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Big saloon seats


Spitfire2500

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How good or bad are they?

Is there anyone on the forum local to the Edinburgh or Glasgow areas with a 2000 or 2500 saloon I could have a sit in?  :o

I've had some minor back problems in the past which really aren't a big deal and hardly an issue now but I do tend to start getting twinges if I spend too long in crap car seats.

Solved the problem in the Spit with MX5 seats which are the dogs danglies in terms of comfort and lumbar support -- trying to understand if this is something I'll have think about when I find myself the big saloon I'm looking for  ::) ::)

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It's a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" maybe?
I've got issues with seats, too, and saloon seats in great condition don't bother me, but they rarely are in great condition. My driver's seat is ok, and I can cope with it without excessive discomfort (although in a few weeks time I'll let you know once I've driven 2,000km to Hobart in it), but I find the passenger seat really uncomfortable. I found my last saloon's driver's seat awful (although managed a RBRR in it).

My plan is to change my current seats to Saab/Volvo as I've always found them to be good in cars that have done well over 100,000 miles.

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Saab seats are excellent and you can even get heated ones (although the heating elelments don't last as long as the seats) Saab 900 seats fit in a Herald and the 9000 seats should fit in a 2000 although I've never seen any in a 2000 - I noticed on the RBRR that lots of 2000s have different front seats - Vauxhall SRI/Recaros seem popular as do Rover 600 seats

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I've also had mixed experience with saloon seats, once again based on condition. In my old 2500TC the driver's seat back had disintegrated so much you could feel one of the metal cross bars digging in your back.

In my current estate though, the seats are in very good condition and dead comfy. In fact on the RBRR last week, my co-driver Adam (who's used to more modern machinery) remarked that he 'could drive for hours in this seat' ... and indeed he did!

My only gripe, is that being a pre-facelift MKII it doesn't have headrests, not a problem in everyday driving for me, but in the event of a rear end shunt, they might be useful.

Russell.

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Thanks to all for info. Probably going to take a while to find a decent big saloon, especially where I am (Central Scotland). I haven't seen one around here for years so am probably going to have to get from somewhere in Southofthebordershire. But in any case there's enough positives to wait and see what turns up.

Had forgotten about the Saab seats but I've come across them a few times as well -- believe it or not most of all in fairly old Land Rover 90s. Even stranger in both cases they were leather with electric adjustment/memory and seat heaters :o

Very very comfy  :D

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[quote by=RussellBanyard link=Blah.pl?b=2000,m=1161130431,s=5 date=1161177014]In my old 2500TC the driver's seat back had disintegrated so much you could feel one of the metal cross bars digging in your back.
[/quote]

Know the feeling ... It's a bit like prison chapel seats slanted to make you fall off if you fall asleep (why do I know that?) - at least you're not going to fall asleep whilst driving it.

Spitfire2500 - I suppose it's much easier to buy a nice saloon and change the seats, than by a rotbox with nice seats and change the car  ;D

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[quote by=Greeks link=Blah.pl?b=2000,m=1161130431,s=7 date=1161208427]Spitfire2500 - I suppose it's much easier to buy a nice saloon and change the seats, than by a rotbox with nice seats and change the car  ;D[/quote]

I think I have already learned my lesson -- the Spit was rotbox with crap seats so I changed everything  :o :o ;D

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The only Lemon seats I've ever found uncomfortable (apart from the inevitable fubarred foam's and diaphragm examples) is the standard Chicane stuff. They are the pits, and should come with a government health warning. 'Normal' UK stuff, specially the late cloth variety are very comfortable.

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[quote by=Greeks link=Blah.pl?b=2000,m=1161130431,s=12 date=1161296820]yeah, but Dave, you've only ever sat in a Triumph, so you're comparing with Herald seats that give you wedgies and nearly kill you, and the likes :-D

[/quote]

I got backache in my mates brand spanker Mondeo recently, and the X Type that replaced it wasn't much better?

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Yes quite agree with Dave. The seats in the S.A.2000 GTB 934K are atrocious. Did improve them by wedging cushions underneath seat base. I was surprised neither of us suffered with backache on the RBRR. Mind you we weren't sitting for too long at any one time, mainly because we were always under the bonnet repairing the damn thing!

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  • 2 months later...

I'm also looking for some replacement front seats for my Mk2 PI that have headrests, but am unsure what options exist. It is possible to fit any seats to a big saloon?  What are the factors that I need to take into account when choosing replacement seats?

Any help would be gratefully received!

Nick Jackson
Mk2 PI Saloon - Ice Blue Reg. NCK142J

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Picked up a pair of Jag XJ40 leather seats for the princely sum of a tenner (Ebay) just before Xmas.  Fully electric too, so on the look out for some switches now!  Almost any seat will fit a big saloon - they're sooo wide!  You may have to modify the mountings though!

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[quote by=Richard_B link=Blah.pl?b=2000,m=1161130431,s=19 date=1168724634]Does anyone supply new seat diaphrams? [/quote]

I recall several different part numbers usedfor the 2000 seat diaphragms. If one diaphragm type could be used across the range then I've no doubt there is enough demand for them to be made. On  the other hand if there are three or more different diaphragm types needed to fit all cars, it's unlikely to be profitable. Most of the investment is in the tooling, and there will be a minimum quantity from each tool to make a production run viable.
The Bond diaphragms were remanufactured about 15 years ago, has a second production run been necessary yet?
Cheers,
Bill.

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[quote by=Spitfire2500 link=Blah.pl?b=2000,m=1161130431,s=0 date=1161130431]How good or bad are they?

Is there anyone on the forum local to the Edinburgh or Glasgow areas with a 2000 or 2500 saloon I could have a sit in?  :o

I've had some minor back problems in the past which really aren't a big deal and hardly an issue now but I do tend to start getting twinges if I spend too long in crap car seats.

Solved the problem in the Spit with MX5 seats which are the dogs danglies in terms of comfort and lumbar support -- trying to understand if this is something I'll have think about when I find myself the big saloon I'm looking for  ::) ::)[/quote]

Just a thought -  try for a car with power steering too - the non assisted version is not too bad but certainly wouldn't help a  bad back

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