1 2
bravenrace
bravenrace SuperDork
1/13/11 6:30 a.m.

Are any of them any good? Here's the deal. I'm fixing up my Civic for my kids to use. It will remain my car, they are just going to use it. It has mint si seats in it that I want to preserve. It also has a momo steering wheel that I want to use in my CRX. So I want to buy reasonably priced replacements for both of these to use in the Civic. There seem to be many cheap options when I look on Ebay, but are they junk? Anyone have any real experience with any of them?

92CelicaHalfTrac
92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
1/13/11 6:38 a.m.

Tenzos aren't terrible....

I haven't had experience with the 3A seats that pop up for pennies, though.

mistanfo
mistanfo SuperDork
1/13/11 6:52 a.m.

They're pennies until it comes to shipping... And you'll be on your own for mounting. I would try to find some Honda seats at the local pick and pull.

failboat
failboat Reader
1/13/11 7:01 a.m.

My Momo Prototipo steering wheel feels like it has just as much flex in it as the ebay one it replaced (when you grab and push-pull on it)

92CelicaHalfTrac
92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork
1/13/11 7:21 a.m.

Project Car had a feature in it's early days where they used some Ebay seats in a Focus i think that actually looked and performed pretty decently. I think they were something like $250 for the pair?

For the life of me i can't remember the name of the brand. The company has an actual website, and they also used pedal covers from the same company.

[EDIT]

The brand was Netami. I may look into them for the Escort.

ST_ZX2
ST_ZX2 Reader
1/13/11 7:30 a.m.

Might try Jegs or Summit--they wont gouge your eyes out on shipping, and prices are real fair.

patgizz
patgizz SuperDork
1/13/11 7:43 a.m.

i bought a cheapo wheel at summit, fast and furious kinda deal marked down to $15 on clearance. it buckled when i was installing it, all i did was push some to get it onto the hub so i could slide the nut on. so i would never buy a wheel i could not put in my hands first.

miatame
miatame Reader
1/13/11 7:56 a.m.

I bought a Tenzo seat from eBay when they offered free shipping and there was a 30% cashback program going on so I think I got the seat for about $110 shipped. Amazing seat for that kind of money. It was bought to go into the XJ-R but we ended up getting a lighter plastic seat in trade for a couple tires. So the Tenzo seat ended up as my Forza gaming seat :) It is very comfortable and the lateral support is great for when Forza is doing laps around GT5

As for the wheel, we put an Ebay steering wheel in the XJ-R. It is a great wheel for the money, but I'm not sure it would hold up to daily abuse.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
1/13/11 7:59 a.m.

I was thinking of trying something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNIVERSAL-LEATHER-BLACK-RED-STITCHES-RACING-SEATS-PAIR-/370474821869?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56420528ed for the 944 to replace the cracked stock black leather seats. I'd be very interested if anyone has any insight on them.

stuart in mn
stuart in mn SuperDork
1/13/11 8:05 a.m.

A friend got some leather sport seats from Summit for his BMW 535i that were pretty decent.

WilberM3
WilberM3 HalfDork
1/13/11 8:07 a.m.
miatame wrote: It is very comfortable and the lateral support is great for when Forza is doing laps around GT5

you havent even played that game yet. and besides, my GT5 seat has MORE lateral support than your forza seat. plus its harder to crawl out of just like a proper race car rather than your plush minivanesque layout.

Otto Maddox
Otto Maddox HalfDork
1/13/11 8:12 a.m.

You might want to consider the safety factor. OEM seats have some safety requirements. I don't know that the aftermarket seats do.

WilberM3
WilberM3 HalfDork
1/13/11 8:18 a.m.

we picked up this for around $20-25 shipped off ebay, dont remember exactly. but i think it looks pretty nice, felt good autocrossing though i had driving gloves so who knows under normal conditions, and i suppose we'll see how it holds up. obviously doesnt bolt right to any shaft though so you'd still need to get an adaptor or QR hub.

ditchdigger
ditchdigger HalfDork
1/13/11 9:08 a.m.

I had one of those 3A racing seats for a few weeks. It was a gift. It managed to be very hard and uncomfortable as well as totally unsupportive. I think the support could have been improved by the "phone books and ratchet strap" trick but I hated the seat. I cannot stand the wingback chair look of modern seats.

The main deal breaker was that the foam seemed to emit a vauge cat urine odor that was just noticeable enough to make me check for wet spots every day.

