My boot was rubbbing the console when I put the car into reverse which shredded my $30 vinyl boot from bavauto so I decided to try out a leather boot from a UK ebayer TOP GAITERS. Cost me 10 pounds shipped.
Here is what it looked liked when it arrived, note that it does not have a mounting frame, you must use the one from your original boot.
Leather is nice and thick, which means it should be pretty durable, but not sure if it will move nicely when shifting.
Also liked the texture of the boot, I think it matches the texture of the console better than the bavauto boot. Here is a comparison of the leather boot (top), a new bavauto boot (bottom right), and my old bavauto boot (left). Notice that bavauto has changed the texture of their boots so that there is almost no wrinkle which really doesn't match the interior of the car at all.
Installation is super simple, first take your old torn boot and tear all the material off of the plastic frame like so.
Then stretch the new leather boot over the frame, it is kind of tricky to get on, takes a little bit of force which worried me because I did not want to brake the frame but it held up to the force just fine, but I'd still be cautious.
Fitment is nice and tight and I think looks great when compared to the bavuto boot which comes with a frame already attached.
Next you just snap it on and then push the boot down over the stick and install your shift knob!
The only difference now between this one and the bavauto boot is that the bavauto one has a plastic collar at the top. I installed a z3 lever on my car and I hear that the boot with a plastic collar at the top won't go down far enough on the shorter levers, so this was actually a benefit to me.
The leather is very study and at the same time soft, it squished down over my lever fine and it moves nicely when shifting. I have yet to fix the reverse rub so this boot is taking some abuse but is holding up nicely.
It looks like the bavauto boot is now going for $50 which is crazy, I think that for 10 pounds this leather boot can't be beat!
Here is what it looked liked when it arrived, note that it does not have a mounting frame, you must use the one from your original boot.
Leather is nice and thick, which means it should be pretty durable, but not sure if it will move nicely when shifting.
Also liked the texture of the boot, I think it matches the texture of the console better than the bavauto boot. Here is a comparison of the leather boot (top), a new bavauto boot (bottom right), and my old bavauto boot (left). Notice that bavauto has changed the texture of their boots so that there is almost no wrinkle which really doesn't match the interior of the car at all.
Installation is super simple, first take your old torn boot and tear all the material off of the plastic frame like so.
Then stretch the new leather boot over the frame, it is kind of tricky to get on, takes a little bit of force which worried me because I did not want to brake the frame but it held up to the force just fine, but I'd still be cautious.
Fitment is nice and tight and I think looks great when compared to the bavuto boot which comes with a frame already attached.
Next you just snap it on and then push the boot down over the stick and install your shift knob!
The only difference now between this one and the bavauto boot is that the bavauto one has a plastic collar at the top. I installed a z3 lever on my car and I hear that the boot with a plastic collar at the top won't go down far enough on the shorter levers, so this was actually a benefit to me.
The leather is very study and at the same time soft, it squished down over my lever fine and it moves nicely when shifting. I have yet to fix the reverse rub so this boot is taking some abuse but is holding up nicely.
It looks like the bavauto boot is now going for $50 which is crazy, I think that for 10 pounds this leather boot can't be beat!
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