-03 and 03+ seats

Tem · December 10, 2006, 16:01

I'm considering upgrading my seats to the facelifted ones. The issue is that the used seats from UK are the wrong way around for us. s:? :? s:?

That's assuming the new seats have same controls than the old, with the height setting only for the drivers side...?

Anyone ever tried if the new back mates with the old bottom? So I could keep my left side bottom with the height control and use the back part from the new seats with it?

...or any other ideas...?

Anonymous · December 10, 2006, 16:33

Tem I'm sure the seat backs will swap over because as far as I'm aware the seats are basically identical, the only difference being the hole which is only a section of the foam cut out. In fact a trimmer once told me if you remove the covers from a pre-03 seat there is even a line or mark in the foam where the hole goes on post 03 seats? He claimed to have trimmed several pre 03 seats in the post 03 style by simply cutting the foam out around the line before recovering them.

Having said all that I still think shipping will be too expensive though? s:)

s:)

Tem · December 10, 2006, 16:58

Quote from: "SteveM"In fact a trimmer once told me if you remove the covers from a pre-03 seat there is even a line or mark in the foam where the hole goes on post 03 seats? He claimed to have trimmed several pre 03 seats in the post 03 style by simply cutting the foam out around the line before recovering them.

Good point...that would be the easy solution.

Anyone in here ever done it? s8)

s8)

Anonymous · December 10, 2006, 19:48

this may sound like a newb question but what are the differences between the older seats and newer ones?

Chris · December 10, 2006, 21:36

as hinted at above, then on an post 03 car there is a hole cut out of the seat in the headrest section at the top. Pre 03 cars don't have this hole.. I'm not aware of any other changes, and Tem - yes the 03 still has a height adjuster on the drivers side... I know as I broke the spring clip holding it on while fitting my seat pads... s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Anonymous · December 10, 2006, 21:57

Quote from: "Chris"as hinted at above, then on an post 03 car there is a hole cut out of the seat in the headrest section at the top. Pre 03 cars don't have this hole.. I'm not aware of any other changes, and Tem - yes the 03 still has a height adjuster on the drivers side... I know as I broke the spring clip holding it on while fitting my seat pads... s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

suppose i should start reading all the treads post's from now on s:)

s:)

out of interest were the later seats made in different fabrics? if this hasent been mentioned yet?! that is

Anonymous · December 11, 2006, 12:34

I think the cloth seats used the same fabric as did the Black leather ones, the only difference was the Red leather which changed from a deep Red on pre 03 to a bright Red on post 03.

davidhowson · June 17, 2007, 17:43

Rather than start a new thread I thought I would add to this one....

I have just completed a seat cover change over from the -03 seats to the 03+.

As noted in this thread earlier, the only difference is the hole in the seat backs and that is about it; so with a sharp knife and several careful measurements I managed to cut a slot in the foam to enable the new covers to fit.

My seat back did not have any marks or other indications on them of where the cut out should go, but by cutting a little at a time and fitting the covers several times, I made the hole just the right size. The second seat was easier as I had the measurements from the first one to help, so it only took about 30 minutes to do.

I will get round to swapping the bottom covers too, but to be honest it is almost impossible to tell the difference even though my covers are four years old and have covered 25,000 miles and the replacements are just 6 months old and had only covered 30 miles!!

Here are a few pictures of progress; it doesn't look pretty under the covers and the tape is just to hold it all together while the new cover is pulled in to place, but the end result looks very much a factory finish! s:D

s:D

You can see in the first picture the headed seat pad as supplied by Tem - a real worth while mod.

So... For sale - pre 03 seat covers !!!

alancdavis · June 17, 2007, 19:08

1st class post for information on this subject,,,this is what the forum is all about

loadswine · June 17, 2007, 21:02

I think the seat belt fiitings might be different in some cases too. Phil and I found this out when we swapped my pre 03 seats for his post 03 ones.
We had to swap the belt clasps over to finish the job.

alancdavis · June 17, 2007, 21:39

I changed to the 05 seats with no problem with the belt clasps,,,but saying that the seats I sold on would not fit the recipients car existing ,,,so I guess not all the belt clasps are the same

darrenjuggins · June 17, 2007, 21:57

Hi David,

You have PM regarding your old and new seat covers.

Kindest Regards

Darren J