I need advice about what to do with my seats

[E30 Cabrio]

I'm in the process of converting my interior from blue to black, and the final step was the front seats.

My dilemma: Newly purchased front seats have new(er) black leather in great shape, but bad mechanicals and neither of the pass side heaters work, and the driver side upper heater doesn't work.

Old seats have great mechanicals, and only the driver side lower heater doesn't work, (I have a new one) but the leather condition and color (blue) is not what I want.

Generally, what would a shop ding me for to transfer the foam and black leather from my new seats to my old blue seats, plus install the new lower heating element?

I can do some of the prep work, such as removing much of the foam/leather/plastic from the old blue seats.

Thanks, much appreciated.

New black seats:



They look to be some type of synthetic leather. Definitely not vinyl, but I don't think they are leather.

They look great though, but the heaters and sliders are kinda hosed, so I want to swap the foam/upholstery to my old seats, but once I pulled the backs off of the old seats I realized I might be in over my head and will let someone who does this for a living do the job as I don't want to mess them up.

I only paid $200.00 for the seats, so I don't mind spending a few more bucks to transfer the foam and upholstery to the old seats with the good mechanicals.

[KenC]

Swapping it all is pretty easy... give it a try.

[E30 Cabrio]

I pulled the backs of my old seats and started taking things apart and realized that doing this to my newer black seats might end up badly.

I'm pretty mechanically inclined, can do most of my own work, but this is something I don't want to screw up, so it would be worth a few bucks to have a pro do it, if it's reasonable.

It would probably take me a good part of a weekend, and them an hour or two.

Swapping it all is pretty easy... give it a try.

[td325ic]

Once you know how to take them apart it is pretty easy.

PM me your email address and I'll send you some .pdf guides on taking apart sport seats.

I was in the same boat as you, my original seats in my cabrio were in horrible shape. But I found some black Naugahyde re-upholstered sport seats that were in perfect condition cosmetically but mechanically they had alot of problems. Once I started taking them apart I realized whoever did the re-upholstery on them was a moron. Screws were missing, parts bent or broken from being forced apart, etc.

So make sure whoever does the work on your seats does a good job. I think the best person would be you, honestly. Definitely be the cheapest route and it really isn't that hard, you just need a few tools.

You can always go to Pick-n-Pull and take apart seats for experience or for replacement parts too.

[NC325iC]

what condition was your blue rear seat in?

[E30 Cabrio]

what condition was your blue rear seat in?

Pretty good. Dyed them black and they are in the car.

Need to have the center seam on the lower restitched.

[E30 Cabrio]

Once you know how to take them apart it is pretty easy.

PM me your email address and I'll send you some .pdf guides on taking apart sport seats.

I was in the same boat as you, my original seats in my cabrio were in horrible shape. But I found some black Naugahyde re-upholstered sport seats that were in perfect condition cosmetically but mechanically they had alot of problems.

"Once I started taking them apart I realized whoever did the re-upholstery on them was a moron. Screws were missing, parts bent or broken from being forced apart, etc."

See, that's my fear, that with my lack of hog ring pliers, patience and experience, I'll screw up my seats.

Also, PM sent with my email addy. Yes, I believe these new seats are also Black Naugahyde, but they look great and will be more durable and wear better than leather.

It's just too bad the seat mechanicals aren't in the best shape, and only 1 of the 4 heating elements work.

But between the 4 seats, I can make 2 really nice ones, and I'll dye the old blue headrests black and put them on my back seats.

[thereisnoyun]

swapping the heated seat

the center two pieces come out rather easily. Alot of them you use the metal arrow thing from the back and minimal hog ring. Even if its hog ringed the area and location for the hog rings are super easy, compare to the back seat. I always felt the back seat were harder to get them perfectly right. The front is a simple since all the pieces are seperate and you wont be stretching on one side or another.

[E30 Wagen]

Don't mean to thread jack, but... how does one take apart the sport seats? Where is a good place to start?