Gear Knob Rant

[Pug_sport 0]

I have just bought a F reg 1.9 Gti with a few problems ie: head gasket and a few cosmetics.

What I didn't expect was to replace the gear knob is more expensive than doing the head gasket.

On Ebay the cheapest is £95 ranging up to £160.

 

Is there anywhere that does copies of them?

 

[Pugleyrich 37 1 Cars]

Just ring around some breakers and get a base model one and swap the top over. It is the cheapest way to replace a cracked gear knob. If you don't have the top badge it is a little more difficult

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Check the for sale area.

[farmer 327 1 Cars]

I heard a wee rumour from a club chairman that people in France had remade these for around $60

Edited September 10, 2013 by farmer

[Goliath 94]

I heard a wee rumour from a club chairman that people in France had remade these for around $60

I have seen some photos of the remakes and they look pretty poor.

 

Getting one from a scrappy and swapping the top over is probably the best bet. I know someone who has a load of new ones so will see what he will part with one for. Luckily he gave me one for nowt so I'm sorted!

[farmer 327 1 Cars]

I have seen some photos of the remakes and they look pretty poor.

 

Getting one from a scrappy and swapping the top over is probably the best bet. I know someone who has a load of new ones so will see what he will part with one for. Luckily he gave me one for nowt so I'm sorted!

 

I never enquired as I got a 4 speed new one from Portugal and popped the 4 speed insert out and placed the 5 speed one in, nice new gear knob for £12.

 

Got any photos of the repos out of interest?

Edited September 10, 2013 by farmer

[Rjuhar 52]

Hi, to be honnest - I saw an opportunity (which is there for everybody to take) and thought on reproducing the knobs and sell them on for a profit to cover at least some of the expense I have with refurbishing my 205. Soon after trying some moulding myself (and failing miserably) I discovered a reproduction which was supposed to be official french 205 GTI club one, but as it turned out it was refused due to poor quality of both the knob and a shift pattern plate. It also gets too soft and it doesn't sit firmly on the stick (mild sunny day in april - Normandie, France, temperature in the car not exceeding 30 degrees C) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TV9voRKRZ-4

 

Here is one of the recent feedbacks:

 

Petit retour d'expérience afin peut être d'étayer la décision de l'équipe de ré fabrication.
J ai commande et reçu les fameux pommeaux sur Eb.......

Je comprends effectivement pourquoi le club les a refusé. La perfection est loin d être atteinte.

Trace de moulage sur le pommeau. Pastille qui me semble plus petite qu à l origine et couleur (pour ma griffe) plus foncé que l origine. Pas encore pu constater si la pastille se décollait.

Effectivement je conçois parfaitement pourquoi le club les a refusé car si j'avais reçu ce pommeau la par l'équipe de refab j aurais tire la gueule

 

 

Some pictures of different gear knobs:

 

 

 

Comparing to original (which has a touched-up shift scheme) :

 

 

 

 

And now my 5 cents - I made and investment and bought some gearknobs and still have 5 of these gear available - 1x BE3 and 2x BE1, all touched up or original white shift scheme - old style (engraved), and one new style silver BE3 sift scheme. They come in original Peugeot bag. I am sorry about the price tag though but it's a market where the price is set by the supply-demand ratio. I can offer each one of them for 80 quid posted if paid by paypal to a friend (me).

[welshpug 1,626]

Those tops look spot on, they are very different to the early 1.6 item as you can see, but very accurate for the 1.9 so not sure what you mean.

 

I for one shall not be paying nearly five times the original price, thats like selling a late car for £75000!!

[stufarri 98 3 Cars]

I ordered one of these at around £65 but when the quaility issuers arose I asked for a refund. They are pretty good looking at the photos but the knob itself looks cheap and too shiny.

[tartanbloke 35 1 Cars]

Afternoon,

 

As with all cars becoming classics with OE parts becoming very scarce, the price will creep up and up until they are ridiculously expensive. Until decent reproductions are made, it seems we have no option but to pay the price being requested.

I have said this in the past and will do so again, that is the cost and responsibility associated with owning, maintaining and keeping a wonderful drivers car on the road. It is unfortunate that the recent heat over the summer has cause an inch crack to appear on my otherwise perfect gearknob and will have to replace this.

 

Chris

[welshpug 1,626]

 

 

It seems we have no option but to pay the price being requested.

 

 

Not at all.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

The one benefit of parts prices going up and up, is that we are more likely to reach a point where reproduction can be more cost effective/ desirable. It is a shame that the French reproduction batch failed at the last hurdle, the early test ones looked really nice, my understanding is that the quality couldnt be maintained during the mass production.

[GLPoomobile 958]

 

Those tops look spot on, they are very different to the early 1.6 item as you can see, but very accurate for the 1.9 so not sure what you mean.

 

I for one shall not be paying nearly five times the original price, thats like selling a late car for £75000!!

Are you viewing on a PC or a little handset? THey may be accurate, but they look piss poor in those photos.

[welshpug 1,626]

both, typeface looks fine, though the finish looks like they have been used.

 

the knobs as mentioned look poor.

[dch1950 37 1 Cars]

WP

Those aren't the prototype photos from the French club thread - that's why they look a bit "used".. it's a bit odd that they couldn't get the mix right for moulding though, didn't seem to be an insurmountable problem for a production engineer. They also had 155 paid up front subscribers @ €88 a shot - so the money was there. It may re surface again.

regards

Dave

[Rjuhar 52]

155 knobs at 75ish quid for a copy is one hell of a lot of money... and than you say 80 quid posted for a new genuine one is too much???

[dch1950 37 1 Cars]

you may note I made no comment about the cost - so wind your neck in

[Pugleyrich 37 1 Cars]

Is he not referring to WP's post above?

[MikeC 10]

Just a quick Question, the bottom pic shows recessed lettering, would this be fromm the earlier Phase 1 type, and the others are they ph1.5/ph2?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

1.6's and lower models had the recessed numbers, Only 1.9's and maybe some special ed's had a flat surface

[MikeC 10]

Cheers for that Miles.