[d10brp]

So, got my F30 a couple of weeks ago. My first great car. Really pleased with most aspects of the car but wished I hadn't skimped on the seats. I rushed it and got the standard ones. I didn't hold back on other extras, just didn't even think about the seats for some reason.

I cover about 500 miles per week and I already had a longish term stiff neck before I got the car so now I do find myself getting quite uncomfortable in the car.

Therefore I decided to bite the bullet and get the seats changed. Sat in the sports seats at the dealership on Saturday and it felt amazing. Spoke to a guy there and he reckoned I would be looking at about £1,600. Fair enough, I made a mistake and that's what it costs to fix it.

However I have just heard that BMW have said I can't get them installed as they require a completely different set up at build. Obviously I am gutted. Guessing I'm one of the first people on here to have this kind of problem but any suggestions?

On a company car lease btw.

[emtrey]

aftermarket seats...Recaro, etc. but gonna cost dearly.

[Shuttlegoose]

Your SOL man. Hopefully the lease is only 2 years or so. I had recaros in my Evo and they were comfy, I opted for the sports package specifically for the seats.

[micknugget]

Did you ask about other seats that might fit from different models or years? Maybe 2011M3 seats fit?

[Propagator]

Originally Posted by d10brp

So, got my F30 a couple of weeks ago. My first great car. Really pleased with most aspects of the car but wished I hadn't skimped on the seats. I rushed it and got the standard ones. I didn't hold back on other extras, just didn't even think about the seats for some reason.

I cover about 500 miles per week and I already had a longish term stiff neck before I got the car so now I do find myself getting quite uncomfortable in the car.

Therefore I decided to bite the bullet and get the seats changed. Sat in the sports seats at the dealership on Saturday and it felt amazing. Spoke to a guy there and he reckoned I would be looking at about £1,600. Fair enough, I made a mistake and that's what it costs to fix it.

However I have just heard that BMW have said I can't get them installed as they require a completely different set up at build. Obviously I am gutted. Guessing I'm one of the first people on here to have this kind of problem but any suggestions?

On a company car lease btw.

Give it some time and it might get better. I originally found my (E90) sports seat to be dame near torture on long drives. But after about 6 months, everything became ok. I now find my seat to be very comfortable.

I suspect that the relatively hard seat cushions and/or the tough leather/vinyl surfaces benefit from some break in (no two asses look exactly alike). I say this because I still find the passenger seat to be not that comfortable. I've also heard that your back needs to get used to it too.

And the sports seat might not even be right solution anyway. You may find it comfortable sitting on it for 3 minutes on a dealer lot, but that is no guarantee that you'll like it after 2 hours. I certainly had no problem with my sports seat during the test drive, and yet it ended up torturing me for months.

[jzcrna]

Thats too bad. Sorry to hear. I drive 300miles plus per week and my leatherette sport seats are so comfortable. Probably even more comfortable than my E60 535i that I used to own.

At least you know now. Maybe you can still get those back beads and one of those neck rolls.

Seriously, just joking. You have a great car. Enjoy it and forget about the seats.

[Feanor]

Damn, sorry to hear that man. The bemusing and confusing array of options is one of the most annoying things about BMW IMO, it's so easy to get something wrong.

Do you just have the bog standard seats without lumbar support or anything? Because I'd say that on the standard seats, lumbar support is a MUST. I had standard seats with lumbar support on my 2007 E92 but if I'd not had the lumbar support then I too would have suffered from back pain.

[d10brp]

I certainly have learned my lesson! For me it was the way the side of the seat hugs you on the sports seats.

I have got a pretty crappy seat cover with side arms at the moment until I figure out what to do and I have queried the cost with BMW because there us no way the price the quoted me can be the cost of the part, £2,500 for the seats without the frame (which is different to the standard seats) and before fitting.

I do take on the point that my seat will probably get more comfortable in time but still think I am going to regret it.

[d10brp]

Originally Posted by micknugget

Did you ask about other seats that might fit from different models or years? Maybe 2011M3 seats fit?

Good idea. Main dealer probably won't entertain this idea but my local garage might.