I ended up giving the seat to a friend for his racing game console, he soon decided it was too uncomfortable to sit in long enough to play.

fast_eddie_72
fast_eddie_72 HalfDork
1/13/11 10:03 a.m.

I didn't get them on ebay, but these are "fake" Bride seats I got for cheap. I like um fine. Actually, the quality is better than I thought.

amg_rx7
amg_rx7 HalfDork
1/13/11 10:45 a.m.
Otto Maddox wrote: You might want to consider the safety factor. OEM seats have some safety requirements. I don't know that the aftermarket seats do.

+1

Greg Voth
Greg Voth HalfDork
1/13/11 11:29 a.m.

I just picked up two Sparcos Jr. Sprints for $140 with sliders and mounts.

They are probably a little too race oriented for street driving but deals are out there.

Strike_Zero
Strike_Zero HalfDork
1/13/11 11:42 a.m.

WOW . . . . I wish I could find a deal like that

kb58
kb58 Reader
1/13/11 12:00 p.m.

Of all the parts in a car project, the seat is the most personal and subjective. If at all possible, try to sit in any seat your considering buying. I know a lot of times that can't happen, but it's worth a price premium to buy a seat locally just so you can try it out first. Since we're all built different and have different preferences, asking if a given seat is "okay" is going to get all sorts of answers.

93gsxturbo
93gsxturbo HalfDork
1/13/11 12:18 p.m.

I don't like how wide most aftermarket seats are (due to the aformentioned wings). Gotta measure and ideally bolt them in before yoy buy them, I have seen some interfere with the door panels and almost hit each other in narrow old cars.

+100000 on OEM parts from a boneyard. If its something my kid was driving, no way would I put slave labor manufactured, untested safety equipment in it. Would you want your boy banging his girlfriend with a Chinese condom?

Zomby woof
Zomby woof Dork
1/13/11 12:25 p.m.
WilberM3 wrote:

I have seats like that in my car.

People tell me they're dangerous, but really, if you look at them, there's no way they're going to pull out, and they're only 9 lbs.

I'd rather have that, than a 40+ lb stock seat behind me in a crash.

fast_eddie_72
fast_eddie_72 HalfDork
1/13/11 12:43 p.m.
93gsxturbo wrote: I don't like how wide most aftermarket seats are (due to the aformentioned wings). Gotta measure and ideally bolt them in before yoy buy them, I have seen some interfere with the door panels and almost hit each other in narrow old cars.

I'm sure it varries a lot. The fixed back seats I posted above are really narrow. There are huge gaps on each side. Only problem I have with them is getting my slightly plump butt in them. I fit, but I'll fit a lot better after I lose another 15 or 20 lbs.

turboswede
turboswede SuperDork
1/13/11 2:59 p.m.
16vCorey wrote: I was thinking of trying something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNIVERSAL-LEATHER-BLACK-RED-STITCHES-RACING-SEATS-PAIR-/370474821869?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56420528ed for the 944 to replace the cracked stock black leather seats. I'd be very interested if anyone has any insight on them.

Use some 911 take-offs, they share mounting patterns.

In fact I still have a set of 911/944 seat mounts for racing seats and a set for a 1st-gen Neon.

16vCorey
16vCorey SuperDork
1/13/11 3:39 p.m.
turboswede wrote:
16vCorey wrote: I was thinking of trying something like this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/UNIVERSAL-LEATHER-BLACK-RED-STITCHES-RACING-SEATS-PAIR-/370474821869?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item56420528ed for the 944 to replace the cracked stock black leather seats. I'd be very interested if anyone has any insight on them.
Use some 911 take-offs, they share mounting patterns. In fact I still have a set of 911/944 seat mounts for racing seats and a set for a 1st-gen Neon.

True. But I can probably get new aftermarket seats a lot cheaper than I can get used 911 seats. I've actually got an extra set of 944 seats(that are in equally bad shape as the ones in my car) with brackets, so if I got aftermarket seats I can play with the bracketry before I touch the car.

turboswede
turboswede SuperDork
1/13/11 6:42 p.m.

Good point. You can find cheap 911 seats on eBay, but for similar prices you can play with the Recaro/Corbeau knock-offs.

1 2

You'll need to log in to post.

Our Preferred Partners
2EhbmVzMItlOv8GIijh23syXwllUzbkLBo8W7ZVCDjeI2uyjl8odyBPCEJBSRkwV