[ghost]

Just to add comment to myself the wood steering wheel can be very COLD. With the icy weather we just have, I notice the wood portion basically is as cold as an ice stick. It can be a bit uncomfortable to use when you first get in the car.

I guess the opposite is also true.. during a regular or warm day, the wood portion gives a very nice touch and feel...

Glad someone else brought this up - I'd never think of getting a smooth wood wheel or shift knob - for that very reason. Brrr! That heated wheel idea sounds great!

 

[ghost]

Look at it this way - a chunk of marble (or metal, or polished wood) at 10 degrees will feel a heck of a lot colder than a piece of cotton at the same temperature. This is because the less porous materials have a lot more surface area in contact with your skin, thus allowing a lot more conductive transfer of heat out of your skin, and into the steering wheel.

Gloves of course, fix this problem nicely, but I don't like to drive with them, and usually never have a set that match for very long anyway.