E34 and E39 rear seats; do they fold down?

[mpolans]

Do the seats in either the E34 or E39 5-series fold down?

[NFS]

My E39 has fold down back seats. It's an option on E39.

[Viking325i]

I dont believe my E34 ones do

[xatlas0]

E34 fold-down seats were not an option, except for perhaps on the touring models. In the e39, if the car had the ski-bag option, the seats will fold.

[The ///Man]

Mine do

[The Beastmaster]

Got 'em on my E39 and E34.

[Kozmik]

Mine don't (E34)...

[sirtiger]

that is stupid, the e39 should be fold down as a std. the cost is so nominal.

[HSR]

Mine do - It's an option

[gota525i]

Mine don't (E34)...

Mine either..

[The Beastmaster]

that is stupid, the e39 should be fold down as a std. the cost is so nominal.
Yeah, but then you deal with the creaks from the seats.

[gofftg]

Wait, your E34 has fold down seats? This, I've gotta see.. can you take pics? I've never seen such a thing on an E34...

[Kozmik]

Wait, your E34 has fold down seats? This, I've gotta see.. can you take pics? I've never seen such a thing on an E34...


+1

[Dan]

in all E39's, they were an option even on M5's.

[mpolans]

Okay...next question. How hard would it be to retrofit some fold down seats to a car without the fold down option? Are we talking a fairly simple thing, involving just the top cushion, or replacing much of the whole rear interior?

[The Beastmaster]

Start by taking out the seat back and look at the bracing. All that has to come out. IMO it's not worth it, especially when the seats creak and rattle.

[Dan]

Okay...next question. How hard would it be to retrofit some fold down seats to a car without the fold down option? Are we talking a fairly simple thing, involving just the top cushion, or replacing much of the whole rear interior?
now this is where it gets interesting. the whole rear assembly is completely different. it's not as simple as just swaping out parts.

[sirtiger]

Yeah, but then you deal with the creaks from the seats.

my parents have a total of 4-5 toyotas and all have the handy std. fold down seats. None have any creaky seats. :dunno

[Cacatfish]

I have driven a few E39s with them. Never heard even a squeek. Id, personally, never own one without them, as I carry large objects like bikes, etc often. I see them on about 50% of the E39s out there.
Not an option on the E34 sedan, only the touring (standard).

[Dan]

I have driven a few E39s with them. Never heard even a squeek. Id, personally, never own one without them, as I carry large objects like bikes, etc often. I see them on about 50% of the E39s out there.
Not an option on the E34 sedan, only the touring (standard).
you haven't been in really cold weather have you?

when it's 20 degrees outside, mine squeeks for a little while then it goes away.

[Cacatfish]

you haven't been in really cold weather have you?

when it's 20 degrees outside, mine squeeks for a little while then it goes away.

Hell yes I have! Why just the other night, it got down to 43 degrees, I thought I was going to get hypothermia! Darn California winters....

[sirtiger]

you haven't been in really cold weather have you?

when it's 20 degrees outside, mine squeeks for a little while then it goes away.

mine too. is it when you are crawling on a bumpy road...as in from the suspensions.

[Dan]

Hell yes I have! Why just the other night, it got down to 43 degrees, I thought I was going to get hypothermia! Darn California winters....
i wear short sleeve shirts if it's 43 degrees here!

[Dan]

mine too. is it when you are crawling on a bumpy road...as in from the suspensions.
yep, you know how it is lately... well, more like 2 weeks ago. it's been rather warm lately.

[paul540/m3]

that is stupid, the e39 should be fold down as a std. the cost is so nominal.

The structural rigidity of the car is signifigantly stiffer without rear folding seats. Something to keep in mind.

[ILoveMPower]

The structural rigidity of the car is signifigantly stiffer without rear folding seats. Something to keep in mind.

FTW.

[John 540i6]

In the e39, if the car had the ski-bag option, the seats will fold.

Is this really true? The silver 98 540 im about to buy later today has the cold weather package with the ski bag in the middle of the back seat but i do not think that the seats fold down. I didnt see a partition in the back seat so maybe it just folds down all as 1 piece? I wish they came standard in all 5ers.

[Cacatfish]

They dont fold down as one piece. You can look inside the car at the top ends of the seat back for the locks with key slots, or you can look through the trunk fo the split between the two seats.

[Cacatfish]

The structural rigidity of the car is signifigantly stiffer without rear folding seats. Something to keep in mind.

This may be true, but I have to say, I havae driven numerous with and without folding rear seats and cannot tell any difference. I guess if you were tracking your car, you might tell some slight difference, but I dont know. Mine is currently at 169k with folding rear seats and sport suspension and not even a squeek or rattle in the car.

[John 540i6]

They dont fold down as one piece. You can look inside the car at the top ends of the seat back for the locks with key slots, or you can look through the trunk fo the split between the two seats.

ok, so what if i have the ski bag and no split in the seats? That means that the seat has the ski bag but it will not fold down. So not all seats with the ski bag option will fold down.

[Cacatfish]

ok, so what if i have the ski bag and no split in the seats? That means that the seat has the ski bag but it will not fold down. So not all seats with the ski bag option will fold down.

I guess that is correct, and it makes sense. I have seen E34's with the ski bacg and those seats do not fold down. I know mine with the folding seat does have the ski-bag, but I dont recall if some of the non-folders did or not.

[gota525i]

I guess that is correct, and it makes sense. I have seen E34's with the ski bacg and those seats do not fold down. I know mine with the folding seat does have the ski-bag, but I dont recall if some of the non-folders did or not.

That ski thing, are we talking about the hole behind the fold down armrest in the rear? I have that but seats don't fold down.

I like not having fold down seats, one less reason for people to put huge crap in the trunk.:)

[Cacatfish]

Yeah, there is that hole and a plastic bag that extends inito the passenger compartment when you put skis in it. It keeps the interior from getting mud and snow inside.