SMR996

IIRC when I wieghed them before installation they were 24 to 25 lbs each without the brackets....

mikey175

For using the car as a DD, I couldn't DISAGREE more. The stock seats are far better than any other road car I've driven, including the M series. Track geeks may have a completely different experience.

-- M

sharkster

Actually if you sit in them first.. I'd say 7/10 people usually say they're very comfy. It's hard to say becaue it really depends on the person's dimensions to put it politely

Wives? Well they complain about most things in Porsches so you'd be right. There is lumbar support (manual and you move it up and down behind the cusion yourself) but no heat. I did once install/retrofit the heating kit on to a set of GT3 seats. Doable...

sharkster

Well with 640HP, dialed in suspension and some monstrous brakes I'd say this car would likely run rings around any manual... Purist is fine, heck I have a 930 myself but I also recognize that times change and I'm also going to give it up to Porsche on the 996Tip. They did an awesome job. Period. At least they admitted on the 997TT that the tip is faster than the 6speed. Does it make it more fun to drive? No but that's a different story.

sharkster

You hit the nail right on the head. That's how so many of us see it.

Riad

I have 37,000 miles on my car in 2 years - all driving in NYC. I might as well just sit on bicycle seat than install those.

Eli K

I think they're fine for the track, but for the street, it's nice to have an option of switching positions, etc.

10 GT3

This is an intersting set of opinions, but the stock seats are not that unsupportive or uncomfortable. I do wish mine had the lumbar option though. They do have better bolstering and are more supportive than the stock seats than originally resided in my 79' 911 S/C. I have no problem with a comfortable driving position or being held firmly on the track on R-compounds. Strangely, I've come to notice that the 996' sports seats aren't really bolstered more than the regular seats from sitting in a couple 40th An models. They just have the wide upper supports in the backrest. With older versions of the 911 (901, 964 and 993 chassis) and the new 997 there is substantual more bolstering in the sport seat options. I rode on the track in car with GT3 seat race seats and they do hold you very securely. They are also fairly costly.

Sharkster, I would put a little more support in your position if you were going to sell a set of cloth GT3 race seats for $1500 including the sliders though. On the other hand, I would consider this a pretty wasteful discussion at twice that price.

sharkster

My position on these is that I rarely "buy" them... and even rarer do I sell them. In fact as I stated in my original post, search around on the internet or through various Porsche dealers to get the best price. I'm in no way saying buy them from me.. Far from it. I'm just throwing out a bunch of impressions for whatever they're worth (if anything at all). I'd love to sell Porsche GT3 race seats in clotch for 1500 a pair but since I neither make nor do I really sell them you'd have to let your feelings be known to Porsche

Let me re-iterate, this is NOT a for sale post. I am not "blowing out GT3 seats for cheap so PM me" etc.. Far from it. In fact, please do _not_ Email me to get them since a)they're really pricey and b)since I don't make them you should go direct to the source for a better price and c)find your local dealer because shipping is often $100 per seat. That way you guys can save some money. I'm just sharing my experiences with having installed a good few and relaying what some customers have said etc...

K996

I don't like the fact that the standard Porsche seats have virtually no side bolsters around the thigh area. That is just absurd in a car like this.

That said, mine's a daily driver so I need a seatback that folds forward.

I've been looking at some of the Recaro seats online but haven't driven the 3-4 hours to the nearest dealer to give them the '***' test.

Does anyone have recommendations for well bolstered Recaro's that aren't too hard-core for the street (ie, not GT3 style racing buckets) but a good compromise between everyday use and support?

Nicolaasdb

If I had a 2nd P.....I would install the seat, because they look great and they are comfortable!
And all that BS about tip versus stick...I have been driving stick since I was 17 years old in Europe (yes a year before my legal driving age!!) and love stick...but here in the wonderful US of A,,,where 99% drives like retards...all over the road and in the left lane at 45MPH plus in SOCAL 90% of the time in huge traffic jams...why in godsname would you want to drive stick??? And now that the 997 turbo came out with a faster tip than stick...gone is all your blah blah about purism....because in the end it is all about speed and getting from a to b in the fastest time possible (also on the track!)
Lat time I checked Lambo and Ferrari's lost their clutch pedal a while ago...just wished that Porsche would come with the F1 ( or whatever you call them) on the steering wheel....Sorry for my rant, but I have been attacked a couple of times about the TIP issue....and I love driving stick...but my wonderful American wife...would screw up my clutch within 5 minutes....and I am glad that I knew and that I bought a TIP......nice and lazy.....and it is also a CAB, even less purist.
My apologies to all you wonderful wannabe Schumachers.....hope you can find you STICKS over you fat beer bellies!!! ( I AM KIDDING!!! So please no hate mail back!!)

Eli K

Alex, thanks for a refreshing post. I don't think many took it as a "promotion".

marlinspike

Which is why you should have bought the stick: she wouldn't want to drive and you'd have it all to yourself.

Carrera Mike

Have you tried the Sports Seats? I think they're outstanding compromise between the stock and GT3 seats. I'd say very good lateral support.

MrBonus

But wouldn't that restrict the ability to put my golf clubs behind me?