So I'm checking out my Driver seat and it has a couple of tears. There is also about a 1in. Gap separading the front left corner from the button console. And I would also like to add some padding. Is this possible to get fixed at an upholstery shop, or should I consider getting new seats?

 

They might be able to fix that, depends on how concerned you are about how it will look when done.

Dont know how handy you are, but another option is replacing the seat covers. Four bolts, two plugs and they lift right out. Most people also replace the bottom seat cusion while they have the cover off (and add some burlap over the eat springs so they dont eventually cut through the leather, and . . .add some simple plastic tubing or rubber gas line around the side bolster supports, which you will see have sharp edges that can cut the cover after years of use, youll see when you get the covers off).

Or . . .you can replace the seats . . .which I wouldnt do due to cost unless you're a track guy, because custom seats are pricey but they do hold you in better in high G maneuvers, but you loose the pneumatic lumbar stuff and often the electric adjustment.

There are a ton of seat cover options, vinyl (like OEM.....vinyl outsides with coated leather in the tufted area you sit on), all leather....many colors....embriodered logos....fabrics....you can go nutz with this . They used to range from about 3 to 400 up to . . .whatever you wanna spend, Ive been out of it for a while so Im not sure but expect you can find them for less.

There are a tone of posts on this...with pictures..use the search function.

 

As far as your first issue, as mentioned above, it depends on how much you care about the repair being invisible, which will depends on how the tear occurred. If it occurred because of wear in that spot, it will be impossible to repair it invisibly. A talented upholsterer could remove the seat cover and replace the entire vinyl panel there, though, but the panel would look newer than the adjacent ones (although I suppose you could scuff it up some). If the tear occurred just because of stress on the seam, an almost invisible fix is possible, again, you'd need to remove the seat cover.

As to your second issue, the plastic panel is attached to the seat frame by a screw in the front. The screw goes through a tube and is countersunk (compared to the surface of the panel). At least on mine, the tube can break at a point above the screw head, so the bottom of the tube is still screwed to the frame, but the top part that's still attached to the panel breaks away, allowing the panel to sag. You can either replace the panel, or remove it and try to repair the tube.

Here's a pic of the backside. The tube I refer to is on the right (not the one on the top--that's just an alignment peg):


You can see that the tube is flared. The screw head is around the part where the flare occurs, and breaks off there.

 

Shoe Goo with a reinforcement of fiberglass wallboard patch underneath. Hit it with black dye while the Shoe Goo is still soft. Don't be too careful as the haphazardness of the patch makes it blend in with the rest of the seat. Let it dry overnight before use.