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I'd also recommend sitting in them for more than 1 minute. Most every seat is comfortable for a minute, or two. If you sit in one for 5 or 10 minutes, many seats become a PITA, literally!!
My concern is with my several hours behind the wheel (6+) for several days... when dose the butt hurt begin ... At what hour in one's drive will this happen with these after-market seats?.. Two hours, three hours... One hour? *** ack is "ng"!.. Especially with a 1400 mile commute.... I haven't read any discussion about the long hour comfort of these after market seats... I don't want butt-hurt!... Stockers last about 5 hours for me.
They all do it. Nothing out of the ordinary. The seat that gets used more gets more wear.
The stock seats are a weak point. I wouldn't worry about their condition and just expect to replace them with something better whenever you can, personally. That's one of the biggest mods I want to do to my car.
It's been mentioned in the thread below, but make sure you love whatever you put in and do not sell your stock seats if you do swap. Dumbest automotive decision I've made, I think.
Originally Posted by Johnny Hardcore
I've dabbled with the idea of swapping my seats out for a racing seat like a Corbeu and after 2 minutes I knew it wasn't going to work for me. My buddy had a set in his 04 Z06. He is an average size guy- 5'11 185lbs. Me being 6'3 and 260lbs I absolutely hated them. I was too far upright, had little to no thigh support, the shoulders were too narrow and there was no way I was getting in there with a helmet on.
Not in love with the stock sport seats but I don't hate them and I fit in them comfortably..
I hated my Corbeau A4s. I was the biggest Sport seat hater until I put those things in and then when I went back it was night and day better.
Originally Posted by huesmann
There's a spot at the top of the bolster where there's a hard piece under the upholstery, like part of the frame or something. Most people get in the car by putting their right foot on the floor and basically sliding down the bolster. When they hit that spot, the hard part wears through the minimal padding under the leather, and it eventually wears a spot through the leather from inside and out.
The way to get in—to avoid bolster wear—is to face away from the car, basically plant your butt into the seat, then lift your right leg into the footwell, then your left—basically swiveling on your butt.
It's the seat frame itself, sharp edged fiberglass. When I rebuilt my seats I placed some plastic fuel line hose that I split down the middle and taped it into place to give a rounded edge to hopefully solve some of that cut-through issue. I also avoid the bolsters at all costs getting in and getting out.
Originally Posted by MWWarlord
As others have said seat wear is very normal. There are several options to fix this as people have said. If you like the stock seats, you can just get them recovered. If you don't like the stock seats, there are lots of replacement options. Do be aware that some options will require you to modify your seatbelts, and you may lose some of the power functions that you get with the stock sport seats. My biggest piece of advice if you decide to replace the seat is to sit in whatever you want to replace them with first. Seat are highly subjective. What feels great for one person can be awful for another. It all depends on your body type.
Originally Posted by grinder11
I'd also recommend sitting in them for more than 1 minute. Most every seat is comfortable for a minute, or two. If you sit in one for 5 or 10 minutes, many seats become a PITA, literally!!
I knew within 30 seconds of sitting in my A4s they were wrong, but I thought I could "get used to them". Then I sat in them for 15 minutes and contemplated my life choices, not just buying these seats, but rethinking some of the things I did in high school, junior high, even elementary school. By 45 minutes the memory foam collapsed enough I was pseudo-comfortable, but that might have been because I couldn't feel most of my appendages, so what you couldn't feel couldn't hurt.
So yeah, seats are subjective, and sit in them in your specific application.
I redid my seats in leather and new foam. Lots of online research. When one vendor never called back, I gambled on Leatherseats11 on eBay and they were leather and budget priced. Let me choose the colors and pattern and ventilation at no extra charge. The logos look awesome.
New foam from PFYC.com.
Makes my 98 look new.
You do realize that any competent upholsterer can customize the foam, underpinnings, and coverings to a person's taste?
Prices can be reasonable and you won't be presented with a wrinkled covering.
Does anyone know if the C6 seat tracks will line up w the C5 seat studs/bolts ? I have a C5 and have an opportunity to get a set of like new C6 sport seats with tracks.
You do realize that any competent upholsterer can customize the foam, underpinnings, and coverings to a person's taste?
Prices can be reasonable and you won't be presented with a wrinkled covering.
dan k.
I agree. I've looked mainly at small, local upholsterer's. They are very competitive price wise, and sometimes even less, if only fixing the worst tear spot on sport seats, which is usually the drivers side mid to upper outside stitching.
^^ you do lose the memory function. The only workaround I've heard of is for the telescopic function.
Memory is not a concern for me as I am the only driver ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Well, it's a concern for me, as I change position of the *** and back during the long, twice year 1500 mile commute from Vancouver. No seat adjustment?...not an option for this driver! 😠
You'd still have seat adjustment, just not memorized positions. I can see how that's something one would want to keep if you had multiple drivers though.
Well, it's a concern for me, as I change position of the *** and back during the long, twice year 1500 mile commute from Vancouver. No seat adjustment?...not an option for this driver! 😠
Originally Posted by Stingroo
You'd still have seat adjustment, just not memorized positions. I can see how that's something one would want to keep if you had multiple drivers though.
Yeah that's not what I meant. You can fully adjust these seats on the fly via the power controls on the side.
You just lose the memory function of the seat position location for driver 1/2/3 on the master door switch.
I'm the only driver of my car so the "memory" location of driver 1 never changes.
Hey Ray, I know the C7 seats bolt in, but don't you lose the memory function, or is their a workaround?
You will lose memory function if you put in c6 or c7 (you'll also lose it with any aftermarket seat as well. Most aftermarket seats also don't have recline) A lot of people don't mind (me included), as the c7 seat in particular is vastly superior to either the c5 or the c6 seat.
If you want to stick with the c5 seat, just go to a local upholsterer that does automotive work, any one decent should be able to get ahold of c5 foam and do whatever leather you want, whatever stitching you want.
But I do highly recommend the c7 seats. They're far more well-made than c5/c6, and fully adjustable -- even the recline is motorized.
