R58 To recaro or not to recaro that is the question
#1
To recaro or not to recaro that is the question
Hey Coupe-ers, right now my order has regular cloth sport seats spec'd but I am trying to figure out if I want recaros.
Unfortunately no cars at the dealer have those seats spec'd.
Do any of you coupe people know if the recaros sit higher than the standard sport seats? I sat in a coupe spec'd with sport seats with my helmet on, and I have about 1/2-1in space. My concern is that the recaro can't sit a low as the standard sport seats then it would be a huge waste of cash.
Also as an added bonus if any of you coupe owners that spec'd recaros live in Santa Clara county/ peninsula area I would like to briefly meet up to sit in your car with recaros.
Almost 2800 bux is a lot for an option and I want to be sure.
Unfortunately no cars at the dealer have those seats spec'd.
Do any of you coupe people know if the recaros sit higher than the standard sport seats? I sat in a coupe spec'd with sport seats with my helmet on, and I have about 1/2-1in space. My concern is that the recaro can't sit a low as the standard sport seats then it would be a huge waste of cash.
Also as an added bonus if any of you coupe owners that spec'd recaros live in Santa Clara county/ peninsula area I would like to briefly meet up to sit in your car with recaros.
Almost 2800 bux is a lot for an option and I want to be sure.
#2
#4
#7
I studied the pictures closely and it seems like the sport seats and recaros share the same structure. The recaros are more opulent and seem to have better bolstering but now I am questioning whether the 2750 or whatever is worth it.
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#9
I drove a 2014 HT S with this option for about 2 weeks in July 2014. I am not impressed.
#10
Yes, the factory-fit 'Recaro sports seats' option is for Recaro foam and upholstery on the standard Mini seat frame shared by all seats. These Recaro-specific parts are shown in the diagram below (item 2 is a foam block that turns the headrest into a fixed high-back seat).
I ordered these seats for my early Roadster and they got cancelled by the problem (with the soft top ripping out the seat belt guide, I believe), so I ended up with standard sports seats. I did try the factory Recaro sports seats in a delaer's showroom, but not on the move.
I don't find the sports seats sporty enough (it's just padding not actual support) so I bought a pair of used dealer-fit JCW Recaro seats - these are genuine Recaro buckets marginally customised for a Mini. Sadly they couldn't be used in the Roadster (too high and the Roadster cannot be coded for them, so they cause an airbag fault), but of significance, I sold them to an owner of a GP2 which comes with the factory Recaro sports seats as he found they were not supportive enough for track driving.
The factory Recaro goes as low as the standard Mini seat, as it is really just a standard Mini seat. You may have read about Recaro height problems but those will be about the (mainly European) dealer JCW Recaro seats.
I concluded that the factory Recaro option is a bit of a rip-off, as different foam and upholstery doesn't cost that much - that is a very, very expensive Recaro badge that is set into the seats.....
I ordered these seats for my early Roadster and they got cancelled by the problem (with the soft top ripping out the seat belt guide, I believe), so I ended up with standard sports seats. I did try the factory Recaro sports seats in a delaer's showroom, but not on the move.
I don't find the sports seats sporty enough (it's just padding not actual support) so I bought a pair of used dealer-fit JCW Recaro seats - these are genuine Recaro buckets marginally customised for a Mini. Sadly they couldn't be used in the Roadster (too high and the Roadster cannot be coded for them, so they cause an airbag fault), but of significance, I sold them to an owner of a GP2 which comes with the factory Recaro sports seats as he found they were not supportive enough for track driving.
The factory Recaro goes as low as the standard Mini seat, as it is really just a standard Mini seat. You may have read about Recaro height problems but those will be about the (mainly European) dealer JCW Recaro seats.
I concluded that the factory Recaro option is a bit of a rip-off, as different foam and upholstery doesn't cost that much - that is a very, very expensive Recaro badge that is set into the seats.....
#11
Yes, the factory-fit 'Recaro sports seats' option is for Recaro foam and upholstery on the standard Mini seat frame shared by all seats. These Recaro-specific parts are shown in the diagram below (item 2 is a foam block that turns the headrest into a fixed high-back seat).
I ordered these seats for my early Roadster and they got cancelled by the problem (with the soft top ripping out the seat belt guide, I believe), so I ended up with standard sports seats. I did try the factory Recaro sports seats in a delaer's showroom, but not on the move.
I don't find the sports seats sporty enough (it's just padding not actual support) so I bought a pair of used dealer-fit JCW Recaro seats - these are genuine Recaro buckets marginally customised for a Mini. Sadly they couldn't be used in the Roadster (too high and the Roadster cannot be coded for them, so they cause an airbag fault), but of significance, I sold them to an owner of a GP2 which comes with the factory Recaro sports seats as he found they were not supportive enough for track driving.
