Is it just me or are the 06 R53 seats uncomfortable (after being in them for awhile) to you too? Has anyone swapped them for something with a little more padding and support?

 

I don't find them to be bad, while they aren't the most supportive in the corners, they are better than the focus ST with the recaros to me. but not nearly as good as the mk6 golf R seats. better than the rest of the vehicles ive owned.


any seat can be replaced it just involves some work. the 2nd gen seats can be put in with minor work, but I don't find them to be as plush. I need to get my hands on the 3rd gen seats and see if they fit.


many people have put racing seats in, they just require a bracket to use the holes from the seat to the floor. then the air bag in the seat needs to be bypassed unless the replacement seat has one.

 

Well, they're not Volvo seats that's for sure.

Funny enough, I'm really liking the basic cloth seats I have in one of mine. Less worrying about the side boulstering tearing/wearing.

As Saltysalt said, you might like the R56's but you can also look for "Panther Leather" upgraded seat option in the R53's too.

 

I found them really uncomfortable, which sucked since the lapis blue interior option was a must have when searching for my MINI. The sports seats aren't really that sporty, and the seat bottoms are too short.

They were so bad I ended up replacing them with some JCW Recaro's. They weren't cheap, especially after shipping and customs, but I wanted to keep the airbags in the seat so they were really the only option. If I get really crazy, I'll have the centers re-upholstered in lapis blue to match the rest of the interior.

 

RB, do you have pictures?

 

My loaner is a Mini Countryman - seats are alot nicer. I'm not saying those would be the replacements, just saying they're nicer.

 

I did the R56 swap into my 05 R53 not that long ago. Got the sport seats in leather and heated. Included the lumbar support, too.
Wish I had done sooner!!

 

Here's one:



Pretty much the same instructions as the standard R56 seat swap, except for the passenger occupancy sensor part.

 

There were two basic seats...
Sport and normal....
I found the "sport seats" to be uncomfortable in my case....so I ordered my car with all the sport items "al-la-carte"....
As these cars age, the foam fails too...a few folks have put gen2 seats in r53 cars....airbags and all...

 

I will look into this more - may become a bucket list item.

 

Those JCW recaro are awesome RB. So rare in the Gen1 MINIs.

MiniTigger : Looks like you found the swap.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4208157

 

Dave,

Are the JCW Recaros more comfortable than the R56's?

 

I don't remember, I've only driven an R56 S once on a short test drive and have never been in one as a passenger.

 

Looks great!
What year is your R53?
Any issues plugging Recaro seat wire harness in to R53's wire harness? Different plugs?
Thanks!

 

Thanks, it's an '05.

Yes, the plugs are different, still factory MINI plugs, but 2nd gen. I mainly used the following post as a guide, https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/interior-exterior/258753-r56-seats-into-my-04-r53-installed-and-pics.html, except for the part about bolting the 1st gen seat belt tensioner to the 2nd gen sliders. The buckle/tensioner mounts were changed between gens so I had the 2nd gen sliders adapted to replicate the 1st gen mounts just to be safe. The seat heater wiring is really different and I still haven't hooked them up.

Also, the JCW Recaro's don't have the passenger seat occupancy sensor so you'll have to deal with that. Do Canadian MINI's have the seat occupancy sensor?

 

Be prepared for airbag lights, and if it's an 05, get ready to either swap the passenger seat weight sensor over or get an override box.

 

Thanks!

So you used R56 sliders to mount the seat in?
How hard was to adapt sliders to accept r53 seat tensioners? Was it just "few new holes" or more fabrication required?

Cheers