Swapping driver and passenger seat upholstery

[magnust]

After 100k km there was a small area on the drivers seat that started to look, well, not fully brand new. Just a hint of wear so far. You know the spot where you wear it a little bit extra each time you get in and out of the car. The passenger seat was as brand new so i decided to swap the alcantara, seat and back cushions between the two to get a brand new drivers seat that would last waaay beyond 200k km. If I'd left it as is I would probably run into real wear problems in maybe two-three(?) years time and then a swap would be too late.

So I went about swapping it all yesterday. I was surprised how easy it was even though it took a couple of hours for me being a total imbecile mucking about with cars.

If anyone is interested or has any questions please ask! This is what I did:


Remove the seats from the car
- four bolts
- unclip connector under each seat. On the short end of the connectors there are black plastic locking devices you just pull out to release the connectors

Do NOT turn on ignition when being disconnected. This will (I've been told) generate a fault code that needs to be reset at a shop.

Remove the plastic shroud on the outer side of the seat.
- small screw holding the flip-the-seat-forward-lever.
- three torx holding the plastic shroud

Remove the upholstery
- Remove the whole "bum" seat cushion. All is attached by velcro plus two clips inside a long plastic piece under the seat at the very front of it
- Remove the back cushion, all velcro
- There is a metal wire going round the outside of the whole seat (inside the upholstery) holding all the rest into place. Disconnect this by unhooking it from itself where there is a long spring and hook under the seat at the very front. The whole spring is covered in foam (so not to rattle)
- When the wire is free start removing all the upholstery carefully. It's attached with a lot of velcro
- Pull up the upholstery over the seat and that's that.

The is-someone-sitting-in-the-passenger-seat sensor
Under the passengers bum cushion there is a sensor. Simplest way forward is to keep this cushion on the passenger side. I carefully removed the sensor and glued it back on to the other cushion since I wanted to swap the cushions.

Put everything back in reverse order
- If your seat is at it's lowest height setting at the rear, getting the side plastic shrouds back is a headache. Due to a tight fit between the folding seat wire mechanism and the seat edge lip that you need to get the shroud under. Even though just in one particular spot, slight and careful violence required. If that's not an oxymoron.

[sailorbaz]

Great idea and good write up, ideal for the High milers amongst us.

Out of interest, can you buy new seat covers/upholstery?

[Barry C]

Originally Posted by sailorbaz

Great idea and good write up, ideal for the High milers amongst us.

Out of interest, can you buy new seat covers/upholstery?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2405122.htm

[0836whimper]

Great contribution thanks.

This looks like it could be one of those jobs I regret starting 30 mins in (like all my DIY) but I'll give it a go. I'm also going to plastidip the seat backs in black to protect them whilst I'm at it.

I'll report back.

[0836whimper]

Swapped the seat covers today. The guide is excellent, nothing too difficult. I'd allow three hours so as not to be rushed. Here's the upholstery off the seat.



Things I noted, the foam bolster on the drivers side where you get in and out was starting to deteriorate, nothing too bad but noticeable. Cover went on again over it fine.



Getting all the velcro in exactly the right place was a bit fiddly and reconnecting the wire hook was a little awkward because you need to make sure it is pulled tight all the way round to get enough to re-join. Took a few attempts.

And it is true, there is very little clearance between the side plastic shrouds due to the tight fit between the folding seat wire mechanism and the seat edge lip that you need to get the shroud under. Also took a few attempts.

As the seats were out of the car I took the opportunity to plastidip the backs to protect them. Seemed to work really well, here they are drying :



And after a few coats. Leaves a great matt finish and hopefully will give a layer of protection to stop them getting scuffed.
Even if never peeled off in the future I think it is a good re-furb solution if there are marks etc.



I also bought some clear-coat to cover the door CSL sill plates to stop them milking...I get the feeling there is no limit to what you can plastidip

[Mark CSL]

That looks good was there any marks on the back of the seats before you coated them ?

[NZ_M3]

Originally Posted by 0836whimper

Great job ... curious though as to how close the colour is to the original seat backing paint. I've seen the plasti-dip stuff and have used it in the past to recoat my thinkpad mouse and it seems to me that it is a heck of a lot darker than the original paint colour??

[ChrisCSL]

Originally Posted by 0836whimper

And after a few coats. Leaves a great matt finish and hopefully will give a layer of protection to stop them getting scuffed.
Even if never peeled off in the future I think it is a good re-furb solution if there are marks etc.



I also bought some clear-coat to cover the door CSL sill plates to stop them milking...I get the feeling there is no limit to what you can plastidip

Hi There!
Any long-term experience you can share regarding your plasti-dipped seats?
Do they still look so great as in your pics?
I´m thinking of doing the same over the winter. Can you still recommend it?
Cheers!