Looking for a quick census and some advice.
If you could get them for the right price, would you put racing seats in your Mini, and lose the safety of the airbags.

I'm looking to shed some weight, save some space (so my daughter doesn't kick my seat as much), have cloth seats instead of the leatherette that makes my back sweat in the summer - but is it worth losing safety of side air bags?

 

I wouldn't unless it was a car I tracked/autocrossed regularly. I think it looks rice as sh** otherwise. I see the benefits, but there are a lot of terrible drivers out there... I'd rather keep the airbags and the stock looking interior, especially considering resale value.

 

Also forgot to mention that my leatherette seats are starting to crack and tear in places, which looks like ****. I wouldn't get blue/red/yellow racing seats, just straight black fabric, and I'd hold onto the stock seats incase I changed my mind. At this point I have no plans of selling my car.

 

+1 - don't want to loose the airbags with the crazies out there.

Get a set of cloth sports seats from an '04 or earlier MINI. We have them in our '04 and find them to be more supportive and comfortable than the sport seats in the '05 and beyond. The later seats are wider, softer and have less lumbar support. While not "race" seats, the earlier sports seats do work well on the track...from personal experience.

 

does your price include the mounts? Many aftermarket seats need different mounts and this can change your $ equation.

 

IMO fixed buckets are more comfortable than regular seats. The only down side that I see is getting in and out but even that, you can get used to it very quickly. The seat will hold you like no other mods

And I disagree that having a bucket seat looks rice as s*** if the seat is legit recaro SPG mounted with fully stock slider
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oh and MINI seats look ugly as s*** IMO

 

I'm having this debate with myself at the moment as well.

If the price is right and you're digging the look, and you're unhappy with the tearing of your current seats, I'd say go for it. If you can, try to sit in the seats first though. If not in a car, at least on the ground, so that you can make sure the width is comfortable and something you could stand for a longer drive. I've talked to a few friends with racing seats in their cars (none of which drive a Mini) and one complain they do have is the added pain of getting in and out of the seat due to the higher sides.

I'm probably going to make the move to some at some point within the next year. Just need to find the right ones for the right price.

 

Don't forget to think about your insurance. If/when they find out the airbags did not deploy in a collision because they were disarmed they may not pay any medical bills. I know our department is taking the stance that if you are not wearing a seat belt while driving a company car and you are injured in a collision that they are not going to pay the medical bills (no case history yet). We shall see. Just my thoughts off the top of my head.

 

Ill have to agree with the person that said if the car is a dedicated track/show/etc non daily driver car then yes I would.

 

I will amend my "rice" comment to say nice recaros look, well, nice, especially in leather. However, when I think "racing seats" I immediately visualize this in a '92 Civic:



Something like this, however, I think would be pretty cool:

 

I would never put Fixed back seats in a car without roll protection.
but yes, if you get after-market seats, stay classy and buy something nice, often times if you Ebay enough you can find factory take outs of much nicer stuff than you might expect.