syoo8

My 86.5 has stock seats, and they are original- i.e. they've never been refurbished.



They are VERY uncomfortable for me. I feel like I'm falling into the seat rather than being supported by it.

(My 87 has sport seats from a 993 (I think) and are much more comfortable.)

My question for the board: Do my "stock" seats feel uncomfortable because
a) the foam underneath the seats is bad
b) the 993 is a better fit to my body
c) all of the above

To put it another way, have any of you who've restored your seats (new leather, new foam) noticed an improvement in comfort?

Nicole

My seats are in pretty good shape, but the side bolsters push on my sciatic nerve. This is mainly a problem when I'm driving - not so much when I'm riding. Unless my drivers seat is more worn than I realize, I think it's the design of the seats and bolsters.

Is your 87 the famous Godzilla that once roamed the Pacific NW?

syoo8

Do you think that the stitching around the various bolsters (that have come undone) have affected how much support my butt gets from the seats?

About the '87- yes, Nicole. Heinrich bestowed it to me, and now it has a good home (albeit a far less knowledgeable owner.)

By the way, Nicole, thanks for all of the parts that you've sold me over the years- they've all worked great. I'm installing the hood liner that you sent me tomorrow morning.

RKD in OKC

Drove various cars including 2 944 Turbos, Boxster S, and 2 928, a GT and now a GTS. Got a brand new VW Passat for a daily driver 4 door in 2005 and it hurt my butt so bad VW bought it back from me after only 2500 miles. it ended up damaging the nerves. During this time I had no problem driving my Boxster S. And a little later my 2nd 944 Turbo. But I did have to make sure the seat was adjusted just right.

While the nerves were still very irritated I drove every new 4 door car available. There were only 2 cars I could drive for longer that 10 minutes, even after adjusting the seats through their full range. The 2 sedans were the Volvo S40 or T5 wagon, and the BMW 3 series with the sport seat option. I got the beamer. Later I traded the 3 series for and X3 with the sports package because the seats were the same. All this time I was driving my BoxsterS, a 944 Turbo (with and without sport seats, and even put in 968 sport seats cause they were really nice and for a great price), and now my 928 GTS without any problems. But, I do have to adjust the seats just right.

I Thought i was just weird or something until watching an episode of Top Gear where Hugh Grant was the star in a reasonably priced car. He explained he had an Aston Martin and loved it except it made his butt hurt, and he reluctantly traded it for a Porsche because the Porsche didn't make his but hurt. Then he went on to explain he got the butt pain problem by driving his brother's VW Golf. He even joked that he and his brother called his problem Golf *****.

Right now my second car is an old Ranger Rover. The seats in it adjust okay for around town, but i don't think I could stand driving it on any trip of length without it aggravating my butt nerves.

There is a big difference in driving position and riding as a passenger. I rarely if ever have any problems riding in any car.

Make sure you have tried adjusting the seat and trying different positions. i find having the seat as low as it will go, with the front raised a little and the seat back more upright works best for me.

Oh and no amount of extra padding helped, it's about shape, support and seat angles. The 944 Turbo seats were some of the least padded seats ever, and they were perfectly comfortable.

FredR

Scott,

Check your spec build- sport seats were a 928 option [most consider desirable].

My experience with two 928's is that their seats are as good as it gets and where the leather goes with age I have not perceived any issues with comfort in either. Interestingly in my current GTS seats I perceive more lateral grip than I did on my stock S4 comfort seats- whether there are any design differences I do not know.

Best people to answer your query may be the likes of Rob Budd or Paul Champagne who offer seat refurbs/upgrades.

Regards

Fred

Nicole

I don't know, but doubt it. My best guess is that the foam has worn out. Perhaps an upholstery shop can fix it with new foam, or memory foam, or you can simply get Rob Budd to recover the seat for you. Once the foam is restored, you'll sit higher in the seat, and you may get better support. Try a seat in a low mileage 928 first to confirm!

I think some of us are growing tired of dealing with the complexity of these cars - as beautiful and fun they may be. There are other important things in life, or other things come-up, which is when we need to find a good home for our toys. I'm glad you have adopted Godzilla, and I'm sure you'll take good care of it.

You're welcome! Hooked on Cars was born as a favor to my fellow 928 owners; to provide access to items not readily available through other vendors. It's been a labor of love more than a money maker, but has lived for more than 10 years now. A variety of changes in my life, career, interests and the 928 community itself have recently convinced me to reduce my efforts a bit. I no longer accept custom orders, and you will see some items disappear from the store after my stock has been depleted. If there is anything else you want or need, this may be the time. Again, thanks for being a customer of Hooked on Cars!

danglerb

I believe the 928 seat has band across the bottom like a chaise lounge chair, and those bands can fail or weaken over time so your bottom sinks down too far. I am sure either of our experts Rob or Paul know what it is and how to fix it. My local guy made a royal mess of mine stuffing in more or new foam, but I haven't had time to pull them out and have it fixed again.