[SomeRandomer123]

I almost placed an order with standard seats, then I went in sat in them and my heart sank. So I went and sat in the opposing F30 that had Sports Seats. Ahhhhhh Ordered. Hope you can get them swapped out! The standard ones aren't bad, but they aren't... great. Disappointing, but I have Sports Seats in my 330d so I was always going to feel like really. They are good, just not as good as they could've been!

[d10brp]

Being told now that the seats can't actually be retrofitted due to the different wiring required. Didn't realise the sports seats were wired, can somebody who has the sports seats please let me know which part is electric?

[SCBimmerKid]

Originally Posted by d10brp

Being told now that the seats can't actually be retrofitted due to the different wiring required. Didn't realise the sports seats were wired, can somebody who has the sports seats please let me know which part is electric?

the bolsters are electric, the lumbar, forward and backward, the pitch of the seat. Everything on the seat really except for the headrest and leg extender.

[d10brp]

Originally Posted by SCBimmerKid

the bolsters are electric, the lumbar, forward and backward, the pitch of the seat. Everything on the seat really except for the headrest and leg extender.

Is that a UK version? I sat in a UK version at the showroom the other day and could have sworn the forwards and backwards was manual. This was the sports seat with no lumbar or profile memory. I only couldn't remember if the tilt was electric but even then I thought it was manual.

[1.fresh.f30.335]

Katzkin seats could make you a set of covers and potentially add some bolstering, but you have to find a local shop to install them for you... and it'll be roughly $1500 USD. I had it done in my audi, two tone black alcantara and platinum leather with black stitching, that was 5 years ago and they still look great.. Good luck though, sorry to hear about this, glad I ordered the leather.

[clarence]

Originally Posted by d10brp

Being told now that the seats can't actually be retrofitted due to the different wiring required. Didn't realise the sports seats were wired, can somebody who has the sports seats please let me know which part is electric?

For UK spec standard sport seats all adjustments are manual except for the side bolsters, which are adjusted electrically.

[d10brp]

I just checked the brochure. Looks like the electricity is needed for the backrest width adjustment, the rest is manual.

[d10brp]

So, had a look here http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=229396.

If this was possible in the E90 I can't imagine it is impossible in the F30. However, it is going to be next to impossible to get F30 seats any time soon (BMW won't entertain the thought) so one option I am exploring is putting some E90 sports seats in. Does anybody know if the E90 seats would fit the runners?

Guessing nobody has tried but thought I'd ask before I take a punt on eBay anyway.

[micknugget]

What about the standard seats is the issue? Too soft? Not enough lumbar suport? Not enough adjustment?

[d10brp]

Originally Posted by micknugget

What about the standard seats is the issue? Too soft? Not enough lumbar suport? Not enough adjustment?

Its the side adjustment really. My seats are actually bedding in quite nicely now but the hugging feeling of the sports seats seemed to take a lot of pressure off. Also, the thigh support is handy.

[micknugget]

Originally Posted by d10brp

Its the side adjustment really. My seats are actually bedding in quite nicely now but the hugging feeling of the sports seats seemed to take a lot of pressure off. Also, the thigh support is handy.

I probably shouldn't mention this but when I was younger, I wanted the tight bolster feel in my Audi so my buddy and I removed the seats, set them on their sides, and he gently sat on the bolsters bending them slightly inward. He was a pretty bug guy and you risk overbending them or even snapping something inside but if you get to the point of needing to replace them it may be worth a shot. For me, it ended up working out great.

[d10brp]

Originally Posted by micknugget

I probably shouldn't mention this but when I was younger, I wanted the tight bolster feel in my Audi so my buddy and I removed the seats, set them on their sides, and he gently sat on the bolsters bending them slightly inward. He was a pretty bug guy and you risk overbending them or even snapping something inside but if you get to the point of needing to replace them it may be worth a shot. For me, it ended up working out great.

Ha ha. Hopefully it won't come to that!

[clarence]

Originally Posted by d10brp

If this was possible in the E90 I can't imagine it is impossible in the F30.

If u don't mind having a fixed setting for the side bolsters then u can always swap them.