The factory Recaro goes as low as the standard Mini seat, as it is really just a standard Mini seat. You may have read about Recaro height problems but those will be about the (mainly European) dealer JCW Recaro seats.
I concluded that the factory Recaro option is a bit of a rip-off, as different foam and upholstery doesn't cost that much - that is a very, very expensive Recaro badge that is set into the seats.....
I ordered these seats for my early Roadster and they got cancelled by the problem (with the soft top ripping out the seat belt guide, I believe), so I ended up with standard sports seats. I did try the factory Recaro sports seats in a delaer's showroom, but not on the move.
I don't find the sports seats sporty enough (it's just padding not actual support) so I bought a pair of used dealer-fit JCW Recaro seats - these are genuine Recaro buckets marginally customised for a Mini. Sadly they couldn't be used in the Roadster (too high and the Roadster cannot be coded for them, so they cause an airbag fault), but of significance, I sold them to an owner of a GP2 which comes with the factory Recaro sports seats as he found they were not supportive enough for track driving.
The factory Recaro goes as low as the standard Mini seat, as it is really just a standard Mini seat. You may have read about Recaro height problems but those will be about the (mainly European) dealer JCW Recaro seats.
I concluded that the factory Recaro option is a bit of a rip-off, as different foam and upholstery doesn't cost that much - that is a very, very expensive Recaro badge that is set into the seats.....
It is just my opinion.
Overall, the Mini is also a basic car no matter the package or accessories added on.
#12
I like the JCW Euro Recaros and after seeing them, they look awesome and feel great. Good luck on what ever you choose.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
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#13
I like the JCW Euro Recaros and after seeing them, they look awesome and feel great. Good luck on what ever you choose.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
I understand they are racing seats and not for daily driving.
#14
I like the JCW Euro Recaros and after seeing them, they look awesome and feel great. Good luck on what ever you choose. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-question.html
Honestly though do those airbags work properly with US cars?
#15
Fjork,
Currently no discounts on those . We are the few that carry them. Never hurts to ask. And they look even better in person. The best looking seat for a MINI . Follow the link above, which has a link to the install in the thread.
dube53,
Sat in the Euro Recaros before, they feel as good ( if not better ) as the new F56 sport seats. Which I drove in for a long time. Then I went back to the R56 regular sport seats and was like , wow we should had them a long time ago. Like Gen1 MINIs.
Thanks.
Currently no discounts on those . We are the few that carry them. Never hurts to ask. And they look even better in person. The best looking seat for a MINI . Follow the link above, which has a link to the install in the thread.
dube53,
Sat in the Euro Recaros before, they feel as good ( if not better ) as the new F56 sport seats. Which I drove in for a long time. Then I went back to the R56 regular sport seats and was like , wow we should had them a long time ago. Like Gen1 MINIs.
Thanks.
__________________
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
MINI Guru/ MINI Owner Since 2004 | NEW Lifetime Part Replacement | Local Pickup
Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
#18
#19
I have a 2014 JCW Coupe with Recaros and I love them. They don't look as racy as the Euro model but are very comfortable with the Alcantara seating surface. Pricey indeed at $2800 (but that includes heating) but I like em better than the leather sport seats I had in my 2007 MCS. .
Last edited by TheBigNewt; 10-09-2014 at 03:16 PM.
#20
The euro Recaros are very nice. US Recaros are right behind them in line with the GP2 version.
__________________
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Milltek | Genuine MINI | Forge Motorsport | NM Engineering | ECS Performance | M7 Speed
Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
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Customer Service Hours: 8am-8pm EST|Sales Team Hours: 8am-11pm | SAT 10am-7pm 800.924.5172
#21
The sport seats in leather are $1500. Recaros are about $2700, so that's a $1200 premium (plus $100 tax) minus whatever the package that heats the seats is (they are heated). I think that's several hundred dollars. Considering you use the seats every time you drive the car that's not horrible. As for looks they may share the same underlying frame, but nothing that you see, look at, or sit on is the same as my R56 sport seats. And the surfaces are different too. It is like a totally different seat, even the shape. If nothing else I'm good at rationalizing my expenditures! But seriously when I saw them I thought they were great looking.
Last edited by TheBigNewt; 10-09-2014 at 03:17 PM.
#22
The sport seats in leather are $1500. Recaros are about $2700, so that's a $1200 premium (plus $100 tax) minus whatever the package that heats the seats is (they are heated). I think that's several hundred dollars. Considering you use the seats every time you drive the car that's not horrible. As for looks they may share the same underlying frame, but nothing that you see, look at, or sit on is the same as my R56 sport seats. And the surfaces are different too. It is like a totally different seat, even the shape. If nothing else I'm good at rationalizing my expenditures! But seriously when I saw them I thought they were great looking.
Because the roof of the Coupe is lower than the HT, I suspect the seats could be different but it is pure speculation from my side.
#24
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