I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Recaro Seats or other upgrading
Went on a club drive around Lakes few days ago, longest I’ve been in my car since owning it.
Did my back in and realised that the standard seats don’t fit me
The Recaro ones look better, but…
Is there anyone local (NW) with them I could try for fit, possibly at a club meet?
&
If they are suitable for me, is there even anywhere I can purchase and get them fitted???
Has anyone upgraded to other aftermarket seats successfully?
(I realise this route would bring issue for headrest speakers)
The seats in the Fiat version are more padded than the standard ND, i had the chance to try some a few weeks back and they are a direct replacement (some come with Arbath embossed on the seat, some without)
Like you mentioned though, def try before you buy. Expensive mistake otherwise!
I’ve sat in them and they, to me, are almost exactly like the JCW MINI seats in my Mrs’ MINI. Fine, but a bit park benchy. That’s not a knock,as they’re supportive, but I can imagine some might not take to them (I’ve read a bit on the US forum of similar).
Maybe see if a Mazda dealer near you has one in stock (the Homura spec, or maybe do an Autotrader search and see if some nearby place got a ‘Sport Recaro’ spec for sale to sit in. 30th model AE to has them obviously, but much rarer).
Also, as a punt and if you’ve got time, if you sat in a MINI with the JCW seats (and it’s not just JCWs which have them, they were an option on other models too), you’d at least get a flavour. In so much as if you sat in them and DIDN’T like them, I’d be very surprised if you then liked the ND’s recaros.
Talk about full circle. When we first sat in them when considering optioning them on a new build late 2020, the first thing i thought was ‘these are like the ND recaros’, as someone I got chatting to in ASDA took me for a spin as a passenger in a Sport Recaro a year or so earlier. I don’t make a habit of going in a car with men I’d just met in ASDA lol, but at the time I was asking how the ride quality was, with the Bilsteins , so he kindly let me see.
Then, when I sat in an ND Homura about a year ago, the first thing I said to my Mrs who was there was ‘these are like your MINI seats’!
Yep, such a person thing. My daily is an F31 330d and I find the seats in the ND better - lumbar support isn’t as good in the 3-Series for me.
I have the cloth seats in my ND, in SE-L spec as I don’t like full leather seats in roadsters. You’re welcome to come and try those if you wish - some find them more comfortable/supportive (including me) although I’m not sure if the fundamental design and bolstering/support would be any different from your leather versions. I’m in Cheshire not far from Oulton Park.
The 124 seats are a good avenue of exploration, given the high cost of the Recaros - and that’s if you can find any!
Have you considered trying to optimise your seating position? I’m terrible in mine, can’t decide if the back should be more upright and the seat further back, or the opposite of that. And sometimes I just feel too close or far away from the clutch bottom because I’m wearing different shoes.
I’ve had occasional lower back problems simply by overdoing things, cycling,surfing, running often all in the same day. Never discs, always muscular so always repairable.
I was concerned that the obvious lack of lumbar support in restricted, low adjustable cockpit of the mx would set me off again as the clutch is quite heavy. Did have a few warning twitches at first so bought the cuff I mentioned previously and a bulb inflator.
Over the year with upto four hours in the car I haven’t had any problems so the cuff and inflator haven’t been installed. In hindsight I think I learnt about this on the US forum.
Basically same principal as in Mad Malc’s post.
For a tenner ish well worth a punt. Your back often goes in a jiffy and takes an age to reset: avoid at all costs😀
If you’re willing to spend that kind of money, I’d visit a car trimmer and see about getting them properly stuffed or whatever the technical term is.
I think they are pretty awful too, although I seem to hab=ve inured to them now. They are essential made like a deck chair or a hammock but I’m pretty sure a trimmer could do something.
Any update on this David? What have you done or decided to do?
The reason I ask, is because I’m having an issue with the Recaros, where there is pressure on my right thigh, about half way down my thigh, that is giving me a dead leg in that area after anything over an hour in the car. I’m trying different car seat cushions atm, to see if I can alleviate this. No luck so far, so might look at getting the right bolster re-trimmed or adjusted to help.
I’ve not had any seat time in the Recaros, but have been told by many there is a big difference.
Prehaps ‘swapsies’ would work Chris
Mazda quoted £11825 to supply & fit a new pair - clearly a statement that they don’t want to sell any.
I would have thought at a reasonable price they could have been a good revenue upgrade for them.
