E85 seats - The story so far.

L

Lucidnonsence

Member
 Deep Darkest Devon
When I first got my Zed, like many members on here, you soon realise that the normal seats in the zed are dreadful, deckchairs is THE best description. Anyway, last year I finally swapped them out for some nice comfy Mazda RX8 ones, bought on here WITH the home made fitting brackets form Sgr74. They were a bit of a pain to fit, but oh so worth it. Manual on the passenger side and fully electric on the drivers. Nice.

Last week the unthinkable happened, the drivers seat stopped working AFTER my wife had borrowed the car, meaning that the seat was now stuck fast in a rather un-natural position and made the car almost undrivable for me. Its a fuse I thought, wrong. So then after many hours of swearing and grazed knuckles i managed somehow to remove the dead seat so I could check the motors.

Power to the seat, fine, but the motors seem to run in series and if one deis, the whole seat stops working! AAGGGRRRHHHHH.
I needed to use the car again, pretty quickly, so out came the old deckchairs and back into my zed.
I had even managed to forget just how bad they are, especially when compared to what i had been using for the past year.

So, i'm now back in the position of needing new seats, and i'm wondering, I know E46 saloon seats fit, ( Ive started looking for some ) but has anyone ever used an after-market adaptor plate set designed for an E46, but in thier E85? And that way managed to mount some more exotic after-market sports seats??
 
Are you talking about the M sport seats being like deckchairs?
I never found an issue with them after using my E85 nearly everyday for two years.
Hope you manage to find some E46 seats soon.
 
Not the M sport seats, the standard 'sports seats' but at around £1K the M sport ones are now a VERY expensive option...
 
Rockhopper said:
interesting - I find my standard seats perfectly adequate.
Click to expand...

Have you sat in the M-Sport seats?

I'm not saying they're the most amazing seats in the world but, having swapped, i couldn't describe my standard seats as adequate any more :D
 
I've recently switched over from standard seats to sport seats and do notice a good improvement in comfort and support, though I would never have described the standard seats as sub-standard. Maybe that'll change once I've driven the sport seats for a few more years.

Different strokes for different folks and all that, I'm sure there will be people who feel strongly each way.
 
[ref]Lucidnonsence[/ref], Have you not looked into simply getting your seat repaired?
If you like them so much and it's just one dead motor?
Assuming it's not just a broken wire in the seat somewhere?
 
enuff_zed said:
[ref]Lucidnonsence[/ref], Have you not looked into simply getting your seat repaired?
If you like them so much and it's just one dead motor?
Assuming it's not just a broken wire in the seat somewhere?
Click to expand...

I have run a multi meter over the whole thing and basically, its a cheaper to get another one! But before i do that, I'd just thought I'd ask and see what seats have been fitted recently. More options, so to speak.
 
Lucidnonsence said:
enuff_zed said:
[ref]Lucidnonsence[/ref], Have you not looked into simply getting your seat repaired?
If you like them so much and it's just one dead motor?
Assuming it's not just a broken wire in the seat somewhere?
Click to expand...

I have run a multi meter over the whole thing and basically, its a cheaper to get another one! But before i do that, I'd just thought I'd ask and see what seats have been fitted recently. More options, so to speak.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, just wondered if the motor could easily be removed and repaired, or replaced.
Alternative is to remove the motors, manually set the seat how YOU want it, refit the motors to lock it there and hard luck wifey. :roll:
 
Rockhopper said:
interesting - I find my standard seats perfectly adequate.
Click to expand...
The standard seats are the worst part about the entire car. Absolutely no lateral support.
mr.tourette said:
I have run a multi meter over the whole thing and basically, its a cheaper to get another one! But before i do that, I'd just thought I'd ask and see what seats have been fitted recently. More options, so to speak.
Click to expand...
They don't fit though, or at least not without work. And if your happy to do work there's lots of other options.

I fitted Recaro seats out of a Corsa VXR.

v0kQ8dm.jpg

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=47&t=1755842&i=45
 
yes there's some work but not a massive amount and surely its a matter of opinion if there's better options no? some might prefer a more oe look? I'm sure you are happy with your corsa seats but they're not going to be to everyone's taste
 
I didn't have any real issues with my standard seats but Mrs FB used to get lower back pain after an hour or so. Since fitting M sport seats, she doesn't have that problem any more.
I must admit, the new seats do hold you in well :thumbsup:
 
Lucidnonsence said:
So, i'm now back in the position of needing new seats, and i'm wondering, I know E46 saloon seats fit, ( Ive started looking for some )
Click to expand...

I have a pair of e46 electric/heated m sport seats that I removed from my zed that I was going to sell if you are interested.
 
Big Andra said:
Lucidnonsence said:
So, i'm now back in the position of needing new seats, and i'm wondering, I know E46 saloon seats fit, ( Ive started looking for some )
Click to expand...

I have a pair of e46 electric/heated m sport seats that I removed from my zed that I was going to sell if you are interested.
Click to expand...
I am indeed!!! PM me??
 
Recaro SR7

I actually have proper E85 mounts, but from what I understand E46 mounts are pretty much the same

Just goes to prove that exotic stuff can fit

FC608FBB-550B-49B5-B4AB-664C2F553B92.jpeg
 
Big Andra said:
Lucidnonsence said:
So, i'm now back in the position of needing new seats, and i'm wondering, I know E46 saloon seats fit, ( Ive started looking for some )
Click to expand...

I have a pair of e46 electric/heated m sport seats that I removed from my zed that I was going to sell if you are interested.
Click to expand...

We lost touch, but have you still got them??
 
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