Greetings!

I'm looking to improve my seats comfort. I think this is a fairly common problem, as one journalist wrote: "...you sit on them rather than in them."

I've looked a couple of different seat covers, but I'm not sure I will get the desired effect. I think they need softer cushioning, better side bolsters, and definetly softer, more contoured head rests.

I have the Sport package. Also, I've tried lots of seat positions, I tried raising the seat up a good bit, and I can't really tell if it helped or not. I'm 5'9" 190lbs.

Any suggestions??

 

My opinion…

Seat covers aren't going to do the trick and they will interfere with any seat mounted airbags you may have.

I've been looking at Sparco replacement seats. http://www.sparcousa.com/seats_street.asp

I've also been contemplating finding a wrecked Mitsu EVO 9 and ripping the seats out of it. They are hands down the most comfortable & supportive factory seats I've ever sat in. I bet Wedge Engineering would be able to fabricate a mounting kit for them…

Either way you are looking at having to do the resistor trick and some fancy wiring to keep the airbag light from going off all the time. There is a thread around here somewhere talking about how much of a P.I.A. it is.

I hear that the Schroth harnesses make a big difference when used with the factory seats. They cost a lot less than replacement seats to.

Whatever solution you find, let us all know!

 

I know atleast 2 different seat covers are air bag compatible. Wet Okole and the Mini ones. I just dont know if they'd improve the comfort enough?

 

Good to know!

 

i've rode in a mini with wet okole covers and they do help improve the comfort level

 

The only thing to do that will really increase comfort is buy a Recaro seat with the air pump lumbar support. I did it, bit the bullet, spent the dollars and it's one mod that I am completely satisfied with.

 

Come on! There has to be SOMETHING else!?

Any more wet okole owners opinions?

 

i have the wet okoles in my cabrio and they have helped with the comfort factor. they have padding sown to them thats about 1/2" thick when new plus the neoprene is softer. i had to readjust my seat after they were installed to make up for the thickness of the covers. i found i had to increase the lumbar support to help my lower back get comfortable after the covers were installed

the wet okoles wont change the way the seat is shaped. so if its the way the seat is designed that you dont really like then the wet okoles wont help but to soften it up alittle bit.

 

I have the Wet Okole seat covers on my sport seats. I don't think they really help much with comfort (but they look great and work well in a Cabrio). On long road trips in my MINI my lower back was killing me so I went and bought one of those lumbar supports made from Temperpedic. Now the advantage of seat covers - the support slides right in the airbag cutout (they are airbag compatible afterall) and is totally out of sight. The seat cover holds it in place and I can still access it to shift it's position if needed by reaching through the cutout.
The support has changed my motoring experience for the better.

 

We think alike!
I have a set of these coming actually....should arrive tomorrow. No need for custom brackets...I think they bolt right up once you cut off the Mitsu specific portion. I checked the spacing on the sliders and it's same as the stock MINI seats. I might need to get something to raise them up though....might sit too low on sliders alone.

have you sat in the English Panther Leather seats? They have a different shape than stock....better bolsters and more comfortable. I've been trying to find a somewhat local MINI owner to do an interior swap with since I'm getting new front Recaro's (no need for nice leather backseat )

 

All good comments!

I'd really like to ride in a car with some Wet Okole's.

I love the english panther leather, but way to rich for my blood.

 

how much do you think the Wet Okole covers cost?

 

$500 front & back.
I've got a set of rear tin top seat covers in red & black I'd sell you for $100 - never used (long story).

 

Where did you get a set of those seats, and dare I ask how much you paid? :impatient

 

from an EVO owner who uprgraded to Bride's. I'd prefer to keep the price to myself

 

 

I demand an install how-to with part numbers.

 

It's true. The stock seats are silly because you sit on them instead of in them. I was very surprised at how much the Wet Okole seat covers improve this. They have a lot of foam sewn into them and feel something like the Recaro seats in my other autos. Other than completely changing the seats, this is a good route to take.

 

working on it! they aren't the bolt-in I expected but I put the passenger's side in for a dry run. Need to get some other parts but suffice it to say....sitting in it (unbolted) makes the car feel faster even when sitting still

 

 

What about the factory Recaros that were in the European JCW cars? Does anyone have the P/N for the mounting rails for those seats and what model seats they are (if they can be order through BMW or MINI in Europe or from Recaro directly) I'd really like to get a set of those!

 

How well do they work what with flipping the seats forward to access the rear seat?

 

they're from a sedan

 

I shimmed the front of the seat up about 3/4 of an inch and it made a big difference. I'm 6'2 and when the seat was all the way down it felt flat too me. Shimming the front up gave it some angle to the back of the seat, I feel like I am IN the seat rather than On the seat now, MHO.

Dave

 

[quote=minimusprime;1696253]I demand an install how-to with part numbers.
+1

I'd really like to know what engineering challenges you encounter along the way. Plus whatever solution you come up with for the airbag light.

Now all we need to figure out is will the EVO seats work with the Schroth harnesses…

I never knew that these existed! This could be a solution for a lot of us.