Member
So, I have a bad back and cerebral palsy. As such, my 22 year old, worn out sport seats are killing me on any drive longer than 30 minutes. Just recently drove 8 hours from San Diego to Sacramento -- my leg was numb and my back was sore a day afterwards.
Needless to say, I'm on the hunt for some new seats that won't break the bank. I'm not looking to spend $2000+ on a pair of Recaros.
The seats should, preferably, be manual and cloth. Reclining is a must. Size isn't really a factor as I'm pretty tiny (5'4", 135lbs).
So far, I've had my eyes on the Corbeau GTS II's. Anybody have experience with them? They look a little more plush than the A4's.
Any others I should know about? I'm not looking to spend more than $1200 for the seats and mounting hardware combined.
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BMW CCA Member
Can't help much with aftermarket, but E46 seats are a simple option.
Member
You could look at sparco as well as corbeau—both make some cheap seats though sparco also makes some expensive ones that are top quality like recaro. Being small helps - won’t stress the seat as much, no need to worry about higher than stock mounting, and you can choose the narrow seat.
Member
I also have a bad back::Originally Posted by LunaVyohr
I fully admit to not having set in every Corbeau seat model, but the 2-3 reclining ones I've set in are the definition of a cheap sitting seat. They just aren't designed well around the body and have tons of flat surfaces and/or misplaced bolstering, but YMMV. I'd ensure you actually set in any Corbeau seat first, for sure. Aftermarket seats are not an area you can save money in a reclining model IMO. It sucks, but just save up for a Recaro or find an OEM swap you are happy with. Back issues can also be caused by harsh suspension or improper seat adjustment. Also, the modern (E90+) BMW sport seats are fantasticly adjustable with the airbag side adjustments, but I don't know what is involved to adapt to E36. I'm sure it's possible and someone has done it. Those are going to be the best value for your issue IMO.
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When my seats died replacement leather was about $1000 for both fronts. I found a set of Recaros from an Evo X that were around $700 (in LA somewhere, since OP is a SoCal guy). The Evo brackets are riveted onto the sliders, but once you drill those out they mount like any other Recaro seat. So adjustable Recaros can be had for less than $1000 easily. They're usually black alcantara. The rarer leather seats are significantly more expensive and sought after by Evo guys looking to upgrade. But the stock seats get tossed frequently when guys build track cars.
I got tired of waiting for the brackets I ordered to get built, so I built my own and cancelled the order, but they weren't too much.
They recline, though it's a crank for adjustability rather than a lever or something to lay down quickly. Not sure if that would be a deal killer.
Having said that, I think our sport seats are THE most comfortable I've ever used. I have family in Idaho and I live in Texas, and I make that drive at least twice a year (straight shot, 23 hours). I've had a variety of Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, Chevy, and Cadillac over the years, and at the end of 23 hours of driving I always felt best in our sport seats.
My Recaros are far more supportive than any factory E36 seat, but they are slightly less comfortable.
Maybe a seat foam refresh would be your best option?
I haven't spent a lot of long-distance time in an E46, but as others have suggested that might be a good option. Those seats require relatively little modification to fit, and mostly bolt right up. I think you have to relocate one of the mounting holes slightly, but fairly straight forward.
-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.
Member
E46 are the obvious, But E36 318ti sport seats are uber comfortable (not different than standard E36 sport seats) but they also can possibly have cloth center inserts. I just saw this 318ti with Club Sport interior at the Junk yard. Sure you can find some more.
Member
Thanks for the honest answer. That's great to know -- you really do get what you pay for.
Thanks to everyone else as well for the input. I'll likely be searching for E46 seats or a pair of used Recaros.
Driver
Also consider Recaro SR3's (aka SRD's) from an Evo IV or a mid-90's Integra - you should find them for a couple of hundred bucks a set. Would suit your size perfectly.
Remember, if you're putting in any non-BMW seat you'll need to factor in the cost of sliders and brackets. Also any seats with airbags in them need to be considered very carefully - the airbags won't work and having a disconnected explosive charge beside your kidney is probably not smart.
'96 M3, S50B32, 6MT
+ good stuff
Member
I was at a shop that carried Corbeaus I sat in every model they had fixed back and reclining (GTS II was one of them)...... I think the reason they are cheap is they dont put any effort into comfort whatsoever. Like sitting on a park bench.
Stubborn Approach Racing
Sparco has a showroom in Irvine open Mon-Fri. I hear the R100 is a comfortable seat when a reclinable seat is a must. I have been DD'ing their bucket seats (Pro2000, Ergo, Grid) for a couple years, very happy with the comfort and quality.
Winding Road Racing is just a few exits north on the 405, they may have some options for you as well, give them a call before hand, open on weekends iirc.
Member
Its all subjective. Ive got a 1996 Toyota Camry (my grandmas old car cream puff) whenever I get in that car I am disappointed my BMW M3 has worse seats than an old Camry (comfort and support wise)
Best stock seats ive sat in are Porsche...mid 80's up. Those guys seem to get everything right
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