a regular ole swingline or like a heavy duty job?

Click to expand...

You could get away with regular staples from my experience.

You just need to get a tight fit.

Thanks

deAutoKey said:

You could get away with regular staples from my experience.

You just need to get a tight fit.

Thanks

Click to expand...

I ended up using the leather itself- I stretched over the trim ring, fashioned "tabs" out of the leather, and made small slits in the leather tabs, then stretched them over the retaining clips of the inner trim ring. They secured the boot and allowed the inner ring to latch, securing the boot itself and the inner trim ring to the console shifter trim. For whatever reason, no staples of and kind would drive through the plastic/hold the boot on. This worked. I did break the inner trim ring, but the tension and some plastic welder epoxy have righted that. Boot looks great with my new Forge shift knob.

Ma bell said:

I ended up using the leather itself- I stretched over the trim ring, fashioned "tabs" out of the leather, and made small slits in the leather tabs, then stretched them over the retaining clips of the inner trim ring. They secured the boot and allowed the inner ring to latch, securing the boot itself and the inner trim ring to the console shifter trim. For whatever reason, no staples of and kind would drive through the plastic/hold the boot on. This worked. I did break the inner trim ring, but the tension and some plastic welder epoxy have righted that. Boot looks great with my new Forge shift knob.

Click to expand...

Thanks, another great tip.

If you have the patience and follow this DIY, this is a very nice piece for your car, I have sold a lot since the DIY, so I think people really need to see it to understand it as I am the same way.

Thanks

trigger_storey said:

Here are some daytime pictures that are better than the ones I took last night.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the pics, added them to our listing!

so will this fit with the oem shifter? I see that on the website that it only works with the shifter that OP has.

jerome99 said:

so will this fit with the oem shifter? I see that on the website that it only works with the shifter that OP has.

Click to expand...

Post a picture, the issue is that this might not fit if it isn't the same measurements as the shifter that is pictured above.
Thanks :thumbsup:

deAutoKey said:

Post a picture, the issue is that this might not fit if it isn't the same measurements as the shifter that is pictured above.
Thanks :thumbsup:

Click to expand...

It is the stock MK6 GTI shifter. Here is a pic



If the top end of the boot is to small that is fine I can trim to fit. If it is to big then I don't know how to work around that.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

jerome99 said:

It is the stock MK6 GTI shifter. Here is a pic

View attachment 32913

If the top end of the boot is to small that is fine I can trim to fit. If it is to big then I don't know how to work around that.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Click to expand...

That will work, as you see in the DIY, you just have to staple it on the other side and make it smaller, should work fine.

:thumbsup: