E350 With All-Leather Steering Wheel & Chrome/leather Shifter

[PSUDad]

I just bought a 2008 ES350 and it came with an all-leather wheel and a leather and chrome shifter. All of the other ES350's on the lot had the wood/leather wheel and shifter. Is this pretty uncommon? It had all of the same features and options as the rest, with this exception.

[pj8708]

I just bought a 2008 ES350 and it came with an all-leather wheel and a leather and chrome shifter. All of the other ES350's on the lot had the wood/leather wheel and shifter. Is this pretty uncommon? It had all of the same features and options as the rest, with this exception.

Not an expert on the 08' model but I did a search a found that over the years many models from GX to LS and ES have all offered leather steering wheels. The 2008 ES350 may have offered it as an option but as 2010 I'm pretty sure that option is no longer offered.

Paul

[cduluk]

Truth is, the wood and leather steering wheel + shifter isn't specific to any of the various "packages" the Es350 comes with. Depending on your location, dealers can order cars with or without these different features.

You can easily buy a wood and leather steering wheel and shifter from eBay for pretty cheap. Wood shifters sell for about $50-$100 and the wood steering wheels in the $200 range.

Note that the steering wheels and shifters from the 08-11 GS350/430/450h are 100% identical to those from the 08-11 ES350 besides the side button controls (which can be removed and have the same mounts 100%). Only thing you need to watch out for is wood color.

What color is your interior?

[Django44]

When I bought my new 2008 ES350 I asked the dealer if I could get it with an all-leather steering wheel. I was told (truthfully or not) that they would have to special order it from Japan and it would take several months. I went with what was the standard wood-leather combination. The reason I don't care for the wood steering wheel is that it gets awfully hot when left in the sun and it doesn't offer the same positive grip that leather does, especially if your hands are sweaty. Wood looks great but isn't practical in any way as far as I can tell. (You are not even gripping actual wood but rather the varnished surface of the wood wheel.)

[LexBob2]

When I bought my new 2008 ES350 I asked the dealer if I could get it with an all-leather steering wheel. I was told (truthfully or not) that they would have to special order it from Japan and it would take several months. I went with what was the standard wood-leather combination. The reason I don't care for the wood steering wheel is that it gets awfully hot when left in the sun and it doesn't offer the same positive grip that leather does, especially if your hands are sweaty. Wood looks great but isn't practical in any way as far as I can tell. (You are not even gripping actual wood but rather the varnished surface of the wood wheel.)

I thought I'd seen a video from Lexus showing the wood/leather steering wheels being made from real wood. As I recall it showed how the wood is formed and then finished. Am I remembering correctly?

[cduluk]

When I bought my new 2008 ES350 I asked the dealer if I could get it with an all-leather steering wheel. I was told (truthfully or not) that they would have to special order it from Japan and it would take several months. I went with what was the standard wood-leather combination. The reason I don't care for the wood steering wheel is that it gets awfully hot when left in the sun and it doesn't offer the same positive grip that leather does, especially if your hands are sweaty. Wood looks great but isn't practical in any way as far as I can tell. (You are not even gripping actual wood but rather the varnished surface of the wood wheel.)

I thought I'd seen a video from Lexus showing the wood/leather steering wheels being made from real wood. As I recall it showed how the wood is formed and then finished. Am I remembering correctly?

Indeed! All real wood. <_<

https://secure.drivers.lexus.com/lexusdrivers/magazine/articles/Vehicle-Insider/Steering-Wheel