They should be very comfortable when restored.

Ducman82

Paul redid mine... perfection now! very comfortable.

Gary Knox

I spent a lot of time rebuilding seats for my '94 this past winter.

Took a set of frames that had 12 way power/heat but only fair 'standard' upholstery. Removed the supple leather upholstery from another set, and spent a lot of time cleaning the old dye/paint off them, then applying lots of ColorPlus 'Soffener' to the leather on both the seating side and the back (rough surface) side. Then, I bought/installed new seat heaters (after market) for bottom and backrest of both seats, as well as a new set of lower seat foam from Roger for both L and R. I installed about 1/4" of new foam in the raised areas of both backrest and lower seat raised sections, then re-dyed them to a color I wanted, using ColorPlus dye. Finally - reassembled them and applied one last thin coat of leather dye/paint.

The leather is now extremely soft, and the seats are extremely comfortable. I've always found the shoulder area to be a bit uncomfortable in the stock - non supple - seats. The slightly added foam brings the center of my back out a bit further, and is therefore much more comfortable in that area as well. I now feel 'absorbed' into the seats, rather than sitting 'on' them.

That all refers to the front seats. The only thing I did was dye and install a set of excellent rear seats that I bought with supple leather.

Not a 'quick' fix by any stretch of the imagination. IF I'd paid someone to do the work, these would probably be the most expensive set of seats in the world!!

Gary--
PS: As soon as I get pictures taken, I'll change my avatar to reflect the new color

dr bob

My wife hates riding in the 928 seats, since they seem to pinch a nerve. For some perverse reason she thinks the standard cloth thrones in her gen3 Toyota 4Runner are much more comfortable. She does like to sit almost Pilgrim-church-pew upright and forward, and the 928 seats don't really work so well in that attitude. Of course she thought I was crazy to one-shot the 20-hour drive home from OCIC in DFW a few summers ago; I was perfectly comfortable the whole way.

A decade ago I bought a gen1 Ford Explorer new, and rented a few in advance of purchase to make sure it would be a good fit. It was replacing a Saab Turbo that had Sheel "Comfort Seats", perhaps the most comfortable sedan seats I've ever enjoyed. The Explorer rentals all had standard seats, and were back-killers for me. So I tried the Ford sport seat option, and they were worlds apart. It still took a while with the salesman to explain that my almost-300k Sheel seats were still better than the new Ford seats.

Last but not least, I've discovered that a back inversion 'machine' in my office saves a world of body aches and pains. Started off with a little sciatic nerve pinch, an accupuncturist and a chiropracter. I finally had my GP take a couple pictures with her new digital x-ray machine, and identified the problem. Hanging upside-down for a minute or two at a time during the day is a life-changer. Solves the pinched nerve to the leg issue completely, and has the added benefit of solving some decades-old ski-area whiplash damage that has haunted me continuously. Turns out it's not so much the age as the mileage and use pattern that determines condition and value as the years pass.

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Nicole-

You are so correct about changing priorities and passions in life. A lifelong passion for something is great, so long as it doesn't steal value from the other important things. I've always enjoyed your knowledge and enthusiasm for things 928 and Porsche. But life and technology both march on. We do find new loves, and passion for the old ones sometimes gets diluted back towards a new reality as new ones appear.

Jetdriver69

I have sport seats on my 82 5 speed and they hug you like a glove. They give great support, but are not made for a large person who may not be very flexible. You got to support yourself with your hands as you slide into the seat to keep wear on the bolsters to a minimum.

eijun

Do you have Sport seats or OB seats? She might not like your seat type.

I myself prefer the OB seats, I think the sport seats are uncomfortable while the OB seats I just melt into it.

Mike Frye

I refurbed my seats but didn't replace the foam inside. The bolsters were rough and split and the leather was brittle as anything but the support was OK.

I got a set of leather seat covers from Rob Budd and put them on myself.

Naturally the driver's seat was more worn and still is so you can feel a difference when you sit in one vs. the other but to me it's very comfortable in either one now with the new leather.

If I had it to do over again with more money available I would send them out to be done because I'm sure a professional would have replaced or augmented the original foam if possible and possibly the springs or supports too and they'd probably fit even better but I was (and am) on a budget and like to do all of the work on my car whenever I can.

I think the big question is whether the problem is actually the covers or the support of the seats and you can tell that by how you fall into them. I think that kind of problem will require professional help to do it right.

Rod Handsfield

Hello Gary, I'm treating the seats in my"83 Euro S as we speak. Did you dye the piping seperately a different collor? Which dye did you use? Mask off and spray or fine brush? thanks, Rod

dr bob

They are comfort seats with raft leather, the less-than-taught covers on the middle pillows. The lower side bolsters squeeze her butt more than they squeeze mine. I carry my extra weight in front where seat bolsters don't directly interfere or support.