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Thread: Seat Swap Question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    1998 BMW M3

    Seat Swap Question

    I currently have a 98 M3 sedan w manual seats that are in need of replacement...found a set of power seats( same year, model etc) except that the motors and other electrical bits don’t work...can I just swap the seats of the power rails and brackets onto my manual rails and bracket and still retain to fwd/back and seat tilt functions. Don’t know if all that is actually built into the electric seat frame rail or if the actual seat is different..any help would be appreciated.


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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
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    Still looking for and answer...I’ve checked online and come up empty handed...any help. Would be appreciated! My stock seats in rough shape


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  3. #3
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    Mar 2018
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    Any info would be appreciated!! Looked online and didn’t find an answer...


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  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
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    New England
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    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    Power seats cannot be manually adjusted. Motors are multiple and in the seat so it would take some work to combine the two. Maybe easier to buy the power seats and supply them with power. Not sure what wiring is there unused on a non power car.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
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    Durham, NC
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    2x 97 M3/4, 05 530i
    You can just take the seat cushion off and the seat back off and put them onto your frame. it's not hard. Takes about an hour or so per seat. It's easier that way than trying to swap the whole base/rails.

    We just did that on my friends car. Send me a PM if you can't find any info on it and I'll link you some useful threads when I get home tonight.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2011
    Location
    Austin, TX
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    2,181
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    S54 E36 M3, E32 740il
    Quote Originally Posted by CaptND View Post
    Any info would be appreciated!! Looked online and didn’t find an answer...


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    It would likely be easier to swap the leather and / or cushions over than to swap the motors and linkage and everything even if they were swappable. New leather is expensive - if you found a good deal on some seats it would likely be cheaper to buy them and swap it yourself than buying new material and recovering your seats.

    Mine were trashed and instead of either of those routes, I found a set of Recaros from an Evo X. They mate to the same brackets as any other Recaro, are nearly as comfortable as the stock sport seats (which I think are some of the most comfortable seats ever), and they're significantly more supportive.

    -Josh: 1998 S54 E36 M3/4/6 with most of the easy stuff and most of the hard stuff. At least twice. 271k miles. 1994 E32 740il with nothing but some MPars. 93k miles.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    New England
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    F90 M5; E36 M3 Turbo
    E46 seats are newer and some have fitted them,

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    San Antonio
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    1998 BMW M3
    Ok, that was my question, perhaps I should have said cushions instead of seats...all I’m wanting to replace is the leather and foam seating surfaces...don’t need the base or any mechanicals from the electric set

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Vancouver
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    2,947
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    98 M3
    Swapping the cushions is a straightforward endeavour. All will be well with this route. Keep in mind the heaters are between the leather and cushion, so depending on if they are non heated seats going onto your heated seats you will be without that function, or if vice versa you will have extra wiring either to be left disconnected or to wire up if you want to use them.

    - 98 m3, techno/anthrazit cloth, 124k and officially worthless - 89 m3, alpine/black 143k and officially old - 2000 323it, tiag/grey, 169k and officially boring

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2006
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    The Netherlands
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    DE-spec E36 328i/M3 cab
    Also make sure to swap the belt buckles if they are a different version mechanical vs pyrotechnic.

    On 95MY and later seats, the back rest is a breeze to swap over.
    1998 BMW M3 3.2 Cabrio • Alpinweiß III on Schwarz • German spec • 1 of 12
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